A/N Wow, what a crazy couple of weeks this has been, right? Mine started out with a trip to the ER when I came down with a 104 fever that wouldn't go away. After a good three days in bed with Influenza A, I finally made it to the couch for the rest of my recuperation while my hubby braved the great outdoors in search of tissues, eggs and other elusive items that the hoarders had gotten to before we could. I also got the news that my work will be shut down for a week, so I've suddenly found myself with enough time on my hands to put out another chapter! My new goal is to have another one written before I have to go back to work. Needless to say, my trip to Japan has been postponed until September now, so I'm not sure what to do with Phoebe and Gerald's wedding. I had wanted to wait and write their honeymoon after experiencing Japan for myself first, but I may have to just wing it instead. Anyway, I don't know if the rest of you are finding yourselves with extra time on their hands now like I am, but if you are, and you're desperately looking for stuff to keep you busy, I'd like to invite you to go check out my profile if you haven't already. There's quite an eclectic mix of stories there, as well as my Shortman Shorts file that's filled with everything from drabbles to longer one shots. If you have already read my stories, why not give them a second go around. Maybe you'll pick up on stuff that you may have missed the first time around. Whatever you do, though, I want to wish you good health and please, stay safe out there if you must venture out. Now, with all that said, please enjoy -


As Time Goes By

Chapter 18

Sheena quietly hums an old song from her PS 118 days as she pulls a freshly baked pan of granola out of the apartment's small oven. She hovers her face over the browned mixture of oats and seeds while taking a deep breath in. The smell of cinnamon and honey fills her with a contented warmth and she smiles as she places the hot pan on the stove top to cool.

She's about to pilfer a bit of the hot treat for a taste test when she is interrupted by a familiar voice. "And just what do you think you're doing?"

Quickly returning her hand to her side, she turns around, giving her boyfriend of three years a coy smile. "Um, nothing, Stefan. I was, uh, just going to give the granola a little taste test. You know, for quality control."

He walks up to her, the smile never leaving his face, and reaches up to brush a bit of her long hair behind her ear. "Quality control huh? If you say so."

Her body flushes as he leans in closer, the gap between them quickly diminishing. She closes her eyes in anticipation of the kiss that is about to happen, only to reopen them when it doesn't. When his true intentions finally dawn on her, she pushes him away with a curt, "HEY!"

He takes a forced step back, giggling as he shoves a handful of granola into his mouth. He looks at her, feigning innocence. "What? You had a point, it needed to be tested for quality control."

She sticks her bottom lip out in a small pout while crossing her arms in front of her. "Hmmpf, so you'd rather eat granola than kiss me. I see how it is."

He takes a step towards her, and wraps his arms around her waist. Pulling her close, he gives her neck a small nibble before whispering in her ear. "Aww, now how can you say that? You know that I'd take your kisses over granola anytime." He places his lips to hers in a kiss that is sweetened by the lingering taste of honey and cinnamon, which causes her mind to rewind back to the day they first met.


xxxxx

It was a Wednesday in April, the kind of day when the weather starts its transition from the frozen snow of winter to the slushy rains of early spring.

The day had started out sunny, with just a few puffy clouds dotting the blue sky above, causing her to throw caution to the wind and leave her apartment without an umbrella. But Mother Nature can be quite fickle at this time of year, so it wasn't long before the weather took a turn for the worse, causing the sun to be locked away behind ominous clouds, heavy with rain.

She had worked the early morning shift at the hospital that day and was anxious to make it home before the pending storm hit. With her Prius stuck in the shop she was forced to take the bus this morning, and now lets out a small curse and she rounds the corner only to see her ride pull away and disappear into traffic.

With no other choice left to her, she adjusts her wool scarf tighter around her neck, and zips her coat up to her chin. With head bowed against the strengthening winds, she takes off on foot as the first drops of rain start to wet her long hair.

She makes it about a half a block by the time the real rain hits and she desperately searches for a safe place to hopefully wait out the heaviest part of the storm. As luck would have it, she realized that she was only two shops down from her favorite bakery, and without wasting anymore time, she quickly makes her way towards Penny's Pastries.

The minute she steps through the door of the small bakery she is hit with the smells of fresh brewed coffee and cinnamon. She takes a deep breath in, the comforting scents drawing her deeper into the shop. Stepping up to the counter she scans the display case, hoping that there is still one of her favorite muffins left over from the morning's rush. With a smile, she spies one last oat bran muffin sitting alone on a plate of crumbs. Her mouth starts to water as she looks at the plump raisins that sit protectively in the sweet cake that surrounds them.

So enraptured by the sweet treat, she doesn't hear the voice behind the counter at first and it isn't until the employee lets out with a loud "NEXT", that she finally realizes that it is her turn to order.

Looking up from the prized muffin, she finds herself staring into a pair of the darkest brown eyes she swears she's ever seen. She gets lost in those eyes for a moment and she watches as they turn from welcoming to confused, as their owner tentatively asks, "What can I help you with?"

