Author's Note: Welcome back! I hope you enjoyed the last chapter. I can't actually tell how many views or visitors it has gotten because the traffic stats haven't been working, but I've gotten at least one review for it, so I know people have been reading it.

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The J.A.M. a.k.a. Numbuh i: My dad introduced me to games when I was really young, and I even have a bachelor's degree in Game Design (that I'm not using), so my geekiness shines through in how I namedrop games.

Good to hear Seven is as annoying as I intended him to be. Arnold won't really have his karate skills, as I find it more interesting if Arnold isn't able to physically fight back, and instead has to use his mind and his words against bullies.

Dr. Bliss (and Dr. Schumacher) won't be making too many appearances, but they may show up a time or two in the future.

Previously: After going to a game store (and encountering a young ruffian who almost picks a fight with Helga), Helga and Olga go and see their therapists. Helga tells Dr. Bliss about her week, including the truth about Olga, and also talks about how she's frustrated with how strict Olga is over some things, like what video games she can play. Olga has a simliar talk with her therapist, leading to her deciding to lighten up a bit. Meanwhile, Arnold goes to bed without plugging in his alarm clock...

Previous Married... with Children Reference: Besides Seven, one of the games mentioned is based on the fictional television series Psycho Dad, which was main character Al Bundy's favorite TV show before its untimely cancellation.

Chapter Ten: Dinner for Three

Friday, August 22, 1997

Three Days Before the Start of Fifth Grade

Miriam woke with a groan. Sitting up, she glanced around the dark storeroom that her husband had done a half-assed job of converting into a living space. Rubbing her back, which was stiff and sore from sleeping on a cot, she glanced over at Bob, who was still sawing logs on his cot.

Suppressing the urge to grab a beeper or cell phone and chuck it at his head, she picked up the box that was lying under her cot, she opened it and looked at one of the last valuable possessions she had. It was an old silver necklace with a sapphire gem hanging from it. It was the only thing she still had from her late grandmother. She planned on wearing it tonight.

Putting the necklace back, she grabbed a suit and towel and headed for the restroom. She briefly paused to look around the sales floor. It was dark except for a few ceiling lights that always remained on. Bob said it was to keep away robbers, but Miriam knew it was really to stop him from running into something when he woke up.

It was clean, at least, she would give Bob that... then again, her husband did spend most of the day playing janitor when he wasn't busy being bilked by advertisers eager to take every last penny he scrounged up.

Locking the door, she hung the suit where it would stay dry, then she undressed and grabbed a sponge. While giving herself a sponge bath (another result of the miserable existence her husband had brought upon them), her mind drifted to her briefcase.

It still contained the papers that could end this nightmare permanently. She wasn't exactly sure what was holding her back, but the temptation was growing stronger and stronger everyday... but it also contained some papers she was going to use today.

She had been calling Olga daily and was really happy to hear about how her daughter and granddaughter were getting along. Despite everything, the woman smiled. At least something good has come out of this.

Drying off and suiting up, she exited the restroom. Taking her dirty clothes into the backroom, she dumped them into the plastic garbage bag that she would lug to the laundromat tomorrow.

"Wha's going on, Miriam?" Her half-awake husband groggily slurred.

"I'm getting ready for work, Bob. Want eggs and bacon for breakfast?"

After Bob grunted an affirmative, she exited the storeroom, grabbing her briefcase on the way, and entered the breakroom. Opening the crappy old fridge Bob had bought for his (now former) employees to use, she grabbed some eggs and bacon, then went over to the counter and plugged in their George Forman Grill. It and the microwave were the only ways she could cook anything now. She also used the coffee machine to prepare the most pathetic tasting cup of joe she had had in her life.

While the food was cooking, she took the cup of coffee and pulled out her birth control pills. Taking one of the few that remained, she wondered why she even bothered. The only thing Bob and I have done together recently is argue... I don't think I'll bother getting a refill. After all, the Idiot is already flushing enough money down the drain. I don't need to add to it.

By the time the food was ready, Bob wandered in, having gotten his sponge bath done. He was wearing a suit as well, causing his wife to sigh. "You're really going to commission another advertisement, Bob? You know I wanted you to join us for dinner at Chez Paris tonight."

"The advertisement is more important than some family dinner, Miriam! Big Bob's Beepers has to stay in the public consciousness if we're to survive this Scheck thing. If no one thinks about us we're sunk!"

