Rocket to the Moon

Chapter Eight

Boardroom

. . .

Arnold leaned back in the seat, raised his sight and stretched his neck and limbs. His neck ached. He'd been so absorbed in what he was reading that forgot how long he'd been this way. His sight fell on the decorative cornice molding of floor twenty-nine. He wasn't used to the beauty of this place yet. His co-workers probably didn't even see it anymore but to him –starting his third week in here - it was still a cause of admiration.

He'd never thought he would be working in a place like this. He fantasized not long ago of working in an old edifice; a more classical place than a modern office building enveloped in glass, but never dreamed about working in an emblematic place like this. Mueller's headquarters were spread along five floors of the building; from Floor 26th, occupied by the Human Resources and Public Relations Departments' , to 30th where the bosses' offices were located. Legal Department was situated at Floor 29 along with Finances.

The whole building was a beauty. From the arcs of the lobby, passing through the elevators and ending with the offices themselves; they were full with small details that make them extraordinary. The elegance of thirtieth floor was something else. Arnold had been there a couple of times in Deborah's office and he could say the place was outstanding.

At least, that was how Arnold felt. And that was what he'd said to Claire here and there when they talked about his new job; something that -by the way- she found way too interesting. They've had been talking bits of this and that during the last two weeks.

Arnold supposed that there were several reasons for this particular -and more than customary- interest. The principal being probably the economic support she was obtaining from the company for her charity work; followed by the fact that she had met several people who worked here; that it was still a trend topic for she and Brenda; and last but not least, because of his ex-friend Helga Pataki.

. . . . .

What about of the specifics of his job in here?

-Was the expected first question-

Well, so far he'd been reading hundreds of contracts. He'd started with simple employment contracts and had went over the whole archive of acquisitions, buys and merges Mueller had gone through the last few years. Its entire story was now in Arnold's mind. Well, almost its entire story. The buying of Big Bob Stores never passed by his hands.

So far his understanding of his new employer wasn't what he thought beforehand. Henry Mueller wasn't this powerful man in search of more and more power just because he could. Contrary to the usual supposition, they bought companies but didn't destroy them. On the contrary, they kept them working, and - as they had done in Big Bob's case- they made them grow. Mueller had also grown in the process; never letting a bad decision takes him for the bad.

Henry had started the development long ago, since his early youth according to Grace, -the matron of the place- and had kept growing for several decades long; all by himself. Smart, firm, concise and always in control, that was how he was defined by people around. And it was until very recently that he'd been releasing the control of the enterprise in favor of his two favorite people in the world: Dick, his nephew who has been by his side fresh from college, in his early twenties, and whose relationship with his uncle at the beginning was awkward -to say the least-, and still could be called problematic once in a while; and Helga Pataki, who had arrived to his life at the precise moment in which their mutual relation was at its nadir, and who -somewhat weirdly- had come to occupy a place that Dick never did. The place of Roger, Henry's late son…. To say the truth, this relationship, Helga and Henry's, had also mutated through the years, though not precisely for the bad.

. . .

What about all that gossiping?

Well, gossiping there was, like everywhere else. Arnold already knew who the resident whore was; and who the bootlicker was. Well, bootlickers; they were two. Also had met the gossiper major; her lieutenant and two or three helpers. Arnold wished long live to them all though he wondered if it'd last it because Daphne (a queen bitch on her own right) was now working here.

He'd met her in the hallways his first day in here, much to his chagrin and her –apparent- pleasure. (Didn't Mueller only hire the best, he wondered?) She was a newcomer like himself, though she had started a week before, and he was sure her fame was yet to be known in this part of the world.

. . .

What about Helga and Dick's dilemma?

-Claire shifted to a more confortable position where she could be able to see him. Arnold hummed before to speak about the subject.-

To be completely honest, Arnold hadn't heard anything of the like. One of two things, he supposed. Or it was something old and nobody talked about it anymore; or it was something that wasn't of average people's concern.

Of course it could be a third option that he didn't mention to her: and it was that there was no Helga around, and it had been this way for as long as three weeks. Dick had also been absent recurrently. Maybe the gossiping about them died and came back to live in cycles?

. . .

Who this 'Grace' lady was?

Grace… mmm… alright, he didn't remember her last name… was a woman in her sixties maybe? She was … not a queen… a queen bee neither… she was like the Queen Mother. She knew every place, met everyone and saw everything. She was in charge of the management of the office. Everyone respected her; when there were doubts about anything she was the right person to go to. Even Henry Mueller asked her about stuff and whereabouts.