Realizing that it is her turn to speak, Sheena forces out a quick, "uh, muffin!" to the pair of soulful eyes that look back anxiously at her.

A small dimple forms on the cheek of the employee as the corners of his mouth turn up into a small smirk. This small defect in the otherwise perfect face immediately causes Sheena's knees to grow weak and she finds she must place a hand onto the display case's glass for support.

A chuckle escapes the man on the other side of the counter as he continues to inquire about her order. "Okay, now we're getting somewhere. You want a muffin. Let's see what we've got left. We have blueberry, banana, oat bran – "

He's cut off by an overzealous Sheena as she blurts out a loud "Oat bran!" Much to her own embarrassment.

He chuckles once more as he reaches for a pair of tongs. "Okay, oat bran it is. You're lucky, it's our last one of the day." He holds the muffin up, and asks, "Will this be for here or to go?"

Unable to pull her gaze from his eyes, she quietly answers. "I'm hoping to wait out the rain, so I guess I'll just have it here, along with an extra-large, soy Americano please."

He places the muffin on a plate before walking over to the cash register. Setting the muffin on the counter, he rings up her order before telling her to have a seat and he'll bring her coffee out to her when it's ready.

Picking up the muffin, she thanks him and makes her way over to a small table by the window. She picks at her snack while she watches the rain. She gets lost as she tracks a raindrop that slowly slides down the glass window, building in size as it joins with the other drops that block its path. Her eyes pick up the reflection of the shop's barista as he approaches her table.

Tearing her attention away from the water droplet, she turns to face the man as he sets her coffee down in front of her. He talks as he sets down her coffee. "Here you are, one extra-large, soy Americano."

She gives him a shy smile as she reads his name tag. "Thank you, um, Stefan is it?"

He looks at his name tag before giving her a smile. "Yep, that's me, Stefanos, Stefan for short, and you are - ?"

She offers him her hand. "Sheena, it's very nice to meet you, Stefan. You must be new, I haven't seen you here before."

A small shiver runs down her spine when he takes her hand to give it a quick shake. "Yeah, actually, I am pretty new. I just moved into town about a month ago and I've been slowly trying to get my bearings as I settle in."

Sheena surprises herself by boldly offering to help show him around. "Oh, well, I've lived here in Hillwood my whole life. I'd be happy to help you get settled and show you around town. Um, if you want that is."

Another sigh escapes her as he flashes a dimpled smile at her once again. "Hey, thanks, I'd actually really appreciate that, Sheena."

He jots down her number before heading back to work. As he walks away he stops and turns back to look at her. "You know, I wasn't sure at first, but now I think I'm actually going to like it here in Hillwood after-all."


xxxxx

She is brought back to present time when he pulls back a bit, breaking their kiss. She's about to lean in for a second go but is stopped by the sound of the apartment's doorbell. The two look at each other in confusion. "Are you expecting any visitors this morning?" She asks.

He shakes his head. "Nope, not me. Are you?"

"No." She says as she pulls away to go answer the door. He follows closely behind her as they make their way through the apartment. "I can't imagine who it could be." She says before peering through the peep-hole that sits in the middle of the door.

She lets out with a shocked, "Well I'll be!" When she sees just who it is that's standing out in the hallway.

Throwing the door open she is greeted with a loud "Surprise!" As she stares into the face of her best friend, Eugene.


xxxxx

Helga sits locked away in the nursery, seeking sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of workers that have been set loose upon the boarding house. They had arrived bright and early the day before as promised by Rhonda, and have been feverishly working to get the place ready ever since.

She slowly rocks her nursing daughter while trying to ignore the distractions on the other side of the door. She stares at the mural that colors the wall in front of her. Her eyes starting at the top of the freshly painted rainbow before slowly following its delicate curve as it arcs downwards to disappear into the water of the pool that waits below. Her concentration is broken when the nursery door slowly opens. She looks at the concerned face of her husband as he peeks through the partially opened door before fully stepping into the room. He closes the door behind him and makes his way to where she sits.

He stands over her, studying the deep bags under her eyes. "You know, with Joy barely a week old, everyone will understand if you want to call this whole thing off. It's not too late."

Helga gives him a small huff. "Heh, right. The party is in just a few hours. There's no way we can call it off. Besides, we'd never hear the end of it from Princess Rhonda if we did. No, I plan on sucking it up and most likely just excuse myself early and go to bed when the kids do. With the party being outdoors on the roof I shouldn't be bothered by the noise."

Arnold has his doubts, but goes along with Helga's plan anyway. "I guess that will be okay, if you're sure."

Helga nods her head. "Yeah, I'm sure. So, how are things going out there?"

"Well, I haven't been up to the roof yet, Rhonda made the workers promise not to let anyone up there until tonight. But, the rest of the house looks great, and the kitchen! I've never seen so much delicious looking food! The caterers have been busting their butts!"

The mention of food piques Helga's interest. "That good, huh? Well, at least there's that, I guess a gourmet spread will make the rest of the inconvenience worth it."

