Rocket to the Moon
Chapter Thirty-Four
Schadenfreude
. . .
There was no doubt why Germans had such a word in their vocabulary and why it'd spread so widely to other languages.
It was enjoyable.
It was pleasurable.
It was demonically fun.
Even when there was something profoundly incorrect in it.
It was an unfamiliar feeling to him. It felt weird, wrong; but truth be told, he regretted nothing.
He was perfectly capable to experience dark feelings.
Mean Arnold existed, after all. Within him. It'd just reared its ugly head.
Truth that seeing little perfect Claire's shocked face worth it. Being mean he meant. Having trespassed the line. Being bad.
Well, hers and her pretty boyfriend's faces while going through puzzlement, bewilderment, shock, - horror – he beamed to himself. It definitely felt good. Bad Arnold.
What was the bloke doing here anyway? He scoffed. Did Claire wanted to rub on his face she had a new boyfriend? That she'd already moved on? Wanted to make him jealous?
"Gee!"
He didn't feel the slightest remorse. After all he'd only asked what did it feel like to extend a sexual invitation behind your boyfriend back? To his boss, nonetheless? He mean, really! 'How the hell it occurred to you? Is something you use to do; or it was just the heat of the moment? When being in front of the guy. Such a good catch; a perfect match'.
'ARNOLD!' - here you are. A shriek. - 'How you dare?!"
'How DID you dare!' He'd retorted. 'Don't say this sole question offends you. You committed the fault! Can you image my embarrassment? You thought about me for a moment? To be notified of my girlfriend's mischief by no other than my boss himself? In the middle of a meeting? In a room filled with peers?'
'No doubt about it. You're one of a kind, honey…' he mumbled under his breath.
She'd rendered speechless then. Her boyfriend put one of the stupidest faces Arnold had ever seen. - So long new boyfriend! - He'd snorted.
He only hoped he hadn't put that very face two days before at the meeting room of his disgraces.
Throwing a disdainful look to the moving boxes containing the things that once belonged to him, and had already been left behind, he murmured.
'It's garbage. You can throw it away along with the rest of things I left here.'
'Your pink stuff, you mean?'
"Whatever."
. . .
. . .
Schadenfreude.
Malicious joy.
No remorse.
It seemed that once you experience it for the first time there's no going back. Something changes inside you; morphs. You're not the same. And to be honest, he didnt care.
It was as if his attitude in life was now more unsympathetic; impassive. His gait became more indifferent. His sight had hardened.
Still, it wasn't as if all the embarrassment he experienced when Dick finally told him what Claire hadn't dare to pronounce for months went off with his small vengeance of that Saturday noon.
Fucking Dick Mueller!
Fucking he and his fucking…!
Why hadn't he taken her? Claire? For real?
Because nothing would have made Arnold happier in this moment than knowing that Dick Mueller had bedded his former girlfriend once. Anything but knowing that he was bedding Helga Pataki instead.
Knowing it hurt his heart. Deeply. In an entirely different way than the embarrassment caused by Claire's 'run arounds'.
Arnold still couldn't believe it.
He tried to convince his mind it was nonsense -even when admitted by Rhonda – that it was wrong, a bad dream. It hurt in a different way than thinking Helga might be sleeping with Henry. Henry was somewhat acceptable. Really. In a weird level.
Dick wasn't.
He didn't want to believe it; though if he was sincere with himself he'd realize he'd known it from the beginning.
It had been writing all along since he saw Helga again for very first time.
Everywhere…
His mind filled with memories.
Recollections of Helga joyous expression at his affirmation that Dick had orchestrated a stunt using 'Jessica Rabbit' to give her a bad moment back at the day of the first Ball. Or when she had prevented Arnold before he went on from trashing Dick and warning her that he meant no good for her in other occasion. She'd had in fact make him bear always in mind who was the boss here. Or the whole affair in India…
Arnold closed his eyes and gripped with force the pen he had in his left hand.
