Rocket to the Moon

Chapter Seven

Park Avenue

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Arnold hurried through Midtown's streets. He was delayed and his girlfriend, Claire, was surely furious. The appointment was at three o'clock; three oh five was right now, and there were two more blocks to go. Fortunately it was a cold afternoon so he wouldn't worry about looking suffocated and sweaty by the effort of being in a run for the last ten minutes.

He was late because he had attended to a job interview. There was a vacant post in a big enterprise and it'd be a great opportunity but they stood him up. Arnold had chosen it over another position in an insurance company but he didn't feel like working in an insurance company, so no regretting; but his hopes regarding this one had weakened unfortunatelly. He puffed. At least they weren't completely lost. The interview had been postponed to next Monday. But for now he was making a dash with his unused curriculum under his arm as he pushed past New Yorkers and tourists alike as he strode along the 47th; then exhaled heavily when he finally reached Park Avenue. He turned south and made a small pause to admire the sight.

There it was; his destination. The imposing building straddling Park Avenue. He took air again before going on. So this was the place where Helga Pataki had been 'hidden' all this time; the former New York Central Building; one of the most beautiful constructions in the city. Incredibly, it wasnt far from Anderson Johnson Bailey and Partners where he worked for years. They never crossed paths; not even taking in consideration that Park Avenue was one of his favorite walks because his ample street and florid median strip.

Finally walking the last block Arnold reached the next corner and went across 46th Street, hurrying to the entrance without turning to admire the two arcades that engulfed the traffic; or the sculptures and the famous clock at the top of its base. It was no time to admire old buildings. Not even to see twice the elevator lobby with its warm yellow, Jaspé Oriental marble walls. Arnold ran to the first open elevator and pressed 28.

He took his cellphone to check Claire's last messages.

Meet us at floor 26

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Seems that Dave's office is in the FL 28. We're going up

.

Arnold, where are you?!

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The latter had been sent a minute ago. Arnold shoved the device into his pocket and looked at the folder in his hands. What to do with it? Maybe he should have disposed it in one of the many trashcans he saw in his way here but he hadn't dared. It was his curriculum after all. He sighed. Realizing there was nothing he could do right now he concentrated in the fast ascending of the elevator.

The doors opened in floor twenty –eight and he got out because of Claire last message. Nonehteless, two minutes later he was using the staircase to go down the two flights of stairs. It seemed that Mueller Enterprises comprehended several floors but their reception/entrance was at 26, according to a nice cleaning lady.

He didn't want to check his watch when he finally pushed past the crystal doors. He stood by the receptionist desk, but in sight that there were several people in the line and no one watching, he entered into the offices and went right to the stairs located at the left.

Mueller Enterprises headquarters weren't that different from any other headquarters he'd seen before. People seemingly working. A bunch of cubicles and desks in the center. Private offices along the walls. Their trademark dark red color was present but only in few details here and there. As Arnold climbed the stairs he could see the coffee room and something that seemed a break room at the bottom. A quick look around made him realize certain blonde wasn't there; but then again, if she was one of the bosses it was only logical to guess that her office was in an upper floor.

He soon reached floor 28 and the first thing he saw was that the environment had changed. In here it was darker and the decorations were more sober, more elegant. He walked looking for David McMahon name labeled in the doors but found nothing. Soon he had rounded the entire area and the only thing he got were curious stares and small frowns. He decided to get out of here and go back to the reception for information. He walked down the aisle and then to the stairs again when a door was opened at the bottom. A woman left the room but entered in a contiguous door immediately. He kept going and was about to reach the staircase when someone called for him. A young man, younger than him, who left the same private was walking up to him; Arnold stopped and turned to see his affected gait and his too flexible hands.

"What are you doing here?" he asked with an delicate shook of his head.

"I…" without knowing exactly what to say he pointed his folder.

"Why reception keeps sending you people up here? God!" he asked to nobody and then made a sign to follow him; Arnold obeyed until he stopped in the middle of the hallway and pressed the button of an intern elevator.

"Look,"

"Recruitment is on floor 26! Who told you could go up?" the guy seemed like he was having a bad day. His frown was deep and seemed to be at the verge of despair.

"In fact, I was looking for Da…"

"Did you already talk to Jean? Filled the application?"

