Chapter 5 "The Rose" (Wednesday, Janine's Thirtieth Birthday)
(Song Suggestion- "The Rose" by Bette Midler)
Janine
I found myself weeping as I stomped my way to the lingering yellow and black checkered taxi parked outside. A sturdy wind slammed the door against the building, causing a clanking racket. Opening the taxi door, I sat down in the back on the leather seat with a thump, crossing my arms against my chest and pouting like a little child.
"Egon barely even said goodbye after our tender moments together," I dejectedly thought; however, I knew that Vinz-the-freak's appearance was a direct challenge for the Ghostbusters, but I wasn't quite sure how.
"But why tonight??" I helplessly wondered, wiping the salty discharge dripping from my eyes. Meanwhile, the cabbie had attempted to gain my attention from the front seat, but to no avail.
"Where to, lady," a large hairy man irritatedly inquired with a lit cigarette in his hand, and I gave him my address. As I coughed from the smoke, the cabbie pushed the meter for the cab fare to start with his pudgy index finger and he pulled from the curb without speaking.
"Why did that Vinz guy show up today right when we were in the middle of the most romantic moment of my life?" I inwardly whined.
Through my tears, I could see the City's lights and the contrasting calamitous shadows amongst the usual landscape. My mind blithely reflected on Egon's three-song dedication to me again and the way he held me so closely while we danced. Furthermore, his brown eyes often examined my own, and they displayed a wanton desire to kiss me. I knew that look- the one that Egon wanted to do more than just that, but that he would settle for it right now. The erotic nature of his expression alone made me shudder, with chills running down my spine, and those thoughts took my breath away.
However, I felt immensely disheartened that he didn't attempt to kiss me earlier, although it was most likely only due to Vinz's presence.
"It was as perfect a moment as I could ever have. I am extremely impressed by Egon's actions today and from the past three months," I recalled to myself.
The truth was that I pined for Egon for months despite our trials this past year. I was wholly engulfed in adoration for him, and there wasn't any sign of it weakening. Egon had made it up to me numerous times in the past three months with his actions.
First, there was that time when he defended me from that jerk, Victor, in July. He also arranged for me to attend an exclusive lecture at Columbia with Steve Jobs to finish my senior thesis paper. Thirdly, Egon took care of me when I arrived at the Firehouse drunk in September. He expertly took care of me after I felt ill the evening of the premonition a few days ago.
It seemed like Egon finally understood the reason I didn't take him back right after he defended me from Vinz- because he needed to prove to me that he was the man that I not only wanted but that I needed. He showed both tenacity and perseverance during his time, and I loved him all the more for it.
Then there was Vinz's appearance tonight. It was a like a wake up call to remind me that my vision from Monday would come to fruition soon, most likely within thirty-six to forty-eight hours. A severe tightness in my heart occurred and as I thought about the guys failing to capture this supernatural being that was on its way to destroy the city, more hot tears fell from my eyes.
"If Egon doesn't survive this ordeal, I do not know what I will do," I involuntarily whispered in a gloomy voice in the back seat.
"What, lady," the driver gruffly demanded from the front of the taxi, overhearing my comment. His beady green eyes scrutinized me through his rearview mirror.
"Nothing, sorry," I muttered.
"If Egon doesn't survive whatever is coming, then no one will. We will all be doomed if the Ghostbusters can't stop this..this..thing," I worried inwardly.
Exhaling loudly, I wiped the tears from my eyes and then I refocused my thoughts on the precious time with Egon from earlier for the rest of the ride home.
Finally, I made it to my apartment, knowing I was alone tonight, and feeling a mixture of scared and sadness.
"Maybe I should have gone with Lucy," I dishearteningly grumbled out loud as I opened my door. When I entered my apartment, it was dark.
"Come on, Wendy! Why didn't you leave the light on for me earlier when you dropped off the cake," I grumbled.
I slid my black high heel shoes off my feet and kicked them to the left side before turning on the lamp. Something stopped me. There was something velvety on the floor that didn't feel like our carpet, and I swore an expletive in annoyance.
Using my toe, I touched the mysterious surface and I noted that its feel was supple until I moved it lengthwise where it was firm and inflexible. I felt a sharp prick on my foot on my next step while simultaneously I detected a pleasant fragrance with my nose.
