Disclaimer: I don't own Hey Arnold, or anything else that I've mentioned.
Summary: Helga, never imagined that one rash decision at a party, would turn her life completely on its head six years later, and leave her in a twisted web of secrets, lies and skeletons are coming out. For Hillwood, it's the crime of the century. A love/crime/triangle drama! R!
A/N: We're teetering at the top of the coaster, right after the slow climb and right before it goes over the steep hill. That's my only description. Oh, and there is a mild adult situation the first part of this chapter and a straight up situation at the end. Your warning. Cheers!
All our secrets,
they are tailored trouble.
8:17am
Sid had been partially awake for a short time, sneaking a rapid peek at the wall clock in their bedroom to inspect the hour before choosing to continue to lay comfortably on his back and get back to enjoying the serenity behind his closed eyelids. He rarely slept in anymore. His mind was typically too restless to afford him the luxury of decent rest most night, much less sleeping in. As of late anyway. It was no secret how it had begun to wear on him. Last night he'd slept like a rock though, his content bliss stemming from he and Rhonda having stayed up late loving each other a number of times after his spontaneous decision to take her on his desk. Something that his knees might have had bruising complaints about that morning, but he didn't. Between all of his stress, insomnia, long days, late nights, never ending weeks, and his generally distracted mood, sex had...not been as frequent as they'd like. Though not the first time because of him getting neck deep in a case, even if this one may have taken the cake. In other words, they were overdue for making up for lost time, and a night of rollicking had been just what he'd needed.
Contently he laid there, enjoying the rare quiet in his mind, not a single thought to be had about serial killers, work or anything at all. Which was such a treat. Sweet, sweet serenity. As it used to be. He stayed that way until he felt shifting beside him. His love was stirring. It prompted him to slowly breathe in, the last remnants of sleep fully dissolving away when he felt her nuzzle into his neck and the lightest brush of lips against his skin, while her delicate hand slide across his chest to rest on his left pectoral. She loved her lovey-dovey wake-ups...when she wasn't beating him with a pillow for sleeping through his alarm that is. That morning he suspected she would probably be keen on picking up where they'd left off last night. Something he was absolutely in the headspace to entertain as well. Feast followed famine, and he loved being in an insatiable haze with her, "You keep doing that, and I'm going to make you late to your brunch today," He hummed a playful warning in a low voice, his mouth expanding into a warm grin. His lids pushed slowly open to gaze upon her form. She didn't heed his warning, as he thought she wouldn't, and he was fairly sure he even felt her defiantly smirk against his flesh. She continued to leave seductive little kisses down him before he felt the tip of her tongue dart out and trace a circle around his nipple. His eyes slid closed once more as he groaned. When he felt her come back up and kiss his Adam's apple, his eyes fluttered back open, and just in time to watch her come over top him, straddling his waist as she sat up fully.
His grin widened into a smirk, enjoying the view. Her ruby red nails splaying out across his bare chest as she dropped him a smuggest little expression.
"Last chance," He cautioned for the final time while his hands made to wrap around her thighs.
One of those slender hands of hers pulled back to grab one of his, promptly dragging it between her thighs for him to feel just how wet she was for him, and most importantly, as an invitation for him to do something about it, "Does this feel like I care about brunch?" She rhetorically asked. Nine years later, and Sid sometimes still found himself mesmerized by the fact that she was capable of being so dirty. So...improper. He chuckled though, letting his skilled fingers pick right back up with last night, to her absolute delight, which she made known by the ensuing mewls and her hips greedily pushing down onto his hand for more. He could have very easily replaced said hand with his hardened want—and he really wanted to—but he also felt like teasing her a bit.
He took the opportunity to grab her, flipping them to her surprised squeal and coming over top of her. He kissed her ear, and her jaw, before drawing back to stare at her with a quirked brow. She was flush faced, hair splayed out across the pillow, and disheveled in a way she'd dare not ever be seen a public, but somehow at her absolute sexiest when she was looking less than put together. In his eyes anyway. Her lids were low with allure, and that knowing little smirk at the corner of her lips so wicked and pleased. As if she'd gotten her way. And perhaps she had, because he'd greatly miscalculated just how much teasing he would be capable of, especially with her sprawled out looking like that, "A Lloyd being late to an engagement?" His voice was breathy, rough with sleep still as he dropped his lips down to plant a lingering kiss on her right breast, "What will people think," He tisked, running his tongue around her hardened nipple as she'd done him a moment ago.
"Mmm...not a Lloyd, technically," She cracked her lids long enough to fist her hand into the top of his hair, attempting to push his head lower, hoping his mouth would take over for his fingers, "Besides I'm the queen of fashionably late."
She may have been the self proclaimed queen of fashionable lateness, but Sid still managed to get them out of bed in time enough for her to doll herself up and make it out the door without having to actually be late, much less fashionably. As insignificant as is it might have seemed, they both shared a mutual dislike of knowing people were having to wait around on them. He found it inconsiderate, she found it tacky. It worked out. She was dressed to the nines, dawning a striped spring green flowy number with accenting heels that seemed much to eloquent for a mere lunch, though he'd expect nothing less, "You want me to bring you something back?" She called from the front door towards the kitchen where he had been making a cup of coffee, while throwing her keys in her designer bag as she hoisted it onto her shoulder.
"You're assuming you're not going to get day drunk on bottomless mimosas?" Her husband teased, walking out of the kitchen with that mug of coffee clutched in his hand, knowing that his dearest wife had been known to have to uber herself home after a girl brunch a time or two.
Rhonda shot him the fakest of glowers, her cherry red lips pulling into a lopsided smirk while her chocolate eyes did a once over of him. Shirtless, hair still the way her impassioned hands had left it earlier, and back in those grey joggers she liked on him so much. "Not today. My grandmother will be there," She clarified, her eyes widening momentarily as if to convey the minor inconvenience of the matriarch Lloyd's presence. "She's in town you know."
"Oh that's right," He replied, vaguely remembering there being some mention of it, and it one hundred percent explained why she hadn't been in a rush that morning. It wasn't her fun brunch with her girls.
Sighing, Rhonda followed up with, "Indeed," Before rolling her eyes once, "Very much looking forward to her asking me for the millionth time if I'm sure I want to be married to you. 'Honestly, dear..." She elaborately threw her voice to sound more stately while gesturing her hand whimsically in the air, "He looks like a felon with all of those tattoos. Do you really like that? How you can take him anywhere is just beyond me."
Her husband snorted, realizing she did a pretty spot on impression of the eldest Lloyd woman. She was a pleasant enough individual, but always sure her only grand daughter could have done way better, "Never mind the fact I'm in law enforcement I guess."
"The irony right?" She rolled her eyes once more, "And yet, in the next breath she'll be pressing me about when we're having children because I need to think about the future of the Lloyd estate that my dad worked so hard to build." It was no secret that his in-laws pined for a grandchild, but while Brooke and Buckley may have been respectful in not being too pushy about it...grandma Lloyd was not.
"Tell her you're going to leave it all to a coven of nuns," He jokingly suggested. Truthfully he found it incredibly bizarre how somebody could be so worried about something that they wouldn't even be alive and around to know anyway. It seemed like a stupid thing to spend energy being concerned over.
Rhonda snickered, her face shifting into an amused look as she shook her head, "God, she would die. So would my parents," She chuckled a little harder.
"Let's not tell her that then," Sid quelled his own laughing long enough to fake a sigh and pretend to divert his eyes up in thought before looking back at her, "Because I really don't want to have to arrest you for a triple homicide," He chortled as he brought his coffee to his lips again, his eyes thinning in thought before he followed up with, "As much as the idea of putting you in handcuffs does turn me on."