"N… no"

"Then why are you here…?" he puffed out, then took Arnold's folder from his hands with authority and started to read. "Are you a lawyer?" he asked after a minute, looking at him up and down again in a assessing way. "We were calling in lawyers two weeks ago. Why you didn't come then?"

"I didn't know."

"Why are you here now?" he asked again. He had stopped reading the paper and looked at him pointedly. "We haven't made a new call."

"I didn't come looking for a job." He extended his hand to take his CV but the kid didn't let go "I came actually looking for David McMahon."

"Why?" he frowned "Do you know him? He asked you to come?"

The elevator doors opened and they went inside once several persons got out. The young boy pressed floor 26. The elevator have only buttons that went from 26 to 30.

"I met him…" Arnold started "And not; he didn't…"

The young man made a veiled sign to silence him, pointing with his eyes at the woman who was leaned against the rear wall of the elevator. He didn't stop watching her attentively the entire time that took for the elevator to close the doors; which in Arnold's opinion was too long. Arnold looked at the woman who wore a business suit and the dark hair in a bun, and was talking on her phone, ostensibly disgruntled. The woman hung up and raised her eyes directly on his companion, obviously aware of his persistent sight.

"What?" she spat surly "Are you going to ask if we won the case, or do you also want to know if I actually danced with Dick?" . Then turned to the buttons and pressed 26 again. "People in here should do their job instead of reading magazines, gosh!" she let out a wry laugh.

The kid took a second to recompose himself, and then spoke slowly, displaying correction.

"Actually- I was going to ask you if you are still hiring lawyers" he rocked slightly on his feet.

"Of course I am still hiring lawyers; we need lawyers! I came right from your boss's office! But what is the point in complaining if you, people, chose a long pair of legs instead of experience?" she exhaled forcefully next and then looked at them both briefly. "Why?"

Arnold contained his breath. He had already realized she was the woman he saw at the Ball a week ago; she looked very different in a business suit. He had also realized Mueller wasn't a heavenly workplace either; just like every other place.

And finally, he was realizing he was now a fortuitous candidate…

"I have an applicant" He extended Arnold papers to her. "He says he's Dave's friend." Arnold had wanted to take the folder from midair and run away. He hadn't said he was Dave's friend, for starters, and she knew he wasn't. He wasn't looking for a job secondly; well, actually he was, but not here! He'd only came to be by Claire's side! He wasn't even dressed for an interview…. Well, he actually was dressed for an interview. He was wearing a blue business suit. He exhaled.

Maybe this wasn't that bad after all. Maybe he should take it easy. He took air again, and was flattening his tie when the woman raised his sight from the papers to look at him.

"You worked at Anderson for how long?"

"Almost four years," he answered mechanically. Probably this was the moment to let things clear…

"What did you do in there?"

"Well…"

"Predominantly…? What did you do the most?"

"I worked with corporative accounts… the making of the contracts of all kind: buys, merges, cooperation; cessions. Redacting and analyzing thoroughly contractual obligations…"

"Do you happen to know about foreign trade regulations?"

"Yes, I do"

"Policies of foreign countries too? Asian? South American?"

"Yes, I do." Arnold nodded. "Europe too."

"What about market share's?"

"I think I am up to date…"

She nodded and looked at the paper sheet again. Arnold racked his brains. If he knew he was going to be interviewed for a post in Mueller what had he added to his CV? Mueller comprehended dozens of companies. And was buying a lot lately. All kind of companies… all sized…. Local and foreign alike…. They were getting their cash flow because…

"I am also up to date about HR Policies, Employment Legislation and about…"

"I see…" she nodded looking at him in the eye. The elevator had opened at floor 26, but none of them got out. No one was waiting out to climb in, so they remained in place. "Alright, see…" she turned to see the top of the sheet "…Arnold…" she made a pause "I just have one last question:" Arnold took an intake knowing what was coming up "Why you left Anderson? Or maybe I should better say: Why they let you go?"

