Chapter 10

Kylie finished washing her face and turned off the faucet. Looking up into the mirror she saw her white face pinched and sickly looking staring back at her. Kylie reached to her right and removed the white hand towel from the rack and dried her wet face with it.

Kylie's stomach started acting up again and she dropped the towel to make it just in time to the toilet.

"So much for breakfast," she said as she flushed the toilet and went back to the sink once again.

Kylie had been in the bathroom for five minutes now and she knew that she needed to leave soon. Her husband, Eduardo, would soon need in and she needed to be on her way to school.

Kylie taught three days a week, in the summer, at the Borough of Manhattan Community College a few blocks from the firehouse. She taught beginning Philosophy classes on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday's.

Kylie and Eduardo had started living at the firehouse after they had gotten married. Egon had given them his old lab where he and his wife had lived when they had first gotten married.

Eden and Egon had stayed at the firehouse to save up money so that they could buy a house. The Spengler's were able to save money this way and they had bought their first home when their daughter was six.

Egon had explained this to Kylie and Eduardo right before they had gotten married in October of 2012. They had agreed to take Egon up on his offer to take over his old lab. Kylie smiled as she washed her face again. Living at the firehouse had been the only solution for her and Eduardo.

Eduardo's older brother Carl, who he lived with, had chastised Eduardo for wanting to marry Kylie. Eduardo had moved out of his brother's house and started staying at the firehouse in January. Eduardo didn't need his brother putting him down.

Carl was a NYC police officer, just like Eduardo's father, and with Eduardo being a "Ghostbuster" it only added to their strained relationship. Carl thought that his brother lacked respect towards authority, which included him and his father. Carl often told Eduardo that he was a jerk and a slacker.

"The only reason you passed that English class in college is because you plagiarized your paper," Carl told him one day.

Eduardo had attempted plagiarism to write his paper for college but in the end he had tossed his original paper out and had started again. When he told Carl about it his brother didn't believe him. Eduardo had finally given up on trying to get along with him.

Kylie picked up the towel from the floor and dried her face once again. Eduardo had been antisocial until he met Kylie. She had met him in Professor Spengler's Paranormal Phenomena 101 class. Her first impression of Eduardo was that he was cocky, but he did have enough integrity to take responsibility for his actions. When they had first met they had a love/hate relationship. They often bickered and got into heated arguments and debates with each other. Over the years that all changed.

Kylie finished drying her face and dropped the towel into the clothes hamper on her left. As Kylie turned and walked towards the door she remembered when Eduardo had changed his attitude towards her. They had never openly admitted their feelings towards each other until that day. She had just turned twenty years old in February and they were on a case.

Kylie remembered that a Mr. Leonard Bates had come to the firehouse about a specter in his house that was following him around. The team had found out that it was a Class 4 Psychoreactive Specter called the Wishgiver. The Wishgiver wanted Mr. Bates to be her husband and would try to kiss him. This only resulted in draining Mr. Bates of his life force. Realizing that the Wishgiver could hide in reflections, Kylie got an idea and started flirting with Mr. Bates when the ghost hid from them. Eduardo had told her that the plan was stupid, but after some corny dialogue Kylie went to kiss Mr. Bates. That's when the ghost flew out of a mirror and started to choke her.

Kylie stopped before the bathroom door, she reached up and placed her hand on her throat. It had not been a pleasant experience, being choked to death, and she never wanted to repeat that for as long as she lived.

At first Kylie had been in disbelief that she was being choked. She had difficulty in swallowing and breathing, that had only lasted momentarily, and then Kylie fought back. Trying whatever she could, to get free, it had been hopeless in the end. Kylie's vision was becoming blurry and she felt her body shutting down.

Kylie had been told that Garrett couldn't get off a clean shot and so Eduardo had taken matters into his own hands. She remembered seeing Eduardo's body thrust into her view as he tackled the Wishgiver off of her. Garrett and Roland had fired their proton pack's beams at the Wishgiver and confined it while Eduardo had taken Kylie's trap to capture the specter. Roland had told Mr. Bates that the ghost would be placed in the containment unit and that it wouldn't be bothering him again.

Before Kylie passed out, she remembered Eduardo holding her in his arms when everything was done and muttering into her ear, "Honey, nothing is going to happen to you on my watch!"

Kylie opened the door to the bathroom and moved down the hallway towards the room that she shared with Eduardo. She had spent the night in the hospital and Eduardo had never left her side. The hospital had taken a chest radiograph to rule out pulmonary edema and she had been placed on a pulse oximetry for the night. The following week, after her stay in the hospital, Kylie still had a hoarse voice and she had been scheduled for an laryngoscopy the following day. They had evaluated her vocal cords and trachea and found them to be fine. Kylie was warned that if she had any progressive worsening of symptoms that she was to see her doctor right away.

