Chapter 6- The Light
Olga arrived at the Hillwood City Airport the next afternoon, without being met by her parents. After collecting her bags, she took a taxi home. The door to her parent's house was open and many of Helga's old classmates were inside comforting Phoebe, Miriam, and Bob. Olga closed the door and joined Phoebe and Miriam on the couch. Bob handed Phoebe one of the books he had found in Helga's closet and sat in the Lazy Boy near Miriam.
Phoebe flipped through the little pink book. After scanning all of the pages, Phoebe turned to the twenty-third page, and began to read out loud.
"You make me laugh when I am sad.
You let me lean on you when times are hard.
You are ready to defend me whenever I am put down.
You forgave me for all the nasty things I have done.
You listen when I need to talk and offer advice.
You chase my blues away.
Thank you, my beloved."
Phoebe wiped the tears away from her eyes, turned a few pages, and continued reading.
"Love:
is as soft as a feather falling in the breeze.
as gentle as the ocean waves on a calm day.
more beautiful than a rose in full bloom.
purer than a white dove.
more faithful than man's best friend.
is larger than the universe.
is stronger than a mountain.
withstands more time than a clock.
My love for Arnold."
Phoebe broke down crying and Olga did her best to comfort her. The doorbell chimed once, then opened without waiting for an answer. In the doorway stood Brainy and Gerald with Arnold a few steps below. Without a word, the trio walked in. Bob rose up to his full height and lumbered over to Arnold.
Bob glared down at Arnold, who merely looked up at the Beeper King with a mixture of dry and fresh tears in his eyes and on his cheeks. Without a word, Bob scooped Arnold into a giant bear hug. Arnold stood, shocked for a moment, and then returned the hug, crying harder.
Bob broke the contact and held Arnold by the shoulders, an arms length apart. "Thank you, Arnold," Bob Pataki said, with tears in his eyes.
"Thank you? For what, sir," Arnold said, after he wiped his tears away.
"Thank you for giving my little girl happiness. I was a terrible father, but you... you allowed her to love you and returned her love. Thank you again, Arnold."
"But, sir. What about the baby?" The mourning audience whispered to each other, no one had told them about Helga being pregnant. Bob looked at Arnold with tears threatening to escape the dam. Arnold continued, "If I had known she was pregnant and... without a home... I would have taken her in. She didn't tell me." Arnold suddenly found his shoes to be extremely interesting.
"It's okay. I know you would have taken real good care of her and the baby had you known. I should have paid more attention to her, then I would have known about her leukemia coming back, and I would have had her treated immediately."
Arnold dug into his pocket and pulled out a small box decorated in emerald velvet. He opened it up, reveling a sparkling, heart-shaped, diamond engagement ring. "I have carried this ring around for three weeks, waiting for the right time to ask her to marry me," Arnold said, holding back sobs. Bob nodded and drew Arnold into a giant bear hug again.
A few hours later, all of the guests, save for Arnold, Brainy, Phoebe, Gerald, and Helga's family, had left. The group discussed arrangements for the gravesite services.
Five days later, the gravesite services had come and the mourning people had gone. Arnold had told Phoebe, Gerald, and Brainy about the box hidden under Mr. Simmons' desk and the trio accompanied him to fetch it.
The group was getting ready to go inside the school, when the terrible roar of several demolition trucks hit their ears. Slowly, the trucks came into view as they turned onto rode where the school was. The ground shook as the trucks came closer to the school, and drove past, a few honking their horns at the group. Ernie Potts waved as he drove past. The group let out a collective sigh and entered the building.
Arnold finally spoke, "I was sure they were going to stop and demolish the school."
Phoebe smiled, "Haven't you heard? They are going to remodel the school and turn it in to a museum."
"That's wonderful," Arnold said. By the time he finished talking, the group was outside the door to their old 4th grade classroom. Arnold carefully reached out, turned the doorknob, and walked in. Nothing had changed since the group had left fourth grade. The small group went over to the desk, pulled out a cardboard box, and peered into it.
