Chap. 11: Lips was now three months along in his pregnancy. He looked forward to the sixth month where he and Zoot would learn the gender of their child. Everything was well in the theater once again, but Lips noticed his friends were acting very odd lately.
Zoot seemed to be very nervous around him, which was very odd, and everyone seemed to be keeping something from him. Lips didn't know what but he had to find out. He saw Fozzie, Rowlf, Walter, and Kermit crowded around Kermit's desk backstage.
"Okay, when you bring Lips in, you run as fast as you can onstage and start the music. Then the dancers will-," Kermit explained.
"What about me?" Lips asked, walking up to them.
"AH! No looking!" Fozzie and Walter shouted, flipping the desk over.
Kermit gave them his befuddled look and Fozzie and Walter had expressions that said, "Well THAT was the dumbest thing I've ever done".
"Um…what are you doing? I thought I heard my name," Lips asked.
"Uh…your name? We didn't say your name. We said uh…Lisp! He's a…an act for the show," Rowlf lied.
"Okay," Lips said, not quite believe the dog.
He went up to the band's dressing room where he found Zoot with a piece of white cardboard and he was writing something on it with a marker.
"What're you working on Zoot?" Lips asked.
"GAH!" Zoot yelped.
The saxophonist tossed the board behind the sofa where Lips couldn't reach it and said, "Nothing, man."
"Nothing?" Lips said, acknowledging Zoot that he saw what he did.
"I was working on a sign for something that you can't see," Zoot explained.
"What is it?" Lips asked.
"I can't tell you, it's a surprise," Zoot said with a smirk before dashing out of the room.
Lips started to think whatever Zoot was planning for him, everyone was in on, and he looked forward to seeing it.
At least a week later, Lips was alone in the dressing room when Walter came in.
"Lips, we need you in the auditorium," the Muppet said.
"Why?" Lips asked, confused. Normally he was called onstage or to the canteen for something.
"I don't know, we need you in the auditorium," Walter said, but Lips could sense the newbie knew what he was needed for.
Lips followed Walter through one of the doors that lead to the Muppet Theater auditorium. The theater seemed empty and quiet, the curtains we shut, and the lights were on. Lips also noticed Walter had vanished, so he thought he had to sit and wait for instruction. Then, before he knew it, the lights went out and he heard music. The curtains opened revealing Miss Piggy, Annie Sue, and a dozen other various Muppets were dancing onstage to the song Somebody Loves You by Betty Who.
Who's around when the days feel long?
Who's around when you can't be strong?
Who's around when you're losing your mind?
Then Walter moonwalked onstage followed by Lisa and Clifford, also dancing.
Who cares that you get home safe?
Who knows you can't be replaced?
Who thinks that you're one of a kind?
Clifford and Walter hoisted Lisa onto their shoulders, where they pointed their fingers at Lips and grinned. Then, the two guys set Lisa and down and ran into the dancing group and joined in.
Somebody misses you when you're away.
They wanna wake up with you every day.
Somebody wants to hear you say.
Ooh somebody loves you.
Ooh somebody loves you.
Ooh somebody loves you.
Ooh somebody loves you.
Ooh somebody loves you.
Lips couldn't believe it! He was being flash-mobbed! This was a once in a lifetime experience! He decided to live the moment by whipping out his phone and started to record the entire thing. This was something he had to tell Zoot about later! But why were they doing this? It was definitely not his birthday and his even if it was, he would've known! These guys were up to something.
I'm around when your head is heavy.
I'm around when your hands aren't steady.
I'm around when your day's gone all wrong.
I care that you feel at home.
Cause I know that you feel alone.
I think you're going to miss me when I'm gone.
Then, his mother Ethel walked onstage and waved happily at her son before she took a seat in a chair onstage. Then Vicki, Delores and Francine, the drummer for Solid Foam, ran onstage and started to dance along with Miss Piggy's group. Then Robin the Frog and Bean Bunny went onstage and did their own little dances before joining the big group. Then Scooter, Skeeter and Zachariah got onstage head banging and fist pumping into the air. Then they joined the group. Lips laughed at what he was witnessing. He wondered why everyone was doing this.
Somebody misses you when you're away.
They wanna wake up with you every day.
Somebody wants to hear you say.
Ooh somebody loves you.
Ooh somebody loves you.
Ooh somebody loves you.
Ooh somebody loves you.
Ooh somebody loves you.
Then, Miss Piggy's two nieces Bettina and Bolinda ran onstage in tutus and did cartwheels. Then, the Electric Mayhem got onstage, with Janice dancing and waving at Lips giddily, Animal dancing wildly with Floyd trying to make sure he stayed in control and at the same time, nodding his head to the music, and Dr. Teeth snapping his fingers to the music and grinned at Lips.
Why don't you come on over?
Why don't you lay me down?
Does the pain feel better when I'm around?
Then, Zoot went onstage, wearing a blue suit, with the white paperboard behind his back. He took the board from behind his back and showed it to Lips, revealing to say the next two lyrics of the song:
If I am good to you,
Won't you be good to me?
Zoot walked to the front of the stage and Lips got out of his seat and walked closer to the stage where Zoot handed him the sign.
That's how easy this should be.
Then the band joined the dancing group, with Zoot in the front.
Somebody misses you when you're away (Somebody misses you baby)
They wanna wake up with you every day (They wanna wake up with you)
Somebody wants to hear you say (Oh they want you to say)
Ooh somebody loves you.
Ooh somebody loves you.
Ooh somebody loves you.
Ooh somebody loves you.
Ooh somebody loves you.
When the song finished, Zoot just stood there smiling, and reached into his pocket and pulled something out. Lips felt someone tug his sleeve and Lips looked to his side to see Lisa there. She took his hand and led him onstage.
"What's going on?" he whispered, excitedly.
Lisa didn't say anything; she just smiled.
Lips walked up to Zoot where the saxophonist said, "Lips, I love you more than anything in the entire world, and I want you to be by my side forever."
Then, Zoot got down on one knee, revealing that what he had taken out of his pocket was a small box, and opened it, revealing a topaz ring.
"Will you marry me?" Zoot asked.
Lips was so surprised, he couldn't speak, but he nodded, grinning. All the Muppets cheered as Zoot put the ring on Lips's ring finger, stood up, and the newly engaged couple embraced.
"Aw, Kermie, will you propose to moi like that," Miss Piggy asked Kermit.
"I would but, it might take a while to pick a song and figure out a good dance," Kermit said.
Well! That was fun! And now Lips and Zoot are engaged! :D Isn't that great?
I own Lisa, Ethel, and Zachariah.
Jim Henson owns Muppets
Betty Who owns song Somebody Loves You
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