Rocket to the Moon
Chapter Eighteen
Cigarette Smoking Man
. . .
It'd been a few minutes that he'd reached the front door of the building and he already knew something was wrong. There was not intercom. He knocked the door several times but there was no answer. He was starting to wonder if he should call Helga when a couple got out saying something about the doorman looking indisposed. They let him in. The couple was ravishing, dressed to the opera or something like that, which made him thank Claire inwardly by her attire suggestions. He wasn't interested in designer clothes but neither he did want to look like a bum. He reached the elevator and pressed the top button.
His nervousness had been growing on and on since the minute he left his house and now was probably at its peak. He exhaled. Why he felt like a thief? He inhaled again. Looking both sides of the hallway Arnold hesitated for a second, and then chose to the right where indistinct voices could be heard. He exhaled one more time when he came to a halt in front of the door marked 17B. Should he knock? The door was ajar. He vacillated, not knowing what to do. Stepping into the building unannounced didn't sound that good idea.
Raising his hand to knock on the door and he stopped again. The voices were clear now. He smiled to himself. That voice! Even if he didn't know he was about to meet Rhonda Lloyd he'd make out that snooty voice anywhere. So, standing by the door, half in - half out, he remained quiet. He didn't mind listening in to whatever the once 'Princess' had to say.
"And yes, you were right. He did call today. Out of all days! Can you believe it?" she scoffed with a haughty touch.
"Man! Talk about bad timing." Helga responded. There were small kitchen noises muffling the voices. Arnold had to strain to keep listening. "But that guy had always bad timing. In fact, I think that was exactly how you two met in the first place, didn't you?"
"I can't believe you remember." Rhonda said in a mumble.
"I have a prodigious memory!" Helga boasted "Anyway, what did he say when you said you had plans for the night."
"What do you think?"
"Let me guess, mmm? He got angry." It wasn't a question. Arnold frowned. Rhonda grumbled an affirmative reply. "Man, I don't know why you're still putting up with him! He's a jerk!" Helga all-wise response seemed to annoy Rhonda. She let out a puff.
"Alright! Let's talk about jerks!" she snorted. "Excuse me but I think I'm not the one who might be pregnant only because I didn't dare to say to my man 'no glove no love'."
"Hey! I'm not pregnant!" Helga complained loudly "Besides, we did have 'gloves'; it was only that…" she rushed something unintelligible.
Arnold's ears buzzed. He shouldn't be snooping. This was way more than anything he ever wanted to know, but instead of knocking the door at once his feet remained still.
"How's that someone like him doesn't take condoms to a booty call?"
"It wasn't a booty call," the blonde grumbled "but you know that you never know when it comes to him…"
"You should've already found a way to figure it out," Rhonda's voice got muffled as could hear the sound of her heels moving around the place "You could be pregnant this very moment and all because of a boner."
"What? Wait! Nope. No way!" a slap was heard followed by Rhonda's complain. Arnold exhaled. The world started to move again. "For the love of God, Princess! What in the world 'running out of condoms' has anything to do with 'being pregnant'?!"
"He-llou!" was Rhonda's sarcastic reply. Helga scoffed.
"I didn't know you saw the crappy soap operas Bob used to see, Princess. What would your boss say if she knew, huh? Her favorite trainee losing her time watching some Brazilian drama?!"
"Her favorite trainee?" Rhonda scoffed "I wish!" she paused, but then went on "Still, don't take it on me. The negligent one in here – it's you."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Helga sighed "But here we are; 21 century and 'the city that never sleeps'. You need to be really stupid if you get pregnant."
"Is 'the city that never sleeps' and you're having sex unprotected?!"
"Well, it wasn't precisely unprotected…. And it's not as if he's a stranger after all!" Helga's exalted voice turned apologetic. "You know how it is. He shows up at my place without notice. Don't tell me it never happens to you. I thought he wanted to talk, didn't expect him to be so… high-spirited…" she puffed.
