Disclaimer: I do not own Hey Arnold or any of the characters. Hey Arnold is the property of Nickelodeon and Craig Bartlett.

The First Year

The In Laws part 1

Arnold and Helga prepare to have dinner with his parents and grandparents.

Early July

Sunday

It was a nice, quiet evening in the city of Hillwood. The weather had been nice, people had enjoyed their days and now the afternoon was turning into early dusk and many people were getting home to prepare supper.

In a nice, two bedroom apartment on the west side of town, a young blonde woman had arrived home about an hour ago and was in the middle of preparing supper. She was wearing an apron, her long blonde hair was tied into a loose ponytail and she was busy cooking up a storm.

"Okay…The rice just needs a little more time…Better check on the roast…" The woman said as she opened the oven to see how it was coming along.

It was a pretty large chicken who was already bronzed and looking very tender and that was good.

"Alright…" The woman said as she closed and went back to the rest of her cooking.

She was expecting some company tonight and she wanted to get everything ready in time. Suddenly, the apartment door opened and a young man with an oblong head came in, carrying a brown paper bag in his hand.

"Helga honey, I'm home…" Arnold said in a sing-song voice.

"In the kitchen, darling…Did you get the tomatoes?..." The woman, identified as Helga, said as she was checking over the rice once more.

"Yep, along with the carrots and black pepper you wanted…" Arnold said as he placed the bag on the counter.

"Perfect, I'll get started on the salad soon, you go get ready, your parents and grandparents are due in about an hour and I need everything ready…" Helga said as she started washing the vegetables for the salad.

It's been about 2 weeks since she and Arnold had gotten married and Helga was still in a state of matrimonial bliss. However, his parents and grandparents had wanted to come over and Arnold had invited them to join for Sunday supper and right now Helga was busy preparing that.

She really loved Arnold's family and she really wanted this dinner to go well. Arnold liked her cooking and she hoped his folks did too.

"The roast smells delicious…" Arnold complimented.

"Thanks, now get going…I got a dinner to make and then start with dessert…" She said as she started peeling the carrots.

"Alright, I'll put on my good tie…" Arnold said.

"Alright, it's in your second drawer, on the right…" Helga said, not even bothering to look since she knew he was pretty forgetful about it.

"Thanks…" Arnold said as he went to their bedroom to get ready for the folks.

"Oh Football head…you are all mine, for better or worse…" Helga said with a smile as she continued to finish dinner and then get a start with dessert.

A wife's work was never done.

Elsewhere

At a certain Boarding house

A pair of aged couples were in the mist of getting ready to visit their beloved son and grandson and his lovely new wife for dinner in their new home.

"Miles, please hurry…We promised to meet Arnold and Helga at 6:30 and it's 6:15…" Stella Shortman said as she waited for her husband to get ready.

"I'm looking for my good tie…" Miles said as he opened the door and was still tie-less.

"It's in your second drawer on the left…" Stella said with patience.

Miles went just there and soon found it.

"Thanks honey…" Miles said as he began to tie it.

"POOKIE! YOU ARE NOT TAKING THAT TO ARNOLD'S HOUSE!...' The loud voice of Grandpa Phil echoed through the hall.

"Uh-Oh, could you check on mom and dad Stella, I got to tie this…" Miles said as he gestured to his tie.

Stella nodded and went out to see her mother in-law Gertrude Shortman dressed like a pilgrim and carrying a large churn used for butter and what looked to be a large cauldron. Meanwhile Grandpa Phil looked like he was just about to be driven up the wall.

"You get these crazy things out of here and put on your Sunday dress…" Phil shouted.

"But the little misses might be needing some help in the kitchen and I don't want to show up unprepared…" Gertie said in an old world accent.

"Helga won't have any use for a churn or this stupid old cauldron…besides they won't fit in the Packard, so get them out of here…" Phil said impatiently.

"Now go put on your Sunday dress…" Phil ordered.

"Old stick in the mud…" Gertie muttered to him.

"Now Gertie…Phil…Let's cool down…You both promised to behave, this is the first dinner we're having with Arnold and Helga in their new home and I know that Helga is probably stressed enough as it is…" Stella said in a passive tone.

She suspected that Helga is probably going mad trying to make a nice dinner for the 6 of them, especially since she wanted it to go well for her new in-laws. Stella understood that since she could still remember the first time she hosted dinner for Phil and Gertie when she and Miles were newlyweds and it was a little stressful…although at least Helga won't have to hunt or rely on jungle flora for ingredients at least.

"Now come on, we have to be there in about 15 minutes, so get ready…" Stella said to the two old folks who nodded.

"Oh alright, I ain't really in the mood for Wampanoag autumn stew anyway…" Gertie muttered as she put her churn down.

"Neither are Arnold and Helga, now let's get…" Phil said as he took his wife to their room to get ready.

"Well that takes care of them…" Stella said, glad that was resolved.

"Stella, honey…a little help please. .." Her husband Miles called from their bedroom.

Stella rolled her eyes but smiled in acceptance and she went to tend to him.

A wife's work was never done, after all.

A little later

The two Shortman couples have just arrived to their son's apartment, dressed in their Sundays best and that included Gertie who was wearing her nice green dress. Stella was holding a Tupperware with coleslaw in her hands.

" I do hope Helga doesn't mind the coleslaw, maybe I should have brought something else..." Stella wondered.