Inside, was several newspaper-wrapped packages, five pink books, a gold necklace with a locket, and several assorted photographs of the group. Arnold took out one of the wrapped parcels and read the name written on a piece of scotch tape that covered part of a car sales ad. Silently, he handed the package to Phoebe, and took out another. After all of the members had a newspaper-covered gift, Arnold picked up the cardboard box.
Finally, he broke the reining silence. "I am going to give out the rest of the packages." With that, he left; the rest of the group followed him out.
Later that night~
Arnold flopped down on his bed and picked up the package that was sitting on the bedside table. He carefully unwrapped the newspaper and opened the box. Inside was a folded piece of paper, an old rose in a glass case, and another locket on a gold chain. Arnold unfolded the paper and began to read aloud.
"Arnold. I wanted to give you my most valued possessions. The glass container contains the first rose you ever gave me and the locket is the one you gave me on our first Christmas together. I'm sorry it had to come to this. I will be watching over you until it is your turn to join me. Love forever, Helga."
Arnold gently picked up the necklace and unfastened the locket's clasp. Inside was a picture of Helga and him walking hand in hand on a beach. He closed his eyes and shut the locket. Arnold put the necklace on, fell back upon the bed, and let his tears send him off to sleep.
A month after Helga's death~
Arnold kneeled in front of the recently placed headstone and laid two red roses upon the ground. He softly kissed the tombstone, stood up, and left. The setting sun's last rays fell upon the stone and a bright light shone for a few seconds.
Beneath the engagement ring Arnold was planning to give Helga, was the following:
Helga G. Pataki
Beloved Hero, Daughter, Sister, Friend and Lover.
Along with Helga's birth and death dates.
Three years later~
Arnold looked out at the crowd. Beside him stood Gerald and Phoebe with their six-month-old daughter and Brainy, along with the mayor and several other city officials. They were standing in front of the new Hillwood City Museum at the ground opening ceremony. Behind him was a statue of Gerald, Helga, and himself. A golden feather gently floated on the breeze and caught Arnold's eye. Smiling, he whispered, "I'll love you forever, Helga."
The End
Olga arrived at the Hillwood City Airport the next afternoon, without being met by her parents. After collecting her bags, she took a taxi home. The door to her parent's house was open and many of Helga's old classmates were inside comforting Phoebe, Miriam, and Bob. Olga closed the door and joined Phoebe and Miriam on the couch. Bob handed Phoebe one of the books he had found in Helga's closet and sat in the Lazy Boy near Miriam.
Phoebe flipped through the little pink book. After scanning all of the pages, Phoebe turned to the twenty-third page, and began to read out loud.
"You make me laugh when I am sad.
You let me lean on you when times are hard.
You are ready to defend me whenever I am put down.
You forgave me for all the nasty things I have done.
You listen when I need to talk and offer advice.
You chase my blues away.
Thank you, my beloved."
Phoebe wiped the tears away from her eyes, turned a few pages, and continued reading.
"Love:
is as soft as a feather falling in the breeze.
as gentle as the ocean waves on a calm day.
more beautiful than a rose in full bloom.
purer than a white dove.
more faithful than man's best friend.
is larger than the universe.
is stronger than a mountain.
withstands more time than a clock.
My love for Arnold."
Phoebe broke down crying and Olga did her best to comfort her. The doorbell chimed once, then opened without waiting for an answer. In the doorway stood Brainy and Gerald with Arnold a few steps below. Without a word, the trio walked in. Bob rose up to his full height and lumbered over to Arnold.
Bob glared down at Arnold, who merely looked up at the Beeper King with a mixture of dry and fresh tears in his eyes and on his cheeks. Without a word, Bob scooped Arnold into a giant bear hug. Arnold stood, shocked for a moment, and then returned the hug, crying harder.
Bob broke the contact and held Arnold by the shoulders, an arms length apart. "Thank you, Arnold," Bob Pataki said, with tears in his eyes.
"Thank you? For what, sir," Arnold said, after he wiped his tears away.
"Thank you for giving my little girl happiness. I was a terrible father, but you... you allowed her to love you and returned her love. Thank you again, Arnold."