"You're crazy about him!" Rhonda's voice came weak through the crystal noises. Helga' scornful scoff break through easily. "Come on, just admit it at once!"
Whatever that followed to Rhonda's demand was muffled under the sound of the blender roaring to life. When the strident noise died it was her who was talking again.
"Henry would go crazy if it turns out you're pregnant."
"What is it with you and babies?!" Helga asked in awe "I'm not pregnant! I know my cycle."
"Would you like it? To be a mom?"
"Seriously Rhonda…" Helga started but the sound of glasses being filled was heard. She took a sip of something.
"And well?" The dark haired girl asked.
"You're getting better and better." She whistled "Almost Miriam's level."
"Told ya!" Rhonda exclaimed and then she also downed her drink. Arnold thought it was about time to announce his arrival now that the voices and noises stopped all together, but then the dark haired girl's voice spoke again. "You know?" she paused "At least nobody daresay you're with him only for his money." She paused "I mean, despite him being insanely rich and everything…"
After a loud inspiration Helga spoke.
"I guess you're right. Although I'm not so sure." she sighed "I'm sorry."
"What for?" certain bitterness filled Rhonda's voice.
"You being called that."
"It's not you who say it," it was obvious Rhonda was feigning nonchalance. "… but the pig himself."
"Hey! This is our night!" Helga interrupted her "Don't think about him. He's an idiot and I'm glad you're finally realizing. He was lucky to have you for a while. He had you, he lost you. Who's the loser now?"
"I know," Rhonda exhaled "But I still feel my blood boiling when I remember,"
"I know what you mean." Helga exhaled. The voices were closer now. "I swear if I see him again I'll introduce him to Old Betsy."
Rhonda laughed softly. "Forget about him."
"That's what I said from the beginning."
"Let's talk about you instead. You and those nine months of happily waiting."
"Gah!" Helga almost choked in her drink. Rhonda humor could be heard in her laugh as the blonde coughed.
"You'd look cute with your big belly," she giggled. They were about to leave the kitchen.
"Gee Rhon!" the blonde finally seemed to recover. They walked away, according to the sounds of their steps. "If I didn't know better I'd think that it's you who's dying to deal with stinky diapers and…"
That was it. Arnold raised his hand…
Knock knock knock…
"About goddamn time!" Helga nagged from somewhere inside the apartment.
Arnold pushed the door slowly when it got widely open.
"Arnold!" before Arnold could react he found himself in Rhonda arms. She hugged him tight and then kissed both of his cheeks.
"Rhonda…"
"Arnold Shortman…" she paused, giving a step back to take him in. Arnold did notice her eyes watching him thoroughly. They made a small pause at his arms and a mischievous smile appeared on her lips. "You didn't tell me he's gorgeous!" Rhonda called out over her shoulder. Helga pooh-poohed from somewhere inside. "Come on in." she finally pulled from his hand and closed the door behind him.
"It's good to see you too, Rhonda. Good lord! You're gorgeous!" Arnold managed to say.
"Why thank you sir!" Rhonda winked at him and did a little turn, like a model, and ended her act flashing him a million dollars smile.
"Though I don't know why I'm surprised. You were always gorgeous." Arnold eyed again her black faux leather jeggings and a semitransparent blouse. Her hair was different from what Arnold remembered. It fell in long waves and reached her mid back.
"Oh, Arnold. It's so nice to see you!" she clung to his arm with both hands and walked on, leaving the kitchen and foyer behind. "I can't believe I haven't seen you since…"
"I think it's since Phoebe and Gerald wedding?" he said.
"Oh God! Really? … But it felt like forever."
"Well," Helga uttered and Arnold turned to see her leaned over the fireplace. "I don't think we actually saw much of the old gang at the wedding. It was a big place and there were way too many people."
"Yeah, you might be right…" after seeing Helga stirring the fire Rhonda turned to see him again. It was an October night but it was already chill. The hearth was a cozy touch. "Because I don't remember seeing you at all"
"Well, I was there," he uttered after clearing his throat. Helga straightened from her position and he could see she was wearing a tan colored pair of leggings that looked like she was wearing nothing, nothing at all. A beige blouse and a stylish 'echarpe' completed the number. The sight took his breath away.
