*Chapter 13: Grinchy Trick*
The morning of Christmas Eve arrived. The Whos are doing their usual jobs in Whoville after the events of last night. But, Martha didn't get over it. She is stuck in her room, all alone. Depressed. She cried herself to sleep last night after Molly visited. Martha sniffed and blow her nose on the tissue. A knock was heard on her door.
"Martha? You awake dear?" Her mother spoke on the other side.
"I want to be alone." Martha answered. But her door was open. Cassandra walked in and sat on the bed. "Mother, please. Just leave me alone."
"Martha, we have a visitor downstairs. He wishes to speak with you." Cassandra said.
"I don't want to talk to Augustus." Martha said. "I'm not in a mood."
"No. It is not Augustus." Cassandra told her. "It's a friend of Molly's. The Cat in the Hat." Martha looked up and turn to her mother. "You two met once. You went to see him and ask him about the Grinch. I must admit he is a friendly one." Martha sniffed and dry her eyes. She must get dressed before she heads downstairs to see the Cat. She couldn't believe Molly got in contact with the Cat after all the times they had.
Martha came downstairs all dressed and her hair is in a low ponytail. She puts on the red coat and see the Cat sitting on the coach with Marco. But, the Cat is not alone. On the coffee table, there is a gold fish in a bowl.
"Hello, Mr. Cat. Nice to see you again." Martha said.
"Good morning, Martha. I have heard you got some troubles with the Grinch." The Cat said. "Before we could go out to chat, there is someone I like you to meet." He gestures the fish. "Martha, this is my friend, Carlos K. Krinklebine. But, you may call him Fish, if you wish." The goldfish pop his head out of the bowl.
"Or you may address me as Mr. Krinklebine." The Fish said. "It is nice to finally meet you, Miss May." Martha blinked at the talking fish.
"Now that everyone knew each other, I shall go on a stroll with Martha if you please." The Cat said, tipping his hat to Neil, Cassandra, and Marco. "Fish, stay warm here. I won't be long."
"Please, take your time. It's nice to be out of your insane house once in a while." The Fish said.
XX
The Cat and Martha stood by the bridge outside of Whoville to watch the clear stream. Martha looks back to see Mt. Crumpit behind them. The Cat knew what to do to help. As soon as Molly contacted him, she told him the whole story of the Christmas Whoville Party. At first, he is surprised that he heard from his love, yet he is concerned about Martha's relationship with the Grinch.
"I'm sure the Grinch never meant to hurt you." The Cat said. "What I believe is that the mayor proposed to you to get back at him."
"If that is true, then I wouldn't want to marry Augustus at all." Martha said. "But, at the same time, I don't want to disappoint my family. My mother wanted me to be married someday, especially to Augustus since we've been dating for a long time. But, I'm not in love with him. I just don't feel it."
"Let me ask you this, Martha. How do you feel when you are with Mr. Grinch?" The Cat asked.
"I...I...I feel safe. Happy." Martha told him. "Whenever I am with him, I couldn't help but to smile. My heart is racing when we hold hands, and...he almost kissed me."
"Why won't you let him kiss you?" The Cat asked. "I know you were with Augustus, and yet, your heart is telling you something."
"What? Like it's saying I should break up with the mayor to be with the Grinch?" Martha asked, crossing her arms.
"Maybe so. But, your heart is telling you that you are in love." The Cat told her. "You said you feel safe and happy with him. Your heart is telling you that you are in love. It's true love." Martha didn't say anything as the Cat talks to her. "Do you love him?"
"I...I..."
"Be perfectly honest, Martha. Do you love Mr. Grinch?" The Cat asked. Martha felt her heart beat. She can't hide it any longer. She turned to the Cat.
"...I do."
"So you see?" The Cat asked with a gentle smile. "Just let out all your feelings. I bet you that the Grinch felt the same way. Molly had also told me about you two went on a romantic date. There's no shame on that."
