Chapter 5 "It's All I Can Do (Early September 1984, Saturday night, Labor Day weekend)
(Song suggestion- "It's All I Can Do" by the Cars)
Janine Melnitz
After my shift on a frantic Saturday, I had a date with Todd. It was "caliente" outside, still at nine in the evening but not too humid where I was dripping with sweat when I entered the building. Opening the door to the bar, I scanned the venue for Todd.
"Janine, over here," the successful real estate agent yelled above the noise, waving his right arm over his head. Todd was an adorable six foot tall man with sandy brown hair, with piercing green eyes, and a medium build, and I thought he looked like Ted McGinley on Happy Days. Originally, he was from Georgia and often displayed courteous "southern charm" that most New Yorkers lack. Todd always opened doors for me, for example, and pushed my seat in after I sat down. He also went out of his way to help people in need, such as carrying grocery bags for an elderly neighbor every week, and I liked that about him.
Like a ton of bricks, it dawned on me that this was the same neighborhood bar that Egon and I shared our first kiss almost a year ago. I felt a sharp pain tear through my heart as I remembered our epic moment while the Cars' song "It's All I Can Do" blasted melodiously from the jukebox. The memories flooded my brain all at once as I recalled out first kiss.
Egon tentatively brushed his soft lips against mine, and I felt myself shiver a little. As we osculated, I felt the thrill of going down the giant loop on a roller coaster, and as we dated, the feeling never subsided when we kissed.
The memory lived so vividly in my mind that I could almost feel Egon's lips pressed against mine. Without realizing it, I stopped striding to the bar. I swiftly decided to have amnesia about the fact that our first kiss was at this particular bar.
As I meandered toward him, Todd's lips spread into a cute smile, complete with dimples in his cheeks, and I recalled that drew me to him when I first met him. He also had a pleasant attitude, and a good sense of humor.
Wendy and I met Todd at our athletic club in Brooklyn three weeks ago. He struck up a conversation with us as we waited for our court to open up, and we exchanged numbers. My roommate convinced me that I was doing the right thing despite my reluctance after the emotional trauma with Victor recently.
On our first date, we played a couple of racquetball games together and grabbed a bite to eat. I cautioned Todd that I was recovering from a breakup, so as not to get his hopes up too high, but he understood. To my surprise, I found I enjoyed spending time with him because it kept both my senior research paper and Egon out of my mind.
It only worked for a short while until Todd kissed me on our second date. Then I realized that I didn't feel the same intense feelings and passion for him as I did for Egon.
Strolling towards the bar, I viewed Todd neatly dressed in a brown sports blazer with a white button-down shirt and khaki pants, speaking to the young bartender. I edgily touched my charm bracelet on my left arm, tracing the shape of the small sapphire heart outline with my index finger.
"Todd is a great man. Just not for me," I morosely thought. I knew only Egon held the place in my heart that Todd could never replace.
Sitting on the stool next to him, I greeted him cheerfully, "Hey Todd! Sorry I am a little late."
"You aren't, but if you were, I would wait forever for you, Janine. How was your day," Todd inquired, searching my face inquisitively. I simpered at his compliment, and felt my cheeks blush at the compliment.
"Busy. And yours," I questioned, giving my date another grin.
When Todd asked if I wanted a glass of red wine, I nodded.
"Egon," I discontentedly thought, "Why won't my feelings go away for him?"
Absent-mindedly, I answered Todd's questions and accepted the bartender's glass of wine to drink. I felt angry that all I could think of was my ex boyfriend while I was with a new potential beau. Suspiciously, Todd eyed me, noticing my inattention. I purposely tried to pay better attention to the conversation.
When Todd touched his beer bottle to my glass, causing a "clinking" noise, it caught me unaware. I frowned for a moment, and ingested a large sip of wine.
Staring at me, Todd concluded speaking, but I didn't notice right away. I was lost in thought about the appealing theoretical physicist whom I loved.
While I sipped my wine, Todd gently inquired, touching my hand,
"How long have you been in love with him, Janine?"
"Wha- wha-what," I replied, startled by the question, almost spitting the wine in my mouth all over my date. Fortunately, I covered my mouth before that disaster occurred. I grabbed a napkin off the bar to wipe my mouth when Todd continued with a knowing smile on his thin lips,
"Come on, Janine, I don't know you very well, but it is crystal clear."
Annoyed, I put one hand on my right hip and I exclaimed, "Who are you talking about?"