This was only a small part of what he'd witnessed through all this time that were indications of their actual state of affairs. A bunch of memoires of the kind now were piling up in his mind. Their conversations; the vague affirmations; those half-truths…. The way she was always defending him; always protecting him from his accusations and criticisms. The way she'd always showed him a loyalty that was beyond Arnold understanding; always aware of what was up with him and what he was up to, when he wasn't around.
And when he was around, she called him names - Ricardo, Roderick, Peter -, she messed with his head, she bullied him. Arnold sighed. Helga hasn't changed her ways since the old days. Same old Helga.
.
And what about Dick?
To start from the end, the day of the meeting Dick had proclaimed 'That way we'd be even'. Arnold's lips drew a thin line. It was already there. And it was just latterly, because from that initial 'You wish!' Dick had thrown to Deborah back at the aforementioned Ball, when she derisively asked him if he was about the spent the night alone after he'd got ridden of his impossible-not-to-stare companion. It was already there. An implication. Right from the beginning.
And then that was India…
Reformulating, - because Arnold really wanted to have it clear in his mind - they met for first time about eight years ago. Eventually, their closeness took them to end in bed toogether; then it was followed by a second isolated event a couple of years later. Henry knew then, and in a very unorthodox way, he prompted his nephew to take action. Which took them to 'Several odd things happened, but Henry being jealous because of you wasn't one of them,' Helga cryptic words to him from when they had lunch together at Luna Nueva, their first lunch together since their reunion. One of those odd things was surely that they fixed their differences the night of the first Ball and that they made plans for the evening. A cold, heavy weight installed itself in the pit of his stomach. A funny feeling just above his groin.
'Why?' He'd ask himself. It wasn't as if he hadn't also spent a very active night on his own. That very night indeed. And many others too. Mainly during the one year period he was still with Claire and - Oh, now he understands! - they happened to run into, o talk about or did something even remotely related to Mueller, to Henry, or to Dick. A bitter scorn left his system. Claire was already keeping an eye on him. Had it been 'the Dick factor' what had put Claire in that romantic feverish mood all over the last year?
'Was she in love with him?' he wondered. He remembered the eagerness in her spirit every time he shared his day with her, his doubts, his complaints; all those involuntary giggles and flush faces. 'What is it with Dick Mueller, anyway? Is he now the greatest match in town or what?!'
Shaking his head, to prevent himelf from start thinking he should thank the blond heir for his sexual life, Arnold went on. He supposed after that evening they continued seeing each other 'regularly' – as Rhonda had pointed out – until they reached the point where they became a couple.
All right, the word itself caused him an annoying stinging. But they were not dating, not going out, they hide from society, but they were a couple nonetheless.
'They fuck'.
And it'd been here when Helga reached him in India. That last night of the trip. It was her. Arnold inhaled deeply finally seeing the big picture. Not even Stan, who boasted that Dick had finally indulged himself with female companion the last night of their stay knew the girl that spent the night with his boss was her; the hateful Helga Pataki. He even said Dick did it prompted by the disgust provoked by her arrival. What an idiot!
Still, the realization struck him like a flying brick. Images of their sweaty bodies in the white cotton sheets of the suffocating hotel room. Her blonde hair bouncing away in a messy bed; a bed that was just a few rooms away from his; a bed that welcomed the company …
He didn't know what he hated the most. The fact that they make love; or the fact that she gave him her smiles, her caresses, her smell. All her attention. The fact that they were accomplices in such an intimate way.
Because as Rhonda had also stated, it must be definitively some level of love involved.
How were they capable of keeping something like this to themselves?
Because Helga had disguised her relation with Dick behind the veil of an apparent and scandalous relation with Henry. Those who didn't believe this -either because they knew her close or because simply they did't buy it - chose to think she was a carefree single lady with the occasional spoiling of her perpetual friend-zoned Luke.
Then Arnold pictured in his mind the image of the other half of the couple. The heir. A guy who always appeared to be grumbling or distant. Always so cold and distrustful. Unreachable. Coldhearted. Irascible. People knew they shouldn't mess with him; preferably not even get in his way if you appreciated your job or your peace of mind.
His crew had for truth how much he detested Helga; how deep he resented her, her presence and power in the company and yet, he requested his juniors to show respect to her and her position, like his noble man condition compelled him.
