To answer South Down's question!:
Yes, this story will exist on the same timeline as my other SP Post-Covid stories; but as per usual, I'm writing it so it can be read as its own story for those who haven't read any previous.
As well, Mrs. Testaburger officially has a canon name! Alexis! In my last story, I called her Maria, but I'm not gonna be continuing with the same name for accuracy. I also decided in my last story based on Alexis' design and Wendy's father's design that I wanted to make Wendy half-Colombian though she's white-passing like her mother, which I will be continuing here. (I am not fluent in Spanish so I use a translator, please don't blame me but feel free to comment if it's not accurate)
. . .
. .
.
Stan, Wendy, and Kyle stood patiently in arrivals at the Denver International Airport that Friday. Awaiting the couple soon to board off the direct flight from Colombia during the late afternoon. As Wendy looked over the passing heads upon the flight's announcement of arrival, she only hoped baggage claim wasn't holding them back. Lord knows her mother was one to overpack, especially regarding her only daughter's wedding.
"Maybe we'll move out of the country when we retire," Stan said, also looking over the passengers exiting arrivals.
Wendy gave him a look. "You'd agree to that?"
"You know the language. We'd both be set."
His fiancée rolled her eyes playfully. After her mother and father moved to Colombia where Wendy's mother's family is from, it definitely brought into question where Stan and Wendy pictured themselves when they were older. She thought with all the traveling Stan does with the military he'd want to settle down somewhere familiar by the time he reached that age. After her years spent out in Massatuchets, Wendy had pictured South Park as her forever home. And Stan would probably realize that soon enough, too.
"I see them," Kyle pointed across at the older duo passing through. "You were right about your mom not packing light."
"Gwendolyn!" Alexis Testaburger called to her only daughter. One suitcase in hand while her husband Henry followed behind with the rest. The mother of the bride happily took Wendy in for a hug as Stan and Kyle tried to help Mr. Testaburger not overspill with the baggage he was left with.
"Alexis?" Henry called. "Maybe find a luggage cart before I toss your stuff in the river."
"Hi, dad." Wendy happily greeted as Stan switched to see Alexis. "You're tanned!"
He scratched his snowy white beard that was once ginger when he was younger. It popped against his now sun-kissed skin compared to when Wendy last saw him. "Yeah, starting to look like where I moved to."
"Henry!" His wife batted his chest. "This is what I get for taking your father out of Colorado."
Wendy shrugged, expecting nothing less from her otherwise white and western father. She flicked a sarcastic brow. "Glad to see you're getting cultured, dad.."
Now carrying some of the luggage, Stan intervened. "Kyle and Heidi are gonna join us at the farm for a bit. And the kids."
"Kyle, good to see you!" Alexis greeted. "How're Gerald and Sheila? Better?"
"Lots," Kyle agreed after they had a bit of a scare when his father threw his back out. "Keep bringing up their move to Florida, though. As if traveling is gonna do him any good."
Alexis held a hand to her chest in relief. "We don't need anything else. Henry fractured his shoulder just driving to Cúcuta."
"What? You fractured your shoulder?" Wendy gasped at her father as the group began to migrate by Stan's lead. She hated that her parents just never bothered to bring these big issues up until she saw them in person. The bride shared a look with Stan who just smirked. As if she didn't do the same thing by inheriting her father's stubborn ways.
"So, then, the deal with the Chinese government was settled-" Randy Marsh continued the harrowingly long story at the kitchen table. With the Testaburgers across from him and listening politely as they drank coffee. Stan and Shelly Marsh, however, sat at opposing ends of the table in the Tegridy kitchen. Sharing tired, torturous stares as they endured the same story told since their childhood on this stupid farm began.
"-their numbers boost our little Colorado farm into the big leagues. To make a long story short, I'm wracking in my three-hundred thousandth dollar sold that week."
Henry and Alexis both had anticipating looks, but realizing the story was done they broke it.
"Oh-! Lovely!" Alexis tried to enthuse.
Stan couldn't take it anymore, finishing the last of his coffee. "I think it's time to retire that story, dad.."
As Sharon came to refill people's mugs, her son gave his seat to her. "It's repetitive, Randy.."
Kyle and Heidi leaned against the counter with Wendy. Watching the weird exchange unravel as Heidi leaned over to the bride. "You sure about marrying into this family?"