"I left actually," he stated right away but then paused. He knew that it was right now when he'd get an approval or a rejection. He still believed he needed to be honest; just wasn't sure how honest should he be; how much honesty could be bent. "I felt like I needed… a time-out to focus…. I guess I was working through the whole spectrum of commerce that… I just needed to… to adjust the tune…" he stopped. The girl was looking at him hard; a light frown in her forehead. "I felt that it was the right time to make a choice; to become a specialist. If I left more time pass, I think my time would have gone; the opportunity wasted."

"What did they say?" she was still looking at him intently.

"There was no time for that," the blond boy let out a dry smile.

She nodded. She had smart eyes. Arnold had already noticed it. He wondered if she had bought his lie… that wasn't a lie per se. In fact, from the adequate perspective it had been the real story; if only he'd already chosen a …

"What about this 'Legal Bureau'? Are you still in there?"

"No, not anymore. There was going to be only a short period of time. They always knew it." He shrugged "It was something to keep me occupied."

"Yeah. Bills don't stop coming, right?" She nodded again, understanding. Then she threw a last quick glance to the page and handed it over to the boy that Arnold had almost forgotten about. "I am just registering…. You are Helga's … little friend, right?" Arnold nodded. The veiled insinuation in her voice made him feel uncomfortable. But at least she hadn't said 'boyfriend' like Brenda and Claire before; but Arnold noticed the statement was enough to make their companion give out a little jump. "She told you to come?"

"No, I haven't seen her at all." It felt good to say some easy truth.

"Right. She hasn't been around in a while, actually." She talked to herself; then she frowned "Weren't you bound to see Dave today?"

"Yes, I was." Arnold nodded, feeling he was being too formal, but after all this was turning out to be a job interview.. "In fact, I was on my way to see him when I found…" Arnold turned to the boy.

"Mark…" he introduced himself.

"Why the CV, then?" the woman asked.

"Long story short..." Arnold lips curved in a dry smile "I had an interview earlier but it was cancelled."

"Alright," she got out and slowly walked to the right side of the hallway, where there was another lift. She pressed the only button in there. "When can you start? ... I mean, if you're interested in a post in here. I know it wasn't your plan."

Arnold blinked twice and suppressed any further reaction; her blunt asking stunned him.

"Tomorrow…"

She smiled. The boy at their side snorted.

"Let's say Monday, alright?"

"Alright." Arnold nodded.

"I see you on Monday then. Mark, you know what to do. After you're done send him to Greg, would you?"

"Of course, Mrs. Tilly."

The elevator doors opened and she stepped in. She tilted slightly her head and Arnold saw her going back to her phone before the elevator doors closed.

.

"So you're Miss Pataki's friend?" the guy asked him once they were alone. Arnold had to admit that he'd be surprised if it wouldn't happen. He was being led to one of the first desks by the left.

He looked around with wide open eyes. He still couldn't believe it. Did he really have a job? At Mueller? The very job Matt and Daphne had been applying weeks ago; the one they wanted to keep quiet and were dying to obtain? And he got it; almost effortless. He was stunned.

As he had thought hundreds of times before, the real problem with finding a good job was the difficulty to get in contact with the right people; the people who had the power of taking decisions. And he had been lucky. It was completely casual to suddenly find himself face to face with who seemed to be the right person in here. To have the opportunity to talk to her… to have impressed her with his curriculum and his experience. Coincidence… Or maybe it was only matter of them in dire need of an extra pair of hands.

"Huh? It's alright if you don't wanna talk. Just don't be rude." the mannered voice took him out of his contemplations.

"Excuse me?"

"I was asking you about Helga Pataki. Are you friends with her?" the boy asked as he placed a formulary in front of him.

"I was… long ago, when we were kids," knowing how communicative workplaces used to be he decided to be cautious. He wasn't going to be the new guy who had a story with one of the bosses. It was better to let things clear from the beginning. "We went to elementary school together…" and made a pause to start filling the application "I hadn't seen her in years"

"I can't imagine the kind of kid she'd have been."

"She was okay…" Arnold smiled "Smart… bossy; the queen of the hallways."

Mark laughed casually.

"You seem to be describing her nowadays…. She's always calling people by other names."

Arnold couldn't help but laugh. He shook his head remembering her personal name for him. Football Head. He hadn't been called Football Head in years.

"Yeah!" he nodded looking at the guy in front of him. "That's the Helga Pataki I remember."

