This story won't be too terribly long. I'm hoping for it to wrap up in two or three more posts.
I hope this chapter answers the reviews I got.
They're out of character but that's the entire point
Please forgive grammar errors.
And sometimes I over explain things.
A hand gently stroking her hair is what initially woke her up. But she finally opened her eyes when a loving voice chimed through her room saying, "Helga dear, it's time to get up hunny."
She stared up at the owner of the voice, who turned out to be her mother and practically scrunched her eyebrow in terror.
"You okay Miriam? Did you maybe have one too many smoothies?"
The sound of her mothers booming laughter spread through the room like a wave and she replied, "Helga you're so silly! Now, get up, I've set all your clothes out for the day and breakfast is waiting for you downstairs."
The bed shifted as she stood and sashayed out of her door and Helga sprung up in disbelief.
Maybe she was still dreaming?
So she slapped herself, but the image of her clothes set out neatly and the smell of breakfast wafting through the open door did not change.
So Helga got up and tentatively dressed herself. Her clothes smelled of fresh laundry and were so crisp she would have sworn they were new.
Grabbing her books and backpack she ventured down to the kitchen where her father sat finishing his food. As soon as her saw her he got up and grabbed her which made Helga think the worst but he only wrapped her up tightly and gave her a noogie.
"Oh B when are you going to stop doing that to her? Helga is almost a lady now, she doesn't want her hair to get all messed up."
"I'll do what I can to keep my baby girl just that, my baby girl."
At this point he released her to sit back down.
Helga just stood there baffled.
"Dear? Take a seat before your eggs get cold." Miriam chattered from the fridge.
Helga's temper won over at that point.
"What is wrong with you two?! Are you playing a trick on me or something because its not funny!"
Her parents stared at her perplexed by her sudden onslaught of accusations.
"Helga you seem upset and my motherly instincts tell me it's not really about your father and I."
Bob chimed in, "You seem pretty stressed princess. Is it about that Alfred kid again?"
Her jaw literally dropped, "You mean A-Arnold? What's he got to do with anything?"
Bob put his hand to his chin as a gesture of confusion, "You know, the same kid who treats you like a load of crap. I been meaning to talk to his parents come to think of it."
"Load of crap? His parents? What are you going to do, fly to the jungle and find them?" She had never been so lost in all her life.
"Alright little lady I think you must have bumped your head. His parents aren't in the jungle, where would you have gotten a silly idea like that?"
A bright flash of consciousness bore through her memory and the wish she spoke before drifting off to sleep sounded out in her brain.
"I wish my parents were good and I didn't have to live like this anymore. I wish...I wish I had what Arnold had."
Did it really, truly work?
Had her prayers been answered and her dreams fulfilled?
Had she somehow made Arnold's life better in the process?
He had his parents?
And she finally was granted loving, caring parents like she always hoped?
Miriam's arms enclosed around her as a final reaffirmation of Helga's desire coming true and she insisted, "Sweetie what ever it is that's bothering you just know that me and your father are always here to talk."
"Yeah and if you need some one with muscle lets just say your old Dad packs a punch."
A smiled lifted on Helga's mouth as she beamed at both of them. "You guys have no idea how long I've been waiting to hear that."
Her mother hugged her with one more final squeeze and then sat her at the table where Helga smiled as she ate every mouthful of food.
"Oh shoot. Look at the time, Helga I think you missed the bus. I'll just have to drop you off at school on my way to work."
"Wow um, well thanks Dad."
"Anytime, but we gotta leave soon."
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The state of mind she was in as her fathers car pulled up to the school was a mix between joy and bliss. Nothing could destroy her attitude, even if she had a pop quiz in all of her classes!
She waved goodbye as he drove off, and as she adjusted her backpack and turned to go into the school she collided with what seemed like a brick wall.
Before she could respond ungraciously from her new position on the ground her assailant fired off first.
"What the heck is your problem?! Don't you ever watch where you're going you unibrow'd freak?!"
Sensing the familiar albeit harsh tone of voice her said unibrow rose to its maximum height when she finally saw the owner of the rude exclamation.
"Arnold?"
He did not reach his hand down to help her up.
He did not offer an apology.
His lip sneered aggressively and he turned his back on her and sauntered away.
She sat there dazed out if her mind.
Slowly her hands reached out for her things strewn on the sidewalk and she stood up defeated and irrevocably confused.
"I thought everything was better? I thought what I did helped him find his parents. What is he so angry about?"
"Helga you know as well as I do that Arnold's home life is not very good."
Helga clocked her eyes towards the sponsor of the voice who turned out to be Phoebe and inquired, "Not very good? How?"
"He has his parents, what more could he want?"
Phoebe lowered her eyes and bit her lip and finished by saying, "Just because he has parents doesn't mean everything is alright. You know his dad is a deadbeat and his mother is a workaholic. He is a perfect case of neglect as described in the child psychology book I have at home. I'm honestly just surprised he only verbally abused you this morning, he must be under strict watch after he pushed Harold so hard he broke his nose when he hit the ground. The principal must have warned him of suspension."
It clicked inside Helga. Arnold exhibited every trait that she carried, all her anger, all her loneliness and all her rage. She wished for Arnold's life so he must have gotten...
...Her own.
Kinda short.
This is moving slower than I thought. But I'm trying to do my best not to rush it.