CHAPTER TWO
After Miss Piggy’s bags were safely packed in the rolls-royce trunk, the beat up ‘80s Robot was soon driving them home. The streets of Hollywood were dark and practically deserted, and luckily they drove through with no traffic since it was so late. Kermit sat in his usual spot in the passenger seat, while Piggy sat in the back, gazing out the window.
There was a very quiet but obvious tension that had evolved in the car since they left. More than likely it had been prompted by the last discussion they had. The frog and pig kept to themselves and didn’t say a word. Only ‘80s Robot spoke, once in a while spouting out directions as they made turns and changed streets, acting as their driver and GPS.
In the silence, Kermit found himself occasionally looking up into the rearview mirror, checking on her. Piggy did not see him do this as she continued to watch the streets and buildings go by with a vacant expression on her face. He knew that she was probably feeling vulnerable and taking in the surroundings of her former home. He thought of saying something, but soon found that he did not have the courage to do so.
“Turning right onto Sunset Boulevard,” the ‘80s Robot announced.
As soon as Piggy heard this and saw the familiar, famous street appear around the corner, she felt a huge burst of nostalgia hit her like a ton of bricks. Her face immediately lit up as all the places of dining, shopping and entertainment passed by her window. They began to bring back many more wonderful and bittersweet memories than she was able to fathom. Of course, several of these places had changed since she was here last, but the setting itself was still enough to fill her heart with ache.
“Does it feel good to be home?” Kermit finally asked at one point, turning back to her and trying to break the ice.
At first she didn’t hear him, but when Piggy realized that he had said something, she turned to meet his gaze.
“What?” she asked.
“Does it feel good to be home?”
“Oh, yes... yes of course.”
They nodded to each other with forced smiles, before Piggy turned back to the window to once again let her mind wander down memory lane. Kermit knew he wasn’t going to get much else out of her, and turned back to the front as well.
The ride up to the house didn’t make them feel any better. As soon as ‘80s Robot announced they were turning onto Bel Air Road and entering the high-class residential community, Piggy realized it would only be a few short minutes before they were home. She was feeling nervous, but she wasn’t sure exactly why. She had been wanting and wishing for this since forever. To be alone with Kermit in the house that was meant to be theirs’.
Still, her heart began to beat faster at the thought. Maybe the idea of being alone together struck more anxiety than she had anticipated? Or maybe it was the fact that she hadn’t seen the house in so long. Maybe she was just immensely curious to see how much it had changed. Or maybe...
Before another thought could flood her mind, Piggy saw that the car was approaching the entryway of the mansion home. Only a second later, her eyes noticed the gold-colored, steel Kermit and Piggy faces that decorated the front of the ornate gates.
She grimaced as she looked at them. Maybe it was her excitability talking, but she suddenly realized what a tacky choice it was to put them there and decided they must come down immediately. Whatever changes Kermit had made to the house, they would have to go with them as well.
As if her anxious energy was rubbing off on him, Kermit was beginning to realize that this would be the first time they would be in the house together. The two of them. Alone.
He gulped at the thought. The car was now coming up the driveway, and a minute later finally parked close to the front door of the dark house.
“You have reached your destination, homies,” ‘80s Robot announced. “My guidance ends here.”
Kermit turned back to Piggy, and he smiled at her nervously, but warmly. “Welcome home, Piggy.”
She smiled back at him. “It’s good to be home.”
They unloaded the car together, with the help of the robot chauffeur. Being the small frog he was, Kermit struggled for a minute and couldn’t believe how heavy the bags were.
What on Earth did she pack, the Eiffel Tower?! he thought to himself. But he kept his composure and carried everything as best he could, leading the way as they approached the front door.
Piggy took a deep, excited breath as he reached to unlock it. She began to wonder what the house would be like now. Maybe he had remodeled it more to his liking. She imagined that it would be illuminated with light and color, and she hoped that he had taken the time to update the interior over the years, too. Or maybe he had changed it completely, out of fear of being haunted by the past.
But she found that it met none of these expectations. The house was dimly lit, and to her surprise, it looked the exact same as the last day she saw it. Perhaps a little more dusty than before, but everything seemed to be preserved in the exact spot she had left it in. It was odd and a little eerie that it was like this, but in a way it was also comforting. He had left it just the way she had wanted it.
