Gerald's black Mercedes drove quietly through town, and Arnold looked out over the city of Hillwood from the window in the backseat. Helga and Gerald's neighborhood turned out to be situated in the East of the town, a recent development for certain as Arnold knew that back in the present day that area was a train yard. It surprised him, however, to note that aside from new, wealthy developments in the East, everything else in Hillwood looked to have remained much the same.
Arnold wondered if the neighborhood might have been the same because of him, maybe in the future he'd saved the neighborhood more than once. Actually, more to the point, maybe in the future Helga was still saving the neighborhood That thought drew his attention from the city streets, and over to the ten year old Helga Pataki, who was stealing inquisitive glances at her older self, in between staring out the windows.
He couldn't fault her for being so curious about the fifteen years older version of herself, Helga whoever she was now, was beautiful and talented. Much like the person Arnold had always known she must be, deep down, but didn't show. Much like the Helga who had grabbed hold of his arms on the rooftop of FTI and...
"Tell me more about my future life!" younger Helga's voice now startled Arnold from his daydreaming, or rather his memories.
Gerald, the ten year old version sitting in the backseat, shook his head at her, "No way Pataki, you already know lots, what about me in the future?" and he shuffled forward expectantly toward the driver's seat, ready for his older self to begin dishing out information.
"I haven't even met my future self yet!" Arnold protested, "What's my life like?"
Yet again, his questions were met with a concerned stare from the future Helga, and likewise future Gerald seemed a little hesitant to respond.
"Well, let me see, your grandparents are ninety seven now and they still own the boarding house." future Gerald revealed, "Although, Mr Kokoschka practically runs the place now."
Arnold raised an eyebrow at that particular comment, and felt a little confused by the concept, "Oskar?" he asked, just to check they were in fact talking about the same man.
Future Gerald chuckled a little at his reaction, "Suzie had their daughter back when we were twelve and, it took him a while, but eventually he really stepped up, he's a pretty decent guy these days." he explained.
Rather than doubting Mr Kokoschka, Arnold was now pleased and assured that one day over the coming years he was finally going to take on his responsibilities. However, it then occurred to him that if Oskar was running the Boarding House, Arnold probably didn't live there anymore, "Do I still live there?" he wondered out loud, "At the Boarding House?"
"Practically." future Helga spoke up, with a little grin, "But not officially."
Arnold took a moment to ponder that response, or rather what that response actually meant. As he thought this through, the older Gerald pulled his car into a large parking lot by the park entry gates and hopped from the car to open the doors for his younger passengers.
"Where do I live then?" Arnold finally spoke up, as he jumped out of the car closely followed by the younger Gerald and Helga, "Do I have a family too?"
Future Gerald nodded at him, "Yeah, you have a wife and one child."
Arnold felt a little better now, because it seemed highly unfair for Gerald and Helga to have fancy homes and families if he didn't have at least something, and now he was assured that he did. Still, he was just as curious as Helga and Gerald about his future life, and he had so many more questions, "What's their names?" he asked the two older versions.
"Uhh..." future Gerald frowned a little, hesitating at the question and shooting a look to the older Helga who looked just as concerned about the situation.
"Enough about Football Head!" demanded younger Helga's voice from beside Arnold, making him jump again, and silently wonder how the heck her voice could keep doing that to him, "What about our other friends?"
Future Helga and Gerald seemed rather pleased, maybe even a little relieved, at the small blonde girls interruption of the conversation. Arnold settled for shooting her an annoyed look, but didn't bother to object to the subject change, and ten year old Helga rolled her eyes at him a little... which was kind of cute.
"Alright mini-Helga, what friends do you want to know about?" future Gerald asked playfully, raising an expectant eyebrow at the girl.
"Pheebs." younger Helga responded almost instantly, "What's she doing in the future?"
Gerald, the older one, went wide eyed for a little moment, and then proceeded to avert his gaze elsewhere which left the older Helga to answer the inquiry that had come from her younger self. "Phoebe is a Paediatric Specialist." she said with a smile, "She works at Hillwood Medical Centre."
However, younger Helga looked a little nervous still, and she hesitated before asking very hopefully, "Are we still best friends?"
"Of course." future Helga assured her quickly, putting a smile on the younger girls face, "I follow her around all the time for story inspirations, even when she gets annoyed and calls me a stalker."
By this point now they were quickly approaching the pond and across the water, sitting happily together on a decorative wooden bench, Arnold spotted two distantly familiar faces. Cutting younger Helga off before she had time to reply to future Helga's previous comment, Arnold asked a little bewildered, "Is that Sid?" and pointed toward the man on the bench with dark spiky hair.
Younger Helga scowled at him first for a moment, but then she too looked over toward the two people and added, with just as much curiosity, "And Nadine?"
"Sure is." future Gerald smirked, waving over toward them and calling out as they approached, "Hey Sid, hey Nads! Say hello to a blast from the past." and he motioned toward the three younger kids following close behind.