"Seems that she's still the same, then." He paused, starting to go through his papers "I like her, you know? She's nice, funny…. And I am happy that she and Henry are finally together. After all he has been through. He deserves to be happy."

"Are they actually together?" Arnold raised his sight, frowning slightly. A curious expression that he know people used to feel attracted to, and found reliable; an expression he used on his own benefit. A lawyer like him always needed a secret weapon.

The boy shrugged and raised his brows in a classic expression of uncertainty.

"Nobody knows… but they are always together and seem happy. But then again, they were all the time together and also seemed happy before, you know? But now something is altered…." He stopped but then, as if the last thing he wanted was to be misunderstood he added immediately "Though I'm not saying they act as a couple in public, you know? Never say I said something like that because not I or anybody I know had ever seen them acting, you know, all romantic or effusive in public. It's just that it's obvious something has changed." he shrugged "To end with that: the boss seems happy and that's all that matters, isn't it?"

"That's what matters, you're absolutely right." Arnold uttered as he went back to the paper. For some incomprehensible reason his insides cringed once those words left his mouth.

. . .

When the paperwork was ready, Arnold was sent to Legal Department. He had already been told that the hiring process wasn't this informal and that it'd take more than a day; nevertheless he could come up on Monday for an introductory course and the usual conventions. Then he was sent to see Greg, who seemed to be Deborah Tilly's right hand. Contrary to his experience in this place so far, Greg turned out to be nice. The new hiring seemed fallen from heaven to him. Greg was a man in his forties, looked intelligent and was the first naturally friendly face Arnold had found in Mueller so far. Someone he could call properly a colleague.

. . .

Of course he hasn't forgotten about Claire. He's sent a message telling her the cause of his delay. Though he never thought that the innocent 'I think I got the job' could be utterly misunderstood. Claire almost shouted to him from the open staircase when she saw him in there. Some heads turned to see them but they went mainly ignored, thankfully. Claire and Brenda's jaws went to the floor when he told them why he couldn't leave right now. They were astounded but overjoyed at the same time, and utterly eager to communicate their good news and to hear his. So the duo left The Helmsley Building with a plan in mind: go to pick up dinner, junk food and beers; then go back to their apartment and wait for Arnold's arrival. There was just too much to be shared tonight.

. . .

"Oh, my God Arnold!" Claire had covered her mouth with her hand; her eyes were the biggest he had ever seen. It was her first reaction to his arrival "I still can't believe you were hired by Mueller? How in earth this happened? WHEN?"

Arnold shrugged and shook his head, making obvious he was as surprised as her. After the initial reaction and effusiveness Brenda was seeing him with a blank expression.

"I still don't know…" he leaned against his seat "I really- really don't have idea. My best guess is that they really need people. Greg told me that they are swamped in work; and it's only getting worst!"

Arnold would like to lie down and think to finally let things sink in; or at least to keep talking about his adventure in the elevator and all his guesses, but the girls had also a bunch of things to tell themselves. It turned out that Dave has been completely serious about his offer and he had provided them with a budget that was going to be revised monthly. To take care of the whole district's needs was their first goal; a dream became true for Claire and Brenda.

But thankfully the conversation kept oscillating between one and the others. They have listened with attention to everything he told; and now it has been a while since they had monopolized the conversation. They were now talking about people he didn't know, about the recent news, or still about the last week Ball given that Vogue had just released a fresh and shiny edition.

"So good old girl, Ball invitee Deb turned out to be the Manager of the Legal Department at Mueller, huh?"

Arnold leaned back, a tad lightheaded, and nodded. Things were becoming to look blurry.

"And you said she didn't know who you were when she started interviewing you?"

He shook his head then. She hasn't recognized him until later; he was certain about that.

"Do you think Helga asked her to hire you? … Maybe?"

Helga didn't even know the kind of lawyer he was. Another certainty.

"Mr. Mueller then?"

Brenda interrupted then.

"Mr. Mueller is not in town right now. Dave told us, remember? He and Dick will be arriving from Singapore tomorrow night." Brenda pointed.

Arnold would remember the talking next day. Well, parts of it. After the beer was gone Claire went to the kitchen to concoct some 'screwdrivers'.

