“Dad.”

I looked up to find Clara in the doorway. She had two towels bundled around her waist and there was a blanket draped over them like a robe that was tied off with a high sash.

“Why are you dressed like a samurai warrior? You need to find your dress for the Christmas party tonight and put it on.”

She waved a robed hand dismissively, “yes. I know. I know. I’m looking. But I just had a thought I needed to share.”

I took a deep breath. And then, when she continued to just stand there, I impatiently shook my hand in her direction. “Just go on. Tell me

your

important

thing that is keeping you from getting dressed in real clothes.”

“Okay, Dad. I know why the Grinch is green.”

I blinked at her.

“It’s because his heart is two sizes too small.”

I squinted.

“You see, if his heart was that small it would have a very hard time pumping blood around to all the parts of his body and he would lose his color. It’s probably also why he’s always cold and upset all the time.”

I opened my mouth to speak, and then slowly closed it. Then I opened it again. “Clara, what color would he be after his heart grew to the right size?”

“He’d be his normal color,” she said without hesitation, and then tilted her head to the side. “Pink probably.”

“Huh,” I said, suddenly imagining a healthy pink Grinch lifting weights. “Huh…”

She bent at her waist and bowed, looking even more like a samurai than ever.

“Does it feel better to have gotten that off your chest?”

She nodded and genuinely seemed relieved.

“Can you go put on your dress now?”

“Yes.” She turned and left the room, and then a second later she appeared again, “actually, Dad, Lydia lost it.”