"Of course he was there," Helga replied coming to them "The best man, remember?"
"Of course!" Rhonda finally spoke "My God! I think you were actually at my table."
"Yep, that was it."
"Arnold…" Helga interrupted them pointing at the bags he was still holding. "Why don't you take your bags to the kitchen?"
"Sure."
"Make yourself at home." She called out as he walked back to the entrance, following her indications. "Fridge is hidden behind the door. Be careful coz Smoking Man is always lurking around.
Smoking Man? It must be the dog, he thought. They have been years since last time Arnold heard that name.
The kitchen was by the entrance, to the left, that's what he could listen to them from outside. Arnold walked in and got surprised by the size of the room and all the cabinetry that covered the walls, from floor to the ceilings. At the bottom of the room there was a small window that looked over 58th street; it was wide open. Arnold sighed looking down. He walked back to the fridge and placed the beer on the top shelf. On the black marbled island there were a blender, an open bottle of tequila, lemon, salt, and other ingredients. He left the new bottle right there and went out before the girls started wondering his whereabouts. Before leaving Helga reached him.
"Would you like a margarita, Arnold?" she asked nicely as she washed her hands.
"No, thank you. I guess I can have a beer."
"There are some beers already cold in there," she said getting close. She ducked under his arm and stood in front of the fridge.
"I didn't know you liked beer." He said looking at the imported beer she had in there.
"Not my favorite pick-me-up but…" She shrugged her shoulders "Here" he handed him a bottle.
He thanked her and opened the drink. He didn't move. He was standing really close to her, invading her personal space in fact, but she had been the one who put herself in there, right?
"Anything else you like?" she asked with a mocking smirk, obviously aware of their position. 'Sue me but I'm no backing away', he thought. Her eyes were inches away from his. He observed them with attention. He always liked her particular shade of blue; dark blue eyes with a black-rim circling them. It matched her dark brows… which oddly clashed with the light blonde of her hair. He always marveled…
"I always marveled…" he spoke without thinking.
"You didn't have trouble finding the place, I hope?" she cleared her throat interrupting him. She had been silent too. Had she been observing him?
"No… you were clear with the directions." he answered. "Actually I got trouble getting in…" Then he proceeded telling her about the missing doorman and the couple of residents who let him in.
"Really?" Helga frowned and closed the fridge. "Is Teddy sick or something?"
"I have no idea. I saw no one down there."
Telling him the snacks were on the coffee table she ushered him out of the kitchen and then went back to use the phone. She seemed worried but he left her alone. Rhonda was perched on the sofa checking on her phone when he reached the living room. Arnold turned around to observe the place. It was a large, spectacular apartment; the kind of place that make you turn down and check that your shoes are presentable. He could see another couple of rooms beyond the ample living room. They looked like gallerias of some sort.
He didn't know Helga was that outgoing and sociable. For what he knew about NYC, places like this were owned by people with a busy social life. Those beautiful walls, tall ceilings and careful decoration shouted opulence. He walked towards the front windows. Down there it was Park Avenue in full swing. If you were standing on the street right in front of the building you could see the Helmsley. Arnold frowned. Months ago Helga told him she lived in Chelsea and here we are now, he thought, Midtown.
"Hey guys! Can you… mmm… start without me?" Helga called out from the kitchen. "I'm going down but will be back in a blink." Arnold walked to the foyer but the entrance door was already closed. He turned to Rhonda who had a frown perched on her forehead.
"What happened?" she asked. Arnold opened his eyes showing his confusion. He told her what he'd told Helga. Rhonda nodded, understanding.
"There is a nice group of people living here." She said simply.
"No doubt!" Arnold smirked and drew out his arms showing the place. "How can you not when you live in a place like this?" he chortled.
"I know," Rhonda agreed, placing her cell phone over a table.
