A/N: I want to personally thank DeepVoice06 and dvd123 and Em Pataki again for taking the time to even see AND review this story. I mean, Em Pataki took the time to actually go through my whole story and give her opinion! I mean wow and her stories are awesome please check them out. DeepVoice06 is a legend with the work "Cafeteria Confessions" and its sequel and is in the works of "Living with Helga" WHICH IS AMAZING BY THE WAY! CHECK IT OUT! But the author put out a very good point that just inspired me when I wasn't feeling…that kick to update yet.
As much as I love optimistic fluffy stories, I favor dark themes and conditions that put characters into trouble until they can find solutions and become better in return even after life-changing disasters, which is really the core of life's goal. And DeepVoice06 shares that sentiment too and even encouraged me to keep writing and maybe even she'd love to read it! I thought that with the content of what I put so far, people were turned off to the point where I'm like…"Yeah, I'm the only one reading this now…" But the traffic stats showed me different, so thank you all so much who are still hanging in there!
Dvd123 leaves insightful reviews on what her thoughts are and I am very appreciative of that! Also shout out to Call Me Nettie, thanks again for following the story! And Ayjay435 for the previous shout-out! I'm honestly enjoying this story and writing it out, even though I'm still trying untangle kinks in my head...But for all those who have taken the time to click this fic and actually read it, seriously. Thank you! I know it looks grim, but just remember my guarantee of a worthy ending still stands, so if you can stomach the storms of this story, let's get to it! And yes the "Storms" segment of this story is long as heck so I broke it up with an extra title to it.
And finally, Happy Mother's Day to all you mommies out there!
Welp, there ya have it folks.
After watching that lovely little "episode", THAT officially marked a good STRIKE 2 on my attempts of keeping my psyche intact of trying NOT to think about a certain cheerful football headed person by avoiding activities that would spurn such an action; all the while, spending quality bonding time with ANOTHER cheerful football headed person who just so happened to be my daughter, while also trying NOT to DWELL on the fact that her very ESSENCE was an exact freaking clone of the said football headed person that I tried my hardest NOT to think about…
Criminy, what a day…
And was it over? Oh, far from it…
Helga shook her head vigorously, inwardly cursing as she endeavored to rid the mental images and memories that wracked her brain; courtesy of the little poetry television special that a made a nasty crack in the door she desperately was trying to keep shut, locked, and bolted away in her heart. She let out a bitter laugh at how her daughter was now peacefully snoozing away, cuddled closely and practically latched onto her lap with her head nestled to her chest, despite the storm that continued to rage outside.
The mother briefly wondered if her little girl could hear the similarities between the thundering sounds of the clouds and the thundering of her heart as it pounded away in a tense anxiety. Her weary blue eyes couldn't help but peek over the couch to the small polished wooden décor that held the solution to her stress behind its cabinet doors.
I knew, at the time, that what hid behind those inconspicuous tiny doors was either the best solution for my current…uneasiness or the worst antidote that would have severe effects of damage that wouldn't hit me until later…much, much later: a simple small pint bottle of gin and a lone wine glass that was sure to be covered with dust after being stored away for so long without use. A.K.A. It was what I called, my emergency stash that was perfect for just such an occasion…
"…Do I dare?" Helga wondered silently, drumming her fingers against the sofa's arm before choosing to smack herself in the face, a determined scowl setting in as she turned her eyes away from the cupboard.
"Yeah right, more like, how dare I?! I mean, what am I some kinda' whimpy drink dependent ninny now?! Bullsh**. Like He** I'm even gonna think about paying a visit to that-that STUPID bottle just because of some STUPID close calls! I'm better than that."
"…Right?"
She slowly turned her head back towards the cabinet, her fingers trembling as they drummed the sofa's arm once more. It didn't take long for her to come to a decision as she felt her legs start to move as if ready to bolt from the couch to the cabinet; but her actions, in turn, made the little girl on her lap stir, breaking Helga out of her trance of desperation as she now watched her daughter yawn softly while wiping sleep from her eyes.
"Oh…d-did I fall asweep?" Halenie wondered aloud.
