Chapter 25: Which Would You Prefer?

The next morning, the two awoke already knowing what to expect at work.

Rubbing his eyes, Arnold shook his not so easy to budge wife. "Let's get up Helga." he continued until she turned to face him. "Can't you get those patients of yours to go in for me? Maybe they could scare off Matt with their annoying troubles." she smirked.

Smiling at her comment, he replied "In a way, you just insulted yourself. Like I said, you and Hilda have a lot in common."

Hearing this remark was enough to make Helga shoot up from the covers. "Are you comparing me to one of your needy patients?"

"You did therapy?" he reminded her, raising an eyebrow as they got out of bed.

"Pttss...yeah, thanks to you and your hypnotizing attitude." she scoffed.

"Whatever you say Helga." he sighed, as the two got up and dressed.

After getting ready, they headed for the kitchen for breakfast.

"So, what will it be today? Cereal, cereal, or let me think...cereal?" he teased her, watching her grab the box.

Tempted to throw it at him, she scowled "Hey! It's cheap, like you. It's easy, like you. It tastes good…" she began, trying not to blush.

Walking over to her, holding his arms around her waist, he smiled "Like me."

Kissing her passionately, he put his hand behind her head. Pulling her in closer, sucking her tongue, pressing their parts, he thought to himself I can't let anyone take her away from me!

While Arnold was getting lost in the moment, Helga was beginning to realize how long this had gone one for. Pulling away from him, she said "Mark's going to be wondering where I am soon."

Although he knew she only meant work wise, he didn't like the sound of that. Sighing at her, he replied "You're right. See you later."

After kissing her one last time, he watched her head out the door. Standing there staring at it, he thought to himself We have to win this case!

A few moments later, Arnold made it outside to see Jason waiting for him.

Good morning Arnold! How was your night?" he asked anxiously.

"Uhh not bad. I went to the store with Helga to get my cousin a new cellphone." he explained, while seeing Jason smile.

"That was nice of you. Did he go with you?"

"No, if he had I'm sure Helga wouldn't have joined us." Arnold admitted.

Nodding his head, Jason replied "That's true. I remember how uncomfortable he made her the night we spent together at the homeless shelter."

Arnold just couldn't get a handle on his jealousy knowing the mixed feelings all these people in their lives had for Helga. Jason had spent the night with her and was teaching her to cook. Mark was working with her and was with her the night she lost her ring. Arnie had tried to steal her so many times, it put their relationship in a very delicate situation whenever he was around.

After noticing the quiet mood Arnold had gone into, Jason asked "Is everything okay?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, I was just thinking about work. My group didn't have the easiest time getting along yesterday." Arnold replied.

Understanding his problem, Jason explained "That's not uncommon. Sharing your feelings in front of strangers can be just as difficult as it can familiar ones. Either way, you feel like you're being judged."

While they were continuing their walk to the medical center, Helga was walking into Mark's office. "Hey Mark, how's it going?"

"Good morning Helga. How have you been?"

Sitting down, she replied "Eh not terrible. We haven't run into the three muskateers again; Snorter, Suer, and Swinger." she said wittingly, while Mark tried holding back his laughter.

"Well that's good. I hope you know if and when you do, part of your data complimentary training would be to write down any new information pertaining to the event. Even if it is just the day and the fact that you saw them." Mark informed her.

Sitting back with her arms crossed, Helga sighed "Yeah, yeah I gotcha! Crimity! I'm tempted to just throw whatever I've got at him now and be done with this torture!"

"You're almost there. Just keep hanging in there." he encouraged her, seeing a weak smile come from her.

Meanwhile, Arnold was sitting in his class with his patients. "So, how are all of you today?"

"No different than yesterday." Hilda scoffed.

"I found the best shoes at Hillwood Shopping Center!" Harry exclaimed.

"I wreckin' things aren't too bad." Fifi scratched her head.

"Awful! I didn't study for this lecture!" Gerard exclaimed.

Rolling his eyes, Arnold turned his attention to Hilda. "So Hilda, did you do anything fun yesterday?"

Crossing her arms, she replied "What business is it of yours?"

"Well, this is therapy. The whole point is for you to feel comfortable opening up to people." he explained, hearing her sigh.

"Uhh fine! I sat at home writing and reading to kill the afternoon! There happy?!" she scowled.

