Some quick pre-story stuff from the WebGrinch:
Think about it...the Grinch had been away from Martha May for over 30 years...*why* was he so upset that the mayor proposed? Something we didn't see *must* have reawakened those long-buried and forgotten emotions...
After the conga line, the sack race and all the other fun,
The Grinch stood upon the steps of City Hall,
Unbeknownst that the Mayor was planning his fall.
A hurtful gift to give, to reawaken old pains,
One sure to send the Grinch hurrying back to Mt. Crumpit's caves.
But Martha May knew the plot of the Mayor.
She touched the Grinch's arm with tenderness & care,
His yellow eyes caught her with his surprised stare,
And she wondered who would save them from such pain & despair.
Yet Cindy Lou saw Martha's distress,
And spying the present,
She could guess the rest.
Before the Mayor could announce the Present Pass It On.
Little Cindy Lou spoke up from in front of the throng.
"What a joy that brings you together again,
The last time you were what - younger than ten?
One more thing would be perfect for this Christmas scene,
The tradition that the Cheermeister dance with the Whobilation Queen."
A sniffle could be heard somewhere back in the crowd.
She'd so touched their hearts, they applauded aloud.
The Mayor was unhappy, but what could he do?
He'd been thoroughly outvoted by every last Who.
For an instant their eyes met, Martha May's and the Grinch,
And the furry green guy thought, Hell, this should be a cinch.
He'd endured so much already - the food and the Chair,
The ugliest sweater and fruitcake stuck in his hair.
The noise, the sack race and the Mayor's disapproving stare.
Still fear gripped his heart, what could he expect?
Would the vision before him reject or object?
As the town had done so many years ago,
Forcing his exile to Mt. Crumpit's high snows.
Their eyes held each others for more than a moment or two,
The Grinch hoping and waiting for some sort of clue.
Having picked up so keen on the crowd's fear & dismay,
He was amazed it was so absent in Miss Martha May.
Unsure what to say or do for a start,
He cocked his head at her and smiled,
And it captured her heart.
Pulling off the Christmas sweater, he folded it neat,
Then gave it to the Biddies for the moment to keep.
Next he took a deep breath and flexed his arm muscles wide,
The crowd murmured in fear,
But Martha May only sighed.
The Grinch dropped to one knee and extended his hand,
The crowd awed in surprise at the gesture so grand.
This is it, thought the Mayor,
She couldn't possibly still care,
For a creature who was green and covered with hair,
One who hated all of Whoville and lived in a lair.
Martha gave him her hand, her heart started to pound.
The Grinch rose to his feet from the icy cold ground.
He wasn't much taller, her chin came up to his shoulder,
But she winced at the discomfort, for his hand was much colder.
And the smile he smiled as he came to his feet,
Was so cunning, so conniving, it was anything but sweet.
And poor Martha was confused as to how to respond,
He was still in so much pain, she could feel through their bond.
So she looked down instead, covering his hand with hers,
Giving freely her warmth, letting it seep through his fur.
The Grinch tilted her head, so her eyes he could see,
Martha saw eyes of a fox, so cunning, so mean.
He bent to her ear, whispered breath cold and so numb.
In a sibilant hiss, he said, "You burn like the sun."
And taking her hand, he led her down City Hall's stairs,
The crowd murmuring and making way for the strange pair.
While descending the steps, with a low voice and quick glance,
The Grinch said to Martha, "It's only fair to let you know, my dear, Grinches can't dance."
It caught her off guard. Was he willing to try?
"Then you're going to learn, and fast," the Whobilation Queen replied.
Then she asked Cindy Lou to tell the band what to play.
"A waltz, make it simple and upbeat and gay."
To her partner she taught as quick as she could
A few steps, and the stance. "Willl this work?"
"Yes, it should."
"You don't sound so sure, " the Grinch said and he frowned.
"I won't be laughed at again by this miserable town."
"They won't laugh," Martha said. "And so what if they do?"
"I'm not dancing with them - I'm dancing with you."
He pulled her up close as the music began,
And stroked her sweet face with the back of his hand.
It tickled, she smiled, and kissed the long fur,
And the Grinch made a sound, 'tween a laugh and a purr.
As they waltzed, they were focused on him learning the moves,
He was quick to catch on, she was quick to approve.
Over time he got better and when the song was all done,
To his Grinchy surprise, he'd had more than just fun.
He found he still cared for the one in his arms,
Whose patience and kindness were the best of her charms.
Now the band didn't stop, they went straight away,
To play the next song and he hoped she would stay.
More couples then joined them, to dance in the snow,
To a tune that was much calmer and softer and slow.
And that's how he felt as they danced the next song,
The Grinch grew contented and quiet and...calm.
And he started to think, 'This isn't me, there's no way.'
'It's a trick of the season, the accursed holiday.
A trick of this woman who in our childhood,
Was so kind and so gentle to me - and so good!'
He tried desperately to ignore the spark of something long dead,
By telling himself it was all in his head.
But it wasn't, for the tightness and pain clutching his small heart,
Was beginning to ease, to relax and depart.
And at once they both realized - the Grinch & Martha May,
That somehow, by some miracle, they felt the very same way.
But there was no time for them to wonder what next to say or do.
For standing there to cut into their dance
Stood an impatiently waiting Mayor May Who.
To cut into their dance was of course in bad taste,
It being tradition and all,
But the Mayor felt the haste,
Before the Grinch did something rash,
To spoil the mood of the ball.
The song ended then and August May Who took Martha's hand and led her away.
She looked over her shoulder at the Grinch and did wonder what would happen if she'd decided to stay.
If she had, you can't imagine how differently things would have turned out that Christmas eve day.