***I'm baaaack! Thanks again for all the sweet reviews! This is the chapter
where things get really twisted and suspenseful (I HOPE) so bear with me,
things might get a touch confusing. Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday,
and Happy New Year to all of you!
Sorry, this one is a shorty too! I promise the next one will be more
substantial!
Chapter 14 Too Many Takers
" Gosh Arnold, you sure are acting strangely," Lila murmured in awe as he stared bug eyed at the pink document clutched in his hands. She shuffled her feet slightly at the unnerving silence that engulfed the room.
" Lila, when did you get this?" Arnold whispered, a small trace of sweat beading on his paling brow.
" This afternoon, right after cello practice. Then I had Young Business Men of America to attend," Barnie bragged lightly.
" Young business men, huh? That's the kind of go-getting youth we need nowadays," Bob grunted in approval. " When did you say you wanted to take out our Olg-I mean, Helga?"
" Take me out? Dad, I'm only 12! I'm not allowed to group date until I'm 13, that's the house RULE!" Helga moaned in exasperation. "Besides, I wouldn't date that cretin if he was the last multi-cellular being on EARTH!"
" I would never DREAM of disrespecting your father's rules, Helga," Barnie recited smoothly, his prepubescent face the picture of innocence. " Your mere presence is satisfying enough for me,"
" You have GOT to be kiddin' me!" Helga screeched in disgust.
" I think bending the rules just this once would be okay, don't you B?" Miriam smiled warmly as she spooned bread pudding into individual ramekins to bake.
" Now I'm usually not one for rule bending, mind you," Bob winked in Barnie's direction. " But I can't see the harm in one little movie,"
" MOVIE??" Helga sputtered in horror.
" I agree, Helga. Movie dates are so cliche. I was thinking a picnic in the park this Sunday afternoon, followed by a stroll on the docks, that is, if it's okay with YOU, Mr. and Mrs. Pataki," Barnie emphasized dramatically, his expression one of smug and mock hopefulness intermingled.
" Afternoon in a public place in broad daylight? Now you're really speaking my language, kid" Bob nodded in agreement. "It's settled then, this Sunday..?"
" About 1 o'clock?" Barnie ventured his face flush with triumph.
" Great," Bob smiled in satisfaction. " The fresh air'll do ya good, girl,"
" Hello? Did you not hear a word I just said?" Helga's voice escalated steadily. " I am NOT going anywhere with BARNIE BERKOWITZ! If the good Lord came down on a cloud from on high to take us home this very instant, I'd head SOUTH to avoid this moron!"
" Oh, my baby's first date," Miriam squealed in a voice reminiscent of her older daughter's. She hugged Helga with her one free arm as she sprinkled the bread pudding with golden raisins.
" You must have another kid then," Helga hissed through the one-armed bear hug.
" Pipe down and mind your manners, missy," Bob finally interjected. " She'll be ready in her Sunday best, Bradley,"
" Barnie," he corrected quickly.
" Yeah, that's what I meant. Let me walk you out," Bob answered with a forced smile, causing him to look constipated rather than hospitable. He escorted Barnie past a steaming Helga, ignoring his daughter's reddening face and trembling fists.
" Lila, I don't know how to tell you this," Arnold rubbed the back of his neck nervously. " I didn't write this poem," His face colored deeper than the paper still clenched in his other hand.
Lila paused, her delicate features turning thoughtful for a moment, then brightening.
" You big silly, who wrote this for you? They're just ever so talented! I think it was just ever so sweet for you to do this for me," Lila leaned forward to embrace him, but he surprised himself by involuntarily stepping out of her reach.
" Lila, you aren't exactly following me here," Arnold tried again, placing the foreign looking paper off to the side. " I didn't give this to you, either."
Lila's freckled brow furrowed again, but went smooth as glass.
" Why of course you didn't! You were much too shy! There's no need to explain, Arnold. The mere gesture was just -"
" Lila, I didn't have someone give it to you for me," Arnold interjected, his patience wearing thin. And people thought HE was dense!
" Well then you mailed it, or gave it to my father, I don't know. What matters to me is that -"
" I am EVER SO CERTAIN," Arnold's voice quavered as it grew louder, " That I have no IDEA who wrote it, who gave it to you, or that your favorite flower was a tulip! Someone else SIGNED MY NAME!" His oblong face paled with indignation.
The room was stock still for what seemed like an eternity. Lila stood with her arms at her sides, like some forgotten Greek sculpture. A tiny bit of regret began to creep back into Arnolds' conscience, and he cleared his throat to apologize.
" Did you have your oh so likable and adorable cousin Arnie do this for you then? He knows my favorite-"
" Goodbye, Lila," Arnold muttered, holding the door open in aggravation.
" But Arnold," She began, wearing an expression of utter confusion.
" I'll explain it all to you later," Arnold reassured her, clicking the door shut softly behind her as she stepped onto his stoop.
" I just hope I can explain it to ME," Arnold murmured, closing his eyes as he leaned against the door with exhaustion.
