"Excuse me, but could you help me?" Rhonda asked of a woman whose back was turned to her at the current moment.

Turning to face Rhonda, Helga smirked at the folders in her hands. "Hey Rhonda. I see they stacked up some work for you already." She observed.

Blushing, Rhonda had been accepted in the Admissions office, thanks in part to Helga, and already it has been nothing but busy days. "Yeah. I'm just here because they told me to hand these over to get further researched." She informed her. "I thought you just worked in the library."

Taking the folders from her, Helga shook her head as she opened the first file. "I do, but during the summer I'm here. I'm just the extra hand needed to help out for the Admissions office. It is either this or be bored to death at home or work some part time deal."

Agreeing with that, Rhonda stood there finding her feet hurt from the walk over to this building. Pulling up a chair she sat down near her. "I can understand this." Feeling embarrassed, Rhonda had to ask her. "I feel pretty ignorant here."

Still scanning the first file, Helga just briefly looked at her. "How's that?"

"Well I thought that people were already selected during the school year, and not during the summer time. I was so embarrassed to ask this."

"True. During the school year you will still be going over these files. They call that over here a part of early admissions. The students that excel so well that they have to come here. During the summer time it is cut to extremely early admissions. This is students in their Sophomore year in high school." Picks up the file she was scanning to show her. "This person right here is what you call a special type student. They are fifteen. According to this he is highly gifted. What I'll do is verify it and if this is in fact true, he gets placed in a special stack. He'll be notified either in person or by letter."

"So you handle these?"

"At the current moment, yes." Helga answered as she put the folder aside for a stat check. "During the normal year when everyone is back, you'll be doing this."

Nodding her head, Rhonda spotted only one questionable file that Helga was looking at right now. "His writing appears different. He submitted two essays and while it says the same name, his writing is different."

Helga spotted that too. "Meaning this one possibly cheated on his essays or he is ambidextrous. Either way we'll find out."

Something had been bugging, Rhonda. "Arnold still doesn't trust me. This I can tell."

"Well you need to give him time. I mean you do remember all the times you tried to get him. Also he is still peeved by what you did in his bedroom. He doesn't want to be this way." Helga told her casually. "While it is great that you apologized to a lot of us, you can't be surprised if we all have our walls up. Give us all time."

"I guess that is the best way to think about it. I really wish I never hurt, Curly. He's giving me a chance, but he is with another woman. A woman that deserves a guy like that." Rhonda smiled a little.

"Well just keep going on the path that you heading, and everything will be just fine." Helga advised. Yawning, she kinda wished she didn't demand so many repeats from, Arnold. On the other hand she did feel good in the morning.


At the boarding house, Arnold examined the freshly painted room with some satisfaction. He hadn't asked Helga to marry him yet. He certainly hadn't asked her to move in with him so he had to hope she would say yes. He wished it very badly to the point his smile started to fade.

"It looks good, Son." Miles declared as he stepped into the light peach room. "I believe Hailie would love this."

"Maybe."

Hearing the almost lifeless tone he placed a hand on his son's shoulder. "What's the matter?"

Turning to face him, Arnold needed his advice. "What if she says no to moving in here?"

"What will you do if she says no to that?" Countered Miles.

"I still want to be with her. I want to live where she wants to live. What will happen to the boarding house since you and mom like to travel to different locations?"

Stopping his son from rattling anymore questions, Miles had to put him at ease. "This boarding house is still yours even if you aren't here. As for us, we are still living here so we are responsible for it too."

"But paying for two pieces of properties seems daunting. I want her. I want to wake up beside her."

"Such worries for someone so young. We help pay into this property too. Everything will work out for the best. As for her, when do you plan on popping the question?"

Arnold grinned. "Tonight. I'm taking her to the restaurant we first went on a date. Hailie will be spending the night with, Olga. Also Hailie knows that I'm asking her. She helped me pick out the ring."

"That is a great sign then. You mom and myself will love her as a daughter-in-law." Grabbing his son he brought him in for a hug. "You really grown up."

Smiling at his dad's approval, Arnold began to think about his plan on asking her for her hand in marriage. He kept changing the course of his plan in when he'll do it. He just knew that he wanted her.

X

He was listening to her day while sitting across from her in the restaurant. Tonight she wore a pink dress that kept tripping his tongue up. It fit her figure so perfectly that if he didn't already know what she looked like naked, he'd be peeling that dress off now. She was stunning.

Helga noticed that while he was paying attention to her while she spoke, he was also flitting his eyes to her cleavage. "You know that it is safe to assume that you will be taking this off me."

Hearing the invitation, Arnold almost fell off his chair. "You always are so beautiful to me, but there are times that it is like the brightest star out there."

"Stars tend to burn up." She hinted with a wink.

"No that is just a star that is jealous of how beautiful you are." Reaching over to take her hand, Arnold imagined that ring on that finger right now. "How perfect I think you are."

Blushing, Helga wished they were in his room making love under the stars. "Arnold." Her cheeks were so heated that she knew they were blazing red. She was a stop light. She had to of looked like a signal right now. "You always know what to say."

Standing up while holding her hand, Arnold was overcome with emotion. Possessed, you can say. Going closer to her side, he got down on one knee. "You deserve every kind word given to you. You are incredibly special. Not only to me, but to your beautiful daughter, Hailie, and to everyone else who loves you."

Her heart was beating out of her chest as she focused on him. Helga was unaware of people giving the couple their attention, and she was glad she wasn't aware. This was a moment she wanted to commit to memory. "I'm lucky and since being with you I've only been even more happier."

His smile was threatening to take over his face. "You made me even more happier. More at peace. Helga, I know that there will be times that I'll make mistakes. I'll do the positive things too. I just know that I want to face everything with you by my side." Pulling out the ring, Arnold opened the box. "Helga Pataki, will you do me the honor in marrying you? This is all I've been thinking about since day one."