"Well, I didn't know who it was until Thursday, but you are nowhere over, Dr. Spengler," Todd remarked, appearing to be more relaxed as the conversation persisted. Maybe it was the pink elephant in the room. Drinking a large sip from my glass, I felt chagrined then placed it on the bar, trying to feign ignorance.
Promptly, I evaded his pretty green eyes as he admitted,
"You are in love with him, Janine. That's why I don't stand a chance with you."
My cheeks heated up to a boiling temperature, and I lowered my eyes to my hands, which I began to fidget.
"Do I admit it or deny it," I interrogated myself as I inspected my twirling thumbs in circles around each other for a half of a minute.
"After I examined the two of you interacting the other day, I knew that I didn't have any chance with you, Janine," Todd divulged, shrugging.
"The other day?" I repeated and then paused to remember when I spoke to Dr. Spengler. I have been avoiding him since the incident with Victor in July. But last month, he…
"On Wednesday evening, I arrived at the Firehouse to take you to Del Frisco. Dr. Venkman said that you were assisting Dr. Spengler with an experiment," Todd described patiently.
He refrained from speaking as I racked my brain when I helped Egon this week, but I finally remembered. It would be my luck that Todd would have walked in the one time I interacted with Dr. Spengler in about a month of evading him.
"He was in the middle of an explanation, and the way you looked at him was like he hung the moon. This was before the two of you noticed I was in the room or before Dr. Venkman interrupted a few times," Todd added, sheepishly.
"Dr.Spengler had just tested my brain waves with a new 3d program," I rejoined quickly, realizing that I sounded more guilty.
"It's OK. I think you are a sweet woman, and I wish you every happiness in the world with Dr. Spengler. I hope he realizes how perfect you are and how lucky he is to have your love. For the record, he still has strong feelings for you, no matter what happened to the two of you as a couple earlier," Todd commented, giving me a half smile.
Standing up from the barstool, he left some money for our drinks, and softly kissed my cheek out without saying another word.
Tears obstructed my eyes as I downed another big gulp of the sweet wine, hoping the alcohol would numb the pain.
Within ten minutes, I had finished the drink that Todd had purchased for me and requested another glass of wine. I shakily left my bar stool and steadied myself on my own two feet after paying for my second drink fifteen minutes afterward. My low tolerance to alcohol was to blame, and I had a good buzz from it.
"Hey, you aren't driving, are you?" The strawberry blonde hair bartender with a boyish smile questioned, concerned.
"No. Why," I questioned, but I felt wobbly as I attempted to appear sober.
"Do you want me to call a cab?" he questioned.
"No, I'm walking two and a half blocks away to my place of...hiccup... employment," I refuted rigidly, covering my mouth with my hand. I hadn't planned on going to the Firehouse, but I could sober up there for a couple of hours.
"Maybe I should tell Egon off," I thought as I concentrated on walking as straight as possible out of the establishment.
"To hell with him," I encouraged myself about my decision to tell him off. By and by, I arrived at the firehouse and knocked on the door loudly. It wasn't locked when I checked the knob, so I opened it and strolled in.
"Ray!? Peter!? Hello," I shrieked at the top of my lungs. Drained, I stumbled to the stairs, where I promptly fell on my butt. Thankfully, it was a soft landing.
"Shit. Maybe I should have taken that taxi ride home," I thought out loud.
Precariously, I rose from the stairs, but my legs felt like they were full of lead and weighed a ton.
"Wait, shouldn't Egon be here," I thought as I ascended the stairs to the top and screamed,
"Egon Spengler? Are you here?"
Music played from the lab's direction, and I cautiously climbed the steps to the landing. When I reached the landing, I loudly groaned and flopped down on the well worn sofa when I reached it.
"Janine?"
It was his deep husky voice that I would know anywhere, at any time for the rest of my life, and I felt my heart melt a little. A small smile turned up on my lips as Dr. Spengler flipped the light on, and I blinked my eyes several times to adjust.
There stood the handsome and brilliant man that I loved in gray pants, a conservative maroon tie around his neck, a white button down shirt, and a quizzical eyebrow raised. Giggling, I observed his typical reaction to something that astonished him at once.
Dr. Egon Spengler looked scrumptious, and I wanted to give him an open mouth kiss, among other things. I felt a tremendous itch between my legs, notifying me of my arousal and need for him. Shivers ran down my spine as I observed him, and goosebumps appeared on my arms.
