Happy New Year to everyone!
Before I forget: The show Hey Arnold! is not mine. Chapter Nine A Perfect Family Outing~8:00 am
Bea drew a black line on a blank paper. She then drew squiggles in random places. A sigh escaped her lips as she looked up at her best friend. Katey was still tracing the face of Bea's doll. Bea sighed again as she returned to her drawing.
The older girl was getting worried. Katey had been holding the doll ever since she came over in Bea's own room to play. They were supposed to come together in her room but Uncle Arnold had something to say to her. Bea also noted that the blonde girl seemed even sadder than before. 'Maybe her daddy said something to her that made her even more sad.'
At those thoughts tears came to her eyes. She never liked anyone to feel sad, especially if it's because of their daddy and mommy. Katey told her that the whole story while they were playing golf and while their daddies was talking. Maybe she could do something to Katey.
"Umm, Katey?" Bea hesitantly called. She slowly looked up at Katey.
Katey looked at her with a serious face. "Yeah?"
Bea bit her lip. She was afraid to tell her this because she was her very first friend. What would happen if she said the wrong thing? But part of her told her it was okay. Katey is a good friend.
"D-did you ever pretend that your mommy and daddy love each other?" A brief panic surged through her as she tentatively looked at Katey.
But Katey was now looking at the doll again. "Sometimes. Sometimes when I see mama staring in the air or when papa hugs me when we sleep," she replied in a quiet voice. The blonde looked at her with a small smile. "We have four rooms at our house: one for mama, papa and me, another for grandma and the others for visitors. Before, we used to sleep in one room because both of them are very busy in the morning. But then… papa moved to the other room so one night I sleep in mama's and… mama's room and then the next night I sleep in papa's room."
One tear now slid off Bea's left eye. Followed by another and another. Pretty soon she was crying so hard she couldn't stop her tears. Suddenly someone went to her and hugged her.
"You know, papa always told me that hugs are the best medicine in the world. He always hugged me when I cry and when I am sick. I even saw papa hug grandpa even though no one ever did. That's what grandma said to me."
Bea smiled in her tears and hugged Katey in return. Her tears had subsided but she was still crying. "Maybe your papa should talk to mommy. She always give me yucky tasting medicine when I get sick."
Katey didn't say anything but continued hugging her. 'She is braver than I am,' Bea thought. But she noticed that her tee was getting even more wet and Katey's hug was even more tight. Bea couldn't find any words so she just hugged her friend.
"Papa told me that he was going to his old home and he was going to live there. He said that if I wanted to meet my other great-grandma and great-grandpa I would go with him," Katey finally said.
"I met my other great-otousan and great-okaasan. They're nice so maybe your grandparents would be nice too."
Katey didn't answer her.
Katey cried for a long time but Bea continued on hugging her. When Katey finished, she smiled at Bea and went back to the doll. Bea looked at Katey for a second and also went back to what she was doing earlier.
"Hey, Bea."
Bea looked up.
"Can we play dolly?"
Bea smiled and went to her friend.
A few minutes only had passed when the door opened and Beatrice's mother peeked in. "Hello, girls!"
Bea and Katey turned to face and greeted back.
Phoebe further went in and walked towards them. She kneeled beside the two and looked at her daughter. "Bea, I need to talk to Katey for a moment. That is…" she paused and turned to look at the blonde girl. "That is if she's finished playing."
Katey nodded. "I'm finished!" She paused and looked a bit solemn. "But could I have I have a chocolate milkshake?"
Phoebe had to grin at that remark. Katey truly was her best friend's daughter. "Sure."
But Bea was not to be outdone. "Me, too! I want chocolate milkshake with whip cream on top!"
The older woman raised both her hands in complaisance. "Okay, okay! I'll make you girls chocolate milkshakes but only after I talk to Katey."
Both girls raise their hands. "Hooray!!"
Phoebe stood up. "Now that's settled. Let's go Katey!"
Katey jumped up and followed Phoebe. "Can I also have whip cream, cherry and rainbow sprinkles?"
