The next few days were were a whirlwind of excitement. We had to explain to everyone we knew that we were engaged. Plus we had another family barbecue scheduled for tomorrow and we couldn't cancel. I had invited Mr. Hyunh to it.

I ate a lot of cherry-flavored alkaloids because when I am excited I tend to skip meals and that doesn't do good for me at all. Helga made me me drink a few protein shakes to make up for it and I was grateful. I had never known when we were kids that she could be so tender or nursing.

Our first engagement announcement occurred within minutes. After our kiss, I opened the hospital room door to find out what had happened to Grandpa and Gerald. Gerald stood there. I knew before I spoke what his response would be.

"Uh-huh. Anything you say, Arnold," Gerald replied rolling his eyes at me. My cheeks were a little pink because he'd seen Helga giving me a ring rather than the other way around. That must have been a disappointment for Gerald. He's a natural at masculinity. But at the same time I cherished that Helga had been the one to propose to me first. It was fitting to her very nature. It was fitting for our relationship, too, because she had been the first to confess her love to me. It had been her pink little notebook that had first convinced me I might be romantically desirable to the opposite sex. All of her tricks and dates and kisses has pushed me toward adulthood without me realizing. She had been steering from the background, not just our own romance, but my concept of love. Lila had never kissed me on the beach and left me wanting more. In comparison, her kind of love was plain, dull, boring! True, we never argued, but it was superficial. Helga, I came to realize, was raw, deep, and emotionally intimate. I came to crave a love that was passionate in both body and soul- and Helga had a lot of soul.

I was looking forward to asking Mr. Hyunh to come with my wedding so I was in a good mood as I set up for the barbecue. I was in charge of the grill. Alfred went off play in the sandbox with Helga. I was humming jazz to myself when I heard Mr. Hyunh's greeting from across the green. But when I shaded my eyes to look my jaw dropped. All of the old boarders of Sunset Arms rushed towards me. I was caught up in a crushing hug.

"Arnold! My ol' pal!" said Ernie the demolition worker giving me a bone-wrenching embrace. "It's been ages!"

"Wow. You look well, Mr. Potts," I said, recovering myself. I smiled back at my ecstatic friend. As I turned my head, there were three more familiar faces and also a slightly surprising one.

"My girlfriend, Lola," Ernie explained of the large, tall woman behind him. I recognized her, too. Ernie had made me help him prepare for his first date with the clothing model when we both had lived at the boarding house together.

"I'm happy for you!" I said shaking Lola's hand. Ernie outstretched his in a wide, sweeping gesture.

"Happy for ME? What is all this! You've got not just one kid, but two?! Incredible."

"Um, yeah, I do," I said looking back at my family. I waved to Helga and Alfred. Cecil was nearby with Grandpa and my parents but I could have rushed over there to take her in my arms just now. I was so proud.

"Little Buddie!" cried Oskar Kokoshka hugging me next. His wife, Susie, wrapped her arms around me, too, and I was temporarily suffocated.

"Oh, Arnold, we missed you so much!" the department store clerk uttered with her trademark 'tsk'.

"See, see!" said Mr. Hyuhn spinning a hand around in the air with enthusiasm. "I told you he would be here!"

"I hope you don't mind us crashing your party and all," said Mr. Potts. "But you see, when we heard you'all were back in town, we just had to see you!"

"It's great to see you, too!" I said, secretly choked up. I had missed them dearly. When I had moved away from my old old boarding house friends, the hurt had been so deep it had torn my heart out.

"Let me introduce you to my family," I said setting aside the grill I had been working on. Helga was slightly wary as a whole troop of people marched up to our children. But I picked up Alfred myself and showed him to my old friends from a near distance.

"My son, Alfred," I said proudly. Alfred squirmed in my arms, puzzled by what was going on. I gave him a playful press to his youthful, button nose.

"How old is he?"

"Four," I responded. "Four, yes I know! What a surprise, huh? We had him when I was fifteen."

"Fifteen!" Ernie exclaimed slapping his head. "Maiyon! You sure are a mover, Arnold!"

