At first Wendy just stared through watery emerald eyes. Mrs. Pines awkwardly drummed her fingers on the ladder before she worked up the courage to ask, "Is it okay if I come up?"
The teen waited a few moments before she decided she wasn't in danger of getting her head bitten off. At least, not immediately. "Yeah, I guess...I mean, it's your house."
With an overabundance of caution, Mrs. Pines hauled herself up and sat down near the teen. Once she was settled, they sat in uncomfortable silence together until she spoke up. "I'm sorry. Dipper and Mabel, they…..they told me all about your mother."
She quickly decided that merely one apology definitely wasn't going to cut it. "I'm so sorry, I honestly didn't know."
"Well, it's not exactly a thing that I like telling people." Wendy acknowledged, then let out a resigned sigh. "But yeah, that's a thing that happened."
A fresh silence descended on the two.
"Well, I guess long as we're being a little more open with each other right now….I have a few things of my own that I don't really enjoy sharing with everyone." Mrs. Pines took a deep breath. "So, it's probably no secret that it doesn't take very much to get me wound up….and that goes at least double for anything that has to do with my kids-"
The teen snorted, but then shot her an apologetic look. "Sorry."
The woman nodded understandingly. "Believe me, I get it. I can get stressed at the drop of a hat sometimes. And it doesn't help that a lot of things haven't come very easily for my twins. It's been a challenge for them literally right from the start."
Wendy cocked an eyebrow as she continued to silently listen.
"They gave their dad and I a big surprise when they were born about two months early. And so for those first few weeks…." The mother grimaced at the harsh memories. Even now they still made her stomach anxiously knot up a little. "It was nothing but visiting them day in and day out, always hoping today was going to be the day that they were big and healthy enough to finally take home. And if it wasn't then I all I could to was just sit with them, watching my children in their separate incubators, both of them looking so….just so small and so frail. Sometimes it felt like either one of them would accidentally break if I even looked at them too hard."
"Whoa…." Wendy's eyes widened as she softly admitted, "I...I never knew any of that."
"They were out of any serious danger pretty quickly." She gratefully clarified. "But it still took some time until either one was ready to leave the hospital. And after every time I saw them, I always managed to half-convince myself that I might lose at least one of my struggling little babies between now and the next time I could visit. So when you feel like you almost lost both of your kids right at the start….it's hard not to worry about them. It hasn't helped that they've both had more than their fair share of others challenges since then. Take Mabel. Her optimism has always set her apart from anyone else, and it really makes her shine…..but then as soon as something really gets to her, it makes her crash that much harder."
"Sweatertown." Wendy said with a brief ghost of a smile.
"Exactly. And she's always so trusting of others. And while most people adore her for it, there's always someone here and there who's willing to try to take advantage of that. And Dipper….. " She shook her head. "Where do I even start with my little guy? He's sensitive, he's somehow managed to inherit my anxiety and then some, and while his sister never hesitates to try and make new friends, most of the time he acts like half the world's out to get him. There's almost nothing out there that can't make him suspicious. We're talking about a kid who convinced himself that Santa Claus of all people was some kind of criminal mastermind when he was only six years old. Also of course there's the fact that he's never is as open as his sister about…anything. Especially if something's really bothering him. And then….."
Another pause. This was always hard for her to admit. "Sometimes I feel like I have to thank the heavens that they came as a pair. At least when other kids get tough on them, they always have each other for backup. I don't know if it's their interests, their hobbies, or just who they are….I mean, I wouldn't trade my Dipper or my Mabel for anything else in the world. But unfortunately there's just something about them that tends to make them targets for some kids."
The teen nodded understandingly. Having gone through middle school as a freakishly tall brace-wearer, she knew all too well just how cruel other children could be.
"So anyways, when they came back at the end of this summer, at first I thought I had even more to worry about with them. Suddenly they were a lot more willing to take all kinds of new risks, try things they never would have thought of doing before…well, at least not without some hesitation. And that all went double when it came to putting up with anyone who tried to tease them. Before, they would just try their best to ignore them. Then this school year started up, and in the very first week I got a phone call from the vice-principal telling me that Dipper got into a fight."
"Almost." Wendy felt the need to correct. She had heard this story the very day it happened via an over-excited flurry of text messages.
"Huh?"
"He almost got into a fight. But then those other kids completely chickened out at the last second. Remember?" She reminded. As she spoke, she did so with an uncontrollable hint of pride in her little dork.