"Don't worry, neither Arnold or Helga are picky eaters, besides you can never go wrong with coleslaw..." Miles said as he rang the doorbell.

A few moments later, the door opened to reveal Helga who was wearing her favorite pink blouse and white skirt.

"Miles...Stella...Phil...Gertie... It's great to see you. .." Helga said politely.

"Now Helga remember that it's mom and dad now..." Stella said before kissing her cheek.

"Yeah, sorry..." Helga said as she welcomed them inside her new home.

"As well as Buana and the general to us, dear Eleanor ..." Gertie said in one of her moments of eccentricities.

"Pookie! Cut that out..." Phil chided as his wife got into another one of her acts.

"We brought some coleslaw if you like..." Stella said as she held it out.

"Thank you..." Helga said as she took the container.

"Well I gotta say, you sure got this place looking real nifty..." Phil said as he looked around the apartment.

"Thanks...Arnold is finishing setting the table..." Helga said as she guided them to the dining room and the was Arnold and the dining table all prepared.

"Good evening mom and dad...grandma and grandpa..."Arnold said.

"Hey there Shortman..."Phil greeted as he examined his grandson... "I see you are still right and smiling...looks like the newlywed syndrome hasn't worn off yet..." He joked.

"Grandpa..." Arnold said in amused exasperation.

"Dinner looks and smell good Helga..." Miles complimented as he eyed the spread.

There was cooked rice, caeser salad, grilled asparagus, amongst some other dishes and right in the center of it all was a delicious looking roast chicken with stuffing, potatoes and vegetables. Helga soon placed Stella ' s coleslaw as well and turned to her family.

"Thank you..." She said, flattered before continuing. .."Alright everybody, let's dig in..." She said.

"You don't have to ask me twice...heh...heh..." Phil said as he took as seat, with the rest of the family following.

So commences Sunday supper.

The entire family was gathered at the table, said grace and were now eating and chatting as families always do.

"Mmmm. ..I gotta say Helga, your roast is delicious..." Miles complimented as he took another bite out of his piece.

"Thanks dad..." Helga said before eating more of her salad.

"I'll say, this is good eatin' and not having to deal with crab grass salad or stuffing made out of straw or having to fight off that bum Kokashka from taking more than his share is a nice for a change ..." Phil said, referring to his wife's eccentric cooking and the state of their typical evenings in their boarding house.

"Don't go bagging on my family's old recipes!..." Gertie shot at him while Phil grumbled under his breath.

"So how's everything going with your new novel Helga?..." Stella asked, wanting to change the subject.

"I just submitted it yesterday to Mr. Wright and I'm still crossing fingers, you know what they say about sequels..." Helga said.

"I already proof read it and it was every bit as amazing as the original. .." Arnold said as he held his wife's hand.

"You're just saying that because your my husband..." Helga said.

"Even so, I know a good book when I read one..." Arnold said honestly.

"Well I for one can't wait to read it Helga ..." Stella said, having loved the first book very much.

"Me too, how soon do you think until it's out?..." Miles asked.

"If Mr. Wright likes it, maybe a few weeks..." She answered.

"What do you mean by "If"? You're a talented woman and only a simpleton would think of you as anything else..." Gertie said, making Helga smiled at that.

"She's got that right..." Arnold said with a smirk.

"What about you short-man, how's work at the University? ..." Grandpa Phil asked as he took another bite out of the roast.

"Wonderful so far, me and my colleagues are planning on making an expedition to South America in a few months in order to study on some the native tribes..." Arnold said.

"That's my boy, an anthropologist through and through. .." Miles said proudly.

"You can say that again. .." Stella said with a proud smile.

"Thanks mom and dad..." Arnold said as he went back to his dinner.

The entire family went back to eating the rest of the dinner, talking and joking about everything. Soon dinner was finished with and now it was time to move onto dessert.

"Man am I stuffed..." Phil said before letting out a belch.

"Grandpa..." Arnold chided.

"My compliments to the chef...heh..." The old man said.

"It was delicious Helga..."Stella said as she and Gertie were helping her clear the table to make way for the dessert portion of the evening.

"Thanks, and wait till you see what I got for dessert..." Helga said as she went to get it.

Soon the lovely newlywed wife returnee with an apple pie and started serving slices to the family, starting with her husband.

"Alright, pie time..." Arnold said in excitement as he started eating his slice of apple pie.

"Mmmm. ..Apple pie, a classic..." Phil said before gorging himself.

"You said you were stuffed dad..." Miles said with a smirk.

"You can never be too full for pie, son..." Phil said as he continued.

"At least not with one of Helga's..." Arnold said sweetly.

"Thank you darling..." Helga said as she began to eat as well, feeling positively please with herself that they liked her cooking.

She already knew that Arnold liked her cooking and she was proud of that, but she was happy to know that his family...THEIR family, liked it as well. It made her feel good, really.

The family continued enjoying their dessert and soon went to the living room to continuing chatting and enjoying each other's company. All in all, it was a very nice Sunday evening for all three generations of the Shortman family and more would come.

-To be continued-

Next time on The First Year

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A/N: I am sorry that it took so long to update, had a lot to do with college but I'm back.

Happy Sunday, everyone!

REPLIES to my loyal and totally awesome reviewers:

Invader Johnny: With them, you can count on it :)

Metalheadrailfan: You sure can.

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Ajay435: Thanks, hope you enjoy this chapter just as much.

Kezy0612: I loved that episode!

:) Till next time beautiful people, remember to read and review :)