Helga was sitting on a bench at the park deep in thought.

She worried about Arnold and how he was taking the fact Lila walked out and she watched the children hurting for them at losing their mother.

Danny was playing on the jungle gym, Sophie was a few feet away from her in a sand box happily covering herself in sand.

Jack suddenly flopped down onto the bench beside her with a heavy sigh.

"My moms not coming back" He said sternly and she looked at him.

His feet dangled above the ground and he was slouched on the bench arms crossed over his tiny chest.

"How do you know? Did she tell you something?" He shook his head.

"No...but I know she aint..." She pulled him close and he let her snuggling into her side.

"I know you're upset Jack...but...your mother loves you very much"

"She don't either...I heard her telling Daddy..."Helga winced.

"People say things when they are upset Jack..."

"She don't love me...it's not big deal...I'm a big boy...I don't need a mom"

"You're six" Helga smiled.

"I'm almost seven..."

"Still...you're just a kid and this shouldn't happen to you...Kids should be able to trust their parents and lean on them and know they'll always be there and love them...you shouldn't have to go through this"

"Daddy loves me...he loves me lots he won't ever leave me...neither will you...will you?" He looked up at her with wide innocent blue eyes and her heart clenched.

"I love you Jack...I'll always love you" She said and he smiled seeming to accept that as an answer.

"Can I sit here...a little longer?" He asked and she smiled.

"Of course you can...I'm thinking here in a little while we should have ourselves some ice cream...what do you think?"

He smiled up at her with an enthusiastic nod.


Arnold sat behind his desk papers and books were stacked up like a wall on the oak desk.

He was supposed to be working on an important case but his mind kept wondering off to Lila and where she could be, He hoped she was ok.

Then there were the children to think about. When he got home he would have to sit them down and prepare them for the worst that Lila may not come back. They were so little he hoped he could get them to understand.

He glanced at his watch wishing it was time to go home with his kids.

Maybe Lila would come back while he was at work, Maybe he'd go home and she'd be in the kitchen cooking dinner playing with Sophie and everything would be ok.

He knew it wouldn't happen and he wasn't even sure he wanted her to come back but he could pretend there was a chance things would still be ok.

He walked up the stairs to his front door completely exausted and he dug out his keys he opened the door and saw the boys watching tv.

"Hey guys" They smiled and rushed for hugs he dropped his breifcase to lift them each in an arm.

"Daddy..we had Ice cream and hotdogs at the park!" Danny said excitedly and Arnold smiled.

"You did? I'm jealous"

"We've been waiting for you to have supper" Helga said coming out of the kitchen with Sophie in one arm.

He looked at her with a heavy sigh feeling the anxiety and stress ease from his body for just a minute.

"Thank you, For everything...really.." She smiled a soft easy smile that made feel warm all over.

"Come on guys wash up while your dad gets ready for dinner" She reached out a hand and both boys scrambled out of his arms to run to her.

He pulled at his tie until it came loose and started towards his bedroom.


After an amazing dinner that Arnold was amazed Helga could pull off while also watching three kids and cleaning up the apartment he sat down with the boys.

Helga sat beside him with Sophie in her lap playing with toy keys she was too little for the talk but Arnold wanted her there just in case. Jack and Danny sat across the table.

"I want to talk to you about your mom"

"She's not coming back" Jack said simply.

"Jack...you're mom...is very confused right now" Helga offered.

"Did we do something wrong?" Danny asked and Arnold winced.

"No, of course not...you're both wonderful and she loves you this has nothing to do with you" Arnold said and they nodded.

"So, where is she?" Danny asked and Arnold shrugged.

"I don't know"

"So she left us?" Jack asked sadly and Helga felt her heart break for him.

"Yes...but I promise I'm not going to leave you" Arnold told him.

"Is there anything you want to ask?" Helga asked and both boys shook their heads no.

"See the thing is guys...there's different kinds of love. Theres family love like how you love each other and mommy and me and how we love you. Then theres mommy and daddy love which is something only mommies and daddies have with each other and then there's friend love like me and Helga...your mommy and I used to have mommy daddy love but...we don't anymore...but that doesn't mean she doesn't still love you. Do you understand what I'm saying?" Arnold asked.