Her only answer was a laugh.
"Mama, mama, mama, mama!"
Helga looked up just in time to see a yellow blur land unceremoniously on her lap. "Oof!" Helga uttered as the blur landed.
It was good thing that the magazine she was holding earlier was dropped or else the borrowed publication would be crinkled.
"Where's the fire?" Helga asked as she positioned her daughter in her lap.
An infectious grin answered her. "Auntie Phoebe told Bea and me that you went to the beach yesterday. Can we please go to the beach, mama? Can we? Huh? Can we?"
The older blonde raised an eyebrow. "I don't know, Katey…"
"PUH-LEEZ, mama!" Teary, pleading eyes and a sad frown was displayed.
"That face won't work on me. So you better change tactics."
Her daughter's face became even more pleading. Helga sighed and muttered to herself, "Only you and your papa are the only ones that could get me to change my mind with that kind of face."
With a resigned voice, Helga agreed. They could go today.
"YEHAY!"
Without warning, the young blonde jumped out of her lap and ran out of the living room. Helga shook her head and resumed her reading.
A few minutes later she heard Katey's cheerful voice. "We could go this afternoon. Hooray! Papa, me and mama, on the beach!"
Helga never looked up when she first heard her daughter's voice but now Helga looked up. And when she did, she saw Katey pulling a surprised Arnold.
It seems that Katey was ignorant of their facial expressions and continued to chat about what she would do when they get to the beach. "…I could go to the sea and look for sea animals and then…"
"Uh, Kat dear…" Arnold began to say.
Katey looked up to her father.
He looked at her confused face and then seemed as if it broken whatever resolve he had. "Umm, I don't think it would be a good idea… to you know… go to the beach."
Her smile immediately vanished. "But why?"
"Well…" Arnold stopped and looked at Helga for help. Helga just gave him a blank look. "We just can't be together. I'm sorry, Kat."
"But why?"
"We just can't."
Katey pouted. "Why?"
Arnold gave a tired smile. "Remember what we told you two months ago. You're mama and I just don't love each other anymore so we can't spend any time together."
Curious eyes looked at him. "Just because you and mama don't love each other doesn't mean you can't be together."
Dumbfounded, Arnold looked at Helga. "You can't beat that reasoning," Helga answered him, or more appropriately answered his confused look.
He frowned. "Thanks for the help," he darkly muttered.
"You're welcome," she cheerily answered him.
Arnold glared at her for a second then happily looked at Katey. "Okay, your mama and I will just prepare. Why don't you do that also?"
"Hooray!" With that exclamation, Katey quickly ran out of the room.
"Hey! I never said I would go!"
Arnold looked at her with a mischievous smirk. "If I suffer so will you." He then walked out of the living room.
"Hmph!"
~7:00 pm, Ottawa
Someone sighed. "I wonder what time will my boyfriend arrive?"
The setting was a semi-dark living room. Even through the lack of light you could see the silhouette of two small settees and couch. The voice that uttered the sentence seemed to come from one of the settees.
"Augh! Chelsea, could you just stop sighing and mentioning your boyfriend? He has a name you know?" replied a voice from the petite couch.
"You're just jealous, Lees."
Lees, or Alicia, was just about to answer when the door to the far right opened. The shadow seemed to belong to a man, and judging from the slump of the shoulders, a very tired one. He shuffled his feet to the carpet as he approached the light switch and turned the light on.
Chelsea then immediately sat up from her place. "Good evening, Patrick!"
To which Patrick answered with a scream. "Don't ever do that to me!" he later said after calming down.
Patrick then looked around and saw Alicia and Tish sitting up from their places. Alicia waved a hello and Tish just stood up. "I'll just use the kitchen. I'll make us some dinner if you have something good to eat that is."
Offended, Patrick said, "Hey, you're being stereotypical. I'm not like one of those bachelors that you see on TV."
Tish didn't answer him but just proceeded to go to his small kitchen.
