***All rights to Craig Bartlett and Taylor Swift. Song: Mary's Song (Oh my my my) by Taylor Swift*** Enjoy!
Chapter 3 Pookie's Song (Oh My My My)
"Now what is all this about Short Gal? I'm missing out on my raspberry pie Pookie made for me." Phil laughed, the kind of laugh that a person loves to hear because every one knows it comes from the heart. Phil had his arm around Gertie's shoulders as the two walked in the dim room with Miles and Stella in tow. Their curious gazes had widened as they took in their surroundings. Helga was smiling widely at the couple and then gestured for them to come forward.
Phoebe left her seat beside Gerald and guided the party of four to a reserved table in the front, right of the stage; it was lighted with a set of three candles in the middle. The crowd was in silent wonderment, waiting to see what was in is store for them. Arnold's parents took a seat, but before the elder couple could sit, Helga spoke to them from her head mic.
"Gertie, Phil, could you come up on this stage? I have a gift for you." Just then, two men came from behind the stage curtain with three chairs the band followed. When they were settled in, they started playing a soft melody.
Gertie looked at Helga with a sly smile and a soft glint in her green eyes. Those very same green eyes her and Arnold share. "Eleanor, what are you doing?" Helga gave a small, 'just come up here and you'll see' smile to her and then gestured with her hand again. As Phil and Gertie made their way up the stairs and sat in the seats that were appointed to them, Helga sat also, with a guitar on her lap, fingers on the fret, and her pick softly strumming as she smiled gently towards them; showing the soft side she possessed, only to be let loose on occasion. Helga turned towards the crowd and spoke with a contented look on her face.
"Well, these two have been together for years now, and I'm sure everyone knows, they are still deeply in love with each other." The crowd cheered as Gertie waved their joined hands in the air like they've won a champion boxing match, beaming. Helga chuckled, "I just wanted to celebrate you both with a song I wrote for you. You see, I believe the greatest love story is one between two people who love each other after being together for years. Through all odds and always make each other keep on their toes. I admire you both, and I hope one day when my prince charming will come out of his shell, we can have a love as great as yours." Gertie and Phil gave each other a knowing look and squeezed each others hands. "Thanks for the stories, Gertie, you give me hope." Helga smiled.
Arnold perked up at her last statement, after being in complete and utter awe from this angel that is his best friend. The fact Helga would do this for his own grandparents made his heart beat faster. It shows how big her heart is, and that it can actually get bigger. But what confused him was how Helga could share stories with his grandparents. They were always together at his home at the boarding house, just him and Helga, and he never left her alone. Helga usually spoke with his relatives while he was is the room, and if he wasn't, it was usually brief. Arnold did know though, in those brief moments, Helga made his family members fall in love with her. She was taken in almost instantly and his parents loved her. Stella and Miles practically treat her like a daughter, they were so fond of her wit, her spunk, her modesty, her selflessness and courage to stand up for what's right… her plain beauty and smile that lights up the darkest rooms she walks in… Arnold shook his head to clear it. 'How would they have spoken, much less traded stories?' He wondered in thought.
~Flashback~
It was the week before the ending of summer before their freshmen year at Hillwood High School. Helga was running down the road at nine in the morning towards the red boarding house. It was Arnold and Helga's first summer apart that they hadn't spent together; him and his parents had made a trip of checking in the Green-Eyes, since they had missed the annual spring break trip to San Lorenzo. Arnold wouldn't let his parents leave him behind ever again, so they made this deal between them. Helga made sure they wrote in a notebook they kept all their letters in. Since the Shortman's first trip during the spring break their 5th grade year, they'd been filling up blue and pink notebooks left and write. Exchanging drawings, what they were up too, etc. Helga made it sound like it was no big deal, but Arnold knew without asking she just wanted to make sure he was okay. So he played along and sent his pictures as well. With their annual summer tradition being canceled, they used up a whole five subject notebook. Helga even sent him a sketch book so he could practice and draw the wild life of the foreign and exotic place.
Usually their families would go to the beach every summer since their spring break in fourth grade. Both families figured, since they both liked it so much, why not go during the longer break between school years? After that, it became a tradition to go. The Patakis brought extra sun block for Big Bob, and the Shortmans brought the boarding house occupants. They stilled shared the house duplex and spent their summered together. The Patakis would only stay a short while, but after a lot of convincing and yelling on Helga's part, she always stayed the remainder of time with the Shortman's. Of course Grandpa and Grandma didn't mind, they loved 'Eleanor'! Miles and Stella also adored the girl who brought them closer to their long lost son. They would do anything for her, but Helga always kept it modest, saying their was no need, but that just made the Shortmans love her more. So every summer, her and Arnold had spent it together having the time of their lives, eventually becoming best friends. They were barely inseparable during that time. Of course, Arnold still had Gerald, and Helga had her Pheebs, but to Helga and Arnold, there was a bond between them neither could explain.