"Why does Egon make me so horny?" I thought for a second, cocking my head to the right side to take the glorious sight of his handsomeness.
"I would love to pull down his pants and ride him like I was a cowgirl riding a horse," I contemplated mischievously.
Seductively, I walked over to him, swinging my hips with a big bright smile on my face. I stopped slightly ahead of him and put my free hand on my tiny waist to emphasize it as Egon loved my curves.
"J-Janine, are you well? " the usually serious scientist stammered.
Giving him a lengthy provocative look, I pretended to be puzzled by his comment.
" We usually…don't… talk," Dr. Spengler fretfully summarized as I persisted in fluttering my eyelashes at him. Instead, I grinned brightly, aware of the fact that we weren't speaking, but I kept silent. This action would further confuse my ex, who was frowning.
"Uhm.Janine, you... didn't answer my question," Dr. Spengler replied, shuffling his feet and keeping his mocha eyes off of me.
"I'm fine, I guess," I babbled, sauntering closer to him. He intently watched me as I placed my left hand on his chest and viewed his plump, kissable lips from underneath my eyelashes.
"You arrrreee so sexxxy" I slurred seductively, tilting my face up towards him. I was swaying a little because I had been drinking.
"Hiccup."
"You have had too much to drink, Janine," the theoretical physicist uttered in his deep voice. He ignored my comment for the time being, and he took a few steps back to create more space between us. I had pressed my body tightly against Egon's warm own, and when he had moved, I lost my balance by falling forward.
Rapidly, Dr. Spengler put his hands on my waist to steady me so I didn't fall. I still lightly pushed my lithe body against his, and The energy between our bodies produced the heat of a burning fire all over me.
Abruptly, I lowered my hands slowly on his back down to his butt for a gratifying squeeze. I loved Dr. Spengler's ass because it was the perfect combination of firm and soft in the right spots.
Chagrined, his face glowed a crimson as I pinched his ass. Egon unanticipatedly brought me tightly against him with his strong arms, and I could feel his lengthy sex against my body.
"Is this what you want," my ex gruffly challenged, a sneer on his lips as a soft moan escaped my lips. I could feel his steamy breath on my neck, and I visibly trembled a little.
"Yes," I purred, gazing into his eyes and putting my arms around his waist.
During our short time dating, I learned when he was "in the mood," because there was a roguish glint of wanton desire and need in his eyes, just like now.
Subsequently, I put my arms around his neck and fingered the sensitive skin on the back of it. Dr. Spengler groaned a little happy sigh as it was an erogenous area for him. He huskily revealed a little out of breath, "You know I love it when you flirt with me, Janine, and you know what it does to me."
"Yes, I do," I cooed, caressing his face tantalizingly with my fingertips. First, I felt Dr. Spengler's angular jawline, and then I touched his lips. I gleefully watched him squirm before he clasped my hand quickly then removed it from his face. Now Egon still kept a firm grasp of my waist with his one hand, and my hand in his other.
"Come on, darling, you know you want me, I can see it in your eyes, and boy, do I want you," I drunkenly whispered, attempting to be enticing.
Dr. Spengler arched a thick eyebrow after I spoke and smirked at me. He knew that I loved that eyebrow raise as I felt a rush of blood flow through my body like a water flowing through a roaring rapid. However, the brainy GB didn't contradict my early inference. I shut my eyes and lifted my face towards him to kiss.
Egon's comment stopped any hope of sharing a kiss with him that I had.
"Janine," my favorite physicist mumbled uncomfortably, " you don't want it like this, and neither do I."
Opening my eyes, I reluctantly shrugged and concluded, "Maybe, but maybe this is the only way I can be close to you right now."
"Later, you would be unhappy with yourself and me if something happens between us right now," Egon knowingly reminded me, letting go of my hand but then lifting it to my cheek to caress.
"Sometimes, hiccup, a girl just needs a screw, hiccup," I argued between hiccups. I began holding my breath to cease my them.
"If we… engage in..uhm…intercourse…in the future.. it will be for the right reason. I will win you back first," he promised.
The thought that he wanted to win me back brought tears to my eyes as I held my breath. It was clear to me that Dr. Spengler hadn't forgiven himself for what happened in May.
Nodding, I concurred, and I exhaled so I could breathe again.
"In the meantime. Let me take care of you," Egon thoughtfully offered, relinquishing his hand from my waist.
