Hey Arnold!
All Grown Up - Chapter Two
Disclaimer: I own the plot of the story, but not the original characters. I do not work on the show.
Helga stared deep into Arnold's eyes. She had always liked his eyes. She thought that they were one of his best features. When she had moved to England, she had never expected to see Arnold again, but she did. Here's how it happened:
***
When Helga had reached England, it had been decided by her and Phoebe that Helga should stay with Phoebe and Gerald until she could find a place to live. Phoebe had managed to buy her house in England. She put the key into her door. Gerald ran to the door. "Phoebe, you're home!" said Gerald.
"Yeah, and look who I brought with me!" said Phoebe.
"Helga?" said Gerald. "What are you doing here?"
"Helga is coming to live in England!" said Phoebe. "She's going to be working for me and I said that she could stay here until she finds her own place!"
"Don't worry, Gerald," said Helga. "I'm a bit more friendly than I used to be."
"Well, that's good news," said Gerald.
They all made their way to the living room of the house. "It's a nice place!" said Helga. "Thanks for letting me stay for a while. You don't mind, do you Gerald?"
"As long as you don't call me Tall Hair Boy!" joked Gerald. They all laughed at that.
"I hear that you and Phoebe are having a baby!" said Helga.
"Yes! Six months until he or she is due!" said Gerald. "Anyway, it looks like we will have a full house, tomorrow. I said that Arnold could come and visit for a while. He's still upset about his divorce to Lila and he really needs company!"
"Arnold's coming?" asked Helga.
"Yes," said Gerald. "It will be good for us all to see each other again. Anyway, I think that I will go and make us all a cup of tea."
Gerald left the room and went into the kitchen. "You didn't tell me that Arnold was coming," said Helga.
"I didn't know!" said Phoebe.
"I don't know if I can face him!" said Helga.
"Don't worry! You'll be fine!" reassured Phoebe.
"You never told Gerald about my crush on Arnold, did you?" asked Helga.
"Of course I didn't," said Phoebe. "I've kept your secret for all this time."
"Thanks," said Helga. "Hey, I wonder if I will still like him when I see him?"
"I bet you will!" said Phoebe. "You said that you were miserable back over in America, without him. Maybe seeing him will make you happy again."
"Maybe," said Helga. "But I really doubt it."
"The next time we go back to the old neighbourhood, we should really go into the Butcher Shop and see Harold," said Phoebe. "I felt really bad when we couldn't see him the other day. We didn't have enough time."
"Yeah," said Helga. "I wonder how the whole gang is doing right now."
Gerald came back in with three cups of tea. He handed them out and kept one for himself. They all started to drink. "I feel really sorry for Arnold," said Gerald. "He really did like Lila."
"Obviously not that much!" said Helga. "Otherwise, they wouldn't be getting a divorce!"
"Yeah, maybe it's for the best," said Phoebe.
"Why is it that you two have never liked the idea of Arnold and Lila together?" asked Gerald.
"We just don't think that they are right for each other," answered Helga. "Turns out that we were right!"
"So, Helga, I'll let you settle in for a couple of days and then I will show you around the office," said Phoebe. "I'm taking the day off work tomorrow anyway, so I'll be here when Arnold arrives."
"I think that I am going to take a nap," said Helga. "I have jet lag."
"Me too," said Phoebe. "Helga, I'll show you to your room."
Phoebe took Helga upstairs. Phoebe showed Helga her room and they both took a nap.
The next day, Arnold arrived at midday. Helga had dressed up specially. Phoebe and Gerald welcomed Arnold and he came in. "As you can see, Helga is staying with us," said Phoebe. Arnold didn't look too good. He didn't look like he had been getting much sleep.
"Helga? What are you doing here?" asked Arnold.
Helga explained her situation. Arnold nodded his head. "I'm sorry to here about your divorce," said Helga, even though it was the best news that she had heard in years.
"I knew that our relationship wasn't great, but I didn't know that it would come to a divorce," said Arnold.
"Listen," said Phoebe. "I'm sure that you both want to catch up on each other's news. Me and Helga will just get out of your way."
They both went upstairs to Gerald and Phoebe's bedroom. "I'm dying to know," said Phoebe. "What do you think?"
"I am so surprised!" said Helga. "I don't have feelings for him!"
"Are you sure?" asked Phoebe.
"I'm positive! After all those years, I can't believe it!" Phoebe still didn't know if Helga was telling the truth or not. Phoebe had known Helga for a very long time, and knew that Helga wasn't great when it came to expressing her true feelings. Phoebe thought that Helga did secretly still like Arnold, but just didn't want to admit it to her, or herself.
