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Author's Note: Note is located at end of chapter because of length. Thanks for the reads and reviews! :) Onward to chapter 5! Happy reading.
Helga's Favorite Flavor of Ice Cream
Chapter 4 - Everything comes to a head
Helga entered the police department. Some of the officers looked up only to shake their head. She had become a familiar face. In the past one police officer in particular threatened Miriam with a call to Child Protective Services. Helga had to explain that while legally she was under the custody of Robert Pataki she was boarding at Hillside Academy. There had never been any arrangement that barred Miriam and Helga contacting each other.
Naturally Officer Polinski did not believe Helga. That meant that Helga would have to take a trip down south to visit Bob. She did not look forward to that at all. Olga and Helga had essentially cut Bob out of their life. Helga was the only one who was legally tied to him in some way.
Helga still remembered Dot answering the door with a big smile. Helga smiled and hugged her step mom. She couldn't help but like Dot. Dot was a good woman. A good woman who got caught up in Bob's charm and scam. Dot had not known Bob was married until he had presented her with an engagement ring and divorce papers for Miriam.
Dot had gotten angry over Bob lying to her about his marital status. Because Bob and Miriam had long since been separated and were living in different cities and counties it was easily covered up. Bob then had said his side of the story essentially playing the victim and tugging on Dot's heartstrings.
A precocious toddler waddled her way to Helga's stepmom's legs. Auberta, Aubie for short, made grasping movements with her hands indicating she wanted up in Helga's arms. Surprisingly, Helga's half-sister and half-brother Hugh, no doubt outside wreaking havoc in the petunias, loved Helga.
Helga held Aubie in her arms. Dot ushered them into the spacious colonial home that had been remodeled with the latest modern amenities. They entered the kitchen where Helga accepted the glass of milk and cookie which she shared in secret with Aubie. Helga and Dot gave each other a knowing smile and a wink since Aubie loved the idea of sharing a cookie in secret.
"What brings you here?" Dot asked knowing Helga would not drop by unannounced unless with good reason.
"Miriam," Helga said quietly looking away, "I have some stuff I need to clear up."
"Oh hunny," Dot said rubbing Helga's upper arm as motherly as possible, "Bob's gonna be home any minute."
"That's what I'm afraid of," Helga said staring at her feet a frown marring her features, "you know Bob and I are not on good terms."
Helga's belief that they were not on good terms was hardly an apt description. They were arguing fiercely about Miriam. Bob had begun to disparage Miriam again and Helga had grown disgusted with Bob. She began to insult Bob and lay at his feet all his issues and the fact that he had torn Miriam down. She had angrily pointed out that there was nothing in the custody hearings and verdict that banned Helga from seeing Miriam. The fact that her 18th birthday was fast approaching meant that soon he'd have no legal claim over Helga.
Bob had then changed tactics. He threatened that he'd not let Helga see her half-siblings. Helga growled back that it was up to Dot and if he continued she'd likely divorce his pathetic ass. The argument had grown more loud and aggressive.
Then it happened. Helga stood there stunned as her face stung horribly. Her mouth was soon overwhelmed with a copper taste. All of the past anger and resentment boiled over and in a rather eerily calm voice and threatened to call the police if Bob did not comply.
Bob had much to lose if Helga called the police. Most of his newly acquired wealth was from Dot's side of the family. He might have helped that money grow tenfold but he couldn't forget whose family she was from. Dot's family were basically old money and while they might have frowned upon their marriage they had never cut ties. Dot's family had essentially threatened that if Dot were to be placed in any sort of harm Bob would be out on the streets in no time.
"All right whatever," Bob said with a sneer, "I will do whatever the hell you want. Once you turn 18 you're out of my hair for good."
"Looks like I don't need to call the police," Helga said angrily.
"No, you might not need to," Dot said as she entered the room, "but I did."
The tumultuous relationship between father and daughter had long since been festering. When Bob had divorced Miriam he had essentially divorced Helga and Olga as well. Olga by moving to the city and continuing her studies and Helga by living in a dorm. However it was apparent that Bob wanted nothing to do with his former family. He had cut all ties, including any responsibility, with the girls and Miriam. He did not care about what happened to them. The only requirement was that they not get arrested or worse because he didn't want such embarrassment in his family. Bob had never been a particularly affectionate parent. It could even be concluded that while he was a blowhard he was also abusive. He was not particularly violent save the one time Dot called the police but he was abusive all in his own way.
He'd been mean to Miriam and Helga. They represented everything he hated. Miriam for her problems and weak-willed spirit. Helga because she did not obtain the smarts like her sister Olga. However if pressed Olga too would disclose how demanding and mean Bob would be. She might have been naturally good at many things but this only made Bob that much more aggressive demanding that she do better. Helga and Olga had shared a secret with each other when the divorce happened, they both had suffered at the hand of Bob.