At the mention of that, Rhonda perched a hand onto her hip, tilting her head and giving him a considering look over something that just occurred to her, "Honestly darling, I'm surprised you never have," She pointed out in a flirty tone, a faint smile blushing her lips.
That little smile infectiously jumped to her husband's lips as he cocked his head and gave her the once over with his eyes, "Maybe I will now," He quirked a suggestive eyebrow at her. He watched her eyes flash once, looking like she was debating just how late she could get away with being that morning, and not fashionably. Yet, as insatiable as they could be when they got on a kick, they both knew they needed to take a break for a bit, which is why Sid only followed up with, "So, where are you going to eat?" Instead of going to find his department issued cuffs and making that new fantasy of his a reality right then and there.
He watched his wife blink once, the mist clearing from her eyes before saying, "Rosemary on 5th. You never said if you wanted me to bring you something."
"What do they have? Have I been there?" He asked, his still tired brain thumbing through the files of his mind, but coming up with nothing. Honestly, they ate at so many places he couldn't keep track of them all.
Rhonda glanced off for a second in thought before nodding, "Yeah, we've gone twice. I think both times you've gotten their sirloin on ciabatta and liked it."
At that, her husband nodded, believing her as she was the one with the memory like an elephant in the relationship. How else did she keep track of so much gossip and scoop? He brought his coffee to his lips and took a sip, debating for a split second before, "Nah, don't worry about it," He finally insisted, not wanting her to feel like she had to rush back or anything.
"What are you going to get up to?" She asked right before she turned to go, dearly hoping he would say something normal and fun and not, hole up in his office again leaving her to come home to find him having raided his liquor cart and in mental knots over his seemingly unsolvable case. Of course if he did plan to do that, she knew he wouldn't be telling her anyway.
Thankfully, he just shrugged, appearing pretty care free about whatever he was entertaining, "It's nice out. I might go ride my bike for a couple hours," He suggested, suddenly not able to remember the last time he had ripped around town on his motorcycle.
It pleased Rhonda to hear him agreeing to go do something he enjoyed. And she made it obvious by the bright smile that enchanted her face, "You should do that," She encouraged, "Don't forget your allergy pill, if you do."
"I won't. Hey, actually what do you say we go out tonight?" He perked an inquiring brow. He knew she had no other obligations that day because their shared calendar was empty, and they had no other plans as it was. Not to mention he really did need to get back in the habit of prioritizing his marriage instead of spending every spare moment obsessing over that case. He in no way was vying to be a stereotypical divorced detective, sustaining himself solely off of caffeine, obsession, and the spite of ex-wives.
Though she was thrilled that he had asked, she couldn't stop the slightly skeptical arch of her own brow. It was no secret that as of late she had been the one having to drag him out. Often times to her own regret because he might has well have been in a whole other world the entire time, "What do you have in mind?"
"Well, since its nice out," His mouth again pulled into a lopsided smile, "We could...take the convertible out. Oh..." His eyes grew excited in thought, "We could go to the drive-in. See a movie. Hit up that late night diner nearby afterwards. Share a banana split."
He watched as Rhonda's eyes lit with a fresh batch of excitement, "Oh, we haven't done that in forever," She said in agreement.
"I know."
Needing no more time to think about it, she looked back up at him, smile still effervescent, "Let's!" She told him, "Now, I really have to go."
"I know, I know," He chuckled, opening the door for her, "Can I kiss you goodbye, or will I mess up your lipstick?" He smirked, hovering down, bobbing his head side, to side in unsureness. He never knew with her sometimes. But she grabbed his face and pulled his lips down to hers, though not as far of a haul as usual considering the heels she was sporting. After a few rapid pecks she pulled away, "Have fun. Love you."
"Love you," She replied as she turned and walked out the front door, but not before quickly leaning back in and pointing a stern index finger at him, "Allergy pill." Lord help her, she was not going to have him being a snotty, red eyed goop later because he went face first into the spring pollen.
Sid rolled his eyes and huffed in a display of pure exaggeration before shooing her out with his free hand, "Woman, let me live my life!" He copped back through laughter.
Something that she lovingly rolled her eyes at before finally leaving. Sid closed the door behind her, turning around and absently staring at their apartment while once again bringing his coffee to his lips. What to do, what to do. He did want to go out and ride his bike for awhile, but he still wanted to savor his coffee, grab a shower and ease into the mid morning a little more before going out. And he was all prepared to go hop on the couch and doom scroll or, turn on the TV...maybe both when his idle brain wandered into the mess he'd left his office in and how he'd steadfastly been avoiding it since he woke up.
With a sigh he wandered down the hall and into that room, peering inside and seeing it just as ridiculous as he remembered leaving it. Papers everywhere, his computer laying on the floor, Rhonda's night gown hanging off the chair, his clothes forgotten on the floor and the pungent reek of stale bourbon acidic in the air. It seemed macho at the time, and he didn't necessarily regret the symbolicness of it...but he was certainly regretting the current hassle it had created. He took another long drag off his coffee before setting the mug on the desk and beginning the daunting task of collecting all of his papers and at least getting them back in a somewhat orderly stack on top. He didn't have it in him that morning to go through each one and get them completely back in order. He collected his computer, opening it up with the hopes it hadn't sustained any damage when he carelessly shoved it to the hardwoods below. It looked like other than a minor dent on the edge, it was okay. It turned right on, all of the windows he'd had open still saved as if nothing had happened. His little endless loop of his ghost running across the street from Monica's house at the ready for another play.
Acting on muscle memory, his thumb struck the space bar, starting the loop from the beginning, and as usual, he began sitting there, watching it, eyes ever alert for something that they hadn't seen in the thousand other play throughs they'd seen.
Alright, so maybe he did need to just put everything back in its place and get out of there. Grabbing his coffee, he took his own advice, pulled himself from the chair and leaving the room, choosing to dig his phone out of his sweats pocket and give Jeremy a ring instead, "Hey. Nothing. Wanted to see if you wanted to go rat rodding around town for a bit. I don't know...in an hour? Yeah man, I'll meet you at your house then. Bye."
Helga had gotten the vanity out of the bathroom and had managed to scoot it out into the hallway and put right it near the stairs. That was as far as she was going with it. Arnold would have to take it from there. Just like she'd definitely be needing help hauling the shower panels up there. Which aggravated her because that meant she couldn't move at her own pace with things. It was one of the few instances where she loathed being a female. Limited by her own physical strength and all that crap. But it was a gripe that was swiftly shelved when she stepped back into the space and her eye caught something peaking out from under a rolled corner of the God awful linoleum flooring where the vanity had been. Whatever was underneath was was black. She squatted down and pinched the edge of the covering between her gloved index and thumb and pulled. She had expected to see bare sub-flooring, or at the very least, badly damaged and refinished hardwoods—which had been the whole reason they'd had to redo the entire house to begin with—but this looked like..."You've got to be shitting me..." She mused to herself, eyes widening the more she pulled the edges away from the perimeter. She reached for her utility knife and sliced along the edge of the wall, grabbing even more, yanking it back.
Tile. Checker board tile. Beautiful porcelain checkerboard tile to be specific, "Psychopaths..." She swore at whichever prior owner had deemed ugly beige tile print sheet flooring superior to perfectly acceptable real tile. It made her wonder if this tile scheme had been in her own bathroom at some point in time too. Never-the-less, she ran the blade around the rest of the perimeter and began pulling it up and off in big chunks, thankful that whoever put it down had been stingy with the glue.
