Chapter 6

Everything is gonna be OK. Daddy is holding me in his strong arms. I'm safe. I'm loved.

She turned to the side and snuggled against his chest, and reached for his arms to hold him back,

His strong noodle arms. NOODLE?

Wendy opened her eyes and looked down at the small arms that were holding her. Then she turned to look behind her.

"Are you OK Wendy? Did you hit your head?" The Pines boy had a strong blush in his cheeks. To the side was Mabel, smiling. She looked back at the boy.

"Dip…Dipper?" She held up a hand to rub the back of her head.

She had been sitting with her back to Dipper, both of them sitting on the floor behind the counter, with him leaning against the back wall.

I…woke up in his arms? How did I wake up in his arms?

What happened? She stood up, and as he loosened his arms from around her he stood up too, glancing at his sister and then with head down but eyes looking up he asked Wendy again, playing with his hands.

"You fainted. I think I saw you hit your head against the chair as you collapsed. Is your head OK?"

"Uh yeah man." There was a faint squawking from the cell phone on the floor. Wendy picked it up.

"Janice? Are you still there?"

"Yes sweetie, are you OK? I heard a loud clanking noise then I heard people shouting."

"Uh yeah, I dropped the phone, sorry."

"Why don't you come over dearie and we'll talk."

"Thanks. I'd appreciate that. Be over in a few."

…

The gravel crunched under her boots as Wendy walked down the road towards the Valentino Funeral Home, a twin on each side of her. The siblings were afraid she may faint again and so kept close to her just in case. It was silent for the first quarter mile.

I kinda… wanna ask him why he…how did he come to …well…I guess he was just trying to revive me…but…I wonder what he thinks about me trying to snuggle with him before I woke up? She couldn't look Dipper in the eyes. And Dipper could tell something was wrong, something more than had ever happened before.

She is afraid…I have never seen her afraid of anything…but I guess the news, this kind of a big shock has made her…become afraid of …hoping?

Then Mabel broke the silence.

"Wendy, this is…great news! Isn't it?"

Wendy kept walking and kicked a stone. Then she gave a big sigh.

"It explains a lot. But…I thought she died from blood loss."

Dipper reached out and held Wendy's hand, gently and firmly. She let him hold her hand.

"Wendy…blood loss can cause…brain damage. She may be alive, but your mom…"

"I know. She may not be there anymore. Brain dead. A…vegetable."

Silence returned as the trio walked down the road.

But ever hopeful Mabel didn't give up. A few minutes later she chimed in again.

"But people wake up from comas sometimes don't they? Even after years, huh?"

Dipper smiled at his sister and nodded.

"Yeah, sometimes."

Wendy kept looking at the ground as she walked but agreed.

"Sometimes."

Why did dad tell us that she was gone? Why didn't he ever take us to visit her? Why didn't…

Now she kicked a particularly large stone for a good thirty or forty yards.

Dipper let go of her hand as she put her whole body into that kick. Then she clenched her fists, arms straight down and with eyes closed tightly she looked up and yelled.

"WHHHHHHHYYYYYYYYY? AHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The twins looked at one another and kept walking. Again Mabel spoke up.

"That's it Wendy, let it out!"

Then Dipper braved her anger.

"Wendy, maybe Mrs. Valentino can answer why. She seems to know what happened. Maybe she will tell you what your dad was afraid to say."

Wendy looked at Dipper with clenched teeth.

"My dad isn't afraid of ANYTHING."

"Sorry Wendy! I mean well…not afraid but…he …uh…"

Wendy's look softened, then she gently touched his shoulder.

"It's OK man, I know what you mean. Sorry about that."

He smiled. "That's OK Wendy, you are going through a lot right now, it's a lot to take in and…I understand. It's OK."

He is so understanding and mature for being twelve! I'm lucky to have him as a friend. Him …and Mabel.

…

The trio arrived at the funeral home, and Janice was on the porch waiting for them.