"Hides." Wendy giggled behind her coffee.
Two auburn red-head children came running in just then. The eldest, a ten-year-old boy Adam, chasing his six-year-old sister Ella as she clutched something to her chest in a manic of giggles.
"Guys, no running." Kyle warned.
His son screeched to a halt in his tracks and stopped chasing his sister around the table. "She took my Dungeon Master's Rulebook!"
"I didn't-!" Ella feigned, hiding the book behind her back. Adam raised two clawing hands and Ella squealed, running behind her mother's legs.
"Okay, any quarreling over your game," Heidi swiped the book and handed it back to Adam. "Can be dealt with outside."
"It's not a game, it's a campaign," Adam pointed accusingly at Ella. "And she's just upset because me and my friends won't let babies play."
"I'm not a baby!" Ella stomped her foot, a little pipsqueak voice proving her otherwise.
"Yeah, you are!"
Kyle put his coffee aside, looking demandingly at his son. "Adam, book away. No more planning your campaign today."
"But-"
"Now."
His son huffed as he left to do so. Ella stuck a tongue out in his direction, though Kyle was hardly done. "And if you keep stealing from your brother, no more playing with him and his friends."
"No!" Ella worried as she ran out as quickly as she came. The blur of antics was already over as Kyle sighed and took his coffee back. Heidi just smiled by his shoulder at his bad cop trick compared to her good cop approach.
"Was that you, Kyle? Because I see a lot of Gerald." Sharon commented.
Kyle nearly choked on his coffee. "God, I hope not."
Stan had a shit-eating grin after pouring himself another mug near Wendy. "It's canny, dude."
Wendy eyed her fiancé up and down by his side. "You're one to talk."
Stan poked her in the side teasingly as Alexis diverted back to the subject. "Sharon, Randy, thank you for letting us stay in your home this weekend."
"It's our pleasure," Sharon assured. "With Shelly and Mark in the house, it only made sense."
"And how're things, Shelly? It's been so long."
Shelly nodded on the subject of her and her husband and their current life in Pueblo. "Busy, but fine. Mark just made tenure."
"Oh, that's wonderful! And where's he?"
She checked her phone for time. "He should be here and a few hours. A lot of last-minute fish to fry and my firm tried dropping a new client on me the weekend I told them my brother was getting married."
Randy cleared his throat intentionally. "South Park Realtors is still hiring.."
"I can't just drop everything, dad. And Mark has Colorado State."
"He could drive. It's not that far." Stan also encouraged. Very little did he ever agree with Randy on any commentary he had regarding his children's life decisions, but Stan had to admit South Park had a relatively big absence without Shelly and Mark in town.
"Talk to Mark. Then talk to me." Shelly warned.
Sharon eyed the soon-to-be weds still cornered with Heidi and Kyle by the counter. "Let's just hope these two don't stray too far."
Stan and Wendy exchanged a look. While they were pretty comfortable staying situated in South Park, there were no promises. Life was always the most unpredictable for the two of them as a couple, let alone where they'd end up.
"So, how will having kids bear with you in the military?" Henry decided to blatantly ask.
Stan hesitated, that wasn't exactly on his and Wendy's list of goals. "Well-"
"Don't get us started, Stan's never had the patience for kids of his own." Randy waved off, then darting a look to Wendy. "Are you still able to have babies?"
"Dad!"
Heidi too checked the time. "Hate to make this lovely reunion short, but the bride and I have some errands to attend to."
Wendy dazed from the Randy comment, before snapping back to it. "Yes, thank you!"
Stan sighed. Having to routinely remind himself of his love for his family despite the bull he and Wendy's parents stirred up every time they were together.
"I'll grab the kids, thank you Sharon," Heidi cleaned off her mug.
Kyle took her cup. "Why don't I bring them later? So, it's easier for you and Wendy."
"You sure?"
"Adam, El, you wanna go with mom or stay a bit longer?" Kyle called to the living room.
The answer for both was plain. "Stay with Uncle Stan!"
"Just drop them off before you go to Stan and Wendy's?" Heidi reminded her husband with an affectionate scratch to his beard. "The kids don't need to witness Clyde and Kenny at their most waisted."