It would need some cleaning up, and some glue residue removal, but it was a pretty stunning floor, very 1950's, and she didn't think she had the heart to tear it out either. Simply because she kind of liked it. Which meant she was going to have to re-think her intended plan with this up fit. "It's always something...truly," She again griped aloud to no one but her boys, who'd taken over supervising from the door threshold in Hunter's absence. With that, she slid her phone out of her pocket and snapped a photo of it and sent it off to Arnold along with 'plot twist' typed below it.
She didn't wait for a reply, shoving it back in her legging pocket before getting to work cutting out the shower insert with a reciprocating saw.
Arnold didn't catch that Helga had texted him until he was already at the park. With Hunter strapped into her stroller, he'd just slung the baby book-bag onto his shoulders and shut his lift gate when he checked his phone out of habit. "Oh wow..." His eyes widened at her picture. Quickly he typed back, 'Looks neat. Keeping it?' before pocketing his phone once more and pushing the stroller off and onto one of the main walking paths. It was already pretty busy out, clearly everybody having the spring bug to get out and get some fresh air and some sun after another brutal northwestern winter. "So...where shall we go first, hmm?" He rhetorically asked of his baby daughter, whom was staring up at him from her comfy stroller with her big blue owl eyes, "The picnic area? A lap around the lake?" She 'replied' with the biggest gummy smile, so big that her eyes pinched into squints. The sight sprouted her father's own famous ear to ear smile, "The lake? Okay! Let's do that then," He cooed at her once more before taking the asphalt path that led to the center of the park.
He wasn't but a few steps down it when his phone began chiming away in his back pocket, and he fully expected to see Helga when he pulled it out, but instead saw Gerald, "Hey," He greeted as he pulled the phone to his ear.
"What's up man? What had you booking it out of here so early this morning?"
Hearing that, Arnold snorted, realizing he probably had looked borderline panicked stumbling out of the man cave, "Helga."
At to Gerald's defense, he figured if it had been a true emergency, he'd have heard from his friend already, "What's got her in a wad so early?"
"One of our guest bathrooms apparently," He figured his friend wouldn't care to hear the root cause of that. He knew he wouldn't if he were in his shoes.
"Uh huh..."
"She's decided to tear it out, so...I just got to the park with Hunter."
"Oh man, you going to be there for awhile?"
"Uh, yeah maybe. Why?"
"Trying to get me and Nico out the house to give Phoebe some peace in quiet for awhile."
"Sure, come on."
Boots, jeans, tank top, his worn to hell backward green baseball cap, and he did not forget the allergy pill, though she would have a fit knowing he was going anywhere on one of his bikes without a helmet. His argument, and not even a good one, was that he was staying in town. He fired up his roadster and made the fifteen minute pilgrimage over to Jeremy's townhouse. It was busy out, and he knew it would be. It felt great, not a cloud in the sky, Saturday to boot. As if the patrons of Hillwood were looking for reasons to spill into the streets. He finally made it over though, pulling to the curb where he could see his friend already had his motorcycle pulled out behind his truck in the driveway. Sid toed out his kickstand down and scuttled the engine to wait, very sure that his arrival had been heard. Jeremy came shuffling out the front door not two minutes later, locking his door before pulling his shades down over his eyes while walking to the curb. "Where we going?"
Sid shrugged, not having any particular destination in mind but figured he'd throw something out there lest they get bogged down in indecision, "Want to head over to the old air field and see what's going on? I bet that pop up bar is there today."
"Sounds good to me. Art district for lunch after? I could go for some Not-cho Taco."
"I'm game for whatever."
Jeremy gave him the thumbs up as he walked off to fire up his own bike.
It took her a little over an hour, but she got the entire old fiberglass shower, bath combo insert and any unnecessary wood studs cut out and piled on the edge of the driveway to be hauled away. She still had to sweep up everything and clean the sub floor where the tub had been before she could mud in the shower pan, but she was also getting hungry, and the fiberglass fragments in the air were irritating her sinuses even if she had been smart in wearing a mask. She was in the mood for something summery, and for whatever reason, her mind immediately skipped to the barbacoa nachos from Not-cho Taco, so then that was settled because there would be no substitute her taste buds would accept.
She left the bathroom and strolled into her own room, pulling off her dusty clothes in order to throw on a fresh pair of leggings and a new t-shirt. In the middle of that switch out, she called Arnold, putting the phone on speaker before sitting it on the bed spread. "Hey," He answered right before it went to voicemail, "What's up?"
"Oh nothing. Yeah I think I want to keep that tile," She answered his earlier text question, "I can't believe somebody put linoleum over it."
Arnold chuckled, "I can."
"So where'd you two end up?" She asked as she wormed into her grey leggings.
"The park. We're working our way around the lake. Or well I am. Our passenger princess was unimpressed and fell asleep."
Helga laughed, "Sounds about right," She agreed, absently grabbing an old band T-shirt out of her drawer and sliding it on.
"You taking a break?"
"Yeah. I'm about to head out to Not-cho Taco for some lunch," She replied, grabbing the phone to relocate it to the bathroom vanity while she pulled her hair out of the ponytail she'd had it in and proceeded to run a brush through it a few times, watching herself in the mirror.
"My obsession finally wearing off on you?" She could hear his smug grin through the phone.
"Obsession no, but I did randomly start thinking about those barbacoa nachos that had an absolute grip on me two summers ago, and now I've got to have some," She explained with a sigh, as much as she would have loved to have settled for a sandwich. "I'm probably going to take the boys with me. You want to meet me there?"
"Uh, well if Gerald wasn't suppose to be meeting me here any minute now I would."
"Ah. He bringing Nico with him?" She figured he probably would be, seeing as last she heard Phoebe had been battling a raging double ear infection since Thursday.
"Yeah. Sorry, when you told me to take her and scram this morning I figured I wouldn't be seeing you for the rest of the day," He sounded quite bummed out, but in her defense, she had been peak frustrated then, and now...she was somewhat physically exhausted—a good thing—with a stomach full of hunger pangs and between the two, jumping his bones wasn't high on her list anymore.
"I thought so too. Everything came out a lot easier than I thought it would," She absently shrugged, giving her appearance once last look in the mirror before deeming it suitable enough for a weekend lunch with nobody but herself and her dogs.
"Do you feel better at least?" She could hear the suggestive chuckle in his voice.
"Much," She smirked, "I'll probably put the pan in when I get back, and...I'll probably need help with the wall panels."
"Sorry, what was that last part?"
"I said I will need you to help me with the shower walls."
"A little bit louder please."
Realizing what he was doing, Helga rolled her eyes, "Oh shut up," She quipped without any malice, and a subtle little smirk that he would never see to boot, "You and Gerald have fun."
"You too. See you in a bit."
"Bye," She replied before ending the call, slipping into her shoes and corralling the boys downstairs and into their harnesses with the promise of a car ride. For as feral and mouthy as they acted at home fifty percent of the time, they were remarkably well behaved in the car and in public. For the most part. Something that still made absolutely no sense to her, but she supposed it was a good problem to have.
The art district was busy, the April Saturday morning farmer's market starting to wind down, but not yet completely slammed with lunch patrons considering it was still only 11:30am. Which meant she wasn't regulated to having to park a mile away, which also meant less walking because even just sitting in her car for the drive over, her muscles were already feeling spent. She lucked out and found a SUV backing out of a meter spot right as she turned down 5th. They pulled away, she squeezed in and unloaded her mutts and grabbing her baseball cap before making the one block trek down to the restaurant. Acoustic music was blaring from somewhere as she walked, she wasn't entirely sure if it was live somewhere or just one of the nearby open air breweries pumping it.