"Oww!"
Consequently, I impatiently hopped on my right foot in pain to the accent table and swiftly switched on the lamp to see what was going on with the carpet.
A single crimson rose with a red piece of paper cut out attached to it presented itself on the beige carpeting. Mystified, I picked it up and inhaled it deeply. The heavenly scent made me feel jubilant.
"What the heck," I grumbled and read the tag. It was in Egon's handwriting, and it simply said, " #1 the way you feel when I hold you in my arms."
Startled, I felt almost a stifled cry come through my throat as love submerged my heart and my body flushed with the thought of my soulmate, and I happily exclaimed, "Oh, Egon!"
Another rose, pink this time, precisely three inches away from the first, rested on the floor with the tag saying: "# 2 your sense of humor".
Looking around the living room, I finally noticed a trail of roses leading to my bedroom. They were a mixture of red, pink, white, and yellow, and he alternated the flowers' colors because he knew how much I adored them. I threw my purse onto the sofa and hurriedly picked up the next rose.
#3 the way you are the most exquisite woman in the world
"#4 the way you challenged me from day one
"#5 the way you love to learn new things
#6 the way that you are affectionate
#7 the way you dance
#8 the way that you giggle
#9 the way you are a Goddess
#10 the way you look in the morning when you just wake up
#11 the way you have the patience of an Angel
#12 the way you speak with your accent
# 13 the way you brighten a room with your electric smile
#14 the way you made me realize I wasn't living before I met you
Unable to stop my tears, I freely started to sob as I mindfully stepped around each rose, picked it up, and read the tag out loud.
#15 the way you flirt with me
#16 the way you look for the best in people
#17 the way you smile
#18 the way you care for all of us Ghostbusters
#19 the way you are stubborn
#20 the way you aren't afraid to challenge Venkman when he's wrong
#21 the way you kiss me
#22 the way you snore softly
#23 the way that you always believe in me
#24 the way you teach me new things like racquetball
#25 the way that you persevere in completing your education
#26 the way you are indeed an Angel
#27 the way you are kind
#28 the way you sing
#29 the way that you are my soulmate
The trail of roses had led me to my bedroom, where a giant oversized brown teddy bear sat on my bed next to my stuffed Garfield by my pillow. It was the same one that I told my favorite theoretical physicist that I lost from Coney island when I was a child.
"Ohh, my Teddy!"
Gulping noisily for air, I rapidly strode to the teddy bear, picked it up to hug, and read the white tag that was on the oversized stuffed animal's arm, which read:
"Close your eyes and slowly turn around."
After reading the tag, I put the bear down on the bed.
"Egon, you better be right behind me," I cried, gradually turning around. There stood my Romeo anxiously, holding a red rose in his hand at the end of my bed wearing the same clothes as earlier, a gray color-based outfit that highlighted his handsomeness.
With a shy grin, Egon's chocolate brown eyes met my own as he announced in his deep voice, "#30 The way you have completely changed my life for the better. These are only thirty of the reasons I love you in random order, but there are a plethora more. Happy birthday again Angel Janine."
My breath caught in my throat, and I froze in place for a second.
"Oh my God," I thought, bewildered by his actions and feeling dizzy yet energized by his declaration of love," was this finally happening? Am I dreaming?"
Squealing in delight, I ran to Egon and embraced him snugly.
"Thank you so much for everything. It is the most romantic birthday I have ever had in my life," I whispered, weeping happily after squeezing his body with my own for a moment.
"You are so welcome. I wanted you to be stunned," Egon huskily answered, gently wiping the tears from my eyes with his fingers after pulling back from my hug.
"Ohhh, Egon," I sobbed and embraced him tightly again.
"Shhh, Janine, please stop crying," he murmured from above, rocking me side to side to console me.
After I ceased sobbing, Egon stepped back from me and picked up a rose to place it underneath my nose so I could inhale its delicious scent. He purposely did it to force a grin out of me, and he was successful.
My former lover released the rose down to the bed before leaning down to kiss me. We shared an idyllic one much like our first kiss over a year ago, and it made me feel intoxicated with adulation for him. Our lips had a healing effect on the other where every ache, every pain, every heartbreak, and otherwise bad feeling in the past five months rejuvenated and flourished into the full bloom of love.