Because of her "accident" as the team called it, Eduardo became overly protective of her. His affections for her caused him to be concerned for her safety, to the point where he put himself in harms way to save her. This would happen when Kylie would try to get off a shot with her proton pistol. Eduardo, thinking that she would get hurt, would come and push her out of the way. After this happened twice Echo had taken Eduardo aside and talked to him.

"Eduardo," Echo told him, "I know that you are concerned for Kylie's safety but you can't keep pushing her out of the way. One or the other of you are going to get hurt and then where are we going to be? I can't run this business by myself. I have work and school at the university that takes up most of my time. That is why my father and Ray hired you guys. You need to make this a priority. Work as a team and everything will work out for the best."

They had started working better as a team and Eduardo's affections for Kylie grew more and more in the year that past. Eventually he had asked for Kylie's hand in marriage. This had happened after Eduardo had gotten hurt on the job. He had fallen down into a small cave near Harlem Meer in Central Park. Doctor Echo Spengler had found Eduardo and saved his life, before her own life was nearly taken from her.

Eduardo had received a dislocated shoulder, a couple of broken ribs, and a laceration above his right eye from the incident. Kylie knew that he was lucky to be alive and had never left his side while he was in the hospital for two nights. He had gotten off pretty well compared to Doctor Spengler. She had ended up with a broken leg and was in a coma for a week after the accident.

Kylie stopped at the door to her room. She had helped Eduardo through his physical therapy for several months afterwards. In the end it had all paid off and he was back to himself when they married on the thirty-first of October. Since Kylie liked anything to do with the occult, Eduardo had suggested to her that they marry on Halloween. Kylie had jumped at the suggestion and all of the guests had arrived dressed up in costume.

Kylie clutched her stomach. It was acting up again and she knew that she was in for a long day. They had arrived back in New York City on Sunday. Professor Spengler, Doctor Spengler, and Daniel McQuarrie were still in Wyoming. They wouldn't be back until next week because of Lizzie Parnell's death. Kylie knew that she couldn't be getting sick at a time like this. Garrett and Roland were both on vacation and would be returning in a few days. The only ones left to run the business were her, Eduardo, and Doctor Venkman if they needed an extra hand. Doctor Stantz was still in China with his wife. They hadn't heard from him in a while and she hoped that he was well.

Winston wasn't going to be of any help to them either as his wife was just getting out of the hospital. She had been in the hospital for three weeks and Winston was worried that her uterine cancer had come back. Iris had been diagnosed with uterine cancer when she had gotten off of her tour of Vietnam. Iris had gone through chemotherapy and she had thought that she was free and clear.

Kylie cried out as she fell to the floor. "This isn't good," she thought to herself as she dropped her head to the ground in front of her. Kylie heard the bedroom door open but she couldn't lift her head to see if it was Eduardo.

His voice came to her as she felt his hand lift her black hair out of her face.

"Honey, what's wrong?"

"My stomach's acting up."

"Must have been that left over pizza that I didn't put away in the fridge that you ate last night."

"Yeah," Kylie said, "you may be right."

Kylie felt Eduardo's hands running down her back. How was she going to make it to school? Eduardo must have been thinking the same thing as he pulled her close to him. Placing his left hand under her legs, Eduardo lifted her up and carried her into their room.

"There is going to be no school for you today," Eduardo said as he placed her in the full size bed that had once been Egon's.

"I have to go," Kylie protested, "It's the first week of classes. I can't call in sick."

"I'll go for you," Eduardo said as he removed her shoes from her feet. "You always have really well written notes. I'll just read through them and get the students to discuss the lesson amongst themselves."

Kylie snorted, "That's not going to happen."

"Why?"

"Because," Kylie teased him, "my students are way smarter than you. They are going to be talking circles around you and you won't know what they are saying."

"Hey there missy," Eduardo said dropping her shoes on the floor and pointing a finger her way, "I am just as smart as your students."

"Yeah," Kylie replied as she pulled her legs up to her chest.

"Yeah," Eduardo retorted back, "and I'll prove it. Ask me anything."

"Anything?"

"Yeah, you hear me right, spooky little lady. Anything."

"Okay," Kylie said smiling slyly up at him, "What is Sisyphus' job?"

"Sisyphus?" Eduardo asked taken back by the question. "I don't think he has anything to do with philosophy."

"He has everything to do with philosophy. If you want to teach my class you had better know what you are in for. My class is reading Albert Camus' book "The Myth of Sisyphus". So brainiac, I will ask you again. What is Sisyphus' job?"

"He's Greek to me," Eduardo replied placing a hand on his red goatee, rubbing it.

"I'll give you one point for that," Kylie said teasing him. "Sisyphus was King of Ephyra in Greek Mythology."