"Looks that way," I said. I handed Alfred back to Helga and took my beauty's hand.

"This is Helga. We're doing things a little backwards. We're getting married next month and since you're all here… now's as good a time to ask…. would you all like to come to it?"

"Would I?" Ernie shouted swinging his first around. "If you locked the door, I would use a wrecking ball to get in there!"

"I get to be the first man!" said Mr. Hyuhn using his whole hand to gesture to himself instead of one finger. I rolled my eyes because I knew where this would lead. The whole group of old boarders began arguing with each other about who would be the first.

"Guys, guys," I interrupted at last. "Gerald's my first man! But we can draw straws if the rest of you want to volunteer to come next." The old boarders glared at one another.

"Okay, you're on! But no cheating, Kokoshka, ya bum!"

"Great!" I said. My smile was wide and my heart was light.

The barbecue we ate was my best ever. I was reunited with my family again, all of them except my Grandma whom had passed away back when I was twelve. Though I missed her, I knew that Gertrude "Pookie" Shortman was watching over me from a far away place. Her love for me was one love I had never doubted.

When Helga whipped out a camera, all of the boarders took their excitement to a new level. It was a brand new family photo. A brand new day. Grandpa, Helga, my two kids, and all of the them would be in it. Ernie even went so far as to begin practicing posing for the photo by standing on his head while Mr. Hyuhn and Mr. Kokoshka made superhero poses.

"Oh boy," I said with a sly grin toward Helga as she set the camera's timer. This might be the most ridiculous family photo ever. But then I noticed that my parents watched the gathering from the crowd's edge, uncertain as to whether or not to join Grandpa and the boarders for the picture. My head bowed with guilt.

"Will you let your parents be part of it?" Helga asked me loudly, breaking me free of the dismal daydream. I paused. I was still absorbed in my head and time wouldn't move. "Will you let your parents be part of it?" Helga repeated. I took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly.

"Okay," I said. "I will." My heart was heavy with portent. This was more than just a family portrait to me. It meant I was agreeing to let my parents in. To give them a chance to be my parents again. I walked to them across the park green.

"Mom, Dad," I said rubbing my sleeve once for courage. "I know I've said some mean things. I know we haven't always got along. I was angry. But you know, what? I've come to realize that this time, it was me who was lost in the jungle. I've been lost for a long time and it's time for me to come home. If you're willing to forgive me, we can forget all about what's happened and start over." I took a long, deep breath.

"Hi," I said slowly offering my palm for my father to shake. " I'm Arnold. Arnold Shortman." My father stared for a moment before he caught on. Then he clasped his hand in mine.

"I'm Miles," my father said pumping my fist up and down. "Miles!" We shared a grin then- a soft, wane sort of grin filled with both good nostalgia and sad regret. The park wind blew over us and I felt it. We had our new beginning. We were going to work this out somehow. This time, we would both have respect.

"Come on," I said jerking my chin towards the waiting group. "Let's get our photo taken."

It was a perfect summer day and the photos turned out great. I had my family portrait, only it was much larger than I had ever thought it'd be. Helga, Cecil, Alfred, Grandpa, the old boarders, and my long-lost parents Stella and Miles- it wasn't just a good day. It was a great one. There's an old rhyme that goes, "make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other's gold." It was definitely true. My new family and my old family standing together were immeasurably precious.

I was in for another good surprise before the day was out. Grandpa let it slip that I was looking for boarders and Mr. Hyuhn did a triumphant skip of joy. "The old boarding house?" he cried. "I will move in now! This afternoon!"

"Mr. Hyuhn," I protested. "Don't you have to move out of your old place first?"

"I will go back for my old stuff later," said Mr. Hyuhn dismissing my protest. "I must go now to inspect if the wallpaper is peeling!"

"Oh boy," I thought. "Here we go again!" I'd be repapering Mr. Hyuhn's walls for the rest of my life, now. He was fastidious.