"And finally woke up while preventing me from having a relapse? Huh, whaddaya know, looks like ya did! Way to go kid!" Helga mused and praised mentally, but just rolled her eyes as she responded with a scoff. "Well, DOI! Ya took a one-way trip to Snoozeville and never returned. Heck, forget being out like a light, try a blackout!"
Halenie tilted her head and blinked at her mom obliviously with nothing but pure curiosity in her eyes.
Her mother caught that clueless look instantly as her eyes widened in terror at the realization of what it meant: not only did the little girl not understand half the words of her sarcastic remark, but worse, she was about to engage her mommy in a five year old version of '20 questions' until she could possibly understand what her mother meant…
"Oh, crud. She's got that look…which means that she's about to ask a question that will lead to an infinite number of questions…meaning that the chances of Halenie shutting up anytime soon will be highly unlikely, while the chances of me getting yet another migraine will be confirmed effective immediately as soon as the kid opens her big mouth. Better act fast!"
Helga then quickly covered a hand over her daughter's mouth as she started to open it.
"Ya know what, never mind. Forget I said anything."
Awkwardly yet abruptly clearing her throat, Helga attempted to change the subject by chirping optimistically.
"Welp! I'd say we're on a roll right now. We played your stupid-I mean, your interesting little game of hide and seek, did some TV time on the tube, and you caught some good Z's. Is there anything else ya wanted to do to torture-I MEAN play with mommy today? Hm?"
She hoped her daughter didn't see her eye twitching. She really did.
Halenie looked away with a sheepish expression and started to twiddle her thumbs. Her mom's eyebrow raised in response, knowing that the habit her daughter picked up meant that she was nervous about speaking her mind. But knowing her, she would definitely find a way to spill the beans anyways. She was bold like that, and the parent couldn't help but be proud at that little fact. However, in this case since she could tell that whatever was on her mind meant that she was supposedly wanting to do something fun that, in the definition, would not be so fun for her mommy, she scowled in response.
"Okay. Out with it, Kid. What could you possibly be up to now?"
Halenie hesitated as she looked off to the side as if trying to decide on a response. Her silence, however, continued as she suddenly began to stare off in the distance, lost in her thoughts.
Judging by the lack of response but with the amusing dazed look in Halenie's eyes as her expression turned blank yet with a giddy little smile, it was then when I realized that it was too late.
She was daydreaming.
And it wasn't a first time thing either Bucko, let me tell ya! I mean obviously it was no surprise for me. After all, she's not the first football headed sap that had that annoying little quality perk to her personality, nor was it my first time ever having the fun job of dragging such an enormous head out of the clouds and back to ground level. No, her father gave me PLENTY of experience in that!
But that didn't make the job any easier…Especially considering how her father…was no longer…
Yeah, let's just say that job pretty much sucks for me now.
Instantly irritated, Helga's frown deepened as she snapped her fingers in front of Halenie's face continuously.
"Hey, hey, hey, ooh no you don't little Missy! You're not dazing out on me now! Hey! Hal? Are you listening to-Hal!"
Daydream Sequence…
"More tea for you Mommy Dearest? It wooks like all my other cuddly guests are all full fwom this afternoon's snacks!" Halenie offered formerly, as she held the hem of her beautiful flowery decorated dress in one hand and a bright pink tea kettle in the other; walking around the tastefully decked out table surrounded by stuffed animals and towards her mother who was sitting at the other end of the table dressed in a lengthy yet beautiful pink sundress with her hair curled up in a bun underneath a large pink sunhat.
"Why gosh, that would be just ever so wonderful my most favorite daughter in the whole wide world! "
Helga replied sweetly while winking at her daughter lovingly. "Oh and why don't ya fill up Helie's cup too while you're at it toots, she looks parched." She pointed to the worn looking stuffed doll that her mother earlier forbid her to have, but was now sitting sideways at the table in a baby doll's sun hat and pearls.
"Whatever you say, mommy! I'm on it!" Halenie saluted and rushed to fill her new doll "Helie's" plastic cup. "Hey Mommy, ya wanna know why I named this dolly, Helie?"
"And why is that my little lovable daughter dearest?" Helga smiled sweetly with interest.
