Chapter 14 "Abracadabra"
Late September
(Song suggestion - "Abracadabra" by The Steve Miller Band)
Ray
When Peter, Egon, and I designed our business, we chose to have Sunday as a built-in rest day unless there were emergencies. That allowed us to document data, make hypotheses, complete experiments, and even write scholarly articles about our work. Since each of us had a specialty, Egon the physicist, Peter the psychology, and me the paranormal, we had the opportunity to announce to the world the success of our business.
Two weeks after the first Janine and Egon date, it was still tricky between the two daily. Regrettably, Egon went out of his way to avoid Janine. Our resident psychologist, Peter, theorized our friend wouldn't let himself be happy because of his fear of being out of control. He further analyzed that Spengler felt turbulent when he was with Janine because he was so jubilant.
For my little sister, that meant aggravation at our physicist's behavior; for Egon, it meant throwing himself into his work even more so. Whenever I mentioned Janine or their date on their rooftop, his eyes would glaze over, and he shut down immediately, and eventually, I ceased attempting to help him with it. I felt uncomfortable about speaking to Janine about the situation because she probably thought I had answers or insights to Spengler that I didn't.
Egon
The day after, Janine and I ate dinner and then stargazed on the rooftop of the firehouse. I couldn't work because I was too much in a daze. Both nights were remarkable- dancing with her on one and spending time with her watching the stars the other. I spent all of that day recalling how I felt around her, how she kissed or flirted with me, and everything else that happened. I didn't finish any work that day because of Janine.
At that time, I decided that I couldn't lose a day, our designated "day off," to daydreaming about Janine. I had articles to write to send into scientific journals and lab reports to finish. Hopefully, that would eventually lead me to Nobel recognition. Without a doubt, Janine was special to me, but my career was too important to throw away. As a result, I evaded her as much as possible, but that didn't mean that my mind was entirely free of her. My conflicting emotions of desiring her in my life and the fear of letting it all spiral out of control mystified me exceedingly daily.
The third Sunday after our "date" on the roof, Ray had already woken up, and I was alone in the room. My mind, my constant enemy recently, was reminding me of all the times we spent kissing, holding each other, and dancing, and I desired to do it all again.
The night before, I had this amazing dream where Janine and I were alone in the firehouse one night. The Steve Miller Band song, "Abracadabra," was on the radio as I worked.
One evening, Janine entered the lab wearing a short sleeve green dress that I liked to see because she looked so unbelievably sexy. Her dress was almost like a mini skirt in length that emphasized her luxurious legs and was low cut in the front.
In the dream, Janine stood in the doorway to the lab for a while seductively as I felt her eyes gaze on me until she progressed towards me, all the time swinging her hips. Her sexiness oozed out of her body as she crossed the room and stood next to me, where I sat at the lab table with a sensuous bright smile. Uneasily, I cleared my throat and avoided Janine's gaze. I was unsuccessful and found myself entranced by her blinding grin, feeling captivated, and my body tingly.
"Why have you been avoiding me, Dr. Spengler," Janine quizzically questioned.
"Uhm, I have been...busy with reports and other experiments outside of our busts," I answered, anxiously, attempting to avert my gaze from her, but without victory, once again.
"Every time you call my name," she sang in tune lightly with the band on the radio, viewing my face with extreme interest. Very leisurely, dream Janine stood behind me and inquired in a whisper in my right ear. She let her fingertips glide over my shoulders, saying, "Are you a workaholic?"
"Uhm, yes, probably so, " I replied, twisting around in my chair to look at her bright smiling face.
"Hasn't anyone told you that there's more to life than work, Dr. Spengler" dream Janine cooed, pursing her plump lips together.
"Uhm, yes, but I am dedicated to my work," I answered truthfully.
Gradually, Dream Janine used her right hand to trace the outline of her breasts down to her stomach, causing my arousal to pique further. She giggled as she watched my eyes bulge out of my head, and I licked my lips involuntarily as a response.
Gingerly, Dream Janine sat on my lap, unexpectedly and my pulse shot up rapidly on the spot. The blood coursing through my veins was scalding, and I felt myself tremble with desire. Although I wanted to place my arms around her waist, I held back, trying to manage the situation, although it was complicated. Dream Janine put her hands around my neck and leaned closer to me.
"Did you have fun with me dancing at the bar and watching the stars a couple of weeks ago, Egon," she pouted, fluttering her eyelashes at me seductively.
"Yes," I answered, truthfully, my breathing quickening as she caressed my face and jawline with her soft hands with a very sensual smile on her lips.