When she got to her destination, she ducked inside really quick to ask the hostess if she could have one of the available outside tables, noticing that they in particular, already looked slammed inside. Outside was fine with her though, she had the dogs and the sun and breeze that day just felt great. Rejuvenating almost. She grabbed one of the four seater square tables out front, draping her cross-body bag onto her chair as she slid into it. Jack and Rory took up residence nearer the sidewalk, people—and other dog—watching with pure delight.
"Be good and I'll take you to the dog park for a bit," She attempted to bribe model behavior out of them, as if they cared. But they did know what the phrase dog park meant and appeared rather excited by its utterance.
She waited about ten minutes before an early twenties looking girl hustled to the table, looking every bit as stretched thin as she probably was given the developing crowd, "Hey, I'm sorry I wasn't over here sooner," She profusely apologized while setting down a menu and a basket of chips and salsa, "What can I get you to drink?"
Helga waved her apology away, not in any rush, "Can I get a water and a margarita?"
"Small or large?"
"Small."
"I'll get it right out," The girl assured her before hurrying away. She knew she wanted the nachos, but figured she might as well flip through the menu to see what—if anything—had changed since she'd last been in there. A quick scan and everything looked about the same to her eyes. The menu got quickly abandoned on the table top as her attention turned to her phone, or most specifically the pictures of Hunter that Arnold had just sent her, sleeping away the beautiful day. Quite frankly she had half a mind to nix the margarita, get a taco or something to go and just head to the park and make it a true family outing. Sans Gerald of course, though he and Phoebe were practically family, even if he and Helga weren't each others biggest fans at the moment.
Whilst still internally debating doing just that she heard a familiar voice say, "I thought that was your beamer I parked next to. Almost didn't see you with the hat on."
She looked up from her phone, eyes falling squarely on his person emerging from the double doors of the restaurant, "Come to stalk me here now too, I presume?" She asked of Brian, a faint resting grin slipping onto her face.
He rolled his eyes at her familiar jab, lopsided smirk ever present though, "I came to sit at the bar and pound a few street tacos but…there is a thirty minute wait," He clarified, his eyebrows jumping high once in annoyance of the crowd.
It made her feel mildly guilty for taking up an entire four person table just for herself during lunch hour, but she wasn't about to be shamed over wanting to enjoy a reprieve of the frequent overcast Washington weather. She would have preferred to dine alone, as she intended, but she also didn't want to be a total asshole though, even if it were her knee jerk reaction to be on a lot of times. She gestured her hand at one of her empty chairs, "It's your lucky day. I'm feeling nice," She said, sliding her phone into her pocket once more.
Brian chortled, appearing a touch weary of her accommodating spirit, "Oh, why not," but finally sliding into the chair adjacent to hers, "It's not like I have a soul to give you for payment or anything."
Helga snorted, "Cause I stole that from you a long time ago right?" Rolling her eyes as she chuckled. She slid the menu that she no longer needed over to him and grabbed a chip from the basket on return, "I think I owe you a coffee or something anyway," She speculated, eluding to the months ago run in at the gas station where he had suggested they 'catch up' over coffee. Something she had zero intentions to follow through with, and largely because she hadn't been in a headspace to tolerate company of any type. Before he could say anything back, Jack and Rory had noticed his presence beside her and had taken to coming over and putting their front paws up on his chair to see what he was about.
Their intrusiveness bothered Helga, but it didn't appear to bother Brian. He was already smiling brightly down at the two tri-colored canines, reaching out to pet them, "Hey guys, what's up? I don't have any treats today."
"Boys, leave him alone. Sorry," She apologized, though she didn't really know why, she was doing him a favor letting him sit there. Her annoying hell hounds came with the seat.
"It's fine," He gave them both one last ear scratch before turning his attention back to the menu, "Dogs know other dog owners."
The waitress was suddenly setting a water and that margarita down in front of Helga, looking a little more frantic about the fact that there was another person at the table, "Oh, I didn't realize more were coming."
"Sorry," Brian gave the young girl an apologetic glance, "We know each other. The bar was full. We joined forces."
"What can I get you to drink?"
"A Dos Equis. Small, please. Oh, and some dirty queso," He requested, right as a pair of rather loud motorcycles went chopping down the main street, catching their attention, and scaring the crap out of the boys, who went huddling under Helga's chair and legs.
"You got it," The waitress replied before running off again.
"So, how have you been?" Brian leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms as he turned his attention back to Helga, who was taking an exploratory sip from her margarita, "Am I allowed to ask that?" He grinned as her blue eyes fluttered up to catch his light brown ones.
"Allowed to ask, not obligated to answer," She riddled in reply, a hint of smirk at the corner of her mouth before she took another sip from her drink. "I've been okay. All things considering."
"You look a lot better than you did, for what it's worth."
"Are you saying that the ten tons of stress and pregnancy hormones weren't my best look?" She joked with rather sarcastic smirk widening across her lips, "Shocking."
It elicited a low chuckle out of Brian, his eyes remaining focused on her for a moment more before he finally blinked, uncrossing his arms to reach across the table and grab himself a chip and a dollop of salsa, "I've never known you to have a bad look," He smirked again, "Just a bad side."
Helga snorted, finishing chewing her chip, "Better be careful with those backhanded compliments."
"Or what?" His smirk widened, pulling across his entire face
"Or you're going to be sitting in that thirty minute wait for those tacos," She reclined back, shooting him the smuggest of expressions.
"Diabolical as usual," Her guest sighed as he scooped up a few more chips.
"How about you? How have you been?" She finally asked of him, done with being the focus of conversation for a minute.
He shrugged, "Nothing exciting to report. Just work really," He grinned.
She very much knew that feeling, "Same. That and being a parent," She quietly chuckled to herself, plucking a chip from the basket and swiping it into the chunky salsa, "God, I'm a mom now, can you believe that?"
Brian's eyebrows elevated slightly, "It surprised me when I found out," He finally laughed a little, "Feels like we're all still kids...but we aren't."
"We aren't," She sighed, trailing off in silence for a moment before finishing with, "Now it's all work, kids and...never ending home improvement projects."
Something about that last bit made Brian roll his eyes and nod in complete agreement, "It's true. You wake up one morning and are suddenly excitement over appliances and a full eight hours rest."
"Yep."
"Hmm," His brows bobbed once, eyes falling to her upper half, more specifically to the band graphic on her tee, "Still have that shirt huh? That's a blast from the past."
He watched her eyes fall briefly to her front, realizing what he was referring to, "I mean...they reach maximum comfy after they get washed so much."
"And will you tell all your friends, you've got your gun to my head," He sang a lyric from one of the band's songs, his smirk widening over her flippant eye rolling.
Though she couldn't resist copping back with another lyrics, "Boys like you are a dime a dozen."
"Man, early two thousand's rock was just bad poetic angst," He chuckled.
"Yeah, accurate."
"Damn, you guys having a PS. 120 mini reunion here and didn't tell us?"
Brian looked up and Helga turned around to see Jeremy smirking as he and Sid were walking up the sidewalk, preparing to enter the establishment themselves. While Jay jested, Sid appeared downright curious about the scene before him. "If you're trying to eat here, there is probably about a forty minute wait by now so," Helga gestured to the remaining two empty chairs, already feeling bad for the poor waitress when she finally returned. And, of course, her boys went nuts when they finally saw Jeremy, growling and barking at his approaching figure. "Okay, okay, boys...don't act like you've never seen him before." She pulled them back to her.
"I don't know why they hate me so much," Her ex bemusedly smirked down at the two dogs, who took to guarding the legs and chair of their mother.