Miriam scowled. "Bob, no one has forgotten you; they just haven't forgiven you... as evidenced by the graffiti you have to keep scrubbing off the windows about once a week." The most recent defacement had been a crudely drawn portrait of Bob with him saying something along the lines of "I'm a doofus."

"Damn punks..." Bob grumbled. "But seriously, Miriam, this is important for the Pataki family's future!

Miriam pointed a finger at him. "If you were truly interested in doing the right thing for this family's future, you would sell the building and remaining inventory to someone whose name isn't mud!"

"IF WE DID THAT WE WOULD HAVE NOTHING!" Bob shouted, slamming his fist against the table.

That's not true, B. We would have each other. Restraining herself from voicing the thought with a sneer, Miriam took a sip of her mediocre coffee.

The rest of the breakfast was spent in silence.

Putting her dirty dishes by the sink, she went back over to her husband. Bob froze when she put her briefcase on the table and started going through it.

"Bob, I've got some papers I need you to sign." Miriam said as she pulled the necessary documents out.

As she got ready to hand them over to her husband, she saw the look on his face. It was a mixture of fear and sadness. "Miriam, please... don't..."

She sighed. "It's not that Bob. These papers will transfer Helga's parental rights from us to Olga."

Bob exhaled as the feeling of dread left his chest. "You mean have the girl live permanently with Olga? Are we sure Olga can afford that? And what if the girl finds out the truth?"

"Olga can afford to take care of her better than we can, Bob." Miriam then narrowed her eyes at him. "And she already found out the truth."

"How!?" Bob sputtered. "Did one of you two tell her? Why would you do that!?"

"We didn't tell her Bob! You practically did when you sent her looking through the attic! Where we put the photo album! NOW SIGN THE DAMN PAPER!"

Bob sunk down in his seat as he took the papers. "Uh... okay. Do you have a pen?"

Getting the papers signed, Miriam said goodbye to her husband, got in the Lincoln Continental, and started off for work.

Helga had had a good time chatting with Nadine and Sheena so far. The two girls were much chattier when they weren't part of a big group. They were currently in Nadine's bedroom. Helga actually liked the atmosphere of it. Nadine had numerous terrariums, cages, and jars full of various critters, big and small around the room. Due to the window blinds being drawn, most of the light came from the various lamps hanging above the terrariums. It helped that Helga was not afraid of or grossed out by bugs, unlike with rats, which she found creepy and repulsive.

Nadine had also recently gotten several vintage posters of old insect-themed horror movies for her birthday. Posters for the films Them!, The Wasp Woman, and Tarantula! adorned the walls. Apparently Nadine had accidentally seen one of them when she was little, and instead of being frightened, it had sparked her lifelong fascination with insects and spiders. Helga was taking glances at them as they chatted about their current topic: how they got to know their best friends.

Sheena had already gone. To the surprise of neither Helga nor Nadine, Sheena and Eugene had gotten to know each other through the many, many times Sheena had escorted the accident prone boy to the school nurse, her Aunt Shelley.

Helga was currently wrapping up her rather short tale of how she befriended Phoebe. "...And she was never really afraid of me. I guess she realized I was more than just the bully I pretended to be. We've been inseparable since..." After a pause, certain things like Phoebe's stint as a hall monitor and the time when the half-Japanese girl had temporarily skipped a few grades came to Helga's mind. "I mean, besides a few incidents here and there."

Both Sheena and Helga now turned to look at Nadine. The dark-skinned blonde sighed. "I know you two and everyone else in class has wondered how the 'snobby' rich girl became best friends with the 'creepy' bug girl-"

"You're not creepy." Helga and Sheena chorused.

Nadine smiled before continuing. "Thanks. Anyway, I think everyone forgets that Rhonda really wasn't that snooty before third grade. She was rather shy and timid, as even when she was little she was aware of the fact that she was of a different standing than her classmates." Seeing Helga open her mouth, Nadine preempted her question. "And no, I don't know why her parents decided to send her to public school instead of a private one.

"Well, anyway, back in preschool, one day Harold was picking on her for some reason or other, and she about to cry. Now, being the girl who liked to go and play with bugs, I was used to getting crap from the other kids, so I went over to Harold and told him to 'buzz' off. Harold decided to go find some other victim, and I started to play with her in an attempt to cheer her up. The very next day, Rhonda asked the teacher if she could sit next to me from then on. Now, I wasn't intending to make a friend for life or anything, I had just wanted to keep her from getting upset. But over the next few months I started to enjoy spending time with her, and we've been besties ever since."

Sheena smiled. "That's really sweet."

Helga nodded. "Yeah. And man, Harold was such a jerk up until this last year. He was almost as bad as I was."

