It was the absolute best thing for which I could ever hope. Le Frog actually proposed to me! Not only was it a surprise, it was a blessing. I spent that evening at the cottage with my human friends and catching up with my cartoon friends - Bezu, Franz, Vincent, Leon, Phillipe, Ponton, and Thibault - before I let the other in on our little announcement. What I learned was definitely . . . interesting.
Bezu had recently received a letter from the head of the District Centrale de la Police Judiciaire (DCPJ), informing him he was reinstated. Franz was meeting with a friend of his about a top secret mission dealing with the CIA. Vincent, along with a group of other frogs, had been asked to take on an assignment in France. Leon was given a special offer which guarnteed him twenty thousand dollars per head. Phillipe received a notice of an incident which might have been connected to the French nuclear testings he was needed to head the investigation. Ponton received a call from Jacques to inform him they were needed for a new assignment. Thibault received a letter from his beloved, who was asking him to come to her castle so they could be wed. In other words, the team was splitting up.
"To be honest, guys," I said after hearing the news. "I'm glad for you all. I really am. However, you guys are strongest when you're together. I worry, while you're seperated, something bad will happen and you won't have anyone to help you."
"We'll be alright," Ponton told me confidently. "We've been trained to be the best by the very best."
Thibault turned to me. "Set all your fears aside, ma chere amie. We will all be just fine."
I smiled at my very close friends. "Alright. I'm sure you can handle it."
"Mia!" called Phillipe from across the room before taking a swig of his coffee.
"Yeah?" I called back.
"You said you had some exciting news to tell us. What's the news?"
Managing to keep my cool as I glanced over at Le Frog, I said calmly, "Le Frog proposed to me earlier this afternoon."
Other than from those who already knew, the reply was, "WHAT?!?!"
"Are you serious?" asked Jeanne, gently squeezing David's hand.
When I nodded, Robert asked impatiently, "Well? What did you say?"
Unable to remain calm any longer, I exclaimed, "I said yes!"
Everyone surrounded me and my fiance, telling us just how happy they were for us and they had all these questions they had to ask. "Quiet a moment," I sounded quite loudly. As soon as everyone had silenced, I informed them, "First of all, Le Frog and I have decided to have our wedding on the first Saturday of June, three weeks from tomorrow. Second, our honeymoon will be held during the whole month of July. We will be sight-seeing all of France, and our first stop will be Cannes. Paris won't be visited until the week of the fourteenth." Iglanced around the room at the ten wide-eyed, open-mouthed individuals. "Don't worry. I'll take plenty of pictures and Le Frog and I will take turns sending emails every other night"
"Oh, Mia!" Jeanne stepped forward and embraced me. "I'm going to miss you!" she cried into my shoulder.
I chuckled. "Jeanne, I'm even leaving for another month and a half. Right now, we have a wedding to plan"
The next morning, Le Frog and I sat down and started making plans for our glorious summer wedding. We decided the colors would be black and green, we would invite the entire town, and we were going to have the reception the Baghdad Cafe.
I did not work on the preparations alone, however. Luckily, as I was making the invitations, Nate was making the reservations at the church and at the Baghdad Cafe while Jeanne was setting up an appointment for me so I could choose my wedding gown. Robert was kind enough to take care of the invitation delivery as well as informing his wife , his daughter, and my adoptive family about the wedding.
I also had to decide which females were to be in my wedding entourage, but it didn't take long to make a few selections. Jeanne was going to be my bridesmaid and she was more than honored. Rita was my matron of honor and the maid of honor was none other than Demona Leets, my foster sister and closest friend. Of course, she was willing to participate. Macy Lynn, Robert's adorable eldest daughter, was my choice for the flower girl.
It didn't take long for word to reach me about Le Frog's choices. His groomsmen would be Robert and David, who were more than pleased to be involved. He decided Steelbeak would be best suited as ring-bearer and Bezu, Le Frog's right-hand henchfrog and closest best friend, was the best man.
It was without a doubt the most beautiful wedding I had seen in my entire life. Everyone was dressed in their finest Sunday clothes. The courtyard of the church was masterfully and majestically decorated in black and multiple shades of green decorations. In the church, the women were changing from their everyday clothes into ravishing dark green gowns. Rita, however, was throwing a fit.
"Couldn't I just wear a green pants outfit or something?" she whined.
I couldn't help but laugh. "Rita, it'll be fine. You can wear a pair of green shorts under the dress if it makes you more comfortable."
"Thanks, Mia," she replied, obviously relieved.
I walked over to Demona, who was fixinf her hair so it was just right. "Hey there, Demona."
"Hey." She turned away from her mirror to look at me. "Aren't you going to change into your wedding gown, Mia?"
I wrung my hands together. "Yes . . . I will. It's just . . . I'm so happy, I'm scared. I mean, I'm getting married today, but I'm worried something bad will happen . . . "
"Mia, don't worry about it. It's normal for the bride to have jitters right before the wedding." Demona stood and hugged me. "You two are madly in love with each other. I'm surprised he didn't pop the question sooner. You just need to relax and go through with this wedding. If you can fight against and defeat a powerful being like the Great One, I'm sure you can conquer your fears and marry Le Frog."
I smiled at my sister's amusing advice. "Thanks, Demona." She and I left so I could put on my dress and treign. Demona helped with my make-up while Rita fixed my hair so it was perfectly styled on top of my head. I stood up and faced my two helpers.
"Wow, Mia." Oswald Cobblepot, also known as the Penguin and my dad, waddled over and stared at me. "You look absolutely stunning, my little sparrow, and you should. After all, it is your wedding day." He pulled out an emerald necklace and put it around my neck when I knelt down. "This was your mother's on our wedding day. I think it's only appropriate you should wear it on yours." He embraced me in a tight, but loving hug.
I smiled as I rose back up to my full height. "Thanks, Dad. This means so much to me." I took his arm and he led me to the double doors where the wedding procession was standing in two perfect lines, ready to walk down the aisle, which was actually a red carpet laid out on the grass of the courtyard.
I watched in anticipation as each couple, one-by-one, walked steadily through the double doors and down the aisle. I felt myself getting nervous as time seemed to slow to nearly stopped. Franz finally poked his head through one of the doors and looked straight at me. "They're ready for you, chere."
Penguin gently squeezed my arm. "Are you ready for them, Mia?"
I smiled, showing off more confidence than I was feeling. "Dad . . . I'm ready for anything." I stole a quick, deep breath of air before my father led me through the open double doors and down the aisle towards my future.
