Thanks for all the reviews. They are the source of inspiration to me.
Jae B - If you think Lila was out of character now, wait for the next chapter :)
CHAPTER 8 – HARMONY
Gerald never seen Arnold this happy. It was almost surreal. The fact, he was with Helga was pretty strange - even now, when she spent the major of her life with some kind of relationship with Arnold, Gerald still seen the playground bully in her many times. These late-night poker parties were the best examples. Since the "Odd Couple" moved back to Hillwood, they've got into the habit of hitting the cards every Friday at Gerald's place. The members of the new gang were: Helga, Rhonda, Phoebe, Sophie, Harold, Gerald, and Arnold. Sophie was the only outsider - they only invited her, because she were going out with Harold lately. And - since these nights usually ended with her taking home all of their money - they were pretty angry at her. She was one hell of a player.
"Crimney! When did you French people learn to play cards so well? I mean, you must play all the time! When you're not begging for the Germans for not to hurt you of course!" - Sophie were born in France and on these nights, Helga couldn't miss an opportunity to rip on her for that when she was losing. Thank god Sophie didn't took it serious.
"Hey, at least my family didn't escape from the homeland, when the other citizens stood up against the Soviet Union." - she answered smiling.
"Now, how the hell did you know that?" - Helga asked.
"It wasn't so hard." - Sophie answered - "I knew Pataki is a Hungarian name, since George Pataki the governor of New York.... And... you know... most of the Hungarians emigrated to the U.S. under the rebellion of 56'."
"Well, even if it wasn't decent, it was smart Sophie. - Phoebe said - "They didn't get any help from the west, so the soviets turned the country red." - Phoebe said. - "But on the long term, the whole thing worked out fine."
"Do you have any idea what are they talking about?" - Arnold asked Harold.
"No idea. But you will get used to it. It's like this when you have a girlfriend smarter than you. It happens to me a lot."
"I bet." - Arnold said.
"Ladies! Are we playing poker, or having some kind of weird history lesson?" - Gerald asked.
"Well, I'm out." - Arnold said. - "I still have to buy an engagement ring, so I can't donate any more money to France." - he said.
"Arnold, it's so sweet, when you bitching about the price of that ring in front of me." - Helga said.
"Hey, just wait till you hear me bitching about the price of the wedding."
"I still can't believe you proposed without a ring." - Rhonda said - "If once someone proposes to me..."
"Don't hold your breath." - Harold said.
"Hey, let her live fatso." - Helga said. It was ridiculous to call Harold a fatso, since he didn't seem to have a simple pound of fat on his body anymore. But old habits die hard. Interestingly Helga and Rhonda became pretty good friends lately. Rhonda ran the family business and spent most of his life in the highest society. And she was bored of the snobbery like hell. She thought it's impossible, to fed up with those rich successful people, but it happened. So, she really appreciated the cool weirdness of Helga.
"So, Helga, will you take Arnold's family name?" - Rhonda asked with a grin smile on her face.
"Jesus! No! I will stick to Pataki." - she said.
"Maybe I'll change to Pataki too." - Arnold said - "I just don't want to curse our children with this ridiculous name." - he said, and they all laughed.
"I can understand." - Phoebe said smiling - "Football shaped head, psychos with golf-clubs, revengefully ex-fiancés. This name is definitely a bad omen."
"Yeah. But you know in the end, I left with all the prizes." - he said as she kissed Helga. She kissed her back, while everybody in the room found something interesting somewhere else, to look at. Phoebe, for example concentrated her attention to Sophie's legs. After the kissing finished Arnold said, "Excuse us."
"No problem Harold. A girl like Helga should be kissed often." - Harold said.
"We're never going to play, huh?" - Gerald asked in desperation. Arnold and Helga didn't hear him. They looked at each other, and they obviously got the same idea.
"I guess we have to go. See you guys next time." - Arnold said as he stood up.
"Yeah, we have this... thing you know." - Helga said.
