Chapter Text
Serendipity.
To say that Wendy Testaburger had always loved mornings would be a very obvious understatement.
However, today just wasn’t one of those mornings, as she barely had any desire to get out of her cozy and toasty warm bed, let alone wanting to surrender herself to whatever the world outside had in store for her on this particular Friday.
Her usual 06:45 AM alarm blared, forcing Wendy to open her eyes and abandon her peaceful slumber. She groaned as she blindly reached for her phone and hit the ‘snooze’ button, burying her face deeper into the pillow, willing the world to disappear for just a few more minutes.
Eventually (albeit reluctantly), the raven-haired woman peeled herself away from the comfort of her bed, stretching herself languidly until her joints cracked like the snap of a firework. The brief satisfaction gave her at least a momentary reprieve from the weight of the day ahead.
With a sigh, she kicked off the covers and got out of her bed, before grabbing her bathrobe that was haphazardly draped over the easy chair in the corner of the room. She wrapped the plush fabric around her body before shuffling out of the room and stepping into the hallway of the apartment she shared with her two long-time best friends. Her footsteps echoed through the empty corridor of the apartment—the silence telling her that her roommates had already left for the day.
While Wendy normally enjoyed their company in the morning and loved to spend whatever free time she had with them before heading to work, she sometimes welcomed the quiet solitude that mornings like this one brought, thus giving her the time to mentally prepare herself for whatever challenges in the day she would have to face.
At twenty-seven (well, soon to be twenty-eight in December), Wendy Testaburger was a journalist living her best life in Colorado’s biggest city, Denver.
It hadn't always been an easy path to get where she was now, and she had worked tirelessly to achieve it. She dual-majored in Journalism and Public Relations with a minor in Psychology at the prestigious Columbia University in New York City, with such a well-rounded education only acting as a stepping stone for her to get better opportunities in her career as a journalist.
After graduating, Wendy had landed herself a job at New York Times, where she had often spent long hours working and doing her very best to prove herself in what was an incredibly competitive world of journalism. She had spent hours looking for the perfect stories to write and tell about, finding sources for those same stories and writing articles that would’ve hopefully been captivating enough for the readers. Her talent and dedication to the job hadn’t gone unnoticed of course, and she’d caught the attention of her superiors, which had given her an amazing opportunity to rise though the ranks and hopefully make more of a name for herself out there.
However, despite having a relatively quick success at her first real job post-graduation and the enjoyment of living in such a hustling and bustling city like the Big Apple, Wendy had more often than not found herself longing for her home state of Colorado—mostly missing her family and friends and her podunk little mountain hometown of South Park, but also missing a somewhat more relaxed and less fast-paced way of living.
So, when an opportunity to work for one of the most established media conglomerates in the western United States had come knocking, the ravenette hadn’t hesitated at all to accept that very exciting offer.
With a very heavy heart, Wendy had bid farewell to the streets of New York City and had swapped them for a much more familiar embrace of the Rocky Mountains. While it had all for sure been bittersweet to her, it had also been filled to the brim with excitement and anticipation in what would become a new chapter in her life.
Despite her move back to Colorado not being without any issues, she had been lucky enough that her two closest friends, Bebe Stevens and Tweek Tweak, had welcomed her back with open arms and had been there to help her out every step of the way if necessary. Not to mention that they had also encouraged her to move in with them into a three bedroom apartment in Denver and become roommates, thus making the three of them reunited for the first time since graduating high school.
The trio, being the best of friends since kindergarten, had kept their bond strong despite going separate ways for years, before eventually moving to Denver and escaping the small town mentality they had grown up with.
Reminiscing about all those good, simpler times, Wendy let out a sigh and decided that it was probably the best for her to get moving and start getting ready for another day at her job as a journalist and digital content creator at Denver Herald, where she had been working for the past two years.
