Chapter 4: The Plan
City Hall
"It's about time!" after having spent all morning in line, Bob made it to the front counter to address the issues of what it would take to get his new business started.
"Good afternoon sir! How may I help you?"
"I'm trying to get this run down dump of a business of mine back on track. Gimme what I need to know to made it official." Bob said in a frustrated tone.
"Well, after you've chosen whether you want to restart with the same product or an entirely different one, this is everything you'll need to take care of before writing your business plan." the lady at the counter informed him.
Bob took a look at the sheet and smacked him face in frustration. "Mother Goose!"
Business Name
Register
Federal/State Tax
Permits
License
Bank Account
Trademarks/Copyrights/Patents
Having taken a look at the list of requirements, Bob left the building knowing the first thing he would need would be a business lawyer.
Arnold's Dining Room
"This is a lovely surprise!" Stella smiled, while sitting at the table with the family.
"It makes it even better not having to put up with Pookey's crazy cowpoke rendition during it!" Phil said, anxiously awaiting the meal their new guest was nice enough to make for them.
While waiting for Olga to finish her famous breakfast burritos, Stella looked across the table and said "So Miriam, have you and Bob discussed what your plans for the new business are?"
Sitting awake with her coffee, Miriam replied "Well, B's stubborn when it comes to business. I don't know how long it's going to take for his cell phone plan to get going."
"Breakfast is ready!"
The hungry table turned to see the perky college graduate carry a tray of coveted burritos. "Oh those look amazing sweetie!" Stella exclaimed.
"I'll say! Hand me three or four would ya?" Phil asked.
"Dad, you don't need that many." Miles sighed.
"Well you're no fun." Phil rebuttaled.
"Where did you learn to cook like this sweetie?" Stella asked, while watching Olga take a seat beside Miriam.
"Oh, I taught myself after watching all the cooking shows that used to come on after daddy's sporting event shows."
Museum of Fine Art
"Aren't these paintings fascinating Helga?" Phoebe asked her friend who appeared to be uninterested in the fine art surrounding them.
"Eh, they're okay."
"I'm quite stunned Mr. Simmons chose a trip to the chocolate factory over visiting this extraordinary exhibit."
Helga glared at the memory of that unwanted field trip, remembering the inconveniences she and Harold faced.
"Pttss...yeah well that's Mr. Special for you. The one time it would have been convenient to stick to one of his boring interests, he decides to attempt being fun. Oh brother!'
Arnold's Dining Room
"And then last Thanksgiving I cooked…" before finishing her long list of accomplishments, Olga heard the dining room door opening and a voice that called out "What's going on?"
"Hey there shortman! We saved you some breakfast!"
"Umm thanks."
"You slept late sweetie. Is everything okay?" Stella asked worriedly.
Previous Night
After staring at the stars while, worrying about his friend, Arnold turned his head back over to look at the book he had been reading.
The lonely boy sat up to pick up where he had left off in the book of poems until he made it to…
Parents Day
A day for everyone but you
My heart aches at how it is true
The hardest times can't pull you down
Won't turn that smile to a frown
If one deserves to win 'tis you
Arnold's Dining Room
Arnold took a seat at the table in front of the plate of food Olga was kind enough to make him. The tired boy thought about everything he had read the previous night. Although he had already learned Helga was more than she seemed, each poem he read showed him what was truly going on in both her mind and heart on those days.
Not only that, it made him think back to how he felt at the time. Bob called him an orphan and said there was no way they were going to lose to someone like that on Parents' Day.
As painful as it was to hear it, Helga came running over to apologize for him. Although he wasn't flattered by the lack of effort put into it, she didn't seem like the type to care about whether she had hurt someone or not. Perhaps he had been wrong.
"I'm okay. Just a little tired." he said.
When he was about to take a bite of his breakfast, the family once again heard the door opening behind them.
"Aye-yi-yi!"
"What is it daddy?!" Olga cried out, when seeing Bob storm in.
"I just spent the morning hiring a lawyer to help complete all the legal aspects for this new company. You people better be right about cell phones being the way to go!"
"Don't worry daddy! All my friends use them!"
