How the Grinch Stole Christmas

How the Grinch Stole Christmas Part 4

Chapter 4:

Later that evening, Lou and Cindy arrived home after a long day of work, school, and shopping.

"No lights on in the house," Lou notices when they unpack the car. "Your mom must be shopping."

"Good, I'm so glad you're home," Cindy's mom, Betty, appears from on top of the house, turning on the lights. "I can feel it, Lou. This is the year. When everyone asks who has the most spectacular light in greater Whoville, they're gonna cry out, "Mrs. Betty Lou Who!" She sounds very excited about the Lights and Display Contest, doesn't she?

Lou notices something on the ground. So, he places the presents down to pick it up. "Isn't this the chandelier from the dining room?" he asked his wife.

"It's all for the cause, dear," Betty answers while decorating more on the house. "And Cindy?" she smiles at their daughter. "Could you be Mommy's Little Helper and unscrew the bulb from the refrigerator? 'Cause, somehow I missed that one."

Cindy looks at her dad, who smiles and tells her, "Go on!"

She simply shrugs and walks into the house with presents in her arms.

Betty begins to mumble, "Every year, Martha May Whovier has the best lights." She angrily places everything around. "Not this year. This year, I'm gonna beat that prim, perfect little prissy....."

"Betty!" their neighbor calls out while wearing a Christmas outfit. "Hi!"

"Martha!"

"My, I've never seen so many beautiful Christmas lights, Betty Lou," she smiles, liking the Lou Who house.

"I'd blow every fuse if I tried to keep up with you, Martha May!"

"Isn't this antique darling?" Martha holds a small chandelier. "It's handcrafted and almost one hundred years old."

"Jeez, I'm really impressed," Betty mumbles, pulling on some Christmas lights.

"This, however, is new," Martha walks over towards the covered object.

When she reveals it, Betty immediately has the "I gotta have that" look. Martha turns it on, and the pink and white machine begins to decorate a couple of railings with white Christmas lights. Betty continues watching with the outlook and leaning to the side to see more, but the wire she is holding gets pulled up. This causes Lou up by a pile of lights. "Betty! Betty! Sweetie!" he tries to get her attention, but she continues.

When Martha finishes the railing, she walks over towards the front to blow the smoke away. "Well, goodnight, Betty," Martha smiles at her.

Betty just nods.

Just as when she was about to enter her home, a car pulled up in front of her driveway. She turns to see her childhood friends. The Mayor and his sycophantic aide, Whobris. Also, there's the Mayor's nephew, Kyle Ray, who Martha sees as a son.

"Hello, Martha!" Mayor Maywho calls out, smiling.

"Augustus," she hides her disgust and cruises. "What do I owe the pleasure?"

Augustus Maywho is in the passenger seat while Whobris was the driver. Kyle Ray was sitting in the backseat, wearing his nice, but not too nice, clothing in his favorite color - black.

"Well....uhh...I uhh," the Mayor's nervous and stutters at her beauty. "I was out in about," Kyle Ray rolls his eyes at this and crosses his arms, "I was thinking....."

"Ask you out," Whobris steps in, smiling.

"This sort of my deal," the Mayor tells him.

"I won't be a third wheel," he whispers back.

Then Maywho made up some excuse to distract his aide but ended up chasing after him.

Martha watches in annoyance and disgust at the two.

"Hello, Ms. Whovier," Kyle Ray shows his annoyance towards his uncle and assistant. "I see that you enjoy the gift I gave you," he notices the machine by the front door.

"Yes, it's quite lovely, but you didn't have to," Martha smiles.

"Martha," he chuckles, "you're like a mother to me, and....I miss her," he lowers his head.

"I miss her too, Kyle," she lowers her head as well sadly before perking her head again with a smile. "What about this, since you "accidentally" left some clothes here, you can spend the night?" she offers.

"Of course, I need to get out of the house, Ms. Whovier."

"On your eighteenth birthday," she reminds him, "you're moving in with me so I can help you get your life in order without your uncle's help," she rolls her eyes.

"Thank you, Martha," he smiles back.

"You're welcome, Kyle Ray," Martha smiles again, offering a hug to him, which he accepts. "Let's get you inside out of this cold and make some hot chocolate and cookies."

"Can we make Mercy Grace's favorites?" he asked, walking inside.

"Of course, we can."