Mabel's school days seemed to drag on longer and longer. She swore that the clock in homeroom tocked backwards sometimes. Yet the days always seemed to find their ends.
She spied her dad's station wagon rolling up and wasted no time getting in, ready to get home. To change into jammies and flick on an old western, and sneak in some texts with Dipper. A.k.a. Penny Groves, as he's saved in her text app contacts.
Just two more days ol girl. That's just 48 hours. Or 24 hours two times. Or-or 12 hours four times. 2880 minutes. 172800 seconds. 172799...172798...
"So your mother says you don't want a lemon cake this year?" Her dad adjusted his rearview mirror to get a better look at her.
"Nah, I just want some variety cupcakes this year. Nothing too fancy."
"It's your birthday Mabel. And your idea of fancy isn't exactly pricey."
"You just have to make super sure it's the ones with rings, not those hard candy decoration ones. I mean, what would you rather have on your cupcake? Candy or baubles?" Mabel wiggled her costume jewelry adorned fingers. "You can't just get these babies anywhere."
"Oh, I see. So it's kind of a supply and demand thing?" Her dad piqued, flashing her a grin from the rear-view mirror.
She snapped her fingers. "Exactly!"
"So, your mom and I were thinking, this Christmas break, we should go to our cabin in Washington. We could go fly fishing, and ice fishing, and bass fishing-"
"What about the Christmas party?" Mabel asked, masking her distress. That was the one time of year they actually acknowledge Dipper's existence. He was allowed to come over and for one brutally tense day, everything seemed almost normal. Not that it really mattered much what her mom and dad were going to do for Winter break anyways. She was outta here in oh about...172547 seconds.
"We can always throw it next year. We haven't been to the cabin in ages." Her father loved camping out with them in that dusty hovel. Mabel and Dipper had to squeeze in the single wide pull-out matress every night. That is, only until their parents fell asleep. Then they'd scuttle off to the porch and watch the unpolluted sky.
The stars had never been brighter than in those stolen moments. They'd gazed up with open mouths till their necks ached. Dipper pointed out the dozen or so constellations he knew.
That's Orion's belt. See the line of stars? That's how you find it.
"Don't you remember how much fun you two-...you used to have sliding down the wood banisters? I remember the time you caught the end of the rug and skid to a grinding halt in the kitchen doorframe. With your forhead." He chuckled, coughing a bit. He cranked the heat up with a shiver.
She remembered that. Dipper had ran over to her so fast, you'd think she was in the trenches of war the way he cooed over her. He had always been so worrysome with her. Mabel, don't forget to look both ways. Mabes, always swing the bathroom door all the way to the wall. A creep could be hiding behind it. Sis, stop competitive hot dog eating please. Yes-yes, you're a prodigy child. A prodigy child with a ripped stomach lining, that's why we're en route to the emergency room.
Mabel laughed, it was like all she had of her brother was stolen words and nostalgia. And this wooden ring on her finger. She twined it around and around, admiring its worn texture. I like wood jewelry. Dipper would say. It rots with me. Dies as I die.
They finally pulled into the driveway, closing the garage door behind them. Mabel threw her bag over her shoulders, thanking her dad for the ride before scurrying off to her room. She closed the door and dropped her things, kicking her shoes into the wall with a loud smack. She shimmied out of her patchy jeans, dragging on her favorite sweatpants. Grey with pink sheep dancing in the clouds.
Before she could even get her phone out it pinged twice.
i bet ur home
u little shit
Mabel bit down the grin forming. She looked around like Magnum P.I., checking the clear coast before clicking away a response.
yessir soooo how was ur day brobruhsephino
boring, got to watch kpax in psychology tho.
oh classic. keanu reeves. hmmm i still eat bananas whole
stop it. he did that because he was an alien yanno. not for weird ironic aesthetics. but anyways,hows the folks
He asked the same thing everyday. How's the folks? How's Dad? Do they mention me at all? Of course not, Dipper. Same old same old.
good. mom doesnt check my messages. as often
Mabel paused, listening in as the garage door cranked open and her mom pulled up. She'd have to make the convo quick. Their dog barked at the door and her father yelled for him to hush. Her parents decided to get a dog after they threw her brother out. Like some crude replacement. Dipper was allergic to dogs, but with him gone that was no issue. She'd always wanted one. But she wanted her brother back more.
stan doesnt hover
She sighed. Wishing it was the same way here. She couldn't frown without her mother snapping 'What's with the face?' or 'chin up.' Wow, thanks mom. Chin up. Like a bandaid she'd slap on an open heart patient. Take two of these and call me in the morning. Even her dad, after all this time, skirted around Mabel's obvious depression.