"I don't know either," Helga rolled her eyes, silently cringing over the fact that she was that person with the mouthy dogs currently, "But seriously, the wait is probably ridiculous by now." In the midst of her statement she completely missed the masking look of annoyance flash across Brian's face as he stared at his friends.
Sid cast the pair an apprehensive glance. He didn't want to barge in on their...lunch, but he also couldn't make heads or tails as to why they were out to lunch at all, "Nah, we can go elsewhere," He finally answered, "Not trying to intrude," He was steadily eyeing Brian before casting an apologetic smile to Helga.
To his surprise, Helga waved him off, appearing agitated, but he wasn't sure over what, "He already has," She side nodded to Brian. This is what she got for having the audacity to go out for a lunch by herself on the weekend. Jeremy didn't need to be told twice, and had already slunk into the chair across from her while Sid reluctantly agreed to take custody of the other beside her.
"Thanks Helga," Sid nodded.
"Here," Jeremy reached for the abandoned menu between Brian and Helga and slid it to Sid, "I already know what I want."
"So, what are you two out doing today that was so important that I didn't get invited?" Brian asked of Jeremy, his eyes clearly suggesting he was just messing with him.
"Tearing up the streets in our two man biker gang," Jeremy replied with a toothy, smart ass grin, "Get a bike and you can join."
"Oh, so you two were the loud ass douche bags that went by a second ago. Figures."
"Don't be jealous. It's not a good look for you," He faux mocked his friend.
While those two were bickering back and forth, Sid turned his attention to the woman of the table and asked, "You and Arnold doing okay?"
Helga's eyebrows shot high as she considered how to answer that. Normally she didn't care for the prying questions and had no issue with telling somebody to fuck off with the hunt for scoop, however, when it came to Sid she knew the quest for information was always out of genuine concern, "He's a bit of a mess, if we're being honest, but he's doing better," She finally said, in a rare display of candidness as she plucked another chip from the basket and swiped it into the chunky salsa, "We both are."
Sid nodded, his face perking over her positive report, "I'm glad to hear that."
"So what's got you out and about, Helga?" The blue-eyed blonde turned her head to see she was now the focus of Jeremy's attention.
Her shoulder lifted in a casual shrug, "A craving for nachos I suppose," Was her short, but truthful response.
"You like the pork or barbacoa ones?"
"The barbacoa."
"They're good. I can't ever seem to pass up that pulled pork."
"Floridian..." Brian jested, bringing his beer to his lips.
Jeremy shot him a playful glare, "Punk ass," He insulted before turning back to his Ex-girlfriend, "Where's the munchkin at?"
"With Arnold."
"Is this twenty-one questions? Chill dude, leave her be," Sid finally butted in, scolding him with a stern look to boot before giving Helga yet another apologetic glance.
"Okay. Sorry..." Jeremy sat back, just in time for the waitress to walk up for the third time with widened eyes.
Hunter was finally awake again, and very entertained by all of the sights she was seeing while sitting in her dad's lap, leaning against his front, his protective hands wrapped around her. She was probably most entertained by Nico doing flips in the young spring grass spouting from the thawing soil. Gerald sat beside Arnold on the weathered wood bench, a midday coffee clutched loosely in his fingers. He himself looked battered by sleeplessness, and Arnold had to imagine that between work, his kid and a sick spouse, he was probably running on fumes.
"I need him to get all of that energy out here, so he is good and tired tonight," Gerald mused, watching his son run around with some random kid, tumbling and flipping into the grass. All boy to the max.
Arnold snorted, side eyeing his friend, "Does that really work?"
"Eh, fifty percent of the time," His friend sighed, "But at least he isn't bothering Phoebe."
"Ear infection still getting her?"
"Yeah, that first antibiotic that she had a reaction to laid her out."
The blonde headed man scrunched his face in sympathy, "You should have come and got me. I could have made a phone call."
"It's fine. I didn't want to bother you. I know you've had a lot going on recently. Besides she's on a good one now, but...you know how it is. She's just worn out."
"That's rough though."
"Very. She was getting some good sleep when I left though. Finally," Gerald remarked as he brought his coffee to his lips, "We were suppose to be going to Elm tonight for dinner," He said after swallowing.
"Oh nice. You get reservations?" He assumed so, considering that place could be notoriously difficult to get a table at during the spring and summer.
"Yeah about a week ago, but she already told me she wasn't going to feel like going out tonight. Which is fine," He ran his hand over his shaved head, "I don't feel like going out either to be honest," Before looking over to his friend and suggesting, "You and Helga could always take the spot."
Arnold glanced at him, looking a bit surprised, "You sure?"
Gerald chuckled, casting his friend an audacious look, "What am I going to do with it? I'm going to bed early tonight."
"I can ask her. I don't know if she'll want to," Arnold admitted, mostly thinking about how she'd just told him she was frustrated and that's why he was sitting at the park at all, and even though she said she felt better, dinner at a cozy restaurant probably wasn't on her docket for the day. He'd ask though.
The guys that she'd created an impromptu lunch with had quickly taken over the conversation. Something Helga was completely fine with, preferring to be a wallflower anyway. They bickered and hurled jabs at one another and probably weren't all that surprised by how completely un-phased she was by that.
She had taken to hiding behind her sunglasses and sipping her margarita, observing Sid becoming more and more uncomfortable with what was likely his assumption that her muteness meant she was completely over their company. Other than that, she was kind of surprised to learn that Jeremy was into riding motorcycles, though it wasn't as if she should have been or anything. She hadn't exactly kept up with him over the years. Or cared. Sid it was no surprise. He'd had all manner of dirt bikes and things in high school, and questionably street legal at that. Speaking of him again—and she figured it was probably due to the fact that she'd only ever seen him in dress shirts through their entire adult interaction—but she was rather surprised to see just how passionate about tattoos he was. If the two full sleeves he had were any indication. Which made her think about how weird it was to know how professional he actually was.
The guy that she'd watched do keg stands at several parties in high school.
Growing up was wild.
She took one more sip from her drink before feeling her phone vibrate in her pocket. She slid it out to see a text from Arnold that read, 'How about instead of working on that shower tonight, we go to dinner instead? Elm? Miriam said she'd keep Hunter.'
Had he forgotten why she'd sent him away with child in hand already? With him it was entirely possible. God, Elm did sound divine though. And she was far less frustrated having exerting plenty of energy tearing up shit that morning. Of course maybe that was just the hunger still talking. 'You just don't want to do the bathroom tonight do you? lol'
'Lol. No, Gerald had reservations at 7:00. Phoebe isn't feeling it.' Helga nodded, suddenly understanding the out of the blue request, and while she was still thinking about it he followed up with, 'No biggie if you don't want to. He just thought we might like to use the spot.'
Helga bit her lip, still internally debating if she wanted to deviate her plans, and get into that tonight with him. She could be very one track minded, and when she got laser focused on something, it was hard for her to care about doing anything else until she finished whatever she was honed in on. Such was the bathroom, and as much as she wanted to work on that tonight, she couldn't deny that a nice dinner with him did sound great too. Decisions, decisions... 'I need to get the shower done.' She ultimately thumbed back. It wasn't a task she wanted to linger, and that had been the deciding factor for her.
'I figured that'd be your answer :)'
'Did you really want to go?'
'Made no difference to me. How's lunch?'
'Interesting...'
"Sid is that your wife?" Helga looked up to see Jeremy looking across the street, and Sid twisting his body around to gaze in that direction as well.