"But, Grinch burnt down our tree and...now he will be back to be a anti-social type and never want to see me again." Martha said sadly. "I wish I could go up there and tell him how I feel, but I can't. Maybe it's for the best."
"Maybe you could visit him on Christmas Day. No one should be alone on Christmas." The Cat said.
"I...I don't know." Martha said. "He was angry last night."
"Think about it, Martha. I know you will do the right thing." The Cat said. "Now I must go. Thank you for your time." He tipped his hat before walking away to go to Whoville. Martha leaned over the bridge, thinking about the words the Cat told her. Maybe Martha should visit the Grinch tomorrow morning. He shouldn't be alone on Christmas. She will tell him how she feels.
Max had a tray of coffee as he is sitting on the red chair that took him below the cave and found the Grinch working on his gadgets in his workshop. Max could see the sewing machine, a red cloth, and a model of Whoville to count how many houses to rob. There is a sleigh that the Grinch stole from Bricklebaum earlier this morning before Max woke up to make his coffee.
"Max! There you are!" The Grinch spoke with a wide grin. "Check this out!" The Grinch is wearing the black boots that could make him raise up. "Whoa! I could make some cool stuff!" He said after he approach his dog with a grin, gesturing his boots. "Ohh! More coffee!" He took a cup and sip a drink, his eye is twitching. Max watched him in concern. How long has the Grinch been awake? "It's going to be a long night, Max!" The Grinch told his dog, taking the tray off his head. "We have lots of gadgets and gizmos we need! But we still don't have a proper outfit. C'mon, let's get sewing!" He drags Max off the chair and lead him over to the sewing machine.
The Grinch is making his own Santa Claus suit since it's part of the plan for stealing Christmas. He made a coat, a hat, and add a beard along with the mix. What a great disguise.
After he puts on the suit and looks at himself in the mirror with a smirk. He pulls the end of the hat and the beard came on his face.
"With this coat, and this hat, I'll look just like St. Nick!"
You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch.
You really are a heel.
You're as cuddly as a cactus.
You're as charming as an eel, Mr. Grinch.
You're a bad banana with a greasy black peel.
You're a monster, Mr. Grinch.
Your heart's an empty hole.
Your brain is full of spiders.
You've got garlic in your soul, Mr. Grinch.
I wouldn't touch you with a...
Thirty-nine and a half foot pole.
"Now that my suit is done, we must look over the houses we must rob to steal their gifts, Max." The Grinch said, walking over to the Whoville model. "We must be fast tonight. And we must be sure not to get caught." Max watched his master grab a red thread to count many houses there are in Whoville. Max wasn't keen on the idea to steal Christmas from the Whos, but he didn't have a choice. "That's 223 houses and only 7 hours of darkness to work with. We must be focused. There will be temptation!" The Grinch pressed the button to show his dog the props of the living room set.
You're a vile one, Mr. Grinch.
You have termites in your smile.
You have all the tender sweetness of a seasick crocodile, Mr. Grinch.
Given the choice between the two of you,
I'd take the seasick crocodile.
"Behold! The presents!" The Grinch said, showing the Christmas present to Max. "This is our enemy. You will want to unwrap it. And...play with it." The Grinch is touching the fake present. He is slowly pulling on the ribbon, but stopped when Max watched him. "But you must not!" The Grinch exclaimed, throwing the present aside. "If you could get past the present, the only obstacle left is...the cookie!" The Grinch shows Max the cookie of Santa. Max starts to sniff at the sweet smell of the cookie, drooling.
You're a foul one, Mr. Grinch.
You're a nasty wasty skunk.
Your heart is full of unwashed socks.
Your soul is full of gunk, Mr. Grinch.
The three best words that best describe you,
Are as follows, and I quote,
'Stink. Stank. Stunk.'
"No, no, no! Look at you!" The Grinch said, pulling away. "We must-" He was cut off when Max snatched the cookie away from the Grinch's hand. Max is chewing on the cookie before swallowing. He barked, wagging his tail. The Grinch sighed a bit, wiping his hand down. "Resist."