Well, to Helga, she was giving in to the hope that maybe, just maybe, someday he'll fall for her. Her love for him intensified every passing summer, and her unrequited love songs she'd written increased. No love for another could ever out match her passion for the football headed boy. No one could match his charm, his kindness. (*Insert the famous Helga Swoon*)
But, to Arnold, dense as ever Arnold, he was happy he was getting so close to Helga. Her bullying had gone down, it was just a slight tease now. Her calling him "Football Head" or "Arnoldo" was more of a friendly nickname, instead of torture; he'd be worried now if she didn't call him that. Arnold learned to read her emotions and when to help or to not, when to offer advice or just a hug with contented silence, much to Helga's secret pleasure. To Arnold, Helga being his best 'girl best friend', as he repeatedly explained to his teasing grandpa, is the best thing he could ask for. He didn't know if he could picture his life with out her.
As Helga bounded the front steps of Arnold's stoop, she knocked twice before opening the door and walking in. "…Football Head?" she called, looking into the living room. Arnold was supposed to be home by now, since his flight arrived at eight thirty and the airport wasn't that far away from the boarding house. They just needed to catch a quick cab and they'll be back to their regular routine.
"Why, hello, Eleanor!" Helga turned and smiled to see Gertie sitting in a chair at the kitchen table. She was sipping a cup of coffee and had their china set up like a tea party complete for two. It was decked out in doilies, pots of tea, finger food that consisted of a basket of biscuits and toast with an assortment of jellies and a bit of butter on the side. A bright green vase of yellow, white, pink, and orange daisies, most likely picked from the flower garden Stella had planted in the back yard, was set in the middle of the table. "Arnold's flight has been delayed by a couple of hours in California, and I figured since their going to be late, 'why not have tea with my dear friend Eleanor?" Gertie smiled sweetly to Helga.
Helga's cheeks wore a bright shade of red from being caught practically pining away all summer for Gertie's grandson, and rushing over to the boarding house around the time Arnold and his parents would arrive. Helga nodded in acceptance to Gerties request and took the opening seat across from her old friend.
Gertie's gaze softened, as did her knowing smile, "Would like some tea ma' lady? I brewed it my self. Oh! And please, help your self to my home made biscuits. The toast is actually fresh bread, from the grocery down the block." Helga laughed at this and took a sip of her tea and smeared grape jelly across her biscuit.
She decided to play along, after all, no one here can see her as she lets her emotional walls go down. "Why, Gertie! This whole arrangement takes my breath away. And these hors d'oeuvres! Why, their simply exquisite!" They both laughed whole heartedly. About fifteen minutes passed and they were enjoying themselves.
"How has your summer been, dear? I realize our usual escape to the tropical oasis was declined this year and Kimba had been absent as well; traveling with the young explorers." Gertie gave her a secret smile.
"Oh, you know," Helga giggled nervously, a blush rising, "it's different this year, especially since we're starting high school in a week. Being with out Arnold is weird."
Gertie laughed, "You two have been joined at the hip since you two were young. You were such a sweet young girl. Reminds me quite of myself." Helga looked her then, with eyes in wonder.
"What were you like when you were younger, Gertie?" Helga asked.
Gertie gave a small smile and sipped her tea. "I was quite like you are. Sweet, charming, cunning, and a bit snarky, but a sweet, adorable little girl at best," they both laughed aloud. "I was very sportsy, you know. I wasn't a miss priss, as you could say. I always hung around th boys, pulling pranks on them, raising havoc around our small town." Gertie's mouth turned to a smirk and her eyes softened and glazed over as the distant memories entered her mind. "But there was always this young boy in our class of twelve students that I payed extra attention to." Helga gulped, it's sounded a little bit too close to home about her own childhood. But she pressed forward.
"How come, who was it?"
The old grandma smiled at the young child. "A boy who had the lightest brown eyes in the whole county and a way to make me laugh when no one else could. Our daddies and mom's were friends, so we were kind of forced to hang out together. I was a young girl, about seven, but since my brilliance was so remarkable," they both chuckled. "I got to skip a few grades. He was nine years old, but he was shorter than me. I always teased him about it, no matter if we were playing in his back yard or not. It just made me so happy that I could tease him and he couldn't do anything because he was a boy and I a girl. That's how it should always be, you know."
Helga nodded, but before she could reply, Phil walked in and said, "She was always saying she was going to beat me up because she could. That it would be easy as the snap of her fingers and as true as the sky was blue," He turned to his wife. "but you never did, did you?" He laughed as she shook her head. He pulled up a chair, and kissed Gertie on the cheek.
