Helga beamed from ear to ear and opened the door wide, with such velocity that it almost slammed against the wall. She was greeted by the smiling faces of Henry and the two women with him.
"I didn't think you'd get here so early!" Helga welcomed.
"Well..." The younger woman, who had green eyes and long red hair that ended just above her waist, spoke. "...You can thank this guy for being strong enough to drag me." She pointed to Henry, who was holding two large suitcases. He merely shrugged with a cocky grin.
"Oh come on Penelope, I'm sure I can help you get settled in." Helga countered.
"Why, do you have a forklift?" She rolled her eyes and took her coat off, revealing a form that was slender and proportioned, all except for a bulging belly.
Helga simply grinned and hugged her upon seeing it. As she went to the foyer closet to put her coat away, Helga exchanged a look with the other, older woman, meeting her hazel eyes with a sparkle in her own. She had shoulder-length hair of the same color as Henry, though it was faded with some grey spots.
"Aunt Cecily, how do you deal with these children?" Helga mocked.
"The same way I deal with you." She answered. "Hello, sweetheart." She greeted and exchanged a warm hug with Helga, then went to hang her coat up.
"And well, if it isn't the best man." Helga said in a challenging tone to Henry.
"Technically not until the wedding, but you can call me that if you want. It is true, after all." He grinned, putting the suitcases on the floor and closing the door behind him.
Helga threw her arms around the man, who towered over her.
"How you doing, squirt?" He asked, rubbing her hair after the hug and putting his coat in the closet. "Still busting on your sister for freaking out about those fireflies last summer?"
"Leave it to Olga to think they sting. Show her any insect and she'll freak out. She's such a wimp!"
"Hey, I heard that!" Olga shouted from atop the stairs, but with a smile. Louis, meanwhile, rushed downstairs.
"Yo! Yo! Yo! Yo! Yo!" The brothers both greeted each other at the same time, exchanging a high-five and then a hug.
"Mom." Louis turned to Cecily and gripped her tightly.
"Hi, dear." She responded. "And Olga, hello." She turned to her son's fiancée and hugged her as well.
"Penelope...you've gained weight." Louis challenged with an evil grin.
"Do you want to die just before your wedding, Louis Burbon?" She raised a red eyebrow with a challenging grin of her own.
"I don't think you can kill me, though, so I have no problem hugging you because you're not in the habit of carrying daggers around to stab me in the back with."
She rolled her eyes and hugged her brother-in-law.
"Are you sure you want to marry this one?" Penelope taunted and hugged Olga. "Before you know it, you're gonna be like me." She pointed at her belly, making Olga blush.
"It's so sweet, though!" Olga countered. "It must be such a great feeling to look at the sonogram pictures!" She practically squealed.
"Oh, they're so adorable!" Cecily chimed in. "My little grandson...even in the womb he looks like such a star!"
Penelope shrugged her shoulders and smiled. "What can I say, he has good genes!"
"Uh, yeah." Henry grunted. "So...Louis...the place is...it's looking sharp...looking sharp..." He said as he gave the room a look over.
"Tell the truth." He crossed his arms.
"Well I mean, it's looking a little girly, but it's still looking sharp."
"Uh huh." He grunted at his brother and nodded his head mockingly. "You can blame her for that...or thank her." He pointed at Olga.
"Wouldn't be girly without the girl that thought fireflies can sting!" Henry grinned, making Helga laugh out loud.
"Now I know where Louis gets it from. Hello, Henry." Olga smirked and said in jest as she hugged him.
"Now Olga, let's see that ring!" Penelope challenged.
"Yes, I've been waiting for this." Cecily agreed. "I hope I can be proud of my son."
"Allow me to present it!" Louis rushed up to her and grabbed her left arm. "Because you see..." Louis made a show, grunting and gritting as he lifted it up. "Ever since I bought it for her, she has a hard time lifting her arm up on her own."
Olga giggled at his sarcasm. As soon as her arm was raised, showing the ring glittering on her hand, Penelope and Cecily squealed. Henry made a show of inspecting it, stamping his feet and bending over.
"I knew I raised you right!" Cecily hugged her son again.
"Good job, little bro." He said simply, lightly punching his shoulder.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. How about we finally get out of this cold foyer instead of squealing like little girls?" Helga snorted.
"Good idea." Louis replied.
The six of them turned around and saw Miriam standing on the edge of the living room. They stopped, their expressions softening.
Miriam noticed it. It was as if they forgot she was there.
"Uh...Henry...Penelope...Cecily...this is my mother, Miriam." Olga chattered nervously.
"Hi." All three of them cautiously greeted.
"Hello..."
"Yes...Olga...told us about your situation..." Penelope greeted. "Just so you know, I'm a nurse, and my husband over here is a trained combat medic, so we're here to help in case of...emergency."