"Do you think I am unattractive, Egon," she purred, looking up at me from underneath her eyelashes, tilting her body closer to mine to where our bodies were almost pressed against each other.
"No, Uhm, quite the opposite, I assure you, Janine," I answered, swallowing hard, " you are most majestic."
I perceived her as a threat to my stronghold on my feelings, which was one of the things that I prided myself on, being in control. However, I almost felt myself succumb to my passion because I felt so stimulated by her; it was unbelievable.
"Then why haven't you asked me on another date," dream Janine scowled, sticking her lower lip out a little bit while maintaining eye contact with me.
"I, Uhm, ...didn't think... Uhm... a desirable woman like yourself would take an interest in me, and my work normally takes all of my attention," I stammered, honestly, and my face flushed with heat.
"I'm sure you don't hear this very often, but you are wrong, Dr. Spengler," dream Janine reported, leaning closer to me. Her lips were inches from mine now, and she gazed longingly at mine. Next, my temptress tickled my lips by patting them with her forefingers until I removed them abruptly, unable to stand the suspense any longer.
"I have to kiss her," my heart screamed to me in my chest.
With a fierce urgency, I bent down to touch her luscious lips with my own. As our mouths connected, I felt the fire of our passion only gather momentum as we kissed unwaveringly until we couldn't breathe any longer. I pulled her by the waist closer to me so that our bodies were squished against each other, putting my head on her shoulders for a rest.
"Did you like that," I murmured gruffly, nuzzling my lips on her neck up to her ear lobe then kissing the area gently.
"Oh yes, Egon, I have missed your lips," she whispered upwards. Dream Janine pulled my mouth down to hers with her toned arms, claiming it for her own. She stuck her tantalizing tongue in my mouth, searching for my own, and they kneaded each other as we snogged. Afterward, I revealed, huskily, "That… was so… hot."
Next, I kissed her more vehemently, allowing my desire to take over, so she knew the vigor of my zest for her.
Dream Janine had this satisfied, alluring look as we gasped for air, panting. She pressed her right hand slowly over my groin for a while, causing my desire to energize exponentially as I lustfully groaned.
"Why Dr. Spengler, you have such a massive cock," she declared, joyful at the discovery as I made guttural noises with my eyes shut.
"Do you like that," I mischievously inquired afterward, and she nodded coyly. Next, I picked up dream Janine gently and placed her directly on my erection, causing her to shut her beguiling eyes. She also threw her head back with a big moan. Then dream Janine began to grind her sex against my sex slowly and steadily.
I kissed her wildly as Janine persisted.
"Ohh yes, Janine," I whimpered against her mouth, shutting my eyes. I was consumed in the feelings of sexual need and desire that I felt I couldn't manage it much longer as it had been such an extended time.
"Mmmm...ohhhh...Egon, that...oh... mmmm...feels so..ohhhh.. good," dream Janine cried, persisting in her actions for a little longer.
We were close to the point of no return as the lab was filled with sensual sounds of us grunting, sighing, and moaning. Hearing her pleasure only tripled my own.
Without warning, dream Janine stopped grinding me, her breath hitching, and announced, "No, not yet, Dr. Spengler."
"Don't tease me, baby," I growled, narrowing my brown eyes as she grinned at me knowingly. Janine took my glasses off of my face, placing them on the lab table, and I gave her an open mouth kiss to explore her with my tongue again.
My hands moved from her waist up to her breasts, where I teased her by feeling them through her dress material, causing the dream Janine to sigh, only adding to my desire. Half-awake, my arousal required my attention, and I put my right hand down my pants to slowly stroke my penis as I recalled the rest of the dream.
"I want you," I whispered urgently, peering into her beautiful blue eyes, adding, "right here, right now." Then I kissed her gently along her neck, and shoulders hoping to rouse her.
"Do you? I thought you liked to be in control. Wouldn't want me mean you are out of control," dream Janine innocently inquired, her blue eyes opened widely a few seconds later.
"I don't care. I have longed for you since I met you," I replied, nibbling her right earlobe in between breaths.
"Does that mean that you just want to screw me or that you care about me," dream Janine questioned, gazing into my face? Shocked, I couldn't answer right away.
"I cherish you, Janine" I admitted tenderly.
Smiling widely, she revealed that she felt the same for me, and I happily beamed at her when she made that revelation. Before I could protest, dream Janine slid off my lap provocatively, and then she reached down to my waist to unbuckle my belt.
