I don't think I can top last chapter's disclaimer intro, so I'll say it
simply: I don't own Hey Arnold! If I may, I would recommend listening to
Hoobastank's "The Reason" while reading this installment.
Enough of my ramblings. Here's chapter 11.
Chapter Eleven: Life After Hillwood
After Miriam's death in the car accident, Big Bob decided that life was too precious to waste on beepers. He sold the company, packed up his and Helga's things, sold the house on Vine Street to Olga's new husband Tim, then moved himself and his youngest daughter to South Thomaston, ME. He now worked as an advertising agent for a non-profit organization in the nearby city of Rockland, (A/N: Woohoo, Rockland! *grins and disappears again*) had lost about eighty pounds, and was a much better father than he'd ever been to Helga.
"I don't hear the name Olga unless she's talked to him that day," she joked as they sat on her bed, much later that night. She was wearing a blue pair of men's silk pajamas, while Arnold sported his usual combo of shorts and ratty t-shirt. "He's so much easier to live with now- he doesn't yell or rant, or expect me to be just like Olga, or tell me to do things I don't want to do."
"But why Maine?" Arnold asked. "I thought his parents lived in Seattle- why didn't you move there?"
"When he was little, he had an uncle named Jimmy who lived in the same area we do now. Every summer he'd stay at Jimmy's for two weeks, and he'd go lobstering with him and his cousin Micah and Chris every morning, then hang out on the beach or in the backyard every afternoon. He loved that, and Grandpa Mike took that away from him when he turned 16. 'You're too old to be wasting your time fishing and playing. You're going to get a job this summer!'" She sighed after finishing the imitation of her grandfather. (He was an overbearing man, much like her father once was. He continued to feel his granddaughter was not living up to the potentials her sister had accomplished by her age, and Helga resented him for this.) "Dad protested, but Grandpa wouldn't listen. His cousin Chris drowned that very summer on the boat, and Micah blamed it on their being short-handed. Dad always felt that meant it was his fault, and never forgave himself- until he realized it wasn't his fault that he hadn't been there, it was Grandpa's. So we moved to where he was always happiest, and now he is again." She shrugged. "God works in mysterious ways, I guess."
Arnold kissed her cheek gently. "So, what was your high school like?"
"What can I say of Rockland District High School other than small... and generic... and very blue-collar. I played basketball and softball, and was involved in the theater. I set a new record for most fouls in one season during basketball my sophomore year." She grinned mischievously. "I also won a scholarship for creative writing, and decided I wanted to be a writer when I got out of college." She looked out the window for a moment. "My senior year came, and I was accepted at WSU and UMaine. I picked UMaine, took a job at the MCA, and got the scare of my life when I found out you would be here as well. And now... here we are."
"So it would appear," he murmured, embracing her. "Thank you."
"For what?"
"For bringing me back into your life."
***
Time to hear from me! I now have twenty reviews. *cries for a minute then pulls herself together* I love your input, please don't stop now. As for the high school, that IS what it's like there. I should know, it's my alma mater. *grins like an idiot* As for the Hoobastank reference in my disclaimer bit: I was listening to that song while typing this, and it seemed to fit with Arnold's listening to Helga's past that he wasn't a direct influence on. As for Short Round (from chapters 6 and 8) he has been relocated to my roomie's boyfriend's home. Apparently the risk of being caught with a rat (a no-no for a pet, but a SNAKE is OK? Icky.) is too great to continue housing my little friend. Oh well. It was fun while it lasted. Shock?
Shock: Yes?
Go fetch me a live baby rat. Barrel?
Barrel: Yes?
Go fetch me the remainder of the Skittles. I have to pass them out to the reviewers.
Reviewers: *hopefully* Yay!
Lock?
Lock: Yes?
Stand there and look cute, my little resident bish. Everyone else, go read chapter twelve, Figured You Out. (I AM WARNING YOU NOW: IT MAY BE SEEN AS GRAPHIC! LARGER WARNING IN THE CHAPTER FOLLOWING.) *cuddles with Lock*
Lock: ...gross. *sweatdrops*
Luvs! –PopStarOE
Enough of my ramblings. Here's chapter 11.
