“I’m not going to hurt you,” I baby-talk to it. “I’m here to help.”
“For fuck sake’s, Nova, get back in the truck.”
“I’m not leaving it here!” I call back, the little guy hissing at me again.
“What even is it?” Ian asks
The little guy doesn’t move as I get closer, but it does keep hissing at me. Poor sweet baby.
“Shhh,” I coo. “It’s okay. Everything is okay.” And as soon as I get close enough to touch it, I notice it’s back leg looks injured. “Oh my god.” My eyes water. “It’s okay. We’re gonna get you help.”
“Help?” Nick barks. “What the fuck are you helping? I swear to god, Nova, if that's another cat, I’m going to drop it off at the nearest shelter.”
“You will do no such thing,” I scowl back at him over my shoulder before turning back to the sweet baby on the road. Taking off my sweater, I quickly throw it on top of it and scoop it up. It hisses louder, struggling in my arms.
“I got you. Shhh. It’s okay.” I rock it in my arms, holding it close to me.
“Nova, put the fucking cat down!” Nick barks.
“It’s not a cat,” I growl back, swinging around to face him.
I see him leaning out of the truck door, looking at me over the top of it.
He narrows his eyes before he curses. “Are you fucking crazy, woman?” he growls. “You do know that’s a fucking opossum, right?”
“Yes.” I give him a dry look. “I’m not stupid.”
“Are you sure about that?” He glares at me. “You’re the one holding roadkill like it’s a fucking baby.”
“It is a baby. A sweet little baby.” I look down and smile at the opossum in my arms. “You're just the sweetest baby, aren’t you?” It bares its teeth at me and hisses. I laugh. “You're so cute.”
“Ian, deal with her. She seems to be your brand of crazy right now,” Nick mutters, getting back into the car.
“Let me see what you've got there,” Ian says, coming to stand in front of me. Ian tries to touch it, but it snaps at him and he jerks his hand back with a chuckle. “Feisty little thing, isn’t it?”
“I’m not leaving it here to die, Ian. It has an injured back leg,” I say, showing him by lifting up the opossum’s bum to show him the leg peeking out the bottom of my sweater.
“How about we call around to see if any vets are open. We will get the little guy some help, okay?”
“Really?” I smile up at him, hating how full my heart feels. “You're not gonna make me leave it here?”
“No.” He looks appalled. “I’d never be able to live with myself wondering if it was okay or not. They will know what to do with him.”
“You're the best,” I squeal, making the opossum hiss again as I lean up on my tiptoes to kiss him.
We head back to the truck where a very pissed off Nick is glaring at me. “You are fucking unbelievable,” he scowls at me.
The opossum starts to wiggle in my arms. I try to keep my grip on it, but it manages to escape.
“Wait!” I shout as it scatters from my arms and into Nick’s lap. Nick freezes, unsure what to do as it crawls up his body and drapes itself around his shoulders.
“Get. It. Off. Me.” His voice is dangerously low as he stays deathly still.
I bite my lip as the opossum relaxes on his shoulders while Nick is clearly freaking out.
Is he afraid of a little opossum?Oh my god, that’s so damn cute.
“Awww,” I say, fucking with him. “It loves you!”