"Greek Mythology huh," Eduardo said furling his brows at Kylie, "You say Sisyphus' job? Now let me think…I've read "The Odyssey" by Homer and Sisyphus wasn't mentioned in there, so that must mean that he is in Homer's earlier work "The Iliad"."

"Wrong buddy," Kylie said. "I'll take back that point I just gave you, although from Homer onwards Sisyphus was famed as the craftiest of men."

"Craftiest of men?" Eduardo questioned dropping his hand from his face. "Sorry Kylie he is just not ringing a bell."

"I told you my students were smarter than you," Kylie said as she tried to sit up. "Now you see why I have to go and teach. Oh…" Kylie moaned trailing off as she put her head between her legs.

"Not today Honey," Eduardo said as he sat down beside her on the bed. "I may not be smart enough to know what Sisyphus' job was, but I do know that you can't even stand up."

"Sisyphus' job was that he had to roll a boulder up a hill," said a voice from the doorway.

Kylie and Eduardo looked up together to see Harry Tully standing there.

"Dad's here to drive you to the college but it looks to me like you're not going. I'll let him know," Harry said as he turned away.

"Hey Harry," Eduardo called, "How do you know about Sisyphus?"

Harry stopped and turned around to face Eduardo.

"Eddie, did you ever pay attention in school? You learn about Sisyphus studying Greek Mythology. As punishment for tricking Thanatos, the god of death, Sisyphus was to roll an immense boulder up a hill only to watch it roll back down before he got to the top. He would have to go back down the hill to get it and start all over again."

"Sisyphus was to do this for all eternity. Now the philosophical writer Camus saw Sisyphus as the absurd hero who lives life to the fullest, hates death, and is condemned to a meaningless task."

Harry turned around and started back down the hallway to the stairs that led to the first floor.

"I'm going to tell Dad what is happening," Harry said as his voice drifted away from them.

"Feel better," were his final words as Eduardo placed his left arm around his wife.

"Great," Eduardo sighed, "even the fifteen year old is brighter than me."

"Don't feel bad," Kylie laughed, "I use Harry as my pretend audience to lecture to before I go to school."

"Why don't you lecture to me?"

"Well," Kylie said as her stomach took a turn for the worse. Trying to ignore it Kylie looked towards her husband. "Let's just for once pretend that you are in my class."

"Okay."

"Why is Camus interested in Sisyphus' thoughts when he marches back down the mountain to start anew?"

"I have no idea Kylie."

"See, that's why I don't lecture to you. Now Harry at least would state that Sisyphus' thoughts would be that he is mad. Here he is, pushing this stupid rock up a mountain only to be mere inches from the top, thereby completing his task, to have it roll back down to the bottom."

"So."

"So," Kylie said to her husband, "Don't you see Eduardo that when Sisyphus has to start again it is truly a tragic moment. Sisyphus has become conscious of his wretched condition and he has lost hope. Camus claims that when Sisyphus acknowledges the futility of his task and the certainty of his fate, then he is freed to realize the absurdity of his situation. In this way Sisyphus can reach a state of contented acceptance."

"Eduardo," Kylie continued as she took his right hand in hers, "Sisyphus can be used as a model in our own lives. He's just a man who does what needs to be done. The irony of it all is understanding that your life may be completely meaningless, but you continue to carry on with a grin."

"Like the meaning of life stuff?" Eduardo asked squeezing her hand. "The philosophical old questions of; Where do we come from? Why are we here? and Where are we going when we die?"

"Yes," Kylie said her eyes lighting up as she pulled her husband's face towards hers and kissed him.

Releasing him Kylie said, "You really are smart Eduardo. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

"Thanks," he said, "I won't, but I am still going to call the college to let them know that you will not be in today."

Kylie sat on the bed and watched as Eduardo walked towards the door and disappeared from view. How she loved that man even though he wasn't good at mathematics, hated tuna, mayonnaise, and didn't have a driver's license.

"Eduardo's not so bad once you scratch the surface," she told Professor Spengler one day.

While Eduardo would openly admit his true feelings for her, Kylie was a girl that did not expose her feelings openly. She had learned to express them to her husband over the years and now could show her love to him. She let Eduardo know that he was important to her and defended him when others treated him disrespectfully.

Kylie smiled as she thought about their time together in Wyoming. Eduardo and her had finally been able to relax and enjoy each other's company to its fullest. With Kylie's college schedule and Eduardo working for Doctor Stantz and Professor Spengler, they hadn't had a moment to themselves. When they did grab time alone, neither one of them had felt like being romantic. All of that changed during their trip to the Parnell's. Eduardo had kissed her body making her feel tingly all over. He knew what she liked and would please her every chance he got on their trip.

Kylie's stomach took a turn for the worse and she reached down for the waste basket at the head of the bed. She made it in time and felt worse, hanging her head over the basket.