"I thought you said margaritas..." Brenda said as she took the glass from Claire. "Talking about margaritas…. I heard Helga is in Brazil, by the way. Getting a tan."

"A tan?" Arnold almost choked. Claire looked at him through narrowed eyes. Brenda let out a nonsensical laugh.

"I'd say she's getting a Brazilian!"

"A Brazi…?" he started asking, but when they both cracked loud laughs and made painful faces he turned around. Better don't ask.

"It's a waxing, you silly!" Claire laughed at him. Lightheaded came short.

Brenda hiccupped.

"She's over there because she's shop-ping. She's gonna buy a new company. She's the one responsible for Mueller expansion, u-know?"

"Aggressive -expansion, remember?" Claire meddled in, giggling. "A-ggre-ssive, Brenda. A-ggre-sive!"

"Damn right!" she took a sip again "Aggressssssive expansion then. That's what people say. She's over there to buy a new company and let poor Brazilians without a job. Poor, poor Brazilians! The bitch is over there and they are helpless!"

"Go bitch, go away! Let the kids alone!"

Arnold leaned back in his chair and forced his eyes to open and his mind to see the scene in front of him; to really take it in. Where Brenda brought all that information from? Why she always seemed to be talking shit about Helga? Was she really that bitch? Did she deserve it?

He didn't know. Mark said he liked her; that she was fun.

It was Friday night and they were having their own party. It was their party; it was okay. They hurt no one. They weren't being noisy; so no neighbor complaining, right? But there was something else. Arnold kind of realized he was being a guest at their private party. Sometimes it was confused. They were a couple and had a close friend. Although sometimes it seemed as if it was a three-party relationship… or that there was a couple and a forever alone friend…. He chose to shut down his mind to avoid wondering who the forever alone friend was. All what he wanted was his bed.

He left the table without saying good bye and walked to his bedroom. The girls weren't going to miss him after all; they had started talking about oh-so sexy young Mr. Mueller again; their favorite theme of conversation latterly. Henry, Dick and the Bitch. Arnold puffed as he got in the bed and covered with the blankets. He felt too giddy to bother getting under the shower tonight. God! He was so tired!

.

He had a job, was one of his last thoughts of the night. He smiled as he turned to his right. He had a job. At Mueller Enterprises, nothing less! It wasn't an ideal job, he knew it, but it was real. At first sight Deb seemed a fair boss; and Greg was okay. Their Legal Department was huge. Arnold counted over twenty desks and feverish activity filled the right side of twenty-ninth floor where they were situated.

As Arnold was falling unconscious he wondered what would be his desk like; his workplace.

Would it be one at the front or one at the bottom?

Amongst the cubicles or in a private?

He imagined himself opening one of the dark almost black doors of the private offices in there. And once closing it and turning around he found a girl in there; a girl with blonde hair that reached her mid back. A girl who never stopped smiling.

"Why are you here?" he would ask.

"So you miss me…" was her illogical answer but he wouldn't think. All that he saw was the shining of her lips when she spoke.

He walked to her, slowly, fearful she'd disappear. She left the chair she had been standing by and walked to the wooden desk; unhurriedly, never stopping looking at him… never losing her smile. Then she sat down in there, on the corner of the table…

As Arnold got close he could hear the rumor of voices, other's people voices; old voices; but he wouldn't listen. He was absorbed in the way her hands smoothed the fabric of her skirt; then started toying with its hem in a seductive way; her lips moved, invitingly. Her new nose, straight and with the tip slightly upturned gave her a softer, cuter expression. God! She was beautiful! When he reached her side she leaned backwards, slowly, until her back touched the solid wood.

A second later he was all over her. Leaning to kiss the wet pink lips; being embraced by her long legs; surrounded by her dangerous smell…. He kissed her. He took her by her head and kissed her passionately, savouring those soft lips that tasted like candy. But then as fast as it all started she stopped kissing him.

He retreated to look at her and what he found were her blue eyes, fixed on his, looking at him with dejection. Her long fingers looked pale against the navy blue of his shirt. He turned up again to find her eyes again. A look of hopelessness and a frown were now saddening her features. Then he paid attention to the voices. They were several voices…

"…I act like a total loon…"

"What?"

