Fighting back tears, I tossed the final item into the fireplace. It was a photo of us together, happy. It was Arnold's 18th birthday, and we were on the roof of the boarding house. It was an unseasonably warm day in early October, so nearly everyone was wearing t shirts. Phoebe and Gerald stood to our left as Harold snapped the photo. It was almost ten years ago now, but I remember that day like it was yesterday.
"Helga! Helga, come over here and get in this shot!", Arnold called to me.
"Be there in a sec", I called back
Just as soon as I was within an arms reach, said arm was around me. The feeling was that of pure bliss, but the problem was that Arnold was just a friend. A very close friend, but still just a friend. That didn't stop me from having the biggest smile across my face. In this moment I was truly happy, a feeling I didn't know that well.
This was also the day he told everyone of his plans for after high school. He decided that he was going to up and move down to San Lorenzo to be with his parents. He was to leave on June 30th. It was only eight months away, I had to enjoy my time with him while it lasted. Who knows when I'd see him after he left, if ever. He didn't say how long he'd be down there. Was it temporary, was it permanent?
The months went by and I died a little inside each day. I lost my mother on New Year's day. Well it was technically January 1st when I found her. Now that was a sobering experience. I had gone to Rhonda's New Year's Eve party. She was given her own house for her 18th birthday. Along with a brand new BMW and a nicely padded bank account, so I was pretty sure it was going to be a good party. Normally I wasn't one to drink, I had my mother to show me where that would lead, but I had come to terms with losing Arnold, possibly forever. That was reason enough for me to drink myself stupid that night.
I must have passed out, as I woke up in the back of a moving vehicle. A very old moving vehicle. It took me a minute to realize I was in Arnold's 1947 Packard. After he realized I was awake, he explained that the police had raided the party twenty minutes prior, and upon finding me on their way out, him and Gerald carried me from the couch to the car as they rushed out. Arnold didn't drink that night. No surprise there.
After we arrived at my house, Arnold helped me to the door. I assured him I could get up to my room just fine, so he walked back to the antique green car parked at the curb. I proceeded upstairs and decided to stop by the bathroom for a drink of water before retiring for the night. I had already missed the turn of the year and was feeling pretty tipsy, so what reason did I really have to stay awake at this point?
As I went to push open the bathroom door I noticed the light was on. It was nearly 1 in the morning at this point, Miriam normally would've passed out hours ago. I tapped on the door and called her name. No answer. I figured she either passed out in here or just left the light on without realizing. I slowly pushed open the door and that's when I found her. In the bathtub lied Miriam's lifeless body. Surrounding her was the crimson but still slightly translucent water. I gathered whatever courage I had and lifted up one of her arms to find that as I suspected, she slit her wrists.
I panicked and let out a scream I was sure could be heard throughout the entire city. I called Arnold's name hoping by some miracle he was still outside. Fortunately, he was. He called the police for me as I was still in shock. I wound up staying with Arnold at his place that night. I didn't sleep, but I stayed there.
It wasn't long after the Miriam ordeal that Arnold sat me down to talk. He seemed off somehow, like he wanted to say something, but just couldn't get the words out. I picked up on it because I've been in that position many many times. We had gotten closer, and he wanted to take things further with me, but was hesitant to even say it because he was leaving in four short months. He had fallen for me, I couldn't believe it. I jokingly suggested that he let me come with when he left. Alright maybe I was only half joking, but still, I could never have guessed that he was thinking the same thing. He was also hesitant to admit that last one because he didn't know how I felt about him, and didn't want to seem too forward.
I broke the news of my future departure to Bob on my birthday. For a change it seemed like he cared, and asked if I had thought things through. Initially he was not in favor of it but in time he realized that I wasn't changing my mind on this. I am just as stubborn as him sometimes. When he finally accepted the fact that I was really leaving, he said something I never saw coming. He told me that if I ever changed my mind after we got there, the door is always open.