"Well look at what the cat dragged in," said a woman's voice from the doorway. "You're not even back a full week and now this."

Kylie looked up to see Janine standing in the doorway.

"Janine," Kylie said before she fell back into the basket with her face.

Janine quickly crossed to sit by Kylie's side as she took Kylie's hair and pulled it out of the way for her.

When Kylie was done she raised her face up.

"Sorry," she muttered.

"Sorry?" Janine questioned Kylie as she took the waste basket away from her and set it on the floor. "What are you sorry for? It's just a part of what we go through as women."

"What are you talking about Janine?" Kylie questioned, looking the receptionist in the face. "A part of what? Eating bad left over pizza?"

"This has nothing to do with that pizza you ate."

"Yes it does Janine. I just have food poisoning. I'll be good in a couple of days. I have all the symptoms; nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. I'm sure I have a fever too."

Janine placed her right hand on Kylie's forehead and shook her head.

"You don't have a fever, but I think I do know what you have," Janine said as she removed her hand from Kylie's forehead.

"What do I have?"

Janine smiled at the twenty-five year old woman beside her. How could Kylie a bright college student, not see the obvious Janine wondered as she got up off of the bed and helped Kylie lie back down. Janine had felt the same way as Kylie did now and it wasn't going to get any better in a couple of days.

"Kylie when was your last cycle?"

"Oh that's easy," Kylie said as she laid down on the bed. "I started spotting on Wednesday while teaching so any day now I should start."

"I don't think so," Janine said as she picked up the waste basket to empty it in the bathroom.

"Sandy!" Janine hollered out of the open door, "can you come up here a moment please."

Footsteps could be heard on the metal stairs and soon a handsome young teenage boy with dark brown hair, that stuck up, with light green eyes, that hid behind a pair of rimless rectangular shaped glasses, stood in the doorway.

"Yes Mama?" Sandy asked.

"Can you do me a favor and run down to the store for some saltine crackers and ginger tea?"

"Sure," Sandy replied as he turned and left.

"Harry!" Sandy shouted taking the steps two at a time, "Kylie's going to have a baby! You owe me ten bucks!"

"Baby!" Kylie said shocked her eyes opening wide in surprise. "I'm not having a baby! I'm just sick."

"Maybe," Janine said as she carried the waste basket and went to leave the room.

Stopping at the door Janine turned towards Kylie with a smile on her face.

"Next time dear remember that canvas tents are not sound proof. Sandy and Harry heard everything that you and Eduardo were doing. Although I did have to explain a lot of your sayings to Harry."

Kylie watched as Janine left the room calling back over her shoulder to her, "I'll call Doctor Stringham and have him come with Grace after work and check you out, just to be sure. Try and get some rest Kylie, it will help."

Sighing Kylie closed her eyes. "Just Great!" she said embarrassed that everyone knew what she and Eduardo had been doing. How stupid could she be? When they were at the firehouse no one was around, and she and Eduardo had loved each other to their hearts content. They were never worried about who heard them in the night and had grown into a comfortable routine. They had forgotten that others were around when they went on vacation and had loved each other on more than one occasion.

Kylie ran her hand down her face. She felt that she needed to apologize to everyone now and wondered if what Sandy said was true. Could she be pregnant? Her and Eduardo were not using protection but they also were not outright hoping for a child so soon.

Kylie shook her head and pulled the blanket that sat at the foot of the bed over her. No she wasn't pregnant. It was too soon. She had food poisoning, that was all she said trying to convince herself that it was true.

Kylie's mind wondered back to her time in Wyoming as sleep started to overtake her. Pleasant memories of her and Eduardo together in each others arms, satisfying each others needs. Maybe Janine was right. The product of their love could result in a child. She was a little bit scared of what Eduardo was going to say when he found out, but having known Eduardo for this long, Kylie knew it would be alright in the end.

"People can change," she muttered in her sleep.

She had seen Eduardo change and she had changed also. Whatever the outcome was, sick or pregnant, Kylie knew that Eduardo wouldn't leave her. That was a promise that he had made to her on their wedding day.

"I'll stand by you always Kylie," Eduardo said reciting the words he had written for his wedding vow to her.

Holding her hand Eduardo continued, "Kylie I love you more than life itself. Love is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."

Eduardo's love was all encompassing all sacrificing. There wasn't anything he wouldn't do to see her happy, but would having a baby strengthen her marriage to him or break it?

"A child is like the fruit of your labor of love with a man," Kylie's Great-Grandmother Rose told her before she died. "It can bring you closer and it can tear you down also. The key is communication before and after the baby is born."

"If you plant love and have no fruit it will be like a barren tree and leaves no legacy."

Kylie hoped her great-grandmother was right. She needed Eduardo by her side fighting with her, not against her.