Chapter I
Dr. Jillian Holtzmann was in her office preparing lectures for undergraduate engineering courses. The fall semester was about to start and she had been busy getting ready. She enjoyed teaching even thought it wasn't always easy. Though she still missed her life as a Ghostbuster. Four years earlier, a car accident during a vacation changed everything. Her neck was broken and she was a C4 quadriplegic meaning she was paralyzed from the shoulders down. Things were tough for her emotionally during the transition from Cedars-Sinai ICU to the Shepherd Center in Atlanta. She learned how to accept her severe disability and how to use various technological gadgets which she helped improve and she learned how to use a sip and puff wheelchair. The sip and puff wheelchair used a straw control system in which she sipped and puffed into the straw controls to move the chair. Her fellow Ghostbusters, friends, and fans lent her various forms of support. Two years earlier, she began teaching undergraduate engineering courses at Columbia. There were mixed feelings when she joined the faculty, but in time she won over students and colleagues with her humor and positive attitude. Academia became her new life and over time she had less contact with Erin Gilbert, Patty Tolan, and Abby Yates. She also used her intelligence and engineering knowledge to help design products for people with disabilities. They were continuing their Ghostbusting careers.
As Jillian finished up her first week lecture plans. She heard the sound of the front door to her three bedroom apartment open. She heard the voice of her live in girlfriend Jennifer Lynch greeting one of her caregivers. She smiled and then using the sip and puff controls wheeled herself into the living room. Jennifer was there in a black business suit, she was now deputy mayor of New York.
The tall brunette smiled and said, "Hello love, how was your day?"
Holtzmann smiled and said, "It was a bit boring trying to figure out my course lectures for the first week. I had some fun this morning talking with Rebecca Gorin over her new projects. I've been waiting all day to see your lovely face."
Jennifer smiled back and responded, "I ran into your old colleagues today. They got rid of some ghosts that were lingering in a basement at one of the NYPD precincts. They asked about you and I told them the usual. I was thinking that maybe we could invite them over for dinner sometime soon."
Holtzmann was both happy and sad to hear about the Ghostbusters. She still cared about them deeply, however, she no longer felt a part of that group since she couldn't go out into the field with them. Sometimes she enjoyed not seeing them a lot.
"Well, I guess a small dinner party wouldn't hurt as long we don't serve wantoon to Abby." Holtzmann said.
"I'll be meeting with them later this week. How about we invite them over for the Saturday night of Labor Day weekend?' Jennifer asked as she put her hand on Holtzmann's cheek.
"That will be fine." The blonde said.
Jennifer then went into the kitchen to get something to drink. Holtzmann closed her eyes for a moment and had brief flashbacks of the fun times she and her friends had fighting the paranormal. She then opened her eyes and glanced down towards her paralyzed body. Her arms and hands were placed in special arm rests. Her hands had a bit of waxy look due to the paralysis. Her feet rested on a specialized foot rest and seatbelt was across her waist for protection. Even though she did her best to be positive, a part of her hated that she was no longer an able bodied engineer and Ghostbuster.
Her brunette girlfriend returned to living room with glass of water with a straw. Holtzmann sipped from the glass for awhile. Then Jennifer sat gently on her lap, she felt lucky that after the accident, Jennifer stayed in the picture.