Chapter 1: It's Time
"It's time dad!"
"Oh daddy...I'm so sorry!"
"We're not selling and that's that!"
The day everyone had returned from San Lorenzo, Arnold happily brought his parents home to the boarding house they had left years ago, while Helga and her family reluctantly went back to what they now had no choice but to consider 'home.' A week had gone by however, and no more hope was shown financially than it had been before the trip.
"Listen BOB...it was great watching you be the king for the past decade, but sales have plummeted and no one cares about this outdated merchandise of yours anymore!"
"Look here little missy! I didn't build this business from the ground up just to watch it fall to pieces!"
"Umm news flash! That's what it's BEEN DOING for the past year now!" Helga scowled, as she marched away from her father.
Bob stood watching his younger daughter with his hands on his waist, still in denial about what was happening to his business.
The Boarding House
"Oh it's so wonderful to be home!" Stella exclaimed, while wondering the boarding house. What made it even more perfect was being there with her son. She threw her arms around Arnold, knowing they would never be leaving him again.
"Come on! I'll show you guys more of my things!" the blonde boy said, while anxiously pulling his mom up the stairs.
"It's great to be home dad!" Miles said to Phil, while following his son down the hallway.
"Well be on the lookout. Ya never know when Kakoshka may try to steal something from ya!" Phil warned his son, who began lifting an eyebrow at him.
Helga's Room
Normally in times of crisis, Helga would turn to her most prized possession...her locket. Even after what had happened between her and her beloved days ago, this wasn't the time for it. Her stubborn dad expected them to spend the rest of their days living in a useless store all because he couldn't let go of the past.
He could rebuild his business if he wanted to. Bob was as talented at management and marketing as he was at selling. All he had to do was switch to a new product to put the family back where they used to be. He just couldn't admit defeat.
Helga laid across her bed in her cheap attic bedroom. She placed her hands over her face as she began rubbing her face in exhaustion and muttered to herself 'Criminy.'
The neglected girl felt tears beginning to form in her eyes until she heard a knock on her door…
KNOCK KNOCK
"What?!"
Usually her giddy sister would call out from the other side to inform her of what she considered to be 'exciting' news. This time however, Olga welcomed herself in with a hopeless facial expression.
Helga sat up from her tired position as she watched her sad sibling take a seat on the bed beside her.
"Oh Helga! This is just terr-terrible!"
Gee ya think? Helga thought to herself. Rather than scowling at her sister, she sat there while Olga wrapped her arms around her. Helga was too depressed to even care about how tight Olga's grip was around her.
Arnold's Room
"This room brings back memories!" Miles had to admit, while Arnold began searching for his photo album.
The anxious boy took a seat beside his parents to show them pictures of the fun things he had done with his friends over the years…
"This is when Stinky, Sid, Eugene and I entered the Grand Prix go kart race. That's my trophy over there." Arnold pointed across the room to the second place prize sitting beside his computer.
"That's great son!" Miles said, while playing with Arnold's remote control. It was hard to resist playing with the lights, music, and other fun things it did that he had forgotten about.
"This is Gerald and I when we raced grandpa's boat against Rex Smythe Higgens' grandson."
"Rex Smythe Higgens? Wasn't that your dad's arch nemesis?" Stella asked, as she turned to see her husband blush.
"Uhh yeah. Looks like your grandparents did a great job taking care of you while we were gone." Miles said.
Arnold returned the happy look on his dad's face, but for a different reason. He realized even though he had missed his parents more than words could describe, his grandparents were like parents to him. They took care of him in every way possible by feeding him, clothing him, giving him a nice place to live, keeping him in school, being nice to his friends, and helping him to have as much fun whenever they could together.
"Yeah, they've been great to me!"
Beeper Emporium Kitchen
"Huh what? Oh I'm awake." Miriam awoke with tired eyes, while watching her two children walk into the area.
Helga went to make herself a sandwich from whatever leftovers remained in the break room area, as she heard her sister weeping behind her.
"Where's daddy mommy?" Olga sniffled.
Oh brother. What makes you think she knows?
"Uhh...I'm uhh sure he's around here somewhere."
Nick Vermicelli's House
"Look here you little weasel! I want the money you owe me for all the business deals you suggested and ruined!"
"I didn't do anything?"
"Oh really? Well then I guess the float design for the parade, suggesting to put a new store where that hundred year old tree is, and trying to take 51% of my plans for a new business when that crazy Scheck character came along was all just a crazy dream!"
"I guess so Bob." Nick said, as he backed away from the angry man.
"Well then I guess I'm free to tear you to pieces!" Bob threatened.
Arnold's Kitchen
"Dinner's ready!" Stella called out for everyone, while she and Pookey began placing the food on the table for the boarders.