Sid's grey eyes fell on the restaurant sign, immediately reading Rosemary on 5th before dropping to the gated outdoor dinning area on the front side of the building, and indeed seeing the green striped print of his wife's dress as she stood, having an animated conversation with someone he couldn't make out, "Yep." He turned back around and grabbed his phone, shooting her a quick text before turning back to see if she'd get it. She did. He watched as she glanced at her phone before turning around and staring across the street at him. Chuckling he waved, and she returned it.
"How did you even notice her like that?" Brian chuckled, tilting his head to glance at their Cuban friend, who was reclined back in the chair, his hands laced atop his head.
"Are you kidding me," Jeremy jokingly scoffed, "I'd notice that girl blind."
Brian laughed, shooting a questioning express towards Sid, "You just let him fawn over her like that?"
Sid shrugged, a cheeky little smirk drawing his lips up as he turned back around fully and gave his partner an amused glance, "Eh, it's kind of adorable. Like a little kid having a crush on his friend's mom."
Helga momentarily forgot about her and Arnold's conversation in favor of observing this whole new development at her table with curiosity. She glanced across the street to the other restaurant to see just who they were referring to. She knew Sid was married, but couldn't remember if it were to anybody she knew. Sometimes she did loathe her habit of not caring about anything or anybody outside of her own bubble and the people she let inside of it. She wasn't entirely convinced that it was a bad thing, but it did make her feel out of the loop at times.
Her blue orbs drifted back across the street just in time to see none other than Rhonda Lloyd sauntering across the pavement, moving with a level of grace and confidence that few women naturally possessed. Seeing as she could think of no good reason for the socialite to not merely be crossing, but be seemingly approaching them, she had to assume that it was perhaps because her husband might be sitting at the table.
"Darling..." Rhonda drawled in that airy tone she had, "When you said you might head out today, you didn't mention you were going to round up the old neighborhood," Her vibrant cherry lips parted for an elegant smirk. Sid greeted her with the most adoring little look, reaching his hand out for hers, which she took, their fingers intertwining effortlessly. Helga watched the whole scene, admiring how happy they seemed while at the same time feeling a little intrusive of the subtle display of affection.
"You told me to have fun," He smirked up at her from where he sat, "Yes, I remembered my allergy pill."
Rhonda chuckled, her brown eyes moving to survey the table, sliding from Jeremy, to Brian, then finally to Helga before a faint, almost unnoticeable frown flashed her lips. The kind that always suggested that something had peaked her interest. But not skipping a beat she cast the blonde woman a thoughtful glance, "Helga, so good to see you. It's been awhile."
"It has indeed been a minute, hasn't it Rhonda?" She smiled back at the woman, making to push her sunglasses atop her hat.
"How are you and Arnold?"
There was that question again. "Better. Slowly but surely."
"I'm glad to hear that," Rhonda's smile widened and she looked back at her husband with that same beaming affection, "You know Sid was just beside himself for months worrying about you."
"Honey..." Sid pleaded with a groan of a tone that effused just how embarrassed he was becoming.
Helga stepped in, figuring she'd help him out a bit, "It's fine. I was well aware," She assured him.
Afternoon.
When Arnold pulled back up in front of their house a little after 3:00pm, he noticed the pile of old shower and the new shower boxes slashed opened, which meant that instead of chilling after her lunch like he'd hoped she'd be doing, she was actually in there doing something. And she'd no doubt, have him hauling those panels up sooner than later. He parked, grabbed Hunter's car seat from the back and hauled her in the front door, setting her down in the living room before unclipping her out of her buckles and hoisting her up into his arm to take upstairs.
That's where he knew he'd find her. The old vanity was sitting next to the stairs at the top. At least she listened to him, instead of trying to carry it down herself. When he peaked into the bathroom, he saw her on her knees, reclined back on her haunches, hands perched on her hips while she stared at the base of the shower. "Hey," He called softly, trying not to spook her.
She turned, greeting the two of them with a wide smile, "Hey," She pushed off the floor to stand, wiping her hands on her cotton shorts before reaching for the giggling child in his arms, "Hey baby," She cooed in that honey tone he loved so much. Arnold handed Hunter off to her, who was very thrilled to see her mother, if all the bouncing and baby blabbering were any indication. "Did you enjoy the park?"
"Oh yeah," Arnold answered for his daughter, bright smile in place, "I'm surprised she hasn't crashed out yet honestly."
"Girl knows how to rally," Helga chuckled wearily, thinking unfondly about all the sleepless nights, and hoping this wouldn't be one of them.
Her beau took the opportunity to move past her to see the floor and shower situation, "This is really neat tile," He marveled, bringing his palms to rest on his hips as he walked around, staring at the checkerboard.
"Isn't it?"
"So, you want to do the shower walls today too, huh?" He looked at the gaping alcove, ripped down to bare studs, before turning his attention back to her.
"I'd like to. Not right this minute. The pan needs to set for a few hours."
He was relieved to hear that she wasn't itching to get to it right away. Maybe he had time to catch a late afternoon power nap on the couch. Still, another thought made him fully turn back around, and give her a thoughtful look, shooting her one of those charming little lopsided grins he was devilishly good at, "You sure you want to be around me the rest of the day?"
Helga shot him her own little knowing glance, shrugging as she turned to exit the bathroom with their daughter, "We'll see how it goes."
Arnold did end up getting that nap. He was damn near unconscious on that couch he slept so hard, only being jostled awake by the abrasive ring of their doorbell slicing through his blanket of silence. He blinked, bringing his palms to rub the sleep from his eyeballs before very groggily sitting up and flinging his legs over the edge of the couch. He heard the door open, some brief murmuring before it closed again. In his sleep fog, he managed to slid his phone from his pocket to see the time to be...6:15pm.
Oof.
He'd napped alright. Straight into dinner time.
"Ah, you're awake," Helga came walking out of the kitchen, preparing to wake him and alert him to dinner if he hadn't been.
Arnold blinked, tilting his head towards her, "I'm surprised you let me sleep this long," He chuckled lowly. He wasn't upset. He didn't care. He just figured she would have.
She shrugged, not feeling like it was her place to tell him how long he could or couldn't sleep, all things considering, "I figured you probably still weren't sleeping great at night so...anyway, I ordered pizza for dinner. It's here."
The groggy blonde man nodded as he pulled himself to his feet, arms stretching high over his head, attempting to cast away all the lingering bits of sleep, "Where's Hunter at?" He finally asked, not immediately seeing her anywhere.
Helga chuckled, "Oh, home girl's rally lost steam about thirty minutes ago. Barely got her bath in, in fact."
Arnold nodded, dropping his arms to his side, giving her a funny little look, "You didn't want me to take her for the night?"
"No," She smirked at him, knowing full well that he was messing with her about that.
To which her blonde headed companion sighed, smile still ever present as he moved away from the couch and closer to her, "I knew you weren't serious," He told her anyway.
"I was desperate. Maybe not even in my right mind," Helga countered, tilting her head up at him as he came to stand in front of her, finding himself getting rather aroused, though he was somewhat sure it partially the 'wake up wood'. Still, he avoided his natural inclination to kiss her right then in fear that he'd aggravate the situation, and possible her too.
"I know," He lamely replied instead, choosing to look off into the kitchen, "I guess we can eat and then you can put me to work as your pack mule. Or send home, whichever I suppose," He grinned playfully, moving around her and into the kitchen. Helga watched him go, turning and trailing along behind him.
He grabbed a couple plates from the cupboard, handing the extra off to her before flipping open the pizza box to see what she'd decided for them. Pepperoni and green peppers it appeared, and he was fine with that, sliding a few slices onto his plate. "Hope you didn't have pizza for lunch," She said, setting a can of La Croix that she'd fetched from the fridge down in front of him.
