Chapter 29 "I'm Alright" (early February)

(Song suggestion- "I'm Alright" by Kenny Loggins)

Janine

My first anniversary of working for the Ghostbusters approached more rapidly than I could believe. The first week of February materialized, and I spotted a beautifully wrapped gift in red on my desk. Shocked, I examined it and then twisted to face my boyfriend. At first, his long face conveyed a fake baffled expression like he didn't have anything to do with it, but I knew him better. Egon's smug grin and the twinkle in his expressive eyes gave it away as he leaned down to kiss me on the top of my head before I sat down in my desk chair.

"Is today special," Egon inquired, pretending to play dumb. He attempted to conceal the knowing smirk on his lips as he hovered over me as I scrutinized the medium size gift in my seat.

"You know darn well this is the first anniversary of my employment here," I replied. All of a sudden, I pinched my boyfriend's waist laughingly, and my boyfriend rejoined with, "It is? I thought you just started here."

"Hardly, it took you seven months to kiss me, Dr. Spengler, and you know it," I jested in return, simpering. He leaned over and kissed me.

"Hey Juliet, open the darn gift already," Peter's annoyed voice called from the landing, and we stopped kissing. We turned around to see him and Ray, smugly, watching us from above.

"Ugh, Peter," I annoyedly muttered. After he interrupted us, Egon caressed my cheek with his forefinger and then pointed at the gift to encourage me to unwrap it.

"I am so happy that you all remembered," I admitted as I gingerly opened the gift. When it was all unwrapped, the box contained a book in it. Mystified, I picked it up and read the title out loud, "Everything you need to know about BASIC."

Uproarious laughter floated from above us, and I twisted my neck to view Ray and Peter turning red as they slapped their knees. They gave me a book about the subject that I used to prove Egon wrong during my interview. Next to me, even my boyfriend chuckled in his deep voice as he kissed the top of my head, causing my body to experience chills.

"Blasphemous," I declared, teasingly, spinning around in my chair to face my tall, dark and handsome boyfriend, who looked amused.

"Oh, come on, it's humorous," my handsome boyfriend remarked, pulling me up from my chair with his long arms so we could embrace, and I kissed his cheek. His coffee eyes conveyed happiness, and I loved that. Next, I turn around, pick up the book, and thumb through it for a second.

"You are the one who needs this more than I do, Spengs," I joked with him, hitting him on the top of the head with it gently.

Egon hated it when I called him Venkman's nickname for him, which is why I did it, and the two other Ghostbusters howled with laughter again as I did so from upstairs as they watched.

"Hmmm," he uncomfortably mumbled, and his face changed to a medium pink color for a bit.

With a sexy smirk, Egon removed the book from my hand and put it back on my desk. He put his arms around my waist and pulled me close, causing my breath to catch. As I gazed into my lover's face, and he whispered, lovingly, "I guess I owe my life to that computer program because it brought me you."

Egon moved closer to my lips without touching them, making me desperate in anticipation.

"I love you so much, Janine Melnitz," he confessed, and he gave me a kiss that conveyed that emotion. I almost forgot I was at work until Peter and Ray started to clap.

"I love you to the moon and back, Egon Spengler," I whispered after Peter and Ray disturbed our make-out session again. Then, I reluctantly withdrew from him, feeling dizzy from our manifestations, as Egon strode away slowly from my desk.

"Juliet, your true gift is up here; that was just for shits and giggles. Will you two come upstairs so we can have our weekly meeting afterward," Peter irritatedly demanded, pushing away from the railings.

"Yes, Dr. V., " I answered in a smarty pants voice, starting my computer first. Then, after I printed their schedule, I ascended the stairs with a notepad and a pen with Egon next to me. Playfully, I tickled his right side underneath his ribs, which irked him because he didn't like it.

"Ok, we just poured a cup of coffee for you, J; please sit down," Ray requested with a wave of his hand.

"Thanks, Ray," I replied merrily.