Downstairs, Arnold and Gerald were both chatting. "It's great to see Helga again," said Arnold.
"Yeah, she seems a lot nicer than she used to be," said Gerald.
"She looks... nice," said Arnold.
Upstairs, Helga decided to change the subject. "Now Phoebe," she said. "You have now told me anything about what you work as, or what kind of a job I am going to be doing."
"Haven't I told you?" asked Phoebe. "I'm the manageress of a big Internet Service Provider!"
"What's that, Phoebe.com?" Helga joked.
"Yeah!" said Phoebe. Helga was surprised at her answer.
"You're not joking?" asked Helga.
"No!" said Phoebe. "Now, the last time that I saw you, you knew a bit about computers because your Dad bought one."
"Yeah," said Helga. "He said that as a businessman, he needed to keep up to date with the latest technology."
"Well, I was thinking that you could probably answer some of the calls to my Technical Support Hotline!" said Phoebe.
"Phoebe!" said Helga. "I've learnt a lot about computers since then. Before Big Bob threw me out, I started to learn a lot about HTML. I could help with the actual web site for the company."
"How did you ever get to start learning about HTML?" asked a confused Phoebe.
"Well, when Arnold and Lila starting going out together, I stopped worshipping him," said Helga. "I needed to keep myself busy and I started learning about computers."
"Well, the reason that I started getting into it was because it seems like everything is to do with computers, these days," said Phoebe. "I started at the bottom of the career ladder and now I am at the top."
"So, I guess you have a lot of money," said Helga.
"Yes," said Phoebe. "I guess you could call me a millionaire!"
"A millionaire?" asked an astounded Helga. "No offence, but you could afford a much better house than this!"
"This house isn't mine," admitted Phoebe. "My friend has gone on holiday and I'm keeping an eye on it for her."
"I wondered why there were no photographs of you and Gerald!" said Helga. "So, where do you live?"
"Me and Gerald have a big house nearer to my work," said Phoebe.
"Well, why don't me and Arnold go and stay in your house while you and Gerald look after this place?" asked Helga.
"Wouldn't you be lonely?" asked Phoebe.
"No!" said Helga. "I want to!"
"Okay," said Phoebe. "I'll go and ask the guys!"
Stay tuned for Part 3 of "All Grown Up".
Note: I wanted to give Phoebe's Internet Company a really cool name, but I was afraid that a big company would come along and steal it!
All Grown Up - Chapter Two
Disclaimer: I own the plot of the story, but not the original characters. I do not work on the show.
Helga stared deep into Arnold's eyes. She had always liked his eyes. She thought that they were one of his best features. When she had moved to England, she had never expected to see Arnold again, but she did. Here's how it happened:
***
When Helga had reached England, it had been decided by her and Phoebe that Helga should stay with Phoebe and Gerald until she could find a place to live. Phoebe had managed to buy her house in England. She put the key into her door. Gerald ran to the door. "Phoebe, you're home!" said Gerald.
"Yeah, and look who I brought with me!" said Phoebe.
"Helga?" said Gerald. "What are you doing here?"
"Helga is coming to live in England!" said Phoebe. "She's going to be working for me and I said that she could stay here until she finds her own place!"
"Don't worry, Gerald," said Helga. "I'm a bit more friendly than I used to be."
"Well, that's good news," said Gerald.
They all made their way to the living room of the house. "It's a nice place!" said Helga. "Thanks for letting me stay for a while. You don't mind, do you Gerald?"
"As long as you don't call me Tall Hair Boy!" joked Gerald. They all laughed at that.
"I hear that you and Phoebe are having a baby!" said Helga.
"Yes! Six months until he or she is due!" said Gerald. "Anyway, it looks like we will have a full house, tomorrow. I said that Arnold could come and visit for a while. He's still upset about his divorce to Lila and he really needs company!"
"Arnold's coming?" asked Helga.
"Yes," said Gerald. "It will be good for us all to see each other again. Anyway, I think that I will go and make us all a cup of tea."
Gerald left the room and went into the kitchen. "You didn't tell me that Arnold was coming," said Helga.
"I didn't know!" said Phoebe.
"I don't know if I can face him!" said Helga.
"Don't worry! You'll be fine!" reassured Phoebe.
"You never told Gerald about my crush on Arnold, did you?" asked Helga.
"Of course I didn't," said Phoebe. "I've kept your secret for all this time."
"Thanks," said Helga. "Hey, I wonder if I will still like him when I see him?"
"I bet you will!" said Phoebe. "You said that you were miserable back over in America, without him. Maybe seeing him will make you happy again."
"Maybe," said Helga. "But I really doubt it."