The young teen was staring at them both, mouth gaping like a fish. Her mind was trying to wrap the idea around it like it was an unsolvable puzzle. "Y-you mean," The elderly watch the girl in amusement, knowing grins gracing their faces. She looked at Phil, "You married your tormentor?!" she asked in disbelief. 'If it could happen to them, who says Arnold and I couldn't-' Helga shook her head to clear it. 'Yeah, right, Helga. Arnold's always saying how I'm such a good best friend. Like it's final. Best friends…' Helga thought bitterly. She turned her attention back to the situation at hand when she heard Phil laughing loudly along with Gertie.
"Well," Phil started as his laughing fit wore off. "Fell in love with my own, personal, tormentor is more like it. When she finally climbed out of her shell and became my friend. I was about nineteen when I finally noticed her as more than a girl my parents made us go on play dates together. You know what else?" Helga shook her head. "She was my first kiss too!" He laughed heartily. "She conned me into it. Dared me, and when she tried, I ran away but then she jumped on me, and then planted one!" They all laughed, Gertie's pale face was tinged pink.
Helga spoke first, still giggling, "So tell me, you both dated, eventually- obviously. But how was it? Weren't you two teased?" Helga wanted to know. No, needed. She needed at least some advice on how things might turn out IF Arnold started to reciprocate her feelings for him. 'He's so dense…' Helga thought to herself, countless times. Occasionally, much to her horror and devastation, he would sometimes go to her with his 'girl problems'. She would sometimes have to listen to him rave on and on about these girls who were so pretty and 'high class'. Everything Helga wasn't. She sighed and shook her head once again to clear it. 'At least we're best friends, something no girl could counter. As long as both of us don't screw up, then our relationship will remain as it always is.
The elder couple nodded, Gertie spoke, "We were, but it was mainly out of shock from our classmates. They soon got over it after I laid my fist upon one of the biggest fat boy at our school." Gertie smirked triumphantly. Phil laughed as he said, "But our fathers always teased us, saying they always knew we were meant for each other, that we were going to fall in love eventually. Making us blush dark red when we were kids. Our mothers would just roll their eyes playfully and start laughing. As far as we knew, we were teenagers in love."
Gertie said, "We would sneak out together late at night and he would teach me how to drive his daddy's truck. We took it right from the drive way, pushing all the way to the end of the street until it was safe to turn the key and start it up." They laugh in remembrance. "Even though it was pitch dark," she leaned in closer to Helga, and Helga leaned in also, "His brown eyes were still the brightest I've ever seen under that moonlight, Lady Eleanor. I didn't want any of those nights to end." Phil smiled softly at his wife and squeezed her shoulders.
Helga took a sip of her tea, and ask cautiously, "How did you manage to stay together all these years? I mean, didn't you have any fights?" Phil and Gertie looked at each other and smiled lightly.
Phil spoke first, "Well, she was always teasing me, but more in a playful way. You see… it wasn't until I got myself drafted to the war to fight the Nazi's did our first real fight happened." Gertie smiled a sad smile as the memories clouded her old mind. She said to Helga, "I was worried for him. I was yelling and screaming at him, I felt betrayed that he would leave me. I slammed the door in his face that night when he told me. The next morning, I saw him sitting in front of my window. I asked him what the heck was he doing and he said-"
Phil cut her off as said while looking at her, "You forgot our good night kiss."
Gertie smiled softly at him him then turned back to Helga, "So, I decided all we could do was wait it out. Before I knew it, years later, he comes back a war hero," they both laughed at this, "and he knocks on my door asking if I wanna to go hang out by that old tree in his back yard. When we arrived, he proposed, and then we got married. The whole town showed up at the little white church. Our mamas were crying and our daddy's had an, 'I told you so' face on and then we moved into this old house. We had babies of own to take care of, and then, here we are." Gertie had a wide smile at their little love story, Phil did too.
Helga was in complete and utter awe at the two. It was an amazing love story, one she wished she could have and tell one day to her own grandchildren. "That's an amazing love you two have. I wonder why Arnold never told me this."
Phil laughed, "Oh, Shortman still didn't put two and two together that Pookie here is Gertie from my photo album. He's a little dense you know." Gertie and Helga shared a knowing smile before Helga replied, "Trust me, I know."
Just then, the door opened, and Arnold walked in with his parents. Helga ran to them and gave his parents a hug first. Stella smiled lovingly at the young girl, "We sure did miss you Helga." Miles nodded in agreement.
"I missed you too," Helga replied sweetly. She turned to look at Arnold. She had a blush as she took in the noticeably different boy in front of her. He was tanned, he grew even more, able to look each other in the eye at 5'8, they were both still growing though, and he a bit toner than before. His hair was messier than ever and his green eyes were shining in excitement at seeing her again. They hugged each other then ran upstairs to his room, he proceeded to show her his sketches and tell her about his trip.
