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Tim hears it first—it’s a loud bang and then something hitting the side of the house. Lucy groans and rolls over and touches his arms.
“It’s that damn raccoon again.” Tim growls rolling out of bed. “I swear to god Luce.”
“Timothy Bradford.” She says her eyes closed but her voice firm. “So help me god if you shoot that raccoon.”
“I’m not—” Tim starts and lets out an exasperated breath. “It can’t be in our backyard Luce.”
“Tim.” She warns and he knows she’s not playing just like last time. “Just get a trap and trap it. Or call animal control but you are not shooting it.”
“Fine.” Tim says. “I will be right back.” He feels Lucy’s eyes on him as he gets out of bed and goes out of the bedroom. He tiptoes past the kids rooms because the last thing he needs is his kids waking up.
He goes downstairs and opens the sliding door. And steps outside.
“Okay you mangy bastard.” He mutters. There’s little light but Tim doesn’t want the raccoon to get away.
“Come on.” Tim mutter stepping onto the deck. “Come out.” There’s a noise by the trash cans and Tim hurries off the deck and into the corner. He sees the shadow of the raccoon. He steps closer but before he can get any closer it runs off.
“Damnit.” Tim mutters. He turns around to go back inside the house. Lucy is waiting for him at the door.
“I’m not going to shoot it Lucy.” He says. Lucy shakes her head, and peers out the door.
“It got away?” She asks. Tim nods and she tugs him by the hand. “You will get it. Maybe we need to call Celina in.”
“No.” Tim says. “I got it.” Lucy rolls her eyes and pulls him up the stairs both unaware of the little shadow in the kitchen listening to every word.
***
“Daddy.” A voice asks from next to him. Tim turns around in the chair and sees Ava staring up at him.
“Yes Aves?” He asks raising his eyebrows at her. Ava was nine but she hadn’t called him daddy in a long time. Ava rocks back and forth it on her heels.
“I think Ducky needs a friend.” She says. Tim opens his mouth to reply, they had gotten Ava a bunny and she was doing a good job of taking care of him but they didn’t need another one.
“A friend?” Tim questions. “I don’t think we can get another bunny.”
“Not a bunny.” Ava says. “Another animal. A um—” Tim tilts his head at her and she looks away for a moment.
“What kind of animal Ava? Because if it’s a dog—”
“Not a dog. More of a—more of a black and white animal.” Ava says. “I’ve been seeing these funny cliptalk videos of animals becoming friends with other animals.”
“Why are you on cliptalk?” Tim asks. “You know your mom and I have to—”
“Dad they are animal videos.” She protests. “They are innocent.” Tim rolls his eyes to the ceiling and then runs his hand over his face.
“What kind of animal Ava?” He asks again. Ava shuffles her feet a little and he has a feeling he is not going to like her answer at all.
“Well you know raccoons right?” She asks looking up at Tim. Her blue eyes that are so much like his are full of mischief and innocence.
“You want—you want a raccoon?” He asks. “Why?” Ava opens her mouth to reply but another voice cuts her off.
“What’s this about raccoons?” Tim turns to see Lucy walking into the room, she looks between Ava and Tim.
“I want a raccoon for Ducky.” Ava says. “It would be so cute.” Lucy looks over at Tim who just shrugs.
“That’s not a bad idea.” Lucy says. “You know a raccoon saved your dad’s life one time.”
“Lucy!” Tim hisses. But Lucy just grins at him and then looks at their daughter whose eye are wide.
“How did a raccoon save dad’s life?” Ava asks. Tim groans and tips back his head. He never thought he would have to explain to his nine year old daughter they couldn’t have a raccoon for a pet. It just wasn’t logical, and even if that raccoon did save him from being from being shot—
“It’s a long story Aves.” Tim says. “But where do you think you are going to get this raccoon?”
“There’s one in the backyard.” Ava says. “I know you are trying to catch it.” Tim looks over at Lucy and then back at Ava.
“To release it Aves not to keep as a pet.” He says. “We can’t have a raccoon as a pet.”
“Why not?”
“They are wild animals, they could have rabies and they get into everything.” Tim explains. “It’s not realistic.”
“But if I caught one—” Ava starts. Tim looks over at Lucy but she has a grin on her face.
“No.”
“Dad!” Ava protests. “You never let me have anything! A raccoon saved your life. If you had died I wouldn’t be here!”
“Jesus Christ.” Tim mutters. “That’s not—”
“She’s right Tim.” Lucy says looking over at him and shrugging. “If that raccoon hadn’t scared the shooter—”
“I would have been fine.” Tim says. “And you would still be here Ava.” Ava stares at him, her gaze unwavering.
“I think Ducky needs a friend.” Ava says. Tim rolls his eyes to the ceiling, it was too early to drink. He could practically feel the grey hairs coming in. “Please daddy.”
“No.” Tim says firmly. “Ava, we can’t have a raccoon. It might eat Ducky.”
“Tim!” Lucy says pushing at his shoulder and then she turns to Ava. “Aves, dad is right we can’t—”
“This isn’t fair!” Ava says lifting up her chin. “Ducky is lonely!”
“He has you Ava.” Tim says drily. “I don’t think he’s lonely.” Ava huffs in frustration and marches off without another word.
Tim turns to Lucy shaking his head at her. “You know a little backup wouldn’t hurt.” He says. Lucy rolls her eyes.
“Babe, she’s nine. She’s been watching cliptalk videos. She got it in her head that Ducky needs a wild animal friend. She will get over it.” Tim shakes his head, and he’s too tired for this at the moment.
“Why is she on cliptalk anyway? She’s nine. She doesn’t—” He starts but Lucy puts her hand on his chest.