After watching the brunette leave he turned to the remaining females. He frowned at them. "You know, I gave you the key for emergencies only."
"It is an emergency," Alicia answered, sitting down.
Patrick then sat down beside her. "What's the emergency?"
"We're bored," Chelsea responded. She folded her legs, Indian style.
He rolled his eyes.
The blonde glared at her friend. "The truth is it's because we hardly see each other anymore."
Patrick looked at Alicia in confusion. "We just saw each other two nights ago."
Alicia blushed. "N-no! I mean, the group. The last time we had a group outing was two months ago."
The trio then heard a loud clang and a curse uttered in French from the kitchen.
Patrick sheepishly smiled. "Umm, okay. The outing…" He paused but then a look of surprise came to his face. "Two months ago? Time sure flies…"
Chelsea nodded and leaned back on the chair. "So we decided to go here. Have an impromptu group date."
The blonde man looked at her. "By the way, where's Logan?"
"He said he was going to be late. He was researching something for his weekday show." Chelsea then shrugged, "Logan's becoming too dedicated for my taste."
Patrick raised an eyebrow. "Shouldn't you be there to help him? Both of you are on the same morning show."
Again, Chelsea shrugged. "He's one of the lead anchorman. I am just the lowly news correspondent."
Alicia shook her head and smiled. "I still can't believe Logan was the one who got the job. I don't mean any offense to him but he always seemed…like you know…"
"Lazy?" Chelsea cheerfully added.
Patrick chuckled. Alicia and Chelsea smiled.
Silence.
"So… what do we do now?" Alicia asked.
No one answered.
Finally, "I never thought that Helga and Arnold would ever experience a severe break-up, or even just a break-up," Chelsea quietly remarked.
Alicia and Patrick looked at her for a second and then looked away. A melancholy mood seemed to settle on the trio.
"I wonder what really happened?" Patrick inquired. The two females shrugged.
"Helga didn't even tell us a word," Alicia muttered.
"She just went in our condo and told us that she and Arnold are thinking about divorce. After that she switched on the TV and began watching," Chelsea added.
"But we knew she really wasn't watching. Her face was so… stoic."
The blonde woman nodded. "She was hurt pretty bad."
Patrick leaned back on the couch. "From Arnold's point of view, it seemed like it was her fault. She was the one who didn't even tell him what she was doing whenever she came home late."
Alicia shook her head. "Helga must have a valid reason."
Patrick looked at her and then Chelsea. "Do you think that perhaps she's…"
"Having an affair? No way!" Chelsea immediately interjected. "I've never seen anyone who's so in love with their husband like Helga."
"But how come she didn't tell Arnold where was?" Patrick asked her.
Chelsea bit her lip. "I don't know."
Silence.
"Poor Katey. This must be equally hard on her too," Alicia articulated. Patrick and Chelsea nodded.
Silence again.
Suddenly a muffled sound of the Valkyrie was heard. Alicia instantly dove to the empty settee and rummaged through the handbag.
"What's that?" Patrick asked.
"Tish's new cell phone. It's her ring tone," Chelsea answered.
Alicia was then able to produce the cell phone. Patrick and Chelsea followed the cell phone as Alicia threw it over their heads. Tish, who was now in the living room, caught it and answered the call.
"Umm, she bought another one?" was all Patrick was able to say.
"Yup," Chelsea answered.
The trio then looked at Tish.
"Hi, Helga!"
"Hey, Tish. I was hoping to reach you after your work."
"Well, you did. I'm in Patrick's apartment."
"Patrick's?"
"Yeah. Chelsea and Alicia got bored so we went here."
Hey!
Tish heard Helga chuckle at the other end. "I take it that the two are near you."
"They are." Tish paused. "So, what's new?"
Helga sighed. "Remember when I told you that Katey and I are planning to go back in Seattle?"
"Yes."
"Well, Arnold also decided to go back home."
The brunette's eyes grew large. "You're kidding?"
Kidding? What does she mean?
Tish ignored Chelsea. "So what happened?"
