Chapter 9
After the last tourist left for the day, Dipper walked over to the counter. Wendy was ready. No problem, thanks to all those dumb tourists for making me forget about Dipper a while. She had watched him outside picking up trash, not to watch him bend over, but just to see if any more buses or cars pulled up, that's all.
"Hey Dipper."
"Hi! Uh, Wendy…before you clock out I was just wondering…" he looked to the side rubbing his neck. He's so adorable when he does that.
"Yeah? What?"
"Well uh, I got The Exorcist and was think…"
"No WAY! I would love to see old Barbie head haha!"
Dipper looked up smiling but confused. "Barbie head?"
"Oh yeah, I used to…" Now it was Wendy's turn to look to the side, playing with her hair.
"I used to have a Barbie doll and twist her head around. When I saw Exorcist it reminded me of Barbie and I was like the only one laughing, everyone else thought I was crazy."
"Haha! Oh man, we'll have some great laughs over that flick for sure! Uh, that is, if you want to…"
"Sure man! But uh…let's make it your place this time, kay? Just so, you know…"
"Yeah, I know…no crazy stuff happens. Don't worry Wendy, I understand how things are, and I…I want us to stay friends too, I don't want any more misunderstandings." And he stood up tall, smiling. "Thanks Wendy. Come over whenever you want."
"Kay man. "
…
Wendy was humming a tune as she walked home. What should I wear? Dipper shares his room with Mabel, what if she is there too? Bah, what does it matter? Why should I care if she's there or not? But…she'll be so nosy, she'll be watching us all night. I should…I should call Dipper and tell him my place, then I won't have to share…I mean, we won't have to share the bedroom with Mabel, nosy little squirt.
She used speed dial on her phone and called him.
"Hi Wendy!"
"Hey man, I changed my mind, how about you come over to my place and we watch it there? Mabel…well watching at your place might be a …"
"I totally get it, and yeah, let's. Sounds great! I'll see you tonight."
"Kay man, see ya."
There! That will get Mabel outta the way. Not that I care.
She walked into her front door.
…
"WENDY! I'm starving, get dinner going!"
"But dad, I have to get ready…"
"ARRRRGHHH! DINNER!" and her brothers lined up behind her dad.
"Yeah! We're hungry too!"
"OK, OK! Sheesh. How come you guys are home so early today anyway?"
"We had to start early. We've already put in 10 hours, and we worked up an appetite. Three bacon cheeseburgers for me!"
"And two for me!"
"and me!"
"and me!"
"OK, OK hold your horses!"
Wendy got out the ground beef and bacon and then the pots and pans. By the time dinner's over and I do the dang dishes it'll start getting late.
…
Dipper looked in the mirror one last time. It's about time I head over there. He had changed out of his work clothes and put on a clean pair of blue jeans, and in case her dad was there, he decided to try and fit in with a long sleeve brown and red plaid shirt, and mountain boots. He kept the top two buttons unbuttoned to try and show off his chest hairs. I'm up to seven now! He rubbed them up so they would stand out. He had shaved but his hair still refused to stay combed. Oh well, the hat will keep it all outta sight. With a nervous exhale he stepped out.
The stars were starting to come out. A good omen! I think…even though we're…we're not a thing, tonight will be really fun. I never knew she had a Barbie. As he knocked on the Corduroy home door he could hear pots, pans and other kitchen noises. The door was opened by her youngest brother.
"Oh hey Dipper! Come in, but she's busy. You wanna play video games with me?"
"Oh, thanks but…uh..no. I'll just talk to Wendy."
"Well she's busy."
Dipper ignored him and walked to the kitchen. Wendy was in front of the sink with her hair tied up in a casual bun, her sleeves rolled up and a few beads of sweat on her forehead as she washed the dishes in hot water, wearing yellow latex gloves.
"Hey Wendy!"
She turned around in surprise. "Dipper! Oh man, I lost track of time. I had to cook dinner and still have to do the dishes. I'll just be a few minutes, please wait in the living room, kay?" Crap, I must look like a mess! Why did he have to come over now! I'm not ready!
"It'll get finished faster if I help." He rolled up his sleeves and grabbed a dishtowel and started drying the washed ones.
Wendy smiled. "Wow, thanks Dipper! That's…real nice of you." He smiled back. "We'll, I got ulterior motives you know…" and his smile made her nervous. She got butterflies in her stomach all of sudden.
"Ul…terior…motives? Uh…like…"
"Like I wanna watch old Barbie head haha!"
"Haha! Oh yeah, me too!" She flicked a strand of hair from her face and tried not to think about how stinky she might smell at the moment.
"Dipper, what're you doing? Dishes are for girls." Her younger brother had a grimace.
"Says who? I can help with the dishes if I want to. Besides, how do bachelors do the dishes? Someone's got to do them." And he turned and smiled at Wendy.
"Thanks Dipper. You're…you're a real gentleman."
She saw him blush. "Aw, it's nothing, I help Mabel with the dishes all the time."
Wow, he is really mature compared to the other guys I know.
…
As soon as the last glass was cleaned Wendy dashed out of the kitchen.
"I gotta change Dipper, mind hanging out in the living room for a while? I can give you something to fight off the Corduroy hordes haha! Need a broom or something?"
"Haha! Naw I'm good, I'm good."
"Kay, see you in a few."
She ran into the bathroom and turned on the shower, and got undressed as the water warmed up.
As she shampooed her hair she was humming a tune again. Wow, what a guy, helping with the dishes, and he said he helps Mabel too, like he does it on a regular basis, not just today to impress me. Wait, why would he want to impress me? Wait, why would I think he should try and impress me? It isn't like we're…a thing.
She lathered up with body wash, and for a moment imagined Dipper's hands on her, hugging her.
Whoa Wendy ol gal, don't go there. He's…he's just a kid. But…I'm not 18 either…but I am older…but he's…he is kinda mature for his age and kinda older too…definitely not the kid he was when we first met. He's…a young man now…isn't he? Developing quite nice actually. And she kept rubbing herself as she lathered up the body wash…
Relaxed from the hot shower and feeling clean as she wrapped a towel around her hair and another around her body, she realized she didn't bring any clothes with her into the bathroom. Crap. Gotta make a run for it.
She opened the bathroom door a crack and didn't see anyone in the hallway, but could hear Dipper and her brothers cheering on the video game. She opened it up and stepped out getting ready to dash to her bedroom, but as she did so her wet feet slipped on the hardwood floor.
THUMP!
"OW!"
"What happened? Wendy are you OK?"
Oh no! Wendy was on her butt, the towel had ridden up her thighs and almost but not quite revealing her privates.
"Uh yeah. I'm ok just slipped. I'm such a dork. Go back to the game." She got up quickly and ran to her bedroom, but not before Dipper caught a glance of her towel peeling away in back revealing her pale smooth derrière jiggling as she ran.
WOW.
Her bedroom door slammed shut. Dipper was frozen there in the hallway, staring at nothing now but the fleeting memory of perfection.
WOW.