You're a rotter, Mr. Grinch.
You're the king of sinful sots.
Your heart's a dead tomato splotched with moldy purple spots, Mr. Grinch.
Your soul is an appalling dump heap.
Overflowing with the most disgraceful,
Assortment of deplorable rubbish imaginable.
Mangled up in tangled up knots.
The Grinch looked over the book of the Christmas tales and found a picture of reindeer pulling Santa's sleigh. That's what the Grinch is missing. He needs a reindeer. He didn't have the time to look for one. The Grinch looked around and see Max sniffing up the table where the cookies were placed. He form a smile.
"If I can't find a reindeer, I'll make one instead." He said. The Grinch walked over to his dog and pick him up. Max was carried over to the sleigh and he was place in front of it. He looked up at the Grinch. "Max, you know what you are. You are a sturdy little fella." He told his dog. "And loyal. Very loyal. I think you're the best dog that the Grinch could hope for. And that is why I am promoting you..." The Grinch got out a helmet with a antler on top. He placed it on Max's head. "Max, you will guide my sleigh tonight!" Max looks back at his sleigh, then back at his master. He let out a bark, smiling. He accepted. "Haha! I knew you wouldn't let me down!"
You nauseate me, Mr. Grinch.
With a nauseous super nos.
You're a crooked jerky jockey,
And you drive a crooked horse, Mr. Grinch.
You're a three-decker sauerkraut,
And toadstool sandwich,
With arsenic sauce!
"Now, your helmet needs some work!" The Grinch brought his dog over to the desk. "We still got plenty of time!"
"Ah, Augustus Who-vier!" Miss McGerkle called the mayor over to her house as she saw him driving by slowly. "How are you feeling after the terrible event last night?"
"A little better I suppose. Say, have you seen my Martha? I went over to her house, and she isn't home." Augustus asked.
"You mean your fiancée? Oh wait, she never had a chance to answer." Miss McGerkle said. "You know it is your fault about last night. The Grinch was in rage after you offer Martha a ring and that car."
"Excuse me?" Augustus got out of his car to walk up to his rival. "My fault?! That Grinch was the one who burnt down our Christmas tree! All those lights and ornaments were burnt down! And he scratched Martha's new car! Don't you know how much money I spent on that car, and that engagement ring?!"
"Mr. Who-vier, keep your voice down! You're scaring the Whos!" Miss McGerkle hissed. "You propose to Martha in front of the Grinch! And brag about giving her the gifts she's ever wanted!"
"Anything to keep that monster away from my girlfriend!" Augustus blurted out. Miss McGerkle smirked at him.
"I knew it." She said. "You proposed to Martha because you were jealous of the Grinch. And by the way, I have heard about Martha and the Grinch dated that night and they almost kissed. That must've really set you off."
"Who told you about- No, you know what? Let's just drop it." Augustus said with a look. "It's Christmas Eve. I don't want to be angry right now. Have a Merry Christmas, Miss McGerkle." He went back to his car to drive away. Miss McGerkle sighed and went inside her house.
After the Cat and the Fish left Whoville, Martha is in the kitchen helping her brother making cookies for Santa. She is quiet. Marco is stirring the cookie dough while Martha took out the first batch of cookies from the oven.
"Martha? Are you gonna be okay?" Marco asked.
"I'll be fine." Martha replied.
"You keep saying that-"
"Marco, please. I don't want to talk about it. Let's just do what we have to do. All I want is to have a great Christmas with my family." Martha said. Marco sighed a little. He tried to get his sister to talk to him, but to no avail. He wanted to know what the Cat said to her. He knew it's about the Grinch. And what will Martha do about Augustus? He proposed to her, and she never got a chance to reply. Marco hoped that Martha won't accept his proposal. Augustus doesn't deserve her.
The siblings continue to make cookies and look forward to Christmas morning.