Helga's voice became softer. "Katey and I are currently staying at Phoebe's house. Remember Phoebe? She married Arnold's best friend?"
"Yeah, I remember her."
"Well, Arnold also decided to stay with his best friend."
"Oh."
Helga sighed. "I couldn't very well stay at my parents' and he can't stay at his old home. It's being fumigated."
Tish clucked her tongue. "It seems as if Destiny continually touches your lives."
Destiny? What happened?
"You got that right."
"So what happened next?"
Helga groaned. "Now my daughter of mine wants the three of us to go to the beach. Katey wants Arnold and I to go with her." She sighed. "I don't know if I should."
A knowing smirk played on Tish's lips. "You should, Helga. The problem is between you and Arnold. Don't make it any worse by including Katey."
Helga sighed. "You're right but I couldn't help but feel as if she's conspiring against me. Conspiring against Arnold and me."
Tish laughed. "Helga, you're talking about a four-year-old. Katey can't possibly have a hidden agenda."
"You're right." She paused. "So how are you, Tish? How's everybody?"
"We're all great except we miss our muse of the group."
She could hear Helga laugh. "Katey's already befriending Phoebe's daughter. I can't believe how like her mother Bea is."
"So it's like déjà vu all over again with the second generation of Phoebe and Helga."
Helga laughed.
I want to speak to her!
"Hey, Helga. Chelsea wants to speak to you."
"Sure. Put her through."
Tish threw the phone to Chelsea who caught it easily. "Hello, Helga! So have you bought me something from Seattle?"
Patrick
looked at the talking Chelsea and then at Tish and Alicia. "Haven't you guys
ever heard of handing objects over?"
Alicia
grinned. Tish just went back to the small kitchen with a sly smile appeared on
her face.
~4:00 pm, the beach
"Here we are."
Arnold looked at the low sun on the horizon. Today was a great time to go to the beach since it was a weekday and the temperature wasn't too hot. He continued walking.
He gripped the blanket and umbrella he borrowed from Gerald and Phoebe as he gazed at the crashing waves. At edge of his sight he could see Helga carrying a medium basket. He remembered Phoebe insisting them to pack some food so they could have a long fun time on the beach.
A tiny laughing voice brought his attention to the edge of beach where a small blonde girl was running. It was a perfect family outing.
Yeah right.
It would be a perfect family outing if the husband and wife weren't at each other's throats whenever a conversation would happen between them.
A joyful scream rang in the air. "Papa! I saw a small crab inside a shell!"
Ahh, the joy of innocence. "That's a hermit crab, Kat."
"Ooh." Katey stopped as if remembering something. "Do you know where the tidal pools are, papa? B, told me that they have many animals in them."
"Go with her. I'll just fix our place."
Arnold looked at his left and saw Helga putting down the basket. She didn't look at him but proceeded to take a look at the contents. He wanted to ask her if that's what she really wanted but stopped himself. He just opened the umbrella and laid down the blanket. Helga didn't utter any protests and focused on the basket. When he was down he cast a lingering look on the blanket and on Helga. After that he left.
The search for tidal pools proved to be a success. Arnold had found plenty of tidal pools but Katey insisted that she wanted to stay on the first one they found. She wanted to look at all of the animals and watch them. Already an hour had passed and Arnold told her they had to go.
"Your mama must be worried by now."
He was answered by a giggle. "Papa, you and mama are the same. Why don't you call her like you use to?"
Arnold saddened. It seems that Katey will have a hard time accepting their divorce. He gave her a weak smile. "Let's go now, Kat-Kat."
Katey grinned and skipped towards her mother. He slowly followed.
When he arrived Katey was relating to Helga everything that she saw while eating a sand which.
"And then it went like this…" Katey extended both her arms forward (one with a sand which at hand) and mimicked a hermit crab slowly peeking out of its shell.
Helga nodded as if this were a normal conversation. "What did it do next?"
"Went back in itsh shell," Katey answered with her mouth full.
"Katey," Helga said with a reproving tone.
Katey swallowed her food. "Sorry, mama."
