And as promised, here is your new and second chapter of the Mondays, here on a Monday.
Chapter VII
Thursday
The day had arrived.
And it was a day that would change everything.
It started when Robin couldn’t sleep, his mind preoccupied with the funeral of his mother arriving the next day; actually, to Robin at least, the issues seemed to all begin once his parents split up. Things hadn’t been the same since and they seemed to only grow worse and worse each passing day and this week was no exception. The tension between him and his father also seemed to heighten itself, worse than their argument a few days earlier, which went from angry taunts to complete silence; a difficult position when one was sharing a room.
After their visit to Dr. Criggett’s, Jimmy had stayed behind to discuss the funeral arrangements. It hurt him more than he could have ever known and realized, knowing that not only would he be unable to see Leaper beforehand, but because of the virus, the ceremony would need to be closed casket, meaning that he wouldn’t even be able to see her before she was put into the ground. If he hadn’t already been depressed before, that news had managed to sink him even further.
That night, he had returned home and revealed what he and Sam had discussed, how Leaper had to be buried, and how they would need to keep their distance from her, even from the coffin itself. It was clear the information did nothing but bring the already downing events lower than they were now; while Kermit had been nearly ecstatic knowing that his family and Piggy were safe from harm, Jimmy couldn’t help but be a little envious and jealous and that translated into a harshness that the younger frog had never held for his brother before.
If Kermit was aware of it, he didn’t show it; he was too busy celebrating the fact that he still had Piggy in his life. He had been scared, incredibly so, that the tests would come back with one or all of them carrying the virus that had killed Leaper and while Kermit was well aware that, should someone have it, there were treatments to counteract it, combat it, it still didn’t matter when the very idea alone was enough to put one on alert. And he had shown his appreciation of her not only surviving this trial, but that she had come with him in the first place.
Robin had absorbed the conversation, but kept quiet on the matter, feeling it better to keep to himself least he say something unkind again. For nearly two days, father and son tried to keep their distance from each other and after Tuesday, it seemed that while Kermit and Piggy had gotten closer, the frog brothers were drifting apart. And as Jimmy and Kermit drifted apart, the gulf that was apparent between Jimmy and Robin only deepened. Twice, Robin had snuck out of the house, making sure that everyone was asleep before he did so and only appearing again once everyone was waking up for breakfast.
To Jane and James and maybe even to Kermit, it may have seemed as though the teenager had just gotten an early start for the day, however to Jimmy and Piggy, it was clear that he had been out all night, doing who knew what. Jimmy had known, as soon as the boy had gotten up in the middle of the night, yet he couldn’t find the energy to stop him. Robin had always been a good boy and Jimmy felt he could still trust his son not to get up to too much trouble, at least not the kind one would expect for a frog his age. Piggy, while happy with the sudden amorous attention given to her by Kermit, could tell when something was bothering her frog and noting the similarities between Kermit and his family, she could clearly see that something was bothering both father and son.
It was Thursday now and the day of the funeral had arrived. Within their room, the power couple were getting dressed, ready to head out and pay their respects, while equally hoping to be the supportive presence father and son needed. Kermit was already dressed, well mostly, in a dark suit that was missing a tie, which he couldn’t seem to find at the moment. Two suitcases sat on the bed and he had gone through both religiously and still couldn’t find the tie he thought he had packed, though to be honest, he had been in such a daze after first hearing the news about Leaper, he couldn’t remember packing period.
Seeing Piggy enter the room, dressed in a black business suit and matching hat, Kermit once again was just awed by the sight. “Even when going to a funeral,” he began. “You still manage to be the most gorgeous thing in the room.”
“I bet you say that to all the pigs you share a room with,” she retorted.
“Only the sexy ones,” came his response. “Darlin’, you know where my tie is?”
Piggy easily reached into one of the suitcases and pulled out a black tie, holding it up for him to see. “Turn,” she commanded, causing him to turn and face her. Pointing to her neck, she replied, “Button.”
For a troupe that occasionally did black tie events and red carpet walks, there were only about seven people within the group that knew how to tie a tie, bow and straight, with Kermit and Piggy being two of them. Kermit had long knew how to tie his since he was a child, his parents instilling that he and his siblings always looked their best during certain types of dinner or on the occasion that they headed out to church on a Sunday; Piggy had been taught by her father, one of the last things he had instilled in her before his death, something at the time she didn’t understand why she had to learn.
With decades of tying ties under her belt, especially when it came to tying his, Piggy could’ve easily finished the task within seconds, however on this morning, the diva was well aware that this day weighed heavy on her frog’s mind and that if she was going to get anything out of him, it would be now.
“I hate funerals,” he muttered.