"The next time we go back to the old neighbourhood, we should really go into the Butcher Shop and see Harold," said Phoebe. "I felt really bad when we couldn't see him the other day. We didn't have enough time."
"Yeah," said Helga. "I wonder how the whole gang is doing right now."
Gerald came back in with three cups of tea. He handed them out and kept one for himself. They all started to drink. "I feel really sorry for Arnold," said Gerald. "He really did like Lila."
"Obviously not that much!" said Helga. "Otherwise, they wouldn't be getting a divorce!"
"Yeah, maybe it's for the best," said Phoebe.
"Why is it that you two have never liked the idea of Arnold and Lila together?" asked Gerald.
"We just don't think that they are right for each other," answered Helga. "Turns out that we were right!"
"So, Helga, I'll let you settle in for a couple of days and then I will show you around the office," said Phoebe. "I'm taking the day off work tomorrow anyway, so I'll be here when Arnold arrives."
"I think that I am going to take a nap," said Helga. "I have jet lag."
"Me too," said Phoebe. "Helga, I'll show you to your room."
Phoebe took Helga upstairs. Phoebe showed Helga her room and they both took a nap.
The next day, Arnold arrived at midday. Helga had dressed up specially. Phoebe and Gerald welcomed Arnold and he came in. "As you can see, Helga is staying with us," said Phoebe. Arnold didn't look too good. He didn't look like he had been getting much sleep.
"Helga? What are you doing here?" asked Arnold.
Helga explained her situation. Arnold nodded his head. "I'm sorry to here about your divorce," said Helga, even though it was the best news that she had heard in years.
"I knew that our relationship wasn't great, but I didn't know that it would come to a divorce," said Arnold.
"Listen," said Phoebe. "I'm sure that you both want to catch up on each other's news. Me and Helga will just get out of your way."
They both went upstairs to Gerald and Phoebe's bedroom. "I'm dying to know," said Phoebe. "What do you think?"
"I am so surprised!" said Helga. "I don't have feelings for him!"
"Are you sure?" asked Phoebe.
"I'm positive! After all those years, I can't believe it!" Phoebe still didn't know if Helga was telling the truth or not. Phoebe had known Helga for a very long time, and knew that Helga wasn't great when it came to expressing her true feelings. Phoebe thought that Helga did secretly still like Arnold, but just didn't want to admit it to her, or herself.
Downstairs, Arnold and Gerald were both chatting. "It's great to see Helga again," said Arnold.
"Yeah, she seems a lot nicer than she used to be," said Gerald.
"She looks... nice," said Arnold.
Upstairs, Helga decided to change the subject. "Now Phoebe," she said. "You have now told me anything about what you work as, or what kind of a job I am going to be doing."
"Haven't I told you?" asked Phoebe. "I'm the manageress of a big Internet Service Provider!"
"What's that, Phoebe.com?" Helga joked.
"Yeah!" said Phoebe. Helga was surprised at her answer.
"You're not joking?" asked Helga.
"No!" said Phoebe. "Now, the last time that I saw you, you knew a bit about computers because your Dad bought one."
"Yeah," said Helga. "He said that as a businessman, he needed to keep up to date with the latest technology."
"Well, I was thinking that you could probably answer some of the calls to my Technical Support Hotline!" said Phoebe.
"Phoebe!" said Helga. "I've learnt a lot about computers since then. Before Big Bob threw me out, I started to learn a lot about HTML. I could help with the actual web site for the company."
"How did you ever get to start learning about HTML?" asked a confused Phoebe.
"Well, when Arnold and Lila starting going out together, I stopped worshipping him," said Helga. "I needed to keep myself busy and I started learning about computers."
"Well, the reason that I started getting into it was because it seems like everything is to do with computers, these days," said Phoebe. "I started at the bottom of the career ladder and now I am at the top."
"So, I guess you have a lot of money," said Helga.
"Yes," said Phoebe. "I guess you could call me a millionaire!"
"A millionaire?" asked an astounded Helga. "No offence, but you could afford a much better house than this!"
"This house isn't mine," admitted Phoebe. "My friend has gone on holiday and I'm keeping an eye on it for her."
"I wondered why there were no photographs of you and Gerald!" said Helga. "So, where do you live?"
"Me and Gerald have a big house nearer to my work," said Phoebe.
"Well, why don't me and Arnold go and stay in your house while you and Gerald look after this place?" asked Helga.
"Wouldn't you be lonely?" asked Phoebe.
"No!" said Helga. "I want to!"
"Okay," said Phoebe. "I'll go and ask the guys!"
Stay tuned for Part 3 of "All Grown Up".
Note: I wanted to give Phoebe's Internet Company a really cool name, but I was afraid that a big company would come along and steal it!