"Gee, well, I'd love to," Ernie said with true regret. "But I can't. I'm staying with Lola now. But that doesn't mean I can't come and visit you'all." The Kokoshkas looked at one another.

"We'll think about it," said Susie. "But you could come over to our house and see our own kid."

"You mean.. you and Oskar had a kid together?" I said my mind reeling. They had nearly broken up a million times at Sunset Arms. Oskar had stayed in my room for a week.

"That's right," said Susie.

"That's great," I lied. I was too busy imagining what a junior Oskar would be like to be happy for them.

A light rain began to splatter itself against the barbecue grill so I had to part with my dear, unconventionally-adopted relatives. I bundled Cecil up against the cold in her baby carriage and pushed it quickly away from the park to get her inside. Alfred and Cecil were both fine but I wasn't taking any chances. I made Alfred some hot chocolate and wrapped him with a warm blanket to sit on the couch when we got home. If I wasn't careful, I would be just as guilty of overparenting as my own had been.

"Arnold," said my Mom, Stella catching my attention as I settled down from my bustling. "Your father and I have something to tell you. You see," she said looking lovingly toward my father for comfort and support, "we've decided to move back to Hillwood. Your father is taking a job at the community college."

"What?!" I said. That was a tremendous demotion for an acclaimed researcher and archaeologist/sociologist.

"We've been thinking long and hard about things, Arnold," my father explained for himself. "That we've spent too much of our time thinking of our careers and what's best for you and not enough time getting to know you. We'd like to spend time with our grandchildren and so we've decided to stay in Hillwood. It doesn't have to be in your house. We're looking for a house of our own, too. We don't want to burden you." I bowed my head and thought as hard and deep about it as a few moments would allow. But my heart knew what to do.

"You don't have to move out," I said meeting my father's eyes. "You can stay with me. You're family." My Mom's eyes teared.

"Oh Arnold!" she said clasping me in a light hug. "My little miracle baby!"

"Yeah, Mom," I said a little awkwardly because I wasn't the best of sons with them yet. But Stella released me when I squirmed. I tugged my collar a bit, embarrassed because I was a grown-up dude, after all. Getting doted on by my mother was just sort of grade-school to me. Yet it had felt good all the same. It had eased some of the deep hurt, the gulf of misunderstanding between us.

"We'd like to help you out around the house, sweetie," my mother declared for both herself and my Dad. I knew it was the first time he'd heard about it from his expression. "While we're here, you don't have to do all the housework for yourself- and we can help with babysitting!"

"Well, Mr. Potts and Susie and even Mr. Hyuhn all offered for me to go to work for them," I mumbled. "Maybe I could talk to Helga about getting out of the house one or two days a week? To take up a job, I mean."

"Why stop, there, son?" said my Dad, Miles smiling. "If you'd like, we can watch the kids while you take a course at the community college."

"Dad!" I protested narrowing my eyes at him. "I am not getting pushed into doing anything! But I appreciate the thought. It's… considerate." I knew what I wanted, and at the moment that was being at home to raise my two precious children. School could come later for me. Plus it would be quite a lot of fun to use a wrecking ball for a living. College courses didn't cover that line of work. But I felt good. Having my parents around might make my life better, after all.

My wedding to Helga was a mere month later. We had waited long enough, we thought, so we took the first available spot in Hillwood's largest Catholic church. Ironically, we found ourselves standing in the same spots we had occupied years before. Back when we were nine, Helga had been the First Maid to Couch Tish. I had been Couch Wittenburg's Best Man. It almost seemed as if we had been practicing for our own wedding for not much about the old church had changed. The windows were still still stained glass and there was an organ instead of a piano. The carpet was as red as one made for Hollywood stars. The entire building smelt of used wax candles and incense.

On the day I married Helga, I was nervous, I'll admit it. My Tuxedo was never pressed enough and my bowtie seemed ever crooked. There was a lock of my hair that particularly drove me crazy because just when I thought I looked pretty sharp in the mirror it'd spring up again. But I knew what I wanted and I wanted to be here.