Nadine rolled her eyes. "No, Helga. He was worse than you during third grade. Remember when he almost beat the snot out of Arnold? I mean, you always threatened to beat people up, but I could tell you were unlikely to follow through."

Helga shrugged. "I did backhand Brainy quite a few times."

Nadine snickered. "I know, but he can be a little creepy sometimes. Anyway, even now I can't believe Rhonda ended up having a crush on Harold for the better part of that year. It was torture to hear her go on about his then non-existent virtues." Nadine then turned to look at the nerdy girl sitting next to her. "Speaking of crushes, when are you going to make a move on Eugene, Sheena?"

The granola girl blushed. "W-well, I want to... it's just, I'm so afraid that if he doesn't feel the same way it will wreck our friendship."

Helga rolled her eyes. "Don't be worried about that old cliché, Sheena. It would only wreck your friendship if you let it." Then why don't you tell Arnold, Helga? A voice in her head asked.

Sheena hummed at Helga's answer. "I guess you're right. Do you have any advice on how I can ask him out, Helga? I remember you went out with Stinky for a short time."

Helga shrugged. "My method probably won't work for you. He went out with me because I bribed him with a Mr. Nutty Bar."

Sheena frowned. "Yeah, I can't do that because of Eugene's allergies." A smile came back to her face. "I'll just have to figure out my own way. Maybe I can work my feelings into a dance routine! Anyway, what about you Helga?"

Helga tried her best to evade the question. "Eh, I'm not really interested in dating right now. No one's really caught my eye." Liar, liar, pants on fire, sang the voice in her head.

"Then why did you get Stinky to go out with you?" Nadine asked. Then a sly smile came on her face. "Maybe you were trying to make someone else jealous?"

Helga mentally slapped herself. What is wrong with me! Sheena just brought up my brief 'relationship' with Stinky and yet I answer her question that way!? "N-no! I was just curious what it was like to have a boyfriend! That doesn't mean I really wanted one!" Helga felt she had to get the attention off herself right now. "What about you, Nadine?"

Nadine snorted. "Well, I can truthfully say that I'm not interested in dating right now."

Sheena spoke up. "What about Peapod Kid? Doesn't he have a crush on you?"

Nadine shrugged. "I mean, Peapod is cute, yeah, but there's no point in me dating. I plan on being an Entomologist, and since that career will likely take me far away from Hillwood, I have no reason to try to date before I've grown up and settled down someplace. Plus, I don't even know Peapod all that well. I don't even know his real name for Pete's sake."

Helga complained. "Awww, c'mon! You don't!? I was hoping you did... Olga does, but she refuses to tell me."

Sheena looked at her. "Why does your sister know?"

"Well, when she was a student teacher she chaperoned several field trips involving both fourth grade classes. She even knew Chocolate Boy's real name."

"What is it?" Nadine asked, curious.

"Jordan." When neither girl reacted, Helga shrugged. "Yeah, I thought it was kind of anti-climactic as well."

Sheena then looked at Nadine. "Nadine, you shouldn't pass up on looking for love just because you're going to eventually leave Hillwood. What if your soulmate is someone you already know? And just because you move doesn't mean they can't go with you."

Sighing, Nadine shook her head. "I'm just not interested, Sheena. Plus, I have enough on my plate putting up with Rhonda's love life. First she had that dumb crush on Harold. I was so glad when Harold developed that thing he has with Patty and Rhonda finally stopped trying to get him to notice her. Then Rhonda had to put up with both Curly and Sid's unwanted advances towards-"

"Sid?" Helga asked, confused.

"Yeah, Sid asked Rhonda out multiple times these last few months. You and the rest of the class probably just didn't notice because Curly's obsessive craziness tends to get all the attention."

Sheena shuddered. "Curly scares me."

Helga nodded. "Join the club, sister."

"Anyway, I now have to put up with Rhonda's newest crush. I won't say who it is, but I will say it is one of the nicer boys at school."

Helga's eyes widened and she felt the cold feeling of dread start to spread in her chest. Could she mean...?

"I don't think it'll go anywhere." Nadine then looked straight at Helga. "I even told her 'I think another girl already likes him.'"

Helga felt her heart start to race. She knows!? How could she know?! Oh my god, Rhonda has a crush on Arnold as well!? How can I compete with her?! She's rich, and pretty, and she never picked on him like I did...

Sheena remained oblivious to the hidden meaning in Nadine's words or the turmoil in Helga's head. "Oooo. I wonder who you're talking about."