"It's weird." He added "I always thought about you living in a place like this, not Helga"
"Mmmm" Rhonda vacillated "I don't know if I should feel offended" she slowly said.
"Please don't be!" Arnold hurried to say "It was actually a compliment. I remember your house in Hillwood."
"Right," she smiled "That's what I supposed. You're Arnold, after all".
A sudden chortle coming from his throat froze his arm with the beer in midair.
"Now it's me who doesn't know if should feel offended."
Rhonda smile grew. He took a gulp of his drink.
"I didn't mean it in a bad way," that seemed an apology. Both of them smiled.
"Seems that we're even now."
"Yeah," Rhonda nodded. If something, their mutual slip seemed to work as an ice breaker. "So… where do you live, Arnold?" she asked. The blond boy vacillated. Was she still making him pay for his slip or… it was simply Rhonda at her best?
"Northward" he said "119th and… St. Nicholas?"
"By Columbia?"
"Yeah, just on the other side of the park" he nodded. She bit her lip.
"They said Harlem is hot."
Arnold chortled. "Downtown is hot." He corrected her with a smile "No doubt about. Where do you live, Rhonda, if you don't mind me asking?"
"Of course I don't." she said "Soho."
"Right," he smirked "Downtown."
She shrugged her shoulders "It's an okay neighborhood…"
"Bohemian, they say" he added. "Full with artists and cool people."
"Well, maybe. But mine is, you know, only a small, cozy apartment," she raised her glass and pointed to the walls "Nothing to do with this. Here's…"
"Opulent?" Arnold ended for her.
"Well," She nodded. "Yeah."
"I never expected Helga living in a place like this." He said to himself.
"Really?" she asked "What did you expect - if you don't mind my asking of course," the corner of her lips turned upwards. Arnold smiled in reflex. She was indeed a gorgeous woman. Elegant, refined, gracious…. Was she correcting his speech?
"I don't know, not over-the-top that's for sure. Actually I thought she was more… on the bohemian side." He shrugged his shoulders
"Well, I guess you're right. Helga is less conventional than this, but you know, this place was bequeathed by will." She turned to see him "I don't know if you already knew it" Arnold nodded "Henry's wife decorated it by herself and I think Helga kinda likes to remember her. Other than the kitchen she's done practically no changes."
"Did you get to know her?" he asked "Mrs. Mueller?"
She walked to the end of the room and took a photograph from a shelf.
"Of course I did." Rhonda let out a nice smile. "She was a kind, very smart woman."
"Was she?"
"Hu huh" The dark haired girl nodded and handed him the photo. "She was lovely. You could never say no to her, no matter what she asked. Just the way you can't say not to Henry."
She proceeded to tell him that she met them when they all moved to the city about six, seven years ago. She was already a New Yorker on her own right.
"Helga and I didn't have this arrangement back then, you know, so I didn't see much of her, but they were really close, almost like mother and daughter. They did a lot of the moving together, they looked for apartments and…"
Arnold half listened as he observed the photo. It showed Helga and Mrs. Mueller in a side hug as they smiled to the photographer. Mrs. Mueller had white hair, but it was obvious she'd been a blonde. She was Helga's height, had similar constitutions and it you didn't know better you'd thought she was her mother.
Rhonda continued talking as he took a quick look to the rest of the photos. Helga and Miriam were in the second one. As he'd said before, Helga took more after Mrs. Mueller than after her own mother. Olga and her kids were on the third photo. The last one showed side by side her 'actual' family: Helga, Henry, his wife and Dick.
"You know?" he spoke when Rhonda made a pause "I… in my old memories, Helga is kinda…" he vacillated and raised his sight to see Rhonda's dark eyes fixed on him-
"Kinda?"
"Well," he blinked deliberately "the opposite of soft. I mean, she pushed people away. She liked her shell…" he placed the photo in its place and threw a last glance to the rest of them before walking along Rhonda to the living room. They got seated side by side on the - now that he got to think – extremely comfortable couch "I kinda find odd that she had… well… 'adopted' a family."
