Besides Helga's court case, November up to almost Thanksgiving was pretty uneventful. Arnold didn't go out on any dates at all even if he was always getting hit on at school or the market. He remembered once while he was stocking he was surprised by feeling a hand run up his... Well an area that made him jump in surprise just to watch an older lady blow him a kiss and give him a wink before she sashayed away. As he blinked away his surprise there he heard stifled laughter behind him making him turn around to see Helga with a shopping cart that was loaded.
Helga had a hard time keeping herself steady as she spoke. "Well I witnessed the whole thing and I must say..." More stifled laughing. "Her hand just went..." Her face turned red trying to find the right words. "I wonder which continent she loved searching for the most in that area."
Taking a deep breath he came close to her. "I don't know Helga, why don't you tell me." He knew his voice took on a flirtatious tone to it.
"Hmmm turn around and let me see, Football Head." She said in a very equal way.
"If you want I will." Arnold knew he was taking a chance doing this here of all places.
Helga was good at playing games as she spoke in a very seductive tone. "How about if I turn around and you can search me instead. Would you want that?"
That made him stumble with his tongue and just as he was about to make a mockery of his tongue his grandma came into view.
"Kimba!" Gertie greeted giving him a hug. "I see you noticed that I'm shopping with the lovely Eleanor."
"Yes I do. Shopping for Thanksgiving or another holiday?" Arnold asked as he looked at the different assortments in there.
"Oh Kimba. Thanksgiving of course. Turkey with hot dogs stuffed inside. Doesn't that sound delicious?" Gertie rubbed her stomach in happy thoughts.
As Arnold was about to object, Helga shook her head softly saying it won't happen.
"Well Kimba we should get going to hunt that elusive turkey. See you at home." Kissing his cheek, Gertie almost started skipping down the aisle.
Helga had to admire Gertie's spritely energy as she bid Arnold good bye herself to follow her. Feeling a hand stop her, Helga felt his lips near her ear.
"Would Eleanor like to watch some movies in the Presidents private chambers tonight?"
"Certainly Mr President." She whispered out breathlessly. It had been like this with the tiny flirtations with today being the largest it seems. Helga felt her legs about to go under and melt away into the ground. Walking down the aisle she resisted the urge to glance behind her.
At home, Helga parked the Packard and both her and Gertie were hauling the groceries in when Phil came running up to Helga telling her to get into the living room right away. Thankfully she was able to place the groceries down on the table when she felt his hand grab her wrist to tug her into the other room.
"Alright here she is!" Phil pushed her into the room where a middle aged brunette woman sat there with a slightly younger male dressed in something similar like Phil.
"Helga G. Pataki?" The woman had almost a toneless voice as she regarded her over her slight rimmed glasses.
"Speaking." Helga went over to the couch to sit down. "And you are?"
Things seemed to grow quiet as she listened to the woman speak due to the news she was given along with the pamphlet and brochure Helga was given for the place of her choosing. It was unbelievable even when she was given a novelty size check at first making her demand Phil and Gertie to take a picture with her. To her they were not only her friends but her extended family and she wanted to share it with them. When they told her to speak of the person of her choosing to go with Helga they will return on Monday after 3pm. Now came the part of her to talk to her surrogate grandparents.
"So where did you choose for your trip, sweetie?" Gertie inquired gently.
Sitting down on the chair so she can face them both, Helga told them where and when they said it would be not unless plans have to be changed. "I want to ask your opinion since you are his family and he values your opinion highly."
Phil and Gertie shared a look of silent communication as their smiles widened towards the young woman that has entered their lives. Someone who come to mean so much to them in the short amount of time. Someone they can tell their grandson's heart belonged to.
"It is a fine gift, Helga dear, and you are correct in that he does so much in thinking of others that it is time." Gertie spoke first as she stood up.
Standing up with his wife, Phil came close to Helga. "Pookie is right. Arnold will still worry about us, but don't worry, we'll see that he goes. It is time he does." Puts his arm around the young girls shoulders. "Thank you sweetie and congratulations on winning."
