FAITH IN HUMANITY
THE SECOND AFTERMATH

May 19th 2004:

A few hours after the aborted wedding, a family conference was held in the Jameson house. It dissolved, within a matter of minutes, to John and his mother and father all screaming at each other.

"We bill that girl for the wedding!" Jonah Jameson shouted. "Her and her new man. We bleed every damn dollar out of them."

"Dad-"

"Or her parents. We get hold of them. Who are they, John? Have I met them?"

"No. And no." John said fiercely. "Neither of them have money, and MJ doesn't either, and face it, Dad, demanding things from her isn't going to do any good."

"I agree with him," John's mother snapped. "You listen up, Jonah. Or is it always just about the money to you?"

"Yeah? Who was it who ordered a vanload of flowers? And three new dresses? And caviar?"

"Look, we can argue later," John said in exasperation, displaying the abilities that had made him captain of a space shuttle. "Right now, we just have to consider what to do. I've been trying to contact MJ, but she won't reply-"

"Course she won't! What did you expect from someone who'd pull a stunt like that?"

"Shut up, Dad. As I was saying, she won't answer her phone or anything. I'm gonna try going through her parents, I think. I just want to talk to her." All the energy suddenly seemed to go out of him, at that. "Just talk," he said with a sigh, and sunk down on one of the sofas. His parents glanced at each other. For the first time in at least a decade, they were apparently thinking the exact same thing.

"Are you alright, John?" Jonah asked gruffly.

"Not really."

His mother went to the wine cabinet, filled a glass, and sat down on the sofa next to him. "Here," she said, and handed the glass over. John drank the whole thing. "Thanks," he mumbled. "I'm fine. Really. I will be."

"Have you given any thought as to what you'll do if she comes back?" Jonah boomed. "If she comes back begging you to take her back and share your wealth?"

"What your father means," John's mother said icily, "is, would you forgive her."

"Yes."

"And, would you take her back? Would you marry her?"

"No," John said firmly. "No. I've got no faith in her anymore."