"Oh. Uh, right, I remember. And then the same thing pretty much happened the week after when-"
The teen already knew what incident she was going to bring up. "Of course Dipper wasn't going to just sit back and let those guys in gym rag on Mabel like that. They were just asking for it."
It seemed like the lumberjill teen and her kids kept in a lot closer touch with each other than Mrs. Pines though. "Um…. so I'm guessing you know about what happened the week after when-"
"That thing in the cafeteria, right? Yeah. That other girl was lucky Mabel only got a handful of her hair." As Wendy practically boasted, Mrs. Pines could see much of the same fiery spark she had seen in her own twins mere minutes ago.
"It looks like you're pretty up to date, the. So, anyway….with all that going on, at first I honestly didn't know what to make of it. I thought the summer up at their great-uncle's had turned them into two little wild things. And when they started to talk more about you I….I thought I finally knew who was behind the big change in my twins. And when they asked if you could come down here for the holiday….I definitely balked."
She grimaced apologetically, then took a moment to get all of her thoughts in order. She was still very busy trying to process quite a few fresh revelations all at once. "But looking back…..while I was busy fussing all about that, maybe I should have taken a moment to notice that the scuffles at school stopped pretty quickly after those first few weeks….or that they've been able to get through the rest of the year so far without complaining about anyone else trying to pick on them….or I could have at least noticed that my little Dipper hasn't been stressing out as much as he used too."
"They can handle anything." Wendy declared matter-of-factly. "And especially anyone dumb enough to mess with them."
A small but genuine smile had started to creep its way across Mrs. Pines' face. It continued to grow and grow as she looked at the lanky redhead in a new light. This wasn't any out-of-control anomaly from the northern wilds. Yes, this girl was definitely someone who hailed from a place that was a far cry from suburban California. But above all else, this was someone who really cared for the twins with all her heart and soul. The mother was even slightly tempted to think that this wiry redhead cared for them almost as much as she did.
"You're still definitely different from anyone I've met before, I won't lie. But…" She paused to make sure she felt positive about what she was about to say next. The answer that came back to her from deep within was a resounding yes. "I'm also pretty sure that you're the friend that my kids need."
Wendy was surprised by the blunt confession. And after all she'd been through, she couldn't help but be only half-convinced she had just heard this woman right.
"Wait...seriously?"
"Uh-huh. Thank you." Mrs. Pines said with a soft but unmistakable sincerity. "For helping show them that there's so much more they can do."
"Yeah…..y-yeah, no prob." Wendy scratched the back of her neck. The praise made her freckled cheeks light up bright red.
"Now, if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to ask you a couple favors." Mrs. Pines continued.
"Favors? Uh…" The teen hesitated.
"Don't worry, I'm not bringing up the boots thing again. So first, I'd really like you to keep looking after my Dipper and Mabel."
"Huh? Oh...yeah. Yeah, of course. Anyone messes with them messes with me." She cracked her knuckles for emphasis.
"Thank you. And two; if it's okay….I'd like if you could come inside and continue celebrating the holiday with my family." She anxiously cleared her throat. "But only if you're ready….if you feel like you need a little more time out here or anything, trust me when I say that I'd definitely understand….I mean, after everything you've had to go through tonight….and the past few days too…..oh, yikes, I really haven't been making things easy for you at all here, have I? Well, I..."
As the woman slipped into a nervous stammer, Wendy could definitely start to see a little of where Dipper got his nerves from. She grinned weakly. "No, it's cool….I-I think I'd really like that."
"Thank you." The mother smiled. "And actually now that I think of it, I have one more favor to ask. Now I know it's going to be Christmas Eve already tomorrow...but...well as long as you don't mind the huge delay on my part too badly... just let me finally say...I mean, if it's okay..."
"Say what?" The teen cut in and saved her from getting swept up in another stream of babbling. Mrs. Pines took the girl's hand and gently pat it before giving her long overdue greeting.
"Welcome to our home."
Wendy honestly couldn't remember how she ended up in a hug a second later, but she was ninety percent sure she was the one who had initiated it. For a moment she seized up with embarrassment. But when her friends' mother started patting her back, a rush of relief flowed from her wiry body.
"I'm sorry." Mrs. Pines whispered. The girl gave her an extra squeeze, and she gladly took that as a sign of forgiveness. When they were finished, she asked hopefully, "So, you feel ready to come back inside?"
"Yeah….I think I'm good."