But deep down he was also playing his part. Way too impeccably played, if you asked Arnold. 'He had me totally fooled!' Arnold drew in, and a painful expression appeared on his face. An expression that took a few seconds to disappear from his countenance.
So, for the sake of it, Arnold decided he needed to move on. That was it. They were commited in a relationship and he'd admitted to himself that such relationship had been written all along the walls and interactions of this office. The hints were all over the place, oblivious to those who didn't know what to look for, or where.
Ignorance is bliss.
Really? Or it was better knowledge? It gave you the power of knowing what really was going on backstage.
It was crystal clear now. Were they having a good time? The company was moving smoothly and the ambiance in the office was relaxed. Were they experiencing problems? Their interaction was reduced to the basics; the company kept moving forward but the ambient in the office was tense. That was what had people thinking they hated each other. What a simplistic supposition.
And yet, it worked to keep people from knowing….
Right now, they were going through a rough patch. People knew they had had a fight. Not everyone knew Arnold was tangentially involved.
How did they come to that? Why did Helga never tell him? If he was her partner, why couldn't she just tell him: 'The new guy in Legal, Arnold, have you see him? Ya, the footheaded goof. That was my childhood friend.' How hard was that?
But she kept it from him. Why?
Somewhere, in the rear part of his brain the word jealousy rose. Why? Not sure, but - Didn't Rhonda mention Henry wanting to get Dick jealous. She said the plan worked out, but it also backfired them both.
. . .
. . .
Arnold stood up and left his office to run away from his thoughts. He had tons of work to do. He should meet Henry at some point today and he might well go for it now, since he seemed unable to get any work done here so far.
He'd truly tried, but his mind had decided that this was going to be a morning successfully wasted. Intentionally, he responded to Daphne's coquettish smile with one of his own. Not seducing though, just friendly. Daphne had broken up formally with his boyfriend about a month ago - right after his and Claire's split - and it seemed she'd tagged him as 'nextie'. She didn't hide it. Arnold smirked. Truth that all her blatant scheming entertained him. He kept her close because he knew she was loyal to him – at least at work – and because her vast knowledge of the hows and wheres of Mueller Headquarters was used on his behalf. Every single happening in here passed through her eyes… and lips, and consequently, to Arnold.
He was particularly interested in listening to anything that had something to do with the newly discovered Mueller's golden couple. However, it seemed he was the only one who was aware.
To the rest of people Dick increasing bad moods were part of his personality. On her part, Helga still looked like a woman in perfect control of her life and position in the company, but Arnold knew better. He'd witnessed their interaction in the meeting of last Monday where he replaced Deborah for the day.
The disruption in her love relationship certainly affected her. She was not angry but sad. You could see her going her way through the corridors looking a bit crestfallen; she'd lost some of her attitude and wit despite she still fooled around. Dick, on the other hand, was a swirl of bitterness and irritability so intense that people in the office was starting to complain about his excessive rudeness and little tolerance.
Man! For God's sake, it's been over a month! How long could someone maintain his grudge?!
Long enough apparently, Arnold responded to himself as he took the staircase. He was thinking about the futility of his decision of not thinking about this matter anymore when he extended his arm to push the Thirty Floor's door open in the exact moment that it was forcibly pulled from outside…
"Geez!" Arnold exclaimed before he could stop himself. The impetus of the pull made him crash flat against someone. The other man let out a blasphemy as he stood his feet. The initial shock was replaced by open antagonism a second later. Arnold held Dick' steel eyes for a second longer up until the guy walked past him and descended the stairs with celerity.
Arnold froze for a second, impressed by what he saw. It was not anger what those eyes held, Arnold shook his head off and stepped into the hallway. He took his time to reach the secretaries desks. He needed every extra second to disentangle this new discovery.
Not merely anger, in all case. Undoubtfully, Dick's eyes displayed the tormented expression of a man who had been betrayed.
. . .
. . .
He didn't know how this realization changed his perception of the whole affair. An affair that wasn't of his concern, to tell the truth, though Helga wellbeing was. He couldn't help it. He thought this as he followed the lady who preceded him in their way to Henry's office. Henry showed him the chair in front of his desk as he continued with his phone call and checked whatever business the girl brought to him at the same time.