. . .

What kind of person Henry Mueller was in the privacy of his reign?

-Claire seemed to be feeling comfortable making the questioning here; too comfortable in fact. Seeing the satisfied smile on her face, Arnold wondered if she'd wronged her profession.-

Well, first of all, he was a big walker. Seeing Henry Mueller going his way through the different floors and hallways of the office several times per day wasn't unusual. Seeing him mourning for his late son & wife was something that never happened. If Arnold hasn't been told, he'd never suspected it. Henry was the image of success, easiness and resolution. He didn't look like a person who lamented his actual life even when his loved ones weren't actually alive.

Mr. Mueller senior was a tall man with silver hair and seventy-something years old that looked and, actually, acted as someone younger. He was amiable, kind, sociable and most of the staff had him in high esteem. He was the portrait of the perfect employer. But he – as his nephew- had an air of coldness… certain toughness that, at least in Henry case, disappeared when he smiled, which he did quite often.

Arnold usually saw him several times per day, going his way, greeting people (calling them by their names), although his, -Arnold's that's it- had not been said so far by him, nor he seemed to acknowledge particularly his presence. It seemed to Arnold that he didn't remember they'd already met, or that he was Helga's 'little friend' by all means.

. . .

And Dick … what about Dick?

-Claire leaned comfortably on the couch, crossed her arms over the chest and bit her lip. To this time she didn't bother to hide the pleasure that these conversations brought to her. He guessed all this material was going to be transmitted later with full detail to another avid listener.-

Dick…

For starters, he was rough, tough and -in complete opposition to his uncle- didn't usually smile. A hostile expression was invariably perched on his face which had earned him fame of being difficult. Arnold didn't know what to think of him yet. He had run into him a few times out there, and what he'd seen about him was... confusing.

The first time was in the staircase - which Arnold favored over the sluggish elevator- and he was reaching the landing before the next set of stairs when someone opened a door, pushed past him making him stumble and went on, leaving a grim, unfriendly sensation behind. There was no 'Sorry' or 'Are you okay?' to soften the situation.

The second time Arnold saw him was on floor 28, talking to his assistant. And even when he was giving orders away, it was the first time that Arnold saw him talking to someone and being pretty civil; anyone could say it was a normal conversation. Then when he left and found Grace down the hallway they started to talk and joke. It also left a weird sensation behind, by the way, and not only to him.

The next time Arnold was talking to Greg in the middle of the hallway when he passed by and greeted with a polite "Hi Greg" to his companion, who responded with the parallel and sociable "Hi Dick" back. It was a scene that Arnold saw repeating itself later with some other people of certain position in the company. There were several 'Hi Grace', 'Hi Deb', or 'Hi Dave'… Seemed that greetings were one of the few social conventions to which Dick succumbed.

To end soon, Dick was a strange character. He was someone who divided opinions. Some people hated him, some people feared him, some admired him and some others –girls mainly- loved him. But one certain thing about him was that most of the staff avoided him. Arnold hadn't had the chance to decide anything by himself yet. He hadn't talked to him, at least not yet. And didn't see him as often as he saw Henry for instance, who has business everywhere and with everybody. Dick visited frequently floor 28th because it was where his team's worked.

. . .

All in all, Arnold job and workplace were… nice. He couldn't call it another way. The rest of the coworkers at the department seemed that had formed a fine work team. Greg always seemed overwhelmed but that seemed to be part of his personality. As he suspected, Deb was a nice boss. Measured, concise, good-tempered; and she has an excellent sense of humor that lamely didn't display as often as she should.

He was given a desk in a cubicle and a bunch of papers to read so far. Sometimes it made him felt as if he was cheating because his workload had been kinda light so far compared to the rest of the staff who worked heavier, but no one was complaining, or surprised -or annoyed. Daphne for instance, was assisting HR Department and was typing away contracts all day long- but from the beginning Deb told him he was going to be fed with copious information at first, and then they were going to need him to his fullest.

Sometimes Arnold dreaded this; at times he felt that he might not be as good as they were supposing he was. But then again, everything he was reading was legal stuff that he understood. There were several things so specific that required consultation, but other than that he didn't feel like he was doing it half bad.