“I know you do, dearest.”
“Just…” he continued. “Just a sad occasion, to have to go to one. And it always reminds me of…” He let the sentence trail, his mind drifting to those friends and family that he had lost in his life and it seemed this day would continue the tradition, would continue the hollowness that was always left when someone disappeared from your life and could never return. “I hate funerals.”
Pulling the tie through its loop, Piggy looked at him. “I know,” she whispered. Smoothing out the lapels on his jacket, she said, “All set.”
“Well?” he asked, spreading his arms out. “Do I look presentable?”
Placing her hands against his chest, she said, “Dashingly handsome, as always.” As she went to pull away, Kermit grabbed one of her hands in his.
“You’ve been a brick,” he whispered. “Coming down here with me. I totally don’t deserve you.”
Smiling sweetly at him, Piggy caressed his cheek with the other hand. “I totally already know that,” she said. “But you have just the right amount of cuteness and snark that keeps me around.”
“Back at ya, darlin’,” he chuckled.
A knock on the door interrupted their moment, revealing Jimmy once the door was opened. “You ready?” he asked. The couple nodded, turning and following the grieving husband into the hallway.
[hr]
For many years, Leaper had been convinced that the Frogs saw her as little more than the poor girl who snagged one of the youngest, but on the day of her funeral she would’ve been surprised at how many of those had appeared, in respect to her, to Jimmy, and to Robin. It seemed as though all of Jimmy’s family was out that day, standing in a grassy knoll that was set slightly off from the normal ground offering of the Holy Oak Cemetery. Jimmy hadn’t been happy about having to put Leaper so far from the rest of the honored dead, however he understood the precaution.
Both inside and outside of the coffin had been lined in order to contain the virus that still waged within her body and the casket was closed and sealed, to prevent even an accidental exposure to anyone in the attendance. Several members of the family and friends had created a small memorial band, playing “Just a Closer Walk with Thee” as the pall bearers – those of the Reeces, a pair of identical crocodiles who had been neighbors to both Leaper and that of the Frogs – lead the procession from the Frogs’ home to that of Holy Oaks. Much like a funeral procession that may have been held in New Orleans, Leaper’s funeral was lively, the type of remembrance that was filled with happiness at the life the frog had, not the lives she left behind.
This had been Jimmy’s idea and one that he had almost decided against, knowing that Leaper would hate the very idea of celebrating the passing of a life, but Jimmy wanted to do something on his own this time, without his ex-wife’s disapproval on everything he did. As sad as it was, Jimmy’s mind wasn’t even on the funeral; his mind kept wondering to what he was going to do now and it was in a jumble with so many options and so many different ways in which things could go. They all stood, listening to the sermon being given, the summer sun had just started to hang in the sky, meaning that the heat would be coming soon, but hoping that the high tide would come when they were all inside.
He didn’t know what he was going to do. He was a father with a teenage son that he was practically estranged from and the love of his life was dead. Jimmy wasn’t sure where he was going, but he knew it was going to be a very long and winding road, one that perhaps he needed to undertake alone. Looking to his left, he saw Robin standing next to him, dressed in his best suit – one that his aunt Piggy had bought for him, no doubt – and Jimmy felt his heart clinch just a bit. He didn’t want to push his only child away and yet, the journey he needed to take seem to require that he would have to leave Robin behind, but how.
And with who?
Standing to his right was Kermit, his favorite older brother and most ardent confidant. If Jimmy was going to do this, if this was something he was really going to do, he knew Kermit would help him. Kermit had always helped him before and where it came to Robin, he knew the frog would be all in; the only person he wasn’t sure of was Piggy, who stood to his brother’s left. They had just gotten back together, perhaps…well, he didn’t know, but he knew he would have to approach both of them if he wanted a final answer.
[hr]
The service had been lovely, at least Kermit thought so. The last time he had been to a New Orleans type funeral like this had been when he had attended Jim’s, only a county away from where they were now. While he had felt, still felt, the loss of his friend deeply, Jim had not been the kind of person who had wanted people to be sad about his passing, instead he wanted people to remember him as he was, the kind of person he had been.
Kermit knew that’s what Jimmy had wanted for his former wife, even though they were both aware that she was no doubt turning in her grave by the very spectacle they had created with a musical procession down the street, followed by a rather raucous southern hoe down if one wanted to call it that, which was mainly an excuse for the family to be together in this trying time. Both Jimmy and Robin had taken the condolences with thanks and gratitude, nods to people for showing up and paying their respects, but out of everyone, they were the most somber as to be expected.