"Iggy, you have to get your own," Peter quipped sarcastically as I sat down where a similar-sized box with the same red wrapping paper appeared with my name on it.

"You didn't have to do this," I gushed and questioned if I could open it.

"Of course we did, Brooklyn," Peter replied in an overly fake Brooklyn accent, pushing the present towards me with a genuine grin on his face, " We love you. "

"Yes, please open it," Ray enthusiastically answered.

Egon sat down with his coffee next to Ray on one side of the table and me on the other, and I opened the present excitedly. Another box revealed a beautiful rectangular silver picture frame, and I lifted it carefully. It was a photo of us in it from the gala dressed in our formal wear, smiling jubilantly at the camera.

"Oh, I forgot that we took this picture," I exclaimed, feeling touched by the gesture. It was just the four of us without Lucy and Bianca, and we all looked fabulous. My eyes filled with tears as I gingerly held it and whispered, " I love it! Look how great we look! Thank you so much, guys."

They appeared highly pleased with my reaction as I happily gazed at it and set it up on the table.

"This will be perfect for my desk," I responded excitedly.

"Wait, there is something else," Ray commented, exasperated, and handed me the card.

When I read the card, it elucidated in elegant wording how much they appreciated me and everything they did, and it was lovely.

"Oh," I whispered, tearing up again, and I rose from my desk to give each Ghostbuster a side hug to thank them, " thank you so much."

"It was your boyfriend's idea, but you're welcome," Venkman pointed out after I hugged him and went over to Ray to embrace him.

Egon sheepishly appeared when I kissed his cheek chastely and whispered something naughty about thanking him later in private.

"Uh oh, Iggy's going to get laid," Peter declared, and I winked at him, much to Egon's embarrassment.

"Well, everyone is getting more action than I am," Ray whined, and we all laughed with him.

"I think Spengler's getting more than I am right now," Venkman stated, honestly, and Egon blushed heavily again.

"Oh yeah, he is," I sardonically quipped, lowering myself down in a chair and taking a sip of my coffee, much to my boyfriend's embarrassment.

"OK, OK, the first item of business for today, what is your favorite memory of working here, Janine?" Peter steered the conversation back to something productive, smiling.

"Hmm," I thought about it for a while as everyone's eyes peered at me.

"Oh! Last summer, when you Peter had a water gun and started shooting it at me from the second floor, I typed my senior thesis paper. Ray and I bought some of our own later, and then, at the end of my shift, we all ganged up on you, Venkman, and soaked you right before you went on a date."

I cracked up in the middle of the story as I recalled chasing Peter with Ray and Egon throughout the firehouse. Then, we all started to laugh.

"Somehow, I don't know how exactly," Dr. Venkman contemptuously said, " you even got Iggy involved in our water gunfight."

"All she had to do was bat her eyelashes and flash that smile at him," Ray commented, and Peter groaned at him and replied that his comment was acerbic.

"What was your favorite memory with me being employed here," I questioned my three bosses, taking a sip of my warm coffee.

"Hard to pick just one," Peter confessed, after a moment, and the others nodded agreed, " But I have to say your interview when you proved your boyfriend wrong. That was fucking riotous."

"Mmm. Any time you came into my office or the lab bending over to show me your butt or bust or when you flirted with me," Egon revealed, giving me a sly smile and a wink.

"Aww, Spengs, how cute," the chubbiest Ghostbuster teased.

"Janine, I enjoy your professionalism, your wit, and your sassiness every day," Ray solemnly admitted.

Sniffling a little, I mouthed "thank you" to my faux big brother as I became a little emotional.

"Hear, hear," Egon and Peter repeated, grinning at me.

"Alright, now that Ms. Melnitz's first anniversary with the company has been celebrated. Let's get down to business, please. Would you update us on the status of our finances," Peter inquired, and I immediately reported the information.

"I'm alright/Don't nobody worry 'bout me," he sang with the radio. Cheerfully I tapped my foot with the song's rhythm, feeling beyond loved by my employers.