Chapter 13

The next morning the rain clouds had cleared, finished with their mild sprinkling and as always the Oregon landscape responded with greener ferns, fresh pine scent and an earthy smell from the mud.

Wendy's alarm was still a few minutes from going off but a small sunbeam found a gap in her curtains, and gently woke her as it shined good morning in her eyes. She smiled, the rose in her cheeks unable to hide a few delicate freckles sprinkled with an almost artistic flare across the bridge of her upturned nose and her cheeks.

She woke up still smiling and then closed her eyes briefly, snuggling the pillow. She felt well rested and cozy, and just knew today was going to be a happy day. She opened her eyes and saw everything differently now.

She threw off the blankets and hopped out of bed, and swaying to the closet began humming a chipper tune.

Her gaze skipped right over her usual plaid shirts and jeans, and scooted over her hangers in the closet, and looked at her girly clothes: dresses and tops and other things she hadn't worn in a while.

She picked out a fuzzy teal dress with a turtleneck and some shiny silver-black leggings to go with it, and a sliver scarf with thin red stripes and a matching knit beanie. Then in the back she pulled out some knee high black leather boots.

If this doesn't keep me warm, he will!

She made a pit stop at the bathroom and then went to the kitchen for breakfast.

"Whoa, hate to tell you sis but your attempt to look special failed."

"Shut up twerp."

She wanted to eat breakfast at home so she could then brush her teeth and make sure she looked kiss-ably irresistible to Dipper. After making French toast in record time, and stealing a strip of her brother's bacon and then back to the bathroom to brush and apply a little makeup, then flew past the kitchen so as to pre-empt any more comments from the Neanderthals that were somehow impossibly related to her.

Dipper is so smart, finally someone I can have interesting and fun conversations with…well…we always had that! But now…now I can appreciate it even more, being his girl. Wow, I like the sound of that! HIS girl…

She almost skipped to the shack. Ha! I haven't skipped since 4th grade. What's come over me? Is Dipper mature or am I getting younger?

She looked up at the birds fluttering between the pine trees, and then looked down and noticed that even the tiniest little flowers were sprinkled with dew, drinking in the last nights rain, and growing, almost shouting to the sun, feed me!

She smiled at the amazing place she lived in, the place she used to think was boring to death was now full of life and nature and colors and…wonder. She giggled.

…

Mabel was already downstairs, eating toast in the shack gift store so she could talk to Wendy before Dipper, who was still asleep.

Wendy always dated older guys, or at least guys the same age. But even though they were older they never lasted. My brother has got to be the youngest guy she ever kissed, so it will probably last shorter than all of them! He was on cloud nine last night but today she'll rain on his parade, and when she does I'm gonna give her a piece of Mabel mind!

The entry door chimed, and to Mabel's surprise in walked a Wendy she had not seen before. Black boots stepping loudly on the wooden floor in a sultry strut as she swiveled around like she was on a catwalk to turn around and close the door. Then swiveling on heel again to strut behind the counter, hips, arms, legs and hair all poetry in motion.

"Oh my gaw…Wendy?"

"Hi Mabel." Wendy was smiling as she always did, but…a smile with lipstick, eye shadow, flirty eyelashes and a figure hugging cotton dress with tight leggings and…Well! This is a different Wendy!

Even when she went out with Robbie she never looked this girly!

"Uh…hi! Wow, you look really nice today. What's the occasion?"

"No occasion. I just wanted to dress…warm…after the rain last night."

"Wow, well, you sure look warm all right, downright HOT actually haha! Uh…does my brother have anything to do with this?" and she wiggled her famous Mabel eyebrows.

"Haha! Well maybe a little bit. But no need to get all dramatic about it. I mean, Dipper and I have known each other for over two years now, so what's the big deal?" and she sat down, crossing her legs.

Mabel pulled up a stool across the counter from Wendy as she sat down behind the register, and looking both ways then lowered her voice into gossip mode.

"So it's true? You and my brother are…like together? Bf and gf?"

