AN: Well Ladies and Gents you have stayed with me till chapter 9 *tosses confetti* THANK YOU! Welcome to the anti-climactic climax! Please enjoy, and prepare for another FLASH BACK!
Lizzy's party was going fine. There had been no major arguments, someone had brought up politics but that was quelled with a death glance frome LeAnn, and everyone was enjoying themselves. Stan was discussing taxidermy with LeAnn's father-in-law and completely ignoring Deb and Kat was occupied with LeAnn's younger children. Dipper, Mabel, and Lizzy were camped out underneath the kitchen table exchanging adventure stories from the Mystery Shack and testing out Lizzy's constellation globe she had just gotten.
"So, I was building a fort in Grandpa Stan's backyard last year and I went inside to get some water and more duct tape and when I come back out there is a cow in my fort except," Lizzy said fiddling with the constellation globe looking for Sagittarius then pausing mid-story "Hold on a second I need to check something."
She then popped her head out from underneath the bright blue table clothe they were under and looked around for a few moments then popped back in grinning.
"My Grandma just came in the kitchen, when she and my mom are alone they say really interesting stuff, lets listen!" She whispered quickly.
"Enjoying the party Mom?" LeAnn's voice said chipperly they could hear the sound of running water as she washed her hands.
"Fine, I suppose," the voice of Deb sounded cooly setting something down on the cabinet top then began speaking again tentatively "It would be better if certain people had been left off the guest list."
There was a dull thump as though a towel had been thrown on the counter.
"Mom stop it, Lizzy wanted to see her Grandpa for her birthday." LeAnn said frustrated.
"I don't have a problem with Stan bein here so much as I have a problem with his bringing his and that hippie floozie's love child with him." Deb said in disgust.
It was quiet for a long while before LeAnn replied.
"Mom," she said slowly "You know that Kat was born long after you and Dad split, now I would appreciate it if you dropped it."
Two sets of foot steps left the kitchen. Lizzy then turned confused to Dipper and Mabel.
"Well that was not what I was expecting" She said resuming her hunt for Sagittarius with much less fervor.
The party went well for the rest of the afternoon and before long Dipper, Stan, Kat, and Mabel were loaded up into the car heading back to the Shack. Dipper and Mabel had been mildly confused since they had eavesdropped on LeAnn and Deb, they had no idea what Deb had meant by 'love child' and their curiosity was getting the better of them.
"Hey, Kat?" Mabel called up to her.
"Yep, what can I do for you?" She said
"What's a 'love child'? " She asked
Stan started coughing frantically.
"It's nothing," he said coughing waving his hand "where did you hear that?"
"We over heard Deb call Kat one. What does it mean?" Dipper said
"It's slang for," Kat started.
"Kat, don't." Stan said sternly cutting her off.
Kat glanced at her father then started again.
"It's slang for an illegitimate child." She said speaking over Stan who was turning up the radio and trying to change the topic.
Mabel and Dipper exchanged confused looks.
"What does illegitimate mean?" Mabel said
"It means," Kat started.
"Katarina Harriet Pines-Lake," Stan hissed at her interrupting again "Do not say anything else."
"Dad, it's not a big deal for christsake," She said frustrated then glancing back to Mabel." It means my parents weren't married when I was born. It was considered scandalous when I was a kid"
"Oh." Mabel and Dipper said in unison.
The rest of the car ride home was painfully quiet, the rest of the evening when they returned to the shack, not so much.
"Come on Dad! You seriously can't still be mad it me." Kat said to him that afternoon.
After the big blow up they had after getting back to the Shack Stan had ignored Kat only responding in grunts for the rest of the evening and most of the morning.
"Oh yes I can." Stan said stubbornly.
"Dad, it's not that big of a deal." Kat said.
"For you it's not!" he said frustrated "It's hard enough for me to get respect from anyone and now any chance of getting it from Dipper and Mabel is gone."
"Dad, Dipper and Mabel obviously don't care." Kat said exasperated.
Kat's words fell on deaf ears, seeing as Stan was now pouting in his living room chair arms crossed and scowling. Kat let out a sigh and crouched so she was at his height next to his chair.
"I'm sorry I upset you, I really didn't mean to, I didn't know how uncomfortable you were with the hole 'illegitamate child' thing."
Stan let out a sigh.
"ehh I forgive you I guess, I was being kind of an ass about it." Stand said begrudgingly.
"It's fine, I'm used to it." She said smirking "So do you want to go out and grab a bite to eat, discuss other things I am not supposed to say to Mabel and Dipper perhaps?"
Stan rolled his eyes.
"Fine ya' smart aleck." Stan said standing up "I'm picking where we go."
"Suits me fine" She said shrugging grinning.
"Dad, I am not sure pie counts as a legitimate lunch time food." Kat said looking at the slice of pie her dad was eating.
"Don't sass me kid, I am 63 years old I can eat what I want." Stan said around a mouthful of his pie.
"The fact that you are 63 is part of the reason I feel you shouldn't eat pie at lunch time." Kat said picking a french fry up and waving it around a little.
"Kat, honey, don't sass your father." A soft and familiar voice said .
Both Stan and Kat turned quickly to look at the short, curvy, spectacle wearing blonde woman.
"Mom?" Kat said shocked.
"Annabelle?" Stan said with another mouthful of pie just as shocked.
"Hi Kat, Hi Stan." Annabelle laughed.