"Well good. By the time I get to the end of this list, I'm going to need plenty of customers to get the store moving again." Bob said in a distressed tone.
Arnold watched the agitated man place his hands on his face and saw getting his business back together was as frustrating to him as dealing with the stress Bob dealt with from it was to Helga. They had more in common than they realized.
Walk
"I'm sorry you didn't enjoy the museum Helga."
"Don't sweat it Pheebs. Still beats listening to Olga play one of her award winning piano pieces."
"Perhaps you'd like to come back to my place?" the sweet Asian girl suggested. If she knew her friend as well as she thought, Helga wasn't ready to face Arnold with her parents around.
After thinking a moment, Helga sighed and said "Actually Pheebs, I've got something to take care of. I'll see you later."
Arnold's Dining Room
Olga began clearing the plates from the table with her award winning smile. Phil had never seen someone enjoy housework so much without singing or dressing oddly to go along with it.
Once all the dishes were cleared, Olga looked at the blonde boy and asked "Would you like to help me with lunch Arnold?"
"Uhh actually, Gerald said he needed my help with something."
"Okay! Have fun!"
Arnold quickly left the room, happy to have found a way to avoid that. Even though Gerald hadn't actually spoken to him that morning, he did have plans to find Helga.
The anxious boy was rounding the end of Vine street. Rather than bumping into a familiar face, he watched one passing him on the opposite side of the street.
"Helga?" Arnold said to himself.
The Beeper Emporium
Helga was approaching what she assumed to be a quiet, deserted store, when she felt a hand on her shoulder.
The curious girl turned to see the sweet boy she had been avoiding standing directly behind her.
"ARNOLD?!"
"Hey Helga."
"Stop creeping up on me!"
"Sorry. I just wanted to know why you never came to the boarding house with your family?"
"Oh…" Helga gulped, not knowing what to say. Arnold had already seen how upset the idea of moving in with them had made her. Surely he knew whatever her reason was had something to do with them.
"I just didn't want to have to deal with them is all." she sighed, content with her answer.
"How is that any different from living with them here though?" Arnold couldn't help but ask.
Clenching her fists at her sides, Helga snapped "Oh come on football head! You actually think I like being here with them? The only thing that gets me through the day is when I'm locked away in my room writing about y… I mean, just staying in my room. How's that supposed to work now that I share a room with them?"
"You don't have to stay locked inside somewhere to avoid them Helga. Besides, you never did answer me the other night when I asked if you'd go out with me?"
Helga's eyes lit with fear, remembering how her family had interrupted their moment just before breaking the news that they would be moving in with Arnold and his family.
"Oh...right." she gulped, while rubbing the back of her neck.
Arnold took her other hand in his and asked "So, do you want to?"
Rolling her eyes at his senseless question, she smirked "Oh, what do you think?"
The Boarding House
"So ya have to keep pulling this bed out, huh?" Bob said, looking at the Murphy bed in his family's room.
"It reminds me of a party I went to! Everyone wanted to play 7 minutes in heaven, but when they opened what they thought was the closet door, a bed fell on top of them." Olga informed them.
"Whatever. Just help me spread out these papers would ya? If I'm lucky, I can have the business plan started tomorrow."
Avon Theater
"Hi, can I get two tickets for Evil Twin VI?" Arnold asked the ticket master, while Helga waited patiently behind him.
"Twelve dollars."
"Thanks! Let's go Helga!" Arnold grabbed her hand, happy to be spending the afternoon with her.
Helga looked over to see the exceedingly wide smile on his face and said "Are you that excited about seeing a bunch of kids being decapitated?"
"Huh? Oh, I was just thinking about something." he blushed.
The two headed for the snack stand, while Helga wasted no time asking "About what?"
Arnold realized he was smiling because he had been thinking about the sweet poems Helga had written about him all morning. He would have loved to bring them up...if he didn't have to worry about embarrassing her.
"It's uhh nothing."
"Pttss...whatever."
While waiting there turn in line, thinking about how happy he was to have Helga with him made Arnold notice he had never asked where she went yesterday.