"Oh baby," I gulped, full of joyful expectancy of her sucking my cock next.
She next unbuttoned the button and then began to unzip my pants with extreme seductiveness. With a mischievous grin, dream Janine pulled my erection out of my white boxers and scrutinized it with her fingers, marveling at the size of it. Her touch only invigorated me further, and she licked her lips most enticingly.
"Ohhh, Egon," dream Janine murmured excitedly.
Dream Janine took my aroused penis into her mouth energetically, taking care to use her tongue on the different sensitive areas on my head to give me more pleasure. As I imagined her giving me a blow job in my dream, I started to lose control in real life. My body trembled as I imagined a dream of Janine licking my sex very slowly like an ice cream cone or a lollipop. Also, I dreamt that she sucked it using varying strengths then swallowed it to the depths of her throat.
As I exploded into having an orgasm, she swallowed my cum as I euphorically enjoyed the result of her actions. Then I opened my eyes and saw dream Janine watching me with a magnificently devilish smile on her face as I recovered breathlessly.
"Your turn," I declared with a wicked grin.
Despairingly, I hungered to bring Janine to orgasm as she did for me. I wanted to share my euphoria with her, so I rose from the chair and placed my hands on her waist to lift her to the top of the lab table. She was taken aback but grinning expectantly at me. First, I kissed her intensely, putting my arms around her.
"Lay back, my dear," I told her after giving her an open-mouth kiss while cupping her face in my hands. Dream Janine happily followed my directions excitedly. Moving closer to her, I placed my hands on each of her feet, feeling her smooth skin there as they passed her shapely calves and up to her knees. As I advanced them gradually upwards, I felt her upper thighs' curves as I shifted her glamorous frock up to her waist. When I saw her mesh green panties that matched her dress, I groaned fervidly as I saw her reddish-brown curls hiding behind them, feeling intoxicated. Then I teased her a little by rubbing my hand over her panties, causing her to sigh loudly.
When I removed her panties from her body slowly to expose her crotch, I smelled them before letting them drop to the floor. They smelled so delightful. Eagerly, I bent down towards her beautiful body and began to kiss her inner thighs very lightly until I reached her sex. Dream Janine was panting and moaning as I commenced kissing her pubic mound while throwing in a playful bite or two on the susceptible area. Next, I used my fingers to give her satisfaction for a while, but I could not wait to taste her truthfully. Then I licked Janine clit with my tongue leisurely and later sucked it energetically as I observed that she tasted fantastic. As I pleased her, greedily, she thrashed and whimpered. I put my index and middle fingers inside of her, rhythmically, in and out until she came.
"Ohhh, Eeeggoonn, yes," dream Janine screamed graciously, knowing that no one could hear her since we were alone.
I bit my fist to quiet my desire to scream as I had an orgasm picturing Janine getting off by my actions. When I opened my eyes, I panted heavily and tried not to think about how much I wanted that dream to happen in real life.
After I cleaned up and dressed for the day, I confided in my closest friend, Peter, about my feelings since he was a psychologist. We were in the lab talking alone, and as he reminded me, in confidence. Thankfully, Janine was out on her lunch break. He first asked me,
"Explain why you are in trouble."
"Janine. I am helpless when it comes to her as I can't seem to avoid her or my fondness for her. She represents, I think, my fear of not being in control of my life, which you know I do not like. I like order, science, and logic," I expounded to my friend, " Now I am having these. Uhm.. extremely erotic dreams about her where I confess my tenderness for her, then we give each other...Uhm... oral..."
"Come on, this can't be the first erotic dream you have had about her," Peter commented, taking a smoke out of his cigarette pack, slyly, " blowjobs, huh? Has that already happened between you two?"
"No, it's not the first one," I answered the first question irritatedly as I tapped my right foot on the floor.
Did Peter not get the point?
"You are missing the point, Venkman. It's not about the bloody blow jobs," I grouchily mentioned.
With a mocking facial expression, Peter Venkman shook his head. He lit the cigarette with his BIC lighter, saying, "I know that, Iggy. Just joking with you."
"Do you see what I mean? Is Janine turning my life upside down? I think about her more often than I want to admit, she distracts me when she's around, and that takes me away from my research," I exclaimed, feeling both distressed and outraged simultaneously.
"All it means is that you are falling in love with her, which you recognized already," he admitted, taking a drag on his smoke.
"Yes, maybe you are losing some control of your life to the extent that you want this other person, Janine, in your life, and your brain doesn't know how to handle it," Peter elucidated further.