"Because she looks like you! Gwandma and Gwandpa and Gweat Gwandma and Gweat Gwandpa showed I and Philie-
"-Me and Philie." The mother corrected automatically, still in a sugar covered tone.
Hal nodded. "-Me and Philie…some pictures of you when you were a kid and-and the dolly looks like you…only a lot happier since it's smiling and doesn't wook so angwy!" Halenie squinted to look at the doll's tattered face only to frown at the crafted furrowed unibrow. "At least…I tink she's smiling…" She mumbled.
"Well there's a reason for that, ya know." Helga shrugged and smiled, bopping her daughter on the nose with her finger, making her giggle.
"Weally? What? Why does she wook wike you?" Halenie's smile widened.
"Because it's supposed to BE me, DOI!" Helga deadpanned, rolling her eyes with a smirk.
Halenie gasped in delight, slapping her hands to her cheeks dramatically. "Oh my gosh! Weally?! That's so cool! Was it a pwesent for you then? W-was it for Chwismas?! Who gave it to you?!"
Halenie watched her mother's blushing face turn away and frown slightly as if thinking of something sad, only to break out in a quiet giggle and turn back towards her thumping her playfully on the nose.
"Oh Halie Walie you're such a silly little goose. I'm so happy you decided to play tea party. I never knew how much fun spending time with you could be!" Helga exclaimed.
Halenie wanted to blink at the sudden subject change, but was too excited over her mother's words to care and immediately rushed to glomp her in a hug.
"Me too, Mommy! I'm so happy you decided to play with me today! It's…all I ever wanted more than anything in the whole world!"
"Ooh, my precious little Darling!" Helga swooned as she started an onslaught of playful kisses and raspberries on her daughter's cheeks.
"Mommy loves you so much! I'm sorry I never said it like I needed to all this time.
"It-it's okay Mom! You're saying it now, so it makes it aall better! I love y-"
"HALENIE STELLA SHORTMAN! FOR CRIPES SAKE, SNAP OUT OF IT ALREADY!"
Liberated from her daydream, Halenie shook her head and stared up innocently at her now very irritated mother. "Huh? Oh, hi Mommy! S-sowwy about that." She gave a shy smile.
Helga smacked a palm on her forehead, hoping that by the time she brought it down her face, her blood pressure that she also deemed as her "annoyance levels" would decrease. Luckily, it did.
"Be nice Helga ol' girl. Just. Tolerate and Be. Nice…"
"Riight." Helga droned. She continued her sentence through a grit teeth grin, hoping that her daughter would catch on to the politeness instead of the restrained agitation in her tone.
"Soo, as I was say-ing, is there any-thing ELSE that you wanted to do with Mom-my to-day?"
"Well, ac-actually, there is this one thing that I weally, weally want to do with you mommy that I've always wanted to, but never got to…" Halenie smiled, albeit reluctantly as she braced herself for her mom to outright refuse her request.
"Oh? And what could that be ex-ac-tly?" Helga raised her eyebrow and continued in the same restrained tone, not losing the overly dramatic grit tooth smile.
"Well…I-I want to-umm…" Halenie stuttered. She just knew her mother would say no.
Helga lost her patience. "Oh for crying out loud…OUT WITH IT KIDDO! GEEZ!" She then frowned sympathetically once her daughter flinched.
"Right. Way to go, Helga. Scare the living daylights out of her. That oughta' make her excited to pour her heart out to ya…"
"Hal…I'm-I-uhm…" She attempted to apologize, only to fail. For some reason, with every apology offered, her mouth felt like it was full of peanut butter…while choking on it at the same time.
Her daughter looked down to the ground sadly, only for her mom to put a hand up to her chin, tilting it upwards to meet her apologetic gaze.
"Hey look…I-I'm s-sure that whatever it is you want to do can't be that bad right? Just tell me what it is. Okay? I promise…I'll be up to it. Whatever it is."
"…Pwomise?" Halenie gave her a skeptical yet hopeful look as she held out her pinky.
Helga's eyebrow rose once more. "Pinky swearing huh? This kid means business. Now Helga, you got this. Just be nice and don't mess this up. I'm sure whatever it is, it can't be all that bad. Besides, it'll be well worth it."
"Promise." The mom chuckled but stated firmly while hooking her pinky with her daughter's.