Helga looked at her for a moment longer and then asked, "Where's your papa?"
"Here," Arnold finally said.
Helga looked up in surprise but a serious face quickly replaced it. "Have some sandwiches. Phoebe and I made them."
Arnold sat down between their daughter and Helga but more next to Katey. "Thanks. I will."
No sounds were heard except the sound of eating.
"I'll go to the sea!" Katey happily announced after finally able to finish eating.
"No you won't," Arnold quickly said.
Katey stopped her trek to the sea. "But why?"
"You'll get cramps," Helga answered.
The small girl furrowed her eyebrows. "What does cramps mean?"
"It's something you feel when you go to the water after eating. You won't be able to move your arms and legs and because of that you'll drown."
Katey looked at her with wide eyes. She looked at the sand as if in thought then looked at her parents. "Could I walk in the sand?"
Both nodded. "Okay."
"Don't go to far," Helga said.
Arnold stood up and began to follow Katey. Katey noticed this. "Papa, you and mama stay," she gently reprimanded.
Her parents looked at her in amusement. "I'm sorry, Ms. Katey," Arnold replied with a hidden smile.
"That's okay," Katey said as she went away. "Stay, papa!"
Chuckling, Arnold began to sit down. "She treats me like a dog."
He heard her laugh. "That's a new meaning to the term."
Arnold smiled as he looked at her. Their eyes met for the briefest of seconds and then both looked away.
"So uh…" he began.
Helga looked at him, waiting for what he was going to say.
"When are you going to visit your parents?" Arnold asked. He thought to himself that there was a time that when he called them his parents but that was a long time ago.
"Tomorrow." Helga stopped and then looked at him. "When are you going to visit Phil and Gertie?"
A smile crept in his lips. "Would you believe that I also decided to go home tomorrow?"
Arnold expected her to smile but she didn't. "I would. It's not an abnormal circumstance in my life."
Helga didn't elaborate so he added, "I asked Katey if she would like to visit them with me."
"Did she agree?"
"She did."
"There's more, right?"
He couldn't help but laugh. "Sometimes I am amazed on how well you know me." Arnold shook his head but continued, "Yes, there's more. I'm planning on moving back to Sunset Arms and staying there for the whole vacation. I might stay even longer."
She looked at him in surprise. Arnold could see sadness and hurt in her face but it was short-lived. "Well, I hope you won't have any trouble," she muttered.
Silence.
"Could you tell your grandparents that I might drop by and visit them?" Helga softly asked.
He looked at her in surprise. Arnold had never known her to be attached to his grandparents. "Sure. They would love it."
No one said another word for the next few minutes but Arnold spent his silence thinking about her attachment to his grandparents. Pretty soon, his curiosity overcame him so he asked, "Helga, don't take this the wrong way but can I ask when have you became close to them?"
To his shock, Helga colored and looked away. "There were times that they have been kind to me when we were young."
Arnold had always enjoyed making his former wife blush since it always happened to be his doing (to tell the truth he doesn't understand how come it was always because of him but he stopped asking that question a long time ago). So he couldn't help himself but covertly grinned and added, "Don't tell me you and my grandparents have some sort of secret that I don't know about?"
Helga blushed a much deeper color. To make matters worse she spoke, "I d-don't know what y-you're talking about."
She was blushing and stuttering. This was getting to be even more interesting! Arnold went closer to her. "Pretty please," he said while making a pleading face.
"No!"
He drew even closer to her and grinned at her. Finally she sighed. "Fine!" Helga looked at him in the eye. "Sometimes I wonder how big an influence you are to Katey."
Arnold looked at her quizzically but she didn't explain it further.
"Mama! Papa! Let's build sandcastles!"
Both parents looked at the direction of Katey's voice and found her skipping towards them from the right.
"What?" Arnold asked.
Katey stopped and pointed to something from where she came from. The grown-ups could make out a hunk of sand with a small kid next to it. At the same instant that they saw the image both remembered a memory from so long ago.