Helga pretended to look at the clock on Nadine's nightstand. "Oh, look at the time, I have to go."

Saying a quick goodbye to the two girls, rushed out of the house.

Before she could start off in the direction of the boarding house, Nadine's voice called out. "Helga stop!"

Halting, Helga turned to face the music, only to see that the biracial girl had an apologetic look on her face.

"I'm sorry, Helga, I didn't mean to scare you off."

Helga felt her old defense mechanisms bubble to the surface. "Y-you didn't scare me off! I just had to be somewhere else! I was getting tired of being in there anyway!"

Nadine spoke in a soft voice. "It's okay, Helga. I'm not going to tell anyone."

Helga sighed in relief. "T-thank you. How did-"

"I know?" Nadine finished the sentence. "I may have caught you, uh, monologuing once or twice."

Helga simply uttered an "oh." Curse the compulsions of my past self! "When did you catch me?"

"Oh, probably around second grade..."

Helga didn't say anything, but the gears in her head were turning. She's known for several years, and she hasn't told anybody? Maybe I can trust her...

Nadine continued. "Anyway, I think it's sweet. I hope the two of you get together."

Helga looked at her in confusion. "W-why? Doesn't your best friend like him? Wouldn't you be rooting for them to get together?"

The other blonde shook her head. "Well, no, for two reasons." Nadine took a seat on the stoop, and motioned Helga to join her, which Helga did.

"Firstly, I don't think Rhonda truly likes him-likes him. I think she just wants to have a boyfriend because thats something popular girls have. I want her to be with someone she truly likes, not just someone who would make a socially acceptable boyfriend. That's the real reason she stopped crushing on Harold and won't go out with Sid. It's not because Harold's got himself a girlfriend or because Sid is... well, Sid. They're just not popular with the other kids like Arnold is. She sees him as a walking status symbol, not as a potential partner. Arnold deserves better."

Helga was stunned. She had never figured Nadine as dumb or anything, but she might actually be able to give her a run for her money for the position of the second smartest girl in class.

"W-what's the second reason?" Helga asked.

"You two would make a cute couple, and I think you would be good for him."

"Me? Good for him?!" Helga was flabbergasted.

"He needs someone who can get him to better stand up for himself. The whole class is grateful for everything he's done for us, but sometimes he lets himself suffer for what he thinks is right. Remember when Mr. Wartz put him in detention for a month just because he wouldn't tattle?"

Helga grumbled. "Yeah. Harold, Sid, and Stinky are lucky they confessed when they did. I was about ready to hunt down the culprits myself, and what Wartz did to them would have paled in comparison to my wrath." She waved her fist in the air as she said that.

Nadine giggled. "That proves my point! You would always be looking out for him."

Helga twiddled her thumbs. "I guess, but I did bully him for years."

Nadine hummed. "True. But that's not who you are anymore. All of us, besides Gerald, can see that, Arnold especially."

Helga smiled. "Thanks, Nadine."

"No problem. Just don't take too long before you tell Arnold how you feel. I can only hold back Rhonda for so long, and there's no telling when another Lila will come along."

Frowning, Helga looked down. "I-I know. I've just liked him for so long..."

"I understand. You're afraid he doesn't feel the same way. Just remember what you told Sheena and have faith that things will work out." She then stood up. "Now, I know you said you were leaving, but if you've changed your mind, we were going to watch an old horror movie or two."

Helga grinned. "Sounds like fun."

And with that both girls went back inside.

They spent the next few hours watching a few horror movies, most notably the original version of The Fly. Nadine kept bringing up insect facts relating to whatever creature was on screen, Sheena kept covering her eyes during the scary parts, and Helga just enjoyed the pure cheesiness that was on display.

She had left Nadine's feeling good, with her worries pushed into the back of her mind. However, as she entered the boarding house, her conversation with Nadine bubbled back to the forefront of her thoughts.

It didn't help that Sunset Arms was practically empty. Oskar, Ernie, and Mr. Hyunh were all working, as was Olga, who had to go into Polk High to prepare for the first day of school. Both Gertrude and Arnold were out doing who knows what. In fact, she hadn't seen Arnold all day.

The only one there was Phil, and he was too absorbed in watching an all-day movie marathon of films starring Hedy Lamarr to hold a real conversation with anyone.

For the next few hours, she read Olga's copy of The Hobbit in the living room. When Arnold had finished it last night the two had promptly traded books. It served as a good distraction from the thoughts of Rhonda or another girl stealing Arnold away from her.

