Gravity Falls: Return to Piedmont

Return to Piedmont

Dipper and Mabel stepped off the bus, Waddles following closely behind them. Their parents were waiting for them on the bus stop bench.

Dipper noticed that they looked stiff and awkward, and Mom looked like she had been crying. He glanced at Mabel. The concerned look on her face told him that she noticed it too.

"What's with the pig?" Their dad said, in an attempt to act normal.

"His name is Waddles and he's my pet," Mabel replied.

"I'm not sure we can keep a pig, honey," Mom said.

"He's staying," The twins insisted. Mabel picked up the pig.

"He's very low maintenance," she said. "Just don't put him outside! We don't need another pterodactyl incident." Dipper snickered. Their parents were visibly confused.

"Well, that's alright, I suppose," their mom glanced at the chubby pig in Mabel's arms.

"We have something to tell you." Dad said. Dipper froze. Even though that he had been expecting this, it still hit him like a train. After all, how can someone prepare to go home to divorced parents?

"We got a divorce," Mom took a deep breath and looked at the two of them, waiting for some reaction. "Your father moved out and bought another house. It's pretty close so you won't have to change schools. We decided on shared custody. You'll spend one week at his house and the next at mine. I know you weren't expecting this but—"

Dipper cut her off, "We were expecting this. I heard you fighting after you thought we were asleep. We know you sent us to Gravity Falls because you didn't want us around while you were figuring it out."

Mom and Dad were stunned into silence. Mabel stared at her shoes.

"Where are we staying this week, then?" Mabel asked. Her lip quivered. Dipper realized he was starting to cry.

"We thought we should let you chose," Dad said.

"Don't make us pick sides," she said, her voice shaking. "Don't make us chose between you and Mom." Dipper grabbed her hand.

"We'll flip a coin," Dipper decided. It was a bit of a weird way to resolve it, but this would end with the least feelings hurt. After all, if fate decided who they stayed with, then they wouldn't be picking a side, right?

"I guess that's alright," Mom began to dig around in her purse until she found a quarter. "Who's calling it?" He tried to ignore how weak and shaky her voice sounded.

"Heads we stay at Mom's, tails we stay at Dad's," Mabel said, setting Waddles down on the grass. She squeezed Dipper's hand. Their mom flipped the coin and caught it. It was tails. They quietly walked over to Dad's new car.

"Why does this feel bigger than all the things we've faced this summer?" Mabel asked. It's true, this was the cherry on top of the demonic sundae that had been this summer.

"If we can beat gremloblins, gnomes, and giant Gideon-bots, I think we can handle this," he smiled. "Besides, we can always call our Grunkles."

"Yeah. Yeah, you're right," she agreed. But she didn't sound so sure.