"Helga! Helga!" Olga whispered behind a few tears. She found her sister by her room, slumping against the wall. Without thinking, Olga ran up to her sister and knelt down to give her a hug, not that she was very receptive.

"Why...?" Helga finally managed to squeak out. "Why...?" She asked again. "Even when I do something good just...Olga, what are you even doing up here?"

Olga breathed deeply, wiping away her tears and looking into her sister's eyes.

"I think Louis is about to confront daddy." She whispered. "He told me to come up here...Helga, I'm scared."

Helga looked up at her in awe, and then they heard faint voices.

"Louis...what's the big idea?" Bob asked, now showing a bit of a frown. "This is about Olga's future. I want to know what's happening with my little girl! Don't interrupt that. My little girl is important to me."

Louis laughed haughtily. "You don't give a damn about Olga."

It was a remark so acidic, so bitter, and yet at the same time so regal and aristocratic that Bob was thrown off-balance.

Helga and Olga heard it. Both gasped. They simply couldn't resist and moved toward the stairs, peaking downward.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Bob asked with a frown.

"Did you not hear me?"

"Are you mocking me young man?" Bob was now growling.

"I don't waste my time mocking. I'm saying you don't give a damn about Olga."

"You're the one that doesn't care about my girl!" Bob continued. "How dare you interrupt our talk about her promising career! I want to know if she got the job!"

Louis laughed haughtily again. "She got the job a while ago, but she's not sure if she wants to take it yet. And I see now why she didn't tell you this. It's because she's so scared of you that she would rather lie and put you off than risk telling you she made a decision you wouldn't find agreeable."

"B..." Miriam trailed as Bob was getting ever angrier.

"What are you talking about? I love Olga and Olga loves me! Olga's my pride and joy! Olga's always made me proud and I've always encouraged her!"

"Yeah." Louis answered. "You encourage her as long as she keeps doing things you like. But you don't really love her. You love her for what she does, not because of who she is. And she goes along with it, because she lives in mortal fear of defying you. I'm just sorry I didn't see it fully sooner."

"You're really making me angry! How dare you question the love I have for my little girl!"

"Good. I'm glad I'm making you angry. Take your anger out on me and not on Olga. Unlike her, I don't really care. As for the love you have for Olga, it's really the funniest thing...you see...last semester Olga was taking an advanced microeconomics class. It was the last elective she needed. It was a very hard class for her. And, though I'd previously talked with her extensively about this, she still went all out trying to get straight A's, even though the course didn't really mean much to her and all she needed to do was pass it. I of course tried to help her as best I could, but I couldn't take her tests for her, I couldn't study for her. She went insane. Do you know how much that was hurting her? Do you know how much she stressed herself out to get an A in that course, and all to make her parents happy? No, of course not, because you didn't ask Neither of you asked." The acid returned to his voice.

Olga sat at the top of the stairs and hugged her knees, leaning her head against the bannister. Tears were flowing down her eyes now. And Helga, still crying, sat down beside her to hug her. A smile broke out on Olga's face, however, because it was heartwarming to her that he'd figured all this out and was now saying it on her behalf, when she had been too scared to.

"If you really loved her you would've been there for her. You would have been concerned. No, you didn't give a damn. All you cared about was the result at the end of the day." His voice carried.

"So that's it huh? You've got me all figured out?" Bob asked, growling.

"Yeah, that's it." Louis answered. "Even now, you don't care about Olga getting that pianist gig because of anything she wants or doesn't want to do, you only want her to take on that job because of yourself. You've even implicitly admitted it. Guess you can't keep your motivations very secret."

Miriam gasped and watched the scene helplessly. She felt like she was in total limbo, neither here nor there.

Bob gritted his teeth. "Listen, my Olga doesn't need to hear these things! You're poisoning her against me! That's it! You want Olga all to yourself!"

Louis shook his head in pity. "Even now, you still don't get it."

"You didn't raise her! You didn't provide for her! How dare you tell me I don't love my little girl! I built a beeper empire from the ground up and it's supported Olga all the way! Olga and her sister!"

Louis' green eyes flashed in outrage again.

"Don't even get me started on the way you treat your youngest daughter."

Helga's heart now really began to pound. Olga was still trembling, but held her sister's hand tightly for reassurance, and Helga squeezed it back.

"The way you treat Helga is atrocious. Did you know that I haven't even once heard you call her by her real name the entire time I've been here? It's like she doesn't even exist - except when she inconveniences you."