And about the social aspect, Arnold was already making friends. He had already had lunch together with some of his coworkers. He and Daphne had also had lunch together a couple of times. She felt relieved that someone else she knows had gotten a job in here, since her boyfriend Matt hadn't made it.

Claire always the optimistic told him he will be alright soon enough…

And she also continued her enquiring…

Asking about Helga.

.

Before he provided any answer he told her he had some questions on his own.

.

Was there any problem that he will be working with her?

Her answer was no. But she admitted her mind betrayed her sometimes and made her wonder what ifs…

What ifs? He'd asked raising a blond brow.

Helga had been in love with him when they were kids… What if she decided she still liked him and she tried something?

Well, Arnold had shrugged, that was long ago; people changed and… and besides, according to her friend, rumor has it that Helga was in a relationship with Henry, didn't it?

Yes... but not according to Grace, so he'd said.

True. But Grace is only assuming. At the end of the day she knew nothing for real, like the rest of us.

So you accept that the possibility of Helga hitting on you is real?

Arnold exhaled looo-ong.

With all honesty, he didn't think he was boyfriend material for someone like Helga; the actual Helga. He was way out of her league. A smart man like him was aware of that. Besides…

But she still could try…

Besides… -he went on ignoring her interruption - if it were the case, if for some bizarre reason it turned out that Helga were interested in him, he was not. As simple as that. He was in a relation with her and wasn't interested in cheating. That was it.

Claire had stirred uncomfortably –probably unconvinced- in his arms and he decided to flip things over just to put an end to this. He was tired and wanted to go to sleep.

Taking in possibilities, it was a bigger possibility that she was the one who could be easily seduced by someone from Mueller. For starters, she already seemed to be fascinated by Henry. She asked about him every single day…

Claire dismissed it with a scornful grumble and he went on.

And he knew she talked to Dave in a daily basis. And not precisely about business. He knew it. She shouldn't try to deny it….

Arnold contained his breath. There was not reply. Not even a grumble.

He decided then to go on when she interrupted him.

She assured him he didn't have anything to worry about. She had no interest in any of them. She admitted that it was interesting to know them in the social context; or in the aspect that included her charity work, but she could never be into any of them in the romantic sense. And that was everything she was going to say about it ever.

He could go on then.

. . .

And then, it was the turn to talk about Helga Pataki.

Alright, -he thought for a second as he exhaled – What about Helga Pataki? What did he know about her?

For starters, Helga had been absent on his first week working at Mueller. She had also been absent half of his second week; it was until Wednesday morning when he arrived to find a big bunch of red flowers at the reception. He didn't have to ask the receptionist who it was for because she was already answering to someone else.

'To Helga, of course." She'd snorted "From her tireless admirer."

Arnold wondered how in earth she had an admirer who dared to send flowers to her office where Henry was around. Of course, he couldn't find an answer. Her tireless admirer turned out to be 'Lucca', the guy she took to Gerald and Phoebe's wedding. Lucca's name was actually 'Luke', and was a high executive of some kind who worked in the same building, a few floors below. Arnold came across him later, in the elevator, -which Arnold still used when he needed to go up more than three floors - carrying a single red rose and flashing that bright smile of him to whomever who looked his way.

Still, Arnold didn't get to see Helga that day, nor the next, nor Friday either. The week ended and he only knew she had actually arrived because Finances got into a frenzy of activity, and because he heard her voice on the other side of the hall.

"What tan?!" she'd scoffed "You people really think the entire Brazil is Rio or what?! Read a book!"

Arnold couldn't leave his spot even when he was dying to do it. It'd be awkwardly obvious if he got up and walked to the aisle only to see her. Some people already knew he was Helga's 'little friend' from the past and that made the option even less possible.

. . .

Later that day Grace came to his desk and placed a sugar candy in front of him. Arnold frowned seeing the square bar of peanut candy.

"Helga brought them for the team." She winked at him as went on "She always does."

And she went on handing around the sugar treats. Arnold observed her go. Grace was the heart of the office. She also liked gossip, like everybody, but she was too discreet when it was about the bosses. The fact that Arnold had known Helga previously made her show an unveiled preference for him, far over the rest of the newcomers.

And that was everything about Helga so far.

Claire hummed to let him know she understood.

But Arnold wasn't that naïve anymore, that dense. He knew she wasn't pleased. And then supposed he was going to deal with this all again; her veiled jealousy; her passive aggression. It was barely starting. Claire would like to know everything about his interrelation with Helga from now on.