"Well, yeah," Rhonda sighed deeply "But Helga wasn't always like that. She changed over the time…"
"She did?"
Rhonda nodded "When we were seniors in high school she was way nicer. She was outgoing, you know, a regular star on the dance floor, had a couple of boyfriends and all that jazz." She paused "When we were at college I even thought she was going to get married before us all."
"Married? Really?" Arnold blinked.
"Well, yeah, she had a pretty possessive boyfriend. But then, her father passed away and she went back to her shell. Phoebe was really worried about her."
"Why? I heard she did well when she was on charge of her father's company."
"She did well, on the business field." Rhonda took another sip of her drink and Arnold thought she looked uncomfortable "But in the inside she was a mess."
"How was that?"
"Oh, Arnold…. I feel kind of uncomfortable talking to you about this." Rhonda stood and walked to the kitchen where she poured ingredients in the blender to make another mix. Arnold followed her movements. When she was done she filled a new glass and turned to see him. "You know how it is. Helga likes to keep her things private, -but in the other hand," she exhaled "I mean, you're Arnold after all; and I don't know why but I feel that I can trust you. You have always this… aura…. Besides," she snorted "Helga says you're still the same goody-two-shoes twer…"
Arnold chuckled and Rhonda let out a laugh.
"Sorry about that."
"Don't be. I know that would be Helga's exact words." He shrugged nonchalantly. "And it's okay. I understand that you want to respect her privacy." He opened the fridge to take another beer.
Rhonda shook her head. "Anyway, she changed once again." she said, continuing their previous conversation. Arnold wondered if she'd be able to stop herself. "After meeting them, the Muellers, she went back to her old self. It happened in a blink. I didn't see it coming. She called me one day to tell me she was selling the stores and that she was going some vacations after taking care of Miriam. But then, a month later she called again and she was completely a new person. She sounded happy, free… and was already way too involved with them."
"What do you think it happened?"
Rhonda shrugged her shoulders.
"They win her over? With love and attentions?" she looked at him in the eye. They walked back to the living room. Rhonda took a deep intake before going on "I think Helga was in dire need of a break. Before Bob died he… he made sure to put on her shoulders the responsibility of the family. She was only a girl, but Bob left her on charge of an alcoholic mother, a weak sister and a growing company."
"Why she felt she had to take charge of everything? Couldn't she say… no?"
"He asked her so, Arnold."
"Bob?"
Rhonda nodded. "On his deathbed…"
"As in a last… trust?"
Arnold didn't apart his eyes from her face. She made a grimace. "Bob Pataki didn't die the day of the heart attack." Rhonda went on "He survived a couple of days. And those days he made sure Helga understood someone has to take the lead and that someone has to be her. She was the strong one. Miriam was incompetent; Olga never got over her low frustration tolerance; she didn't work well when surrounds weren't perfect. Besides, she was having a difficult pregnancy."
"That had to be hard," Arnold mused.
"Tell me about it!" Rhonda exhaled.
"So you think the Muellers help her to get over this all?"
"Sure they did!" Rhonda waved her hand. "If we are able to see it from afar, Arnold; I mean, think about it for a second." Rhonda pointed to the empty single couch in front of her "Helga is right there, at her office. She's been charged with a burden that – alright – a burden that somewhat had become her reason for living, but at the same time it feels like a trap; like a prison. She has gotten to love what she does but at the same time it's so exhausting. She's tired, drained, she feels guilty, that's how I remember her…
"On the other side, you have the Muellers, who are older, wiser. They'd lost their kid. They are lonely… and Helga just walks into their picture. She becomes their sunshine. They help her to take the burden from her shoulders. They accept her just like she is and loved her for that. They respect her need to give recognition to Bob's legacy. They understand what is behind Miriam's problem. They know their past, they were there…
"It was like a win-win." Arnold mouth contorted when he pronounced the pushing expression.