Chapter Eleven: Life After Hillwood
After Miriam's death in the car accident, Big Bob decided that life was too precious to waste on beepers. He sold the company, packed up his and Helga's things, sold the house on Vine Street to Olga's new husband Tim, then moved himself and his youngest daughter to South Thomaston, ME. He now worked as an advertising agent for a non-profit organization in the nearby city of Rockland, (A/N: Woohoo, Rockland! *grins and disappears again*) had lost about eighty pounds, and was a much better father than he'd ever been to Helga.
"I don't hear the name Olga unless she's talked to him that day," she joked as they sat on her bed, much later that night. She was wearing a blue pair of men's silk pajamas, while Arnold sported his usual combo of shorts and ratty t-shirt. "He's so much easier to live with now- he doesn't yell or rant, or expect me to be just like Olga, or tell me to do things I don't want to do."
"But why Maine?" Arnold asked. "I thought his parents lived in Seattle- why didn't you move there?"
"When he was little, he had an uncle named Jimmy who lived in the same area we do now. Every summer he'd stay at Jimmy's for two weeks, and he'd go lobstering with him and his cousin Micah and Chris every morning, then hang out on the beach or in the backyard every afternoon. He loved that, and Grandpa Mike took that away from him when he turned 16. 'You're too old to be wasting your time fishing and playing. You're going to get a job this summer!'" She sighed after finishing the imitation of her grandfather. (He was an overbearing man, much like her father once was. He continued to feel his granddaughter was not living up to the potentials her sister had accomplished by her age, and Helga resented him for this.) "Dad protested, but Grandpa wouldn't listen. His cousin Chris drowned that very summer on the boat, and Micah blamed it on their being short-handed. Dad always felt that meant it was his fault, and never forgave himself- until he realized it wasn't his fault that he hadn't been there, it was Grandpa's. So we moved to where he was always happiest, and now he is again." She shrugged. "God works in mysterious ways, I guess."
Arnold kissed her cheek gently. "So, what was your high school like?"
"What can I say of Rockland District High School other than small... and generic... and very blue-collar. I played basketball and softball, and was involved in the theater. I set a new record for most fouls in one season during basketball my sophomore year." She grinned mischievously. "I also won a scholarship for creative writing, and decided I wanted to be a writer when I got out of college." She looked out the window for a moment. "My senior year came, and I was accepted at WSU and UMaine. I picked UMaine, took a job at the MCA, and got the scare of my life when I found out you would be here as well. And now... here we are."
"So it would appear," he murmured, embracing her. "Thank you."
"For what?"
"For bringing me back into your life."
***
Time to hear from me! I now have twenty reviews. *cries for a minute then pulls herself together* I love your input, please don't stop now. As for the high school, that IS what it's like there. I should know, it's my alma mater. *grins like an idiot* As for the Hoobastank reference in my disclaimer bit: I was listening to that song while typing this, and it seemed to fit with Arnold's listening to Helga's past that he wasn't a direct influence on. As for Short Round (from chapters 6 and 8) he has been relocated to my roomie's boyfriend's home. Apparently the risk of being caught with a rat (a no-no for a pet, but a SNAKE is OK? Icky.) is too great to continue housing my little friend. Oh well. It was fun while it lasted. Shock?
Shock: Yes?
Go fetch me a live baby rat. Barrel?
Barrel: Yes?
Go fetch me the remainder of the Skittles. I have to pass them out to the reviewers.
Reviewers: *hopefully* Yay!
Lock?
Lock: Yes?
Stand there and look cute, my little resident bish. Everyone else, go read chapter twelve, Figured You Out. (I AM WARNING YOU NOW: IT MAY BE SEEN AS GRAPHIC! LARGER WARNING IN THE CHAPTER FOLLOWING.) *cuddles with Lock*
Lock: ...gross. *sweatdrops*
Luvs! –PopStarOE