A quick, hot shower did wonders to help her feel more awake and energized, washing away any remnants of sleepiness. The steam filled the small space of the bathroom, wrapping around her like a warm embrace. She stepped out feeling refreshed and wrapped herself in a towel, enjoying the way its softness felt against her damp skin. She met her own reflection in a fogged-up mirror, weary eyes and dark circles staring right back at her—a clear reminder of her staying up until one in the morning to finally finish that goddamned article she had been working on for way too long.
She applied some light makeup on her face, accentuating her features and giving herself a much needed boost of confidence for the day ahead. She combed through her long, straight locks and put them into a messy bun on top of her head, not really wanting to fuss too much about how her hair looked. Throwing on a simple white button down shirt and a black knit sweater over it, a pair of black high-waisted skinny jeans and her favorite tan Uggs boots to complete the outfit, Wendy’s glance at her phone told her that time was slipping away and silently urging her to hurry the heck up.
She grabbed her coat, handbag and car keys from the hallway cupboard, casting one last look around the apartment. She really hoped she’d get home early today and end this hectic work week on a somewhat positive note.
Stepping outside, she locked the door behind her and made her way to the elevator. Machinery sounds and hums filled the empty elevator space as she descended to the apartment building’s garage where her beloved metallic baby was parked.
After stepping out of the elevator and walking over to her car, she unlocked it and slid into the driver’s seat. Checking the dashboard clock, she realized that she had more than enough time to make it to work without getting caught in the rush hour traffic that usually plagued the streets of Lower Downtown Denver.
Flicking on the engine and switching to a radio station she usually listened to during her commute to work, the journalist decided to take an alternate route today and make a quick stop at the coffee shop her roommate Tweek Tweak had been successfully running for nearly four years now. She was sure that cool morning air and a strong cup of coffee would be the perfect way to kickstart yet another potentially busy work day and help her tackle whatever challenges there would be in store for her today.
Well, hopefully.
Some time later, after circling around the nearest parking lot and searching for an empty spot, Wendy finally got out of her car and crossed the street to Tweek Bros Coffehouse, with its familiar red exterior and brightly lit windows practically beckoning her to come inside.
So, with a pep in her step and eagerness to escape the coldness of the morning and make herself warm, the ravenette pushed the door open and took a step inside the coffee shop, almost instantly getting enveloped by the rich aroma of freshly roasted coffee beans and baked goods.
As she shut the door and made her way over to the counter, her eyes scanned the room and searched for any signs of a certain blonde barista. Thankfully, it didn’t take long to spot him—an unruly tuft of sunshine-colored locks peeking out from behind the counter, accompanied by the sound of clattering behind the shiny red countertop. Not wanting to startle or potentially freak her best friend out, Wendy cleared her throat gently.
A few seconds later, Tweek straightened up and checked out to see who had just entered his coffee shop. His eyes lit up with pleasant surprise upon seeing a person who had always been so near and dear to his heart, with Wendy giving him a small wave and friendly smile in return.
‘’Hey Tweeks.’’, she greeted, walking closer to the counter and sitting on one of the empty stools. There was some lingering sleepiness in her voice, and Tweek could easily pick up on it.
‘’Gah, good morning Wends!’’, Tweek replied as his hands instinctively reached for the espresso machine. ‘’What can I get you? The usual?’’
‘’No, I actually need something much stronger. Barely slept a wink last night…’’, she admitted, stifling a yawn.
Tweek nodded, getting Wendy’s memo right off the bat.
‘’Okay, I’ll whip up something for you real quick.’’, he replied and turned, turning on the espresso machine and getting to work. As he moved, he glanced over his shoulder. ‘’Let me guess...the article about that Denver City Council funds scandal?’’
Wendy groaned and slumped her head into her hands. ‘’Yeah…’’, she mumbled.
Despite her utter exhaustion and the willingness to show up at work today drastically depleted, her gaze drifted to Tweek as she watched him preparing her drink with practiced ease and being focused on getting her order just right. Seeing her best friend so dedicated to something he was clearly passionate about and so good at made her heart flutter lightly—not to mention that he was already a very talented pianist and a surprisingly skilled boxer.