A mile-wide grin spread across the little girl's face, making the mother smile with amusement.
"Ok, now we're talkin! See? That wasn't so hard at all. You got this, Helga. Now all I gotta do is follow up. A promise is a promise after all."
"LET'S HAVE A TEA PARTY!" Halenie exclaimed in a confident squeal as she threw her hands up joyfully.
Helga's amused smile dropped at an astounding speed. "Aaand promises were made to be broken…"
"Yeah, no." She deadpanned immediately.
"B-but!" Halenie tried.
"No."
"But you-!"
"-Nope."
"But Mommy you just-!" Halenie tried to rush.
"-Don't care! Nu-uh! Noooo. No way, no how sis-er I mean, daughter." Helga corrected awkwardly before steeling her face once more and poking her daughter's nose as she pointed accusingly at her.
"You might have roped me into your little corral of silly games before, but Helga G. Pataki. Does NOT and I mean does NOT do stupid, frilly, waste of time activities as degrading as a fu-er, I mean as a freaking tea party! Not a chance in he-"
Helga paused her refusal rant to see Halenie looking down lifelessly to the ground as her tears fell. Her shoulders slumped and she sniffed as she wordlessly turned and walked away from her mother without a fight.
Helga blinked, surprised at the silence as guilt once again came to feast on her insides.
She tried to defy her remorse by turning her back and folding her arms with a huff.
"W-well I, I mean…okay then! That settles it! I mean you can g-go ahead and cue the waterworks all ya want, but like I said, there's NO WAY I will ever and I mean EVER have a stupid tea party with you."
5 minutes later…
"I CANNOT FU***** believe I'm actually going to have a STUPID tea party with you!" Helga growled furiously as she let her daughter joyfully drag her by the hand upstairs to her master closet to find the appropriate attire for the event.
"Mommy! Pwease! You shouldn't say such bad words like that! Adults maybe can say it without time-outs, but it's not nice or apo-apo-a-poke-key-rake-it." Halnie rebuked while struggling with her pronunciation.
"Apropriate." Helga auto-corrected in a grumble as she slapped a palm to her forehead.
"Criminy, how this kid can fu** up her syllables and pronunciations at times yet still be such a know-it-all is beyond me!"
"Yeah! That! It's not a-pope-read-ate-it to say awound kids, and that's special lee cause we're supposed to be ladies! Ladies getting weady for DA BEST TEA PARTY EVER!" Halenie finished correcting with a cheer at the end of her sentence.
"Whoopee." Helga droned.
"Now, first ting's first. We gots to get some pwetty dwesses to wear for the party! You have a pwetty dwess in your closet SOMEWHERE I just know it! Don't you, Momma?" Halenie asked with a smile.
"Not really, no." Helga droned again.
Halenie blew a raspberry in a scoff. "Aw nonsensenses of course you do! Lots of mommies have pwetty stuff to wear. We just have to look for it weally hard that's all! Now let's see…"
Halenie then started rummaging through her mother's master closet throwing out a variety of choice clothing that did not meet her approval.
"…Hmm…Nope. Nope. Nu-uh, that's not weally pwetty….Meh it's pink but meh…Nope… Nopers. Nope, nope, nope. Aaand more nopes. Nopie nope, nope. Nopety, nope."
Helga could only watch on wide-eyed as her daughter practically yanked all the shirts, pants, and fabric that she could find from their hangers and threw them over her shoulder carelessly, covering her with the pile of discarded clothes before she had a chance to viciously protest.
"Aww…I don't see nothing but lots of blue jeanie pants with holes in them!" Halenie huffed, clearly frustrated as she put her hands on her hips.
"Mommy! Why do all your pants have lots of holes in them? Uh, Mommy?"
Halnie blinked with shock as she realized that her mom was no longer behind her.
"Mommy? Where'd you go?!" She cried as she walked past the gigantic tall and messy pile of bundled clothes on the floor.
"Mom?! Mo-om?! MO-OMMY! WHERE ARE YOU?!" Halenie shouted.
Feeling the pain of the new migraine that throbbed in her head, Helga immediately shot up from under the bundled clothing, red faced, frazzled, and ready to curse up a storm as she glared down at her daughter with a vengeance.
