CHAPTER 3

Hitting the Jackpot

Inside a broken down Flatbush tenement, filled with foster children of all ages, Harry Osborn sits alone in front of a desk, as he tinkers with a small device. "Man, Dad actually came up with something good. Thank God I took some of his blueprints for myself", thought Harry. "If only that damned Peter would've let me stay with him, maybe he would've liked this. But fuck him and fuck May for not even trying to adopt me! Can't believe they let me rot in this fucking shell of a building; they might as well leave me in a damn hobo alley. If this shit drone doesn't work, how else can I prove that Peter Parker is Spider-Man and get him jail time for Dad's murder?! Well… I still got Dad's other bluepri—" "Hey, Harry! Suzy's letting everyone have chicken sandwiches on the pool porch, you want one?", asked one of the smaller foster children. "I'll get one in a minute, let me finish this project I'm working on, ya little shit", he rudely replies. "Hey, that's a bad word! I'm telliinnngggg!", the small one retorts. Harry then proceeds to get out of his swivel chair, and walking towards the foster child. "If I say I'll get my sandwich in a minute, I'll get it IN A MINUTE." The tiny sort of orphan begins to shake in fear of Harry, and starts to cry. "You're a big meanie, Harry!" "The world is full of 'meanies', kid. Get the fuck used to it if you wanna make it in New York!" Harry laughs as the crying child runs down the stairs, begging for Suzy. " Finally, I can get some peace and quiet."

Back in Forest Hills, Peter and May are both frantically getting dressed, as they tidy up the house for their old friends. "I already did the dishes, Petey, did you mop like I asked?", sternly asked May, halfway done dusting the living room. "I'm almost done with the bathroom, and button down with tie or no tie?" "Which button down? The Hawaiian or fancy gray? Also, tie? Are you trying to impress someone? Maybe someone with red hair?" "Hawaiian, and no, I just wanna look nice for once!" "Are you though, sweetie? You haven't worn a tie when meeting a girl since Gwen's first date! Also the first time you wore cologne." "So no tie?" "You're dodging my question, Petey. Who are you trying to impress, and why?" "May, no, I just wanna look nice for a female friend that I couldn't get anywhere if I won the best friend lottery!", Peter bellows from across the house. Suddenly, the doorbell rings, as the Watson family has arrived early. "Hawaiian, no tie", replied May, as she points at the door for Peter to answer, giving her a much needed physical break. Peter opens the door, with his shirt halfway on. "Face it, tiger; you just hit the best friend jackpot!", sassily replies Mary Jane Watson. Peter stands mouth agape, as a beautiful, button-nosed, freckled, long red haired, fashionable, curvy young lady stands where Peter expected an older version of a large, pigtailed, bookish ten year old girl.

"W-wh-w-h-wow, uh… Hi, Jane Mary", stutters a shell shocked Peter, as his shirt slowly slides off. Mary Jane lets out a small, yet audible, giggle. "Glad to see I'm still ya main girl, although you got yourself a sense of humor for once. And not a corny, quippy one either", she remarks about her old friend, bear hugging him. "And ripped, too! You're built just like that Spider-Man guy!" "Yeah, I uh, I work out now", he replied. "But uh, wow, it's been forever. How long has it been since—" "Six years, eleven months, two weeks and an extra day. So not too long." "Awww, look at you, little Mary Jane Watson! You look just like Anna back when me and her went to our prom", stated an awestruck May, as she limped over to Peter. "I got some drinks in the fridge if you want anything, and Peter, put your shirt on already! You're at home, not at the pool!" Peter blushes like a boiling tomato, and runs up to his room. MJ laughs louder, seeing that her best friend hasn't changed for the worse. "Hi, Aunty May. I hope Uncle Ben isn't at the police station today, there's so much I want to tell all of you guys about!"

A sudden, stark and heavy silence fills the air. "What's with the long face, Aunty May?", asks a concerned MJ. "Where's your mom, Mary Jane?", May replies, trying to avoid the question just like her nephew. "She should be walking over, she just texted me she found parking by the bodega a block back." "…Sit. Sit in Ben's chair, we have a lot of catching up to do, sweetie." May begins to tear up, scaring Mary Jane. As Peter comes back down, Anna walks in and sees her daughter in Ben's chair. "May, why is Mary Jane in Ben's chair? No one sits in that old recliner", she asks. "Because he's, he's…" "My Ben Parker ain't around anymore." "Where is he, in some singles swinger cruise or something?" "No, Anna. He's NOT HERE ANYMORE." May lets out a single, painful tear down her left eye. "He got shot, by some DAMN BANK ROBBER!" "Petey, don't yell. You did so much more,… conversation friendly things ever since then. Tell them about your new internship!", May subtly demands Peter.