"Yes...I understand" Jack said and Danny nodded.

"Will we still see mom?" Danny asked and Arnold nodded.

"Of course, If you want to see her you most certainly can"

"I don't want to...is that ok?" Jack asked and again Arnold nodded.

"That's ok too...if you're sad or upset that's ok and if you want to talk about it or ask questions I'm here whenever"

They nodded and Sophie yawned.

"I'm going to put her to bed...Do you need anything?" Helga stood and he shook his head after she disappeared down the hall Danny spoke.

"Do you mommy and daddy love Helga?" Arnold paled.

"No, just friend love"

"Oh, but...we need a mommy" Jack said softly.

"I know buddy...but you have one..." Danny shook his head.

"No Daddy, a REAL mommy...one that won't leave us"

Arnolds heart clenched Danny was too little to be going through this and be feeling that way so he forced a smile.

"It's time for bed guys...ok?" They drug themselves off their chairs and he walked with them back the hall.

He put them both in their pajamas and into their bed Danny was asleep as soon as he hit the mattress and Arnold turned to help Jack get under the covers.

"Daddy?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you." Arnold kissed his forehead.

"I love you too"

"I love mom...but I love Helga too...maybe...she would want to be our mommy"

"Jack...I know Helga loves you all but...things are kind of complicated right now"

"ok...goodnight daddy" He closed his eyes and Arnold knew that was his cue to leave.

He stepped out into the livingroom Helga was sitting on the couch.

"Hey, how are you holding up?" She stood and he shrugged.

"My wife left me...but I'm doing good"

"I'm sorry I didn't even know you were having problems"

He fell onto the couch with a sigh and she sat beside him one leg pulled up underneath herself.

"We never were really in love...I mean I loved her for years but then...I met someone else and I realized I was in love with her instead and I was waiting for the right time...to tell her that I loved her. Lila asked me out and I guess I said yes because I had been after her so long...I thought it was a good idea...we dated awhile and I told her I couldn't stay...I had this other person...she told me she was pregnant"

"But...Jack is only six" Arnold nodded.

"She said she was pregnant and she might have been I did the right thing I proposed...we got married and I came home one night and she said...she'd lost it"

"Do you think there really was one?" Helga asked and he shrugged.

"I don't know. We were married and I know she knew that I still had feelings for the other woman...we had Jack and then Danny...we agreed when Danny was four we would get a divorce and I was glad I was hoping this other woman would still want me...then one night I was drunk...and Lila was...I don't know...and we made Sophie...Lila was furious she said I got her pregnant so she wouldn't leave but that's not true...she had Sophie and I assumed she was staying we haven't had sex since I got her pregnant with Sophie...we weren't in love maybe we never were but it was working until Danny turned four and then Lila wanted out...I guess she finally had enough"

"I'm sorry Arnold...what happened to the other girl?" He looked at her and didn't say anything.

She was so innocent and naive he couldn't believe she didn't know it was her, always was her and always would be.

Before he even knew what he was doing he reached out to her his hand gooing to the clip holding her hair back he pulled it loose letting her hair spill out like a golden waterfall.

"Why don't you ever let your hair down?" He asked softly.

"I don't know...I just don't" She grabbed the clip piling her hair back up and securing it.

"Helga..." She stood up before he could finish his sentence.

"I'm going to go Arnold...do you need me tomorrow?"

"If you don't mind"

"Of course not" She grabbed her coat and he stood.

"Alright, How about nine?" She reached for the door seeming to be in a rush to get away from him.

"See you at nine" She opened the door and bolted before he could speak.

He stared at the closed door before sliding the lock in place and shutting off the lights he collapsed into his bed realizing now how big it was and he sighed. It was nice to sleep in his bed.

"Daddy?" He opened one eye Danny stood inches from the bed behind him stood Jack holding Sophie.

"Yeah?"

"Can we sleep with you? please?" He smiled Lila never let them sleep with her and Arnold or even with her claiming she needed space he moved to lift Sophie from Jack who was too little to hold her for long periods of time.

"Climb in then"He said and the boys piled into the bed beside him.

He liked this better the three kids fit nicely in bed with him and he couldn't help notice there was room for one more person...a woman would fit nicely...but there was only one who fit perfectly.