"I see..." Miriam slurred. "Thank you..." She tried to smile.
Louis immediately knew that while Penelope meant well, it wasn't the best thing to say. Helga got the same feeling, madly looking for a way to dispel the awkwardness of the entire situation and get the jovial mood back. She spotted it on the coffee table when they went to the living room.
"Henry, take a look at this!" She grabbed the Monthly Boxing Fan.
"Oh, cool!" Henry replied with mock gusto as he took it and leafed through the pages. "This is gonna be some fight! Everyone on base has been talking about it!"
"Oh no...here we go." Penelope shook her head mockingly.
"You too, huh?" Olga grinned.
"Yes." She rolled her eyes as Louis, Henry, and Helga enthusiastically discussed the coming fight.
"They just want to have their fun. Let them." Cecily said with a clam smile.
"It's no laughing matter, though. It's barbaric. If you ask me, boxing should be banned." Penelope snorted.
"You take that back!" Helga snapped and pointed at her in mock outrage.
"Honey, I'm a nurse. I'm supposed to prevent harm." She responded.
"No harm in two badasses beating the crap out of each other for big pay." Henry taunted. She mockingly narrowed her eyes in reply. "Oh, speaking of the fight..."
Henry rushed into the foyer and came back with a bag. He made a mock drum roll and took a bottle out of the bag, giving it to Louis. It contained a golden brown liquid with the name "Nikka" on the label.
"This that Japanese whisky you were telling me about?" Louis asked skeptically as he looked the bottle over.
"Yep. Who would've guessed that the Japanese would do whisky so well? I'm just happy I got to bring some back after my stint there through the fall. And it's appropriate for the fight since the man from Japan Takamura is challenging for the world title, right? I figure we'll enjoy it then."
"Sounds fine..." Louis trailed when he noticed Miriam out of the corner of his eye. She was adjusting her glasses, trying to get a better look at the bottle. His eyes turned suspicious and as if catching herself, she looked downward at the floor, disappointed.
"Anyway guys, I'm so sorry we have to leave you tonight." Olga clasped her hands, pleading. "I had no idea until the last minute that our theater was gonna have its end-of-year gala tonight..."
"Oh, it's no big deal." Cecily answered her. "They can't have their big holiday gala without their star pianist, right?"
"Yeah, the last performance we went to was really beautiful." Penelope complimented. "You have to show up! Have you seen her play yet, Miriam?"
"Uh...no...not yet." She cautiously answered and a fog of awkwardness filled the room again. Helga felt it in every pore and begged for someone to speak. It wasn't soon before she got her wish.
"Well, there's still a couple of hours left before we need to leave." Louis interrupted the silence, giving the whisky to Olga and signaling for her to put it in the secure refrigerator. "And now that you're here to spot me, Henry, I can really challenge myself on the bench press. I want to see if I can get above 400."
"You got it. Today's my leg day, so you can spot me by the squat rack."
"Roger that, and most of all, hitting the gym with you means I get to listen to some real music again!"
"You got a point there." Henry responded. "Listening to this girly Christmas stuff all day every day, I'm surprised your balls haven't shriveled up."
"Oh believe me, they've come close." Louis answered as the two walked back toward the foyer and made for the staircase leading down to the basement.
"To think, Olga, these are the men we chose." Penelope exhaled and shook her head, making Olga giggle. "You must be such a proud mother, Cecily."
"Hey, at least I know this means they're in good health." She smiled.
"Where are you going, Helga?" Olga asked as her sister suddenly made a dash for the foyer.
"Well, let's see...stay here and make some girl talk with you or work out with them down there and listen to real music? Psh. No contest!"
As soon as Helga left the room, loud, blaring power metal guitar riffs smashed into the air from downstairs, mixing unpleasantly with the Christmas music. The floor was slightly vibrating due to the bass. Olga and Penelope drooped.
"Get used to it, girls. I've lived with it for many more years than you." Cecily chuckled. "You'll still love them anyway."
Helga finished her pushups and laid on the floor, propping her head up with her hand. She grinned from ear to ear. She was still too young to hit the weights, but she loved being down here all the same. She thought it was just the coolest thing.
"I'll start at 180 and work my way up from there." Louis said as he and his brother approached the bench.
"Got it." Henry responded and began to collect some weights for the bar.
Helga rushed up to help, grabbing a 20 pound weight. Louis and Henry both looked at her incredulously as she wobbled toward the bench holding the weight, but she sheepishly smiled in return.
It was at that point that Miriam cautiously crept down the stairs, covering her ears and grimacing as she made her way toward the den that was her room. She turned to see Louis cranking the bench press up and down for five repetitions before stopping, with Henry spotting and Helga beaming.
