The Next Step: The Fifth and Final Rowlf Story

[theprawncracker]

Hehe! Yes, I am Ryan too! Nice to meet you Ryan... too...

 

[The Count]

Uh... That'd make him Ryan 3. Remember, we had docnzhoss before either of youz guys showed up.
But that's OK... Prawny's the Ryan #1-0000 in my friends' list anyway.

 

[theprawncracker]

Hehehe! Thanks Ed, and yes, I do remember doc, wish he'd come back.

 

[redBoobergurl]

Muffins, muffins, muffins for everyone. I love when my stories get muffined though, it helps keep them from falling to the second page of the fan fics where, horror of horrors, I might forget about it! I won't forget this though guys, update will probably come tomorrow.

 

[PhsychoChimp]

They better or Penguin get mad. o.o; j/k.

 

[redBoobergurl]

Chapter Eleven:

“What are you doing here dear?” asked Felicia in her gentle motherly tone that Wanda had come to love.

“It’s a long story,” said Wanda.

“Well I’ve got some time,” said Felicia.

Wanda felt trapped. How could she possibly tell her mother-in-law everything that was going on with her and Rowlf? Rowlf was still Felicia’s son. Then again, did Felicia know about this part of his past that had been kept a secret? She guessed not since Rowlf had been estranged from his family for so many years. She also didn’t feel it was her place to tell Felicia about it regardless of the issues she was currently having with him.

“I’m just here for a little visit, I was missing Alexander and I thought it would be nice to spend a little time with my mom. Rowlf told me to take a little time and come up here,” said Wanda lying through her teeth.

“You should’ve told me you were coming! I’m always happy to see my daughter-in-law. I wish my son was here too, but it’s still good to see you,” said Felicia believing the story and reaching out to give Wanda a hug.

“Oh, of course, I should’ve said something, silly me,” laughed Wanda nervously.

“How long are you going to be here?” asked Felicia.

“A few days,” said Wanda. She knew that much was true, her mom did tell her to take a few days and clear her head.

“Well you have to stop by and see the boys too! They’d love to see you! Will you be performing here again?” asked Felicia.

“Oh yes, Alexander said I’m welcome to perform every night I’m here,” said Wanda. It wasn’t exactly a lie.

“Wonderful, I’ll have them come down one night. I should get back to my friends, we’re having dinner here tonight. I saw your set and I was just bursting my buttons and bragging to my friends even though I was confused as to what you were doing here," said Felicia.

“Sorry again for the confusion. I’ll try and stop by,” said Wanda. Felicia gave her another hug and then sat at a table with some other older female dogs.

“Whew, that was close,” thought Wanda and decided to tell Alexander she was done for the night.

* * * * * *

Kermit hadn’t heard from Rowlf all day and was starting to get worried. He thought that Rowlf would’ve at least let him know where he was staying. He was even more worried about how he should broach the topic of Wanda being pregnant. He was still certain that Rowlf didn’t know.

So, even though it was getting dark he decided to go look for him.

“Hey Scooter, will you make sure Sweetums gets Robin to bed on time?” asked Kermit.

“Sure Boss, where are you going?” asked Scooter.

“Um, to see if I can find Rowlf. I need to talk to him about something important,” said Kermit.

“Do you want one of us to go with you?” asked Scooter.

“No, I think I can handle this alone. Thanks though,” said Kermit and grabbed a light jacket as he stepped out the door.

* * * * *

Across Hensonville at the Fuzzy Feet hotel Rowlf sat on his bed flipping through TV channels aimlessly.

He’d had such a wonderful day with his daughter even things got off to a bit of a shaky start. They talked a long time and then had dinner together. Annie had a lot of spunk and reminded Rowlf a fair deal of her mother. It was almost a little painful to think of her but he pushed those thoughts to the back of his head.

Annie also listened with a sympathetic ear when Rowlf felt he could finally open up a little about Wanda. She apologized again and again for ruining things, but Rowlf insisted it wasn’t her fault.