Kyle grinned close to his wife. "I don't plan on letting those guys sleep through the wedding."
"Yeah, the drunks are our ride." Stan kidded.
"Stan." Wendy warned. Her groom pushed off the counter, laughing as he followed her to the door and Heidi as she said goodbye to her husband for the night. They left the house as Heidi left for her car, and Wendy stopped mid-porch as the groom let the screen door close behind him. The bride looked at Stan with longing eyes as she thought of the next time she'd see him in all of their matrimonial glory.
"Have a good night," Stan insisted, coming to take her offered hands. "Don't get too hammered before tomorrow."
"Oh, says you." Wendy poked his chest. "Whatever shit Clyde is bringing over, I hope it doesn't end up with you being dragged down the aisle."
"I wouldn't dream it."
Wendy hummed as he mingled his nose closer to hers, closing her eyes as a chill of excitement went down her back and she shivered. "I can't believe tomorrow is really happening, it felt like a lifetime of waiting."
Stan hummed in agreement. For the two of them, their end game was finally arriving. It couldn't come sooner. He kissed her fervidly, trailing across her jawline as she giggled though she kept a lookout.
"Our families are inside, pest.."
Stan pulled away from her ear. "And they've cut into our alone time enough this week."
"Welcome to a wedding weekend."
A horn honked as Heidi waited in the driver's seat. "We still have a schedule to keep on, Madame Bride!"
"One minute!"
Stan bore an entertained smile as Wendy's eyes met him again in a slightly narrowed annoyance. He figured she'd be in her most panicked the night before one of the biggest days of their lives, but she was surprisingly keeping her cool. She was glowing even with this content and peace regarding tomorrow that Stan somehow was falling more in love with. After all these years, this time tomorrow Wendy-fucking-Testaburger was gonna be his wife. That was only a mere thought he could have had after this whole time. After years of being attached by a thread in childhood, school, and careers that kept them so busy, at the end of it, they returned to the town where their story started.
He cupped her chin to steal more kisses, and she snickered against his lips. Wanting more though they didn't want to spoil tomorrow. She parted, barely escaping his grasp as he trailed his affection down her arms until her hands were last to be kissed and he let her go as she made it down the final step. Giving him one last air kiss and wave before she went to get into the passenger's seat. Stan watched them off as Heidi did up her belt.
"I remember those butterflies," she sang, recalling her own wedding. Wendy bit down a grin her way, watching as Tegridy and her sweet fiancé disappeared in the background of the rearview mirror. She lowered the window, happily sighing in the evening air raking through her hair and skin.
"Does this thing work?" Wendy sat at the vanity mirror, freshly out of the shower with her hair in a wrap and in her comfy bridal robe that night. She looked at Nichole who prepared the cooling gel mask on the bureau in her own lavender party-loungewear.
"It'll make you feel so much more refreshed," Nichole assured, bringing the bright artificial blue mask her way. "And unless you like puffy eyes, this will reduce that."
"I have puffy eyes?"
"Hush," Nichole carefully layered it on.
Red looked through the ceremony hall seating regarding tomorrow on her iPad Plus. While this was arranged weeks ago, Wendy was a bit of a nervous wreck and her friends could only double-check for her. The worst part of a wedding was keeping the numbers in check and making sure those numbers had what they needed. The redhead did realize though that one person who said she would help her was doing anything but that. She looked up at the curly blonde sitting in the lounge chair in the corner of the bedroom, scrolling her phone.
"Hey, Princess Stevens," Red called. "You wanna lift up your tits and help us?"
"I'll help when there's an actual crisis." Bebe sipped on her wine, indulged with her phone's content.
Wendy turned her head from where Nichole was applying the alien-looking cooling gel mask to her face, making Red jump from the look of her. "You think there'll be a crisis?"
"There will be no crisis," Red said, then tossing Bebe's abandoned lavender slippers at her and making her flinch.
"I need to check on Heidi," Wendy quickly decided, leaving when Nichole just barely finished the mask. Wendy opened the door to Heidi and Kyle's master bathroom, seeing where Heidi worked on steaming the wedding gown hung by the shower rack over the edge of the tub.
A dramatic, but classy ensemble that perfectly suited Wendy. The material was a white diamond matte satin, with a halter neckline bodice and a plunging v-neck. The skirt was a full-length a-line of the same satin, and under layer was a tulle, to emphasize the volume of its a-line design; With a darker satin sewn-in belt carving in the waist.