"I'll have you know..."

"It seems that you're entirely too focused on turning Olga into what she calls 'your perfect little windup doll.' You spend all your time pushing Olga and causing her an abundance of heartache. Well every action has an equal and opposite reaction, and that bounced back onto Helga. You give her the same thing by not noticing her at all."

"Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! I've never failed to provide for my daughter!"

"Oh yeah? If that's true than how come when she accomplishes something which by all accounts you should be proud of, you just brush it off? Again, it's because you're too concerned with being overbearing toward Olga. Leave Olga alone for once. She needs it and so does Helga."

Bob continued to growl lowly and grit his teeth.

"Listen, Helga's a good kid and she deserves a chance. And she's not gonna get that chance if she sits around in this atmosphere. Her potential isn't going to show itself if she has no support from the people she's supposed to be close to. Years ago my brother Henry brought that potential out of me, and I would die of shame if I didn't follow his example and do the same when I see other people that need the same help."

"So you're just gonna ride in and save the day, is that it pal?"

"Yeah. I've just bought a place here. I was planning to surprise Olga but I suppose there's no better time to reveal it than now. The only reason Olga held off on taking that job was because she wanted to know whether I would move out here or stay near my family's home in Maine. Either way, she was planning on moving in with me. Well I've decided to move out here. So it looks like you'll be getting your wish. Olga's going to become a concert pianist. Too bad for you though because you aren't going to be seeing her perform any time soon. I'm not gonna let you hurt her anymore."

Olga gasped when heard this news. She was happy, but she still didn't quite know what to do. Helga was still holding her hand, and Olga squeezed it for reassurance. Helga's heart was pounding even more and she involuntarily swallowed.

Bob was now really beginning to yell, and Olga covered up her ears. He was frantic at the prospect of Olga moving out and not talking to him. This was manifested as anger.

"I haven't seen him this angry since..." Olga whispered, and Helga nodded, knowing what she meant. This was the kind of thing that had frightened her so much as a little girl.

"B, please stop!" Miriam cried, but Bob wouldn't listen.

"YOU CAN'T DO THIS!" Bob growled.

"Oh yes I can. Olga's a grown woman. She doesn't need your approval to do anything." Louis said, and Bob's lips quivered in rage. "I'll tell you what else I can do: Helga's not staying here either. She's moving in with us."

Helga and Olga both gasped. Helga's hands were trembling, and Olga held them as tightly as she could.

"How...?" Helga asked in complete disbelief.

"He's up to something baby sister." Olga's eyes sparkled with tears and a smile.

"Yeah? I'd like to see you try and get her out of here! She's a child. She can't do whatever she wants!" Bob's voice taunted, trying to get some semblance of power back.

Louis laughed haughtily again. "You're not dealing with a child sir." He frowned.

"What do you mean?" He asked with a glare.

"You think I haven't had you scoped out since day one? You think I haven't prepared for this possibility after everything Olga's told me and what I saw? Oh I'm getting Helga out of here alright. And I know just the way..."

Bob continued to glare.

"You see, when I set up all your online marketing, I got a first-hand look at your business. I know everything about it now. I know your strengths, I know your weaknesses. And one thing I'm really good at, and you know this to be a fact, is crafting images and spectacles for the public to consume regarding businesses. So...I can easily run you off the rails. Imagine this for a headline: Big Bob's Beepers: Owned by a man that treats his daughters like complete shit."

Olga gasped. It was not often that she heard such language coming out of Louis' mouth. It also meant that he was very serious. Helga just looked on, wide-eyed.

"Oh yeah, that's sure to sell a lot of beepers, isn't it?" He continued. "It doesn't even matter if it's true, and we know it is. Just the rumor alone will be enough to put a serious dent. People love to talk about things that seem juicy, and when you have a crowd talking about it, it must be true, right? Your denials will only make it seem even more true. And the best part is, it's not even libel, because it's all true, and I have all the proof I need. I offered you my hand in help and you took it, just like I expected, but trying to get free lunches can often cost you dearly in the end."

Bob looked on with a broken glare.

Helga gasped in complete shock, and couldn't help but smile, even beam. What maneuvering!

"So that's what he was up to huh?" Helga grinned, wiping away some tears.

"He can be very devious, Helga." Olga sighed. "I'd rather not have you see it. Sometimes this aspect of his personality really scares me...but..."

"Bob deserves it." Helga gritted.

"Yes he does." Olga agreed with another sigh, wiping away some of her own tears. "I should have known he was 'taking options' as he calls it, on something like this."