"What's Phillip been up to? He hasn't been bothering the workers has he?"

Arnold shakes his head. "Naw, he's been pretty good about staying out of the way. He's watching cartoons right now while he waits for Gerry and Otto to come over."

"Now you've gone over the rules with him again, right?"

"Yes, Helga." Arnold reassures. "He knows that they will be allowed to hang out on the rooftop until just before 9:00, at which time you and I will bring them inside to watch the ball drop in New York. Then it will be off to bed while the rest of us wait for New Year's to hit the west coast."

"Is room 16 all set up and ready for them?"

"Yep, I've set up a small tent and filled it with sleeping bags and flashlights and everything else they'll need for a night of indoor camping. They'll love it."

"And the walkie-talkies? They have fresh batteries?"

"Yes, Helga. If they need anything I'll have a walkie-talkie too. All they'll have to do is call me on it and I'll come running in. They won't even have to bother you and Joy. So stop worrying, I have it all under control. You just show your face for a while, mingle with our guests, eat some delicious food and duck out early."

The mention of food has set Helga's stomach to rumbling. "Speaking of food, I wonder if the caterers will allow any taste tests. I'm suddenly very hungry."

Arnold shakes his head while giving her a smile. "Well it's good to see that all this commotion hasn't affected your appetite any. I don't know how much luck you'll have with the caterers, but I guess it's worth a shot. Come on, and bring Joy for sympathy. I doubt they'll be able to say no to a new mom."

A smile plays on Helga's face as she gets up. Dropping a quick kiss to Arnold's cheek as she passes, she gives him a wink. "You've read my mind, Arnoldo. Now come on, I'm starving."


xxxxx

The rest of the afternoon passes quickly and before they know it it's time for the evening's hostess to finally arrive. There a quick knock at the door, before it swings open, revealing a lavishly dressed Rhonda Lloyd on the other side. Without waiting for an invite, she lets herself in, announcing herself as she steps across the threshold. "Hello, I have arrived. Helga? Arnold? Are you here?"

"Helga is the first to greet their guest as she comes walking out of the kitchen, a freshly cooked Pig in a Blanket stuffing her mouth. She speaks through a full mouth. "Rhonda, on time as usual I see."

Rhonda shoots her a look of mild disgust over the crumbs that cling to Helga's bottom lip. "Of course, and I see you've wasted no time in devouring the food. I do hope you've left some for the other guests."

Helga becomes a tad bit indignant at the remark. "Hey! Nursing mom here. It's important that I keep my strength up right now. Besides, someone had to be in charge of quality control. We wouldn't want to serve our guests bad food, would we?"

Rhonda just shakes her head at Helga's logic. "Whatever, Helga. So where's that husband of yours? He hasn't been up to the roof top yet, has he?"

"Don't worry, you said you wanted us to wait until you got here before we checked out the roof, and we've done just that."

"So then where is the dear boy? The guests will be arriving any time now and I want to make sure the roof top is absolutely perfect."

Helga starts heading up the stairs, motioning for Rhonda to follow. "He's putting Joy down for a nap, we can grab him as we head upstairs."

As soon as they have both Arnold and Phillip in tow, the small group heads up the last set of stairs that lead to the roof. With Rhonda in the lead, she stops when she reaches the door, turning to face the others before opening it. "Just so you know, I have spared no expense in an effort to turn your drab old roof top into a showcase that people will be talking about for years to come. Now, without further ado, I bring to you Hillwood's own winter wonderland."

She swings the door open, stepping aside to let the others through. She smiles as a look of awe slowly fills their faces. They are momentarily left speechless, and it is Phillip that is the first to speak up. "Whoa! Will you look at that! It looks like we've stepped into a magical forest."

"You can say that again, Phillip." Arnold says as he takes in the sight before him.

The rooftop has been filled with various shapes and sizes of Douglas Fir trees, each one tastefully lit up with hundreds of small white lights. Dispersed around the trees are tall, round tables designed for holding drinks and small plates of food. There are no chairs, thus forcing the guests to mingle and move about. The ground is covered with dry peat moss in an effort to recreate the forest floor. Looking up Arnold notices strands of tiny lights strung high above the rooftop, perfectly mimicking a star filled winter sky.

There are ice sculptures placed here and there that are lit up from beneath, each one depicting a different forest animal.

Speakers have been discreetly hidden among the trees, causing a soft melody to flow through the air.

Lastly, as if the trees and lights were not enough, Rhonda has seen to it that small, snow making machines have been set up around the perimeter of the roof top, which silently blow soft snowflakes into the air to gently float down and dust the trees in a thin blanket of white.

Helga looks up to watch the delicate flakes as they drift down, catching in her hair and eyelashes. Finally finding her voice, she speaks with mild reverence. "Well, Princess, I have to admit that you've really outdone yourself this time."

Pleased with herself, Rhonda just quietly gives her friends a satisfied smile.