‘’But enough about my article…’’, Wendy leaned forward, her voice dropping to a whisper and a mischievous glint sparking in her chocolate brown eyes. Her lips curled into a faint smirk.
Tweek quirked an eyebrow as he noticed a sudden change in his best friend’s facial expression, his curiosity now piqued. ‘’What?’’, he asked warily, despite knowing what that particular smirk of hers usually meant.
‘’Did that handsome guy come in today?’’, she teased, taking a sip of the espresso he’d just handed her. The bitterness made her grimace, but she proceeded to take another sip anyway, all while never breaking eye contact with Tweek.
The blonde man immediately flushed, his cheeks turning pink. ‘’Ack y-yes, he actually did!’’, he stammered.
‘’Craig Tucker, the astronaut, right?’’
‘’Yes, I know exactly who you’re talking about Wends, jeez.’’
‘’So, what happened?’’, Wendy pressed, unable to contain her curiosity any longer. Her journalistic instincts quickly kicked in, wanting to find out if there had been any development in a potential budding romance between her best friend and a guy who’d been tipped as one of NASA’s most promising up-and-coming astronauts.
‘’Well, not much, if I were to be completely honest with you.’’, Tweek admitted with a shrug. ‘’He came in, ordered his usual, and we talked for a bit. Just small talk.’’
‘’And for how long that’s been going on?’’, Wendy’s grin widened.
‘’About four months.’’, the older of the two best friends revealed with a hint of pride in his voice. ‘’But I mean, it’s nothing serious. We’re just having friendly conversations and that’s all.’’
Wendy arched an eyebrow, her playful smirk now deepening. ‘’Well, maybe he’s not just here for the coffee, you know? Maybe he likes seeing a cute barista make his drink every morning.’’
Tweek’s hands shot up in protest, though his deepening blush was telling otherwise. ‘’Wends, don’t be ridiculous, please.’’, he sputtered. ‘’I know Craig came out in an interview years ago and is one of few openly gay astronauts, but that doesn’t mean I have any chance with him whatsoever.’’
Wendy rolled her eyes. ‘’Oh, come on! Why don’t you wait just a little longer and maybe ask him out? I can tell how smitten you are, and don’t pretend like I haven’t heard you talk about him like this before, okay?’’
Tweek sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. ‘’Look, I get what you’re saying, but I don’t even know if he’s single. I don’t wanna’ get my hopes up too much and end up disappointed if it turns out that Craig is already with someone else, alright?’’, his voice wavered with uncertainty as he wiped down the counter.
Wendy’s playful demeanor softened as she reached across the counter and placed a hand over Tweek’s, trying to offer him at least some form of reassurance. ‘’Yeah, I guess you’re right. I just assumed there was something more going on between you two because you talk about him so much. Sorry, I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions like that.’’
‘’Hey, everything’s just fine.’’, Tweek reassured her back. ‘’I just don’t want to misread any signals and make things awkward between Craig and me. He’s a really great guy and I’ve enjoyed our conversations. It’s just that I haven’t gathered the courage to ask him out yet…’’
Wendy squeezed his hand supportively. ‘’I understand, it’s okay.’’, she smiled at him, before taking a look at her Apple Watch and groaning, realizing that she should definitely get going if she wanted to make it to work on time and potentially not be subjected to her boss’ ramblings yet again. ‘’Ugh, I gotta’ get going, or my boss will never shut up about me being late again.’’
She hopped off the stool and practically sprinted towards the exit, all while trying not to spill her still-too-hot coffee and potentially ruin her entire outfit. ‘’See you tonight!’’
Tweek just shook his head in response and let out a chuckle. ‘’Yeah, understandable, see you tonight.’’, he waved at his best friend. ‘’Oh and by the way, Bebe’s making her famous chili con carne tonight, so don’t miss it!’’