The Frogs’ home was again filled with laughter and amusement, though the majority of it came from the children who were told to get dressed up, but were allowed to run around and play. Once again, Kermit was amazed as just how well Piggy was suited to playing hostess and mistress of the house, helping his mother wrangle several hundred people that seemed to be coming and going through the house, plus he was sure she was keeping both an ear and an eye out for Robin, who was just milling about, getting apologies and sorrowful pats from his aunts, uncles, and cousins. She was amazing, she really was…
And it started Kermit on several thoughts he had been entertaining more and more in recent weeks and months.
“Kermit?”
The appearance of his brother startled him from his musings and Kermit could see that now was not the time to reveal what he had in mind, especially when the look on his brother’s face was clear that Jimmy needed to speak with him. Immediately.
“Yeah, Jimmy?”
“I need to speak to you,” he whispered. “And Piggy. You should…” The two equally turned to watch the diva as she interacted with their father, laughing with each other and patting little children on their heads as they went around them.
Kermit nodded. “Where?”
“My room,” Jimmy replied. “In about five minutes. Can you do that for me, big brother?”
“Anything,” he said. “Anything, you know that, Jimmy.”
His younger brother nodded, smiling sadly at him. “I’ll hold you to that,” he said, before patting his brother on the shoulder. He took a few steps back before turning around and heading for his room, hoping his brother would be behind him shortly.
Kermit watched his brother, a bit of sadness tearing at his heart, before he turned his head to look for Piggy. Just as he had hoped, her blue eyes met his, almost instinctively, and he inclined his head down the hall; Piggy may have seemed to the world of only being able to concentrate on one thing at a time, but it was a clever diversion. The diva always had her eyes and ears open – one had to when working in the theater with a bunch of lunatics – so she had easily seen Jimmy’s approach, their conversation, and had been just waiting for her frog to let her know he was going to speak with his brother.
The nod of her own head signaled she knew and understood Kermit’s indication, however she was not expecting for him to motion her over with his finger. Passing a word to Jane, Piggy left the elder frog’s side in order to join the side of the eldest son as he made his way down the hall.
“What’s going on, dearheart?” she asked.
“Haven’t the foggiest, darlin’,” came his response upon reaching the half closed door.
Jimmy was pacing back and forth across the floor, stopping only when his intended audience was present, his face a mask of anguish and resolve. It must have come across loud and clear to Kermit because once he and Piggy were inside, he immediately closed the door back to its half closed state. “Jimmy?” Piggy asked.
“Right,” Jimmy replied, taking in the sight of the couple. He was making the right decision, he thought, no, he was sure of it. “First of all,” he began. “Thanks, thank you both, for…for coming down here. I know you have stuff to do, I’m sure of it, but…it means a lot.”
“I told you,” Kermit reiterated. “Anything, Jimmy. You’re my brother.”
Jimmy chuckled, nodding slowly. He looked at Piggy. “Did you know Kermit is Robin’s godfather?” he asked.
Looking between the two in confusion, the diva nodded. “It would make sense, sure.”
Again, the younger frog let out a chuckle, this one utterly bitter. “Leaper was…was annoyed, to say the least,” he admitted, stunning them both.
“You never told me that,” whispered Kermit, aghast. Even from the beginning, Leaper had not been particular about her son’s interactions with him.
“Don’t you see?” Jimmy asked. “I didn’t care; you’re my favorite brother, you’re my big brother and you’ve always looked out for me. And I knew you’d look out for my boy. And you have. Leaper didn’t understand, couldn’t understand just how alike you and Robin are, the way he took to the stage the same way you did. But I understood, I got it, cause you’re my brother. And if I’m lucky, one day you’ll make Piggy my sister-in-law.”
Kermit and Piggy looked at each other and then back to Jimmy, unsure of where exactly this speech was leading them and quite frankly, they were starting to get a little concerned.
“You’re his favorite, you know?” Jimmy said, his attention now turned on the diva. “Robin, I mean. He loves you, Piggy, ever since he met you; you’re his favorite aunt, even when my brother was too stupid to see what he had in front of him.”
“Is…is this why you called us in here?” Kermit asked, growing a little perturbed. Just when he thought perhaps his brother was having an episode, he reveals a simple ploy to make his big brother propose to his girlfriend?
“No,” Jimmy sighed. “No, no, that’s…that wasn’t it.” Looking at Piggy again, Jimmy said, “I went behind Leaper’s back, you see. Probably the only time I ever did. I made you Robin’s godmother.”
Piggy was shocked, stunned, floored, and elated at the admission, to the point where she couldn’t get a thank you out if she tried and she did try. “Jimmy I…I don’t…I…”
“They kept talking about you,” he continued. “Kermit mostly, of course, but Robin too and even when I met you, I knew how you felt about my brother and I saw how you treated my son and somewhere I knew…I just knew…and now, I’m sure.”