Heidi powered down the steamer. "Well? Whatcha' thinking?"
"God, it's perfect." Wendy gushed. "You're amazing."
"I steamed my own wedding dress, not my first rodeo." Heidi blew on her nails in boasting. Wendy came and gave her a big hug as the two kept ogling at the gown hanging before them.
Bebe joined them in the bathroom just then. "Hey, did you hear about this?"
"What?" Wendy acquired.
She turned her phone. "The Santa Lucia hopsital in Brazil, there was some type of mass disease. A bunch of doctors and patients are dead."
The bride gawked. "My god, that's awful."
Heidi waved down her phone. "Put that away. We don't need to hear that right now!"
"What? This is what I do before weddings."
"Read about people dying?"
"It reminds me that I could have it worse since I'm so brutally single."
Heidi shook her head as she brushed past her to go check on the sleeping kids. Wendy quickly stopped by Bebe's side. "Send that to me."
Bebe turned the phone again, scrolling deeper down. "American doctor found amongst the hundreds dead."
"American?"
"Guys, c'mon, there's better things to be focused on." Red lifted a fresh bottle of champagne. Bebe stopped distracting the bride with gruesome news and joined in for the toast about to go underway as Nichole fixed Wendy's mask. Heidi soon returned after checking on the kids still sound asleep, taking the bottle from Red to open.
Bebe still scrolled her phone, coming across an article that caught her eyes. 'Dr. Wendy Testaburger says 'Immunization Only Works if Everyone Participates.' Her Lead in The War on Medicine.'
She chuckled turning her phone. "You're in The Denver Post."
The bride looked over her shoulder and chuckled. "They were quick."
"Babe, you've been all over the news." Nichole reminded as she helped Red put away the seating charts. "The Denver is nothing."
Wendy sat, happily taking the champagne glass Heidi handed her. "Takes a lot to be this popular."
"Yeah, don't get ahead of yourself."
"I shall not," she teased, crossing her legs. "I've got more important matters right now. And different things to stress about."
"Nothing to stress about!" Heidi assured. "Caterers and flowers are on schedule for tomorrow, guests are seated, dresses are fumed. The only thing you have to worry about is what you're gonna say to Stan at the end of the aisle."
"Then a toast?" Bebe handed off the champagne glasses to the others as Heidi poured hers last. The blonde cleared her throat as she raised a glass. "Wendy, as sad as I am that your hoe days are behind you-"
"What hoe days?" Red snickered with the others. Wendy hit her on the knee.
"It took you and Stan only a million years to get here." Bebe continued. "May you two finally have your happily ever after."
"Here!" Nichole agreed as the ladies all clinked their glasses.
Two beer bottles clinked in a similar fashion as Stan exchanged a toast with Kenny sitting near him. The air that night before Stan's wedding was especially choppy and he only hoped that meant no bad signs of weather. As the men sat on the porch smoking and talking, Stan took another look at his phone.
"It's fine, there's no rain." Kyle said from the porch step he sat on with Tolkien and Clyde. "Really."
"So long as we can get through the ceremony," Stan reminded. "And make it inside for everything else."
Clyde huffed. "I don't think I've seen you give this many shits about anything."
"It's my wedding, dude." Stan reminded, not expecting the divorcee to understand.
"You nervous there, Stan?" Butters genuinely asked.
The groom shrugged, bringing his dart in for a draft. "If she's happy, I will be."
Kenny shoved his arm and ruffled his aging hair, much to Stan's distaste. "Awww, Mister Smush."
"I'll smush you, asshole.."
"Whoa, buy me dinner first."
Stan rolled his eyes. "I'm surprised Wendy kept her cool with our moms trynna take over so much."
Kyle could only imagine how that played out. "Wendy's got her own big ideas for everything, I can't imagine Sharon and Alexis on top of that."
"We almost could've had the wedding in Colombia."
Craig blew smoke from his second cigarette beside his husband Tweek. "That's why we just went down to the courthouse. Avoided the chaos altogether."
"After all these years?" Stan suggested, continuing to puff on his dart. "We wanted much more than a courthouse. No offense."
"None received."