‘’Wouldn’t miss it for the world.’’, Wendy shouted back before disappearing through the door.
And with those words, she walked out of the coffee shop and walked across the street back to the parking lot where she had left her car, before hopping into her beloved Toyota and driving off in the direction of her work, with hopes that this little detour she had made wouldn't cause her to end up being late and potentially in trouble with her boss—because that was definitely one thing she didn’t have on her today’s to-do list (or ever, in that case).
Not that far away from the premises of Tweek Bros Coffeehouse, a relatively busy day had been unfolding in Denver’s Central Business District. The streets of the Mile High City hummed with the usual, ever-present sounds of car horns and murmured conversations as people went about their daily routines.
The sun hung high in the sky, casting a golden hue all over the sprawling cityscape. Towering skyscrapers loomed overhead, their mirrored surfaces reflecting the vibrant energy of the city below. The crisp fall air carried a certain charm, with the sound of wind gently rustling through the trees and leaves swirling along the pavement adding a touch of seasonal beauty.
The Central Business District had long been an ideal place for entrepreneurs and businesspeople to start their companies and build their legacies. While some of them had risen to great heights and had started successful companies with solid reputations, others had ended up on a completely different side of the coin and had seen their ambitions crumble spectacularly. Among the crowd of figures in expensive suits and briefcase-toting professionals, one man in particular stood out amidst the corporate jungle—with him being a great example of how to start a business from the ground up and defy all the odds to build a very thriving company.
Stanley ‘’Stan’’ Marsh had transformed what had once been a lighthearted joke among friends into what was now a publicly traded media and technology conglomerate. Despite neither him nor his four best friends-turned-business partners having virtually any prior work experience in that particular field, a hardworking attitude, strategic thinking and sheer determination to succeed had been key reasons behind them all finding such success with the company. His four best friends had eventually left the company to pursue other ventures, which had made him the only founding member left and eventually the CEO of the entire thing.
A proud smile tugged at the corners of Stan’s lips, with pride evident in his striking blue eyes. He had managed to wrap up yet another business deal and call it done and dusted—one of many since fully taking over the startup he and his childhood friends had co-founded as a mere joke years ago. Under his leadership and guidance, that once small venture had flourished and transformed into a very respected, reputable technological powerhouse.
At just twenty-eight years of age, Stan Marsh was the CEO of Marshmallow Inc., one of the most prominent and rapidly growing companies in all of North America, specializing in technology research and development and innovative solutions for businesses all around the globe, as well as recently tapping into the market of broadcast networks and streaming services. Though not as colossal as giants like Alphabet, Apple, Microsoft or Netflix, it had still carved out an impressive niche within the industry and had rightfully earned its place among the most promising tech enterprises.
Yet, despite all the wealth, prestige and perks that came with being a successful entrepreneur and businessman, becoming a CEO had never been really that high on Stan’s list of aspirations, let alone becoming a multi-millionaire by the age of almost thirty.
Once a promising football talent and star college football player for the USC Trojans, his future had seemed destined for the NFL. That dream, however, had been abruptly shattered by a career-ending knee injury from which he had never fully recovered.
The aftermath of the injury had been grueling, going through hell and back during the recovery process and enduring both pain and loss. However, rather than succumb to despair and sadness, Stan had instead redirected his focus towards recovery and working hard to get back on track. He had thrown himself into his studies, eventually earning a bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering and later a master’s degree in Computer Science from University of Southern California.
Some time post-graduation, Stan had suggested to his friends that they should do something with the pulled trademark name of the Washington Redskins football team and launch their own startup of the same name, which had led to them finding incredible success overnight and quickly banking on being ‘’consultative experts in the field of doing absolutely nothing’’ (even though his best friend Kyle had suggested they should expand their portfolio by offering actual courses and services, with which Stan, Kenny, Cartman and Marjorine had all later agreed on). It hadn’t taken that long before the startup gained not only considerable recognition and popularity throughout Colorado, but also somehow earning national recognition as one of the top startups to watch out for.
