Helga was having fun tonight at the dinner in the boarding house. Helga loved his parents. Loved most of the boarders finding them their own cast of characters. Helga had Hailie between her and Arnold, while Stan sat to the other side of her. After asking how he was coping, Stan informed her that in spite of temporarily disowning his parents, that the boarding house wasn't too bad. Told her how at home he felt here.
As for Hailie, Arnold's parents were so down to Earth that she loved watching her daughter run up to either of them to give them a hug. "Why didn't you want to be a doctor or Archeologist?" Hailie inquired as she came back to her seat.
"I thought about it, but I felt like myself wanting to teach. I know it doesn't pay a lot, but what I wanted was a fulfillment in my chosen career." Was Arnold's response.
"Plus now that he has this filly here, he wants to stick by her now." Ernie told them all before directing attention fully on, Helga. "I must say that not only are you hilarious, but very fetching to the eye. I wonder why our boy fell for you so hard." Looks to Stan. "So how do you feel about your sister-in-law with him?"
Stan smiled. "I'm actually happy for her. She deserves to be happy. Besides her smiling at Hailie, she is finally smiling for another reason. I'll still be her brother."
Mr Hyunh was beside Stan. "Oh well that is really excellent to hear. I'm still trying to adjust hard to my daughter's fiancee."
Stella passed the mashed potatoes around. "Well I know it is an adjustment for you since it is very fresh."
"It is. He has a good job and he treats, Mai right." He sighed. "She grew up so very fast."
"We know, but so did, Arnold." Stella looked over to her only child. "She'll be fine. I've met Gil myself and he is a good man." Turns her attention to, Helga. "Just like Helga is."
Helga blushed before bending down just to kiss her daughter on the top of her head.
Later at night in her apartment, Helga was cuddled against Arnold. "Oskar is a bit annoying, but still I really enjoyed myself. As you can tell from Hailie, she feels the same."
"Glad you did. You and her were a hit to them. You are both very perfect." Kissing her he then tapped his finger to the tip of her nose gently.
Moving her hand below the covers had her smiling at how ready he was for another round. "She's perfect." Getting on top of him, Helga ran her hands up his chest. "I'm just devious."
"I can work with this deviousness. In fact wait till were done with this round when I aim for another." He promised as she moved her hips.
"Well in that case." She let it dangle in the air to let them continued this.
He was already becoming happy with, Brenda. Why in the hell did Rhonda have to come back to share the news of her pregnancy with him? Deep in the back of his mind he knew she wasn't lying about it. It was completely confirmed by, Nadine when she called him the next day. Now he had to talk to, Brenda about this. He wondered what she would think about this whole thing. She has been pretty understanding so he hoped it would extend to this.
Watching her come back into the room with a couple of drinks in hand, Curly actually thought she appeared so sweet when she performed a simple task. There was no production involved. Her place was very normal with only a weird picture in her bedroom. He wanted to kiss her. Wanted to listen to her speak. Waiting for her to sit down, Curly brought her in for a kiss finding his answer to his question.
Brenda knew there was something more going on with him. She knew it had to do with that woman in the park. She was falling in love with him and wondered if it was too soon to feel this way? She never was the one who just simply fell hard for a guy just because. With Curly, she loved so much about him so far that she couldn't wait to see him or hear from him.
"Brenda, we need to talk."
The dreaded words. She never got scared about this before, but with him, it freaked her out. "Yes, Curly?"
Her innocence had him swooning. "I need to tell you something that I found out recently."
"Yes?" She felt her eyes go large in anticipation.
"Rhonda, the girl from the park, well she told me something that was confirmed by her friend. A friend that I actually trust." He swallowed hard. "She's pregnant with my baby."
Brenda was silent as she processed this. What does that mean for her? "Are you going back to her?"
"No. I'll help with the baby, but there is no way I'm moving in with her. She broke my trust. I wanted to tell you what will happen in the coming future for me. I understand if it will be too much for you."
"It will be, but all babies come with a heavy hand of responsibilities." Taking his hand, Brenda needed to know. "Are you breaking this off with me now?"
"No. I want to be with you. I like myself better when I'm with you. I'm glad we met. I'm glad you don't scoff at my loincloth." Curly told her honestly.
Winking at him, Brenda placed her hand on his leg. "I think you wear it better than Tarzan does. You can wear it as many times as you like with me."
Curly thrilled at her all over again. "I love you." He watched at how she froze in shock. "Crap! You don't feel the same for me. I'll get going." Moving to stand up, he was surprised at her getting into his lap.
"I love you too. I love how you make me feel." Kissing him, Brenda thrilled. "This baby won't have me running away from you."
Encircling his arms around her slim waist, Curly kissed her neck. "I hope not since this feels very right in my life."
This isn't what he ever received from, Rhonda. He received support. He had a feeling that this is what, Brenda is. A person who will support you while weighing the pro's and con's if she questions something sensibly. With Rhonda, it was always what helped her out, and what will be good status wise. He needed something healthy in his life, and he was looking in front of him for it.
Next week was the show and during mid-month, Arnold was graduating. Waiting for Arnold to arrive so they can head out to Dino Land, she heard the chime indicating someone was here. Pressing the button, Helga told Hailie that Arnold is here.
"Let me use the bathroom." Hailie dashed from her room to the bathroom.