Another thought regarding tomorrow came to Stan's mind, he nudged Kenny. "Wait, are you set for tomorrow?"
He smirked proudly, swiping out his practice cue cards as the wedding's officiant. It helped to be a close friend of the groom and bride for a number of years now. "Yep. I got everything down except for being a military chaplain. Should I fire some blanks on the 'I do', or how does that go?"
Stan knew he was joking, but it still didn't help. "Don't make me regret giving you this job.."
The one sitting in a free chair, with his crutches aside, leaned forward. "I still don't see why you and Wendy haven't considered me. Did you not appreciate the opening line I suggested? I killed with that one the other night!"
"I do appreciate it, Jimmy. It's just not what Wendy and I were going for."
"Okay," The show host backed off. "Hope you appreciate elementary stories and sex jokes, because that's all Kenny has to offer."
"Careful. I've got some sentimental up my sleeve." Kenny warned.
Kyle debated keeping his mouth shut. "I would've gladly joined Kenny if you made co-officiants an option. Or take the job altogether, I know Wendy almost just as well as you by now."
Stan hardly saw what Kyle was complaining about. He was already filling in the best man position, officiant seemed like the better choice for Kenny. "Wow guys, thanks for waiting until the night before my wedding to bring up these concerns. Really puts me in an easy place."
"So we can reconsider?" Butters asked.
"No!"
It wasn't until the recognizable person emerged from the parked car across the street that the group paid attention. It looked like Bebe had unwillingly driven herself over after throwing a jacket over her bride's party loungewear of long lavender satin pants and camisole set. She made it to the sidewalk nearing Stan and Wendy's as Butters jumped up at the woman coming up the path.
"Intruder! Spy!" Butters pointed.
"Relax, butthole. I come delivering a message." She revoked as if they were nine again. "From the bride to the groom."
Stan put his beer bottle aside in worry. "Is everything okay?"
"A little arranged surprise by her request." Bebe handed an envelope forward that was passed down the line of the groom's party before reaching Stan. Kenny looked over the groom's shoulder and gawked upon the surprise within.
"The Raging Pussies' Reunion Tour!?"
Bebe nodded. "Wendy found out they're playing near your honeymoon. A little pre-wedding gift."
Stan grinned as Kenny and Butters ogled over the tickets. This woman spoiled him rotten and he was the luckiest guy around. "Tell the bride I'm gracious and will definitely be returning this favor tomorrow."
"Oop, we know what that means," Kenny said before honking suggestively. "Urk-Urk."
Bebe clucked, heading back to the car. "I'll cut out that last part."
Clyde eyed her pyjama bottoms as she walked away. "Nice PJs, Bebe. Same outfit tomorrow?"
"Up yours, Donovan."
Panic ensued in the hospital square of the town of Brasília. Medics attempted to aid fellow staff when the majority had fallen ill from undetermined circumstances. Patients already in critical condition had worsened from the breakout of disease, and with very little staff still healthy, some may not make it through the night. Those who were even vigorous were relapsing.
An individual looked over the panicked establishment from a comfortable distance. It seemed to be such a vast and beautiful town underneath a brilliant night sky, turning greatly mortifying from the cries of horror of families arriving and finding their own loved ones dead upon arrival. The individual dressed in black to be invisible, took a creepingly sick pleasure at the knowledge that a simple hospital would not come back from an attack quite like this.
"No, please.." another whimpered. The invisible man watching the chaos unfold remembered other business, disappearing back into the alleyway of which he came and to the one crying and being held against his will by the leader's subordinates.
"I did what you said.." the one being held to his knees begged for mercy. "You promised me...I'd be spared-"
"You didn't follow through." the leader fake pitied. "You know we take details of a contract very seriously."
"You-You can't just get rid of me...it would take a miracle to find someone to replace me. I'm one of the only people that knows how to do what you want-!"
A quick blow to the forehead by a gunshot and the man who was once their only resource was splattered dead on the ground.
The leader pocketed his weapon as the blood pooled on his feet. "I told you there's another option who'd be willing to do the same with the right persuasion.."
One of the followers scoffed. "He was as good as dead as soon as he ran.."
The man in charge had to agree with a sick smile. "He had nothing to lose back home...someone who does will be willing to come quietly."
. . .
. .
To be continued...