Over the years, most of the original team had moved on, leaving Stan as the last remaining founder (though his best friend had later joined the company’s legal counsel and Eric Cartman had become responsible for the financial side of things). With their departure, he had rebranded the company as Marshmallow Inc., buying out his friends’ shares and becoming the company's sole owner and CEO, and eventually shifting its focus entirely away from ‘’doing absolutely nothing’’. Under his guidance, the company had blossomed, now owning multiple subsidiaries and running several different important projects that positioned it on the verge of making significant business investments and acquisitions.
Despite the media’s fascination with his career as the CEO of Marshmallow Inc., his philanthropy, activism and reputation of being one of Colorado’s most sought-after bachelors, there was one aspect of Stan’s life that had remained largely under the radar.
When he wasn’t immersed in the corporate world, Stan’s life revolved around a little bundle of joy that always managed to bring a smile to his face—his four-year-old daughter Elizabeth Marsh, or Ella for short.
She was his entire world.
The little girl was the spitting image of her father, with shoulder-length raven black hair and bright blue eyes. She resembled him in a lot of ways, not just appearance-wise—everything from her expressive features, the way her eyes sparkled with curiosity to her thoughtful furrowing of brows mirrored his mannerisms. Her personality reflected his as well, with the child sharing his sensitive nature and kindness, but also already showing some signs of the same caring and compassionate nature he had.
Despite his often hectic schedule, Stan always made time for his daughter—whether it was attending her preschool events, reading bedtime stories or indulging in impromptu tea parties in their spacious living room, he cherished every moment they got to spend together. He would often bring her to work with him, where Ella was usually seen playing with toys, snacking or turning his high-end ergonomic chair into her personal throne.
For Stan, being a father was definitely the greatest joy in his life, since it was a role he didn’t think he would get to experience while still in college, especially given what the state of his life had been at that time and everything he had had to go through.
‘’Mr. Marsh?’’
A soft knock on the door pulled Stan from his thoughts. The dark-haired man cleared his throat and turned in his chair to face the doorway just as it creaked open to reveal the person who was standing right behind his office door.
The door swung open to reveal Heidi Turner, his longtime assistant and, coincidentally, the ex-fiancée of his childhood friend and the company’s CFO, Eric Cartman. She gave him a knowing smile and walked inside her boss’ office.
Stan met Heidi’s gaze, arching an eyebrow. ‘’Yes, Heidi?’’, he prompted.
‘’Your sister and daughter are here.’’, she informed him, quickly checking her tablet. Knowing how much Stan loved spending time with Ella, the petite woman had a great idea in mind and hoped her boss would be okay with it. ‘’Should I reschedule your meeting with Cred for later?’’
Stan pondered for a moment before nodding. ‘’Yeah, actually, that would be really good.’’, he replied. ‘’Not like that meeting was all that important anyway. They were super late last time, so I don’t really feel like dealing with them today.’’
‘’Understood.’’, Heidi smirked knowingly as she made slight alterations to Stan’s schedule and moved the meeting he hadn’t been the most excited about having. ‘’I’ll push it back and let them know you had personal matters to attend to.’’
‘’Appreciate it.’’, Stan said, exhaling an inner sigh of relief.
‘’Should I send Shelly and Ella in?’’
‘’Yeah, of course.’’
Heidi nodded, closing the door behind her as she walked out. Moments later, the door swung open again, and in walked two figures.
It was Shelly McCormick who walked in first, followed closely behind by one energetic and cheerful four-year-old who was clutching her favorite teddy bear in one hand and a giant, brightly colored lollipop in the other.
‘’Daddy!’’, Ella’s voice rang with pure excitement as she rushed towards Stan with outstretched arms.
Stan’s heart melted instantly. Rising from his seat and walking closer to the little girl, he then crouched down and happily welcomed her in his embrace, scooping her up with ease.
