Chapter Thirty-Six
Mark Knight tilted his head back, effectively tossing his midnight-black hair out of his eyes, and scanned the dance floor for a thousandth time. His crisp suit was similar to the employee uniform, but he wore a necktie while they wore bow ties. It was appropriate that he have this slight distinction. He was, after all, the proud owner of Midnight’s Moon.
A woman in a pale blue dress floated over to him with a smile on her face and a laugh in her heart. “Darling, isn’t it wonderful?” she said as she drew near. “Isn’t it exactly how you imagined it?”
He linked his arm with hers. “How
we imagined it, love,” he said with his contagiously broad smile. “And I think it’s even better. Have you seen this dance floor? I had no idea there were such fantastic dancers in this town.” He guided her around the edge of the dance floor. “Look at that couple, for instance.”
“Which?”
“The frog and the pig. Look at them! They have total control of the dance floor. They deserve it, too. That’s the kind of dancing I love to see.”
“That’s the way we dance.”
“Maybe that’s why I like it. They should get a prize for that kind of dancing.”
“Well why don’t you give them something, then?”
“But I don’t have anything to give.”
“Oh, silly, that’s why we serve food! Neither of them have had a bite to eat yet. Let them have a free dinner.”
“Darling you’re a genius. Whose idea was it to serve food?”
“Mine.”
“Well then, you’re a double genius. That’s exactly what we’ll do. But first we’ll see how they handle competition.”
“Competition?”
“Thomas!” Mark addressed the bandleader. “Play
Bossa Nova Baby for us next, and tell the band they sound terrific.”
If a dancer’s skill could be measured, a bored mathematician could probably write an equation for how much room on the dance floor each dancer is allowed. The more skill a dancer or a dance couple displays, the more dancing room they are given. When two people such as Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy dance together, their magic circle of dance space can range from half the dance floor to all of it.
Mark Knight was more than vaguely familiar with the concept. He led his partner out onto the dance floor and stopped just at the edge of the frog and pig’s magic circle. He twirled his partner once, and their own magic circle quickly began to grow- immediately overlapping with that of the frog and pig.
Miss Piggy noticed and glared at the second couple, which was quickly gaining the crowd’s fickle attention. She looked at Kermit to show him, but he was all ready watching them. He met her eyes and smiled a devious smile. She smiled back with a mischievous spark in her eye.
Twirl, twist, spin, turn, kick, dip- each couple was determined to upstage the other, and the song goaded them on. “
She said hey Bossa Nova Baby keep on working ‘cause this ain’t no time to sweat! She said go Bossa Nova Baby keep on dancing I’m about to have myself a fit!”
The two couples were dangerously close now, despite having the entire dance floor at their disposal. Mark spun his partner out so that she almost bumped straight into Kermit and Miss Piggy. She was much too graceful to actually do so, of course, and she laughed. In response, Kermit led Miss Piggy in a circle around them.
At some point Mark caught Kermit’s eyes with a look that asked,
why not?
Then the opposing couples danced side by side, mimicking each other almost perfectly.
When the song crashed to an end, the entire room burst into applause, though no one was sure if they were clapping for the band or the dancers. The couples took a few modest bows.
Mark reached out and shook Kermit’s hand with a broad grin. “Pleasure meeting you, what’s your name?” he said.
“Kermit the Frog,” Kermit said.
“Kermit, and?” Mark turned to the pig.
“Miss Piggy,” she said.
“Miss Piggy.” He kissed her hand. “My name is Mark Knight,” he gestured to his partner, “And this is my wife Caroline.”
“Evening,” she said with a small curtsy.
“We just so happen to be the owners here, and we’d like to offer you both a free dinner. Any item on the menu, you can have.”
Their jaws dropped and they looked at each other. “Wow, uh- thank you!” Kermit sputtered.
“You’re very welcome, you’re both fantastic dancers,” Mark enthused. “Jeffery! Get these two table thirty-six and make it snappy.”
A passing waiter, apparently named Jeffery, grinned and snapped his fingers a few times. Then he gave a curt bow to Kermit and to Miss Piggy. “Sir, Madam, this way if you please.”
They followed him happily. It was sure to be a terrific night.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
They walked down the dark street with their arms linked, letting their laughter fade into the protective silence of the night. She nuzzled her head against his shoulder. He gulped and slid his arm around her waist. This was going much too well.
They slowly mounted the steps to her apartment building, reluctant to break the silence. They reached the door and she turned to face him.
He was overcome with a sickeningly dizzying feeling of deja vue.
She wrapped her hands around his elbows and held him close. “It was a wonderful evening, Kermie,” she whispered sweetly.
I’ve been here before, he thought,
I’ve done this all ready. “Uh- um- yeah.”
She leaned closer. “Shouldn’t it have a- a
wonderful ending?”
“Well uh-“
She pulled him close and kissed him sweetly, overwhelming him with her perfect scent.
He staggered backwards.
She squeezed his hands and unlocked the door to slip inside. “Good night, Kermie,” she said sweetly.
“Night,” he said, and she closed the door. Kermit half-fell, half-stumbled backwards down the steps, his eyes still locked on the door, his head spinning. "Boy," he mumbled as he steadied himself. "I've had that feeling before." He turned and slowly walked away.
He did not go to his apartment, however. Instead, his flippers led him down Cole Street.
He creaked the gate open, walked over to the tree, and gazed at the larger tombstone. “I’ve had that feeling before,” he whispered. “I had that feeling with you.”
He was quiet for a long moment. Then he came closer and let his hand rest on the tombstone.
“I love you, Melinda,” he said softly. “I won’t fall in love with her.” He tightened his grip on the stone. “I promise.”
He stood there for a long moment, letting the night encircle him. He lifted his hand, kissed it, and touched it to the tombstone. Then he sadly turned, crossed the grass, and let the gate swing shut behind him. He walked to his apartment, where he went straight to bed for a dreamless sleep.
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