However, her daughter didn't give her the chance.
"Mommy! There you are! What are you doing hiding in the pile of clothes? You look silly!" Halenie pointed and giggled continuously.
Helga expected her temper to rage even further at being mocked, but there was something about the gleeful tone in her daughter's laughter that had a calming effect on her anger instead, and left her stunned in a confusing silence rather than the explosion she was ready to give.
She could only blink in response as she questioned her reaction…
"What is WITH ME?! I-I should be a blazing volcano of FURY by now and this-this-little YUTZ should be drowning in the magma of my madness! I mean I'm annoyed as he** right now! I'm almost ready to tear my hair out from how stupid this all is! Not to mention I've got a pounding migraine again! So…why do I feel like I want to…I-I actually want to-"
The next thing she knew, before she could stop herself or come to her senses, Helga felt her lips quiver and a snicker escaping, before a full burst of laughter erupted and she found herself laughing along with her daughter.
"We're not playing hide and seek anymore, Silly! Doi! Ha-ha! Eew! You've got underpants on your head!" Halenie teased.
"What the actual fu** just happened?!" Helga continued laughing as she removed the undergarments off of her head, not noticing her daughter pausing to rebuke her again.
"Mommy! You did it again! No bad words!" Halenie folded her arms.
"Ah, clam up you goodie two-shoes!" Helga scowled but then smirked as she took the garment, bundled it up, and threw it at her daughter's face.
"AAHH! UNDERPANTS!" Halenie exclaimed as she quickly threw it off her head.
"Oh, lighten up! They're not even dirty! What are you? Rhonda Lloyd now?!" Helga rolled her eyes, not losing the smirk.
"Oh, no way! Auntie Rhonda would have waaay much more of a cow if underpants were thrown on HER head…at least if they're not Uncle Curly's…" Halenie reasoned casually with a shrug.
Helga froze as her eye twitched at the disturbing thought. "I now wish brain bleach was a real thing."
"Yeah, I'm just-I'm just gonna pretend you didn't say that." She grimaced before feeling a shirt hit her square in the face.
She whipped her head around to find her daughter stifling giggles.
"Payback." Halenie stuck her tongue out at her mom.
"Well now. Looks like you've just started a war." Helga stated simply as she calmly gathered more clothes and bundled them into a ball.
Halenie's eyes widened and she shrieked as she tried to run around the room and dodge her mother's aim.
Helga merely shook her head at her antics. "Seeing as I was known as the G.O.A.T queen of dodgeball in gym class back in middle school, I must now point out how such a move was rather ill-advised of you."
Helga smirked as she directly hit her daughter with the bundle of clothes.
"AH! No fair!" Halenie pouted as she rushed to retaliate with more clothes.
Her mother easily dodged her messy aims, and readied another attack.
"Does this mean you wish to surrender now, mortal?" She scoffed while smiling evilly.
"NNNEEEEVVVAAA!" Halenie fist pumped the air valiantly as she gathered up as many clothes as her arms could carry to bundle them up for her attack.
Helga once again easily dodged and continued her own onslaught of hits with various clothing.
Before both females knew it, the entire room was covered with different articles of clothing that was spread out from the bed to the floor, to the lamp post, and even some parts of the master bathroom.
"'Gotta say Kid, you put up quite a fight there." Helga mused as she folded her arms in approval.
"Thanks! Y-you too Mommy. Wow, you were like a harder final boss than Philie when he throws clothes at me all the time!" Halenie panted, not as winded as her mother was from the activity, but it was fair to say she got her exercise.
She then frowned as her eyes widened. "Uh oh…"
"What?" Helga raised her eyebrow.
"We um…" She gulped. "I tink we made a wiittle mess…" Halenie's voice grew quiet with nervousness as she looked around the room.
Helga blinked until she dared to let her eyes scan across the room.
Her pupils dilated instantly. "Oh…my…"
Yeeeaah, I really wanted to scream at that point in time.
To say that the room looked like a tornado ripped through it would be a complete understatement. Clothes were EVERY. FREAKING. WHERE! It was bad. I mean, I could barely remember at the time, but apparently I used the bed mattress as my fortress and base while she used a pile of pillows in the corner of the room for hers, and the ammo was evident in every spot I could see.
