Chapter 28

Dipper sat on the cold steel bench in the holding cell. Hands clasped together and looking down at the cracked concrete floor between his knees. Even his sighs reverberated with a metallic echo in the empty cell area, he was the only one incarcerated this day.

Wendy is going to be so disappointed in me. But Robbie…he threw the first punch, that jackass. But…Wendy used to like him. She…she used to say it made her happy to see us two, "her boys" get along.

And now I punched him in the face. Well serves him right for trying to sucker punch me! She'll be just as mad at him, if not more. And he's eighteen, and he punched me, a minor. That should count for something! Assault on a minor. Yeah! So that should make him hesitate to press charges against me! But…it's his word against mine. Except…Tambry was there! She was a witness! Maybe she will tell the police and tell Wendy what happened! She…Dipper sat up straight as he recalled events.

She kissed the window. It reminded me of when she kissed my forehead, and I touched my forehead to the kiss but…now that I think about it, she…maybe Wendy is right. Maybe she is like, trying to steal me? From Wendy?

Dipper smirked and stood up, and walked to the bars, holding them and putting his face against them looking at nothing in particular.

Tambry better not get any ideas. She is very cute, but she's not Wendy, not by a mile. He turned around and leaned against the bars.

Wendy…she dressed up the day after we kissed. Did she…did she do that for me? I hope she doesn't think she has to do that to try and be like Tambry. I love her the way she is. He smiled and slowly slid down the bars to sit down on the concrete floor.

She is awesome just the way she is. Those freckles. That hair. And those eyes…

He closed his eyes as he recalled their kisses. It doesn't matter where I am Wendy, I just think of you and I'm OK. Then he stopped smiling. He remembered her crying at the cemetery picnic. But…she's afraid! She needs me! She is never afraid of anything in this physical world, but she's afraid of heartache! Of losing me!

He stood up, determination on his face. I've got to get out of here! Don't worry Wendy, I'm coming!

…

A smiling and confident Mabel and a very worried Tambry walked back into the police station lobby. Worry turned to fear as she saw who had arrived, she would recognize those mud stained boots, jeans and green plaid anywhere. Stan was yelling at Wendy for leaving the shack.

Oh no! Wendy is here!

Then Wendy turned around when she heard the girls walk in the lobby. Stan covered his face with a palm. "Oh boy, here we go."

"You. What are you doing here?" Wendy was demanding, arms crossed. A sweat suit, at least she isn't dressing slutty this time!

Tambry looked at Mabel, who kept smiling, and gently pushed Tambry's arm towards the window.

"Tell them Tambry. Go ahead."

Wendy looked at Mabel with an almost betrayed face, mixed with confusion. Then she looked back at Tambry who swallowed and then answered.

"I'm here for the same reason as you. For him."

"Tambry…" Wendy slowly started marching towards Tambry, an angry frown and furrowed eyebrows making the rest of her thoughts clear.

But Mabel then stood in front of Tambry with her hands out front and stopped Wendy.

"Wendy! You don't know the whole story! Nobody does, but everyone needs to know the whole story! Show them Tambry!"

I knew it! They are hiding an affair! Wendy's eyes started tearing up as she became even more angry.

Tambry lifted up her phone. Wendy rolled her wet eyes and crossed her arms again but hurt emotion was plain in her voice as it nearly cracked.

"Oh come on Tambry, what's on your blog? That you love Dipper?"

"I…" Tambry swallowed again. "I do love him, but that is not what's on my blog!" and again she lifted up her phone, hand shaking with fear. Then Mabel stepped up to Wendy.

"Tambry is the one who can get Dipper out! She has the security video website that anyone can play back, and she also recorded it on her phone camera! She can text it to anyone!" Mabel turned again to Tambry. "Play it again Tambry!"

They walked right past Soos and Stan and up to the window, Mabel placing a fist on the counter. "Ma'am, we have a video as evidence from the clothing warehouse security camera. The manager gave us the password for the website so you can see what happened. I'll let the video speak for itself."

There was Tambry and Dipper talking. She pinched his cheek. As that scene replayed Wendy gritted her teeth and glared at Tambry, who smiled back but still with fear in her eyes. There was Robbie coming up behind Dipper, and then Dipper turning around. There was the argument and then Robbie pushing Dipper into Tambry. There was the sucker punch when Dipper wasn't looking. Dipper punching his nose and the whole scene played out until Robbie was splayed out on the ground stunned and knocked out.

…

"Dipper!" Mabel ran up to him as he came out of the locked security door, the officer putting the keys back in his pocket and closing the door from within. "He's free to go. But don't leave town."

She hugged her brother and he hugged her back, kissing the top of her head.

There was Wendy, staring at him, tears in her eyes. He ran to her and wrapped his arms around her.

"It's OK Wendy, I'm here. It's OK." But her arms remained at her side.

"Dipper...Dipper, I know."

"Know what?" he stood back from her still smiling but confused and his arms dropped to her hands, holding them and rubbing his thumbs over her unresponsive fingers.

"About you and Tambry."

His eyes went wide. "What? " he looked at Mabel. "Mabel, did you say something to her?"

"No broseph, cross my heart!" Mabel shook her head, and Dipper trusted her expression after years of growing up with his sister. He knew when she was hiding something or not. Her face held no lie.

Then he looked over and saw Tambry. When they made eye contact she smiled and ran up to him too. "Dipper!" She was going to hug him but then she slowed down and then stopped when she did not see her joy reflected in his eyes. His eyes...he wants me to stay away. He's mad at me! Her heart sank into a pit in her stomach.

Dipper turned to Wendy, still holding her hands. "Wendy, there is nothing going on between Tambry and me. She is a friend. But nothing more."

Now Tambry's eyes were watering and her lips trembled in a frown as she held her hands together as if praying. But Wendy pulled her own hands from Dippers.

"Tambry admitted she loves you."

Dipper looked at Tambry and then faced Wendy again. "Maybe she does. But I don't love her."

Wendy looked down, and Dipper could see a tear sparkling in the harsh xenon lighting of the police station lobby as it fell from her freckled face and splattered on the cold concrete floor. But then he gently lifted her face to look at him. He almost whispered.

"Wendy… don't you trust me?" and he smiled at her, his eyes still pleading but leaving his soul bare for her to see.

She looked into his dark brown eyes and remembered the picnic. She stared and saw the same thing she had always seen, since they became lovers, even before, since they became friends. Slowly the smallest hint of a smile appeared, tears still trailing down both freckled cheeks. A short giggle escaped from her lips.

She reached back to him and held his hands and looked back up at him. Then she hiccuped. Dipper chuckled. She giggled again. And hiccuped again. Then they both started chuckling, then laughing, then Wendy laughed out loud, her face up to the ceiling, eyes closed with tears on her face, looking almost crazy. She looked back down at him again as they fell into each others arms and hugged, Dipper kissing her cheek, kissing every tear.

Then she leaned back from the hug and looked at him, smiling.

"Dork."