Wendy laughed up at the ceiling with eyes closed.

"Haha…well…" I've got nothing to hide. My family already knows, so…"Yeah. Bf and gf haha!"

"Wendy, is this for real? You're not like…"

"Mabel…" Wendy leaned forward and folded her arms across the counter, looking Mabel in the eye.

"Mabel, I love him. I'm in love with him. I can't help it." She leaned back in the chair, hands behind her head."Feel better?" and she gave a friendly smile.

"Ohmygaw ohmygaw ohmygaw like…you could become my sister-in-law!" Mabel was blushing and gushing, eyes wide and her hands on her cheeks.

"Haha! Oh my gaw Mabel, slow down! He's only 14 and I'm not legal yet either!" But she was still smiling. "We'll just pretend, ok? Sis?" and she reached over and held Mabel's hand and gave it a squeeze.

"Wow Wendy this is amazing. I can't believe it! What…what changed your mind after the past couple of years? Dipper has got to be on cloud nine!"

"Yeah well I'm on the same cloud." And she leaned back smiling. She started talking as Mabel paid rapt attention, her face on her hands leaning on the counter.

"Dipper and I always had a lot in common. And I always admired the way he thought about things, and his good manners and well…but sometimes he can be such a guy, but also…he can be such…such a man." And her eyes gazed up unfocused as if recalling last night, and she licked her lips. "He's...grown...a lot."

"Wow! So like, when did you know it was love?"

"Well it had been knocking on my heart's door for a while but I was in denial, the dreams were trying to tell me…and then…last night I…I couldn't fight it anymore. He was so irresistible…I…I kissed him. And well…the rest is history." Then she stopped and stood up, and Mabel could tell it must have been because Dipper was coming down stairs.

Mabel could tell because suddenly she felt like Wendy didn't know she was there anymore, like there was no one in the room except Dipper and Wendy. She turned around and sure enough there he was, her brother wearing dark blue cotton pajama pants with green pine trees…and nothing else. He was rubbing his eyes.

"Wendy!"

"Dipper."

Wendy walked from behind the counter past Mabel as her brother jumped down the last three steps of stairs landing with a THUD and then standing up from his landing crouch, slowly walked to meet Wendy halfway.

Mabel watched in elation with an ear to ear smile. This is WAY better than any RomCom, LIVE romance right in front of my eyes! Just LOOK at the fireworks! Haha!

"Dipper."

"Wendy." They looked at each others lips and then eyes as they came closer together.

They hugged and then kissed with eyes closed. A brief kiss that then broke as the lovers both turned to look at Mabel and then looked at each other in silent agreement.

Oh my gaw they have their own lingo just like Dipper and my twintalk! Mabel's mind was overloaded watching the two.

"Uh, let me get dressed Wendy, I'll be right back."

"Kay man." And she blew him a kiss as he turned around.

Well that makes it official! I've seen it with my own eyes.

"Wow, you guys really do have a thing for each other!"

"Believe me now?"

"Yeah but Wendy…"

"Yeah buddy? I mean…sis?" and she smiled as she said it.

"You don't exactly have what I would call…an endurance record with guys. My brother…"

"Your brother's heart is in good hands Mabel. He'll probably break up with me before I break up with him. I'm his first. He'll…" and now Wendy looked down at the floor with sad eyes.

Then she looked back up, with a brief smile that then vanished.

"Look Mabel, I have shopped around and I know, I know that he is the one I want. But he…he has nothing to compare me to, and when he discovers there are other fish in the sea…well…I'll be old news."

And her eyes began watering. "Damn it. First time in ages I put on makeup and now…snif"

Mabel's heart went out to Wendy as she watched the redhead look up and delicately try to wipe away the tears without smudging mascara. What she says makes sense.

"I'm sorry Wendy. Sorry for doubting your intentions. I hope you guys are together for like, forever!" and she hugged Wendy, and Wendy hugged her back.

"Thanks buddy. I mean…snif…sis…snif."