I didn't have time to answer because the scientist padded into the kitchen to prepare a glass of water for me to drink. He also grabbed a bag of chips.
After retrieving the snack items, Dr. Spengler hooked his right arm with mine. We cautiously walked into the lab because I was still a little wobbly on my feet. Egon guided me to the sofa to sit down, and handed me the glass of water. I took a long sip from it.
That's when I saw it- a blank cassette tape holder on the coffee table that looked identical to the one I made him last year for his birthday. Perplexed, I put my glass of water down and picked up the empty cassette holder. I instantly recognized my handwriting.
"I didn't know that you kept this?" I declared as I felt my heart swelling with joy. Dr. Egon Spengler sat next to me on the sofa, near but not right on top of me.
"Janine…Ahem…of course… I did… I… love it because…YOU made it for me," he stammered, clearing his throat. Yearningly, Egon glanced at my lips, and I felt myself doing the same to him.
"I wish I hadn't made so many mistakes with you," my ex admitted hoarsely. Dr. Spengler stretched his hand out to place it on mine and continued, " I am such a fool."
His hand felt warm and familiar and I didn't recoil from his touch as I scoffed "hardly."
"No, I mean it comes to you," Dr. Spengler bashfully revealed, squeezing my hand then ever so gradually then he released it a minute later.
"I don't want to talk about this right now, Egon," I replied earnestly. My eyelids were feeling very heavy, almost too much to lift, and I was drowsy.
"You are right, shut your eyes and put your head on my shoulder. I am going to win you back and finally prove to you how much you truly mean to me, or my name isn't Egon 'freaking' Spengler," he adamantly stated, disregarding my comment.
Diligently, I scooted towards him and laid my head on his shoulder.
My brain was still processing the new information from my ex tonight before I blacked out. I would be insane to reject Egon's request for another chance because I loved him dearly. Yet my heart was reluctant and very guarded because I couldn't take another heartbreak from him as I had suffered too much.
Egon 'freaking' Spengler
Holding Janine in my arms for a while, listening to the cassette tape she made me, and talking like we used to was like being in the middle of a dream that I did not want to wake up from. Therefore, I cherished every moment of it, and Janine fell asleep like I knew she would because the wine tired her out.
Ray Stantz
Unexpectedly, I did a double-take when I saw Janine snuggled up to Iggy with her head on his shoulder. It was cute, and it gave me some hope for the two of them to reunite soon. Especially after what happened with Victor this summer.
As a result, I found my camera hurriedly. I took a few pictures of them, more documentation that they belonged together for the future. Eventually, I figured I could give them these pictures as gifts when they finally overcame their idiocy. The camera's flash woke them up, and I apologized with a whisper,
"One day, you will thank me."
"Wha- what time is it," Janine questioned groggily, opening her bright blue eyes. Spengs began to stir by lifting his head and stretching his arms then he moved a little away from our secretary.
"Almost twelve-thirty. Do you need a ride home, J," I questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes, please, I am not taking the subway so late, and I don't have taxi fare because I spent it all on wine," she informed me, rubbing her temples with her fingertips. Janine reached for her glass of water on the end table and took a large gulp.
"I thought you had a date," I questioned with a knowing glance.
"Who are you, Venkman? Don't be like him, Ray," Janine sassily returned, rolling her blue eyes, and returned to drinking the water.
"That's over," she stated after she drank the rest of the glass. I made a chuckling type of noise.
"You never did explain what happened," Spengler stated curiously as Janine went to the kitchen to fill her glass with water again. His brown eyes watched her as she refilled her glass and returned to the sofa.
"I don't think you asked," Janine quipped, and Egon raised one of his eyebrows. The former couple stared at each other for a moment, until Janine inquired,
"How did it go with Kelly?"
After I gave her details about my date, I offered her a ride home again. Janine rose from the sofa, and sweetly said, "Good night."
Spengler gave her a matching grin and wished her goodnight. Deliberately, I assisted our secretary down the stairs as she was still a little tipsy. Our conversation was light hearted on the way home.
"So what happened with Todd?"
"Egon 'freaking' Spengler," Janine commented, laughing. I had no idea what she meant by that statement and told her so.
"Todd admitted that he knew I was in love with Egon because of my behavior on Wednesday. He wished me good luck with him. In the lab two days ago" Janine answered happily.
Rolling my eyes upward,I started Ecto One and drove our secretary home. This information wasn't anything new.