It was while he was talking to Annie that it dawned on Rowlf that Wanda was really acting peculiar. With all they had been through in the past it really surprised him that she wouldn’t at least talk to him about this.

Now that he was back in his hotel room he was thinking about it again. Wanda was not usually so irrational.

He also thought a little about Regina despite his efforts not to. He wondered what would’ve happened if they had gotten married all those years ago. Would he have ended up meeting Kermit that fateful night in that restaurant? Would he have ever gone back to Minnesota to reconnect with his family? If he had, he probably would never have realized that Wanda was his first love.

Suddenly Rowlf realized what he knew all along. Things work out the way they are supposed to. Sure Regina may have caused him some pain along the way and he thought he really loved her, but he didn’t love her the way he now loved Wanda.

“I’ve got to fight for her! What was I thinking letting her run off like that? This is crazy! This isn’t me!” shouted Rowlf into the thin air.

He leaped off the bed, grabbed his bags, turned off the TV and started off for the boarding house. From there, he would go after Wanda.

* * * * * *

Wanda wandered the streets of Minneapolis for a little bit. She knew the safe areas to be this late at night. What was wrong with her? She just lied to her mother-in-law. That wasn’t like her.

She also was slowly beginning to realize it was maybe not the smartest idea to have run away. Maybe she should go home and face the music.

At that moment she was suddenly made aware of the small life growing inside of her when something fluttered.

“Whoa! That you kid?” she asked as she rubbed her stomach. She wasn’t showing yet by any means, but she swore she just felt life.

“You know something little guy or gal? Your mommy really screwed some things up. But she’s going to try to make things right. Hopefully it’s not too late,” she said and started to head back for Marie’s.

Marie had left a light on for her because Wanda had expected to be home late. She opened the front door and closed it quietly assuming her mother had already gone to bed.

“Hi honey,” said Marie.

“Oh hi mama,” said Wanda turning around and then getting a little surprise.

“Hi again Felicia,” said Wanda cautiously when she saw her mother-in-law sitting next to her own mother on the couch.

“Hello dear. Is there something more you would like to tell me?” asked Felicia.

Wanda sighed. There was no getting out of it this time.

 

[The Count]

Ooh! Thank ooo Beth!

Since Prawny already promised to give you a review, I'll let him have at it. He might come up with some better names for the arsenal than I could... It's so great that things are starting to come together.
Yaey Rowlf! Go get her!
Aw, poor Wanda, she rully has to face the music now.

Post more soon, it's so great and good, we need more... More... Mooore... Mooooooooore!
Post!

 

[theprawncracker]

So! As promised, here is the detailed review! But, to add a little twist/fun to it, I figured I could do the review while reading through this survey you sent me... well, I guess I sent it to you first... but I'm reading through YOUR answers. So, here goes!

“What are you doing here dear?” asked Felicia in her gentle motherly tone that Wanda had come to love.

Oh! I have come to love it too! And Felicia.

“It’s a long story,” said Wanda.

“Well I’ve got some time,” said Felicia.

Aw, she'll make time for her! How lovely! I hope my mother in-law is as nice as Felicia.

She also didn’t feel it was her place to tell Felicia about it regardless of the issues she was currently having with him.

Can't say I disagree with her there. I guess Wanda hasn't completely lost her mind...

“I’m just here for a little visit, I was missing Alexander and I thought it would be nice to spend a little time with my mom. Rowlf told me to take a little time and come up here,” said Wanda lying through her teeth.

Hey, at least she has teeth. Unlike most of the other Muppets. ...Does she have teeth?

“Oh, of course, I should’ve said something, silly me,” laughed Wanda nervously.

Very, very silly you, Wanda! Leaving Rowlf like that... Tsk!

“A few days,” said Wanda. She knew that much was true, her mom did tell her to take a few days and clear her head.

Well that's nice. But I'm thinking that she won't be staying much longer if Rowlf comes to his senses.

