I own nothing. I was bored.
"Helga wake up. Helllga. Heeelga. WAKE UP!"
"Arnold?" Helga opened her eyes slightly. The football head was nowhere in sight.
"Ugh." She said looking at the clock. "Time for work or sleep. The deadline isn't until Friday. It can wait." She said pulling the warm, soft covers over her head.
Half the king sized bed was empty. Cold from so many nights without anyone sleeping in it. Helga slept for three more hours before she finally and reluctantly got out of bed. Her study was a mess. Piles of unpublished poems sat on the couch. 13 of which would be sent to a college for review. Three more would be laminated and hung on the wall of the room with small furniture. Twenty seven would be sent to her publisher. Three volumes of poetry sat on the book shelf. A small pair of black and white pictures sat on the desk. Her phone was ringing half way through the first poem.
"Helga speaking."
"Greetings. Helga. You're invited to Gerald's family picnic. I know things have been hard since….. You know."
"I'm not in the mood. I knew it would be difficult, but three days without word." Helga said in a small voice.
"Does he know?" Phoebe asked.
"Do you think he would have gone if he knew?" Helga said sipping a cup of coffee that was beyond warm.
"Not in a million years. Did you even know before.." She paused. She had to be gentle with her words. Arnold had gone to find her parents over two months ago. Helga soon started getting sick. A trip to the doctor reviled a small growth in her stomach. It would be gone in 9 months.
"No, I didn't find out until two weeks later. I'm starting to worry. Three days. He usually contacts me every day." A tear escaped her eyes.
As they talked about life and Gerald Jr. the doorbell started to ring.
"I have to go Phoebe. Someone is at the door…. Bye."
With both hope and fear Helga answered it.
Arnold, Miles, and Stela stood in the door. Bags in hand.
"Three days to get there." Arnold said.
"Three days to get back." Helga said as tears streamed down her face. She embraced him. She kissed his stupid football head.
As Arnold brought the bags in he did quick and excited introductions of the people that Helga had only seen in a photo.
"I'm so glad to meet the girl that won our little miracle." Stela said.
"You keep him in lie you hear?" Miles said.
"Yes sir," Helga said with a small cheerful sarcastic solute.
Arnold looked around the home he had loved since he was one. The boarding house was old, but big enough for all of them.
"You guys can have Grandma and Grandpa's old room. We haven't slept in it since they well past away." Arnold said. It was the right thing to do.
"Arnold, you didn't tell me you have a child." Stela said while lifting a picture of an ultra sound off the table.
"We don't?" Arnold said with a sweet an innocent look.
"Then what's this?" She said handing him the ultrasound.
"Ummmmm, Helga?" He said pointing at it.
"Surprise?"