“Sure of what?” Kermit asked.
“Sure of what I have to do now,” Jimmy whispered. “But I can’t…I can’t do what I need to unless I know, unless I know that you’d be there for Robin. That…that you’d take care of him if something ever happened to me.”
“What’re you talking about?” asked Kermit.
“What’s going to happen to you, Jimmy?” The power couple was not liking the way this conversation seemed to be going and it was getting just a little bit worrisome.
“I’m sorry for springing this on you,” the younger frog continued. “I should’ve asked, Piggy, and I’m sorry. I kinda just assumed that with Kermit as his godfather, you’d want to be Robin’s godmother and maybe I should’ve asked…”
“Stop,” Piggy commanded. “Stop right there. Robin has always and will always be welcomed in my house, regardless of my relationship with Kermit. Don’t ever forget that.”
Jimmy nodded, smiling as he did so. “See?” he whispered. “Then I know this is the right thing to do.”
“Jimmy,” Kermit stressed. “You’re starting to scare me and you’re starting to scare Piggy. What’re you talking about?”
“I need you, big brother,” Jimmy said. “I need you to be my hero one more time. See…I’m leaving, Kermit, I have to go away. And I want you – the both of you - to raise my son.”
The silence that stretched was a testament of just how floored the couple was, that both of their brains were having trouble trying to understand just what was going on.
“Jimmy…” Piggy said, slowly. “Where exactly would you be going that you would have to leave Robin with us?”
“Somewhere,” the frog muttered. “Somewhere away from here, away where…where I don’t have to be a burden...”
“Jimmy Ray,” Kermit grounded out. “You stop it. Now you stop it right now. I know this is hard, Jimmy, but whatever you’re thinking, you stop it. I am not burying my little brother, ever. So whatever sick, twisted idea you have in that head of yours…”
“What?”
“Jimmy, listen,” Piggy pleaded. “Just listen for a second. You can’t do this, you just can’t. Think about what you’re doing…”
“What’re you talking about?”
“What’re you talking about?” Kermit demanded. “On this side, it sounds like you just…you’re gonna…”
It took Jimmy a full minute to realize what his previous statements seemed to signify, causing his eyes to go wide. “Wait, what?” he exclaimed. “You guys think I’m gonna…gonna off myself or something?”
“Jimmy, you just stood there, going over a history of how you granted us permission to raise Robin in case something happened to you…”
“I’m not killing myself!” he cried. “Idiots! What’s wrong with you!?”
“What’s wrong with you!?” Kermit shouted. “I was about two seconds from turning around and getting Daddy in here to talk some sense into you! The way you’re talking…about…about leaving!”
“Because I am!” Jimmy exclaimed. “I’m leaving! From here, maybe even Mississippi as a whole! I can’t stay here anymore!”
“You’re leaving?”
That question didn’t come from anyone who had been in the room previously, but came from the new figure that had appeared at the now opened door.
“Robin,” Kermit breathed, startled by the sight of his nephew standing in the doorway.
“You’re leaving,” the teen repeated. “And just when were you going to tell me, Dad?”
“Robin, it’s not…” Piggy began, trying to come up with a viable excuse and falling very short, from the way the teen’s ire suddenly turned on her.
“Don’t,” he growled, pointing at her. “Don’t even try.” The teen took a step back, eyes staring daggers at the entire trio. “I’ll beat you to it; I’ll leave. And don’t follow me!” That last bit was sorely directed at Piggy, before he turned and stalked down the hall and out the door.
The adults in the room could only sigh, sigh at how what should’ve been a relatively simple discussion had led to this. Piggy checked her cell phone, noting a missed call and text from Scooter, before she checked the time. “I’ll give him about twenty minutes and then I’m out,” she said.
“To do what?” Kermit questioned.
“To follow him, duh!”
“But he said not to,” Jimmy supplied.
Piggy huffed. “Oh yeah,” she said, sarcastically. “Like I take directions from a fourteen year old. If I didn’t do it when Scooter was his age, I’m not gonna start now. Look, I’ll bring him back, but you -” She pointed straight at Jimmy. “Are going to explain everything to him, but first, you’re gonna explain everything to us.”
Welcome to the Muppet Central Forum!
Jim Henson Idea Man
Back to the Rock Season 2
Bear arrives on Disney+
Sam and Friends Book
On the other hand... Me likes CeCe as a new character, dunno if you'll go with her or that other girl frog mentioned in your DYAK oneshot whose name escapes me fright now. BTW: Does CeCe have hair or not? Just trying to imagine her in my mind's eye.
But then it came back 
Aliterative much today I take it.