"You said it." Rhonda sighed "Sometimes I wonder if it was his idea or hers, to take her in. If they planned it all along or if it just happened."
"Helga is really involved with them, isn't she?"
Rhonda nodded. "She's one of them." Arnold remained thoughtful. He'd never seen it this way. Helga was in fact one of them. That's why she talked about them as family; why she saw herself like a part of it. It was only matter of recalling that last picture on the shelf. "She's only missing the name…" Rhonda interrupted his train of thoughts "but that's something that could be easily fixed."
The blond boy opened big his eyes remembering Greg words of last week; he'd said almost the same. He was about to let out his thoughts when the door opened and Helga came in. She took her brown leather jacket off as she got close.
"Sorry about that," she apologized "but turns out that Teddy needed to be taken to the hospital. We just called an ambulance. Administration is sending someone else to cover him."
She took a seat in front of them. Rhonda offered her a drink. Helga took it.
"What happened?"
She shook his head. "It seems he fell and hit his head. Dr. Mortimer said it's a slight concussion and he hopes he'll be right."
"Dr. Mortimer is…?" Arnold asked.
Helga nodded. "A neighbor. Twelfth floor," she exhaled "Anyway, sorry I have to leave. But I'm here now," she flashed a smile and drew out her arms "Hope you two already got to break the ice"
"What ice?" Rhonda laughed, patting Arnold shoulder "We're best friends already! It feels as if we never stopped seeing each other," she turned to him, grinning, and then her smile turned mischievous as her hand slid down to grope his arm. "Mmmm yummy," She giggled then and turned to Helga "Do you know Arnold lives just around the corner from your old place at Columbia?"
"Really?" Helga had been following Rhonda's grope with a knowing smile. She turned to see him as she leaned back in her chair. "I actually was housed at the campus. 114th street?"
Arnold nodded. It turned out she had once been across the park in an area that belonged to the university. Talking about college housing and facilities led them to take about colleges. Good old times. Arnold never guessed Rhonda had actually made Business and Communication and not, let's say, Fashion. Helga had already told him she started Literature her first time around. Then she moved to Finances.
"So you've been a happy lawyer?"
Several beers and margaritas later, the blond boy was leaning comfortably on the single couch.
"You can say so," he smirked. It hadn't been 'happy' actually, but he didn't say it. Until seven months ago or so he'd been nearly amongst the underemployed; he'd quitted his last job with something that could be seen by any HR department as a lame excuse.
"And what do you have to say about your actual job, huh?" Rhonda continued her interrogation.
"I don't complain."
"Complaining?" Helga sneered "He's had two promotions in the last months, how about that?! Have you ever seen a more meteoric career?"
"Really?" Rhonda looked at him surprised.
"As I said, I don't complain." Arnold struggled to hide that he was actually proud of his achievements. Along achievements came more responsibilities, but also rewards. His incomes were a completely new level. He could look for a new place if he wanted, but he was happy where he was. It was a nice neighborhood. Moving meant a lot of changes and he wasn't sure if he wanted to go through something like that right now.
Sighing deeply, Arnold turned to see Helga. She was seated on the carpet in front of him. So far she had not let out any sign of interest. Rhonda was perched on the couch behind her. There were plates and silverware on the coffee table. Food had arrived a while ago and was placed on a lateral table where they could help themselves every time they feel like it. As the host had said there were sushi, sandwiches and salads to feed about ten persons. Everything was so delicious that Rhonda asked Helga for the caterer.
An unexpected hum startled him and he turned around. All what he could see was a moving ball of grey fur. He turned to the other side. Deep blue eyes were looking at him attentively.
"Cigarette Smoking Man aka Smokey" Helga introduced him. The cat had ended his visual examination and was now proceeding to use his nose on him. "Smoking!" Helga called him "Let Arnold alone and come here." She patted the spot at her side. "We have sushi."
"Smoking?" Arnold laughed.