‘’Ella, my little princess…’’, he murmured as she wrapped her little hands around his neck. ‘’How’s daddy’s girl?’’, he asked as he kissed her hairline gently and combed his fingers through one of her neatly tied pigtails.
‘’Very awesome!’’, she exclaimed. ‘’Auntie Shelly bought me this giant lollipop!’’, she clapped her eyes shut and smiled over the fact that she had managed to convince her aunt to buy her a lollipop that was nearly the size of her face.
‘’Oh, did she?’’, Stan smirked, shifting his gaze to his older sister.
Shelly rolled her eyes playfully. ‘’Yes, I did.’’, she teased. ‘’So turd—’’
Stan cut his sister off before she even got the chance to finish her sentence. ‘’Shelly, what did I tell you about calling me that in front of Ella?’’
‘’Oh puh-lease, she won’t start using it. C’mon, she’s four…’’, the brunette scoffed, plopping herself onto the office couch. ‘’Besides, turd isn’t even that bad of a word, so what are you even smoking?’’
‘’Okay, maybe it’s not that bad of a word to you, but have you forgotten how fast she learns things and soaks everything up like a sponge?’’
‘’Daddy, what’s a turd?’’, Ella asked as she looked up at her dad with big, curious eyes.
Stan hung his head back with a silent groan, momentarily forgetting about the fact that his daughter had been going through a phase of memorizing quite a lot of things and also asking about a gazillion questions about those very same things. ‘’Never mind, sweetie. That’s just not a very nice thing to call someone.’’, he explained to Ella, before turning his attention back to his now slightly annoyed older sister.
Shelly took a sip of her coffee before setting it down on the coffee table. ‘’Anyway, since I’m babysitting Ella today, I figured we’d drop by. Also…’’, she hesitated before grinning. ‘’Would you be cool with Ellie staying over at my place tonight? Thought she could have a fun sleepover with Alex and Rosie.’’
Stan’s face lit up. ‘’Of course! I’m sure she’d love that.’’
‘’Awesome.’’, Shelly said, high-fiving him enthusiastically.
Stan glanced over his shoulder and noticed that Ella had managed to discreetly sneak away and make herself comfortable in his desk chair that was definitely all too big for her, happily munching down on her lollipop. ‘’Sweetie, you excited to have a sleepover with your cousins?’’
Her blue eyes lit up instantly. ‘’Yes! Can I bring Mr. Snuggie please?’’, she bounced excitedly in the chair, causing her favorite stuffed animal to slip from her lap and tumble onto the floor. ‘’Can I please, please, please, pleeeeease?!’’
Stan laughed. ‘’Of course, sweetheart. Mr. Snuggie is always invited.’’, he bent down to retrieve the plush toy, handing it back to Ella. ‘’Well, I guess that settles it then. You have to promise you’ll behave for Auntie Shelly and Unkie Kevin, okay?’’
‘’I will!’’, the little noirette promised, hopping off the chair and running straight to Stan, throwing her arms around his neck in a tight hug. ‘’Thank you daddy!’’
Stan’s heart melted as he wrapped his arms around her, lifting her slightly before returning the hug just as devotedly and pressing a kiss to her forehead. ‘’Anytime, kiddo.’’, he said before gently setting her back down, then watching as she ran over to the couch and plopped down beside Shelly.
Leaning against his desk, Stan let out a contented sigh. His gaze softened as he watched his sister show Ella something on her phone. Whatever it was, it had the little girl giggling uncontrollably and her infectious laughter filling the room.
To Stan, life was good and he knew that he was exactly where he was meant to be—his company was thriving, his daughter was happy and healthy, and he was surrounded by people who loved and supported him.
Honestly, could life get any better than this?
Despite initially worrying she wouldn’t make it to work on time after a spontaneous visit she’d made to Tweek Bros Coffeehouse and getting caught up in conversation with her best friend, Wendy still managed to start her day on a relatively positive note.