Smiling at her daughter's exuberance she glanced at the coffee table to see if they had everything before answering the door. "Football Head, you know you are allowed to walk in." Opening the door with a smile on her face, it soon left. There standing in front of her were, Gladys and Herbert. Brainy's parents. "Hello, Mr and Mrs Bartlett. Would you both like to come in?" Opening up the door wider she let them in before closing it.
Herbert and Gladys spotted the pictures off the bat as they smiled with some misery. Helga stood there patiently in order to wait for them to speak. Hearing the door to the bathroom open up, Hailie went to her in some discomfort from the scene.
Gladys nodded to her husband to begin talking for them both. They both had a long discussion before they ended up here. "Helga." Herbert felt horrible for how they treated them both. "We are dreadfully sorry for our behavior over these years. We are especially saddened when we accused you of lying."
"We come here to beg for your forgiveness. We were so depressed about Brainy's passing that we decided it would be easier to deny it. In the process as we did that, you both suffered. Stan too." Gladys added in.
Hearing the chime once more, Helga pressed it as her eyes remained glued to them. "What happened to you to change your minds?"
Herbert wrapped his arm around his wives shoulder. "It was hard when Stan cut it off with us." Just then the door opened to reveal, Arnold coming in. "The final nail was when he came to us to speak to us. He presented us with a death certificate and the unaltered photos to compare with the horrible ones we did ourselves."
Helga turned her head to Arnold knowing he spoke to them before, but nothing happened. "Death certificate? I didn't give you the one I have."
Arnold squeezed her hand. "I know. I wasn't about to ask for it in case it got lost or torn up. I asked a friend for a copy and he granted it. I told him it will help bring a family together."
She stared at him in awe. She wanted to kiss him heavily. "Thank you." Turning her head quickly to, Brainy's parents she hoped this is what they were here for. "Is this really why you are here?"
Gladys stepped forward to take her hand. "Will you ever forgive us." Looks to Hailie. "Will you both? We really want to be in your life again. We also want to have the tombstone placed back on his grave."
Hailie cheered at both things as she ran up to hug, Herbert. Helga began to tear up. This is what closure felt like. "Forgiven." Hugging her, Helga turned her head enough to see that, Herbert lifted Hailie up in his arms. Pulling away she sniffed. "I have a favor to ask."
"Ask away." Herbert told her.
Pulling back to take, Arnold's hand once more she will have to give him lots of thanks after. "Well first I would love to introduce you to my boyfriend, Arnold. He did this on his own knowing how happy it would make us. Also he knew Brainy before you moved away to another house closer to mines. Him and his friends have been filling us on stories of him so I wonder if we can have a small private service before the tombstone gets placed on."
"Please." Hailie chimed in.
Chuckling at his granddaughter's cuteness, Herbert kissed her temple. "I don't see why not. What do you say, Gladys?"
Gladys was taking in Arnold after the introduction. "I don't see a problem with it and I do remember you from a long time ago. You have that head that one can remember."
Blushing, Arnold placed his hand on the back of his neck. "I get that a lot."
She needed to spare her boyfriend's cheeks from burning off. "We were all going to Dino Land. Would you guys like to join us? Stan is meeting us there. I know he'll love this."
"What do you say, Herbert? We haven't gone there in quite a long time." Gladys was getting excited now.
Placing Hailie down, Herbert nodded his head. "I'd love that. We also would need to apologize to our son."
Informing them to head downstairs to a Packard, Helga waited till they were gone to kiss Arnold. "You did it. I have lots of ways I'm going to thank you." Kissing him again, her hand moved down to the front of his pants to tease him there.
Melting against her touch, Arnold needed to stop her so he could be presentable. "Now what?"
Taking his hand, Helga led him out the door. "To the next step. I want to pursue the next step with you."
Locking the door, they went down with her practically hopping. This is what closure definitely felt like.
X
They had been in the park for four hours now with Stan sitting off on a bench resting his aching feet. Seeing his parents earlier was a shock to him. A pleasant one that included him seeing his niece holding the hands of both his mom and, Helga. He loved seeing Hailie run up to him to cheer at getting her grandparents. His parents tried to apologize to him, but he waved it off simply thinking that the sight before him was enough.
"You are very happy right now." He stated when Helga sat beside him.
"So are you." Turns her head to regard her brother-in-law. "You helped them too in waking up a little."
Watching Arnold twirl Hailie around, Stan laughed at the little girls joy. "He helped the rest of the way." Closing his eyes, Stan dragged in a deep breath. It felt like it had been a long time he had done that. For so long it felt like he forgot the ability to breath with all that has happened since his brother's death. It felt like a signal from the beyond. "This is how it feels to breath. Did you know that I forgot how to. I feel like I can see for once. I don't see that constant fog that has been surrounding that house."
"My dad is in jail to face his crimes." He was also found to be embezzling under a different name. "My mom is at peace for once in her life. She is already thriving in such a short time." She pauses to examine the scene in front of them. "She has her grandparents back. I wanted that for her."
"I know you do. I know my brother is finally at peace. All he wanted was the best for you." Squeezes her hand. "Planning to marry Arnold one day?"
A smile appeared that was free of strain. "All he has to do is ask me."
He wasn't surprised. "And next week you reappear on the stage again." With that she groaned. "Oh buck up. It is one day for that amount of money. Your girl will be covered for the future."
That help eased her mind. She couldn't wait to get that show over with.
A/N: Sorry I hardly edited this chapter so I know there are mistakes. Blame it on the migraines and lack of sleep I always experience. Thank you for the reviews. I really appreciate it.