Smiling at her, Arnold heard Harry say "Writing? Why not just stay at school all afternoon?"

Turning his attention towards Harry, Arnold replied "Writing is actually a healthy exercise and a fun way to spend your time."

"I wreckin' I'm not too good at it. At least my teachers don't seem to think so." Fifi admitted.

"That's okay Fifi. Just because they don't like how you write, doesn't mean you can't still do it for fun." he insisted.

While Arnold was encouraging his patients, Helga was heading for the office door. "Well, see ya tomorrow."

Stopping her, Mark said "By the way, I would recommend frequent check ins with your witness about the fight. You never know how easily someone could forget something like that."

Rolling her eyes, she replied "Yeah, especially someone like him!"

After leaving the office, Helga marched down the steps of City Hall, feeling she had finally gotten the hang of how heels worked. These things aren't so bad!

Leaving the building, she saw Arnold once again headed in that direction. Football head's probably taking that weirdo phone to his even weirder cousin. Sheesh!

Not having any desire to join him, she headed for the apartment. Helga made it home, tempted to make herself some cereal since breakfast had been interrupted that morning.

Football head was right, maybe I should lay off the cereal. Of course I'll never admit that to HIM!

She then headed to the computer to look up something easy to make that wasn't on Jason's list. Sitting in front of it, she saw a tab was already open. What's this?

While Helga was looking over something unexpected on the computer, Arnold was making his way inside the homeless shelter.

Walking up to the receptionist at the front desk, he said "Hi, I'm here to see Arnie."

The receptionist passed off a weird look that screamed Why would you want to see him?

"He's in the laundry room. Down the hall and to the right." the lady pointed.

"Thanks!" he smiled, making his way there.

When Arnold arrived, he saw Arnie cleaning out the lint traps, standing beside a pile of lint as big as his head.

"Uhh hey Arnie. How's it going?" Arnold asked, freaked out by the lint ball.

"Snort. Fine. Snort. Where's Helga?" he asked.

Rolling his eyes, Arnold replied "At work. Here's your phone. I put your parents' number in it. It's under speed dial, so all you have to do is click on their name."

"Snort. Okay. Snort. When's Helga going to visit?" Arnie asked, looking at his new phone.

Clenching his fist, Arnold replied "Arnie, remember what I said about staying away from her?"

"Snort. Yeah. Snort. That doesn't mean she can't come to me."

Widening his eyes, Arnold replied "Uhh I really don't see that happening."

"Snort. How do you know?" Arnie asked.

Throwing his face into his hands, Arnold sighed "Because she hates you!"

Not meaning to be so blunt, Arnold was speechless at his own words. Before apologizing, he heard Arnie say…

"Snort. Oh. Snort. Can I have her number?"

After seeing there was no getting through to him, Arnold left, having faith Helga would never leave him. Finally his optimism was returning.

Making it back home, Arnold saw Helga sitting on the couch in front of the tv.

Sitting down beside her, with his arm wrapped around her, he couldn't believe she wasn't startled by not hearing him come in. Does she even know I'm sitting next to her?

He then reached for the remote to turn off the tv, seeing her shake her head "Arnold?! I mean, stop creeping up on me!"

"I'll try. I don't know if that's possible with your bad hearing though." he said wittingly.

Rolling her eyes, she asked "So, how'd helicopter head enjoy his gift?"

Thinking back to his conversation with Arnie, Arnold began to rub his neck. "Uhh I think he liked it. He didn't jump for joy or anything."

"Pttss...does he ever about anything?" she smirked.

Taking her hand in his, he laid his head against hers. "I guess not."

Feeling his closeness, she thought back to what she had seen on the computer. "Tell me something, what was this on the computer?"

Holding a sheet she printed out, he began to blush. "Oh, I was just looking at the different types of ways to…"

Cocking her brow, she replied "Knock me up with whatever kind of kid we want."

Sighing at her, he said "I wasn't planning on it happening now."

"It better not! We've got too much to worry about!" she exclaimed.

"I know that Helga. I was just having fun. I wouldn't do that to you before you were ready." he assured her, taking her hand again.

Looking over at the sheet, she replied "Guess you'll be getting your Hilda when we decide the time is right. This thing says the way to have a girl is snacking on chocolate."