Tears spilled out of her eyes as she clasped her hand over her mouth. She wanted to calm down enough as she continued to nod. "Yes. Yes, Arnold. I'll marry you."

Slipping the ring on her finger, Arnold stood up to kiss his fiance. He was unaware of the clapping as he continued to kiss his bride-to-be. His moment right now was just with her as they stayed in their bubble. The love of his life will be his wife.

Later at night, Arnold and Helga laid in his bed blissfully happy. He would kiss her here and there on her body while she played with his hair, and study the ring. They both loved how it looked under the light of the full moon tonight. He would stop sometimes just to study her nude body in all its glory.

Helga smiled at one particular kiss on her chest. "We'll have another kid one day, right?"

"Yes. Why do you ask?"

Placing her hand down, Helga stopped to moan a bit when he teased her body. "Does this place have enough room for another body just in case of that?"

Was she considering moving in here? Lifting his head up, Arnold nodded his head. "We do actually. We even thought about making another room out of the attic on the other side of me.. Do you want to live here and not your apartment?"

"Well of course I want to live here. You own this place and it is very homey." Feeling warmth rushing through her, Helga took his hand. "I know you wanted to ask me."

"Do you want to live here? I actually painted the empty room her favorite color."

Moving him off the bed, and hauling him to the couch, Helga straddled his lap. "Yes I want to live here. Now let us bless this room in a different way."

"I won't have any bones left if you turn them to mush." He teased her.

Nipping his neck, Helga snickered softly. "Just as long as you have one bone in particular then I'm fine with helping you around."

Groaning at that double entendre, Arnold brought his hips up to meet up with her approval. "That is always available to you."

Moving with him, Helga loved every moment of this.


The place she bought was a Duplex. She thought it was best to live on the top floor especially when she saw the rooftop deck you can access only from that apartment. Rhonda examined the lower floor judging what to do downstairs to improve it. She knew a coat of paint was needed. Since it was hardwood floors all she needed to do was clean them up since they were in excellent condition. She bought herself an income property to help herself out in the long run. She researched what she needed to do on her off time from work, and decided on getting a female renter instead. To her that was safe. She would just need to lay some rules down.

"Hey Rhonda."

Her heart thrilled at the sound of his voice. Rhonda had to force that initial quell away as she turned to face, Curly. "Hi Curly. What are you doing here?"

Stepping inside the bottom apartment, Curly felt at home down here. "This is the first time stepping into this apartment. It's homey."

Loving his approval, Rhonda also had to stop her heart from beating so fast. "Another reason why I bought it. This will help with my mortgage. I need cushion money in case my parents decide to not lend a helping hand once in a while. Right now this is mostly on me." Studying the room once more she wondered if just painting it white would be too annoying. "If you lived here. What paint color would appease you?"

Shrugging, Curly knew she wanted to rent to a female. "Something neutral. My room was blue for the longest time. Honestly I have no clue."

"Are you eating with Brenda tonight?"

"No. She's working very late tonight." Curly began to explore the place to see if it was different from the upstairs.

Following him she couldn't deny the view. She actually laughed when Helga told her that some pregnant women get super anxious sexually. "Do you want to eat me tonight?"

Curly turned quickly around to face a blushing, Rhonda as she yelled out an apology before dashing away. Gaping at the figurative cloud of dust she left behind, Curly could just stand there.

Upstairs, Rhonda slammed the door. "Great. Now he'll think I'm really insane." Hearing the door open she covered her face. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say it."

"You did." Curly was firm but easy about that.

"I love you and I messed everything up. I'm not worthy of you and Brenda is. I'm proud to carry our child, but I'm not proud of my mistakes. I'm an a-a-asshole. Please leave. Just please leave."

"I love you too."

Rhonda could feel the, 'But' coming on.

"But I also love her too. She makes me feel good about myself. She appreciates me. You never did."

"You're wrong." She sniffled. "As crazy as you may be you often made great sense. You saw things that no one else did. More than Nadine. More than Arnold. I never felt worthy of your attention." Wiping the tears from her eyes, Rhonda didn't want to face him still. "She is worthy of your attention."

Curly stepped forward to walk around her just so he can lift her chin up. Even when she is this honestly upset she is still so beautiful. He was still tempted, but he could never betray his girlfriend. "Rhonda, you are very worthy. Thank you for complimenting, Brenda." Moving forward he kissed her cheek as a friend. "Please don't cry when I see improvement in you over the weeks. Be proud." Kissing her cheek again, Curly had to step back knowing the next kiss was on her lips.

Her cheek tingled where he kissed her. "The doctor suggested not getting in any relationships for a couple of years." Points to her belly. "I believe this will help there." She tried to laugh, but stopped herself.

"I'll be right back." Curly left the apartment quickly leaving her with question marks until he returned with a package. "This is for you."

Smirking, Rhonda opened it to find the thing she wasn't truly expecting. "Now what happens when I can't reach there with a full stomach?"

Grinning at the device he gave her, Curly opened it up to place batteries in before turning it on. "I'm sure you are smart enough to figure that part out."

Rhonda would of balked at that device before thinking it was disgusting, but she now found the appeal. She can think of it as Curly. It was just as big as him. "I already have a name for him." Taking it, she couldn't help but grin. "Thank you, Curly." Kissing his cheek, Rhonda wanted to try it out now. "I made food. If we have any leftovers you can give it to, Brenda." She suggested.

Turning it off for her, Curly smiled at her generous offer. "I would like to stay."

"Place this on my bed and let me finish dinner off." Watching him walk to her room, Rhonda knew she will imagine him tonight.


A/N: I'm certain that most of you knows what Curly gave her as a gift. :P