"So, where exactly did you go yesterday?"
Cocking her brow at his nosiness, Helga turned and said "Pheebs. Why?"
"Oh, because I called her and she said she hadn't seen you."
Sweat began to form on Helga's face after remembering she made her friend lie for her. "Well, I may have asked her not to say anything to you."
A frown formed on the kind boy's face. Taking her hand in his, Arnold began to rub it and said "You really scared everyone...mainly me."
"Something tells me Bob's more concerned about his business at the moment, but I won't do it again."
Arnold's Kitchen
"You're so good at this game!"
"Hehe yes, I've played a few times in my day." Phil laughed, while playing a game of checkers with Olga. The one thing the talented girl seemed to NOT have a knack for.
"Olga sweetie, would you like me to make you some tea?" Stella asked.
Olga looked away from the board to answer the caring lady, while Phil took advantage of the opportunity.
"No thank you."
After having moved a few of his pieces on the board, Olga turned her attention back to the game and asked "Is it my turn again?"
Phil tried holding back his laugh, overjoyed at the fact for once it was HIM who was getting to mess with someone "Oh, oh my yes. Please, go!"
"Hmm...let's see? Oh I think this is a good spot for this piece."
After watching the innocent girl make her move, Phil instantly pushed his piece to the edge of the board and said "HA! King me!"
Avon Theater
Having gotten their popcorn and ice cream nuggets, the two friends took a seat in the back row of the theater. Helga was anxious for the movie to start, while Arnold was anxious about something else.
The more he thought about those poems, the more he wanted to tell Helga how much it made him consider the way he felt for her before she had confessed her feelings to him.
His eager mind was interrupted when he felt a bump on his shoulder and a whisper in his ear that said "That kid's head's even weirder than yours. No way will he be able to hide from the monster!"
An idea then formed in Arnold's head. "And what if he does?"
"Pttss...if he makes it to the end, I'll buy the tickets next time."
"I want something else if he makes it to the end." Arnold grinned widely.
"Like what?" the curious girl cocked her brow, while hesitating to eat her ice cream nuggets.
"You'll see."
Arnold's Kitchen
"I'll be right back!" Olga said excitedly to Phil, whom she was on her third game of checkers with.
While Olga was walking over to the oven to check on the casserole, Miles was entering the room to see Phil making a few adjustments on the board "Dad, did you move something?"
"Heck no!"
"It's almost finished." the happy girl informed them, as she returned to the game. "Oh goodness! Where should I move?"
"Hehe…"
Miles looked at the evil grin on his father's face and pointed to a move he felt would help Olga.
"Hey! No outside help!" Phil exclaimed.
"What's outside help?" Olga wondered.
"Oh well it's uhh…"
"It's what people like my dad need, because they can't keep their eyes on the board." Miles winked, receiving an evil glare from Phil.
Avon Theater
"Oh what are you smiling about?" Helga scoffed, pretending she wasn't bothered about losing the bet.
"Nothing I guess. Let's get back to the boarding house. Dinner's probably ready."
Arnold's Dining Room
"Dinner's ready!" Olga said happily, while setting the casserole down on the table.
The boarders began pouring into the room, eager to try the talented girl's famous cooking.
Stella began setting the plates around the table as she turned to Miles and asked "Is Arnold not back yet?"
"I think he said he was going to Gerald's this morning?" Olga said.
While the boarders were taking their seats, they heard a stressed voice heading down the stairs "What a nightmare!"
"Is everything okay daddy?"
Before Bob could respond, the family turned their heads to hear the front door opening and the flock of animals pouring out the door.
"So what's this fun activity you're wanting to do football head?" Helga derided, while the two began heading for the dining room.
As Helga was taking her seat, Arnold couldn't help but notice the same stressful position Bob was in when he had left that morning.
"Are you okay Mr. Pataki?" the empathetic boy asked.
"Fine. Fine. Pass me some of that casserole will ya Olga?"
"Were you able to find yourself a lawyer?" Stella asked the businessman.
"Yeah, but apparently I'm already behind by not knowing who I plan on asking to buy my products when the store opens. How the heck am I supposed to know that already?"