She stopped when Olga came into the kitchen. "I'm home, baby girl! Start getting ready for dinner!"

Going up to her bedroom, Helga looked for something to wear. Looking through the nicer clothes she had hanging in the closet, she picked out the blue blouse-skirt combo Olga had just bought her the other day. After putting it on, she looked at her collection of shoes. She winced when she saw the lone red shoe. I'm glad Arnold didn't unpack the box containing my shoes. If he saw that one he would have known I was Cecile for sure...

Even if it didn't go with the blouse and skirt all that well, she chose to wear the pink shoes she had worn on her last trip to Chez Paris. Note to self: get a blue pair of shoes. She grabbed the pair of white, arm-length gloves she had worn on the same occasion.

Going out into the hall and stepping into the bathroom, she decided to complete the look by putting her hair up like she did during that last trip to the restaurant (she'd forgo the silver hairpiece this time, though). She wished she could have styled it the way her hair looked at the end of her night masquerading as Cecile, but she couldn't chance Arnold seeing her like that later. Plus, she wasn't exactly sure how to get that slightly wavy look it had on such a short notice. And I am notgoing to a poodle hair salon again. What was eight-year-old me thinking?!

Walking out, she was met by Olga, who was wearing a red dress and matching shoes. Besides that, she hadn't done much to her hair or face. She wasn't even wearing lipstick.

Olga looked her daughter up – "You look pretty, honey..." – and down – "...your shoes don't match..."

Helga groaned. "I know, mom! Jeez! I just didn't think to get new shoes go with this outfit... and you look like your ready to lure Dillinger to his death."

Olga frowned. "Helga, don't be so grisly..." Where did she learn that anyway? "Anyway, let's get going."

As Olga drove to Chez Paris, Helga turned to her mother. "Hey, I've been wondering. Why are there two French restaurants right next to each other anyway? And with such similar names to boot?"

"They're actually owned by the same family. Chez Pierre is cheaper and more informal, while Chez Paris is the fancier and more expensive option."

"That would explain why the coupon I won was for Pierre and not Paris..." Helga grumbled.

Olga smirked. I smell a story there. "What happened?"

"None of your business." Olga decided to let sleeping dogs lie (for the moment, anyway.)

As they reached the twin eateries, Olga parked in the parking lot the two restaurants shared. That's when Helga spotted her grandparents' Lincoln Continental parked in the lot. "Grandma's already here..."

Heading inside, Olga scanned the restaurant for her mother. Seeing Miriam seated at a table, they walked over to join the older woman, who, matching colors with her granddaughter, was wearing a blue dress.

"Hi mommy!"

"What's up, Grandma?"

After she visibly winced at Helga's use of 'Grandma' (earning a snicker from the young girl), Miriam smiled at them. "Good to see you two."

Olga noticed the necklace. "Oh, you're wearing Great-Grandma Harriet's necklace! It looks good on you, mom."

Miriam nodded. "Thanks. It's one of the few pieces of jewelry I have left. I threatened to kick Bob in the keister if he tried to sell it." After the two were seated, the woman looked at her granddaughter. "Uh, Helga, if it isn't too much trouble, could you maybe call me something else. I feel like I'm too young to be a grandmother..."

Helga felt a burst of irritation. "But you are my grandmother! What am I supposed to call you if not grandma? I don't want to just call you Miriam, as unlike Bob, I actually respect you."

"Helga, don't talk that way about your grandfather!" Olga interjected.

"It's alright, Olga. Your father is an idiot."

"Mom!" Olga once more complained at how Bob was being spoken of. She was ignored.

As Miriam was thinking about what her granddaughter should call her, the waiter approached. Helga gulped as she recognized the man, as he was the same one who had waited on her during her previous two visits. The French man looked at Helga, and by the scowl on his face and the way his eyes narrowed, he obviously recognized her as well. "Oh, it's you... I had hoped you wouldn't be returning after your last visit. I hope you can actually pay this time."

Suddenly, Olga spoke up, her tone clearly unhappy. "Do you have a problem with my daughter, Jacques?"

Finally, Jacques took note of the other two women at the table, and his eyes nearly bulged out when he saw Olga. "Mademoiselle Pataki?! I did not realize that this young girl was your, uh, daughter. My apologies to the young lady and her family."

Olga did the ordering, being the only one well versed in French. She ordered Bouillabaisse for herself, ratatouille for her mother, and cassoulet for Helga, as well as some drinks.

As the waiter took their order to the kitchen, Helga looked to Olga. "You know Mr. Jacque-strap there?"