I'm talkin' shirts on the bed, under the bed, pants on top of the curtains, and jackets on the nightstand; heck my bed sheet and comforter was in the freaking master bathroom tub! And DON'T even ask about the sink and toilet! Criminy I didn't even remember having that many mismatched pairs of socks!
But THAT wasn't even the worse part Bucko! The worse part, was the confusion I felt over it all! I mean, one moment, I'm ready to rip my daughter's head off with a verbal assault and the next, we're laughing like lunatics in a blazing war of throwing…well blazers and other clothes and stuff…And I was actually…enjoying it?
How?
How was that even possible?
It was like suddenly, I just felt lighter inside...A great contrast to the usual dark heaviness I was so used to bearing and trudging around in my heart for years that even worsened in the…more recent years. I mean, call me crazy but for a moment it was like I actually felt something I hadn't in a long time…
It was hard to describe the word with minimal difficulty…
What was that feeling exactly? Carelessness? Quirkiness? Maybe even crazy? Well Doi, it was all of that obviously, but it was something else…
...Fun?
…Dare I say…happiness?
That word seemed so fu**ing foreign to me.
But it was there…I felt it. I knew what it was like to feel that wonderful yet accursed emotion. And it made me remember…what it was like to feel that lightness and when it was a constant in my life. And suddenly, the brief, light, airy feeling vanished and was replaced with the heaviness I have become accustomed to…only the burden was even heavier, as if it was a punishment for my brief reminiscing…
Reminiscing of him…
And there it was again…
I felt that feeling from earlier building up inside of me. Ready to burst.
I had to stop it.
Helga tried to resist the urge to clutch her chest as she felt that pang once more, and instead, surveyed the messy room in silence.
It was pretty obvious that she was NOT looking forward to laundry day. At all.
Her daughter's heavy sigh broke her out of her thoughts for a moment.
"I'm sowwy Mommy…I-I guess this means no tea party until the mess is all cleaned up, huh?"
Halenie asked sadly, though her question was more of a statement as she felt her hopes dashed into pieces and tried hard not to let tears flow.
But though it was a sad moment for Halenie, it was not so for Helga, as she concluded that this was the "out" she needed to get out of the complicated situation.
The mother couldn't help but smile brightly at the thought, as she regained control of her spiraling emotions.
"CRIMINY! FINALLY things are lookin' up! Okay, Helga! This is the scape goat that I DESPERATELY needed right now. I mean, nothing can go wrong! The kid offered to call it quits herself, she's in total resignation mode which even though that might ignite a few waterworks and pity party pouts, works perfectly in MY favor! I'm gonna have to really sell it with how I've got to clean up this dump of a mess and laundry day is definitely gonna be hell on earth, but it'll be worth it."
Helga shrugged and readied her semi-sympathetic response of comfort for her disappointed daughter, only to pause at the look on the girl's face.
She was completely distraught.
Helga hesitated as her inward battle raged. "OH NO! Nope! She can frown all she wants, but this Pataki will NOT be swayed! NOT this time. I need this! She's gonna have to suck it up, swallow, and choke on it, for I shall NOT be moved!"
Helga steeled her face once more, her optimism returning despite her daughter's depressed state.
"Well, Hal Pal, ya know sometimes that's just the way cookies crumble. But hey, don't look so down. There's always next time right? Hey, just for the heck of it, Mommy will even let you help me out with the laundry! And we'll have a grand ol' time until your brother comes back, you two can play to your hearts content, leaving Mommy to her mommy time and things will go back to normal! Heck they'll get even better when school starts!"
Let it be noted that those were the words I WANTED and PLANNED to say to the kid in that moment, but somehow, they never passed the stupid exit gateway of my brain.
Instead my response was…
"Well, Hal Pal, ya know sometimes that's just the way cookies crumble. But hey, don't look so down now. I mean, it's not like this dump will get clean any faster either way, so cut the water works, and let's get this stupid show back on the road before Mommy changes her mind, kay?"
And as a result of that response, my mind then went ballistic.