"So Helga is leaving with Olga and I. And you're not going to do a thing about it, unless you want your beeper empire crushed by my barbarian horde. The pun's good, no?" He grinned. "And you..." He turned toward Miriam. "Your aloofness and your utter failure to act on behalf of your daughters only makes the situation even worse."

Miriam gasped.

"Listen, I don't think the two of you are inherently bad people. I just think you're very misguided, but your flaws are seriously hurting both of your daughters, who I actually care about. So I'm stepping in to end it. Until you can prove to me that you can truly love your daughters and be positive influences in their lives, I'm getting them out of here, and you won't be seeing them."

"You...swindling..."

"This discussion is over." Louis said blankly and turned his back, walking toward the foyer.

"NO IT'S NOT! GET BACK IN HERE!" Bob growled and marched out after him. Miriam quickly followed.

"Olga! Helga! Pack your most important things and get ready to leave! I'll send for some movers tomorrow morning to get the rest!" He continued and smirked when he saw them seated atop the stairs.

Olga and Helga quickly looked at each other in shock and scurried away.

Bob continued to yell loudly. Sometimes it seemed like the walls shook. The two sisters quickly packed what was most important to them in a few large suitcases and moved downstairs.

"HEY! WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING?! Bob yelled at them.

Both girls yelped and moved behind Louis, who did his best to shield them from Bob's view.

"That everything?" He asked.

"Yes." Olga answered with a whisper.

"Good. Let's get going."

"YOU WAIT JUST A DARN MINUTE! I AM THEIR FATHER! YOU CAN'T DO THIS! WHY I OUGHTA SMASH YOUR TEETH IN!"

"Maybe if you were ten years younger and actually in shape." Louis smirked as they reached the door. Helga broke out into an audible laugh.

"WHY YOU SNIVELING, CONNIVING LITTLE COCKSUCKER! I OUGHT TO RAM MY FOOT UP YOUR ASS! TAKING MY KIDS AWAY FROM ME AND SAYING HOW BAD A PERSON I AM! OLGA, HOW CAN YOU GO OFF WITH THIS...THIS...LITTLE FUCKING PISSANT!"

Olga gripped Louis' arm very tightly, while Helga shrunk behind him also. He smiled and opened the door for them, to reassure them that all would be well.

"You know girls, it really is a shame..." Louis trailed as he turned back to Bob, without any expression on his face. "...That someone so successful should have such poor manners."

Bob's jaw dropped. That was it. He simply could not respond. Helga's eyes lit up as for the first time in her life she saw her overbearing blowhard of a father shrink in utter, ignominious defeat. He was as helpless as a fish on a hook. He simply had no fight left. Miriam dropped her glass, which shattered all along the floor.

"Let's go." Louis said and led the girls outside.

As soon as the door was closed and they went down the stairs and halfway down the block, Olga hugged him with all her might and showered kiss after kiss on his face. Louis chuckled and hugged her back lightly.

"You should have told me." He said with a serious expression, looking her in the eyes.

"...I guess...I just didn't want you to get involved."

"Olga, you know that I wouldn't shrink from something like this if your well-being was at stake. We're way past the point of not being able to stand up for each other, I would hope."

Olga smiled lightly and sighed.

"You alright Helga?"

Helga answered by hugging him as best she could, and Louis chuckled again.

"That was awesome." She said simply. "Oh man, Bob's never gonna forget this one, ever. Man oh man, you gotta teach me!"

Louis chuckled again. "Well, I think Olga might be able to teach you something too." He grinned as they both looked toward her. "Olga, you were too afraid to confront him yourself, but you probably knew that this was a possibility the moment you brought me over there. So, in a sense, you got me here, knowing that this could happen, knowing that I'd be able to save you and Helga. You brought me here to possibly do what you were afraid to do. In essence, you used me as a type of cat's paw to do your dirty work."

Olga's eyes constricted and a cold sweat broke out on her face. Louis laughed and kissed her lips.

"You are learning entirely too much from me." He smirked. "Oh well, if you can't do something yourself finding someone who can is the next best thing."

Helga's eyes sparkled and she looked up at the two of them. Feelings of sheer joy emanated all throughout her body, like she'd never felt before.

"So...where are we going?" She asked excitedly.

"Ah, it's a decent place not terribly far from here, but we'll need to get a bus for a few stops. I just furnished it today. C'mon."

Helga and Olga glanced down at each other with huge smiles, excited for the future.