The rest of the school year flew by, and two and a half months later we were preparing for our graduation ceremony. I could NOT wait for that day to come. Don't get me wrong, I still gave a damn in school, graduated with High Honors actually.
We had a joint graduation / going away party the weekend after. Gerald and Phoebe pleaded with us not to go. When they realized we weren't budging on that fact, they asked us to at least postpone our departure to just before everyone left for college. It was hard to say no, but were expected to arrive in San Lorenzo around noon on July 1st, no later.
When we did arrive, I realized just how different life down there was. There was limited electricity available, usually provided by a generator, and only when absolutely necessary. Arnold had tried to prepare me for it the best he could, but he did also say that I would have to see for myself to fully understand it. It was a far simpler existence down there. A welcome change, a true new start for me.
Looking back, I enjoyed it there, I really did. I had all I ever really needed, my fiance Arnold, and a stress free life. The only thing I could really ask for is that Phoebe and Gerald move down here, but I knew that would never happen. They both had family that they cared about up there. Every six months we would alternate between flying back to Hillwood for a week, and the two of them flying down there for a week. Every now and then one of the others from the old gang would tag along to see for themselves what it was really like in San Lorenzo.
The years went on, and we always made time for our visits. About nine years after our big move, Phoebe informed me in our weekly letters, of Bob's passing. I had to return to Hillwood to help Olga sort things out. I no longer hated Bob or Olga. I actually got along with what was left of my family. Bob actually seemed happy to see me every Christmas. I was actually going to miss the old blowhard. He went too soon. He was only 65.
I ended up staying up here for two months. Olga and I split both cash and physical assets evenly. She already had a house of her own, so I assumed ownership of our old childhood home. I had every intention of returning to Arnold, but having a backup plan is never a bad idea. I let Olga take the Hummer as her husband loved the damn thing. The old Lincoln however, that was mine. I kept the Mark III in the garage, and had Gerald come over every now and then to take her out and keep up on maintenance.
The cash area of the whole thing is where it gets really interesting. Flat out, I am worth ten million dollars. The old beeper emporium evolved into a regional electronics chain with stores in four states. Olga and I reached an agreement with the buyers of the company that at the end of every year, the two of us would each receive 5% of profits, and every store was to retain the Pataki name, otherwise they had free reign over the business.
I returned to my Arnold after those two long months, ready to tell him the exciting news. He wasn't there when I got off the plane. Eduardo was, and he brought me back to my home, while not saying much of anything. I entered the old shack to find Arnold asleep in bed, but who was this sleeping with him? I was too shocked at this to even consider sticking around for an explanation. I scribbled a quick note as quietly as I could before I left without either of them waking before so.
I returned to my house completely heartbroken. I gave him my all, and he does this to me? I dropped everything, I gave up my life in Hillwood to leave with him. Maybe it wasn't what it seemed, as Phoebe tried to reason with me, but I just couldn't see it any other way then he must have gotten tired of me. I made up my mind, and I am staying here in Hillwood. The way I saw it, if he wanted to fix things, he knew I was here for my father's funeral, so he knew where to find me. He never showed up. Phoebe did have a thought that maybe this other woman had found my note and disposed of it before Arnold ever saw it, but I just didn't want to hear it.
It had been two months since I found the two of them in bed, so I made the decision to move on. The only way I can do that is to dispose of anything and everything that reminds me of him. I dumped everything into the fireplace, but one photo was stuck in the bottom of the box. It was from the day that started this whole mess. I stared at this photo from his birthday party for what felt like a day before dropping it in with everything else. I stood there with a match in my hand ready to light, to start my life anew yet again, but something was holding me back. For as stubborn as I've always been, I simply was not entirely sure about this.
It was time to move on...wasn't it?
**A/N: So there you have it, my first wholehearted attempt at writing in ten years. I am undecided whether I want to leave it as a one shot, or continue on with it. I do have ideas of where I would want to take it if I do decide to continue it.