"TH-THE FU**?! THAT'S, THAT'S NOT-THAT. IS. NOT. WHAT I WAS GONNA SAY TO HER! WHAT AM I DOING?! DA** IT! Okay, now I gotta do damage control. Calm down Helga, you can still fix this. Fu** the fact that the kid is now smiling and what not with renewed hope, I gotta burn this bridge down STAT."
Halenie's tears immediately stopped as her face brightened hopefully. "Y-you mean it? You mean you still want to have a tea party together, Mommy?! Really?!"
Helga frowned. "Don't waver on this Helga. Now give an empathetic shake of the head and END THIS."
The mother sighed with regret as she shook her head. "It's not exactly my cup of tea so to speak, heck I'd rather have a root canal, but what the hey, a promise is a promise and it's not like I got anything better to do with this stupid storm outside anyways. And I sure as heck don't feel like cleaning up this crappy mess right now."
Halenie's smile only grew.
Anyone else would have easily taken offense to the details of my blunt statement, but all the five-year-old understood from my sentence was that "mommy still said yes to the tea party." As a result, Halenie rushed to hug me briefly before scrambling back over to my closet to look for the, and I quote, "the most perfect, bestest tea part outfit for a lady". Meanwhile, I was having an interesting conversation with my lovely little thoughts…
Helga slapped a hand over her face. Hard.
"MY MOUTH IS A BI***! IT'S A REBELLING PIECE OF SH** RIGHT NOW! WAY TO GO HELGA! THIS IS JUST PERFECT! Not only can I NOT get out of this situation and ruined every chance I had TO get OUT of this situation, but my big mouth just practically fu**ed me over and said everything that I didn't want to say! Or rather, went against everything that I was THINKING to say that would've gotten me out of this mess!"
Her violent inner barrage was interrupted by the sound of an excited gasp.
"Mommy! Mommy, I think I found something!" Halenie exclaimed as she pulled her mom's hand over to the closet to see her discovery of a simple, yet elegant pink sundress.
Helga's face paled when she saw it. "NO! NOT THAT ONE!"
The little girl squealed. "Mommy! That's it! It's perfect! It's better than I ever dweamed! I think it's the same dwess Philie and me saw you in the picture Gwandma and Gwandpa gave us! It's so pwetty! It's perfect for the tea part-"
"NO! NOT THAT ONE!" Helga blurted only to slap her hand over her mouth as she scowled.
"Oh, so NOW my words wants to agree with my brain?! Well ain't that a pip!"
"Wha-?! B-but whyyy?! It's so pwetty!" Halenie whined.
"I uh…I can't wear that because I uh…it-it doesn't fit me anymore! Yeah! I mean it's been years! Have ya seen how fat I got? I mean criminy!" Helga rushed her words.
"Mommy, you're not fat." Halenie gave an exasperated look. "And the size is the same as the other clothes you wear. See? Look! This says the letter M on the tag thingy like your other clothes have. So, doi! I'm pwetty sure it still fits you!"
Helga's eyes widened at the little girl's witty answer and said a few profanities in her mind. "DA** IT! Of all the times to show the traits she got from me of being a smarta**, OF COURSE, it had to be at MY expense."
Helga scowled. "Look here, Miss Smartie Pants, when I said no that means no! So you better watch your mouth before I-"
Halenie put her hands up in surrender. "Okay! Okay! I'm sowwy! Pwease don't be mad again! I-I just thought that this made you look so pwetty and I-"She started sniffling once more.
Helga scrambled to make a recovery.
"Oh, come on Hal! Give me a break here! Criminy! Uh–uh okay hey look!" She faked a gasp that got the little girl's attention as she held out a hot pink pantsuit.
"Look here see? This is not only pink and is mommy's size, but there are no holes in the pants! Pretty snazzy huh?"
Halenie blinked at her mother's choice of clothing. "It's…nice…But Mom, it's still not a pwetty dwe-"
"-Take it or leave it or I'm blowin' your tea party plan to smithereens." Helga deadpanned seriously.
"Fine…I'll take it…" Halenie relented, knowing she was beat. Her face brightened slightly once she fully examined the outfit.
"I guess it IS a pwetty color of pink…it'll pass enough for the tea party I guess…" She finished with a shrug.
