Chapter 3

As they followed the nurse down the hallway Wendy knew this was the same place, but…the sterile white walls had been repainted with gay colors, yellows and springtime greens and light browns, sky blues and…oh crap. Why? Clown paintings? Seriously?

She cringed as the Nurse spoke.

"Now here is our showcase room. Normally it would be personalized with pictures of the kids and grand kids, bowling trophy's and whatnot, but it still gives you an idea of the open and airy setting that anyone can enjoy, no matter what age…" Dipper interrupted her.

"Excuse me, but uh…can you show us where…the maternity ward use to be?"

The nurse was taken aback. "Why, what do you mean young man?"

Wendy picked up on his train of thought.

"Uh yeah, the maternity ward. We know this used to be a hospital and we uh…we need plenty of space for his Grunkle Stan, so we were hoping that it was converted too. He has lots of hobbies."

The nurse raised an eyebrow. "Well, we didn't. It is…off limits. That part of the hospital was deemed…unsafe. Unsafe for the elderly I mean. No visits there. Sorry."

And the nurse then turned to the left at a hallway intersection. As Wendy looked to the left and then to the right of the intersecting hallway a cold wave of goosebumps shocked her skin to her bones. She froze.

Suddenly she flash backed eight long years…

Running next to the stretcher, holding her mother's hand as the paramedics wheeled her down the hall to the maternity ward. Her father asking Why does she look so pale? Mother? Mother? Father telling her to stay with her brothers outside the room. Another nurse walking her back to the waiting room…Mother? The nurse keeping her in the waiting room when she tried to leave…the… NURSE.

"Wait!" Wendy made them stop. She had a way with her commanding voice, picked up after years of ordering her brothers around. The nurse and Dipper waited. Wendy walked up to the nurse and stared.

Now the nurse began to look nervous again. "Young lady, are you…".

"It was YOU."

"Me? What? What are you talking about?"

Of course she won't remember. Of course…Wendy softened her face. She looked down and shut her eyes, and forced herself to regain composure, to regain control in the present. She looked back up and smiled.

"Do you know if…it was this way? It was, wasn't it? To the right?"

Now the nurse relaxed a little, her eyelids narrowing.

"Young lady, we are NOT going that way! It is off limits! Why, I could get fired for taking you there!"

Wendy glanced at Dipper and he nodded.

"OK ma'am, we understand. Thanks for the tour. Can you show us the cafeteria now?"

The nurse looked relieved. "Certainly. Come this way."

Wendy looked once more down the forbidden hallway, memorizing every corner, every door, and remembering…

…

Dipper and Wendy left the entrance with a guest home brochure, and a plan. Dipper's brows were furrowed in thought as they walked away.

"She must have wanted to keep people away from there for a reason. Maybe…like the store…"

"I know where it is now Dipper. The maternity ward. It was on the East side of the hospital. There was a separate door on that side from the main emergency entrance where the new mothers would be pushed in wheelchairs to their cars."

Dipper nodded as he and Wendy glanced back at the entrance. He spoke as he turned to face forward.

"Keep going. She is still watching us."

Wendy nodded. "Let's come back on the other side."

"Wendy, we should come back later, when we work out the details…"

Wendy growled but kept walking. "I want to go back NOW."

"Wendy, if they find out we want to poke around there they will be on their guard. We only have one chance to catch them by surprise. Besides, if they are around when we are too then… well…we may not find what we're looking for."

"What are we looking for Dipper?"

"I don't know exactly but…some kind of…sign. A clue that maybe…your mom is…" He looked up and cringed as he said it, not wanting to hurt her feelings.
"is…haunting…the place."

Wendy turned suddenly, long red hair whipping behind her and looked at him, with worried eyebrows. Then she looked down at the ground. Then she grinned. She looked back to him.

"It's a chance."

Dipper smiled back.

"Yeah. It's a good chance."

…

The Shack Attic was all abuzz that night.

"Ooooh that sounds great guys! Thanks for asking for our help. No offense Wendy but you just don't wear makeup enough to know…"

"Yeah yeah OK I get you. But no blabbing about this to anyone, got it?"

"Cross my heart Wendy!"

The redhead looked menacingly at Candy and Grenda.

"You too! Swear it! Not a word!"

Candy backed up from Wendy's glare but smiled.

"No words from me about this makeover hee hee!"

And Grenda looked up to the ceiling with fierce determination, her hand making a cross over her heart.

"And I swear too, DAMN IT!" Wendy was relieved that Grenda kept the swearing to "damn".

Then Mabel stepped up. "Now sit down Wen. Dipper, you too! Team Mabel-Makeup is gonna work our magic! Girls: I'll be right back, gotta go visit Stan's…dirty laundry…"

Wendy and Dipper looked at each other with very worried faces.