@@@@@@@@@@@@@That's All She Wrote! *Meaning me, of course. Not quite the ending I was heading for this time around, but it seemed like a good place to leave it. The poems each party received (Arnold/Lila) are next. Then on to chapter 16! Let me know what you think!
Chapter 14 Too Many Takers
" Gosh Arnold, you sure are acting strangely," Lila murmured in awe as he stared bug eyed at the pink document clutched in his hands. She shuffled her feet slightly at the unnerving silence that engulfed the room.
" Lila, when did you get this?" Arnold whispered, a small trace of sweat beading on his paling brow.
" This afternoon, right after cello practice. Then I had Young Business Men of America to attend," Barnie bragged lightly.
" Young business men, huh? That's the kind of go-getting youth we need nowadays," Bob grunted in approval. " When did you say you wanted to take out our Olg-I mean, Helga?"
" Take me out? Dad, I'm only 12! I'm not allowed to group date until I'm 13, that's the house RULE!" Helga moaned in exasperation. "Besides, I wouldn't date that cretin if he was the last multi-cellular being on EARTH!"
" I would never DREAM of disrespecting your father's rules, Helga," Barnie recited smoothly, his prepubescent face the picture of innocence. " Your mere presence is satisfying enough for me,"
" You have GOT to be kiddin' me!" Helga screeched in disgust.
" I think bending the rules just this once would be okay, don't you B?" Miriam smiled warmly as she spooned bread pudding into individual ramekins to bake.
" Now I'm usually not one for rule bending, mind you," Bob winked in Barnie's direction. " But I can't see the harm in one little movie,"
" MOVIE??" Helga sputtered in horror.
" I agree, Helga. Movie dates are so cliche. I was thinking a picnic in the park this Sunday afternoon, followed by a stroll on the docks, that is, if it's okay with YOU, Mr. and Mrs. Pataki," Barnie emphasized dramatically, his expression one of smug and mock hopefulness intermingled.
" Afternoon in a public place in broad daylight? Now you're really speaking my language, kid" Bob nodded in agreement. "It's settled then, this Sunday..?"
" About 1 o'clock?" Barnie ventured his face flush with triumph.
" Great," Bob smiled in satisfaction. " The fresh air'll do ya good, girl,"
" Hello? Did you not hear a word I just said?" Helga's voice escalated steadily. " I am NOT going anywhere with BARNIE BERKOWITZ! If the good Lord came down on a cloud from on high to take us home this very instant, I'd head SOUTH to avoid this moron!"
" Oh, my baby's first date," Miriam squealed in a voice reminiscent of her older daughter's. She hugged Helga with her one free arm as she sprinkled the bread pudding with golden raisins.
" You must have another kid then," Helga hissed through the one-armed bear hug.
" Pipe down and mind your manners, missy," Bob finally interjected. " She'll be ready in her Sunday best, Bradley,"
" Barnie," he corrected quickly.
" Yeah, that's what I meant. Let me walk you out," Bob answered with a forced smile, causing him to look constipated rather than hospitable. He escorted Barnie past a steaming Helga, ignoring his daughter's reddening face and trembling fists.
" Lila, I don't know how to tell you this," Arnold rubbed the back of his neck nervously. " I didn't write this poem," His face colored deeper than the paper still clenched in his other hand.
Lila paused, her delicate features turning thoughtful for a moment, then brightening.
" You big silly, who wrote this for you? They're just ever so talented! I think it was just ever so sweet for you to do this for me," Lila leaned forward to embrace him, but he surprised himself by involuntarily stepping out of her reach.
" Lila, you aren't exactly following me here," Arnold tried again, placing the foreign looking paper off to the side. " I didn't give this to you, either."
Lila's freckled brow furrowed again, but went smooth as glass.
" Why of course you didn't! You were much too shy! There's no need to explain, Arnold. The mere gesture was just -"
" Lila, I didn't have someone give it to you for me," Arnold interjected, his patience wearing thin. And people thought HE was dense!
" Well then you mailed it, or gave it to my father, I don't know. What matters to me is that -"
" I am EVER SO CERTAIN," Arnold's voice quavered as it grew louder, " That I have no IDEA who wrote it, who gave it to you, or that your favorite flower was a tulip! Someone else SIGNED MY NAME!" His oblong face paled with indignation.
The room was stock still for what seemed like an eternity. Lila stood with her arms at her sides, like some forgotten Greek sculpture. A tiny bit of regret began to creep back into Arnolds' conscience, and he cleared his throat to apologize.
" Did you have your oh so likable and adorable cousin Arnie do this for you then? He knows my favorite-"
" Goodbye, Lila," Arnold muttered, holding the door open in aggravation.
" But Arnold," She began, wearing an expression of utter confusion.
" I'll explain it all to you later," Arnold reassured her, clicking the door shut softly behind her as she stepped onto his stoop.
" I just hope I can explain it to ME," Arnold murmured, closing his eyes as he leaned against the door with exhaustion.
@@@@@@@@@@@@@That's All She Wrote! *Meaning me, of course. Not quite the ending I was heading for this time around, but it seemed like a good place to leave it. The poems each party received (Arnold/Lila) are next. Then on to chapter 16! Let me know what you think!