As a mid-level journalist (though with serious aspirations of becoming a senior journalist in the near future) and digital content creator at Denver Herald, most of her work days consisted of researching upcoming articles, managing the company’s various social media accounts and contributing to marketing campaigns.
During particularly stressful periods at her job, Wendy’d often find herself zoning out at her desk, letting her thoughts drift as far away as humanly possible from deadlines and editorial calendars.
Speaking of which…
‘’Wendy, is that interview with Tolkien Black ready?’’
The sudden voice behind her immediately brought Wendy back to reality. She blinked, quickly turning around and locking eyes with Lilly Hartman, a woman who just happened to be one of Denver Herald’s head editors-in-chief and her boss.
‘’It’s almost ready, Lil…’’, Wendy responded as she opened the editing software to display the article. ‘’I just need to proofread it before posting.’’
While Lilly nodded in understanding, her impatience was evident in the way she rolled her eyes and the quiet groan she let out. ‘’Well, you better hurry it up, okay? This interview is a big deal, and our readers have been eagerly waiting for it.’’
Wendy chuckled at her boss’ urgency but quickly refocused, scanning through the final draft before sending it over. With that task done and dusted, she then logged into her business email to check for any missed notifications or unread emails. She took a final sip of that espresso she’d brought with her, already anticipating the long workday ahead.
And just as she was settling in, a blur of movement caught her attention. Wendy turned over to see one of her co-workers, Lola Paxton, rushing towards both her and Lilly, visibly out of breath and slightly flushed.
The two women exchanged glances as Lola practically collapsed into a nearby chair, panting. They waited as she struggled to regain her composure.
‘’Woah, what's the matter Lola? You look like you just ran a marathon.’’, Lilly remarked.
‘’Yeah, what happened?’’, Wendy chimed in, crossing her arms.
Lola took a deep breath before blurting out. ‘’So, something just came up.’’, she began. ‘’Jenny called in sick and said she won’t be able to make it today. She has that super-duper important interview scheduled for today with the CEO of Marshmallow Inc.’’
Wendy’s eyes widened. ‘’Wait, are you serious? Who’s taking over the interview? Someone has to!’’
Lola shook her head, concern evident in her expression. ‘’Jenny didn’t say. She just mentioned she was feeling under the weather and that someone else needs to step in. And honestly, Wendy, I immediately thought of you. You’re one of our best interviewers, and I know you’d do a fantastic job.’’
Wendy’s heart skipped a beat as she took in Lola’s words.
Landing an interview with the CEO of such a prestigious and well-established organization was a rare opportunity, and one that could help elevate her career significantly. She had worked hard to make more of a name for herself out there, and this could be another step towards cementing herself in the industry.
‘’Well…’’, Wendy hesitated, a little unsure of how to formulate her thoughts. ‘’I wouldn't say I’m the best, but I have filled in for interviews before, and they’ve gone well. I just don’t wanna’ mess things up, not for myself or the company.’’
‘’You have nothing to worry about. You’re smart, articulate and talented. If I were you, I wouldn't overthink it too much, alright?’’, Lilly reassured her.
Encouraged by their confidence and trust in her, Wendy turned her focus back to the task ahead.
She’d read plenty about Marshmallow Inc. in the past—how it had evolved from a joke startup into one of the most talked about companies in the country, with its innovative ideas and bold business strategies captivating both investors and industry leaders alike.
She’d already gone through the interview questions Jenny had sent her (and had made some adjustments to them, of course), so she now found herself diving even deeper into research, her fingers flying over the keyboard as she read through numerous articles about the company’s CEO and interviews he’d done in the past. She even scrolled through what little social media presence he had in order to get a deeper understanding of the man she was about to meet and to be precise, concise and articulate with questions she’d prepare for him.
The more Wendy learned about him, the more eager she became.
Her upcoming interview? It wasn’t just another assignment.
She was about to meet Stanley Marsh himself.