Unhurriedly, the cat obeyed her and from his new spot on her lap he looked at Arnold with suspicion and disdain. Catty eyes. Helga told him she found the cat in the street after seeing a very particular episode of The X Files. She liked the name and it seemed to fit the cat.
. . .
The evening went on. To this hour they had already talked about food, favorite restaurants and walks, the old Hillwood's gang or what they knew about them nowadays. It seemed that Rhonda was still the Gossip Queen. She told them that Sid was given a six months sentence for cocaine possession. He was lucky. He was sentenced as a usual junkie, not as a criminal, which he really was. He wasn't a drug addict himself. It was suspected that the drug was planted on his car to set him up.
But enough about dark news. On the bright side, Lila had another baby, the fourth! Roll of eyes everywhere, even catty eyes, Arnold snorted. It seemed that happiness showered the ex-Sawyer girl. What else? Oh, yes, Harold's wife had kicked him of the house recently, just after finding out he was having an affair with no other than Patty Smith, their old classmate.
"Oh-oh! Such a disappointment!" Helga whined "I always thought Big Patty wasn't as dumb as she made us to think"
"She wasn't dumb, Helga!" Arnold complained.
"He-llou!" she rolled her eyes "She's been doing Harold Berman?!" she grimaced. "Gross!
Rhonda stirred uncomfortably. "And you're one to tell us who is a good or bad lay?" she let out a crooked smile as she asked pointedly to the blonde.
"Come on! I beat you any day!" Helga grumbled and her eyes looked menacing. Arnold hid his smirk. Were they fighting? He wondered if it was an effect of the tequila, or if it has something to do with the talk he'd eavesdropped earlier. About unprotected sex?
Unprotected sex wasn't the big deal, as long as you knew your partner, he thought. He hadn't use protection in years. Claire was on the pill…. Oh, oh…. An alarm got off in his mind.
But he didn't have time to think furthermore because chatting escalated quickly with the girls. He'd only seen this before with Claire and Brenda who couldn't stop chatting for the sake of it. Talking about Claire and Brenda, there was no way he was not going to tell them this all.
"Oh, right Princess. I think I remember Harold saying something about a kiss on the boat-ride at the old Cheese Festival, huh? And do you happen to remember your egg 'daughter' Courtney? Just admit it. You liked Harold, period."
"Why I never!" Rhonda cried, putting her hands in her hips "Oh yeah? Sure that this is how you want to play? Because I also remember grade school!"
"Oh really?"
"Of course I do! For instance, let's start with the bunch of anonymous poems that were always read in class by our teachers. I remember Stinky used to say that 'Anonymous' started with a silent 'H'?"
Helga turned to see briefly at him with amused eyes before replying.
"It was always clear that that geek bait has poor spelling, I thought you knew it."
"Maybe he had, but you know, once we were playing this silly game… truth or dare… do you happen to remember it?"
"How to forget it? It was the main entertainment at your parties!" she cracked.
"Oh, God, were we silly or what?" Rhonda let out a mocking laugh. Arnold frowned. Were they really pulling at each other? He decided to wait a little longer before butt in.
"Anyway, Stinky once revealed…"
"His secret to grow gigantic pumpkins?"
"No!" Rhonda's discourse turned bored "that one he's keeping secret in Arkansas. He said someone actually paid him once to pretend being her boyfriend."
"And do you think it was me?" Helga asked with open eyes.
"Let's say you were the only one who wasn't present."
"That must be me then."
"What you have to say about that, huh?"
"He had a bad breath? It was a torture to talk to him; to make him do something right?"
"Geez! You're not going to deny it?" Rhonda leaned towards her.
"Come on, Princess! What's the big deal?" Helga shrugged her shoulders "Everybody knew I was crazy about the Football Head here." Helga threw him a strip of cucumber peel "It's as inane as if I wanted to make fun of him for, let's say" she seemed to think "Oh, God!" she cracked a laugh "I've totally forgotten this! Hey Arnold, do you remember when you invited Lila to the movies but she kept saying no because you weren't that oh-so special someone she was looking for?"