Janine Melnitz
Despite drinking another glass of water and taking two Tyenol before I fell asleep, my head ached when I awoke the following day. I laid in bed trying to remember what happened with Dr. Spengler when Todd had picked me up on Wednesday. After their afternoon busts, Egon shyly requested my help with an experiment in the lab if I wasn't too busy.
"Sure, who am I to stand in the way of love," Peter inquired rhetorically when I inquired for his permission. He shrugged, raising his head from The Times paper for a second, twitching his brown eyebrows up and down.
Expeditiously, I grabbed a section of the paper, rolled it up and hit him on his balding head as a response without voicing a comment. Venkman yelped in pain, and I felt satisfied as I strolled into the lab.
"Be sure to swing your hips some more and shake your ass," my boss called from behind me, "Spengs loves it!"
"F* you, Peter Venkman!" I replied, losing my patience by turning around and giving him the middle finger with a bloodthirsty glance on my face.
Agitated, I opened the door to the lab with a bang where Dr. Spengler set up the experiment, but he didn't glance up because he was too engrossed in his work. That was one thing I liked about him, his dedication and persistence of his dreams, and those thoughts assuaged my anger as I thought about him. The past three months had been cumbersome with Egon, but I didn't want to think about that right now.
Viewing the theoretical physicist as I crossed the room, I felt my pulse quicken at the sight of the man dressed in khaki pants. They hugged his firm, tight ass and he wore a black t-shirt that snuggly fit his upper body. His white lab coat finished the ensemble.
Silently, I disregarded my body's arousal, walking to where Dr. Spengler stood over the IBM computer. He let out a frustrated sigh as it made a warning beep, and a look of anguish crossed his face.
"What's wrong," I asked, peering over his shoulder as he retyped something. Egon explained the problem.
"Oh, it's the software. Let me reset it," I answered, glad that I could help.
Reluctantly, Egon moved away from the computer, still preoccupied with the problem, and he didn't look up. His right hand swept swiftly over mine, causing a shock to rock over my body. The theoretical physicist too felt it and his eyes searched my own for a few seconds before he mumbled,
"Excuse me."
Dr. Spengler's mocha color eyes were always a source of awe for me, and I have been known to spend hours gazing into them. I allowed myself to get caught up in them for a quick second until Egon mumbled his apology and shifted to the right of me. Waking up from my daze, I typed in a command to reset the computer. I attempted to ignore my heart's screaming that Egon was the one for me.
It was tense for a second as the computer rebooted, and I felt a pair of eyes slowly scrutinizing me. Egon then made conversation by saying, "Where are you going to dinner tonight?"
"Del Frisco," I replied, peering down at my dress, realizing that I was wearing one of his favorite ones that revealed a little extra cleavage by its plunging neckline. It was a green frock that fit comfortably on my body and displayed my curves distinctly. Promptly, I recalled a time in April:
One morning, I put the dress on in my bathroom. Then Egon came behind me, dressed in a white t-shirt and blue boxers, kissing my neck and pulling me from behind against his firm body. He gradually unzipped my dress and placed more kisses down my spine as it fell to my ankles...
My reverie was disturbed when Dr. Spengler uttered, "Uh oh."
"Huh?" I wondered.
"That's ...Venkman's...Ahem...scoring restaurant..he takes his date to Del Frisco and then back to her place to...mmm...mate," he stammered, turning pink in the face.
Weirdly, Egon never had trouble saying sex while we were dating. Ever. He was a most thoughtful and energetic partner. As I recalled making love another time I was in this dress, I blushed.
"Does he deserve you?" The Ghostbusters genius warily questioned.
Dumbfounded, I couldn't believe that he asked me that and narrowed my eyes resentfully. I felt my pulse and heart rates increase swiftly as I demanded, "Why do you automatically assume I am going to sleep with Todd?"
"Uhm...I know...it's not...my place...but I wanted to ensure he deserves you," Dr. Spengler anxiously stated.
"Why did he have an adorably timid look on his face," I wondered, attempting not to weaken my resolve.
"Did you deserve me?" I felt my wrath quelled a little by his comment while I interrogated him.
"No, but I already knew that from day one," Dr. Spengler divulged, swallowing hard," by the way, you look lovely today, Janine. I have always liked that dress on you. It brings out your incandescence."
"Thank you," I replied, grinning happily, lowering my face down to conceal the fact.
"Please sit down," Egon requested.
