As the sun began to set, the northern side of the cove glimmered in speckles of soft light, like fireflies. The waves rolled past rhythmically and the flowers had not yet begun to close. There weren’t signs of civilized presence in this area, just pristine nature. Thick light-barked trees swept upwards from the soil like solid brushstrokes. As the grasses swayed in the breeze, one could almost hear plaintive flute-like melodies whispering to any listener.
Kermit and Bobby arrived, both dressed in tuxes. Bobby leaned down and whispered, “You look hot, greenstuff. She won’t be able to keep her hands off you.”
“Sheesh,” Kermit whispered back.
Stars began popping up here and there in the darkening sky. The glimmering lights floating around them mirrored the astronomical patterns.
Samson walked along a small trail, following the sound of crashing waves. Lena and Foster and Arturo followed him closely. Samson smiled. “This is … not Bobby,” Samson noted to break the long silence.
“It’s too … natural and out-of-the-way,” Foster whispered, nodding. “There aren’t any whips or chains around.”
Arturo laughed, rolling his eyes. “We haven’t arrived at the location, either, no?”
They finally ended up near the cliffs, spotting Bobby and Kermit the Frog, both decked out in crisp black tuxes, surrounded by what looked like glitter.
Lena glanced at Samson in confusion. “Why is zat frog zere?”
Samson couldn’t hide his puzzlement either. “So much for the idea this is some romantic get-away.”
Lena smiled. “Maybe he wants a witness.”
“For what?”
Lena shook her head. “You really can be quite stupid, Sammy,” she teased.
When they joined Kermit and Bobby, they introduced each other, chatting, wondering what was going on. Bobby wouldn’t say much, just chuckling evilly.
At long last, Moulin and Rachel erupted in a dazzling water display just in front of the cliffs, landing gently on the rocky ground by the edge. Moulin hurried Rachel to the grassy area where the others were waiting. Wet rocks had a tendency to make the average hiker … disappear.
Everyone stared at them.
“Thank you, every one of you, for accepting our invitation,” Moulin noted with a broad smile.
“Did you just fly here?” Samson gasped, his eyes nearly popping out of his head.
“The important thing is to realize that every one of us is now in a position to take back that which was stolen from us.”
“Is everyone here?” asked Kermit, nervously.
Rachel stared at the Muppets and the … very … attractive … human woman standing behind the large brown bull. The woman winked at her and licked her index finger seductively.
Moulin kept smiling. “Let us begin the ceremony. You will find there is no priest, no minister, no rabbi, no judge … no one to give us permission.” She inhaled deeply, as if absorbing the sounds of the area. “Only the soft melodies of magics known by me and desired by everyone. Just listen … and let it fill you … so that we can join our partners in truly magical and holy matrimony.”
Bobby grinned as he scooted over to Samson, who seemed nearly breathless as the soft melodies continued to synchronize the movements of the specks of light in the air, gently rising and bobbing and weaving to each and every note.
Lena started to sniffle. “It is such a shame we have nothing appropriate to wear. I guess ze Book was right … be prepared for ze wedding.”
Moulin chuckled. “That book condemned those who did not arrive as they should, when the friendlier response would have been to supply the wardrobe so they would have a chance to participate.” With a flick of her wrist, a small ribbon of mist twirled around Samson, Rachel, Lena, and Arturo. They gasped as each of them appeared in new clothes. Samson and Arturo wore highly-tailored black tuxedos, with blue flowers pinned to their chest pockets. Lena found herself draped in a light blue sequined sleeveless gown with a slitted hem on the right side, her hair sparkling with glued-on-like sapphires. Rachel wore a dark blue long-sleeved silk jacket over a blouse that shimmered in different shades of blue and green, her knee-length skirt flowing easily in the breeze.
Foster gawked at everyone, his face pale. He looked at his own clothes and glanced back up at Moulin. “I get to wear a T-shirt and some faded jeans?”
Moulin stared at him warmly. “Only if you know who you are, will you look like it.”
Foster grumbled. He wasn’t the fussy, fashionable type. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, feeling his clothes change texture. He looked down: he wore a dark blue button-down long-sleeved shirt and black dress slacks.
Kermit looked around. Bobby had told him this was his and Piggy’s idea.
And she wasn’t here.
“Isn’t that pig friend of yours here?” Rachel asked sincerely, noting Kermit’s anxious expression.
He hung his head.
Foster walked up to the group. Not so long ago, he had wanted to slap the frog himself for lecturing him about love when he couldn’t even deal with it himself. And here this barely two-foot-tall amphibian was nearly making a dent in the earth, as heavy as his heart was.
Listen, and hear what I have to say, for a change.
Foster stopped himself from yelping. He glanced around, looking for the source of the strange whisper he had just heard. He spotted Moulin smirking at him. Did she --?
Piggy, meanwhile, was running as hard as she could. “Blast high heels! Why couldn’t Kermie … huff … huff … pick a nice parking lot to be romantic?” She dashed by a large tree along the trail, on which a brown sign hung with bold white lettering: Cantus Cove.
Foster felt an inner light well up inside him. He smiled and kneeled in front of Kermit. “Don’t worry, Kermit,” he said as he burst into a soft melody:
She'll make you happy,
Now and forever --
Until forever,
Your love will grow….
Bobby took Samson by his hoof, peering deeply into his eyes and sang:
He'll make me happy,
Each time I see him!
He'll be the reason,
My heart can sing!
He'll stand beside me,
And now I'm everything.
Lena placed one hand on her chest and wrapped the other around Arturo’s.
Rachel, shrugging, began to sing as well, “Days go passing into years.”
Moulin took Rachel’s hands and wrapped her lover’s arms around her waist. “Years go passing day by day.”
They all (well, all but Kermit, anyway) started to sing:
We'll be so happy,
Now and forever!
Until forever,
Our love will grow!
Kermit’s eyes started to water. Soon he heard panting right behind him. He saw everyone staring at him, smiling and giggling. He turned slowly … to find Piggy, her casual dress transforming into a sparkling white wedding dress with light blue speckles here and there in the lacework, smiling at him.
She gently took his hand. “I only know, he'll make me happy! That's all I need...to...know....”
He returned a relieved smile, placing a solid gold ring with white and brown diamonds running along the center of the band on a gloved finger. He drew her near and brushed away strands of blonde hair.
Everyone would have exclaimed their happiness when Kermit and Piggy kissed, but the three long-lost … and newly-found … couples were far too busy enjoying each other to notice.
The End!
Author’s Note: The song in the previous chapter was from Fraggle Rock. And, seriously, if you don’t know this most romantic of Muppet songs, I’d be ashaaaaaamed of yourself!
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