Chapter Ten
This Year - Christmas, Still Evening, 1998
The evening was bright and lively, as they all sat around the dinner table waiting to eat the beautiful Christmas dinner that had been planned. Candles were lit, the table had been expanded and everyone was there.
"Her de borky gustys din cuunted?" Chef asked the Count, who was standing beside the kitchen door, sipping on a soda quietly.
The Count looked over at the Swedish chef and thought for a moment about what he said, then smiled. "Ah! Counting the guests then...let's see..." He quickly did a head count, and smiled once more. "That's 110. 110 vonderful lively christmas dinner guests, ah ha ha ha!"
Thunder and lightning flashed outside the window, as the Count laughed softly. The Swedish chef smiled, and went back into the kitchen to try to find enough extra dishes for everyone to eat off of.
"Looks like it's gonna storm outside soon.." Floyd commented, seeing the lightning and hearing the thunder outside the window.
"No...like the vampire dude must've counted something again.." Janice responded, laughing. Floyd nodded and laughed as well.
Everyone was at the table, awaiting the Christmas dinner to arrive, all except for Fozzie, Emily and Doc. They were sitting outside on the porch.
But they weren't talking. Fozzie sat on the railing, watching the window sullenly as Emily and Doc sat on the swing. It was quiet outside, no sounds except for the snow falling gently, and the soft noises of the few cars going up and down the street. It was quite peaceful outside.
"Why are you doing this Fozzie?" Emily finally broke the silence, looking over at her son. She had her chin resting in her hand, and she sighed.
"Why am I--Why am I doing this?" Fozzie stood up suddenly, and glared over at the two. "I'm not doing anything! I'm not going to stand around and let my Ma be....wooed over by some....some....."
Doc's face fell...he realized that Fozzie didn't like him. He had thought that they had become friends over that Christmas two years ago. Not best friends he knew, but good enough. Apperently Emily never spoke about that Christmas were they became a little more then friends. His hand was still in his vest pocket, holding the small box. He tightened his grip on it, subconsiously.
"Human? Just because I'm not one of you...weirdoes...that means I can't become friends with your mother?" Doc countered, getting a touch angry now.
"No!! I....I just...." He slumped down onto the floor of the porch, letting himself rest against the railing now. "....don't want Ma to be sad again." He looked down at the floor, and frowned.
"Sad again?" Emily asked softly, glancing towards Fozzie. "Why would I be sad aga.....it's about Frank, isn't it?"
Fozzie nodded. He still missed his Father. He wondered why his Mother had forgotten him so easily. It had been....years since he passed away, but to him the memory was still fresh in his mind.
"Honey...." Emily cooed, lifting herself off of the porch swing, she gathered up her dress and sat down on the porch beside him, and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. "Are you worried....I'm going to forget Frank? He...he passed away when you were just barely a cub. I'm...a little suprised you even remember him."
"You're suprised...that I remember him? He's the one who taught me...no, encouraged me to be a standup comedian! I really miss 'em Ma...and then...then you start going out with...with him!" Fozzie pointed over at Doc, who frowned softly, then looked away from them.
"Fozzie. He's not a bad man. But he's not Frank either, I know that. I'm a lonely old bear, who dosn't get much company in the mountains, and you know it. He gave me friendship, and I returned the favor." She looked straight into Fozzie's face, and she gave him a quick kiss on the forehead. "You and Frank will always be first in my heart, you should know that by now!"
Doc stood up from the swing, and he sighed softly. "Emily..I can't think of any time better then this I guess..."
Emily looked back at Doc, and she was really curious as to what he was going to say to her. "Jerome..?"
He got down in front of the two, not on one knee, but sitting indian-legged. He fished around in his vest pocket and pulled out the small box, then he opened it. Inside was a beautiful golden ring. It had a beautiful pink diamond in the middle, flanked by two smaller clear diamonds. He looked up at her, and took his glasses off for a moment.
"..E-Emily Dolores Bruin? Would....would you marry me?" His voice was shaky, and he wondered how Fozzie was going to take it. Despite how he had acted eariler, Jerome realized this might happen.
"Marry you?" Emily asked back, really suprised now.
"Marry her?!" Fozzie exclaimed, his eyes wide as saucers now, watching them both.
"I asked you first, Emily." Doc said with a gentle twinkle in his eyes.
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