Arnold appreciated the gap because his brain was racing. He walked on towards the window instead. So, in Dick's eyes, Helga had betrayed him? He looked outside, into the cloudy sky of this April morning. To hide an old friendship with some guy in the office had been an offense? Arnold pressed his lips together. To keep from him that she was not only in close acquaintance with said guy, but that at some point in life she'd been in love with him? With a guy who now was your principal legal assessor, by the way?
Arnold closed his eyes; admitting to himself that he might be somewhat annoyed if it were him, but:
Wasn't it out of proportion?
"It was so long ago, for God's sake! We were kids!"
He shook his head. He turned around when he heard a soft chuckle. Henry was writing something down but a small smile adorned his face. His secretary was leaving the room and he'd already ended his call and his phone was resting on the table.
"Ready to keep going?" He asked, raising his head to direct him a smile that had morphed into a smirk. Arnold observed him as he got close. His countenance told him he was upset. Henry hasn't been his usual self lately and it seemed it was hard for him to keep pretending everything was ok.
"It's clear to me that I'm not the only one concerned about the politics of the new administration in Washington, huh?" he commented, pointing out to his cellphone. "Psychosis is spreading through this beautiful country."
"All around the globe, you mean?" Arnold chuckled, taking his seat.
"Yeah, sadly you're right." Henry chortled, raising slightly his blue eyes to look at him. "Who've thought? I thrived in a world where 'expansion' and 'free trade' were the most acceptable and pushing words in the planet." He inhaled deeply "I hope we're not going back to feudalism." He ended with a snort.
"I hope all this nonsense is over before long."
"Yeah. Before the Orwellian become an institution – Anyway…" he went on without a pause and took a deep breathe "We need to get to work-" Arnold took the files Henry just drew out his drawer. "Let's get on with this before it turns out Foundations are banned." He made a face.
"Argh-" Arnold grumbled as he got his seat. He looked at the man in front of him as he went back to sign papers for a few moments before speaking again. "Could this whole thing be a factor to postpone the launch of your Foundation?"
"Who knows?" Henry raised briefly his sight again and exhaled tiredly. "For much that I hate it, I might have to listen to Dick this time."
"He doesn't think it's a good idea?"
"He thinks it's not the right time to go on with the original plans."
Arnold blinked with skepticism "What does Helga think?"
"She's asked me to wait too." Henry looked at him "It's seems that there's finally one thing where they've reached an understanding, which makes me think not everything is lost." he grumbled with disappointment "I swear to God, Arnold. Sometimes one could get really tired to keep on. Sometimes one starts to questions oneself if everything had a point? If all the hard work-, if all the years of long exhausting workdays, business trips, thousands and thousands of meetings and commercial agreements; all the times we neglected the family; all the losses…" his face transfixed for a long second; staring out the window. At some spot far beyond of the fraction of grey sky that his window could show "Was it all worth it?"
"Of course it worth it. You speak like that only because you're tired." Arnold rose from his seat and leaned in slightly to give him a warm pat on the back. He blinked then; not knowing exactly what he was doing or why he was saying, but reacting solely in what he thought was Henry behalf. "It was your life. It is your life, actually." He added without realizing the deep truth inside his affirmation. "We should never regret the path we choose to follow in life."
"You read that in a hallmark card, son?" Henry asked with a half-smile. Arnold shook his head ever so slowly.
"It's what life is. We all have regrets. Who tells us that life would be better if we had made things in a different way? That it'd be perfect? That adversity won't happen?"
"Do you have regrets, Arnold?"
A tiny bit of pink flashed in Arnold mind's eye as he went back to his old school's playground.
"I wouldn't be human if I didn't." He mumbled "Do you have regrets Mr. Mueller?" Arnold shot back.
"Hundreds." He raised his grey eyebrows. "You cannot even start imagining." He said with a heavy sigh; but then smirked. "Are we in 'Mr. Mueller' terms again, Mr. Shortman?"
Arnold let out a small smile "Henry," the old man nodded, but then became serious again.
