Eddie
Jeremy opened his eyes sluggishly. "Ah, my head," he groaned.
"I figured it would have been your leg," I said.
Jeremy winced. "Thanks, Ed. I'd forgotten the pain in my leg until you brought it up."
Alice smiled and took Jeremy's hand in her own. "Yep, he's gonna be fine."
Jeremy was all laid up in a hospital bed, his leg in traction. The doctor had said that Jeremy would be able to leave the hospital for at least five days, back on his feet for two weeks, and Ghostbusting when he was out of his cast-which would take a whole month at least.
Poor Jeremy not only had a severely broken leg, but also a fractured rib, a billion bruises, and a pretty big goose egg on his noggin beside. I could imagine that he was in pain. That "demon dog" had definitely done some damage.
When we told him what the doctor had said, Jeremy had pretty much gone ape shit, as he would have put it. "What! You mean I gotta-" He paused, looking at his girlfriend. "Cover your ears, Alice."
Alice obliged, and Jeremy continued into his rant. "I gotta stay in this shit hole for five days? No freaking way! I need to get back out there and track down that hellhound that landed me into this mother in the first place! I'm gettin' out right now and no Goddamn doctor's gonna stop me-"
"But we will," Graham spoke up quickly. "Me and Eddie aren't letting you out of this bed, not even to take a crap. And that's final."
Jeremy snorted. "You two can't stop me either."
Geez, pain meds much? I thought to myself. But to have said that would have been to eat flaming terror at the hands of Jeremy Venkman.
"How about me?" said Alice, taking her hands away from her ears. "Would you stay in for your concerned girlfriend who only wants you to get better?"
"Aw, come on!" whined Jeremy. "Playing the girlfriend card isn't fair!"
"Jeremy," pleaded Alice. "It's only five days. Five days, and then you'll be back at the firehouse. Just stay here and rest. For me. Please?"
Jeremy huffed. "Damn it, you know I can't say no to you...fine. I'll be a good boy and do everything the nice doctor tells me, okay?"
"Thank you," said Alice, giving him a swift peck on the lips.
"Just one problem," I pointed out. "I don't think we'd be able to handle all our calls with just three on the job."
"Good point," agreed Graham. "But who do we get to replace Jeremy?"
"Replace?" Jeremy exclaimed indignantly.
"Uh, not replace," Graham amended quickly. "Just, uh, take over your work while you're out of commission."
"Like a temporary," I added.
"We could never and would never replace you," Alice consoled.
"Alright," said Jeremy, simmering back down. "Just watch the r-word. So, who do we get for the temp?"
"Well at the wedding," I said, "this guy approached me and said he'd like to be on the team. Seemed nice enough, looked pretty smart too."
"What's the name?" asked Graham.
"It was Dexter or some-"
"Dexter? Dexter Tully?" Alice asked. "Oh no! No way in hell, Eddie! Forget it!"
"Why is everyone yelling at me today?" I asked. "And what's the problem with this Dexter guy?"
"The problem is," Alice grumbled, "that the guy just can't leave me alone! I thought I'd seen the last of him at graduation. Then he showed up at the wedding. But there's no way that I could ever possibly work with Dexter Tully! Uh-uh, no way!"
"Who's Dexter Tully?" asked Graham.
"Yeah. And what does he have to do Alice?" Jeremy added, a little disgruntled.
"He's this guy we used to go to school with," explained Alice. "He, uh, likes me."
"What's he look like?" Jeremy pounded his fist against his hand menacingly.
"Oh, don't get all jealous." Alice rolled her eyes. "He's a complete dork."
"Sounds like your type," Jeremy muttered.
"Look, despite Dexter and Alice's, uh, awkward history," I cut in, "we do need a temp, and we've got a willing guy. What do you say? Is he in?"
Graham shrugged. "Sure."
"He just better stay away from my girl," grumbled Jeremy.
I looked at Alice expectantly. She looked pained, but nodded. "I guess."
"Okay. I'll call him up now."
The next day at the firehouse, Dexter Tully stood in front of us with a goofy grin on face, which exposed his shiny braces. His green pants were hitched up to his belly button, and they definitely did not match the yellow-and-blue checkered shirt was wearing. His glasses were thick, square, and black. "Thanks for hiring me, guys. It's great to have friends like you."
"Uh...right," I said. "Well, it's good to have you on the team, Dexter. This is Sally," I gestured to our secretary, "and I assume you know everyone else."
"Yup, I do." He looked at Alice, whose arms were crossed and was looking off into space disinterestedly. "Hi, Alice," said Dexter, trying to sound smooth, but failed miserably.
"Hi," muttered Alice, not looking Dexter in the eye.
"Well, Dex, let me show you the equipment," said Graham. He and our new recruit headed down into the basement.
"I think Jeremy could use some company right about now." Alice walked out of the front door.
The door closed behind her and I realized it was just me and Sally left in the room. I gulped, feeling my face get hot. Sally smiled at me. "What's the matter, Eddie? You look funny."
"Oh! Uh...it's just that...it's kinda warm in here," I said uncomfortably. I didn't know why, but I felt really nervous around Sally. I think it was those mystic hazel eyes of hers. They made me dizzy.
"I'm not hot," said Sally. I studied her long sleeves. Sure they were made of light material. But it still was June in New York.
"I guess I-I just have hot blood," I stuttered, immediately wishing I could take it back. "Uh, I mean-"
"That you have a warm heart?" Sally guessed.
"Uh, yeah. That's it." I'm sure my face was getting redder and redder by the minute.
Sally got up from her secretarial desk. "You know, I know a very surefire way to cool off."
I gulped. "What's that?"
She grinned and walked around the back of me. Suddenly, I felt my jacket being pulled at. "For starters, you could take this off," she suggested into my ear. She handed me my jacket back and sat back down.
I laughed a little. "Oh. Thanks. That does help."
She laughed too. "Not a problem." Then the phone rang and Sally reached to pick it up. "Hello, Ghostbusters," she answered. She threw me a wink.
I smiled back at her, and felt my stomach flip.
Suddenly, there was a loud explosion downstairs. Sally and I locked eyes, worried. I took off for the basement.
I opened the door, and a big puff of smoke came out. I coughed and covered my face as I stumbled down into the room.
Graham was sitting on the floor, looking thunderstruck. Dexter was standing next to him, wearing a proton pack. Graham looked up at me. "He was just...trying it on," he said dazedly.
I looked at Dexter. He gave me an embarrassed look. "Whoopsie."
Maybe Alice was right after all.