Dutifully, I sat down, crossing my legs and awaiting him to attach the electrodes to my temples. As Egon did, he flirtatiously commented,
"However, I always did immensely enjoy... removing that dress from you."
Both my body and cheeks flamed with heat as I recalled the intense fire when he would undress me or make love to me. Unexpectedly, I responded while observing Egon from underneath my eyelashes, then fluttered them a bit, " I remember."
"Yes, as do I," he huskily whispered, placing the electrodes on my temples gingerly and then going to the computer. Egon typed something that caused the monitor to display a 3D female head, and he gave me a smile when I craned my neck to look up at him. Our eyes locked on each other for a fraught moment, and I saw a hint of desire in Egon's. As a result, I cleared my throat to assuage the sexual tension and playfully inquired,
"Why do you need my brainwaves, Dr. Spengler?"
"I am working on a new experiment. I already have Ray, Winston, and Peter's," he stated brusquely, noting that I was trying to change the subject.
"Alright" I responded.
"The program is reading your brainwaves, and then I will print them out. Would you please hook me up with the electrodes and do the same test on me," Egon elucidated further, " it should take five to ten more minutes."
"Sure."
Neither of us attempted to fill the silence while the program did its job, but our eyes did meet a few times.
"Are you ready for your final semester as an undergrad," Egon inquired innocently, checking the program's progress.
"Oh for sure! I am beyond ready," I happily remarked.
He carefully removed the electrodes from my temples without any flirting after printing out a copy of my brainwaves, and I stood up so he could take my place on the chair. Once Egon, I immediately smelled his cologne which I loved.
I felt awkward putting those electrodes on his temples. With his gentle encouragement, I did so and awaited his instructions. Next, I put the electrodes on his temple then typed the command that he gave me into the computer. The shape of his head came up on the computer screen, and I had successfully completed the test. Egon pulled the electrodes off of his head, checked his brain wave print out, and then he eagerly asked,
"Would you like to see the report that I am doing on brain waves and how they compare?"
"Sure," I agreed. Eagerly, Egon went to the whiteboard to chart the differences in his co-workers' brain waves and explained what it meant. I loved seeing his voraciousness as he did because it was contagious.
His voice became animated as he commenced talking with his hands. Therefore, my attention was drawn to the theoretical physicist, and I remained captivated. Egon could be talking about peanut butter and jelly, and it would be fascinating to me.
That is when Venkman had to clear his throat twice to get my attention because Todd arrived. Eventually, he poked my arm, repetitively, saying noisily, " Janine, your date is here."
Snapping out of the daze, I turned my head towards Peter to reprimand him for hitting my arm in the same place, producing a mild ache. There my boss stood next to me with a smug look on his face as he knew that I wasn't going to scream at him, or so he thought, "Stop it, Peter Venkman, or I'll smack you into next week."
"More of that Brooklyn charm," Peter replied sarcastically. Then he hissed in a whisper to me, " Your date is here."
"Huh?" My attention was still on Egon, who had ceased talking and turned his back to us to disguise his dissatisfaction. I had seen his cute face fall when Peter announced that Todd was here, and I felt a little sad.
"You ready, Janine," Todd inquired as I stood there fidgeting, feeling torn on whether I wanted to stay or go. I felt my date grab my hand tightly as I stood there in a daze and pulled me behind him out of the firehouse because I didn't respond. That caused me to snap out of my trance enough to see the back of Egon's body and Venkman shaking his head at me in dismay. Quickly, I flashed the bird at him before he was out of my sight.
Rolling over in bed, I mumbled "touche" at the memory. Todd was correct in his conclusion after all.
Peter Venkman
Since the whole Victor incident, Janine avoided Egon with the exception of that one time last month. This left him feeling less confident of her love and thus the possibility of them reuniting. Out of the blue, magic occurred on Wednesday.
Without them noticing, I was able to view them as Janine participated in Spengler's experiment. I observed them flirting with each other similar to how they did the previous year, which gave me a little hope for the couple.
Ray informed me that he had discovered them in each other's arms after his date last night.
"So, that is why Egon is whistling and singing this morning," I realized outwardly as I made my coffee.
Stantz shrugged and persisted in eating his cereal. I revealed to him the Iggy-Janine flirtation before Todd arrived to pick her up for her date on Wednesday.
"I guess that explains the reason it didn't work out with him," Ray retorted drily. Lighting up a cigarette, I agreed with him.