"Helga, what are you, fifteen?" - Rhonda asked. - "Go, get a room!" - she said. So they left fast, without a word.
"They're behaving like teenagers." - Rhonda said.
"I think it's cute." - Sophie said.
"Yeah, we know how strange taste you have." - Rhonda said.
"Hey!." - Harold replied as he realized Rhonda is talking about him..
So they were walking hand in hand on the street again. Rhonda were right. They felt like teenagers in love again. They were just walking next to Green Meats, in the heart of their old neighborhood.
"Well hair-boy. Sunday is only two days away." - Helga said .
"Helga I don't think this is going to be the end of the world. I mean it's only a dinner!" - he said.
"A dinner with the Patakis Arnold! Big Bob is gonna tear you apart!"
"Hey, I can defend myself."
"Yeah, sure." - Helga said laughing. Arnold looked hurt, so Helga kissed him.
"We fought so much worst than your family Helga." - Arnold said. - "I'm fine with them, if they're not attacking me with golf clubs."
They just passed by Sunset Arms, Arnold's old home. Now it was run by Mr. Kokoska. He found the strength inside to work, after her wife left him. Arnold stopped there.
"By the way... I felt pretty bad, for not giving you an engagement ring, so... I have a little gift for you." - he said. - "Close your eyes."
"Whatever you want." - she said and she closed her eyes. So Arnold grabbed her hand, and led her up the stairs to the boardinghouse, and then, down to the basement.
"Okay, you can open it now." - he said. Helga screamed in her surprise like a little girl
"I... I can't believe it!" - she said as she saw the motorcycle - "The Rogue Angel! How... where? I thought it's lost forever." - Helga only knew his father sold it before grad night, when Helga had a little incident with the local police. It was the greatest punishment he could think of.
"I spent all my money on it. I wanted to spend it on a driving school, but then I thought it's... more important." - he said - "You're father didn't wanted to sell it to me, so I had to ask Oscar to buy it for me. I just... didn't wanted to give it back, 'course Bob would have sold it again."
"But... why? You were with Lila, and..."
"I just... wanted to have something, that reminds me to you. And... I always thought if... when we get back together, You will be happy if I give it back to you. So I kept it here in the basement." - he said - "Of course I never expected it will take this long."
"I can't believe it." - she said as she stared at the bike. - "I have back my old ride, my old boy and I'm writing again. It's just... perfect."
"I wanted to give it to you sooner, but there were so many things to repair on it. And I had to do it in secret." - Helga hugged Arnold, and then grabbed the bike.
"Let's go."
"Where?"
"Just go! Let's jump on the bike, and go! Let's finish that road trip to Mountwood , what Bob interrupted!"
"But... Helga, that's crazy!" - he said, laughing - "We don't have any clothes, and... tomorrow we have to watch the premiere of Eugene's new play..."
"Cut that out hair-boy! We're going to Mountwood, and that's final!" - she said - "So, help your lady with her bike!"
"You're the boss Helga. Just like always" - he said, and he helped Helga with taking the bike up on the stairs.
"It is so strange guys." - Gerald said. - I mean it's... Helga Geraldine Pataki. And she's Arnold's bride. I've been around them in the last ten years, but still... it's like some alternate universe! Lila sending Brainy after Arnold, so Helga saves him and marrying him? How crazy is this?"
"Yeah. Like bad writing." - Phoebe murmured.
"What did you say Pheebs?"
"I said I can understand what he sees in her." - Phoebe said.
"Listen Pheebs, We like girls just as much as you do." - Gerald said with a smile on his face - "We understand too."
"I'm not only talking about her body... well obviously that's an important issue..." - she said with blurry eyes. She almost lost her line in her fantasies, but then, she realized the others are staring at her, so she continued - "But Helga is... special you know. She's unique. Did you know she's having sessions with Brainy every weak? She's trying to help the one, who tried to destroy her life!"
