Grinch
Rebecca Banner, Bruce Banner
Bruce watches the Ginch with his Mom and Guardian.
Bruce turns on the TV switching the dial to on. He kneels by the TV holding his rag doll Guardian in his arm. He hums loudly to himself blocking out the noise his mother and father are making and stares at the static on the TV. He switches the dial slowly eyes reflecting the TV shows as he watches the show for a few seconds before switching the dial again. He hears the bells and sees a man in a suit singing. He turns the dial. He sees Walt Disney and Tinkerbelle on TV. He turns the dial. He keeps turning the dial humming an unknown tune, but one Guardian likes until the bright blue covers the screen and reveals a sickening green and red background with ‘Merry Christmas’ as the background music.
He beams listening to the man on TV announce the next coming program. He turns the volume up slightly and smiles. He takes Guardian over to the couch and sits him up on the couch before taking a cookie from the tray on the coffee table. He’s careful not to break it or have crumbs get on the couch as he pulls himself up on the couch.
He pulls Guardian closer to him as the jolly man on the TV disappears the sound of singing is heard of a blue introduction screen. He munches on the cookie as the writing flows onto the screen saying, “How The Grinch Stole Christmas”. He hums along to the Whos singing on TV. His mother should be coming soon. She promised to watch it with him while daddy did other things.
The show is a few minutes in before he hears the front door slam. His eyes stay glued to the TV as he pulls Guardian into his lap and hugs him tightly. He hears movement from his side and turns looking up at his mother frowning.
She pats his face and kisses his forehead wiping her blotched eyes.
“Hey honey what part are we at,” she asks him pulling him closer to her side as she glances at the TV.
“The Grinch is mad about Christmas,” Bruce replies.
He takes a moment to look at his mother and sees the red mark around her neck. Guardian doesn’t like the mark, but Guardian isn’t big enough yet. Bruce bites his lip, “like daddy?” He asks as if his father just need a little Christmas cheer to fix whatever is wrong with him.
His mother chokes back a sob and forces the bile rising to her throat down as her son looks up at her. She pulls him into her lap and hugs him tightly before resting her arms around him.
“Your dad’s not mad at Christmas it’s something else,” she tells him as he makes that questioning face. His brows scrunching together, and his eyes lost in thought. Perhaps millions of ideas and thoughts are passing through that small brain of his. She doesn’t know she just knows her little boy is perfect and doesn’t need the stress of his father.
“But don’t you worry about it ok,” she says ruffling his hair. “Let’s watch the Grinch ok honey.”
“Mommy am I really a monster,” Bruce asks instead of watching the TV.
“Who told you that,” His mother asks voice clipped. Bruce shrugs looking down at Guardian for help.
He forces the words out, “Daddy,” he tugs on Guardian’s arm rubbing the soft doll’s arm between his fingers. “He doesn’t like it when I make things or…or read a lot. He said I’m a monster. Is that why he gets mad?”
His mother’s lips purse together hearing his statement. Her hands shake as she pats Bruce on the head. “Well,” she starts voice clipped and harsh. “Your daddy is wrong.”
She pulls up Bruce’s face and looks into his eyes determined, “You can do whatever you want Bruce alright don’t let him make you think otherwise. You’re not a monster honey,” she says kissing him on the forehead.
Her hands are still shaking and itching to strangle that man. She might not fight for herself, but she’ll be damned if that man comes anywhere near her son. She needs to plan an escape. She can’t keep living like this and Bruce needs a better life but that’s for another time. For now, she needs to get her anger under control before she erupts and does something rash.
“Honey I’m going to get some popcorn and string, so we can string up some garland while we watch the Grinch ok?” She moves out from the couch and moves Bruce, so she can get up before heading to the kitchen.
“Ok…is the Grinch going to be nice like in the book,” Bruce asks watching his mother take the popcorn bowl from the counter.
“Hmm I don’t know sweetie we’ll just have to wait and see,” she says gathering the supplies to make the garland before heading back to the living room.
“Ok. I like Max the best.” He smiles watching the Grinch’s dog smile at the Grinch slyly when his tail gets caught in the sewing machine. “Can I get a dog?”
“Maybe we’ll just have to wait and see honey alright.” She says handing him a prepared needle and string, so he can make the garland.
Maybe they can get a dog later after Bruce and she gets away from Robert. That’s the main plan to get away from Robert. She’s done being his punching bag. Done being the sweet obedient wife. She’s going to leave with Bruce, soon.