Part 20: In a Better World

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I had offered to grab a couple of Pitt colas and bring up a snack for us, more or less I was just being a good host since I was nervous as all heck and someone up high help me because I even felt a shake deep down. Wendy went upstairs to head to the roof as I wandered back to the kitchen, Melody inside and cooking up a stew while sitting by the oven for her famous garlic bread, must have really been craving because she didn't eat that much bread anymore since she started helping Soos lose weight, then again she also dropped a few pounds from what we heard because she didn't want Soos to try alone.

" Hey there Dipper, thought I heard Mabel leaving but then she started talking again... what happened? " She looked up with that gentle smile which always felt comforting, sheesh she was going to make a great mother.

" Oh um, so Mabel left and I went downstairs when Soos called up.. turns out it was Wendy. "

" Wendy?! " She exclaimed without a moment to spare between when I said it, about ready to shift and get up I quickly stopped her by moving up and gently holding her shoulders.

" Yes yes...  Wendy, just rest Melody you are way too pregnant not to rest. Don't want to upset Soos cause I got you to go into labor early. " Melody giggled and waved my hands off with a warm smile.

" I'm sorry Dipper I am just happy, you two have been in such a coarse relationship since you got back. Soos has been wracking his mind how to get her to calm down. "

" Soos has? I swear Melody, me and Mabel don't deserve you guys. " I lean down and give Melody a gentle hug, she replies in kind before patting my back and saying.

" Well on you go before you get me all mushy. Dinner will be ready in like twenty minutes, but I will save you some in case you are busy. " She was teasing me, I knew it, she knew it, but really it was that sibling like bond we all shared that made it easy to smile and just give a knowing look to one another. We really had made a family back then, and right now Melody was showing that she cared just as much as Soos did about us. I give her one more quick hug from behind and nab the colas and a bag of popcorn, something Soos enjoyed was making treats from scratch and his popcorn was a little addictive.

Soon I was walking up the mini stairway leading to the near roofing section, like the rest of the Shack, Soos had added a little of his own touch to the secret spot, putting up an umbrella and even putting in two lounge chairs that were almost like those pool ones at resorts, of course they were cheap knock offs but hell they looked cool. The canopy pulled back because of clear weather, Soos had even taken time to make this place comfortable, it was all quick work but he knew we would be back even after the years I had been shut off from everything.

" Hey I hope popcorn is ok... Soos doesn't keep potato chips anymore. Wendy? " I step up until I can shut the layover door for the roof. Walking over the few feet to where she sat, straddling her chair with something in front of her, she looked down at the seat I thought as if in thought, but in the next moment, I would see a fanny pack with paper littered about. I shifted a little knowing what it was, and exactly where she got it as I sat beside her on the other lounger while placing our drinks on the ground and sigh faintly. " Look... I can explain..  "

" Explain? Dipper these... these are dated... you wrote... you." Wendy's face was in a bit of pain but a smile curled at her lips still, her free hand lifting to cover her mouth as she felt her own tears hitting her hand as she went over another letter. " Why didn't you send these? " She lifted a paper to me, her smile gone but all there was, would be confusion for holding evidence that I had not stopped thinking of her, not that she doubted it now but... well these might have helped.

" I wanted to, so badly I wanted to go down to the post office and just mass ship all of these... heh Mabel must have dug them out of the trash. " I was terrible about ripping up failed work, more so anything that really had my heart in it. " When I got into the accident, the one that lead to me shutting off from the world... Mabel told me it had been a few months since I talked to anyone, especially you. "

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