"But, sir. What about the baby?" The mourning audience whispered to each other, no one had told them about Helga being pregnant. Bob looked at Arnold with tears threatening to escape the dam. Arnold continued, "If I had known she was pregnant and... without a home... I would have taken her in. She didn't tell me." Arnold suddenly found his shoes to be extremely interesting.
"It's okay. I know you would have taken real good care of her and the baby had you known. I should have paid more attention to her, then I would have known about her leukemia coming back, and I would have had her treated immediately."
Arnold dug into his pocket and pulled out a small box decorated in emerald velvet. He opened it up, reveling a sparkling, heart-shaped, diamond engagement ring. "I have carried this ring around for three weeks, waiting for the right time to ask her to marry me," Arnold said, holding back sobs. Bob nodded and drew Arnold into a giant bear hug again.
A few hours later, all of the guests, save for Arnold, Brainy, Phoebe, Gerald, and Helga's family, had left. The group discussed arrangements for the gravesite services.
Five days later, the gravesite services had come and the mourning people had gone. Arnold had told Phoebe, Gerald, and Brainy about the box hidden under Mr. Simmons' desk and the trio accompanied him to fetch it.
The group was getting ready to go inside the school, when the terrible roar of several demolition trucks hit their ears. Slowly, the trucks came into view as they turned onto rode where the school was. The ground shook as the trucks came closer to the school, and drove past, a few honking their horns at the group. Ernie Potts waved as he drove past. The group let out a collective sigh and entered the building.
Arnold finally spoke, "I was sure they were going to stop and demolish the school."
Phoebe smiled, "Haven't you heard? They are going to remodel the school and turn it in to a museum."
"That's wonderful," Arnold said. By the time he finished talking, the group was outside the door to their old 4th grade classroom. Arnold carefully reached out, turned the doorknob, and walked in. Nothing had changed since the group had left fourth grade. The small group went over to the desk, pulled out a cardboard box, and peered into it.
Inside, was several newspaper-wrapped packages, five pink books, a gold necklace with a locket, and several assorted photographs of the group. Arnold took out one of the wrapped parcels and read the name written on a piece of scotch tape that covered part of a car sales ad. Silently, he handed the package to Phoebe, and took out another. After all of the members had a newspaper-covered gift, Arnold picked up the cardboard box.
Finally, he broke the reining silence. "I am going to give out the rest of the packages." With that, he left; the rest of the group followed him out.
Later that night~
Arnold flopped down on his bed and picked up the package that was sitting on the bedside table. He carefully unwrapped the newspaper and opened the box. Inside was a folded piece of paper, an old rose in a glass case, and another locket on a gold chain. Arnold unfolded the paper and began to read aloud.
"Arnold. I wanted to give you my most valued possessions. The glass container contains the first rose you ever gave me and the locket is the one you gave me on our first Christmas together. I'm sorry it had to come to this. I will be watching over you until it is your turn to join me. Love forever, Helga."
Arnold gently picked up the necklace and unfastened the locket's clasp. Inside was a picture of Helga and him walking hand in hand on a beach. He closed his eyes and shut the locket. Arnold put the necklace on, fell back upon the bed, and let his tears send him off to sleep.
A month after Helga's death~
Arnold kneeled in front of the recently placed headstone and laid two red roses upon the ground. He softly kissed the tombstone, stood up, and left. The setting sun's last rays fell upon the stone and a bright light shone for a few seconds.
Beneath the engagement ring Arnold was planning to give Helga, was the following:
Helga G. Pataki
Beloved Hero, Daughter, Sister, Friend and Lover.
Along with Helga's birth and death dates.
Three years later~
Arnold looked out at the crowd. Beside him stood Gerald and Phoebe with their six-month-old daughter and Brainy, along with the mayor and several other city officials. They were standing in front of the new Hillwood City Museum at the ground opening ceremony. Behind him was a statue of Gerald, Helga, and himself. A golden feather gently floated on the breeze and caught Arnold's eye. Smiling, he whispered, "I'll love you forever, Helga."
The End