Ok, this next installment is long. And deep. And emotionally draining. And I should just shut up and post it. Here goes. Forgive me now if it's too much....just remember, alternative universe. And the story will get happy eventually.
1986 – New York City
Kermit sat in the corner table at Pete’s with a cup of coffee and poured over the script.
“Where is your girlfriend? She no work today?” asked Pete in his usual broken English.
“She wasn’t feeling well, I’m sorry I forgot to tell you,” said Kermit.
“Is all right. I hope she is too,” said Pete.
“I’m sure she will be, probably just rundown,” said Kermit.
“Jenny will cover,” said Pete and turned back to the task of flipping pancakes.
Kermit sighed. He really wanted to sell the show and have his friends back by year’s end. It was almost Christmas and he feared that wasn’t going to happen. He hadn’t seen them all since summer now.
At least Piggy had come back. Well, she had never left. Not long after the gang split up Kermit had discovered that Piggy had been stalking him, she never left New York because she could not bear to be without him.
They ran into each other in Central Park when Piggy was chasing a mugger on roller skates. Kermit had been there with Jenny and Piggy had gotten quite upset. They took a long carriage ride and Kermit managed to make her see that he and Jenny were really just good friends. Piggy was skeptical, but agreed to come and work at Pete’s.
After some time had passed they moved into a tiny apartment together not far from Pete’s. Piggy still wanted to get married, but she understood that it couldn’t happen until they sold the show. She settled for living with Kermit.
They weren’t without their problems; in fact lately it seemed as if they fought more than ever. Kermit was stressed about the show, Piggy still didn’t completely trust Jenny, they worked long days at Pete’s just to pay the bills.
Cards and letters from the gang kept them going and cheered them up. They laughed over Gonzo’s stories of stunt spectaculars gone wrong, rejoiced over Fozzie’s finding love in Beth Bear, cried when Rowlf spoke of feeling lonely, were excited over Scooter’s plans to go to graduate school and smiled at stories from the Electric Mayhem’s various travels.
Times were tough, but they had each other.
Kermit turned back to the script. He still couldn’t figure out what the one thing that was missing that he felt would make a Broadway producer snatch up his show.
Suddenly Piggy came in from the cold.
“I thought you were staying home,” said Kermit.
“I was, but I decided to go to the doctor. Kermie, we need to talk,” said Piggy.
Kermit tucked the script away into his folder. He was worried, Piggy seemed very serious.
“Are you sick?” asked Kermit.
“No…oh boy, there is no easy way to tell vous this,” said Piggy.
“Come on Piggy, you can tell me anything,” said Kermit.
“Ok. Here goes. Um, I’m pregnant,” said Piggy.
Kermit was quiet for a minute.
“Kermie? Are you ok? I need to know how you are feeling,” said Piggy.
“I don’t know. This isn’t really a good time. We have no money, I’m trying to sell the show, we’re not married,” said Kermit but in a calm manner.
“Gee, thanks for the reminder, yes, we are not married, a choice may I remind vous that was yours Kermit the Frog!” exclaimed Piggy.
Kermit took a deep breath, he needed to stay calm and he needed Piggy to be calm.
“I’m sorry Piggy. I just didn’t expect this to happen…now,” said Kermit.
“Well I didn’t expect it either, but it’s too late now,” said Piggy.
Kermit thought for a second. He thought about Robin back at the swamp. He missed his nephew so much; he had sent him back there when the gang first went to college. He always promised he’d bring him to New York when he sold the show. He loved him so much and he was missing out on watching him grow up. Maybe he was meant to have that chance with his own child.
“You know what Piggy? I think it’s great,” said Kermit.
“Really?” said Piggy.
“Yeah. But I think, maybe we should just go to a justice of the peace or something. Our child deserves its parents to be married,” said Kermit.
“Oh Kermie!” Piggy gushed and took Kermit in her arms.
So that weekend they headed to the Justice of the Peace. Pete stood up for Kermit and Jenny stood up for Piggy even though Piggy wasn’t super excited about her doing so. Kermit sent a telegram to all of their friends, but they were all too busy on short notice to come to New York. Piggy and Kermit were disappointed but they figured after they sold the show they’d have a big party and reunite everyone then.
Christmas came and went. Kermit and Piggy spent the holiday with Pete and Jenny and all the rats down at the restaurant. They had the most fun they’d had since their friends had left, possibly because Kermit put down the script for a day and didn’t bring up the show once. In fact, Kermit left it alone for an entire week. Piggy was hopeful that maybe they would just move on and find another way to get their friends back together.
It didn’t last long. On New Years Eve Kermit was rather depressed because he didn’t make his goal of getting his friends back to New York by year’s end.
Piggy wanted to go to Times Square, but Kermit was holed up in their tiny second bedroom, right now an office, but soon to be their baby’s room and was pouring over the script some more.
Finally Piggy gave up and had gone to bed. 1986 became 1987 and Kermit sighed. He turned off the light and went to join his wife in bed.
He found her sitting up, white as a sheet, doubled over and crying.
“Piggy?” asked Kermit running to her side.
“Kermie, I’m….I’m bleeding….and it hurts,” whimpered Piggy.
Kermit rushed her to the hospital but it was too late. They had lost the baby.
The doctor tried to explain that it was probably for the best since they were dealing with the unknown considering they were having a baby that was part frog and part pig.
Piggy healed quickly physically, but emotionally both she and Kermit were deeply wounded.
