I enjoyed the progression of Miriam's experiences, from her usual emotional limbo to the ghost of an opportunity of being something better than she is, even if the open ending suggests she could just as easily slip back into old habits.

so many people crank out these melodramas that go on for a million chapters but you've conveyed so much more information and emotion in just one chapter. this story is the real deal, this is art.

Wow... that was... wow.
The whole thing was Interesting.
I liked it. If she really trying like this... I liked it!

My heart sort of broke while reading this. I really loved it. Great job!

This was so great. As in really, really wonderful. Every step of it was Miriam's struggle and Helga's parallel struggle. I think the hardest part of Miriam's alcoholism is that it's easy to give in when it's just you that you are working and thinking about. But when she started focusing in on Helga and her needs then slowly, inch by careful inch, she could start the process. Neither one are there yet, obviously, but they will be.

P.S. Miriam's pep talk to Helga after spilling the beans about the crush was pretty much my favorite part of this whole one-shot. Absolutely brilliant, and exactly what Helga needed to hear. Especially after that guy was terrible to her at that dinner. Good on you, Miriam, good on you.

This is an amazing piece of literature. You perfectly capture the mindset of a person who finds their life slowly pouring down the drain, day by day, and makes an effort to do better.

The dinner scene was heart-wrenching and I love how you explain only what Miriam sees as opposed to going into full dialogue. It illustrates Miriam's experience of reality, only in short chunks, everything else blends together.

Lastly, I noticed you kept it a little open-ended. Clearly, Miriam loves her daughter, but she admits that she still needs to work at it. One little slip, one bad day, and she could easily go right back to wasting her life. Great work.

My goodness...What an incredible story.

I think that you captured the characters’ voices perfectly. That was a beautiful little piece. Ten minutes of my time well spent. Thank you.

I loved this! So many beautiful details and the unique point of view of Miriam. I also kept laughing at the different names she would think was Arnold's lol. This was perfect !

This is beautiful. I love the way you painted Miriam and Helga's relationship.

What a heartbreakingly beautiful story. This is the kind of fic that this community needs to produce more of. Poignant stories like this are infinitely more moving and meaningful than those cheesy, cliche-ridden highschool claptrap stories that are almost daily churned out by this fandom like a bowel movement. Thank you for writing something that actually feels like Hey Arnold, where the kids are still kids and all the characters are true to themselves.

I love this fanfic so much. The scene with that guy calling Helga ugly broke my heart :( I think Helga is rather pretty, she simply hides it imo. I loved seeing Helga, Arnold, and MIriam walk home together! What an adorable fic :D

this was so powerfull, perfect justo perfect

The fuck this is so good