"Whatever you say dude." - Gerald said. Since he learned about Phoebe's sexuality, he tired to treat her as one of his male friends. And it worked pretty fine. He got almost as close to her, as he got to Arnold.
"So what do you guys think? How long will they be together this time?" - Rhonda asked. - "I mean, they're still Helga and Arnold."
"They seem to be pretty fine." - Sophie said.
"They're always seem that way. Until Helga isn't doing something incredibly stupid. Believe me, in high school, we watched these two like some kind of soap-opera. It was pretty interesting." - Harold said.
"But then, Helga went too far, and knocked out Lila. Arnold dated her, to make Helga jealous. But after that, we thought Arnold will never go back to Helga." - Rhonda said.
"But it came out, Lila was the real bitch all along. But that part is history. - Gerald said.
"Yeah. You're this sure she sent those pictures to that lunatic?" - Sophie asked.
"Who else?" - Phoebe replied. - "She was always a little creepy. You know, like she's hiding something under those innocent eyes of her. Now it's proved."
"I'm pretty sure, they will stay together this time." - Harold said.
"Yeah, you're right." - Phoebe said. - "They're meant for each other." - Gerald though he's sensing some sadness in her voice, but a moment later it was all gone. It suddenly changed into happiness - "Till death tears them apart." - she said smiling.
"Let's drink to this!" - Harold said, as he raised his glass. - "Till death tears them apart!"
"Till death tear them apart!" - they all said.
A woman just rushed trough Hillwood International Airport. Her flight was an hour late, and she already wasted too much time with deciding what to do. It was one day ago, when the struggle, between her hate against her abandoner and her conscience ended. Since then she thought a lot, and came up with some decent ideas to reach her goal. She needed help, and she knew it, so, even if it took her some time, she found the right man for the job. Of course the man didn't offered his services in the phone book, but it wasn't hard to find him on the Internet. She found her way trough the passengers, and she almost thought the man left without her, when she noticed the banner.
Ms. Lila Sawyer
She walked to the man.
"It is a great pleasure to meet you Mr. White."
"My pleasure ma'am." - he answered as he dropped the banner and took out a Mr.Nutty from his coat. "You want some?"
"No thanks, I'm not living with it." - she answered as they walked toward the exit.
"Beats smoking."
"I'm sure. Eeh... I think I know you from somewhere." - Lila said.
"Well, I grew up around your neighborhood, so it's possible."
"But I don't remember anyone called Ralph White."
"I wasn't too... well known as a kid Ms. Sawyer." - he said. Lila decided it's enough from the small talk.
"So, If you want we can discuss the details..."
"Not necessary. I've made some research, and I think I'm perfectly familiar with you're situation."
"So what now then?"
"Well, I've rented a room for you in Sunset Arms as you asked. I think we shall start tomorrow, when you're rested."
"All right." - she said. As they entered a cab, the man turned to Lila.
"Ms. Sawyer, before we start it... this is your last chance to forget the whole idea. Personally I think you're crazy for wasting your time and money on such thing. If I were you, I would try to forget the past and go on with my life. This whole thing... just not worth it." - he said as he erased the chocolate from his mouth with a tissue.
"This is not about the past Mr. White. This is about the future. About me, being able to live with myself."
"That's exactly what I wanted to hear. To Sunset Arms." - he said to the driver. In a moment they were on their way. She decided she will finish it, even if everybody thinks its crazy.
It is her destiny.
Somewhere, deep inside the Miller Institute, in a dark holding cell, a lonely madman was waiting to get freed. To get freed, and get a chance to finish what he started so long ago. And this time, he knew he will get help.
NEXT: THE FORSAKEN
I know not much happened in the last two chapters, but I wanted to let H A a little time to be happy together before I set the hell loose over Hillwood :). There is only 3 or 4 chapters left from this story. Next we will meet an interesting new(?) character: Paige, who will play a major part in the gangs life. Thanks for all the reviews.