As I listened to his point, I wondered how to deal with this problem.
" Besides, if I let Janine in my life more regularly, it wouldn't work out because I am so dedicated to my work. She would end up being miserable because my focus is on science. Plus, I am not a good partner in a relationship, and I don't pay enough attention to the woman or say the right things," I complained.
"First, she is in your life, Egon, already. The day Janine proved that she knew something about computers, she came into your life because she challenged you. I'm curious, do you want her in your life as a girlfriend? I mean, have you talked to her since you stargazed," Venkman questioned, honestly. He took a long drag from his cigarette as he awaited my response.
"I am uncertain how I want her in my life, but I know that I care about her deeply. We have had one date. No, I haven't spoken to her outside of work topics," I remarked, giving him a pained look," and it has been hell. I miss talking to her."
"This seems like a problem of your own making. Iggy, you don't have to figure out anything. You have been on one low-pressure date. Ask her out. All you have to do is be felicitous until it's not anymore. You know, Janine probably wonders why you haven't talked to her and doesn't understand what's going on. She is upset that you are ignoring her. Do you see that," my friend asked, his brown eyes wide open as he appeared baffled at my confusion?
"Yes, and it hurts me to cause her grief, of course, "I whined helplessly and placed my head in my hands as my head began to hurt.
"Egon, let yourself be happy for Christ's sake. Your life isn't out of control- you are still working the same hours, completing your experiments, creating new inventions, etc. Janine hasn't affected that," Peter advised wisely, putting his cigarette out in the ashtray on the table.
I had hoped that speaking to him would help me feel better and guide me. However, it didn't. Afterward, I drank a cup of coffee alone on the landing and went back into my room to figure out this situation. I thought about my family.
My family members were very dedicated to their jobs on both sides. On the Spengler side, my grandfather was an ob-gyn doctor in Cleveland in the late 19th century, and my Grandmother was a nurse. They had five children- three boys and two girls. David, my father, was the youngest. The value of their education was impressed upon them from a young age. They weren't given toys, both very similar to my childhood. Instead, my grandparents experimented with my dad, uncles, aunts, and math lessons.
Both Grandparents on that side will admit that they were lucky to find each other because they were very involved in their work and family. If my Grandmother hadn't moved to the Cleveland area, Grandfather said he wouldn't have taken the time for love. He passed away in 1960 from a stroke, and then she died the next year from a broken heart.
My father was the "joker" of the family and was the least focused on his primary school education. However, he was still intelligent enough to win scholarships to a secondary Science Academy in Chicago. His weakness was women as an undergraduate, but he completed his coursework in three years with a 3.8 GPA. When he met my Mom four years later, he worked on his doctorate in Chemistry, and she was a graduate student in the same field.
I was most like my Mom when expressing her emotions and communicating with others. Although she struggled with showing emotion, she still fell in love with my father after he pursued her for an extended time. It was her and Uncle Floyd who impressed upon me and my brother that emotion shouldn't get in the way of one's success.
"Make sure you meet your goals. If a relationship comes around that works out, that's great. Don't let it get in the way," my Uncle Floyd told me at age sixteen when I left for college.
As I sat on my bed, I sighed, remembering his advice. My heart reminded me continually that I cared about Janine too much. A perfect example was this comic strip I had been working on for a few months.
When I can't sleep because I'm pondering the solution to a problem, I draw. I recently noticed that my drawings were more focused on one subject, Janine.
I had begun sketching a six-panel cartoon about my first interactions with our beautiful secretary when I asked her questions to prove that she did not know BASIC. First, Ray was reading her resume out loud and impressed that she had experience using the program. In the second box, I arrogantly wrote questions to ask her about it to Peter's chagrin. Thirdly, I handed the paper to a very gorgeous-looking Janine, dressed in a black skirt and white button-down shirt, who appeared dismayed to receive the quiz. Fourthly, she answered the questions rapidly. In the fifth box, I stood, dazed, that she had the right answers with Peter to the right of me laughing hysterically. The last one contained a picture of me walking away with a question mark above my head and Janine asking Peter, sassily, " this is for a secretarial job, right, or will I be asked to write code?"
I reached underneath my bed and took out a sketchbook. Flipping through it, I noticed many of the pages were of Janine. Rashly, I tore them out. How could I rid Janine of my mind? Throwing the sketches away would be a start. Afterward, I put the sketchbook underneath my bed again and took the pages to the lab, where I would burn them. I left one of how we met on the lab table and went downstairs to speak to Peter about a case.