"Hello Wendy, hi kids! Come on in, I have hot tea, iced tea, lemonade and spaghetti with meatballs! Or would you prefer an antipasto salad?"

The twins were drooling.

"All of the above please!"

"Haha! Fine, all it is!" Then Janice Valentino looked up from the kids back at Wendy. "Food is one of the best things in life! It's good to be alive, isn't it?"

Wendy smiled, then frowned as she looked down. "Yeah, if you can call it living."

Janice took Wendy's hand. "Oh I know dearie, she hasn't been able to talk to you, but…"and she pulled Wendy over to the table and sat her down in one of the colonial wooden chairs, and sat down next to her. "…but she is still your mom. " And she patted her hand and smiled, trying to encourage her.

Mabel brought over a plate of spaghetti . "Why thank you Mabel. You're such a big helper!"

"Well after you had me bring Robbie spaghetti last time I learned where everything was in the kitchen."

"Thank you sweetie. Now go ahead and serve yourself, and your brother."

Dipper and Mabel were by the stove, negotiating how many meatballs to put on Dipper's plate, as Janice continued, but now in a lowered, almost hushed voice, and still holding Wendy's hand.

"You're lucky to have such good friends."

Wendy looked over at the twins by the stove and smiled.

"Yeah, they are amazing. It was Dipper who searched everywhere for my mom…"

"Really? Well, he was a baby too when Josh was born, so he never got a chance to know your mother. But you did."

Wendy looked down and sighed. "I kinda remember her but…I missed her soooo much, and never got to talk to her…during the most important part of my life, growing up was…well, you know my family."

"Yes sweetie, I do, and they did the right thing you know."

Wendy stood up, angry, the chair sliding back with a squeak, the clenched jaw and clenched hands returning. The twins stopped talking and looked back at her.

"The right thing by never letting me see my mom? By not telling me the truth? NO! IT WASN'T RIGHT!"

Janice reached out and reclaimed Wendy's hand, and gently but firmly pulled her back down to the chair.

"Oh sweetie, when we lose someone, they would want us to move on with our lives, to live! They would not want us mourning forever, crying our life away. Your mom would be proud that her family moved on and lived life, even if it was without her. Believe me, I knew your mom and she would have."

The twins brought salad and spaghetti to the table, and sitting down started eating. Janice got up and walked to the fridge. "What would you like to drink? Iced tea? Lemonade? Pitt Cola? Martini?" The last she said with a smile and a wink.

Wendy thought about it. "Yeah, a martini. A double. I could really use it right now."

Without hesitation Janice walked to the living room and slid open a polished wooden panel in front of one of the bureaus. Inside was a liquor cabinet. She actually made the drink!

The twins were agape as they watched Mrs. Valentino walk back to the kitchen and serve a fifteen year old a drink. Dipper almost choked on a noodle.

"There are times in a girl's life when she needs a good stiff drink, and this is one of them." And with that Janice placed the crystal tumbler glass in front of the redhead. Wendy picked it up without hesitation, and took a large gulp.

"Oh no! Sip it sweetie! Sip it!"

Wendy slammed the tumbler down on the table, and coughed and choked, her eyes watering and cheeks flushed as the alcohol burned her throat. She could feel the booze warm her tummy as she regained her breath and composure.

"Wow! Hooboy."

"There. OK now?"

Wendy nodded at Janice.

"Yeah, I think so." She coughed again.

Janice cleared her throat and returned to the subject.

"Ah-hem. Now, eat your spaghetti, you shouldn't drink on an empty stomach. Now let's see…where should we begin? What do you want to know first? What did your father tell you?"

Wendy looked at Janice with incredulity. She had just put a big meatball in her mouth.

"Ummm, you tolmmmeeee doo eat." (munch, gulp)

"Don't talk with your mouth full sweetie."

Wendy rolled her eyes. Then Janice laughed.

"Haha! You see? That is what it would have been like with your mom. Teenagers hate their parents. Believe me, I know. Now, your mother was beautiful, and had amazing patience…"