Arnold eagerly took his seat, not thinking about his stomach. It was just nice having more time to spend with his parents. There were so many things they hadn't done together yet, and he had a whole summer to complete them. It was like doing 'The List' for a kids perfect Saturday all over again. Only nothing could get in the way this time…
The Beeper Emporium
Helga sat on the couch that had been set up beside a the broken pyramid of what was left of Bob's inventory. The lonely girl sat reading a wrestling magazine, trying to forget about her troubles until she heard the door to the store opening…
"What a cheapskate!"
Helga turned to see her dad wearily entering the store covered in bruises with torn clothes.
Tossing aside her magazine, the anxious girl rose from the couch and asked "Dad! What happened?"
"That lousy excuse for a business associate of mine won't give me the money that's rightfully ours!"
Helga let out a sigh as she sat back down on the couch, placing her head in her hands with her elbows propped on her knees. What made Bob think there was a chance in the world of gaining a cent back from that betrayer?
Arnold's Dining Room
"So Miles, you and Stella were asleep all this time?" Ernie asked, fascinated by the story.
"Mhmm Arnold came and rescued us." Stella smiled, while placing an arm around her son.
"When do I get my money? Hehe." Oskar grinned, seeing everyone turn to look at him with perplexed faces.
"What are ya talkin' about ya bum? You didn't do anything!" Ernie snapped.
"What? I made the video that got Arnold to the jungle?"
"Oh you did not ya liar!" Phil exclaimed.
Rather than caring about the confrontation between the boarders, Miles turned to his son and asked "By the way son, who was it that made the video for the trip?"
Helga's Room
Helga laid across her bed, expecting this to be her life from here on out. School would be the highlight of her day, unless she felt like escaping for a few hours every afternoon to spend at Phoebe's. That still didn't change the fact that she would be living in a run down store that everyone could easily mock her for.
After sulking about this as long as she could, her mind moved to something else. The only thing that was ever able to make her feel better in times of trouble was knowing she had Arnold. While she may not have a reason to look on the bright side, there was always someone beside her who wouldn't let her give up hope. He WAS her bright side.
Helga laid on her bed with a hand over her face as she began to rub her exhausted eyes. Her other hand was then placed on her chest, where she felt her locket resting beside her.
The sweet girl pulled out her locket to gaze at what was left of her beloved's picture. Wondering to herself how she could ever tear it up, tears began running down her cheek as she said to herself…
Oh Arnold! What am I to do? While I've yet to speak to you again, I can still feel the sweetness of your lips, the warm touch of your hands, the sweet scent of your hair. My heart yearns to be beside you yet again, and yet...I just can't face you!
Arnold's Room
"She seems like a sweet girl!" Stella said, while sitting on the bed beside her son.
Arnold sat there thinking a moment. As he had said back in San Lorenzo, he always wondered if Helga was mean to him because she loved him. Even she told him it was all just a cover. Were they really meant for each other?
"Yeah, she is. We couldn't have woken you guys up, escaped La Sombra or even gotten to San Lorenzo without her help."
"Why don't we invite them over for dinner to thank them?" Miles excitedly suggested.
"That sounds like a lovely idea! What do you think sweetie?"
Arnold stopped to think a moment. After Gerald interrupted their kiss, Helga hadn't said two words to him. Was she avoiding him or just embarrassed?
Beeper Emporium Kitchen
"For crying out loud Miriam! How in the heck am I supposed to attract more customers with you past out in front of the beepers like that?!" Bob shouted, while seeing his once again past out wife laying across the couch.
Olga came to stand beside her troubled father, afraid of what she was about to suggest "Daddy, no one's going to buy these anymore. I'm afraid it's time to move on."
"And how in the heck am I supposed to do that?! You know anyone willing to buy this place?!" Bob demanded to know.
"Maybe you could just change what you're selling?"
"Do ya have any idea how much work it takes to restart a business?!"
Olga raced out of the room with tears streaming down her face. Bob watched his successful daughter run away, as he stood there thinking of the failure he had become.
Ever since his business had taken that hard hit, his girls had been telling him his once successful product was no match for cell phones. Even if he was willing to rebuild his business, how was he supposed to start? They wouldn't be able to afford moving out right away when customers were interested in buying his products again?
Arnold's Room
"Good night sweetie! We love you!" Stella said after hugging her son good night.
"Sleep well son." Miles added, turning off the lights as he left the room with his wife.
Arnold laid under the covers staring at the stars through his ceiling. It was hard not to think about his moment with Helga in San Lorenzo. Did she really love him that much, or was it just 'the heat of the moment?' It couldn't have been if she had been carrying around a locket with his picture all those years.
Whatever her reason was, he now had to wonder if she would accept his invitation to dinner without going back to pretending she hated him.