"Well, I'm going to be a Baxter Building House Scientist starting in January, mainly working on their—" "Bio Chemistry!", Mary Jane predicts. "Petes, you could only be a bio chemist. I still get a good laugh from that one science fair back in 4th grade!" "Hey, that prototype superglue could've worked, if the judges didn't keep shaking the bottle." "I'll bet it would've worked. Speaking of stuff that would've worked, you wanna know why I'm back in Queens after all these years?" "Hell fuckin' yeah!" May gives Peter 'the look'. "Me and Peter would LOVE to know why", May replies, as she pinches his ear like a literal five-year-old, as MJ lets out a subtle chuckle. "Anna, Mary Jane, what brings you back to this side of New York?" "Well, although Terry got that big executive job up in Syracuse, he, uh, he…" Mary Jane gets up from Ben's recliner, and takes off her shirt. She turns around, and multiple scars are scattered on her back. "He really liked this bar nearby his office, and all his co-workers made him have strong second thoughts about having a fat daughter." Peter and May stare in shock, with Peter's fist slowly clenching up. "Where's Terry?", Peter asks MJ, as he gets visibly pissed at someone hurting his main girl. "He's not going to hurt us anymore, Peter. He's gone now. Not like Ben, God rest and bless his soul, but he's gone now", replies Anna. "WHERE?" "I don't know where, but me and Mary Jane hid our tracks well. He can't find us, and he won't. I know it deep within me." Peter calms down, with his fist turning into a relaxed hand. Mary Jane puts her shirt back on, realizing she triggered the Parker family twice. Suddenly, Mary Jane's phone rings, with a surprised look on her face.

"Hello? Yeah, I'm able to get to Manhattan, why? Well, no, I don't think I've ever done a photoshoot with that photographer. She's done some great shoots with my friends, so… yea, Mom'll be cool with that kind of shoot. You want me there when?! That's a little pushing it, can you save me the final shoot spot? What do you mean 'maybe'? Just tell her the pretty pretty one is gonna be there, I'm on my way from my friend's house. No, not that friend, the one from my fat girl days. Yeah, I'm finally bringing Peter over to work! Give me an hour, I'll be there, and yes, send the check the usual way. Stacey, you're the best! Text you how it goes when I'm done, byeeee!" "Sweetie, who's Stacey?", asked May. "That's my modeling agent." "Wait, since when are you a model?", replies Peter. "Since I came back to Queens. I'll tell ya all about it on the subway. I don't know if you heard the convo that was right in front of you, but I kinda promised that you'd be there today. C'mon. Get your Metrocard and let's go, tiger!" "He'll be happy to join you, lemme just talk to him for one minute, sweetie", May claims, pushing Peter upstairs. Once upstairs, she hands Peter a green backpack. "Take the Spider-Suit, Peter. I know it's been a while since you wore it, but I want MJ to be safe", May enforces. "You saw her back, she could use a little safety. Maybe even tell her your little sticky secret, just so then she has someone to call wh—" "What, no! I'm not wearing it ever again, not for anyone!", Peter shout-whispers. "And she DEFINITELY won't find out, that's how she can get hurt! May, we talked about this!" May then slaps nearby web shooters on his wrists as he frantically whisper-rants about his powers. "She's not Gwen, she won't get hurt by a psycho like Norman. But she's no super, keep her safe." Peter frowns at her. "Just this once, May. Just for MJ."

They both walk down the stairs, with an slightly perturbed Peter carrying the backpack on his shoulder. "Just had to make sure he had his inhaler, his meds, a sandwich, an emergency phone charger,—" "May, I'll be fine! I got my card, me and MJ will be ok!" MJ again chuckles at her old friend's shenanigans. "If you say so. I just want to make sure my two babies are safe in the big city." "MMMAAYYYYY!", MJ and Peter shout in embarrassed unison. "Call when you get there, both of you!", adds Anna. They nod in agreement, as they rush out the door into Mary Jane's world of modeling. "Ah, they look so adorable together, don't they? They're already their own little nerd couple", sighs May. "Yeah, I'm really glad she got to stop by today and see him after what happened upstate", replied Anna. A short silence, a silence of parents seeing their children grow before their eyes, fills the air. "…But, since the kids are gone, can you make me a May Parker Mimosa?" "Now you're talking, party girl!"

END OF CHAPTER 3