"DO. YOU. MIND. TURNING. THE. MUSIC. DOWN?" Miriam shouted when he finished.
"WHAT?!" All three answered.
"I. SAID. DO. YOU. MIND. TURNING. THE. MUSIC. DOWN?"
Helga growled and lowered the sound. "What now?" She huffed.
"That was it..." Miriam answered cautiously.
"Miriam, you're ruining it in here!"
"Don't worry about it, Helga." Louis answered as he got up from the bench and went to get more weight. "Try to be a little accommodating."
"Fine." She sneered.
"You seem tense, Helga." Henry almost taunted as Louis began his bench presses again. "Some more exercise should solve that. Why don't you show me how you're preparing for your next track meet in March?"
"Here?" She asked skeptically.
"Sure. There's room. Let's see you move around."
"OK! And by the way, this reminds me, I wanted to ask you. I came up just short at the 100 meter hurdle at my last meet." She explained and began to stretch. "You're a Navy SEAL, so you guys train in jumping over obstacles I'm sure."
"Ya..." Henry smirked as Louis finished with his reps and went to add more weight.
"So I was thinking, maybe I'll win the gold next time if I can get my timing just a little better. Can you help me?"
"Alright, we'll go to the park tomorrow and do some work."
"Track meet?" Miriam asked as she was suddenly about to walk into the den. "You're doing well on your track team, Helga?"
"No one was talking to you, Miriam!" She instinctively snapped. "Just go to your room!"
Louis and Henry looked at one another almost shocked, but neither said anything as Miriam retreated.
"Oh, look at you!" Cecily squealed when she saw her son, dressed in a custom made midnight blue tuxedo with a peaked lapel. She rushed over to straighten out any rough edges.
"Mom, stop!" Louis grunted and brushed her hands away.
"Nothin' wrong with it. She just wuvs her 'widdle boy." Henry teased.
"Yeah, yeah!" Helga agreed. "Don't fight it. Let her tuck you in tonight!"
Louis smirked and shook his head back and forth as Olga rushed downstairs, wearing a strapless red-violet evening gown.
"Oh that one's nice. Oh yes." Penelope complimented, furiously nodding up and down.
"Anyway, speaking of tucking in, we should be back by midnight. I think." Louis declared. "Make sure that this one's in bed by the time we get back." He pointed to Helga.
"Sure, and if she's not, I'll sit on her." Henry answered.
Helga frowned. "Treating me like a little kid really?"
"It's the last school night, Helga." Olga answered her. "After this you'll have your vacation. OK...goodbye mommy." Olga ventured past the foyer toward the stairs to the basement and hugged Miriam.
"Have fun, dear."
Louis beckoned her to join him and they walked out, the door thudding behind them.
"So...what now?" Cecily asked.
"Eh? I dunno." Henry yawned and stretched his arms above his head nonchalantly. "Might as well order something to eat."
"YES!" Penelope answered enthusiastically, to the point that the others in the room eyed her with surprise. "Those pigs in a blanket were good, but not nearly enough. I'm so hungry!"
"How about that Lake Union Steakhouse place?" Henry asked. "I remember you recommending that place the last time I was here."
"I'll get the menu." Helga replied and rushed into the kitchen, bringing it back a few seconds later.
"Alright, let's see..." Henry sat on the couch and went over it.
"Hmmm..." His wife leaned over the couch to look at the menu. "I know! Give me a quarter pound of the supreme barbecue brisket, with onion rings and mashed potato sides, and blue cheese dressing, lots of blue cheese dressing." She began to walk to the kitchen to get a drink, but turned back. "...Better make that brisket half a pound."
"Are you eating for all four of us?" Helga teased, but Penelope slapped her shoulder in response.
"Never mock a pregnant woman, dear." Cecily smiled.
"What about you, mom?" Henry asked as she sat beside him.
"..." She thumbed through the menu. "Single rack of lamb, with a baked potato on the side."
"Alright, mom's covered..."
"Henry!"
"Yes?" He glanced back as Helga hopped over the back of the couch and onto the spot next to him. "I was thinking that we could share the mega pulled pork and barbecue rib combo."
"A whole pound, huh?" Henry looked it over. "Well...I guess we can always turn to the vacuum cleaner in the kitchen to finish off what we can't."
"I heard that!" Penelope answered.
"Alright, is that everyone?" Helga asked through her laughter. "Good! Let's go give them a call."
"No, we haven't asked what Miriam wants yet." Cecily cooled her jets.
"Oh...right." Helga grumbled. "What do you want, Miriam, and make it snappy!"
"I uh...I'll have the..." Miriam stumbled over both her words and her feet as she came to grab the menu.
Helga tapped her foot on the floor impatiently as Henry got up and went to the phone.
"I'll take the..."
