Arnold's Lament

It was October 7th, a very special day. Why was it special? It was only a simple day in October. Someone's birthday, probably. Then again, plenty of people had their birthday on this day. Everyday was someone's birthday, whether you knew the person or not. Today was of course no exception. But that wasn't the point, not at all.

Today was Arnold's birthday. The birthday of her beloved. His 9th birthday, to be exact.

Helga smiled to herself as she tied the bow on the gift she had for him. It had become a little tradition for her, ever since she knew when his birthday was (thanks to their Urban Tots teacher, Mrs. Smith), and had never forgotten it to this very day. Ever since then, she would leave a gift on his doorstep with a little card that proclaimed a sweet and simple message, always signed anonymously. Whether or not he knew she gave them to him was beyond her, but she hoped he didn't know.

Her gift for him this year was simple, but she hoped he'd like it. It was a small set of a series of children's books she knew he wanted. They weren't colourful, illustrated books, but actual stories with chapters. Included was Anne Of Green Gables, one of Helga's favourite books of all time, and knew he'd like it since he had read some of Lucy Maud Montgomery's other books. Or so she heard when he made a book report in class about her novel, A Tangled Web.

She then took the card, and added a little message into it.

Happy 9th Birthday, Arnold
Have a great day

XOX
~Your secret admirer

Perfect. Simple, sweet, and still vague.

Tying it to the gift, Helga tucked it under her arm and then left her bedroom. Lucky for her, Bob wasn't home from work yet, and Miriam was likely still passed out on the couch. She wouldn't have to worry about anyone seeing her as she left to run this quick little errand.

Once outside, Helga closed the front door shut and went down the steps of the front stoop and onto the sidewalk. She just hoped no one from school would see her. It WAS a Friday, after all. That was never a good sign. But, if anyone asked, she would simply say it was some gift she was mailing to her aunt and had to go to the post office to make sure it was properly insured. A perfect little lie, it was foolproof.

At least, she hoped so.

With her mission set, Helga headed off down the sidewalk toward Vine Street.

XXX

She could hear the excited shouts and the sounds of party favours being played out when she approached the boarding the house, especially since a couple of the downstairs windows were wide open. Helga smiled just a little, glad that Arnold was surrounded by his family, and boarders on his birthday. It must've made it a lot of fun.

Just like always, Helga placed her gift on the front stoop, rang the doorbell, and then scurried away to hide behind the wall not far from the fire escape.

"I'll get it, Grandpa!" Arnold was saying from inside, she could hear him from the nearest open window.

Moments later, she heard the door open. Then Arnold's confused mutters, and then a surprised exclaim of "What's this?", likely because he had spotted the parcel on his doorstep. Then after a moment, the door closed.

"Grandpa! I got another gift!" Arnold was now saying.

Helga sighed with relief, glad that he had received it after all.

"I'm going to take it upstairs!" Arnold then was saying.

Helga perked. That meant he was going up to his room! She crept up the fire escape, slowly, and then made it to the window of his room, crouching very low near it. The window was open, so she was able to listen for his footsteps and hear him come into his room.

His bedroom door opened, and then closed. She heard him unwrapping the paper, and then gasping in surprise.

"Wow! I really wanted these books! ...Wait...didn't Grandpa say that this book was one of Dad's favourites?"

Helga paused, wondering why Arnold's tone seemed to take a melancholic turn.

"...It sure would be nice if Mom and Dad were here...here for my birthday...and everything else." Arnold now sounded sad as he expressed this knowledge.

This made her heart wrench. His parents... He really didn't have parents? They were never mentioned or brought up, and Helga had never seen them at all. Arnold never spoke of them at all. Not even to Gerald. At least, as far as she knew. Were they divorced? Away on business all the time? Or...dead?

"It's great with everyone else and all, but it's so...it's the same thing. Just like last year...and the year before that. Year after year, we do the same thing." Arnold sighed. "But it feels so...incomplete without them here."

Taking a chance, Helga peeked through the window into his room, seeing Arnold pacing a little. He then sat down on his bed, and took out a small picture from his drawer. She couldn't see it from where she was, but it didn't take a genius to figure out that he was looking at a picture of his parents.

"They were gone before my birthday..." Arnold said sadly. "Two days before it...and I don't even remember them at all... My birthday wishes are all the same, wishing for them to come home. I just hope...wherever they are, they remember...and will make it back."

Helga yet again felt her heart wrench as she listened to his lament. The poor thing. Not only were his parents just gone from the picture, but he didn't even know where they were. Why did they leave him? Why were they gone? Where were they gone? Or were they dead, and his grandparents just didn't tell him the truth? No, they probably wouldn't do that. She knew Arnold was a very smart kid and had a social conscience far beyond anyone she knew (except Phoebe, of course), so it was very likely he grasped the concept of life and death, and would be told when a loved one died.

"Mom, Dad...I love you both...It's my ninth birthday. I wish you were here with us to celebrate." Arnold managed softly, his voice breaking. She could tell he was probably on the verge of crying. "I just wish we could be a real family for once. I...hope that's not too much to ask for." He sighed then. "But who here...would ever understand?"

Helga ducked down from the window, hoping he didn't see her. It was then she heard him walking away, and then closing his bedroom door behind him. She peeked into his room once more, seeing that he was indeed gone.

"...Arnold...I know how you feel." She said softly.

After collecting herself, Helga descended the fire escape, and scurried to the wall, taking out her heart-shaped locket.

"Oh Arnold...my dearest friend...my beloved... Oh, somewhere deep inside your heart...an emptiness began to grow. How this emptiness eats away at your very soul! Your dear parents are out there, far from your home. The cruel hands of fate taking your parents away from you, breaking apart what could be a wonderful family... And on this sad day, how it hurts my heart to see you suffer as you lament about the mystery of your kin! There is but a lonely boy deep inside you, that no one sees, that longs for something more. All the fame and praise from all you've helped come year after year...I see now does nothing for... your empty tears. Oh, my love...How I wish I could make you feel better." Helga kissed her locket.

She could see how alone he felt in this. That no one could understand that even he had problems, too. He was always known for giving people advice and helping them, at just about any age. There was not one problem he couldn't help someone solve somehow. And yet, when you would think about problems he could have, it's very likely that no one would be able to imagine that he DID have problems of his own.

A long time ago, maybe Helga would not have believed it either, and would have scoffed. But lately, and especially right now, she understood all the more that Arnold was indeed human, and had problems of his own. She felt bad for him, and sympathized very much. While he was close to perfection in her eyes, she knew far well that he was no exception to the having "no problems" rule.

The sound of heavy wheezing was heard behind her, and made her scowl before backhanding Brainy between the eyes.

Brushing off her dress, Helga came around from the alley, making sure no one else was nearby. She took one last peek into the living room, and could see Arnold rejoining his family. Despite his sadness, she could see he was trying to have a good time. She smiled.

"Happy Birthday, Arnold. ...I hope your parents come back to you."

That being said, she headed off to get back home as well.

It was indeed an eye-opener to hear his lamentation about missing his parents. How he desired to have a real family, a family who was always together and loved each other. She knew the feeling, very much. Though differently. It was something she too desired, but alas, could never hope to reach.

While she discovered something new about him...she also came to see how much they did connect.

If it were possible to fall more in love with him, she surely was right now.