"I'm too old." He started. "I have more regrets that I am capable of think of, you know, some of them really ugly. Those I can't forget." He raised his brows again, in mock surprise. Arnold frowned watching closely him as he went on.
He wasn't actually telling his sins, but the consequences of them in any case; the reactions and hurt that they caused at the time. How most of the times you don't realize that you're committing and act that you'll lament later. Arnold listened to him marveled at the sincerity of his voice and his expression. It made him feel touched and at the same time grateful for being in close contact with such smart and caring human being.
"How can I know?" he continued "Maybe I'm carrying out a deed that would end up being a bad thing at this very moment."
"And what are you gonna do instead?" Arnold asked with impartiality "Don't do anything anymore? Stop acting? Stop living?" he'd raised his voice. He let out a breathe and then added in lower voice. "You have good intentions. I'm sure everything you did in the past - well, most things – were carried out with the only intention to get something good from it."
"Good intentions alone take you to nowhere,"
"I know, but just look around you. You have an enterprise with hundreds of people having a good job opportunity here and thousands abroad. You're a loved boss. You've been good to lots of people. You're about to launch a foundation that'll change the life of dozens, probably hundreds of kids…"
"Such a passion!" Henry said with admiration. "I admire you kid. You're a tireless optimistic, aren't you? Always looking on the bright side."
A big and sincere smile appeared on Arnold's face. How many times he'd been told that?
"Someone has to." He replied automatically, like the very first time.
"Look that you are," Henry mumbled in awe "I look at you and I wonder what kind of regrets could a kid like yourself could have?" a light frown adorned the old man face that otherwise looked at him with admiration. "Being so damn positive." Arnold chuckled. "What evil could you have done?"
Arnold pursed his lips as he thought. What kind of angelic being would Henry think he was in front of? He was about to say it aloud, while trying to recall an event that could be a good example of his meanness. None came to his rescue. He frowned. Then remembered the scene with Claire and his boyfriend and felt ashamed; all this attitude devil-may-care that he'd been portraying throughout last month and couldn't go on. He remained speechless.
.
"Oh, this is good!" Henry cracked a laugh "Don't tell me there are so many that you can decide where to start."
"It's not that. It's just…" he trailed off "I was thinking you're right. It's not our malice what make us regret an act. It's ignorance, unawareness, inexperience, maybe angriness sometimes." He put on an apologetic frown "-The belief that you're doing the right thing…"
"And we're back with the whole good intentions thing…" Henry nodded "Maybe even revenge, on occasions, you can't deny it. We're not angels - We sin through acts and thoughts, and words and whatever…" he snickered. "We're not about to excuse ourselves with a mea culpa, but still … it's just that - I don't see you committing a sin… or being deliberately mean… or revengeful… to someone." he shook his head "I just can't see you."
"But I have…" Arnold uttered, avoiding his blue sight with awkwardness; feeling exposed. "I've been frivolous; mean; I've been offensive; said cruel things…" he trailed off "I've been indifferent… in regard of the feelings… of other persons."
"Have you broken many girls' hearts?" Henry asked with a sympathetic smile.
Arnold shook his head. "I'm not that good match." He snorted, smiling with modesty "And yet…" his voice cracked. Arnold coughed. "I… I…" he looked down at his lap, frowning with confusion. What the hell was happening to him? Why was he not able to utter even a simple word? He coughed again to clear his throat.
"It's okay; it's okay. This is not a confession." Henry uttered, fighting back a smile "You broke this girl heart so what? It's not the big deal? It's not your fault if she's a romantic who fell for those big emerald eyes; for this kindness. I'm sure this girl broke some kid hearts on her own too. And she's not regretting her acts and losing her voice because of it." He laughed again. Arnold raised his perplexed sight "Unless she really cared for her pursuer, which I doubt, just like you do."
'You know?' that was what Arnold intended to ask, but he failed. A high and raspy screech was all he could utter. Henry laughed again as he got up and walked to the door to call his secretary. After a quick interchange that Arnold didn't discern because he was too busy recovering his voice, Henry was back. He left a bottle of water in front of him and took his seat again.
