"One caramel iced coffee?" Arnold asked the minute she stepped up to the counter. He loved the amused snicker she produced as she began to reach for her money. "Nope, I want to have my break with my favorite person."

"Oh? I can take that then." Accepting her drink, Helga stepped back as Arnold stepped away from around the corner to join her. "How long do you have?"

"Fifteen minutes."

Looking outside, Helga told them they can have their drinks across at the park. As they left the coffee shop and walked across the street, Arnold was looking at the bandage around her knuckles. Feeling curious he waited till they were all settled on a park bench.

"What happened to your hand?" He asked as he lifted her hand up.

Helga contemplated telling him but figured she should. "Punched my father."

His eyes went wide. "Punched your dad? Why? Did he hurt you?"

Examining her bandage she did still feel the tinge of pain to her knuckles. "Just the knuckles. He decided to go to my daughters school and not only tell Olga she was a disappointment, he told Hailie was also a disappointment. I take great offense to that. Also before you say it, there is no reasoning with Big Bob Pataki. Calls her a mistake and it takes a mistake to have another one. No! My daughter isn't a mistake and I sure as hell won't stand to hear anyone call someone I love that or anything else negative."

They were quiet for a bit as Arnold silently fumed before bringing her hand up to kiss each knuckle tenderly. "I'm so sorry about that." Kissing her knuckles once more, he loved to see that tiny smile playing up on her face. "You are a protective mom."

"Yeah." She smiled at him kissing her hand. "I haven't hit anyone in a long time. I'm out of practice."

"I'll get you a punching bag." He offered. "I would of offered to bring you to my place to use the kickboxing bag I have downstairs, but the basement got flooded."

"Oh that sucks. What happened?"

"Oskar happened. Laziest person you could ever know making believe he was helping when all he was doing was trying to take the money out of the washing machine. He has been doing this for years." Arnold answered in a slightly annoyed tone.

"Why haven't you kicked him out if he keeps doing stupid things? Want me to punch him?" Helga asked comically putting her bandaged hand up.

Chuckling at that, Arnold kissed her hand again. "No. He's married to his really great person. Why she stuck with him I still will never understand. She is the one who pays the rent. She is the only one who works, and cleans, does the laundry, and cooks for him."

"I'm just gonna punch him because he is an idiot then. Maybe that will knock some brain cells back into his head."

He chuckled again. "No need. There are rare times he pulls through."

Sipping her coffee, Helga did a shoulder nudge to him. "You free Saturday night?"

"Yeah. Why?" Arnold was chanting in his head hoping she will ask him out.

"Well Hailie is going to a sleepover at a friends house so if you want to do something I'm very free." Drinking her coffee again, Helga felt nervous asking him.

"I'm free. Can I take you out to dinner? A nice place and maybe later we can take a walk. Your choice." Arnold knew he was jumping around even though he was sitting completely still.

Leaning in to kiss him, Helga then nuzzled his nose. "That sounds perfect. What place did you have in mind?"

Feeling another kiss, Arnold was losing control of his own head. "How is French food to you?"

"Never tried it and wouldn't mind trying. I'll be dropping my daughter at her slumber party at five, but I can be ready at seven if that is no problem." Feeling a kiss from him, Helga melted. She felt like she truly was on another world.

"May I pick you up this time? Please."

"Is this a date-date or a friend date?" Kissing him back, Helga groaned. "Fuck it. Date."

Arnold's heartbeat went off like a percussion family at her kisses and her proclaiming a date. "Helga, I believe it is a safe bet that you and I are officially dating."

"I believe so too. Now kiss me again before you have to leave me."

"You working today?"

"Yes. I will head to work after you leave me. Will I be seeing you later?"

"Yes." Arnold kissed her for a longer time till his watch chimed indicating he had to go back. "Ugghh. Can I just sneak you in there so we can keep kissing?"

"I wish, Football Head, but even I have to leave. Must put food on the table for my munchkin."

Standing up, Arnold offered his hand to help her up. Kissing her again they walked back across the street. "I'll see you later then." He almost told her he loved her.

"See you later. Have fun at work." One more kiss and she walked away back to her car.