'Aw, turn that frown upside down, honeybuns.' Give me my brother back.
'It's for your own good, we love you.' Give him back.
'You'll make new friends.' My brother...I just want my goddamn brother...
are we really going to do this dip?
do you not want to?
dont ask that. du hoy i wanna like right now even. but...yanno...
"Mabel, come help me unload these groceries! I got something um nummy for dinner tonight!" Her mother called out from the den.
Mabel typed her response quickly, shouting back to her mom. "Yes ma'am! Just a sec! I'm changing!"
its just big, the move and all. i played tetris with all my dang possessions to fit it in 'incognito bags'
Mabel tucked her phone away underneath her pillow, dashing off to assist her mom. She slipped on bedroom slippers by the door and strolled over to the bed of her mother's truck. "Well how was school today sweetie?" She piqued.
Her mother grunted, hefting up paper bagged groceries. Mabel snagged almost all the plastic bags in one go. " Slow. Art was fun though. How was work?" Same thing everyday. Every single day.
They walked to the kitchen together, putting everything away before returning for the rest. "Well, it was work. Can you believe that Mr. Sander's fellow I told you about, he brought store brand cookies to the bake-sale? I stayed up till 2 am making my blondies. Chump. I tell ya." She flicked hair behind her shoulder with a scoff. "Store bought cookies..."
"Bunch of chumps, ma." Mabel affirmed, hugging her mother longer than usual.
She didn't seem to notice, choosing to stroke Mabel's hair down her back. "Thanks for your assistance, go finish up your school work and you can help me with dinner. It's stuffed manacotti tonight." Fucking score. Mabel's favorite.
"Not a problemo mi madre." She gave her mother a pilot's salute before scurrying back to the safe alcove of her room. It strained her, more than often here lately, to act so normal. Like life was completely the same without Dipper here.
Dipper had been a problem, a kink in the system, and he had to be removed. So that's what they did. They'd shipped him off like bad fruit to the garbage. It made her stomah curdle at the thought. They never even said his name anymore. As if he never even existed. Her twin. The person she shared a womb with. The person who kissed her scabby knees and went on dangerous escapades with her. The one who was just there. Her other half. And horribly enough...her lover.
A muffled ping sounded from beneath her pillow. A new message from Dipper.
then dont worry
what if stan kicks u out?
Then they would literally have nowhere else to go. Not even a car to sleep in. Because there's no way her parents would take her in again, let alone both of them. She felt oddly powerful, having such a life changing decision on its merry way. It was all a bit surreal. After two more days, she would never see her parents again. Like trading one loneliness for another.
What had Bill told them? Pick your poison.
then i break my piggy bank
bruh how much?
like 1400 ish
Well, that's higher than she had guessed. But lower than she'd hoped for. 1400 wasn't that much in the grand scheme of things. At least he's trying. She had maybe 200 saved, that was including her change jar. Pennies and all.
She heard her mom shuffling through pots and pans, cursing when some clattered on the kitchen floor.
frugal i see. alright. two more days dipper
two mo days sis. make sure to delete these
duh. i love you
i love you too itll all come together just like we said
Would it? Just like that? Some scattered puzzle pieces just waiting to be put back together, seamlessly. Finishing the bigger image in a way that was so far better than they could ever hope for.
This could all work, and in just two days, she'd be fast asleep curled in her brother's arms. Draped across his chest with naught a care in the world, a little puddle of drool gathering under her cheek. He'd wake her up with kisses at 4 in the morning and they'd be out the door before the sun even brushed past the mountains.
Or this could go about as well as a haircut in the dark. A choppy, hairy cluster fuck of a failure. Mabel knew it wasn't too late to get cold feet. Call a rain check on this whole plan. Though, she doubted her brother would survive another blow like that. God, would she?
i know