“Oh yes, Alexander said I’m welcome to perform every night I’m here,” said Wanda. It wasn’t exactly a lie.

Not exactly and just what is that supposed to mean, misses Wanda? Hmmm?

“Whew, that was close,” thought Wanda and decided to tell Alexander she was done for the night.

Poor, poor Wanda... ya know, none of this would've happened if you'd stayed home young lady... cat... thing...

Kermit hadn’t heard from Rowlf all day and was starting to get worried. He thought that Rowlf would’ve at least let him know where he was staying. He was even more worried about how he should broach the topic of Wanda being pregnant. He was still certain that Rowlf didn’t know.

Awww! Even Kermit's feeling frazzled by this mess! Well, of course he is, he's Kermit.

“Hey Scooter, will you make sure Sweetums gets Robin to bed on time?” asked Kermit.

Awwwwwww! That's our Kermie!

Across Hensonville at the Fuzzy Feet hotel Rowlf sat on his bed flipping through TV channels aimlessly.

Ohhhh! That is SO Rowlf! I can totally see him doing that. Poor guy.

Annie had a lot of spunk and reminded Rowlf a fair deal of her mother. It was almost a little painful to think of her but he pushed those thoughts to the back of his head.

Poor, poor Rowlf! Having to be reminded of such a thing in such a BIG way...

Annie also listened with a sympathetic ear when Rowlf felt he could finally open up a little about Wanda. She apologized again and again for ruining things, but Rowlf insisted it wasn’t her fault.

OH! That's AWESOME! She's letting him open up to her! That's great!

Now that he was back in his hotel room he was thinking about it again. Wanda was not usually so irrational.

Yeah well, you usually don't meet your daughter from a woman that isn't your wife, and come to find that your wife is pregnant after you've already commited to adopting... actually... nothing usually ever happens around you Rowlf, I don't know why you're so surprised.

Suddenly Rowlf realized what he knew all along. Things work out the way they are supposed to. Sure Regina may have caused him some pain along the way and he thought he really loved her, but he didn’t love her the way he now loved Wanda.

I love it when characters realize something the audience knew all along.

“I’ve got to fight for her! What was I thinking letting her run off like that? This is crazy! This isn’t me!” shouted Rowlf into the thin air.

First of all, YAY! Go get her, Rowlf! Second, duh, it's crazy, it's a Muppet story. Third, the poor thin air.

He leaped off the bed, grabbed his bags, turned off the TV and started off for the boarding house. From there, he would go after Wanda.]

GO ROWLF GO!

“Whoa! That you kid?” she asked as she rubbed her stomach. She wasn’t showing yet by any means, but she swore she just felt life.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! LIFE! Oh that is AWESOME!

“You know something little guy or gal? Your mommy really screwed some things up. But she’s going to try to make things right. Hopefully it’s not too late,” she said and started to head back for Marie’s.

*tears up* WAAAAAAAANDA! Go HOME!

“Hi again Felicia,” said Wanda cautiously when she saw her mother-in-law sitting next to her own mother on the couch.

“Hello dear. Is there something more you would like to tell me?” asked Felicia.

TELL HER! TELLLLL HER!

AH! This was GREAT, Beth! More please, please, please!

 

[redBoobergurl]

Thanks Prawnie! You made me laugh so hard I swear I've got tears rolling down my face! I plan to post more tomorrow for sure. If I get on a roll I could finish this story this week...and then there'd be no more story...that'd be sad....but for now, expect another chapter tomorrow.

 

[Fragglemuppet]

Oh, poor Wanda! I just hate getting caught in a lie, particularly by people who don't deserve getting lied to! But for shame Wanda. Felisha's his mother; I imagine she could at least straighten him out for you!Very Kermit-Empire State Building moment there with Rowlf at the hotel, don't you think?
So sweet with Wanda talking to the tiny life inside her...

On a different note...

You have a custom-built computer? Awesome!

Crisps are potato chips in British..er..Britanese?
:Crazy:
And mind giving us a link to the survey somewhere?

More please!