"I actually had nothing for lunch," He remarked, suddenly realizing why he might have been so depleted of energy when they got back as he cracked the tab open on the can. Other than some crackers, this was his first legit meal of the day.
Helga frowned at him. As much grief as he gave her over skipping meals, "Remember that next time you try to fuss at me," She teased, grabbing for her own few slices. Arnold rolled his eyes, choosing to focus on eating over talking.
When he did finally feel like coming up for air, the only thing that was currently crossing his mind to talk about was, "You never told me what was so interesting about your lunch."
"Oh," He watched as her eyes widened, "Yeah, so...the place was packed so I ended up sharing a table with Brian, Jeremy and Sid," She felt it was easier to just summarize than explain that she'd offered up her spot to them and inadvertently created the weird situation.
Predictably Arnold paused his chewing, the skin between his eyebrows decidedly crumbling into confusion. She could already see the dozen questions flashing across his eyes, a proverbial slot machine trying to hit that winning combination, "I'm surprised you agreed to join," Was his first vocalized thought.
Which surprised her, but all she managed was a shrug of her shoulder, realizing that she'd still have to explain things further, "Well, I was there first. They showed up and, you know the place was packed and I was...trying to be nice for once."
Arnold shot her a impish look, a small smile gracing his lips at the mere thought of how that went over, "Knowing you, you immediately regretted it."
"It wasn't that bad," She exhaled. It really hadn't been. Just a tad awkward, "Entertaining if anything I suppose. Then Rhonda Lloyd showed up...hey did you know she and Sid are married?"
The blonde headed guy frowned as he chewed, realizing he did know that, now that she mentioned it, but only because he had plowed through a few of Rhonda's sorority sisters around the time the two were getting engaged, "Yeah. I was seeing one of her sorority sisters for a bit," He finessed, and simply because he didn't feel like the whole truth would add anything. Helga could read between the lines if she wanted to anyway.
Which she did, seeing his face cloud up a touch over the explanation. It told her everything she needed to know. With a nod she dropped her eyes back to her plate of pizza, "Anyway, it was...a different lunch, needless to say."
"Sounds like it," Arnold finished his last bite and took a large swig of sparkling water from the can, "So...these shower panels..." He began in a questioning tone.
Helga finished swallowing her final bite, thinking she knew exactly what he was planning on asking, "Oh, I stopped by harbor freight and got a couple of the suction lifters. Should make things easier for you."
"Ah...alright, well...lets get to it then."
Drink cans were trashed, and plates were abandoned into the sink basin before they trotted through the garage door. Helga grabbed her new purchase from her car while also corralling the furniture dolly still floating around from when they moved into the house. She kicked the dolly out bay door, "I figure we could set each panel on that one and at least roll it to the stairs. Save you some trouble," She smirked.
From there, she watched him suction each of the cup tools onto the surface of a panel and lift up, getting it completely out of the slit box and setting it upright onto the dolly, rolling it off through the garage and to the interior kitchen door. Helga had been left a little mesmerized by just how effortless he had made it look. Hurriedly she followed him, opening the door and helping him maneuver the wheels over the threshold. He then rolled it off through the kitchen, into the living room before she watched him crank his arms up to lift the thing higher so he could make the incline up the steps.
And good God, was she ever fixated on that. Watching how his arm muscles bunched up under his short sleeves. Sleeves that were riding higher with the motion. For some reason, she felt like she could tell he'd been lifting weights recently. He said he had been. Or maybe it was just her brain play tricks on her and he'd always been that strong. Regardless, watching him haul that panel up the stairs like it was nothing...made her question if she should have sent his ass home.
He still had three more to carry up there too.
She finally gathered her wits enough to chase after his fleeting form, taking the stairs two at a time. He had just sat the panel down against the wall next to the shower, "I don't know where it goes so it's going here for now," He informed, turning to look at her and pausing when he caught that tell-tale misty look on her face.
"Yeah...that's fine," She finally replied, and before she could say anything further he'd made off to retrieve the other ones.
Three more times, she watched him pick those panels up. Three more times she watched him heave them up the stairs as if he barely had to try. And she knew they weren't light. They were heavy, comprised of durable composites. She'd tested the waters trying to lift one herself. Reluctantly she followed him up the last time, feeling so fucking hot by his blatant display of masculinity. It was fine though. Once she got busy getting those suckers attached to the walls, she would get laser focused on that and her...re-igniting frustration would dissipate. At least that's what she was steadfastly trying to reason with herself as she hiked those stairs.
She walked in, carrying adhesive and some other items that had shipped along with the kit, dropping them to the floor. Arnold was standing, studying the panels with a passing amount of interest, "Oh, I see now. The two skinnier ones are for the sides."
"Yep," She confirmed, dearly hoping he didn't notice how utterly distracted his body had made her, "Seam the edges. It's going to be so much easier to keep clean than tile."
Arnold snorted, side-eyeing her with a grin, "Because we have so many guests that'll be using it," He teased.
Her blue eyes rolled once in swift reply, "No, but I figure we might eventually...do something with it." She had know idea what that something was other than...more children or selling the house. He finally turned, his green eyes firming fixing on her person, observing how flushed she seemed to be and how her eyes seemed to be elsewhere entirely, even as she rambled on about the practicality and such. He didn't really hear any of it. Or honestly care.
"What's the something?" He finally slyly smirked down at her, "More children? I know it's not for a bed and breakfast."
Helga did what she did often when she easing into a flirty mood with him, she reached out a fiddled with the hem of his shirt. He was aware of the tendency of course, but the sudden contact made him hyper aware that he hadn't touched her at all that day. "Or resale," She smartly replied, eyes drifting from his abdomen to his arms.
"You're going to let the crazy paranormal crime hunters have the place after all?" He continued teasing her, but in a much lower, deeper voice.
"Never," Was her breathy disagreement before she swallowed the dryness that had zapped her mouth, "So you've been lifting weights huh?" She asked, feeling drawn to reach out and glide her fingers over the skin her eyes had been steadily crawling.
"It's a good…anxiety reliever," Arnold's eyes followed her hand to his arm, feeling his mouth dry out too, "You uh...noticed?"
"I did," She said in a quiet tone before looking up at him with that stare. The one that made him helpless to her. Helpless and hopeless as she pushed up and palmed a fist full of his shirt in her hand to drag him closer, deciding right then that she wanted to feel him. His famished lips met her eager ones, his arms snaking around her, while his mind temporarily went blank. In the void he pushed her against the wall, bodies becoming feverish in exploding lust, both frantic and jerky, tongues swirling around each others in an attempt to be as close as physically possible. He wanted to consume her, devour every stubborn inch of her. The way she touched him, molded into him had his skin positively sizzling, yet he had deluded himself into thinking he could keep control of the situation, until he felt her hands make for the button on his struggling jeans.
The fog parted just enough for him to see that he'd have to be the voice of reason. A task the was wholly unsuited for. He broke the kiss, her lips falling to his neck, "I should go," He groaned, making no attempt to do that as he pushed his hips into her.
"I don't want you to," She replied distractedly, still working on his neck while her hand had successfully gotten his button free of it's loop.
"I don't want you to be mad at me later..." He did finally muster a bit of strength to grab her traitorous hand. Helga's only response was to push her body more into him, rubbing herself on the hand that had taken control of hers.
"I need to crack the pressure," She moaned in response, or maybe begged while making to grin wickedly against his flesh, "'less you want me to tear out another bathroom in this house," If nothing else got her what she wanted, perhaps idle threats would.