So he'd decided he wasn't going to play along this time. And he'd start with restraining the info he let out about Helga. And keeping under the surface the slightest feeling he could develop for the blonde girl whose mere voice was able to distract him to the point of making him unable not only to keep reading but to understand the simplest of the papers.

. . .

:

Monday morning and seemed that Arnold had finally started working. A bunch of documents arrived to his inbox first time in the morning and was his responsibility to check them out; what they were all about, notify the urgencies to Greg and then update the files. His knowledge about most of the cases was still superficial but there were some things that he knew well.

He knew what a budget was: money; usually needed to be filed; not urgent. He knew what a Resolution was, or a Pronouncement; something that needed to be filed but also notified to Greg; ASAP. He hasn't seen Greg in a while so several documents were waiting at the corner of his desk.

Arnold wondered if this was the way his bosses chose to 'educate' him in the cases they were currently working, because it was turning out to be a good method. Look that it was! A couple of days and he'd be an expert. He also was wondering…

His desk phone rang and he raised his sight from the screen of his desktop to see the old black apparatus emitting a sound. He almost saw it trembling. Arnold took a deep breath before answering.

"Legal,"

"Arnold?" It was Deb's voice. She let out a relieved exhalation. "Thank God you're there. I called Greg and Norman but no one is answering. "

"You want me to look for them?"

"No, it doesn't matter now. I need a favor, Arnold. The Kansas file, you have it there?"

"Yes, I just worked on it." Arnold replied searching in the pile of files at his right.

"Tell me the Resolution of last Friday is already in there"

"I just filed it"

"Thanks God!" her relief was obvious "I need eight photocopies of that paper; and I need them here ASAP. Could you do that for me?"

"To the Boardroom?" she confirmed it "I'm on my way."

"Thanks Arnold. Please hurry up."

. . .

Three minutes later Arnold pushed open the door and stepped into the hall. Emblazoned glass, dark grey walls and red and black decoration gave him the welcome. He walked right to the Boardroom. Henry Mueller's secretary observed him getting close and nodded when he pointed the folder.

"Mrs. Tilly is waiting. You can get in."

"ME?" Arnold almost shouted. The girl let out a knowing smile, and then nodded.

"She was waiting for you." She shrugged, leaving her seat "But it's alright. I understand if you are feeling shy..."

"Nah, it's okay. I'll do it."

"You sure?"

He nodded.

Arnold turned around. The Boardroom felt ominous. The etched glass of its walls made impossible to see anything but shapes. He knocked softly and pushed open the door. He located Deb immediately in the second seat to the right and she nodded, beckoning him to go in. He walked right to her, struggling to avoid looking somewhere, someone else; showing an easiness that was far from real. His heart was thumping deafeningly; his eyes were blind to anything that wasn't Deb. But in a blink everything passed to a second place when he heard something beyond the beating of his own heart.

A voice; Helga's voice.

"It's written right there. You want me to read it for you?" her voice was stern. "Pittsburg Steel Profile's is a company…" she started in a monotonous rhythm.

"You know I'm not talking about that. What I am questioning is your criteria to choose precisely these three options? Nothing else. Would we ever know what was left out? And why was it left out?"

Arnold turned mechanically to see her, seated at the opposite side of the table. She had her hair in a bun; an ivory blouse under a chic navy blue jacket and was seeing right to the person seated in front of her.

"Are you seriously asking me that?" She looked at her interlocutor with incredulity. "Do I… ask… why you choose a system over another to implement it in a given enterprise?"

Deb finished checking the file Arnold brought and then observed the bunch of photocopies.

"Please Arnold, hand them around." she asked under her breath.

"You could do it anytime" Dick answered with broad gloating.

"For God's sake!" Helga turned right, to see Henry seated at the head of the table "Do we really need to go over this?"

"What's your point, Dick?"

Arnold started to walk around the table. He doubted for a second what way to go first, but decided to start by Deb's left. The next seat was occupied by Dick who had started to speak again. Fortunately no one was paying the slightest attention to him. He went on handing a copy to Henry at the Head of the Table and then went to Helga who was still seeing Dick as he talked, so he left it in front of her…

"Why she only chose these three companies? An acrylic factory in Brazil? Steel profiles in Pittsburgh? Or a clothing manufacturer in… Bangladesh?"

"It's India." Helga corrected him.

Arnold went on with the rest of people. They seemed to be shareholders and not only directives.

"It has to be one of them?"