Entering the area after eight in the morning, Egon was dressed in faded black athletic shorts and a cardinal-colored MIT t-shirt. As we conversed, he immediately joined our conversation, to our surprise.
"Yes, I informed Janine that I would win her back last night," he added, going into the kitchen after putting his sketchbook down. Egon started poking around the fridge for breakfast.
Ray and I exchanged a pleasantly shocked look that he not only paid attention to the conversation but commented. In the past, Egon wouldn't have said a word a year ago and disregarded the conversation.
"That's fantastic," I exclaimed, and he nodded.
"Anyone else want eggs," Egon asked, peering at us through his dark circular glasses. His hair was disheveled from sleep and stuck out a little on the side. We all concurred, and our brainy friend washed his hands thoroughly in the sink then began removing items from the fridge.
"Have you decided how you are going to win J back," Ray inquired, but Spengler didn't answer right away. I couldn't tell if he was lost in thought or just focusing on cooking.
"Yes, I have been devising a plan involving her birthday. I think it is important that I need to re-establish trust with her before enacting it," Egon answered.
"Well, what is it," I asked, interested, and sat up in my chair. I gave Spengler a quizzical look, but he didn't answer.
"What kind of eggs are you making," Ray questioned, standing up to supervise Iggy. He stopped and waited for suggestions. We agreed on cheese omelets because we lacked supplies to add anything else. I began to clean the dishes in the sink so he could start.
"Iggy, are you going to disclose your plan?"
My tall friend responded with a sneaky smile on his lips and a twinkle in his eyes, "No, it is not 100% ready to implement."
"Besides," Ray joined in, " You have a big mouth, Venkman."
Wordlessly, Egon and I glanced at each other skeptically as it was indeed Stantz who usually blabbed out secret information. There wasn't any point to indicate the irony of his statement, though.
"Since it's Labor Day weekend, is today a workday," Stantz inquired. Later, we ate our omelets with buttered toast and our morning black coffee while Egon sketched something in his notebook.
"Hmm, there isn't anything scheduled until Tuesday unless we get a call. We told both Winston and Janine they didn't have to come in today or tomorrow because we have been slammed with business," I responded.
"There are some reports I need to analyze, and I would like to scrutinize the activity in the containment unit since it is filling up so rapidly," Egon reported, as he shaded in some of his drawings.
"When is this?" I innocently inquired.
The drawing conveyed two people, I assumed Egon and Janine, sitting on the sofa in the lab with her head on his shoulder, sleeping.
"Last night," my friend replied, grinning blithely, and handed it to me to view more carefully. It was well done, and I handed it to Ray next. He offered to develop the photos he took last night, but Egon rejected the idea.
"I have it in my head, but thanks," the eldest Ghostbuster declared, pointing to his large cerebellum covered by his thick wavy hair.
"OK, Mr. Mysterious, does this drawing have to do with the plan on winning her back?" I observed that it was the sketchbook Egon had of his drawings of Janine from the past year and a half.
"A small part, yes," he confessed, "but that's all that you are learning about it for now."
"Fair enough," I put my hands down in surrender and grinned, "Look at you, Spengs, going after your woman."
Egon returned my smile and replied, "I have never been as serious about anything in my life as winning Janine back. Everything else doesn't matter in the long run. My career, winning a Nobel, this business. Not that I don't want those things, but they are now secondary."
"Hi, my name is Peter Venkman; what is your name," I teased after staying quiet from the shock of Iggy's realization and held out my hand.
Drily, he rolled his eyes and responded, "Come on, Venkman. Don't exaggerate."
"Too late for that," Ray quipped and began to laugh, "but it is a major transformation in your thoughts and goals, Spengs."
Curtly, he nodded and began drawing in his sketchbook with a pencil ending the conversation.
Chuckling at the way Spengler shut down the discussion in his unique style, I asked if either of them wanted to go to the beach to pick up some chicks or at least ogle the eye candy. Ray seemed game, but Egon seemed hesitant.
"You can still draw on the beach or do your analysis," I urged.
"I'd be more willing to go if Janine was going," he remarked, with a gleam in his eye indicating her provocativeness.
"Oh, Spengs, you devil," I laughed at his implication.
"I bet. Does J have quite the swimsuit collection, Egon," Ray joked.
Raising his eyebrows, his face turned very red when our theoretical physicist admitted, "She may, but Janine has a phenomenal body. I wouldn't mind seeing her clad next to nothing again."
We all laughed heartily.