Warning

This story contains the themes of homosexuality and politics. If you feel these themes may offend you, press the back button on your web browser now.

A short young woman wearing heavy black glasses opened the door to her apartment. "Mail's here, sir!"

The "sir" the glasses-bearing woman was referring to sat at a small kitchen table, one hand around a steaming coffee mug. This was not the type of person one would expect to be called "sir"; for one, "sir" was female. Her name was Patricia Reichardt, nicknamed "Peppermint Patty" by friends and "Sir" by her girlfriend. Her arms and legs were toned from years of playing professional baseball. Her auburn hair was chin-length, and freckles still dotted her face. She was always the tomboy, rarely book smart, and never a morning person.

Peppermint Patty looked up, bleary-eyed, from her mug of coffee. "That's a lot of mail, kid."

The shorter woman chuckled. Her name was Marcie Howe-Johnson, and she was a year younger than Peppermint Patty. Like Patty, she was the top of her field; unlike Patty, her skills were academic. She was one year away from a master's degree in chemical engineering, and interning with a leading technological giant. Her appearance had changed slightly since her childhood. She had traded in her chin-length bob for a Billie Jean style pixie cut, since long hair was frowned upon in a laboratory and difficult to maintain anywhere.

Marcie held the mail close to her face so she could read it. "We've got a cable bill, car payment..."

Peppermint Patty groaned as the bills were placed in the middle of the table. Marcie continued with her list. "Check from your toothpaste endorsement, fan mail, fan mail, fan mail, thank you letter from Right to Play..."

These letters landed in front of Peppermint Patty. She ripped open the toothpaste endorsement's envelope and pulled out a blue check. A big smile spread across her face. All she could do was say the word "Wow" over and over.

"Is it a lot of money?" Marcie tried to go around the table and peek over Patty's shoulder. Peppermint Patty nodded.

"Well done!" Marcie held the remaining letters up to her face. "Student loan, bursary, research grant notice... oh!" Marcie picked up a thin rectangle made of curved glass and held it between her glasses and the letter.

Peppermint Patty looked sideways at Marcie. "What is it?"

"It's from Charles. I haven't heard from him in ages." Marcie ripped open the envelope and pulled out the contents. It was a piece of paper with frilly lace-like borders. The text was written in the kind of cursive script that would make a calligrapher blush. Each letter was like an art piece, shaped with only the most careful of pen strokes. Marcie's hand shot to her mouth. "Oh wow!"

Peppermint Patty scoffed. "You are such a dork."

"This looks like something a friar would produce deep in the chambers of a monestary. It's all curvy." Marcie held her magnifying lens up to the letter. She squinted at the text, bringing the letter closer to her face. "Dear... f... r? Or is that an n?" Marcie looked up. "On second thought, it's more like the way our English teacher wrote."

Peppermint Patty shook her head as she took the letter from her girlfriend. She read it quietly, then read it aloud. "Dear friends and relations, you are cordially invited to celebrate the marriage of Heather Mae O'Connor, daughter of Neil and Ethine O'Connor, and Charles "Charlie" Brown, son of Carl and Deena Brown. 3:00pm, September 15, at the Ace Community Church, with a reception to be held at Ace Community Hall."

Marcie perked up. "Charles is getting married?"

Peppermint Patty nodded. Marcie's eyes lit up, and she jumped to her feet. "Oh, this is wonderful! Charles finally gets to marry the woman of his dreams. It's like something out of a fairy tale, don't you think?"

Peppermint Patty smiled. She had never been one for mushy-gushy romances, but remembering all the times as a child when she had tried to make Charlie Brown fall in love with her made her soften up. She had never succeeded, and eventually moved on, but she was pleased somebody else was able to do what she had attempted. The fact that person was the Little Red Haired Girl, the girl Charlie brown had had a crush on ever since he was a child, made things even better.

"You wanted to be in Heather's place when we were kids." Peppermint Patty daydreamed of their childhood. Peppermint Patty and Marcie had been best friends, even though they weren't very similar. Peppermint Patty had been interested in sports, while Marcie's skills were more academic. There were a few things that drew them together, like their mutual crush Charlie Brown.

Marcie walked over to her girlfriend. "Like you didn't!"

"Maybe," Peppermint Patty teased. "But everything was different when we were kids."

"I suppose you're right. Things were different. Back then, we were all hunting the love bug. Now everybody's got the love bug," Marcie planted a kiss on Peppermint Patty's cheek, "and now everybody's getting bitten by the marriage bug."

Gently, Peppermint Patty set the wedding invitation on the table. "You're right, kid. This is a wonderful thing. Chuck will be so happy with Heather. And that's why we're going to the wedding."

"Of course we are." Marcie walked over to the phone. She pulled a large, heavy phone book down from the shelf over the phone and set it on the kitchen table. She flipped through the pages until she found the number she was looking for. Then she dialed the number. A cheerful female voice came through the receiver. Marcie asked, argued, and pleaded with the voice on the other end of the line until they reached an agreement. Then, Marcie hung up the phone, triumphant.

Peppermint Patty folded her arms. "I assume you got us a place to stay?"

Marcie shook her head, trying to hold in a sigh. "Actually, I booked the weekend off work. Now I'm getting a place to stay."

One phone call later, their room was booked. Peppermint Patty and Marcie exchanged joyful cheers.

"Chuck is getting married and we're going to the wedding!" Peppermint Patty was unusually enthusiastic for so early in the morning.

Marcie put her hands on her hips. "And you're going to be pretty."

Peppermint Patty glared. "I am not wearing a dress, kid. You know they make me feel weird."

"We'll find one with a full skirt, sir. You can wear shorts underneath it."

Peppermint Patty high-fived Marcie. "Deal!"

Marcie smiled, happy the day was starting off well. "Better get ready, sir. We've got lots planning to do before we're ready for Charles's wedding."

Author's Notes: This is my first Peanuts multi-part story and my first story to feature more than one romantic couple. Review if you liked it, and feel free to point out problems in the story. I'm always open to critiques and suggestions.

Now, here's a list of all the pairings in the story.

Peppermint Patty/ Marcie

Schroder/ Lucy

Charlie Brown/ Heather O'Connor (The Little Red Haired Girl)

Sally/ Linus

Shermy/ Violet

Today's Question: What are your favorite Peanuts parings?