And Arnold wasn't a man in a position to spend too much time analyzing the weight of her reasoning either, not when he was so shamelessly radiating with so much bottled up want it was hard to even keep it together. He let go of her hand, unwilling and unable to hold back his raging desire any longer, both of his hands slipping around her ass, ducking into the band of her shorts where he shoved them down, letting them fall to her feet once they slipped past her thighs. She stepped out of them while she cracked his jeans open enough to pull him out before he hiked her up the wall. Her legs wrapped around his waist, arms snaking around his neck, where she kissed him wild, and open mouthed.
With one quick snap of his hips, he pushed himself inside of her tight warmth, both moaning in unison, relishing in the feeling of being together again. She felt like home, like heaven, like she'd always been made for him. Helga let her head fall back against the wall, eyes closing as she moaned out, "God, I've fucking missed you." This wasn't going to last. Wasn't meant to. They both knew it. We're fine with it. It wasn't love making, they were fucking. The zippers of his pants raked against her thighs and it dragged her mind back to an unholy time and the slutty quickies they'd had anywhere and everywhere they could while sneaking around and fuck did that turn her on even more.
Arnold's grip on her tightened as he began pumping into her harder. "Helga...you feel so good," He groaned in a rough tone, kissing her flushed lips, her neck, down to her collarbone, her blunted nails scratching through his scalp, while the other fell his one of his arms, feeling his bicep rounding as he so effortlessly held her against the wall.
"Oh, Jesus...oh right there!" She yelled as he hiked her a bit further up the wall and was suddenly pounding that sweet spot.
"Yeah?" His thrusts became more haphazard, frantic as he felt himself starting to lose all control while chasing his release, "Right there?"
"Don't stop."
"I can't," He moaned in assurance. The house could have come down around them, and he wouldn't have stopped. He could feel her starting to flutter and vibrate around him, he knew she was close, but he could tell she was trying to hold it. "Come on me baby," He growled, "I'm about to come so hard in you."
His sultry, naughty words seem to be just the ticket, because no sooner had the words left his parted lips, he felt her clamp down around him, "Arnold...fuck, oh fuck!" He just loved how vocal she always was, her body racked with shuddering.
"Oh…God, Helga," Arnold moaned loudly, finally letting himself spill deep in her pulsating softness. He finally came to a stop, the sound of their panting piercing the sudden silence. Her body sagged heavily against his, but he made no effort to let her down, desperate to keep them together for as long as possible. His hips began rocking slowly against hers again on their own accord, surprised that he was still as hard as he was, and greedily wondering if a round two might be on the table.
Helga captured his lips of a long kiss, her fingers winding delicately, playfully though his blonde tresses. After a long moment, she pulled back and stared at him with a sated smile, "Hello again," She drawled in such a low voice it was almost a whisper. And it seemed like the only appropriate thing to say after such a prolonged absence.
He quietly snorted, his half lidded eyes thinning by the happy grin being pushed upward. His still needy lips found her once more for another lingering, loving kiss before he replied with, "Hi."
11:09pm
Whining. That irritating whining. Helga cracked her tired eyes open—that had so recently shut—becoming aware enough to hear it to be one—or both—of the boys whining to go out from their crates across the room. A silent curse slithered past her well kissed lips, but she had nobody to blame but herself. She should have let them out one more time before she collapsed into bed an hour earlier, but she'd been too lazy and tired to do it. Now she was paying for it. Sooner than she'd expected.
She finally rolled over, slipping out of the warmth of her comforter to unlatch their crates, "Go." She gestured away as their doors swung open, and they excitedly barreled out of the room, rushing to wait for her by the back sliding back glass. Helga trudged out of the room, stopping to take a peak into Hunter's room, seeing her to be contently snoozing away in her crib before continuing her sleepy journey down the hall. Past the guest room that had been the hub for so much energy not so long ago. Shockingly they had managed to get the shower walls up before he left for the night. Almost as if there indeed was something to her suggestion to crack the lid and release some pressure so that they could keep moving forward. They'd both certainly felt much better afterwards.
As much as she wanted to berate herself for letting things get that carried away, after she'd been so sure she could handle it, she couldn't bring herself to. If only because of the level of peace that had settled between them. A quiet understanding that things weren't escalating from there, and that they still had things to sort through.
She finally descended the dark stairs, nothing but the foyer lamp and the incoming moon light to provide visibility. The boys were antsy by the door, antsier than usual, and it made her feel bad for having not let them out before. Trudging to the door, she flipped the lock up and slid it open, barely getting it cracked a sliver before they were impatiently worming their bodies through it, bolting off the patio, into the grass and towards the woods. She shut the door, standing there for a moment, her heavy eyes watching them bound towards the tree line. They slowed their pace when they got there, stopping for a moment, as if they saw something. And then she saw it. A dark shadow move.
A tall shadow.
And both of her dogs bolted into the dark forest after it.
11:50pm
Sid slid his credit card back into his wallet, sliding out of the old red booth, creased and cracked with eras of use while shoving the leather fold into his back pocket. He reached an awaiting hand for his wife to take as she rose from the other side of the table. She took it with a smile, the pair exiting the grease spoon of a diner that they'd hit up for that banana split after their movie. Skipping across the dimly lit parking lot to his convertible SS. Like the gentleman he was, he opened her door for her, letting her slip into the white bucket seat before swinging it shut and hopping in the drivers. "Where to?" He cranked the muscle car, the deep rumbles of the engine disrupting the night, "Home or somewhere else?"
Rhonda leaned back in her seat, looking up at the starry night sky and sighing, "Home," She then rolled her head towards him, "But the long way," She requested with a grin.
"You got it," Her husband agreed, thinking that was a best of both words idea. It was such a gorgeous night still, but it had also been a long day. He put the car in gear, flipped on the radio and they pulled out of the parking lot, where he coasted down the short side street towards the stop sign and seeing nobody coming down the desolate main road, he floored it around the turn, sliding the car's rear end across the pavement, tires chirping before they took off. Rhonda had her arm out the car, swaying her head and humming to the tune playing, un-phased by his little reckless antics. She loved it.
They cruised through the country side, taking in the crisp night air, Sid being more alert and aware of the wildlife out and about and the potential hazardous road presence they presented to would be travelers. He came to another stop sign, banging a left onto the road and remembering it would take them right past the Shortman's property.
Something he thought no more about until he was approaching the back half before the bend, and saw a pair of headlights from a vehicle coming from seemingly nowhere out of the wood line. Sid drove past it, looking up into his rear view to see what looked like a truck pull out of the slit in the woods that he remembered being the access trail to the back power lines on the property.
Rhonda glanced over, seeing her husband's elevating interest in the rear view, "What's wrong?" She asked, looking back at the truck some distance behind them.
"That was the utility road for Helga's property," Sid explained, right as they passed the winding driveway to her actual residence, continuing to take glances in the mirror at the truck.
Rhonda frowned, "Is that them?"
"I don't think so."
They passed by a second road to the left, and both watched as the truck turned off onto it, and while it was dark, Sid thought he could make out that it was a faint red color, though he couldn't be sure in the amber glow of its taillights. "I'm sure it was some kids turning around," Rhonda tried to calm her husband, reaching for his hand and seeing his brain already beginning to work overtime overtime in the speculation department.
He turned to look at her, seeing her with a reassuring smile on full display and deciding it was best to put on his own, "Yeah, you're probably right."
At least…he wanted her to be.
A/N: This is another one of those chapters that is full of clues and nuances that will make sense very soon. I promise. Feels like Rhonda might know something too. Hmm.