"Come on, Miriam!"
Her eyes widened at her daughter's angry face. "I'll have what Cecily's having." She blurted out.
"A good choice." Cecily complimented as Henry called the steakhouse to place the orders.
Helga grumbled.
"OK, they say it'll be here in about 45 minutes." Henry announced after hanging up the phone.
"Too long." Penelope mumbled, returning to the room. "What do we do until then?"
"I know! With babies and weddings in the air, we can talk about the love life of a certain someone." Cecily answered and turned to her right. "How's your little boyfriend, Helga?"
"My...boyfriend?" Helga responded skeptically, trying to stifle the blush.
"Yeah, you know who I mean, that boy named Arnold!"
"Now, I wouldn't exactly call him a heartthrob, but there's just something about that little football shaped head of his that makes him so adorable, and you can tell he always looks on the bright side. The naivete is cute. I bet that's why you like him, right? Right?" Penelope got more enthusiastic.
"Well...I uh..." Her face was reddening.
"But the real question is, is he..." Henry trailed off, keeping everyone in suspense.
"Nothing dirty, Henry!" Penelope glared at him, making Helga turn beet red.
"He's what, 12? 13? He can't be yet. You have the dirty mind here." He teased his wife. "I was gonna ask, is he good on dates? Does he know what he's doing when he takes a lady out or is he one of those helpless saps that go 'I don't know, where do you want to go?' That's all."
"Uh...uh..."
"Wow, she sure is nervous when we talk about him." Cecily said nonchalantly. "Maybe this Arnold boy is more than he appears."
"Oh...look at that...uh..." Helga stammered.
"What...kind of dates are you two going on, honey?" Miriam ventured cautiously.
Helga's eyes opened wide and then she glowered. "NO ONE ASKED YOU, MIRIAM!"
This stunned the room to silence, but Helga, not wanting Cecily, Penelope, and Henry to stare at her in the way they were doing right then, tried to find a way out of the awkwardness she'd just made.
"Uh...Henry...there's about to be an ESPN 24/7 special on the Hawk vs. Takamura fight! Let's watch it!" She blurted, rushing to the TV.
"OK..." Henry said with an incredulous expression as she turned the TV on and thumbed through the channels on the remote.
"Oh...well...there's no better time to continue unpacking our things than now, right? Let's go, Cecily."
The two women retreated upstairs, though Cecily softly stared at Miriam as they left.
"The champion has reason to be confident." The television blared as Helga got settled in. "Forced to survive in the slums of New York, Bryan Hawk has seamlessly transferred those killer instincts to the ring, and under the guidance of the world famous trainer Miguel Zale, he accrued an undefeated record all the way to the Junior Middleweight Championship of the World."
"This is just a waste of my time, but I do love the sight of blood!" A tanned man with blond hair, a white jacket, purple shirt, and two buxom women on either arm laughed maniacally. "Beating up my opponents, making them bleed...it's like sex to me! And then I get to have sex after the match! I'll squash that bug, spread my seed to the women of his country, and then take the belt back to America where it belongs!"
"What an asshole!" Helga growled.
"Let the punk keep talking." Henry grinned confidently.
"The champion believes that he's the future of the division and he doesn't feel threatened. However...two nights from now, he'll be on enemy turf, where he'll be facing an opponent who has also never been beaten. The former Japanese national middleweight champion, Mamoru Takamura, with 16 consecutive knockouts behind him, is ready, and if he has anything to say about it, his opponent will choke on his first defense."
"I've beaten a bear." A man in a dark suit with a pompadour hairdo declared. He was calm and still, almost too calm. "Bryan Hawk is a step down. I'll beat him by KO and take his belt. That's all."
"A new, undefeated champion looking to make his mark...in more ways than one. An undefeated challenger with the hopes and dreams of an entire country behind him. This is ESPN 24/7: The Battle of Hawk."
"You look as confident as he does." Helga said to Henry, who stood behind the couch.
"I have my reasons, but I'll wait until tomorrow's dinner to talk about them, so Louis can hear."
"Surely you don't want that asshole to retain!"
"No. That's why I'm confident."
Helga was just about to ask a question when an unwelcome voice interrupted.
"Interesting... so this is that big boxing match you're so excited about?"
"Haven't you gone away by now, Miriam! No one invited you to watch this with us!" Helga turned around and glared.
Miriam's expression suddenly saddened. Henry walked over and looked her calmly, signaling for her to follow him into the foyer.
"I...don't mean to intrude. I don't know a whole lot...really." He said softly as they left the living room. "I know you guys have some history you might want to go over, and I hope you can work it out, but...now...just doesn't look like the time."
Henry walked back into the living room and sat beside Helga, who beamed up at him. Miriam's eyes drooped downward again.