"It has not to be one of them necessarily. It's not decided yet. We'll vote, as usual." one of the men at the other side of the table answered. Dick looked at him with a knowing smile.

"But we trust Helga because she's done good choices before…"

Arnold kept going as Helga shook her head with disdain and spoke again.

"That's not Richard's problem, Jerry." She smirked "He's just showing his discomfort, as usual. His complain is because I brought up 'greyish' companies; nothing fancy. He'd love that I'd come up through these doors announcing that we're going to buy Bugatti... Embraer… or…"

"Why you always are trying to ridicule me?" Dick asked, exalted.

"Why are you voicing my thoughts?" she countered back, sharp.

"Is that it, Dick?" One of the other men asked.

"I can't say I'm happy seeing the choices she brought this year…"

"Nothing makes you happy!" Helga said in low voice.

"Well, we're not here to be happy. We're here to make business. Businesses that make us earn money, and if Helga brought them to the table I am sure there's a reason for that." Henry pronounced, straightening in his seat. The table was silent.

Arnold ended his job and went to Deb side. He asked in low voice if she needed him anymore and she shook her head, showing him her thanks. He nodded.

As Arnold rounded the table and walked out he couldn't help but direct his sight to Helga and his heart skipped a beat when he saw her seeing him. Her blue eyes pierced his, surprised, enquiring; a slight frown in her forehead. But she said nothing as her sight followed him until he couldn't keep seeing her anymore.

Arnold reached the door, got out and exhaled; realizing he had been holding his breathing. He sucked in air loudly and walked to the door that led to the staircase. He leaned against it once it was closed behind him. His heart was beating fast and loud. He could swear anyone close enough could hear it. He breathed in and out; in and out again, then leaned the back of his head against the wood, closing his eyes. He knew she was going to be there; that was why he was dreading to step into the Boardroom when a meeting was taking place. His nerves were a wreck.

But more than anything he was surprised and angry because he couldn't restrain himself. Why he was acting like a goofy teenager? With wobbly knees, sweaty palms and the whole nine yards only because a girl that he despised long ago; a girl who offered him her love and he turned down; a girl whose blue eyes still haunted him; some blue eyes his unconscious still related with true, pure love. With endless love.

. . .

An hour later he was finally ending with the mail. He felt satisfied with himself. His encounter with Helga was in the past and he was able to keep working despite that temporary incapacity. He'd realized that seeing him had also altered her, and that made him feel so good.

He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his head when a new mail arrived. He grunted, and took his time before straightening to reach his mouse and open the newly arrived post.

'Helga Pataki' it read.

He rushed to click it and the message opened a second later. Arnold blinked repeatedly after reading the few lines in front of him

"Hey Arnold,

What a surprise to find you in here! Deb told me how she found you miraculously while riding Mr. Slow. Lucky Girl! Look that to find the one and only Football Head in there! Congratulations!

What are you doing at lunch by the way? No plans? What about if you reach me at 1:15 at Luna Nueva to catch up? Let me know your answer ASAP or you'd lose your chance. I'm a busy woman!

Helga G. Pataki

Chief Financial Officer

Mueller Enterprises

It was followed by her work number and her cellphone. He looked at it for a second; the words blinking before him. The memory of her blue eyes on his made him swallow. Nervous wreck my ass! Then he went to the top of the page to click a reply.

.

I don't own Hey Arnold!

I don't own Bugatti, Embraer or any other TM mentioned here

Thanks to you who review: Jose Ramiro, Carlin and Nep2uune. You guys really make my day, make me smile and encourage me to go on.

I want to say sorry for the delay. Sometimes I am so overwhelmed with work and responsibilities that I think I've never be able to write again. Fortunately time to write eventually comes. Sadly is not as much as I wished.

I also want to announce to the Spanish speakers that I'm going to translate another story. It's a Heidi Patacki story again, named 'Something Wicked'. To those of you who haven't read it (English, of course) I encourage you to do so.

Link: after fanfiction dot net slash goes: s/2092537/1/Something-Wicked .

It's a lovely story, very appropriate for this upcoming Halloween season and you're going to find fun, romance... and something else in there. To those of you who already know it I invite you to rediscover it. I am sure you'll enjoy it again. My thanks to Heidi are right here: ¡Muchas gracias Heidi!

A los lectores en español. Son tres capitulos que contaré en aproximadamente diez días. Espero terminar en Halloween.

Oct 21, 2014.