"Wonderful. Okay, you can go down first. It'll probably take me a lot longer to-"
Before Mrs. Pines could finish, the teen had headed to the edge of the roof, lowered herself and clambered out of sight down into the nearest window. She gawked for a moment, then shrugged to herself. "...Um...that works too, I guess."
Wendy wasn't expecting to meet up with the twins so soon. The siblings unfortunately had chosen to listen out of the exact same window that the athletic lumberjill used as her improvised entrance. The fifteen-year-old swung right into the two of them, and in a heartbeat they all found themselves lying in a messy heap.
"Thanks a lot for the privacy." She remarked sarcastically while she untangled herself. Dipper started fumbling fruitlessly for a decent excuse.
"No, no! We were just….we were…uhhhh…"
"We were just checking to see if you and Mom turned out okay." Mabel confessed with shameless joy. "And you did! Congratulations!"
"Yeah, I guess so" She rubbed red rimmed eyes, which fortunately had run dry. "Thanks for helping her change her mind."
"Of course! But it was my bro-bro here who did a lot of the major serious-talking." She swung an arm around her twin's shoulders after he freed himself from their pile. "This guy, right here! Mister Christmas Hero!"
Wendy got up onto her knees and smiled at her friend. Dipper sheepishly grinned. "I was just telling her the truth. That's all."
"Thanks for the save, dude." She said gratefully.
"Hey, I need someone to be completely nuts with, don't I?" He reminded her. Wendy made sure to aim her affectionate punch in his uninjured right arm.
"Yeah you do." She then started chuckling in genuine embarrassment. After all the drama of the past hour, she couldn't help it. "Sorry for making your guys' holiday kind of weird. I mean, weirder than it already was. Like, uncomfortably weirder."
"Pffft! No worries! We had our apologies all around, and so now we can all get right back on track again for the best Christmas ever!" Mabel whooped, then proceeded to clamber up onto the older teen's back like a squirrel.
"So we're totally good?" Wendy laughed incredulously. "Just like that?"
"Uh-huh!" The younger teen tittered sweetly. "Because you know what?"
"Ooohhhh, man." The redhead could tell that things were about to get sickeningly sweet. "Mabes, don't..."
"Because you've made this holiday amazing by already giving us our best present this year, nice and early! And that present….iiisss…." Mabel was now standing up on her shoulders and bent over for an upside-down eye-to-eye. She prodded her friend in the nose and gleefully revealed, "Having you here with us! Boop!"
The rosy-cheeked brunette giggled as Wendy reached up and ruffled her chocolate locks.
"Know what? It actually looks like my best present came early too." She snickered.
"Huh? What's that?" Dipper then noticed the mischievous glint in her eyes. "Oh no-"
"The first worthy challenge!" By the time that the twins remembered they had never finished their epic fight from a few days before, it was too late. In no time she had the both of them in a double headlock. Their laughter filled the entire upstairs as they struggled to wriggle free from her gasp.
"Get her!" Mabel squirmed loose and wrapped her arms around her waist. "Hit her with everything Stan taught us!"
"On it!" Dipper freed a scrawny arm and started tickling under their friend's neck.
"Oh, now you're asking for it!" Wendy managed to yank his vest partway over his head before the siblings managed to half-pin her to the floor. The battle was definitely on.
The enormous racket and the sounds of their mirth echoed all throughout the house. Downstairs, Mrs. Pines was recovering from the last hour with a fresh cup of chamomile tea. She was just finished pouring the piping hot water when her husband returned.
"Yeesh! What a madhouse out there." He bustled in, arms loaded with groceries. Mr. Pines then hastily deposited them on the counter before dutifully checking up on his significant other. When he left she had seemed pretty steamed, though as to what had gotten her wound her up so badly, she wouldn't say (though he did notice that right after she had stormed off, Soos had left the video chat in a hasty rush).
She was looking a little worn out, but to his relief she also seemed to have cooled down significantly. Actually, scratch that. His wife hadn't merely cooled off. She was looking more relaxed than he had seen her in days.
"Lyn?" he put a hand on her shoulder. She greeted him with a tired smile.
"Hey." She greeted him with a peck on his cheek.
"Uh, hi…is everything okay?"
"Uh-huh. Everything's just fine-" They were interrupted by a tremendous crash upstairs.
"We're okay!" Mabel reassuringly sang down from the second floor.
Mrs. Pines winced, sipped her tea and took a deep breath before she started softly repeating for her own sake, "It's fine...it's fine….it's all just fine…"