G rinch

“He stared down at Who-ville!
The Grinch popped his eyes!
Then he shook!
What he saw was a shocking surprise!” —Dr. Seuss

The expression on his face might have frightened another woman. Not her. She knew better than to be afraid of anything about the man. His furrowed brow, pinched lips and shaking head just made her giggle.

“You’re kidding, right?” He folded his arms across his chest and closed his eyes. Bowed his head, as if praying for deliverance.

“You know I’m not.”

Year after year, they had the same discussion. And year after year, she won out. In the past he had tried everything to dissuade her, but now he just stood with his head down, eyes closed, and waited.

She ignored his distress and grabbed the television remote off the coffee table. Within seconds she took control of the situation, pulling the man down onto the sofa beside her. When he opened his eyes and met her gaze, she kissed him. Fast and hard, so he couldn’t speak. Their kiss lasted until the familiar music began to play.

With a sigh, he turned toward the television, where the opening credits rolled across the screen.

“You’re not kidding, then?”

“Uh uh,” she said, snugging her body into the crook of his arm. “It’s a tradition.”

“So is your Aunt Carol’s fruitcake but that doesn’t mean we have to eat any of it. Can’t we just pass on this, too?”

“Shh! Don’t say anything about that fruitcake. She bakes it because—” Why did anyone bake fruitcake? “—just because she thinks we like it. And this is better than fruitcake. Come on, get into the spirit of things. You know this is my favorite Christmas movie.”

“This thing doesn’t even have real people in it—”

“He is real!”

“And this is a cartoon. I hardly think it counts as a movie—”

“Shh! It’s starting!” Her heart warmed as she saw the object of her affection.

He stretched his legs out in front of him and pulled her close. Her head rested on his shoulder and she heard his small sigh. Capitulation.

“That’s right,” he murmured. “It’s starting. And we wouldn’t want you to miss a minute of his Grinch-iness, would we?”