"Good. Glad you see things my way for a change." Helga smirked.
"Now you get to help me pick my dwess!" Halenie exclaimed with a smile as she tugged her mother's hand once more out of the room and towards her room.
"Whoopee again." Helga droned.
As my hand continued to be yanked against my will by my overly-excited and gushing with glee daughter who was now skipping joyfully down the hallway, I continued to battle the events within my mind of how I got myself in such an UNWANTED predicament. Especially when so far, my actions and words were suggesting that maybe I DID WANT the UNWANTED predicament after all.
Though it was a complete fact that my nerves were overworked past the point of no return, there was just something rather refreshing about that mini football head's liveliness that I just couldn't deny…or even let pass me by.
I just…Well, criminy! I don't know! I just had a craving for whatever it was that made the little brat feel that way. It was as if her jolliness was contagious or something, and maybe it kind of served as a remedy to whatever bleak reality I was suffering from…Not that a few tall generous glasses of vodka couldn't do the same, but this seemed to have the same wanted results minus the hangovers…
But I still felt that it was a bad idea…
Eh, maybe I was overreacting?
Maybe…
"Well, it's official. I am perplexed." Helga thought as she resisted the urge to bang her head on the nearby, lavender colored wall.
She took a deep breath and tried to reason with herself.
"Oh get over yourself Pataki and just do this stupid little thing for the girl's amusement so she can quit bugging you. I mean it's just a stinkin' boring tea party! I mean nothing bad ever happens at those things. It'll be fine..."
"…Right?"
Helga tried to ignore the feeling of anxiety in her stomach and instead focused on her daughter pulling out another one of her poufy Sunday best dresses and putting it up towards her only to stick her tongue out and throw it over her shoulder.
She dug through her closet once more until she pulled out another dress that was light pink, simple, sleeveless, but elegant in its own way with a ribbon sash tied in a simple bow in the middle. Halenie stared at it for a moment, contemplating quietly before a voice broke the silence.
"That'll work."
Halenie turned her head to see her mother looking at the dress. "Oh! You like this one Mommy?"
Helga nodded. "Yeah it's beautifu-I-I mean!" She shook her head and shrugged. "You-you know I mean it's the appropriate attire for this pathetic little clam bake you want to have and it's better than standing around here all day making even more of a mess, so you might as well go with that one."
Halenie rolled her eyes playfully. "Wight. Whatever you say, Mommy! Okay then! The mini-mommy sundwess it is!"
"Mini-mommy?" Helga raised an eyebrow.
"Well yeah! It wooks just wike the dwess we found in your closet that you said you can't wear cause you're too fat! See?" Halenie explained as she held up the old photo that was given to her and her brother of their beautiful mother in the pink sundress in one hand and her little sundress on a hanger in the other.
Helga automatically saw the matching resemblance and felt a tingly warm sensation enter her heart.
She couldn't help but smile slightly. "Huh, well whaddya know…" She muttered quietly.
"Uh huh, that's why I wanted YOU to wear YOUR sundwess so we can match!" Halenie stressed to her mother.
"Yeah, well that's not happenin' Kiddo. So deal with it." Helga said pointedly while looking at her nails casually.
"Okay, I'm dealing…" Halenie muttered in surrender. "And…mom?"
Helga droned a dry and careless "huh" at her, before giving her eye contact. She was caught off guard by the warmth in her daughter's smile.
"Thanks….for evewything…" Halenie said.
"F-for what? You picked the stinkin' dress." Helga mumbled with her eybrow raised.
Halenie just shook her head. "No silly, not just for tha-at, but for having a tea party with me! It's-it's something I've always wanted to do with you…Actually…All I ever wanted was time with you, Mom. And it's wike a dweam come twue that I'm getting it now. So…Th-thank you!"
Helga was ready to wave her off, with a simple, "Don't sweat it, kid." But the sincerity and innocence in her daughter's calm voice could only make her nod slowly at her in response instead.
The two females then shared a genuine smile.
And suddenly, Helga's earlier anxieties seemed to lessen as she thought, "Huh…Call me crazy, but for some reason…I don't feel like things could go wrong right now…"
To Be Continued.