Kermit threw himself into the show more and more as a way of dealing with his grief. They may not have planned for this child, but it was just another loss for him and instead of turning to Piggy he started pushing her away.
It was not smart, but somehow he just felt he could open up more to Jenny during this time, she didn’t push him the way Piggy did. Piggy wanted to talk about it all the time and she was really pushing Kermit to try for another baby. Jenny on the other hand was happy to sit in silence and listen to whatever Kermit was willing to share. She kept things light and upbeat. Piggy meant well, but Kermit just wanted her to back off.
A few months had passed and it was getting close to spring. Somewhere during this time Kermit received an invitation to Fozzie’s wedding to Beth Bear. He had no idea how he and Piggy would afford to go, and at the moment, it was the furthest thing from his mind.
For awhile, Piggy was unaware that Kermit was turning to Jenny so much. Usually he and Jenny talked when Piggy was on her lunch break, every day she went home for an hour to watch her favorite soap opera. One day, she turned around and came back to Pete’s when she discovered she did not have her key to the apartment. She saw Kermit and Jenny with their heads bent low at one of the tables. Something inside of her snapped.
“And just what is going on here hmm? Are you two engaged in some sort of secret rendezvous when I go watch my show every day?” asked Piggy in a jealous tone.
“Piggy, I would never do that to you, trust me, Kermit is just a good friend,” said Jenny.
“I should’ve known I could never trust vous,” said Piggy starting to get her wild eyes.
“Now wait just a minute here Piggy, am I not allowed to have a friend?” asked Kermit.
“You already have plenty of friends but you made them all go away!” yelled Piggy.
“I MADE them all go away? How did I force everyone to give up on the show and leave huh? Tell me Piggy, who wanted the show on Broadway in the first place? This was NOT my idea; you all talked me into it. I have worked my flippers off for all of them because it’s what THEY wanted and then they are the ones that gave up!” screamed Kermit getting up from his chair.
Jenny had gone behind the counter at this point and was huddled with her father and Rizzo. They didn’t want to watch, but it was like a train wreck, they could not turn away.
“Well, they all thought that they were stressing you out too much so that is why they left!” yelled Piggy.
“Well you know what? It’s not easy being the cheerleader all the time, especially when I never asked for this. I did this for all of you,” said Kermit.
“Well for someone who never asked for it you sure seem to want it. All you care about is the stupid show now. It’s been almost a year and you have not sold it. Maybe it’s time to admit that you’ve failed Kermit,” said Piggy then stepping back a bit when she realized her words were somewhat harsh.
“That’s really low Piggy; you know I feel like I’ve failed everyone but to hear you actually say it? That hurts more than you can possibly know,” said Kermit quietly.
“Kermit, I…” started Piggy.
“Piggy? Maybe we shouldn’t have gotten married. You obviously still can’t trust me, you don’t believe in me, I think this was a mistake,” said Kermit looking away.
“Kermit you can’t possibly mean that can you?” asked Piggy.
“I married you because it was the right thing to do but now I’m not so sure,” said Kermit.
“Kermie? Do you still love moi?” choked Piggy as she started tearing up.
“I don’t know Piggy. I don’t think I know you anymore. I don’t even know myself,” said Kermit sinking in to the chair.
“So what do you want to do?” asked Piggy crying quietly.
Kermit was quiet for a long time.
“I think we should separate. You can’t take back the things you said and they just cut me too deep right now. I can’t be with someone who doesn’t believe in me and especially who does not trust me,” said Kermit.
“Well, I don’t think I can be with you if you are friends with Jenny,” said Piggy surprising herself a little. Did she really want to leave Kermit?
“Piggy, Pete and Jenny have treated us like family, they’ve taken us in when we had no where else to go, and I have told you time and again, Jenny is a friend, nothing more ok?” said Kermit.
“I’m sorry Kermit, I just can’t help how I feel,” said Piggy sadly.
They sat in uncomfortable silence for awhile longer.
“I think I’m going to leave,” said Piggy, she grabbed her key from the hook in back where she had left it and then went out the door.
“Ok,” said Kermit.
When Piggy left Pete’s that was the last Kermit saw of her. He thought she meant she was leaving for the moment and just going back to the apartment. He thought about things for awhile and after he’d cooled down he was ready to go home and try and talk things out with her. He’d said some things he didn’t really mean either. He was hurting so much inside from losing their friends, losing their baby and losing everything they had built up as a couple.
He opened the door to the apartment and was struck by how empty it suddenly seemed. All of Piggy’s stuff was gone. He realized at that moment that she said she was leaving for good when she said she was going to leave.
He waited for her to come back but days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months, she had not contacted him once.
He didn’t know where she was, but he knew one thing, the show had successfully ruined his life. He also knew that unless she ever filed for divorce, he and Piggy were still married. And he didn’t know if he’d ever see his wife ever again.
After some time he contacted his friends to let them know simply that he and Piggy had split up. He made no mention of the show or about the baby.
The only one who knew anything about the baby was Fozzie when he called to ask why Kermit wasn’t at the wedding. Kermit apologized profusely explaining Piggy had left the weekend of the wedding and it just slipped his mind completely. When Fozzie asked why Piggy left Kermit said that they could not work past their grief of losing the baby. Fozzie didn’t believe that was the only reason, but at the time did not press Kermit any further on it.
After Piggy had been gone for a few months Kermit moved out of their apartment. He boxed up all of his stuff for the show and put it away for good. It was over. Piggy was right, he had failed. Not just with the show. But with life in general.