"Helga, be nice..." Olga scolded. "And yes, I've gotten to know him quite well, as I often came here when I was in town during college. How do you know him, Helga? He seemed quite, ah, displeased at your presence."

"Please tell, dear." Miriam added.

Sensing that the two really wanted to hear this story, Helga broke down and told her mother and grandmother of her double "date" with Arnold, Gerald, and Phoebe. By the end, Miriam was barely controlling her laughter and Olga looked aghast. Despite the unpleasant memory of the panic she had felt when she realized she was at the wrong restaurant, Helga started to laugh as well.

Once it died down, Olga tried to salvage the situation. "Well, at least you weren't the worst customer Jacques had to put up with. He had told me of a family he had encountered back when he lived in Chicago about fifteen years ago, who stole silverware, overflowed the toilet, and were just plain rude, even the two young kids were a nightmare to wait on. To top it off, they managed to leave the restaurant without paying their bill."

Just as the young woman was finishing up the story, Jacques returned with their drinks. "Are you telling them about those accursed Bundys? Ugh, I would prefer to feel firsthand les feux de l'enfer than have to wait on them ever again. I hope they're still in Chicago. Anyway, here are your drinks. I will be back with your meals as soon as they are ready."

After he left, Miriam snapped her fingers! "I know what you can call me, Helga! How about... Mimi!"

Helga looked at her like she had grown a second head. "Mimi?"

Miriam nodded. "You know, because the first two letters of my-"

"No, no. I got that part. It's just... isn't that kind of childish?"

"Bob still calls one of his late grandmothers 'Baba'. I don't see why you can't call me Mimi."

Helga gave up. "Fine, I guess I can give it a try... Mimi."

"So, Helga, how was your playdate with Nadine and Sheena?" Olga asked.

Helga frowned. "It wasn't a 'playdate,' mom. That's what toddlers do. I 'hung out' with Nadine and Sheena."

Olga rolled her eyes at her daughter. "Well, how'd it go?"

As Helga started to relate her time with the two girls (leaving out the part where Nadine had talked to her about Arnold), their food came. Afterward, Miriam gave a succinct account of her day at work ("Eh, business as usual.")

Olga was asked how her day at the high school. "It was fine, for the most part. I finally feel ready for the start of the school year." She then frowned. "However, my encounter with the new French teacher, Mrs. Valley, was a little... strange."

"In what way?" Miriam asked.

"I tried talking to her in French, and after giving the usual greetings and all that, she seemed to start getting confused by what I was saying."

Helga snorted. "Are you saying they hired a French teacher who doesn't actually know French that well? That's ridiculous."

"Maybe she was just having a stressful day, honey. You mentioned to me several times how you were nervous about the start of the school year." Miriam offered an explanation.

Olga sighed. "I guess that makes sense... doesn't make it any less bizarre, though."

They continued eating. Once finished, they sat and talked for a while longer, and Olga paid the bill.

As they started getting ready to leave, Miriam stood up, only to sit back down again and start going through her purse. "Oh! I almost forgot. Here's those papers I mentioned, Olga."

Handing the folded up sheets to her daughter, Olga unfolded them and let Helga take a look. "Are you okay with this, sweetie?"

Helga's eyes widened as she looked at it. "This would make..."

"Me your legal guardian until you're an adult, yes." Olga confirmed.

Helga sat there and let herself think for a moment. Am I okay with living with Olga for the next eight years? We've had a really good week together, but... Helga loved her grandmother a lot, and this would mean that even when Miriam got a house or apartment again (with or without Bob), it would not be Helga's home.

Making her mind up, she nodded. "I... I guess I'm okay with that. I still love you, Gran- Mimi, and I hope we can spend some time together soon."

Miriam smiled. "Me too, Helga. See you later."

As Olga took the papers, the young woman and girl hugged the older woman goodbye.

Heading back to the boarding house, Helga made her way up the stairs, intending to switch into pajamas even though it was only about six thirty. As she turned the corner, she saw Arnold at the far end of the hall, sitting on the bottom step of the stairs leading to his room. As she made her way down the hall he got up and practically ran to meet her.

As he got close she noticed that he had something behind his back. "H-hi, Helga. I, uh, can I talk with you for a minute?" He nervously rubbed the back of his head with his free hand.

"Sure, Football Head. What's up?"

"I, uh, I think that, t-this belongs to you." And with that he revealed what he had hidden: a red shoe she had worn on Valentine's Day a year and a half ago...

Next: Helga and Arnold