"I'm dating her. I'm really dating her." Arnold grinned wide as he reentered the coffee shop immediately placing his apron on before serving the next customer. He couldn't stop his smiling.

Late at night her routine slightly shifted when she heard a chime on her phone indicating a new text. Pulling it up she saw it was from Arnold with a photo attachment with the caption of, "Thinking of you." Downloading it showed a picture of the moon in its full glory. Smiling she called him back.

"Hello beautiful. I take it you received my picture."

Her eyes closed thinking his voice sounded so sexy. "Yes. Perfect image. When I take a picture of the moon it is a blurry mess."

Chuckling over the line, Arnold sat down near the edge of the roof. "Perhaps when you take it the moon pretends it is Bigfoot."

"Or the Loch Ness monster. Here is a clear picture of my family and nature, oh this is Bigfoot! Big blurry mess in the whole roll. It is a conspiracy." Helga said as she hit her mattress in a fake anger. "Oh what a world."

Arnold never met a girl with such a healthy sense of humor before. "I like how you think there. Perhaps it is a special power."

"Perhaps or maybe they are the best beings to give you the good ol' mind fuck." Melting at his laughing, Helga didn't want to let her mind and heart wander to that zone just in case she got hurt.

"Oh hey I spoke with Lila and she showed me her creative art project she made. I took some pictures for your viewing. Also she kept saying how not only are you smart and clever, but look like a model. She wanted to know if you ever modeled or ever thought about it." Hearing her groan, Arnold had to make sure he heard that groan correctly. "What's the matter?"

"A) It is really nice you took pictures for me to see. B) Thank her for the compliment. C) As if I would ever model again." Sliding down more under her covers, Helga heard him ask about the last part. "Look up the 'It Girl,' and you will have your answer, Football Head."

Leaving the roof to head back inside his room, Arnold went to his computer to look that up. Pressing in 'It Girl,' he was presented with images of a young girl with strange pigtails, a scowl that was personified with a unibrow, and wearing a pink dress. "Is that really you?" He was in disbelief at the image as he compared it to the woman that he knows now.

"Yep. Unibrow, scowl, and pink dress. I was a real ugly girl there. The look was all me. I hated it. Being regulated and doing all these jam packed schedules along with people dressing like me. I was desperate to leave my contract after they didn't want to tear it up."

"Well how did you get out of it?"

"I smiled instead of scowled. Worked like a charm."

Listening to her laugh, Arnold still couldn't believe that this girl was the same woman he is seeing. "I really enjoy your laugh."

"I enjoy yours too. So how often do you get hit on? John spotted a group of girls around you before you walked into the library."

Embarrassed, Arnold covered his face over as if she could see him. "Do I have to answer that?"

Guffawing at his embarrassment, Helga covered her mouth over in case her daughter heard. "So that many eh? Such a Casanova you are. I should watch out."

Listening to her teasing him had him teasing her back. "What about you? Everyone wants to get with the hot librarian. Guys want to know my secret. I should watch out."

"Ah, but no one could kiss as well as you."

Intrigued Arnold stood up to walk over to his bed. "Really? So I just kiss well. I should start working harder in my kisses then."

Curling her toes up in delight, she wouldn't mind challenging him. "I guess you should. I might have to kiss my pillow for some satisfaction until you improve."

"Then we will keep working on it until you are very satisfied." His voice took on a husky edge feeling turned on by that challenge.

Jerking her eyebrow up and down, Helga was glad he took the bait. "Well I do so look forward to it kind sir." Feeling as if this was edging towards some type of phone sex, Helga needed to cut this short. "Arnold, I think it is time to call it a night. I'm driving Hailie to school tomorrow."

Disappointed but understanding, Arnold nodded his head. "I should call it a night too. I loved talking to you."

"Same here, Football Head. Good night. I look forward in kissing you tomorrow."

"Same here. Good night, Beautiful." Hearing the phone click off, Arnold sighed in contentment.

"Yes!" Helga cheered out as loud as she can possibly go without disturbing her daughter. Turning on her side she fell asleep very quickly for once. Dreams of those beautiful green eyes upon her. Warm and endearing.