Pulling back, Helga jumped up in the air. "I can't believe I won! OH yeah we can say something to him about winning but not about the trip. I want to ask him in private."
"No problem girly. If anything I'll tell him not to eat raspberries." Phil warned with a wink.
Helga couldn't help but laugh at his logic. Fortunately she never did get that piece of advice from him just Arnold.
Much later in Arnold's room they were watching Evil Twin 1 The Uncut Version with extra footage which felt more like a scam to both of them as they both looked at the movie in the same way. Tilt the heads to the right, then to the left, pause for effect, make a funny face, have an urge to throw your popcorn, and back to feeling perplexed.
"Glad you rented this because I just don't see the difference." Helga stated handing him the popcorn.
"Neither do I... Oh wait." Arnold almost covered Helga's eyes over with his hand. "That sex part is new."
Laughing at the sounds the actors were making, Helga mockingly went to the ground. "Oh my virgin eyes are bleeding. Oh. Please. Tell. Me. When. The. Braless. Bimbo. Runs. Through. The. Woods. And. Dies."
Chortling at her melodramatic display he also slid down to the ground near her and tried his best sinister voice. "Those who dare mock will soon be running for the woods themselves scared muahahahahahaha!"
Turning on her knees to look at him, Helga raised the remote up like a knife. "Then I shall walk instead of run through those woods since we know the killer won't dare kill the only virgin around. Don't you remember the rules, sir?"
Still with the same voice, Arnold answered, "I do but from where I come from I will..." He starts to laugh. "I can't do it."
"Because you are too much of a boy scout." She pointed out getting back on the couch.
"Is that a bad thing?" Getting back on the couch himself he couldn't help but think.
Helga shook her head. "To me no. There are girls out there that enjoy a good guy while so many crave a bad boy." Grabbing her soda she took a swig of it before placing it aside. "Hey so now you know I won that writing contest."
His face lit up. "I knew you could do it."
Her face turned red. "Thanks. Anyhow have you ever obtained a passport before?" She wondered shyly.
"Actually yes. I had to update it this year. I have it because one day I hope to go to San Lorenzo to try to find my parents or at least find a clue to what happened to them." Arnold replied as his voice started to become lackluster. "I've been saving for some time now. Why do you ask? I know you have a passport since you've been out of the country before."
"Well I do and well the reason why I ask is because..." Her throat tightened up. "Besides my piece getting published and the check of course I also get something else." She let it linger. "I get a trip of my choice and one of the choices is to San Lorenzo." Seeing Arnold's facial expression become unreadable she had to ask. "Arnold you are this incredibly special friend who has done so much for so many, including myself, and I even talked to your grandparents too. It is three weeks in San Lorenzo and I want you to come with me. Will you come with me?"
Arnold was stunned at the question. Physically and mentally so.
"It is over the course of Christmas if you are willing." Helga reached out to take his hands. "Please say something."
Arnold was still processing before instantly bolting out of the room leaving Helga wondering where he was going since all she could hear was him running around somewhere's. Deciding to turn off the long forgotten movie, Helga decided to straighten up till he decided to come back. Before long she heard him coming back up his steps closing the door behind him, and bringing her back on the couch to sit down to open up a book that held a map.
"See this?" She nodded. "This is my father's journal and this map was inside of it. Helga this contains a clue and I'm decent with reading maps, but this one stumps me in a way."
"Well for one thing it is a bit wonky and there is some spanish writing. I can speak spanish, Arnold." She informed him as she delicately looked over the map. "Have you ever looked up this area on the computer before?"
"Yeah, but..." Getting up he went to his computer to pull up one of his many bookmarks. "As you can see..."
Looking between the map and what was on the screen, Helga made a face. "Guess we have our work cut out for us. That is if you really want to come with me."
"Yes, Helga. I want to come. I really want to come." Getting up he hugged her. "Thank you so much for asking me you have no idea how much this means to me."
Laughing politely she patted his back. "Oh I think I do, Arnold. I think I do."
Pulling back, Arnold had the briefest moment of wanting to kiss her, but out of shear fear he brought her back in for a hug. He had to one day stop fearing wanting more with her.