"I guess we should back to the matter in hand." Henry pronounced with determination. Arnold didn't complain; not that he could, in all case. He took the papers and forced himself to concentrate in the documents in front of him as he kept clearing his throat. It was not easy. His mind kept fluttering around everything and nothing at the same time. He felt dumb, and then guilty, and then curious, and then exposed…. He wished he could take the paperwork to his own office to work in peace, but it hadn't worked before, and besides, the documents related to the Henry & Helga Mueller Foundation were not allowed to leave Henry's office yet.
"I've been thinking about The Empire State Building, you know? To rent an office space." Arnold raised his sight taking a moment to get what Henry was saying "A friend of mine who is in real estate told me there was a spectacular place over there. What do you think? Would you like it?" Henry asked raising briefly his sight from his own work.
"For the Foundation?" Henry nodded "As long as the people who ended working in here - he patted the papers – like it, I guess my opinion is irrelevant." He replied, realizing a second later that his voice had finally returned. He unscrewed the bottle and took another sip of water. "The Empire State Building by itself is a statement, don't you think? I like it. It'd gave the new Foundation a lot of respectability."
"Yeah. That's why it called my attention." Henry leaned back in his chair and looked at him with attention. "Since we don't have a president yet, would you mind coming along to take a good look at the space? Tom told me it'd be available in a couple of weeks. He also told me he'd take a few more weeks before putting it out for rent. He's only showing it to me because that's what friends do, isn't it?" Henry laughed "More likely special clients." he added " Tom was the real estate agent my wife hired once to help her buy our places."
Arnold raised his eyes to look at him in the eye. He already knew Mrs. Mueller was in charge of finding them places to live while the rest of them was moving the entire enterprise into a new location in a new city. She'd bought Henry, Helga and Dick actual places on her own. She'd entertained herself with home improvements and decorations. She'd finally left them to her putative son and daughter on her will.
"Really?" Arnold asked. Henry nodded, solemn. "It's good to see a friendship that flourish from a professional relationsh-"
A sudden and quick knock on the door halted Arnold. He turned around to see Dick poking his head into the room.
"You wanted to see me?"
"Oh, yeah, I did. I didn't know if you were already here." Henry uttered cordially. "Come in." He asked shortly then, pursing his lips at the sight of the young man resistance. Arnold looked ahead. He knew Dick wasn't happy with his presence in the room. In fact, since the event in the Meeting Room they haven't been in the same room so far except for the encounter in the staircase earlier today.
Henry threw a reassuring look his way and he returned to his papers when he heard the door being closed.
"What do you want?" Dick asked unceremoniously.
"How did you find things in Chicago?"
There was an impatient low grumble before Arnold heard a response. "Exactly how I expected. Some things are working; some others no,"
"Really? For example?"
"Now you want me telling you every fucking minimum detail in the operation of the smallest of our plants after years where you didn't care?" Dick asked derisively. "What do you really want?"
Henry raised his brows in mock surprise. "Do you talked to our people in China?"
"I did."
"What did they say?"
Dick vacillated for a moment before replying. "I told them what I should. They listened and I have the impression that they let out a sigh of relief. They were worried too; as the rest of them out there. I'm doing my part but Finance needs to give them a call too, unless she's too afraid to make a stand given the current situation…"
"What stand?!" Henry scoffed with veiled annoyance "Helga's not afraid. Not more than you in any case…"
"I'm not afraid!"
"Then Helga's not afraid at all."
"Tao told me she hadn't call him yet,"
"She's been busy with all those meetings at the Chamber."
"While they discuss - politicking – we're losing precious time. We need to make a stand to reassure our partners that nothing is happening and that…"
"Wasn't that what Helga did first thing in the day? Sending a worldwide communication to let them know there'll no be changes and we keep with the original plans and projects?" Henry asked "Helga's been calling people whenever she can, but she's also participating with the rest of-"
"Is that the strategist Mueller Enterprises need? Shouldn't she be launching..?"
"Would you be better?" Henry replied with scorn "For God's sake Dick. Mueller doesn't need a leader who jump recklessly at the slighest sign of uncertainty in the economy."