“She uses my phone and I’m right there the whole time Tim. She just looks up animal videos.” Tim sighs and lets out a breath. Ava was growing up in front of his eyes and he couldn’t say he liked it.
His baby girl.
His sweet, sassy baby girl.
“Look.” Tim says. “I’m going to set a trap tonight for the raccoon.”
“Don’t tell Ava.” Lucy says. “She might get some ideas.” Tim rolls his eyes again and then presses a kiss to the top of her head.
“She’s just like you. She wants to have all the animals. We are already running a zoo here.” Lucy laughs and lays her head on his chest.
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” She mutters. Tim rubs her back and then lets out a breath.
“Me neither Luce. Me neither.”
***
Tim wakes up to a loud ruckus outside and he’s out of bed and running downstairs. The slider door is already open and he freezes a little when he sees it. He grabs a flashlight out of the drawer and tiptoes outside. He sees the trap he set up in the corner, and he sees a small shadow kneeling next to it.
He raises his eyebrows as he steps down from the deck and shines the light on the trap. “Ava!” He says loudly. His daughter falls backwards and then scrambles up to face him.
“Hi daddy.” She says. Tim rolls his eyes and steps closer to her.
“What are you doing out here? Why aren’t you in bed?” He asks. Ava looks down at the trap and Tim shines his light on it. There is a small raccoon in it looking like it’s about to claw its way out.
“I heard you and mom talking about trapping it.” Ava says. “And I heard a noise—” Tim sighs because he knows where this is going.
“Ava—” Tim says sounding exasperated. “You can’t just—”
“I can train it dad!” Ava says jumping on her toes. “I can!” Tim sighs softly, and bends down in front of Ava.
“Aves.” He says gently. “I know you really want this raccoon but they aren’t pets. They belong in the wild. He wouldn’t be comfortable here.”
“Oh.” Ava says glancing at the raccoon. “He would be sad?”
“Yes baby.” Tim says. “He should be running free out in the wild not here.”
Ava chin falls to her chest, and a tear falls down her cheek. “I don’t want Muffin to be sad.”
“Muffin?” Tim questions wondering how she already named the raccoon.
“I named him.” Ava says. Tim sighs and stands up, and guides Ava back to the house. “Now what?”
“Now.” Tim says. “We go back to bed and then you and I will go and release him tomorrow.” Ava sighs and pauses for a moment. She glances at Ducky who is asleep in his cage. “I just wanted him to have a friend.”
“I know sweetie.” Tim says. “A raccoon just isn’t a good choice.” Tim leads Ava back upstairs and into her room. She climbs into bed and he tucks her in.
“This raccoon—”
“Muffin.” Ava corrects him.
“Muffin is going to be so much happier Ava. He will be able to run free without worry.”
“Okay.” Ava says. “I guess.” Tim presses a kiss to the top of her head and then walks away. He shuts her door and heads back to the master bedroom.
“Did you catch it?” Lucy mutters as he climbs back into bed.
“Ava named it Muffin.” Tim says pressing a kiss to her shoulder. “We are going to go release it tomorrow.”
“Good.” Lucy says. “You know Ava is right. A raccoon saved your life so the least you can do is—”
“Oh my god.” He groans. “You are as bad as Ava.”
“Mmm. You love me.” She says. Tim can’t help but smile because he does love her. He always has and he always would love her.
No matter what.
***
“Where are we going to release it?” Ava asks looking at Tim as he drives towards a trail in the mountains. It was a distance away from LA but not too far. He read that he needed to go at least five miles so it wouldn’t come back. And he decided to go the distance.
“There’s a hiking trail up ahead.” Tim says. “It’s out of the way and he has lots of room to roam.”
“I will miss him.” Ava says. “He’s feisty like me.” Tim rolls his eyes and glances over at his daughter. He woke Ava up early, and then loaded the raccoon in his truck. It thrashed around and snapped at them a little.
“Well he will be happy when he gets released. Imagine being trapped in a little cage all day.” Tim says.
“So like school.” Ava replies back.
“No—” Tim starts but then he stops and shakes his head. “Look Ava. Maybe one day you can get a friend for Ducky. But it will be the right animal.”
“Not a raccoon.” Ava says. “Right.” Tim pulls up to the trail and parks the truck. He turns it off and gets out.
“Stay back Aves.” He warns her. He grabs the trap and carries it to an open space. He looks behind him and sees Ava standing there watching him. He sighs and then puts the trap on the ground and opens it up. The raccoon slowly steps out and then stands on its back legs looking around before he’s running off.
Ava steps up next to Tim, and he looks down at her. She has a wistful look on her face which is unlike her. “He’s happy now. He can run free.” She says. Tim pulls her into a hug and nods his head.
“Yes.” He says. “He can run free.” Ava blows out a breath but steps away from him.
“I think a hedgehog might be nice.” She says. “They are so cute!” Tim rolls his eyes to the sky and then back down at his daughter. He can’t help but smile—he loves her and he wonders what is going through her mind.
“You are one of a kind Ava.” He says. “You have a big heart. Keep using it for good.”
“Okay.” Ava says. “I love you dad.” Tim smiles and leads her back to the truck.
“I love you too Aves.” He says. They climb in the truck and he turns it on before he’s backing out. He is just about to pull back onto the road when Ava squeals excitedly.
“Dad look! It’s Muffin!” Ava says bouncing in her seat. Tim looks over and sees Muffin standing in the middle of the road. Tim stares at the raccoon for a few seconds before he’s running off again.
“He was saying bye.” Ava says. “Isn’t that nice dad?” Tim looks at her, and smiles softly. He hopes she never loses her innocence and she never changes.
Because raccoons and all. The chaotic zoo at home he wouldn’t have it any other way.