Pulling her in to kiss her passionately, he thought about how sweet she tasted without a dessert smeared all over her mouth. Reaching down to pull off her pants, they heard a beep.

As she began to pull away from him, he wrapped his arms around her, with hers at her side. Laying on top of her with his tongue around hers, not caring about who was trying to reach them.

All he was thinking about was the family he hoped they would be starting together someday. Rubbing their parts together, he heard the phone beep again.

Arnold could sense Helga's eyes opening and her trying to say something. All this did was make him want to find a way to ignore the diversion. Sighing at the noise, he began to rub her harder. After deciding they both needed a breath, he slowly took his lips off hers.

"Are you worried one of your dream patients maybe trying to contact you?" Helga asked.

Resting his lips against her, giving her a soft smacking kiss after kiss he said "No. I just don't feel like moving."

Tilting his head, he pressed their noses together. Making it as though they were basically breathing the same air. Slipping his tongue into her mouth, searching for hers once again, he began to caress it. Hearing her begin to moan, he sucked tightly on her lips. Pushing his chest against hers until they were once again interrupted...beep!

Sitting up straight, Arnold clenched his fists. "My gosh! Can't they take a hint?"

Cocking her brow, Helga replied "Crimity football head, what's gotten into you?"

"I just don't feel like dealing with any drama right now. I already talked to Arnie earlier." he reminded her, hoping she would understand.

Sitting up straight, she watched him walk over to grab his phone. Seeing him roll his eyes, she asked "What is it now?"

"Uhh Arnie needs something. I don't know how he got my number? All I put in his phone was his parents number?"

"Crimity! That kid really is a stalker." Helga scowled.

Rubbing his neck, Arnold heard her ask "So what does he want? A food ingredient phone cover?"

Sitting down beside her on the couch, he handed her the phone to read the text messages.

"Snort. Can I have Helga's number now?"

"Snort. She can live with me since Amanda doesn't like me."

"Snort. Where is she now?"

Helga's eyes widened at the site of these words. It took all her strength not to throw Arnold's phone across the room.

Seeing this expression on her face, Arnold put his hands on her shoulders. "I promise I won't let him near you."

Rolling her eyes, she replied "Whatever. Let's just get something to eat. I'm starving!"

"How about I order some pizza?" he suggested, watching her shrug her shoulders.

"Eh whatever works. I just need something in my stomach."

Feeling him place his hand on it, she listened to him say "Someday there maybe something else to go along with it."

An hour later, the two of them were eating pizza, watching tv together.

Picking up the list of suggestions Arnold had found along with her slice of pizza, Helga said "If you really want that girl football head, I'd suggest switching from boxers to briefs."

Rolling his eyes at her, he replied "I'd be happy with whatever type of child we had."

Tossing the list, munching on her dinner, she asked "Really? Does that mean you've put any thought into a name for a boy? If you say Stinky, the marriage is over!"

"Well, my grandpa jokes a lot about how unbelievable it is that they named me after my mom's dad instead of him." he began scratching his head, while being interrupted

"Maybe your parents had a good judge of character."

"Anyway, if it's a boy, I thought we could name him Phil." Arnold said nervously.

Taking a sip of her soda, Helga shrugged her shoulders. "Eh, works for me. If it's a girl though, there's no way in hell we're naming it after your grandmother."

"Or your sister." he laughed.

"You got it bucko!" she scoffed.

Picking up the list, while watching her take her things to the kitchen, Arnold said "Maybe you believing you had Monkey Nucleosis as a kid was just your subconscious telling you to have a boy. You're supposed to eat bananas!" Arnold laughed, knowing he was just asking for a fist in his face.

After not receiving a response, he turned to see her standing behind the couch with her ribbon. "You want to find out what kind of kid our lifelong diets have planned for us to have?" she threatened.

Gulping at the change in her attitude about the topic, he stuttered "Uhhh I think we can save it for another night."

"Alright then. Zip it hairboy!" she scowled.

Arnold then got up to take his things to the kitchen. Both them having finished their pizza, they headed for the bedroom.

Slipping beside Helga under the covers, Arnold had to ask,"Is there one you would want more; a boy or a girl?"

Widening her eyes, she replied "Uhh I guess it doesn't matter. If I'm going to be the first female president, what more can I ask for from them?"

Rolling his eyes, he sighed "Whatever you say Helga. Sweet dreams."