Looking around, she noticed the interior setting was somewhat outdated now, but it was still very homey and welcoming, as she had always intended it to be. She saw the white sheets that still hung loosely over some of the furniture. Even more still hung over the paintings that decorated the walls. Including the one of her, as if to shield Kermit from a painful past.
“Are you tired?” he asked.
“Mm...” Piggy responded with a nod.
As they made their way to the staircase, Piggy caught glimpse of the Muppet paintings that hung in the main hallway. They were the only paintings that were not covered. She smiled as she passed them. They were all of Kermit’s best friends, and she had commissioned them right before the house was completed because she knew he would appreciate them. Maybe the sheets had fallen on their own over the years, but she was also somewhat convinced that Kermit had uncovered them on his own. Perhaps they had been there to comfort him when no one else was able to.
When they finally reached the master bedroom upstairs, for once Piggy’s expectations were fulfilled as she saw that this room had not changed either. Everything about it was as inviting as she remembered it. The walls, the curtains, the furniture, it was all the same.
The bed was still there too. It looked completely untouched, as if it had been waiting for her for all these years. The comforter was a calming pale blue and the sheets were white. There was a very tastefully decorative headboard, but no footboard. And several decorative pillows had been set together at the head of the bed, each of varying in shades of green and white. Piggy looked at it and sighed. She couldn’t wait to curl up under the warm sheets.
Looking at the room, it hit Kermit that Piggy had originally meant for this to be their room, and he began to question himself as to wether this was such a good idea after all. But when he looked up, he saw that she had already set down her things and was making herself at home. He gulped, knowing it was too late to say anything now.
“Piggy,” he said as he set the rest of her bags down, “it’s really late, so I guess I’ll be taking off and turning in...”
Piggy stopped what she was doing but did not turn to face him.
“I’ll be staying in the room just down the hall,” he continued. “You remember where that is, right?”
She turned to him with a smile. “Yes, of course Kermie.”
Whatever he wanted, she really didn’t wish to object to, out of fear she might scare him off again. If time away from Kermit had taught her anything, it was that she had to take his thoughts into better consideration.
“Ok... well I’ll see you in the morning then,” he said as he turned to leave.
“Kermit?”
He stopped and turned back. “Yes, Piggy?”
She smiled as she approached him. “I just wanted to say... that I’m very, very proud of you... for everything. For getting everyone back together and saving the theater.”
Kermit tilted his head to the side and chuckled. Her support suddenly made feel proud as well, though he knew he didn’t deserve the credit.
“Well,” he replied, “be sure to thank Walter when you see him. None of it would have happened if it weren’t for him.”
Piggy nodded. “Yes. I suppose I wouldn’t be here either if it weren’t for him.”
Kermit’s smile slowly faded, suddenly realizing she was right. If it weren’t for Walter, he wouldn’t have realized how much he needed her in his life. If Walter hadn’t found him two weeks ago, she wouldn’t be right here... standing before him.
Knowing this, he took a brief moment to take in her presence. He examined her elegant beauty. The way her clothes stylishly hugged her body. The way her curly hair framed her face so perfectly. The way her blue eyes seemed to look at him with wonder. He still couldn’t believe that she was really here with him.
As he carefully examined her, he suddenly realized that she was moving closer to him. In the brief second that he allowed this, he could have sworn she was leaning in to kiss him. But before he had a chance to find out, he quickly dodged it.
“Good night, Miss Piggy,” he said formally, and calmly, as he turned to leave the room.
Once he had left and shut the bedroom door behind him, he leaned against the door for a long moment. Much longer than she would have known, in fact. He knew he had just left her standing there and felt like a truck had just hit him. He didn’t even know for sure if she had tried to kiss him. For all he knew he had just left her standing there for nothing.
Regardless, he promised he would be good and knew he had to keep his distance. If she kissed him now, he wouldn’t be able to hold himself back. He wasn’t going to screw this up like he had done in the past, and that was final.
Miss Piggy, on the other hand, felt like a complete fool. She still stood in the same spot he had left her, staring at the door and feeling that she had crossed a line. The truth was she had tried to lean in to kiss him, but it wasn’t like that. She had only meant it as a friendly thank you or a kiss good night, not something to make him run off.
She touched her fingertips to her lips, regretting the attempt she had just made.
Stupid Piggy, stupid! She thought to herself.
She only hoped that she could soon tell him that her intentions were harmless and she didn’t want scare him away. She couldn’t let that happen again. They had to talk sometime soon. They just had to.
Well... maybe tomorrow.