It had been cathartic for Helga and Olga to talk about their issues because they both suffered in their own way. Helga because of the neglect, and cruel words and Olga because of being pushed to being perfect and the harsh words if she fell short which Bob felt was his job to point out each imperfection. Aside from Olga and Helga being able to connect on one level they disagreed about Miriam. Olga wanted to and eventually cut ties completely with both parents. Helga on the other hand wanted to believe Miriam could be better. Helga still remembered the good times and if pressed had to admit that Miriam's drinking was a lot easier to deal with than Bob's anger.
It had been several years since Olga and Helga talked. It was saddening for Helga to realize that she was closer to her half-siblings, who were now in a different state because of Dot not wanting to be married to someone like Bob, than her own sister. Helga's thoughts were interrupted when she was called up to the desk.
It was much worse than Helga had feared. It was so bad that she thought she was going to have a nervous breakdown right then and there. Miriam's charges were severe. According to the police report she had stolen a neighbor's car because she had to see Olga. Another night of drinking had left Miriam in a sorry state.
The worst of it was yet to come. Miriam had not only stolen a car but in the process of driving under the influence she had caused damage to several properties including several mailboxes, the side of several cars, and the most painful of all, a restaurant front and injuring a waiter who had been closing up for the night. The charges seemed to be a mile long. It also meant that Miriam would be going to jail awaiting a hearing. Helga did not even want to contemplate what the bail amount would be.
Miriam's previous criminal record would obviously come to play. Helga bit her lip as a wave of guilt washed over her. If she had only forced Miriam into a rehab program sooner. If only she had forced Miriam to attend A.A. meetings. If only she had helped Miriam stay on the anti-depressants. There were so many things Helga wished she could have done for Miriam.
After it was all said and done Helga sat at a bench and stared at the stained linoleum floor. She was waiting to learn when Miriam was going to be sent to the county jail and which one in particular. Helga knew they would not have processed her and it would take at least a couple of days. She still did not want to believe what was happening was actually happening.
Stella and Miles and sat on each side of Helga. Miles sat there giving Stella the support in soothing Helga. Stella slowly moved nearer to Helga offering soft words of sympathy and support. Stella moved to give Helga a hug. Feeling that kind of human contact had jolted Helga out of her thoughts. She jumped up and away from Stella with a frown. If she were a cat, the hairs of back would have been standing on end.
"Don't touch me!" Helga said defensively and back away as Stella approached her slowly.
Hugs were foreign to Helga and usually meant that something bad had happened or that someone was trying to coax her into forgiving them until they disappointed her again. Stella wrapped her arms around Helga who began to fight against her. Helga did not want to be pitied. Helga did not want insincere gestures of people who at the end of the day did not care for her.
The next thing Helga noticed was the stunned face of Stella lying on her rump on the floor and a scowling Miles. The panic welled up inside Helga as shame and guilt filled her up so much that she could feel the bile in her throat. She clamped her hands over her mouth and ran to the bathroom ignoring a shout from Miles.
Not caring to shut the bathroom door, Helga emptied her dinner into the toilet. She continued to retch until all that was left was mucous and bile. Her body could not stop contracting. The acidity of her stomach acid was making it difficult for Helga to breathe. Helga shakily wiped her mouth with the toilet paper and flushed its contents.
"Hey kid," Miles said behind her, "You know what you did was not cool right?"
Helga closed her eyes and began to berate herself. Again she had made Arnold's parents angry. They'd hate her for sure. This time for good. Good people who were kind, caring, and compassionate and Helga had treated them horribly. It was too much. With Miriam, Bob and Olga, the half-siblings she'd likely not see again, to the way she treated the Shortmans the only sound that could escape from Helga's mouth was hyperventilating sob. The next she felt was a strong hug from Miles and the soft words of Stella next to her.
Author's Note: So about Bob and his being a totally horrible person. I actually took from real life. My grandfather was abusive and a jerk. He had forced my grandmother to essentially throw out her education in secretarial work. My grandmother in many ways was like Miriam in that she was a housewife who was unable to live an independent life. In the cartoon Miriam had talked about her life before Bob. She was in a rodeo, an Olympic swimmer etc. She was skilled and able to do so much. Bob took that away from her. Back to my grandmother, my grandfather was completely underhanded. He had my grandmother and mother to the United States (from Costa Rica) with the claim that he would move up soon to be with them. He then went to the courts and claimed that they had abandoned him. I believe there was some sexist, and misogynistic bull there and he essentially got everything. He then cut them out completely to be with his mistress. That said, I decided to make Bob the kind of guy who would do that.
I'm going to take bit of a break while I research the RCWs and WACs for Washington State and see what kind of penalties Miriam is going to be facing especially with the restitution that will be addressed by the courts. Additionally I'm going to be doing a bit more research about Helga and her issues.
I also did not want to make Helga and her stepmother a toxic relationship. I wanted the two to understand that through no fault of their own did all of this happen. The real person at fault was Bob. Helga knew this already and Dot would come to learn this. I also wanted Bob to suffer repercussions for his behavior. I might have him return but to be honest I'm not fond of him as a character (slight trigger to be honest) and at this point and time he's the last person the rest of the Patakis need in their life.
Also I didn't realize the pun of the chapter's name after I wrote it :)