" I am so deeply in love with you that I can hardly breathe. Although I don't deserve your forgiveness, I am asking for it," he requested with tears in his eyes.
Pressing my body on his, I kissed his lips passionately.
"That's my answer," I flirted with him afterward, enjoying the soothing feeling of his thin body against my own.
"Thank God. I thought I would never be able to hold or kiss you again, and that has brought me a world of pain," Egon, appearing immensely relieved, softly whispered after we broke the kiss to regain our respective breaths, "this feels so right. You are my soulmate, and I love, love you, my Angel."
"Oh, Egon. I love you, darling. I have been concerned about the same things," I admitted, hugging him tighter and perceiving wetness on his face from where he wept earlier.
With a sly grin, my lover seized me tightly by the waist so that I was practically on top of him and he persisted in singing the rest of the song from earlier before Vinz appeared at the firehouse, "Leave the Tender Moment" in my ear as I giggled euphorically. When Egon completed his serenade, I kissed him slowly but with full passion.
"When you dedicated those three songs to me earlier on top of everything else you have done for me this summer, you gave me hope that I hadn't allowed myself to have," I confessed next as I observed Egon grin down at me.
"Tonight didn't go as I planned at all. I wanted to be here as you read each tag on the rose, but I forgot that Peter had a date. Then Ray and Winston didn't return," Egon rambled. Then, he took a deep breath in and out slowly. Lifting my left hand, I placed it on his pink lips afterward and then promised,
"It doesn't matter, Egon. The whole evening has been nothing short of remarkable and mind-blowing. I never expected this…Thank you so much."
Subsequently, additional powerful kisses followed until we needed air again.
"While you have been trying to move on with your life, I have been attempting to find a way to win you back. This is all I have, right here, but I promise, it all belongs to you. I love you so very much," Egon guaranteed as he took my right hand and placed it on his heart. I could feel it beating firmly and rhythmically, and my own eyes filled with tears.
"Oh, Egon, you have done so much for me since this summer, and I'm so grateful! I only made plans because I didn't think I had a choice," I described.
"I love you so much it scares me sometimes. If you aren't 100 percent sure of this decision you better say something now. " I sobbed. His brown eyes held tears, causing my heart to break for him, and I stood on my tiptoes to give his lips a quick kiss.
"There isn't any doubt in my mind," Egon confidently said, while staring me straight into my eyes, and I felt instantly reassured by his words and actions, " I'm so sorry for hurting you, not once but twice with my thoughtlessness and immaturity. I assure you it has produced much suffering and agony on my end, seeing you anguished by my actions."
"Yes, my darling, I know. It hasn't been easy watching you suffer," I remarked, putting my hands on his chest and rubbing it sideways. Bending down, Egon energetically kissed me once again, and I felt my need for him grow inside of me.
"Janine, my Angel, now I only want to focus on our future and on loving you. Can you forget and forgive the past and my mistakes, please?"
"Yes, my dear. That's what I want, too," I gleefully agreed, adoringly caressing the side of his face.
"I'm thrilled, Janine. You are my future. My life is with you and only you," Egon promised.
"You don't know how happy I am to hear you say that and ditto," I insisted, my eyes tearing up again.
"Hopefully, as much as I am to hear you say that you forgive me," he softly reminded me, and I beamed luminously up at him. Our blissfulness at our reunion was evident.
I happily awaited Egons pleasant lips to meet mine expectantly. When he took that opportunity to kiss me, it was a magical one that turned into many more. Afterward, Egon leaned his forehead to where it was touching my own so he could gaze into my eyes. Dazzled, I smiled brightly at him.
"I'm going to make it all up to you, Janine, and in many ways, I promise you. I'm the luckiest man alive," Egon truthfully swore.
My response was to kiss him back passionately.
"Does that mean I'm forgiven?" Egon teasingly questioned, pulling back from me for a second.
"Yes, my darling, now kiss me so we can get to the making-up part," I excitedly commented.
A wicked smirk crossed my true love's face as he backed me up against my bed to guide me onto my back so he could lay next to me. I shivered at the severity of his lustful glare and in anticipation of the most gratifying upcoming pleasure.