Disclaimer: I do NOT own Horton Hears a Who! or any of the characters involved in this story.
That evening, Ned stepped out of his office for a cup of water at the cooler in the hallway. JoJo and Tallulah had long since gone home. Mr. Gristmel came to pick Tallulah up while JoJo walked. The office was all Ned's again. Ned really needed this quiet time. He had to calm his nerves and clear his mind in order to retrace his steps.
If someone really stole the twenty who-dollar bill, it could be anywhere in Whoville by now! In a register at a retail store, in a piggy bank, in a smelly shoe!
Ned bit his lower lip in worry. Halfway down the hall, he heard Chairman VonFrood's throaty laughter. Ned stopped in his tracks to listen in on the conversation he was having with the other council members.
"The Mayor couldn't possibly look anymore boobish," VonFrood was saying. He took a sip of his water before adding, "His presence on Whoville currency is a blemish to everything our ancestors worked so hard to build."
Ned was saddened by the comment. He started to turn around and head back to his office when an idea hit his brain. VonFrood had nothing but hateful things to say about Ned's picture on the bill. Maybe he took it just to spite him.
Ned hurried over to VonFrood and faced him eye to eye. Everyone stopped talking. They drew in closer, prepared to see some kind of challenge between the two whos.
"There is nothing wrong with my portrait on the bill!" Ned said. He stood on the tips of his toes and puffed out his chest. VonFrood remained still and calm.
"You're a fool if you think you can intimidate me, Mr. Mayor," VonFrood scoffed. "Do you really think I'd want anything with your schloppy-face in my wallet?"
The council members howled and snorted in laughter. Ned's feet fell flat on the floor and his chest sank in, shamefully. He looked like a fool once again.
"I think I'd better get used to paying with a credit card," VonFrood said. He tossed the paper cup into the trash bin before walking off with the rest of the council members.
Ned hurried back to his office just in case, VonFrood had anything else smart to say. He slammed the door behind him and flounced in his chair. He was more frustrated than ever now. How was he going to tell the council that he'd lost the bill?
Finwick sat on Ned's desk, gazing at him. Ned stood up from his chair and walked to the middle of the room. "Okay Finwick," Ned said. "Pretend to be the council. How do you think this sounds?" Ned didn't wait on the fish to answer. He cleared his throat and began. "Listen my fellow council members, I just thought I'd suggest postponing the ceremony because…I lost…no wait…misplaced…the twenty who-dollar bill and…" Ned stopped himself right there and sighed.
There was no way he could tell the council that he'd lost the bill…unless he wanted to be buried six feet under by VonFrood personally.
Suddenly, the long quiet was disrupted by a sharp knock. Ms. Yelp walked right in.
"Hi, Ms. Yelp," Ned said, struggling to maintain his usual cheerful tone.
"Mr. Mayor, you have a phone call parked on line one. It's your wife," Ms. Yelp said. She headed out, leaving Ned to take care of his personal matters.
Ned's heart quickened. Sally was just the person he wanted to talk to. She always knew the right things to say. Even though the bill was still lost, Sally's voice was enough to console Ned at even the worsts of times.
Ned sat down at his desk and dialed one on the phone. "Hello, this is the Mayor," he said.
"Mr. Mayor!" the person on the other end exclaimed. Ned pulled the phone away from his ear. That did not sound like his wife. Sally would never address Ned as 'Mr. Mayor.'
Ned slowly placed the phone back over his ear. He knew that high-pitched, sing-songy voice all too well now. "Tallulah?"
"Hi, Mr. Mayor!" Tallulah squealed.
"Tallulah? What are you doing calling City Hall!?" Ned asked in shock.
"I wanted to talk to you," Tallulah replied. "Today was my last study session with JoJo and I was just wondering when will I get to see you again. Can I see you again?"
"Of course you can see me again," Ned said. "Now, if you'll excuse me—"
"Wait!" Tallulah pleaded. "What's your favorite color?"
"Red," Ned told her. He was running out of patience. He didn't have time for all this silly nonsense.
"Like love!?" Tallulah said dreamily.
"Sure," Ned replied. "Listen, Tallulah. I have mayor stuff I've got to do, so…"
"Wait!" Tallulah pleaded again. "Don't go! Please don't go!"
Ned sighed. He tried his best not to sound annoyed but right now all he could think about was finding his bill before the ceremony tomorrow. Ned sighed again, "What is it now, Tallulah?" he asked dryly.
"I…I have something to tell you," she began. "It's important. My mommy says that you should always say what you feel, so that's what I'm going to do."
"Okay, say it," Ned said. He truly sounded annoyed this time.
"I think you have the most handsome laugh ever," Tallulah went on. "I can't decide what I love most about you. I want to go swimming in you're ocean blue eyes even though I can't swim. One time my mommy took me to the water park and…"
Ned leaned on an elbow in frustration. He had no idea what Tallulah was talking about and completely tuned her out. His worried eyes looked over to the book shelf wishing the bill was still sitting there in its frame like before.
"Did you hear what I said," Tallulah was saying.
"Uh…no," Ned said quickly. "The reception was bad. What'd you say?"
"I said that I love you!" Tallulah shouted.
"You what!?" Ned sprung up from his seat. His eyes were as big as the moon. He slapped a hand over his mouth like he was about to be sick. Tallulah was in love with him? How? When? Ned slammed the phone down in horror. How could he have been so clueless?
He looked at the book shelf again. One things for sure, he knew exactly who had taken the bill.