Arnold had to admit to himself, a 15 year old Helga was beautiful. She was taller most girls in their class, her silky blonde hair was down to her mid back, but she almost always wore in pig tails with a beanie, but today it was in a side braid with her hot pink beanie covering it, her bangs popping out below.
He smiled at the beanie. In the sixth grade he caught her crying once behind the dumpsters because a lot of people were making fun of her bow. He didn't know why, he loved it. It suited her. So he gave her a hug and they walk to the nearby clothing store. He smiled at her before showing her a hot pink beanie he picked out and handed it to her. He untied the silky pink fabric and tied it around her neck, putting it into another bow and twisted it to the side. He took the beanie again and placed on her head. Helga was silent through the whole process but when it was over and she saw his eye twinkling smile, she felt tears in her eyes start to form. Arnold had saw it and then crashed into her, pulling her into a hug. She whispered a 'thank you' and he only held her tighter in response.
~End of Flashback~
The band picked up the melody from the beginning and Helga played along with them. She smiled at the couple from where she sat, then she turned her attention the crowd, and sang their story.
She said, I was seven and you were nine
I looked at you like the stars that shined
In the sky, the pretty lights
And our daddies used to joke about the two of us
Growing up and falling in love and our mamas smiled
And rolled their eyes and said oh my my my
Gertie and Phil listened and watched with wide eyes at the young woman. Her voice telling their history in a beautiful melody right in front if them. Miles, Stella, and Arnold listened too, completely enraptured by Helga.
Take me back to the house in the backyard tree
Said you'd beat me up, you were bigger than me
You never did, you never did
Take me back when our world was one block wide
I dared you to kiss me and ran when you tried
Just two kids, you and I...
Oh my my my my
Gertie and Phil were holding in their laughter as the memories entered their minds. So young and naive they were; kids. Helga turned to look at Arnold, her smile wide as she sang.
Well, I was sixteen when suddenly
I wasn't that little girl you used to see
But your eyes still shined like pretty lights
And our daddies used to joke about the two of us
They never believed we'd really fall in love
And our mamas smiled and rolled their eyes
And said oh my my my...
The most of the crowd was thinking it, especially Arnold, 'She's amazing to be doing this.' They all watched as Phil held Gertie's handed and guided her off her seat. They started dancing slowly as Helga sang to them. A man behind the curtain took their seats silently. Gertie had little tears of happiness in her eyes as Helga sang on.
Take me back to the creek beds we turned up
Two A.M. riding in your truck and all I need is you next to me
Take me back to the time we had our very first fight
The slamming of doors instead of kissing goodnight
You stayed outside till the morning light
Oh my my my my
A few years had gone and come around
We were sitting at our favorite spot in town
And you looked at me, got down on one knee
Take me back to the time when we walked down the aisle
Our whole town came and our mamas cried
You said I do and I did too
Take me home where we met so many years before
We'll rock our babies on that very front porch
After all this time, you and I
I'll be eighty-seven; you'll be eighty-nine
I'll still look at you like the stars that shine
In the sky, oh my my my...
As soon as Helga finished strumming, Gertie tackled her into a warm hug, tears falling down her cheeks with a smile as wide as a half crescent moon. "Thank you, Eleanor." Gertie whispered in her ear. Applause was vibrating against the walls of the café and the attenders hand tears in their eyes. Jason, the owner, was clapping wildly. He wasn't aware of the gift either, Helga had only told Phoebe and the band. Arnold was standing up and clapping also, a grin plastered on his face. He was seeing his best friend in a new light and he was liking her more and more. Phil walked up and hugged Helga and said "Thank you, Short Gal." He guided Gertie back to the table while the applause was still going strong.
Helga smiled at the crowd, 'This night is going great… too bad it's about to take a turn for the worse soon,' she thought to herself uneasily. 'It's all going to be up to Arnold now.'
***Authors Note
This was the main reason I wanted to right this, this chapter right here! I was just listening to it one day and I was like… hmmm. Sounds like something Phil and Gertie would live like before Arnold.…
So here I am! I'm excited. Tell me whatcha think? Also- I'm not going to do only Taylor swift songs in this fan fic, but it was what I was intending to do for Helga's performance. It was challenge I presented to myself before writing it all out. I wanted to see if I could do this based on T. Swift songs, but that isn't all I listen to. I listen to all kinds of genres and through out this story I was going to add in other artists and band. (Katy Perry or Demi Lovato - Bowling for Soup, it could switch from Helga or Arnold with this band - and some Jack Johnson or another Male artist for Arnold ;D You can tell me some songs you might think will fit in this story, trust me, I'm open for anything. But I AM going to do a certain Tim McGraw feat a certain someone song, I can promise you that, for the ending of this story. I already have it planned ;) you can guess what it is! :D until next time! ***