Chapter 10:

*No One's POV*

Everyone gathers around the two houses, heavily covered with light display. The two who entered into the contest are Martha May and Betty Lour. Now is is the finals.

"And now the excitement of the Whoville Lighting Contest, put your hands together for Martha May Whovier!" the Mayor announces with his own excitement.

The Who citizens cheered as Martha waves back before pressing a button on her wireless remote. Her house lights up into a Winter Wonderland.

He clears his throat before speaking again, "Oh, yea. Betty Lou Who, the mother of the girl who invited the Grinch. Hit it Betty," he signals for her to start.

"Oh Martha," she says from the roof, "looks like you beat me again….except this old gal has got more lights than her lady!" she smiles big. "Come on boys!" she says to her sons, who are on bicycles connected to the power of her lights.

They smiled and begin to cycle, making the lights to turn on. Betty turns on a button on her wired remote. Her theme is Santa Claus, showing the real Santa of where to go.

Everyone seems to like Betty's display more so than Martha's. Kyle Ray is clapping for good sportsmanship. The judges are comparing each other's notes to make a decision. Martha presses another button to make another display of Season Greetings with beautiful decorations. A smile appears on her favore fan's face, knowing she's thinking about her love, daughter, and him as a family in the display.

Betty Lou presses another button to show more of the display with neon light decorations, welcoming Santa.

They both show the last of their displays with either snowflakes or a big Christmas tree and fireworks. It was so bright that the judges had to have sunglasses on to fully look through the details carefully. Soon a decision is made.

The results are handed to the Mayor so he can announce the winner.

"And the winner is…" he opens it and takes a pause when he sees, 'Betty Lou Who' on there, "by….a split decision."

The judges look at each other confused as Kyle Ray glares at his uncle angrily. Martha can tell his face that he's going to say the opposite.

"Martha May Whovier!"

Betty's excitement turn into sadness. Her family clapped anyways to be polite, but her sons die down the power. Martha accepts the award.

*Meanwhile*

*Mercy Grace's POV*

Father let's a yell as he sits up on his chair. "The nerve of the Whos," he says, looking at the invite. "Inviting us down there such short notice. Even if we wanted to go, the schedule wouldn't allow it!"

He snaps his fingers for me to get the schedule. I open it and show it to him.

"4:00, wallow in self-pity," he says, running his finger through each line. "4:30, stare into the abyss. 5:00, solve world hunger, tell no one," he smirks to me. I smirked back. "5:30, jazzercise. 6:30, dinner with me."

"You can't cancel that again," I reminded him.

"7:00, wrestle with my self-loathing. I'm booked," the Grinch came to a realization. "If I bumped the loathing 9:00, I'd have time to lay in bed stare at the ceiling and slip slowly into madness. But what would I wear?"

I smiled with my eyes closed while closing the book. So he really decided to go impress Mommy like he did many years ago.

My normal attire of being the Lady in Black clothed my body as I stand next to Max at the mirror. Father got a tablecloth to wear as a kilt, looking himself in the mirrors. Max barks at him.

"It's a not a dress, it's a kilt!" he annoyed at him, taking it off to reveal a garter on his thigh. "Sicko!" he walks away to get another outfit.

His next one is his pot belly stove one. He looks very uncomfortable.

"This doesn't fit like it used to," he says, confirming my thought.

Fire was still in the suit surprisingly.

The next outfit is his body suit of bees.

"This is more of a Spring look," Father says.

"Agreed," I said.

Not getting anywhere, I've decided to go through his closet.

"Stupid!" I throw an article of clothing. "Ugly! Out of date!"

"This is ridiculous, daughter," he groans. "If I can't find something nice to wear, than we aren't going!" he walks off, but stops at the sound of yalding.

Father took cake of whoever is yalding and returning with lederhosen. I got to admit he looks nice.

"That's it, we're not going," he said after posing.

*Whoville*

It's the Whobilation. Everyone gathers around for the arrival of the Grinch and the Lady in Black.

"It's time for our Holiday Cheer-meister of the Year Award!" the Mayor announces through the speakers.

Martha and Kyle Ray are most excited to see the Grinch and Mercy Grace behind their calm looks and claps.

"Congratulations, Mr. Grinch!" the Mayor faked the congradates. Than quickly have fake shocked. "He isn't here. What? He didn't show? Who could have predicted this?"

Unlike him, the Whos are really concern for the lack of their appearances.

*Mount Crumpit*

*Mercy Grace's POV*

"Alright," Father finally makes a decision after thinking for a few moments. "We'll sin by for a minute, allow them to envy us grab handfuls of popcorn shrimps, and blow out of there."

"Yes Father," I smiled.

We walk over to the drop off when he turns back, "But what if it's a cruel prank? What if it's a cash bar?" I facepalmed his behavior. "How dare they?"

"Daddy, we're going to be late," I said to him, standing on the platform.

"But we'll be fashionably late," he says before arguing with himself. "Alright! I've made our decision!" he gets on the platform as well finally. "We're going and that's that!" Father shows his crossed fingers. "Oh! Had my fingers crossed."

Than Max annoyingly pulls the rope to make us fall into the chute towards Whoville.

"Maybe we should flip a coin!" he yells over my laughter.