Chapter Forty-Three
They were silent as they walked down the dark hall, still holding each other, even as they entered Miss Piggy's bedroom. He guided her to her bed and gently laid her down.
She held him close to her. "I'm sorry," she whispered.
"For what?" He kissed her cheek.
She bit her lip. "We said... we wouldn't hide our pain, and I-"
"Oh, Piggy-"
"And I did..."
"Sh…"
"And you-"
"Piggy..." He put his hands on her cheeks. "It's okay," he said tenderly.
"But it isn't-"
"Yes." He kissed her cheek. "It is."
"But-" She pushed herself to sit up. "Why?"
"Piggy..." He wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled close. "It's not easy, Piggy. I know that. ...And we're not exactly
used to it, either..."
She wrapped her arms around him. "Mon Capitan..."
He gently eased her onto her back again and kissed her sweetly. He sank into her warm arms. "Mm… Piggy..."
She held him tight. "Mon Capitan?" she murmured.
"Hm?" He lifted his head and slid his hand behind her neck.
"Kermie," she murmured. "Is it… I... do you mind if..."
He slid his face closer to hers.
She whispered. "If... If I talk to- to Rowlfie and Fozzie about..."
He pressed his cheek against hers and was quiet for a long moment. "Yes," he whispered faintly. "But- but just Fozzie and Rowlf, okay?"
She nodded. "Kermie?" she whispered. "I lo-"
He kissed her.
"-You too," he whispered.
She squeezed him tight.
He kissed her cheek. "Sleep well, Piggy," he murmured.
"Sweet dreams, Mon Capitan."
His kissed her sweetly, and eased out of her arms and out the door.
He went to his room, opened his suitcase, and took out something small. He smiled at it, and went back into the hallway to knock on Fozzie and Rowlf's door. "Guys?" he said quietly as he opened it. "I want to show you something..."
The three of them gathered around the small thing he was holding.
They were quiet for a long moment. "Wow," Fozzie whispered.
"Think she'll like it?" Kermit whispered.
"Kermit," Rowlf said, "Is the sky blue?"
"Well at the moment, no, it's more of a black-ish color..."
They chuckled.
"She'll like it," Fozzie said.
"Have you figured out yet how to give it to her?" Rowlf asked.
Kermit hesitated. "I've got an idea..."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"You don't have to do it, you know," Fozzie said quietly.
Kermit was watching himself in the mirror of a spare dressing room. "I know," he whispered. He watched his reflection.
Fozzie sighed, stood up, and put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "It's a good number, Kermit," he said quietly. "It'll be good... whether you do or don't."
"It'll be better if I do," Kermit said.
Fozzie shifted his weight.
"I
want to do it," Kermit said. "I think... I think it'll have a nice effect, you know? I think... it'll work that way."
"It'll work either way," Fozzie said. "And then afterwards-"
"Oh I don't even wanna
think about 'afterwards' yet," Kermit said as he turned to the bear. He smiled and shifted his weight. "I mean- not
right afterwards..."
"Oh relax," Fozzie said. "You've got nothing to worry about there, either."
"Well- I..." Kermit squirmed.
"Ker-mit," Fozzie sighed. "You've got nothing to worry about!"
"I know, Fozzie, but I'm still gonna worry," Kermit said.
"Where's the sense in that?" Fozzie asked.
"Well, there isn't any," Kermit said, "But that's never stopped you."
"...Oh," Fozzie said.
"But that's not what we were talking about."
"No. It isn't."
Kermit sighed and looked at himself in the mirror. "I said I'd never put it on again," he whispered.
Fozzie shifted his weight. "Well... That was the one you came home in," he said. "This one's different, right?"
"Right," Kermit said quietly. "It's only for special occasions."
Fozzie took a deep breath. "Well," he said meekly, "...Tonight... certainly is that."
"Sure is," Kermit said quietly. He thought for a moment, and turned to the items on a hanger near by. "It'll be worth it," he said quietly.
There was a tiny knock, and the door opened. "Uncle Kermit?"
Kermit grinned and turned to greet his nephew. "Hi Robin!"
Robin hopped over to them. "Hi, Uncle Kermit! Hi Fozzie!"
"Hi Robin!" Fozzie said.
"Hey Robin," Kermit said. He gestured for the young frog to hop up onto the vanity. "Ready for the number tonight?"
"Yup!" Robin said excitedly.
"Oh, good."
"It's tonight, isn't it, Uncle Kermit?" Robin grinned.
"What? The number?"
"No-
that." Robin kicked his flipper towards the top drawer of the vanity.
Kermit and Fozzie grinned at each other, and Kermit hugged his nephew. "Yes, Robin. That's tonight," he said. He looked the young frog in the eye. "But it's still a secret for now, okay?"
"I know," Robin said. "I won't tell."
There was another knock on the door, and a head poked in. "Thirty seconds to curtain, Boss!" Scooter declared.
"I'd better get out there," Kermit said. He stopped at the dressing room door. "Um- Scooter?"
Scooter glanced over each of his shoulders and leaned in. "She doesn't know yet," he said quietly. "But I think she's got a feeling something's up."
"I see," Kermit nodded. "Hopefully, she'll just think..."
"That you need to get on stage!" Scooter watched his watch.
"Oh, right, right!"
"Kermit?" Fozzie gestured to the drawer.
"I'll get it later!" Kermit said. "Gonzo's gonna distract her during Pigs in Space. Um-" He turned to Scooter and pointed to the hanger. "Make sure that gets back stage in time?"
"Sure thing, Boss!" Scooter said. "Now go!"
"Going, going!"Kermit bolted for the stage and made it just in time to shove his head through the giant O.
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