It's Been Thirty Years

Chapter 6: The Last Thirty Years

"And...where were you during that?" asked Dipper.

"Upstairs," replied Mabel, "In our room. Crying, I guess. Crying because I lost my brother. And from how severe the argument had been. I knew then that I was gonna lose Grunkle Stan and Ford too."

"We had a memorial service and everything for you the day before..."

"The day before I left," said Mabel, "Mom and dad no longer trusted Grunkle Stan and Ford. They banned me from ever going back to Gravity Falls and banned the two of them from visiting. When I said goodbye to them both at the end of that summer cut short...it was goodbye for a very long time."

"Did mom and dad improve afterwards?" asked Dipper.

Mabel shook her head, "They never really did. Even now. I didn't even call them and let them know you're here. Not until I was sure. As mad as I may be with them, I know they did it for my own safety. Even if it meant them becoming overprotective of me."

"The rest of that summer was not fun. I spent the majority of it in our room...crying. Some nights I'd stay up and just look out the window, thinking, and drinking sodas."

"How was high school without me?" asked Dipper.

"Hell!" said Mabel, "Without you to help me, I barely passed first semester. But then the next semester, I discovered my artistic talents. I was top of the class and took as many art courses the school had to offer for grade ten. But then came math."

Mabel downed her glass, "Soos, refill?" she said.

As Soos poured her another glass, Mabel resumed her story.

"Without you to help me, I failed math."

Dipper gasped, "How did mom and dad take the news?"

"Not lightly," Mabel replied, "But they let me off with a warning. I guess they assumed I flunked because I was still not over losing you. And along with you not being around, they were still a wreck. I guess that's what my therapist said too."

"Can you explain the therapist part?" said Dipper.

"Mom and dad got recommended by the school that year to take me to therapy to try and help me out," said Mabel, "I didn't want to go but they assumed it would help me overcome losing you. By then you had been declared legally dead."

Dipper looked on with a shocked impression.

"Ultimately, I think therapy was the best thing that ever happened to me," said Mabel, "My therapist was amazing and she let me open up about things I never even told you. She also helped me unlock more of my artistic side. And that year, I once again excelled in art. I made up for math in summer school. Honestly, it felt nice not being stuck in the house. It was also fun talking to people again."

"Did mom and dad get any better by then?" said Dipper.

"A little," replied Mabel, "They let me hang out with friends from school and once I got a phone, I was basically allowed to be out for as long as I wanted. But I didn't go out much. I spent a lot of my time painting and sculpting. I convinced mom to buy me a lifetime's supply of arts and crafts stuff and I converted our room into a mini studio. Your bed got replaced by my art projects."

Dipper laughed, "Thanks, I loved that bed."

Mabel laughed back, "Yeah, but I needed the space. And to be honest, I think that was the time I really began to see mom and dad start to get over the grief stage of losing you. I think seeing me paint as a hobby made them pursue their own. But mine was not going to be a hobby. I had plans."

"That was also around the time me and Melody got married," said Soos, "I invited Mabel and her parents."

"Did you go?" said Dipper.