"God!" Rhonda also laughed "I remember she saying she didn't like you- like you, she only liked you."
Arnold grunted. "You don't have idea how those words frustrated me."
"Yeah, and then the girl then fell for the weird of your cousin. Man! I couldn't believe it!"
"That was a laugh! She fell flat for his 'charms'. What were those, by the way? Collecting lint?" Rhonda laughed.
Arnold's mind went back to those old times. "Oh, my God!" he said aloud, turning to Helga "And then he went to dump her because he said he was in love with you!"
"Smart kid!" she clicked her tongue; but then groaned. "Do you know he mailed me 'love letters' for like forever?" Helga made quotation marks in the air "I didn't even understand his writing, thanks God! And he also sent gum packs and lint!"
"He did what?" Arnold almost choked in his beer.
"It was weird. Don't make me go back to remember details, alright?"
"Gross! That's' terrible Helga!" Rhonda made a face "What did you do?"
"Return to sender." She shrugged her small shoulders "Bob ended asking Harvey the mailman to stop bringing all that shit over."
"Gosh!" Arnold blinked "I never knew that."
"It was none of your business" she said indifferently.
He turned to see Helga putting a face. Then raised his sight to see Rhonda who was also grimacing.
"Are you alright Rhonda?"
"Yeah, it's only that you make me remember my own stalker."
"Who? Curly?" he smiled "The guy was crazy about you"
"It wasn't Curly. Curly was inoffensive. The other guy though, he was sick." Rhonda shivered.
"Who was it?" Arnold asked
"I don't remember his name." she said with disgust. Arnold frowned
"It was not funny." Helga added.
"How so?" Arnold kept his frown "How bad it could be?" he asked "I mean, you used to stalk me."
"I know, and when I think back it gives me the creeps." Helga said, serious. "After what happened to Rhonda…" she shook her head "I mean, you hear about a girl stalking a boy and people thinks is funny, cute."
"But a boy stalking a girl? Showing up at her bedroom? At her bathroom?" Rhonda straightened in her seat. "It's creepy; beyond creepy."
"Why I never knew?" Arnold turned to see the girls and wondered all the bunch of things he never got to know. And he always thought he knew everything about his hometown, but the truth was that they had really grown apart. After they left PS118 it was never the same. And then Hillwood turned a dangerous place.
The girls stood. Rhonda went to the ladies room and Helga went back to the kitchen for sodas. Arnold wandered around the place wanting to get rid of those thoughts. He loved Hillwood.
. . .
He walked into next room and as he had supposed it was a gallery, a room with no sofas or seats of any type but counters, tables, paintings and decoration that showed-off sophistication. The last room of that wing was completely different. It was also a social room but this one was more inviting. It was an all-panel room with cozy couches and warm illumination. He headed for the French doors at the end of the place and hesitated. He took another swig of his beer and looked outside. Central Park was a few blocks away though it couldn't be seen because of the buildings. From this height everything looked so calm. His sight flew from one place to the next, trying to make out buildings and places he knew.
. . .
"Boo!"
A tangible shiver ran from the back of his neck.
"Holy shit!" Arnold jumped out of his skin. She laughed quietly. Mumbling in his ear seemed to have taking him by surprise.
Then he laughed nervously, leaning over. "Jesus Helga, you almost make me cry!"
"That was the intention." She stuck out her tongue at him and walked ahead with a mocking smile. Opening the French doors she stepped outside, to the balcony. He followed her. She caressed the shiny leaf bushes she had in there. She was proud of them.
"This place is so cool!" by the corner of her eye she saw Arnold touching the plants too.
.
Sorry I have to cut it off somewhere. : ) For now this is it. I'll be back around Wednesday.
Let's go with the customary: I don't own Hey Arnold!
I don't own any or the TM mentioned here. Only own the plot and the OC.
Thank you for reading. Reviews are welcome. Special thanks to Jose Ramiro, Nep2uune, Carlin and Presley Rox.
Written all along June.
Posted: 06/27/2015