The Mayor, completely torn apart, stayed at home. His eyes were puffy and red. Jo-Jo walked through the door and saw him.
“Dad, you okay?” He asked walking to him. As soon as he was close enough, he hugged his son. He began to sob again. After a few moments, he let go of him.
“Jo-Jo…” He began, wiping his tears. “Are you alright? You’re not hurt at all?”
“No, I mean those trembles kind of freaked my class out. But I’m fine. Is that why you’re sad?”
“No. You’re mother got hurt from the flying glass. She’s in the hospital right now.”
“I hope she’s alright. I know she will be. Uh… Dad?” Jo-Jo asked, sitting in one of the seats surrounding the kitchen table. “I need some advice.” The Mayor looked up at his son. He was asking for advice? “You know Pauline right? Well, I really like her. She’s so kind and she understands me.”
“You do? Then you should tell her! I still regret not telling your mom soon enough.”
“Yeah, but you guys are married. So everything worked out, right?” He nodded.
“But, I did get my heart broken. You see, the first time I met was in our sophomore year in high school. I fell in love with her on the spot. I wrote her name on my notebooks and I always thought about her.” He sighed heavily. “But one day, I went to find her to tell her how I felt. I found her, but she was with her boyfriend, Jack Wilson. She was sitting on his lap, giggling, and then they kissed. My heart…” He made a gesture with his hands of something exploding. “…shattered to a million pieces. I had her name and mine in a heart, but I put zigzag lines through every one of them.” He sighed again. “Then toward the end of the year, I still loved her. I still wrote her name in little hearts on my notebook. But then, her ex-boyfriend, then, grabbed my notebook and showed everyone in class. You can imagine how I felt. I just wanted to die. My face was so red that day. I told him to give it back and he threw it at me. Then I ran away from the class and sat on the steps. Your mother came up to me.” He sighed once more, but this time it was a dreamily sigh. “She told me not to worry about Jack. And I told her I felt this way ever since I met her. After that moment, we started going out. Our love never faded away and we have you and your sisters to show for it.”
“Thanks, Dad. That helps a lot. I won’t let Pauline go!” He jumped from his seat and headed to his room. The Mayor smiled.
The Mayor didn’t show up for work again, because he was so sad. Susan did all the paperwork, but then noticed the yellow horn on the balcony. She decided to check it out.
“Hello?” She spoke inside it.
“Who is this?” Tiger spoke, which made Susan jump.
“Susan Smith. I’m the assistant to the mayor.” The Tiger sneezed.
“Stupid clover… I will kill it.”
”Wait! The town I live in is on the clover. Don’t destroy it.”
“Why would I do that?” Tiger asked, growling.
“You can destroy if the mayor doesn’t like me back.”
“Oh well, that can’t be too hard.” He sniggered.
“He’ll do it for the sake of his precious WhoVille.” She smiled evilly.
“You’ve got yourself a deal, Missy.” Morton, Horton’s best friend, overheard and went running to his friend.
“Horton!” He yelled. “We’ve got a problem.”
“What is it, buddy?” Horton asked as he got out of the water.
“Tiger has made a deal with one of the Who’s. If the Mayor doesn’t like her back, then she’ll let him destroy the clover.”
“THAT’S HORRIBLE. I’ll fix it!” Horton stalked over to Tiger. “Tiger, leave them alone. Don’t go through that deal with that girl.”
“Oh, you can’t stop me.” Tiger smirked.
“Oh, yes, I can!”
“Oh, look, it’s Vlad with the cookies.” Horton turned around with a smile. “He’s all the way over there.”
“COOKIES!!” Horton yelled running to the deep part of the jungle, with Morton running after.
Back in WhoVille, Jo-Jo was ready to tell Pauline how he felt. He walked straight up to her during lunch.
“Hey, Pauline. Come sit under the trees with me.” He led her underneath the cherry blossom trees. He was blushing.
“What is it, Jo-Jo?” He couldn’t say it. How could he?
“Just remember the advice Dad gave you.” He thought. “If you don’t tell her, you’ll regret it.” He cleared his throat, but right when he was about to talk, Maxwell threw a muffin at him.
“Hey, emo lovers.” He said with his same British accent. “Emo, emo, emo, emo!!”
“You’re so preppy, Maxwell.” Jo-Jo said, throwing the muffin back at him. “Why don’t you try out for cheerleader? You might look good in a skirt.”  Maxwell’s anger was building up.
“You think you’re so tough, O’Malley. But you’re not!”
“I’m not? I have 96 sisters. I think I’m plenty tough.”
“Go away, Maxwell!” Pauline threatened him with a plastic spork and he freaked and ran. “What a jerk.” She said as she sat down with Jo-Jo. “So what is it, you wanted to tell me?”
“Listen, I really like you, Pauline. I really do. You understand me.” She blushed.
“Really, Jo-Jo? I really like you too.” He smiled, and they embraced. Then under the trees, they shared their very first kiss. They broke apart and then smiled.
The Mayor went back to work finally and did not want to associate with Susan at all that day. She was sitting on his chair, as if waiting for him to come. He paid no attention to her and set his briefcase down on the desk.
“Mr. Mayor, are you feeling alright?” She asked. “You seem a bit down.”
“I seem a bit down?” He asked. “Of course I’m down. My wife is in the hospital! It’s been three days and she’s still there!”
“Sorry.” She said, sadly. “I just wanted to know if you’re alright.”
“Well, I’m not. I just can’t stay at home all the time. I’m sure Jo-Jo can take care of things. Please, just file this paperwork.”
“Yes, sir.” She replied, taking the papers from him. “You know…  I think we’re good together.”
“Uh-huh.” He replied, staring over the town. How he longed for Sally to get out of the hospital, so he can see her again. Susan finished filing and walked up to his side.
“I know how you feel. My mother was put in the hospital when I was young. She died there.” He turned to her and for once in his life, felt sympathy for her. She smiled, and kissed him. Then, the doors opened and Sally came in.
“Honey, I’m back….” She saw Susan kissing him and tears came to her eyes. As he saw Sally, he broke away from Susan. “Ned, how could you?”
“Sally? No, it isn’t what it seems!” She ran out of the office and he ran after her.