Friday, September 29th 5:15 PM
"Hello? Anyone home?" Helga asked a seemingly empty house. She came in hearing a T.V. going. She wondered if Merriam had fallen asleep again with the T.V. on. She was surprised to see her mother sitting up watching a black and white film Helga had never seen before. Merriam stared at the screen for a long time not noticing her daughter's presence. "Mom?" Helga asked. Merriam turned and saw her daughter. "Helga! How are you? How was your day sweetheart," she asked "My day was alright, had some car trouble, but I got help…," Helga responded. "Oh my, did you need a ride? What happened?" Merriam asked. "It was just a bad part in my car, I don't remember what he called it," Helga reiterated the events back to her mother. "Well, that little blond boy has always had a thing for you. I bet he came running at the chance to be your knight in shining armor," Merriam started. "Weren't you two going out at one point," She asked her daughter. "Yeah mom for like a few months when we were ten. He and I are just friends now. He knows a bit about cars so he helped out," Helga explained.
"Well, all I remember is you pining after him. Alfred is his name right? So that's over. Do you guys ever see each other outside of school?" Merriam asked. "His name is Arnold. We've only hung out once, a couple weeks ago. We've just been learning how to be civil to each other lately. And he's not a little boy anymore. He's uh…. Bigger," Helga finished. "He'd be about eighteen right?" Merriam asked. "Yeah, why?" Helga asked. "Well what does he look like now, that's he's grown up and slightly legal?" Merriam asked with a sly look in her eyes. "Ew Mrs. Robinson, gross. What are you thinking?" Helga asked. "I just wanted to know if you had a current picture is all," Merriam said. Helga rolled her eyes. "Well, this is him…" Helga pulled out her phone and showed her the video Arnold celebrating after his big victory earlier. "He's a moron and a meat head, but that's what he looks like," Helga said. Merriam's eyes widened as she looked at the video, then she looked up at Helga. "My god, he is ripped! That's what boys look like these days? You're not interested in that?" She asked her daughter. "Yeah mom, I only care that they look…. Incredibly sexy," Helga admitted. "Forget what's between his ears," Helga directed at her mother. "Come on Helga I know a little more about you than that. Tell me what he's like," Her mother said to her. Helga felt hesitant. She loved talking with sober Merriam. She never stayed that way for long, however. She knew normal Merriam would come around and any time they had together would be gone.
"Well, mom. He's sweet….." Helga paused scared to let on too much. "He's the same sensitive, caring, honest person he's always been. Shockingly, we like a lot of the same music I've come to find out. We even like a lot of the same movies. Oh and he's kind of interesting just to sit back and speak to, you know?" Helga continued. "He always knows exactly what to say, not to sound cool or anything. Just to make you feel better. Most of all he's genuine. When he says he cares, he really follows though," Helga exhaled and looked off for a moment. Her mother smiled deeply at her daughter as she listening to her describe this young man she knew. "What Merriam?" Helga asked when she noticed the look she was giving her. "Nothing darling, it's just nice to hear that you're getting along so well at school," her mother said.
"So how is the writing going?" Merriam asked. Helga looked surprised. "What? I don't miss everything that happens here," Merriam added. "Well it's going, alright I guess. I got rejected for a story I did a couple weeks ago," Helga said as Merriam interrupted with "Oh honey, I'm sorry." Helga continued, "it's O.K. mom, I've actually moved on to another piece I was working on for a literary magazine," Helga finished. "Wow honey, I'd love to read it if you'd be alright with it," she said to Helga. Helga stopped for a moment and thought about it. Hesitant to let Sober Merriam trick her. "Well I have a copy of the revised draft I had one of my teachers look at. Here," she handed her mother a printed copy of the essay. "Well I'm so proud of you honey, I can't wait to read this," I'll sit down clean and sober and read it all!" Merriam said. Helga looked at her mother, "Yeah sure, because you're the picture of clean living," she thought to herself. "Great, mom," she said to her mother knowing how that will turn out.
Helga didn't say anything, and she looked over to her mother who was studying the movie playing on the television. "Have you ever seen this movie, Helga?" Merriam asked Helga. Helga turned her head to the black and white images on the T.V.. "No mom, I can't say I have," Helga said. "Arnold would know the movie, he seems to know every movie ever made," Helga thought to herself. "It's an old movie called The Postman Always Rings Twice. It's about a woman who falls in love with a drifter and they plan to kill the woman's husband," Merriam said while never breaking with the images on the screen. "If only…. More women had the courage," Helga's mother said, her voice trailing off at the last syllable. Helga looked at the screen playing the movie and then back at her mother studiously watching the movie. "Uh… mom?" Helga said. "Yes, sweetheart?" Her mother turned to her with innocent blue eyes that matched her own. Helga looked back at the screen then back at her mother. With a small amount of alarm she said "Are you alright mom?"
"Well honey, I've been thinking. You carry a lot more responsibility than most teenage girls, I think. I also think that a lot of that is because of me and my drinking," Merriam started. Helga hated these conversations. "Sweetheart, I've started to go to therapy," Helga looked up at her mother. "Really?" she asked. "Yes I have, it's an outpatient rehabilitation program. You go see a therapist a few times a week and you also do group therapy," she said to Helga. "Mom, that's great," Helga said through a smile. "Actually seeing someone for help. That's new. Usually it's just you saying you'll get better and never actually following through," Helga said. "Well you're right, but I'm gonna start trying. I'm not sure how well I can do, but I can try," She said to Helga. Helga smiled and said, "Well I hope you can mom, I hate seeing you this way. I can see you're miserable and I can see how being here effects you. It really hurts to see you kill yourself like this." Helga was never this honest with her mother. Her usual plan of retreat and repression was starting to wear on her, however. She couldn't afford to be quiet any longer. "I know sweety," Merriam answered. Helga hugged her mother and she hugged Helga back. "Are you hungry? I am," Merriam asked. "I am," Helga said. "Well you father is gonna be home soon so I better get something together," Helga's smile disappeared at the words. "Right mom," Helga said as her mother Stood to walk towards the kitchen.