"Yes, it's perfectly fine because, the thing is, I just heard Summer talking, and it turns out she's actually evil! And she's got this whole crazy plot against you!"
"Arnold…""Forget it Helga. Go away. I'm waiting for Summer."
"But, Arnold… she's over there."
"Sandcastles? Do you know how to make one?" Helga suddenly asked.
Arnold mentally shook his head clear of the memories. He was getting close to the memory on where they found out the truth about Summer…
He looked at Helga with a sudden realization. Could it be that she purposely broke his train of thoughts because he was getting closer to the painful part? No, that couldn't be it. That would mean that they were thinking about the same thing. Helga must have forgotten that memory a long time ago.
But then there was also…
"Papa, you have a red face!"
Sometimes his daughter can be too much observant and loud. He turned away, hoping to alleviate his blush. Arnold heard a female chuckle and was surprise to feel someone took hold of his left wrist. He looked up and saw Helga standing up with an impish smile on her face.
"Let's go, Arnold, or you'll make your feelings more known to our daughter." She winked at him. "Besides, we're near the exact place were they filmed the scene."
He blushed again. No way! She couldn't possibly have remembered.
Arnold wasn't able to say anything in reply as Helga dragged him. He looked at her in confusion and disbelief while she was leading him to where Katey was sitting down near the sea. Their daughter was already beginning to make sandcastles that look a little like molehills.
"Let your parents help you, Katey. Don't you know that we even won a sandcastle contest when we were just nine years old?"
Katey looked at Arnold for confirmation.
Arnold gave a shaky smile. "Err, right. What your mama said."
"Really, mama? Tell me what happened?"
'Oh no…' Arnold hid his grief as he sat down beside Helga.
Helga, who was very much aware of what was happening to Arnold, stood up and walked towards the water carrying a small bucket. "You see, my dad, your grandfather, wanted to have some rest from work so he took me and my mom to the beach. Your father was also on his way here with his grandparents and their boarders… umm, friends…"
Katey and Arnold listened with wide eyes and open ears although both have different reasons for doing so.
"You put a… a lobster on another girl's hair?" Katey giggled.
Helga shook her finger. "No, my dear. I didn't put the lobster on her hair. I just conveniently placed it on the serving dish where it proceeded to attack her hair." Helga chuckled, remembering the look on Summer's face.
Arnold, despite himself, began to smile too. He continued shaping the pointed roof on one of the tall towers.
"Then what happened?"
"Well, your father was able to remove the frightened lobster. They then began eating but not before Summer spending about an hour to fix her hair. Later on I was just lying down on the beach when I noticed a flock of hungry seagulls flying above. Being a good little girl…"
"Oh, sure," Arnold muttered.
Katey didn't notice his statement but Helga did. She hid a small smile as she continued. "Being a good girl I bought a loaf of bread and began feeding them. Imagine my surprise when the birds were attacking Summer."
The girl giggled again.
"Yeah, right. What a surprise that was," he said in a disbelieving voice.
Helga innocently looked at him. "What do you mean? It was an accident."
"Like the lobster and the raft were?"
"Don't you believe me?"
"No."
She slowly shook her head. "Well, I can't do anything about that. You can believe what you want." Helga turned to Katey. "Right?"
Katey bobbed her head.
"See?"
Arnold looked at her through half-lidded eyes. Now she was making him the one at fault. That feisty, conniving…
He could see a sly smile appearing on her lips. Helga was watching their daughter get more water but he could see a particular quirk of her mouth. A subtle move that she always gave him whenever she knew that her teasing was successful.
Ever since he had known her she always teased him. Even when they were already married it was some sort of fun for her to tease him. The teasing wasn't as harmful as before but it was still teasing nonetheless. But that doesn't mean that he hated it whenever she teased him, in fact he loved it. Her teasing just proves how well he knew her and how at ease she was with him. It made him relax in her presence even more.
Now that you think about it there were occasions that he teased her in turn, like what he was doing earlier…
"You know I always wondered where you always go whenever you daydream?" a female voice whispered.