"Neither it need someone who froze and show doubts when hard times arrive. Í mean, it's great to say we want to do all of this, that we are all cool, but we want to make responsible business decisions, too," he said "and lately, our foreign production is sold predominantly to local markets."
"You know everybody here knows that." Henry said curtly.
"Does she? I haven't heard her uttering a word in that regard."
"Because is obvious. Besides, you weren't here in the last meeting. Have you even talked to Stan since you're back?"
"Are you suggesting that my right-hand man keeps things from to me or what?"
"I'm seeing that is a problem with communication,"
"So is my fault again?" He spat "Great!" Dick exhaled "Look, the only thing I like to say is that's not the reaction I want to see from the leader who's taking care of my money." He ended and turned around, ready to leave.
"Oh, for heaven sake! This is so great; so Dick." Henry mocked "As long as he has the last word in the conversation it's doesn't matter what stupidity he says; what senselessness. Seeing that you never listen, I guess that's why Helga rather not talk to you." Henry uttered with contempt "You should've already learned to be more supportive by now."
"What for?" Dick put a face "To be a good kid?" he let out a derisive snort. "Your dream heir?"
Arnold remained still in his chair. He'd never witnessed this animadversion between these two before. He knew it existed, but-
"To keep the girl, you idiot!" Henry said sternly. "To have someone by your side for once in your life. "
Dick snorted. "Thank you but not thank you." He smiled a strange smile "I rather be…"
"You know, Arnold and I here-" Henry changed subject in a deliberate and rather forced way. Arnold swallowed hard. Dick had disregarded his presence so far. Henry putting him in the forefront wasn't a good idea "Were talking precisely about this. How stupid you feel when you've lost something dear. How you don't realize what you have. When you're too proud - or too stupid - to communicate with the other part." Henry took his seat again. "Regrets. When you finally realize what you've done it's already late and there's no turning back."
Arnold felt bad. And felt upset too. Henry just showed him he was aware of the whole affair between him and Helga in detail. He had stubbornly kept his eyes from the door, but now it couldn't help but turn around. When he finally did it the scene he saw wasn't exactly what he expected. Dick was livid. All color had abandoned his face. As Henry continued talking Arnold could feel the intensity of the distress emanating from his eyes and the rest of his being; mixing with the air in the room to create a toxic atmosphere that suffocated them. Arnold struggled to pay Henry his full attention. He grasped that Dick was feeling exposed and he hated the feeling; hated everything and everybody. He felt humiliated. He would feel the same way if it was him. For much that Arnold disliked him he still felt sorry for him. Henry should be more tactful and avoid this unnecessary exposition of a family member in front of a stranger.
"… Really. Call me stupid, but I still harbor hopes in that regard. I wish you'd stop letting me down in every new challenge I put at your feet."
Dick stopped watching Arnold and his sight shifted to look at Henry. He narrowed his eyes.
"You poor sad little old man." He said slowly "Never stop being a dreamer."
Arnold fought back a swearing but couldn't help but open big his eyes to see the door being calmly closed. No drama. He bit his lip before turning to see Henry who had was staring the closed wooden door with a strange expression.
"I… I'm sorry" Arnold started "I'd… never have wanted to witness that," he sprung to his feet, uncomfortable "I guess I should get going-"
"No" Henry made a dismissive gesture with his hand, but made no sign to stop him "Don't apologize. It's not your fault." He leaned back heavily, finally turning to see him as he arranged the papers. "And don't feel sorry for me." He gave a nod towards de door. "I don't deserve it. I just acted upon the fact -" he made a small pause "that I'm too old to keep playing the antagonist." He ended, not without throwing Arnold a rueful look "Good luck with you new position, Mr. Shortman."
. . .
. . .
I don't own Hey Arnold!
I want to thank you all for this long wait and tell you that I really appreciate your reviews ad your words of encouragment, your PMs as well as your favs and following marks both in this and my old stories. Over it all, a thousand thank yous to Jose Ramiro, Nep2uune, PresleyRox, Carlin, Lady Soul and a couple of guests.
Jan 31 , 2017.