When the music played I caught my breath. Was I good enough? Could I be good enough for Helga Pataki? The strong, smart, funny, rich, bossy, successful business woman she had become and the mother of my two children? What did I have to offer? But when I remembered the love in her gaze I smiled serenely. I saw pure love there. My dearest friend. My chosen soulmate.

I passed by Eugene on the organ. Phoebe had him fly in from Texas and Phoebe, well, she was here, too, as a maid of honor. All it had taken for Phoebe to make up with Helga was for my bride-to-be to invite her to our wedding. I didn't see the meeting, but I imagined there had been a lot of tears involved.

When I had passed Eugene on the organ he gave me a thumbs up and a wink. But then I approached the altar at last. There was a whole busload of Men of of Honor there to cheer me on. Mr. Hyunh, Ernie, and Mr. Kokoshaka hung about as a grinning trio. Gerald was there looking sharp in his Tux. But astonishingly he wasn't my Best Man. It was my Dad.

My father, the one whom had got lost in the Jungle. My Dad, the one who I had thought had died. The same person who had seemed to stand between me and Helga was about to relinquish his fight and cede me to the woman I loved. I stopped and stared at the impossible- my father standing there with joy and tears in his eyes.

"I'm happy for you son," he said and my soul filled with this new peace.

"Thank you, Dad," I choked out for these unexpected words meant the world to me.

When the wedding music played, I tried not to snap my head around too fast and give myself whiplash. Helga paced down the aisle with the longest train of wedding of Tulle she had been able to find. She had wanted her wedding to be ostentatious so there were pearls in her gown and on her ears. Her red lipstick was immaculate and beneath it a self-satisfied grin. I imagined that grin was her way of saying, "Looking good, Football-Head."

I took a quick glance to make sure I had not mussed my Tux up terribly or something, then cleared my throat and rolled my eyes into the far corners of the room. Helga's fierce gaze left me feeling bashful until I remembered that this was the same woman I lived with. I rolled my eyes right back and my frown turned into a smirk. Helga and I stared at one another, lost in our own world for a moment. But the flowers in Helga's hand reminded us of where we were.

"Ahem," said the preacher. "Shall we get started?" A few of Helga's bridesmaids let out annoying little squeals. But I didn't bother to look back at them. I was too busy admiring Helga. She had really dressed up for me today.

"Do you Arnold, take Helga to be your wedded wife?" the preacher said after a long paragraph of words I hardly heard. I was off daydreaming again.

"Um. Yes!" I said "Yes, I do! Now and forever!"

"And do you, Helga, take Arnold to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"Sure, let's do this," Helga said with a patient shrug. "Now and forever!"

"I now pronounce you husband and wife!" the old preacher said at last and I approached Helga for my prize- the kiss. Only Helga bowled into me with such fierceness that I might have been knocked over. But oh, no! I wasn't about to give in like that! Instead I dug in my feet and recovered my balance. Then, I surprised Helga with a kiss that was equal in intensity to her own- on equal terms.

The heady kiss left me grinning. I didn't bother to see who caught the wedding bouquet. I hoped it was Phoebe because Gerald could use some happiness.

Helga dragged me around all of Europe for our honeymoon. I was reluctant to leave Cecil and Alfred in the care of my parents and Grandpa- even for a week. I feared some kind of twisted fate would separate me from them as it did me from my own parents for a time. But we got back home from our honeymoon safe and sound. Alfred and Cecil were fine. Helga and I made a lot of memories and even I had to admit Paris was fun. She didn't even have to pretend to be Cecil for us to enjoy it. After that, I guess, life settled down at the Sunset Arms and I put extra effort into being a landlord, a father, and now, a husband.

That about tells the tale of how my parents and I got to be on good terms again. They live at the Sunset Arms and you know what? Even if they and I were lost for a long time, we all have the rest of our lives to get to know one another. That's a lot of years to look forward to.

So thank you for asking how I've been. It's kind of you to care and I really hope that, someday, you'll find happiness in your own life, too. Best wishes from your old friend, Arnold.