Arnold looked at her in surprise. Helga was looking at him intently with her head tilted off to one side. "Uh you see…"
A very girlish giggle escaped her lips. "Relax, Arnoldo. Your little mental hideaway will remain a secret." She winked at him. "That is one of the things that I would like to remain a secret." She laughed again.
Slowly a smile formed in his lips as he watched his wife chuckle. If he didn't know any better it would seem as if he was falling in love with her all over again.
"Papa, why is mama laughing? Did she continue telling the story?"
Oh, Katey has returned. He faced her. "No, I believe it's because of me. Again."
Katey giggled. "Oh." She then placed the bucket of water and sat down between him and Helga.
When Helga was finally able to stop laughing Katey asked her to continue the story. Helga complied and this time Arnold listened with ease.
After Helga finished telling the story, the sandcastle was finished. Katey decided to go to the sea and wade. Her parents decided to just watch her from their position. Helga was lying down in front of the sandcastle, watching Katey and Arnold sat down behind the sandcastle.
"It's a good thing you weren't as tense as you were when I finished the story. Honestly, would it hurt to tell our daughter stories about us when we were little?"
He chuckled. "That wasn't exactly what I was tense about. It was what happened at the Babe Watch shooting but I guess I was worrying for nothing."
"Oh that. I think it would be a good thing to tell her one of our misadventures. She may not be able to understand the full story now but when she gets older she will."
"I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about when you shoved the actress and ensued to give me CPR." He laughed. "A pretty long one, might I add."
He didn't hear any answer. Arnold looked down and noticed that Helga had an expressionless face. "Helga? Are you okay?"
She gave him a forced smile. "I'm fine."
Arnold went back to his original position. "So back to the topic. It was kind of weird that you would do something like that."
"I don't want to discuss it, Arnold."
He was surprised. They were getting along so well but then this happens. "How come?"
Helga locked her gaze at Katey. "I just don't want to." Her voice was neutral.
"But I need a reason."
"I don't want to give a reason."
Why was she so adamant? "Why?"
Now she looked up at him with anger. "Is there some law that I have to tell everything to you?!"
It was beginning all over again. No, not when everything was going along okay. "No there isn't but this is important. I want to know why you always close yourself to me." Arnold's voice was beginning to be a little frantic. "Did I do something wrong?!"
She didn't answer but she began to stand up.
"I am talking to you, Helga."
Helga turned to face him. "Well, gee whiz I wonder why I'm leaving? Oh right, it's because I DON"T WANT TO TALK." She continued walking away.
"I'm your husband, Helga."
"Oh please. We're getting a divorce remember? Even if we aren't, I'm not your slave."
"Mama? Papa?" a small voice queried.
Both adults faced the source and saw a trembling Katey. 'Oh no…' They began to go to her but Helga stopped. She let Arnold hug and pacify their daughter.
Helga then went back to their stuff and began to pack their things.
~6:57 pm
Phoebe opened the door with a smile. "Did you all have fun?"
The smile vanished as a serious Helga went in carrying a sleeping girl. Phoebe noticed that Katey had some tearstains on her face. She looked at Helga hoping for an explanation.
"Don't ask."
She then turned to Arnold who was carrying all their stuff. He shook his head. "Maybe later but right now isn't a good time."
Phoebe closed the door and went to her friend. "Let me help you clean up. You must be tired."
Arnold smiled at her. "Thanks."
As Arnold gave Phoebe some of the stuff he looked at where Helga exited the living room. 'I know she's keeping a secret from me. And maybe that secret would have to do with what she did when we were kids.'
~11:12 pm
Helga slowly opened the door and peeked outside. No one was in sight. Good.
She tiptoed across the hallway and went down the stairs. Before opening the door she made sure that no one was about and then checked to see if she had the keys on her duffel bag.
'It was hard getting this keys from Phoebe without telling her the real reason.'
Since all seemed to be in their beds. Helga opened the door and went out. 'I wonder if he'll be there.'
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