Five Days Later
The following Friday, Peter discovered my cartoon because I accidentally left them out in the lab. I had been too focused on my work to remember to destroy it in the meantime.
"This is great!" he exclaimed and chuckled as he looked at them.
"Huh?"
"Your drawings?" Venkman remarked in stupefaction, "you drew that perfectly. You captured it."
My cheeks felt as hot as sunburn as I progressed over to the table, where he held my cartoon hostage.
"Why are you looking at that," I sputtered out.
"I was looking for a pencil, and here it sat," he responded, observing my response, "Egon, I'm sorry. It was left out."
Nodding, I took the paper from him.
"It's not a big deal. I think I'm going to throw it away anyway, "I remarked, trying to sound more flippant than I felt, "I draw when I can't sleep, or I can't figure a problem out."
"The detail is amazing, Iggy. Honestly. You should give it to Janine," Pete suggested, sincerely.
"Why would I do that," I questioned blankly.
"You drew her pretty well from memory, I must say. Janine would be flattered that you took the time to draw her because she knows how busy you are all of the time. You can give it to her for her birthday," he continued.
"It's not for a couple of weeks," I replied without thinking. Her birthday was three weeks before mine.
"You might as well put a heart right there by the question mark over your head," he joked with me, pointing to the paper.
Angrily, I snatched it away from him and tore it in half, then into half again until it was destroyed into many pieces. I put the torn paper in the trash can next to us.
"There- I destroyed it," I snapped at Peter, who only chuckled, infuriating me further, "it's nothing. I have decided that I am going to ignore my feelings."
Pete looked shocked.
"Iggy, don't do that. A lovely woman is crazy about you and takes an interest in your work. Come on, how often does that happen," Peter inquired, looking at me.
My head began to pound as the conversation continued. It mainly was Peter lecturing me about taking a chance with her. Truthfully, I usually received a headache after speaking to him about the topic.
"You can't just bottle up your emotions because it isn't healthy. It took you seven months to kiss her. Isn't Janine worth putting effort into? You need to send her flowers and candies to..."
Extremely frustrated, I stormed out of the lab as Venkman lectured me and into the room that I shared with Ray. I slammed the door and sat on my bed, trying to calm down.
"I am not interested in Janine Melnitz. My career is the only thing I have time for and my pursuit of a Nobel. You are not cut out for love, nor do I believe in it. You are in control of your emotions and actions at all times," I repeated silently as I shut my eyes in agitation for at least forty minutes, and I, subsequently, lost track of time. Reprogramming my mind had worked in the past when I needed to refocus. When it came to Janine, my mind was feeble, and my heart held strong emotions that wouldn't disappear despite my actions.
Underneath my bed, I had another sketch pad with an improved drawing of the cartoon that Peter saw and that I tore up in a fit. It was safe, and I felt relieved. The contradictory feelings were also another side effect of my adoration of Janine.
"Egon," a thick Brooklyn voice called from the other side of the bedroom door politely. Janine knocked on my door and opened it just a bit to see into the room and informed me, "Peter and Ray are waiting for you downstairs for your next bust. You have a client in thirty minutes."
"Thank you," I answered gruffly, still recovering from the incident with Venkman.
"What's wrong" Janine worriedly inquired, observing the change in my voice with a curious raise of her right eyebrow. Next, she opened the door all the way and revealed herself in a navy blue mini skirt and white long sleeve blouse with a matching cardigan on. As a result, I commenced repeating the statements from earlier.
"It's not her fault that she's so pretty," I thought, watching her longingly.
"Nothing, Janine. I was meditating," I answered her coldly. It came out much harsher than I had intended, and I saw the wounded look in her blue eyes after I spoke. My heartfelt pained and looked downwards.
I felt like making eye contact any longer would only cause me to feel hypnotized by her captivating peepers, so I didn't do it.
"You almost ripped my head off when I knocked on the door; that's not normal for you. I know you better than that, Egon Spengler," Janine stated softly, then removed her gaze from my face and looked downwards. After thirty seconds of silence, she spun on her heel to leave.
I felt awful for being rude to her, so I rose from my soft bed and touched her elbow before she strode off too far for me to catch her. Reluctantly, Janine paused and turned to face me.
"My apologies, Janine, I replied, with a small upturn of the corners of my mouth, "it wasn't intentional."
"Then why did it feel that way," she demanded of me, still uneasy as evident by her hand on her hip.
"I don't know," I lied poorly and continued to look at the floor.
