Change of Heart

[Misskermie]

I agree with Vincent!!!

 

[TogetherAgain]

It must be your lucky day or something.

To be honest, no, I did not have any intention of ever updating this any time soon... if ever. I don't even remember the last time I thought about this one. BUT... I have something written, see, that was really only meant to be half a chapter, but could function well enough as a full chapter... Something I wrote years ago, when I was still posting this story--however long ago that was. And, well, I've been having so much fun lately seeing all this random banter in old story threads... Well, let's just say... you've convinced me.

I'm currently in the process of typing up that half-chapter I wrote years ago. I have NO IDEA if I will EVER write ANYTHING MORE of this story... but you might as well see everything that I DO have, right? So, coming right up, Piggy's long-awaited explanation of why she has a baby.

 

[TogetherAgain]

Chapter Eleven

“…I—I had—…a friend,” Miss Piggy explained as the tears on her cheeks began to dry. “On the farm, growing up. Mabel. She—...We did everything together… Played, and—danced, when—when no one was looking, and—tried to learn French…”

Kermit swallowed hard and shifted his weight. It was very rare, at best, for Miss Piggy to even allude to the fact that she didn’t have a full grasp on French, and rarer still for her to talk about her past. She was doing both.

“We left the farm together,” she said quietly. “And—stayed together, at first, but—we—had to part ways…” She took a deep breath. “She—got married, and settled down, and—I was still—in beauty contests, mostly… We—we kept in touch, though…”

Kermit nodded, but she wasn’t looking at him. His hand was still on her shoulder, which still felt terribly awkward to him, with her blouse half-undone and the baby at her breast, but she was struggling with her words, and in spite of everything, part of him still wanted so badly to just hold her… so his hand didn’t budge.

“Before—Before I met you, Kermit, I—…I was—…down on my luck, a few times, and… Mabel always—took me in… I—I owed her, see, Kermit,” she said, looking at him for the first time since he’d come in the room, and then looking at the baby again. “And I—I would—still visit, of course, when I—I didn’t need to… Most of the time, when I don’t—say where I’m going, I… That’s where I’ve been.” She slowly took another deep breath. “…Mabel… Mabel—and Fitz, have—…have been trying, for—years, to… to have children… They—They’ve had… so many… still-borns, and miscarriages, and—so much trouble, conceiving, and… most of the time, the—the baby, would put—Mabel’s health, in danger… so…” Another deep breath. “So—science. Miracle of science. It was—was their baby, their—DNA, and everything, but—but I carried it.” Her voice turned soft, even tender. “It’s only four months, for pigs… and then they could have a baby. I would have—a few—extra pounds, maybe, and—some stretch marks that no one would see—No real harm done…”

Kermit gently squeezed her shoulder. Helping a friend. She said she’d been helping a friend. He didn’t think he’d ever heard such an extreme understatement.

She was quiet for a long moment, just breathing in and out, looking at the baby she was nursing. She made some microscopic adjustment to the yellow blanket. “…Mabel, and Fitz… went… grocery shopping, one day… while I was napping…” she said slowly, very quietly. “And—there… there was… an accident…” Her head tilted down a little more, and she took a deep breath.

Pieces started clicking into place. Kermit gulped and inched closer. “So—so they can’t—…take care of the baby?” he offered softly, gently.

“…No,” she whispered numbly. “…They… they’re gone, now.”

He lowered his head. Mabel sounded like she had been Miss Piggy’s best friend. “I’m sorry, Piggy,” he whispered.

“…The—The day, that… the—tabloids… found me,” she said quietly, her voice shaking now with a trace of anger in her eyes—but only a trace. “When—When they took—that picture? …That was… the funeral, Kermie. And not—not one of them noticed, that—moi, was—all in black.”

He winced and gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. He hadn’t noticed it, either. No one had noticed that she was grieving.

The anger faded from her eyes. “They didn’t… really have… family,” she whispered, her voice no longer shaking. “Or many—close friends, who… could—could afford, to— ” She bit her lip and shivered. “Oh Kermie, I didn’t know what to do!” she whimpered. “I—I couldn’t, just—hand Mabel’s baby off to some—some—stranger! Or—or an orphanage! Mabel—” She stopped, suddenly much calmer. “Mabel—wouldn’t have wanted that…”

“Of course,” he said softly.

“So, I—” She stopped for a moment, quietly gazing at the little baby in her arms. “…Her name is Renana,” she said softly. “That’s what… they were going to name her… I… I’m sorry, Kermie. I don’t know—where else—to go. I—I’m sorry—”

“Sorry?” He repeated, frowning, and he shook his head. “Piggy—”

“I don’t—I don’t mean to—be a bother, Kermie. I—I’ll figure something out. I just—for now, I—”

“Piggy, listen to me,” he said with a gentle firmness, and he stepped forward so that she could see him. With a hand on her cheek, he turned her eyes to meet his. “We’re family, Piggy. And—and that means—we take care of each other. And that includes you… and—and Renana, now,” he added softly. “Without question.”

“…Th-thank you,” she said softly.

He ignored the fact that her blouse was still half-undone, and he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and settled her head against him.

 

[The Count]

*Blinks. An update? From Lisa der Toga's writings? *Shakes head, what's this fandom coming to.
And there's the familiar jerk that have characterized this author as a master puppeteer, toying with the strings of her readers' hearts. Thank you for posting again, it's rare for your stories, but we appreciate every time you do so.

 

[Misskermie]

WOOT!!!
Sorry, this was my favorite story you wrote.
YAY MY NAGS WORKED!!!!

Anyway, this was a relief.
She WAS pregnant.
But NOT her baby.
You have baffled moi again. Good job.
And it's terrible that they're dead...
SO terrible.
So that's why she's crying.
She was pregnant.
Not her baby,
Kermit's alright now.
How'd you do that?
Anyway, maybe five more years will pass and you'll write another installment.

 

[Vincent L]

Did something just happen?

Chapter Eleven

What?!?!
[faints]
[wakes up so he can read the chapter]

Interesting explanation, I never expected that.
And after some time of reading old stories, I can't beileve I'm in the middle of a story in progress!

 

[redBoobergurl]

GAH! Another update from Lisa? Man am I glad I came on the forum today! I always loved this story!

I had a hunch she had the baby for her friend, but I didn't realize why she had the baby with her. So sad. And so wonderful of Kermit to welcome her with open arms. Still, poor Piggy to go through all of that.

 

[theprawncracker]

Well cut my hair and call me Shirley! You updated THIS one?! Sheesh! I had to go back and read a bit to figure out which one this even was. And then I remembered... and I was like, WHOA! And then I read the new installment and I was like WHOA! And now I'm typing like this and I'm like WHOA! Anyway... you sure know how to reveal huge information while breaking our hearts. I loved Kermit's hand on her shoulder. I have no idea why. That was a nice touch (literally). Well done, I say!

 

[Vincent L]

Well cut my hair and call me Shirley!

Hello Shirley!

 

[TheWeirdoGirl]

So I had read this story a few months ago, but I didn't see this last update until just now. And... wow. The idea that it might not actually be her baby never even crossed my mind. This really touched me, her having her friend's baby, and Kermit, and... well, I had tears in my eyes. Bravo!