"… but I was too shy… too bashful …too fearful of your rejection…"

"Sorry - but I don't feel the same way…"

He straightened and turned around when he heard his own voice. The room wasn't an elegant office anymore but a poorly lit old classroom with worn out furniture and grayish floors. And the girl in front of him was the old gangling Helga; but he found her pretty; she was the most pretty girl he had ever seen; with her big, melancholic eyes, her old nose and her bright lips. Those beautiful lips that were curved in a sad, resigned smile.

"I know. I know you don't feel the same way… I just… didn't want to end another year without telling you that I love you… that I've been in love with y…"

"Why you took so long?"

A different voice rumbled then and Arnold raised his sight to see Henry Mueller standing behind the desk and seeing them both with a devious smirk.

"So you miss me?" she directed a radiant smile to him and looked gorgeous again; but then turned to Arnold and her smile disappeared. "Sorry Arnold, but I was so young, so stupid… Forget it, please. It's past; it's old. I don't care anymore…"

"But I was wrong!" Arnold shouted before he could stop himself. "I am sorry I said I didn't feel the same way…" he got close to her and took her by her shoulders ignoring Henry's reaction "I love you!" he kissed her again and now he could feel her reacting. She responded to his kiss with fervor. "I love you!" he mumbled against her lips.

"You WHAT?"

"I love you."

"Oh Arnold!" Arnold felt somebody's weight on top of him and opened his eyes, and retreated, startled.

Claire's joyful face was in front of his.

"Awww, honey!" she kissed him "You never cease to amaze me! I am so proud of you. And I love you so much too!"

"Claire…" he uttered, half slept, half surprised... and excited, surprisingly excited.

She kissed him again. Arnold didn't hesitate. His body took over. He responded to her kiss with another of the same intensity and made her roll over until he was on top of her.

"Are we alone?"

A glint shone in her brown eyes

"Brenda's in the couch. But don't worry. She's totally wasted. She would never listen…"

….

I don't own Hey Arnold! - I don't own Vogue or The Helmsley Building. - I own this story and the OC.

As I said before, I am going to list the OCs of this story with the intention to avoid confusions again. Some of them are yet to be seen.

You don't need to read this if you don't want/need. This list is going to be added to the next chapter too. Thanks to PresleyRox.

Let's start:

Claire: She's Arnold's girlfriend of the last three years.

Brenda: She's Claire best friend. Arnold doesn't like her too much.

Jenna: She's a Public Relation girl whose job is organizing events for the local government, companies and rich people. She's Brenda's friend.

Henry Mueller: Owner of a group of enterprises and Helga's boss.

Dick Mueller: Henry's nephew. He's an important member of his uncle corporation.

Deborah Tilly (Deb): Well, she's a forty years old lady who so far is an attendant to the ball who accompanied Helga and the Muellers. We'll see more from her in due time.

David (Dave)McMahon: He works for Mueller Enterprises. He's the man in charge of the Social Assistance Department. He's NOT Deb's couple. They only went to the Ball together , as friends. In fact, Dave was invited to assist only so both Mr. Muellers didn't have to care about organizations.

Eva: she was the girl chosen by Dick to keep him company for the night. (Probably also some nights before) but their thing is already dead. She appeared in chapter 6. We won't see her again, I hope.

Mark: some guy from Human Resources.

Greg: Assistant Manager of Legal Department.

Grace: On old ex-secretary who has become the woman in charge of the office. She knows everyone, sees everything and has been everywhere. (Not seen yet).

Daphne and Matt: A couple seen in chapter one. Arnold's ex coworkers.

New Characters:

Stan: Dick's Right Hand Man. Operations Vicepresident.

Mike, Marty, Woody, Ben, Kyle: Operations Team.

Characters that are not mentioned in here are minor and probably seen only in one chapter or so.

I think that's all so far.

Thanks to you all who read this. Very muchos thank yous to you all who take the time to let me know what you think.

Thanks to Nep2uune , Jose Ramiro, Presley Rox and CarlinJ83. Carlin, I owe you an apology because I told you it was going to take two days tops and it ended being five. Sorry. My only excuse is that I've been really busy. I appreciate your attention.

You'll see Helga really soon. I am still not sure about next chapter lenght; but it is possible that we'll finally get to see and talk to her in there.

See you soon

September 26th, 2014.