"Like I said, cell phones are too complicated." Mr. Hyunh reminded them.
"Shut up Hyunh! Come by the construction area! We got a whole mess of people who'd be willing to buy from ya." Ernie assured him.
Arnold back from the emphasized businessman to the annoyed girl sitting beside him, until an idea suddenly formed in his head.
"What if Helga and I find you some customers?"
Cocking her brow at the suggestion, Helga snapped "Excuse me?"
Rather than acknowledging the response, Arnold added "Helga and I know plenty of people around the city we could tell about the new store you're putting together. We could get them to agree to be there the day it opens!"
"Oh that sounds wonderful!" Olga clapped with glee, while Bob continued to stare at his plate.
"Fine. Go nuts."
Arnold's Room
Although Helga would never admit it, she was never disappointed with her sister's cooking. After she and Arnold finished clearing their plates, the two of them headed for his room. Helga was in no rush until she felt herself being eagerly yanked up the stairs.
"Sheesh football head! What's your rush?"
"I told you I have something I want to show you." he reminded her, while continuing to pull her down the hall.
Once they made it to his room, Helga stood in the doorway, wondering what he could be so excited about.
"What's in the box?" she asked, after seeing him set it on the bed.
Arnold then patted for her to sit beside him. Helga skeptically approached him, feeling she wasn't going to like his 'surprise.'
Arnold saw his friend's eyes grow wider than his head when she saw what he was holding. "Where the heck did you get that?!"
"I went to check on you yesterday, but…"
"But what football head?!"
"When you weren't there, I saw the only room at the emporium that hadn't been packed away was yours."
"Yeah, so?"
"I didn't think there was anyway you'd leave all your things behind like that. After I started reading these, I had to make sure THESE didn't get left behind."
Helga took a seat beside her beloved, twiddling her thumbs, as she let out a deep sigh. "I didn't pack anything, because I wasn't planning on leaving. I practically live in a closet for crying out loud. Staying there wouldn't inconvenience his plans to rebuild his business."
"No but it would ruin our plans to improve our relationship." Arnold said, while taking her hand in his.
He could feel her hand shaking within his own as she listened to this… improve our relationship.
They hadn't even started one? They had been on one date, and despite Helga's obvious obsession for the overly caring boy, he had yet to evenly return those feelings.
"I guess so."
"I've been reading these for a few days now.."
"Pttss...perfect."
"Well, the more I read, the more it makes me reconsider the way I felt about you during each of those times. I always considered you to be a friend. Reading how deep your feelings were for me throughout the years made me see mine were deeper than I thought. I was incredibly concerned (and not just with guilt) when you 'had amnesia.'" he glared, while she began tugging at her collar.
"Oh yeah...sorry about that."
"I enjoyed my dance with you on April Fool's Day. Throwing you in that pool made it all the more sweet." he smiled, while rubbing her hand.
Helga thought back to the poem he must have read and laughed "Well, you may have gotten the last laugh, but I think I took you for the craziest ride."
"Maybe. You never told me about your marriage dream? I had one too."
"Yeah I know. I...oops." Helga gasped, as her face turned beet red.
"How did you know?"
"Like I said, everything I said to you on FTi, the poems, the shrines...the STALKING, it was all true football head."
Arnold placed his hand on her leg, as he began to rub it back and forth. Looking into her midnight eyes, that reflected the stars which shone through his ceiling, he said "I guess you heard Rhonda doing her marriage predictor game on me then?"
Helga glared, sending a look that implied Gee ya think?
Arnold took her hand in his and said "She said it was broken, but I don't think that could be further from the truth."
Helga let out a heavy swoon as she watched her beloved lean in towards her. Running his fingers through her hair, he gently pressed his lips against hers.
Helga sat there happily knowing that not only was Arnold not finding her work humorous, but it seemed to be benefiting the both of them. It actually made him think deeper about the feelings he had always had for her.
"So, do you want to start helping your dad tomorrow?" Arnold asked, holding the poetic girl's hand in his own.
"Eh, it's not like we've got anything else going on." she said, shrugging her shoulders.
