Author's notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter three of "Turnaround." This chapter introduces Ronnie and Jeanette. There is some Podcast/Phoebe and Gary/Callie. Stay tuned for chapter four.
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Chapter 3: Preparing Breakfast
Ronnie stood before the kitchen stove. She had her eye on four slices of bacon cooking in a skillet on the front left burner. She held a fork in her hand. She looked at a plate with eleven slices of bacon. She turned to Jeanette, who stirred pancake mix, milk, and butter with a spoon in a large bowl. She looked over her sister's shoulder at another large bowl filled with scrambled eggs. She shifted her attention back to the skillet. She used the fork to lift the first slice. She found it was done and flipped it over. She repeated her actions with the other slices.
Ronnie rubbed her chin before smacking her lips. She resembled Peter, but she had Dana's eyes. She was slightly shorter than Oscar was. She had a lean frame with some muscle. Her long brown hair was straight with the exception of curls at the end. It was up in a ponytail. A few strands stuck out. The back of her right hand contained a birth mark in the shape of a line going across it. The left end had a circle on it.
Jeanette stopped stirring and tapped the spoon on the side of the bowl. She looked like Dana with the exception of her having Peter's hair. She was the same height as her sister. Her frame was rather lean. Her eyebrows were thin to the point they were almost invisible. They had scars above them. Freckles could be seen on her forehead and cheeks. She held up the spoon. She watched the mixture drip off it. She heard chuckling and looked at Ronnie, who had a raised eyebrow.
"Look at you allowing a mixture to drip off a spoon," Ronnie teased and spoke gibberish.
"At least I am nearly done mixing the stuff," Jeanette responded annoyingly. She resumed stirring. "We should get Oscar to help us make a big breakfast on a Saturday morning."
"He has helped with breakfast a number of times," Ronnie pointed out truthfully. "It does not matter the size. He is always willing to help."
"I wonder how he, Gary, Callie, and Trevor are doing on their newest assignment," Jeanette said, curiosity showing in her voice.
"I believe they have caught the interstate dragon and are on their way back. Saturdays and Sundays are perfect for ghostbusting due to the reduced traffic in most areas," Ronnie suggested, smiling.
"I love how eager Oscar was to go on this assignment. He has always wanted to catch a ghost on an interstate," Jeanette said, laughing to herself.
"What better ghost to catch than a dragon?" Ronnie asked with a furrowed brow.
"The best thing about this assignment is less potential for property damage," Jeanette commented.
"Right," Ronnie said, holding up the fork.
"Don't let the bacon burn," Jeanette warned.
Ronnie returned her attention to the skillet. She checked the undersides of the bacon. She found they were done and removed them from it. She laid them on the plate while turning the burner off. She laid the fork aside. She picked up the skillet and carried it over to the sink. She dumped the grease in a mug halfway full with it. She narrowed her eyes at the last of it dripping. She placed the skillet in the sink. She filled it with soap and water. She grabbed the sponge and proceeded to scrub it.
"All we have to do now is cook the pancakes and the eggs," Ronnie said, chuckling to herself.
"We will be doing them at the same time," Jeanette said, going over to the cabinet next to the refrigerator and grabbing a skillet from it. She headed over to the stove and set it on the front right burner. "I bet Phoebe will eat the most out of all of us as usual."
Ronnie smiled. "She and Podcast will make great parents to their little girl. Gabrielle is the perfect name for her."
"Who would have thought that Gabrielle would grow from a naïve farm girl into a fierce Amazon queen in Xena: Warrior Princess?" Jeanette asked, giving a shrug.
"That show was popular when Callie was a teen. It still is. She is a huge fan of it," Ronnie pointed out.
"Lucy Lawless has gone on to have an incredible career after getting her breakout role as Xena. I can't say the same for Kevin Sorbo. He played Hercules in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys," Jeanette commented.
"I read he was very jealous her show became more popular than his. He has been known for making snide remarks about her professional and personal lives. It is no wonder no major studio will hire him," Ronnie muttered, shaking her head in disbelief. "If he had kept his mouth shut, his career would not be in the toilet right now."
Jeanette scoffed. "I have no sympathy for him whatsoever. He brought it on himself."
Ronnie finished scrubbing the skillet. She switched on the water and rinsed it out. She turned it off once she was finished. She grabbed a towel to dry the skillet off. She carried it over to the stove and placed it back on the burner it had been on. Footsteps caught her and Jeanette's attention. They turned to see Podcast and Phoebe coming their way. He had the empty mug in his hand.
"If it isn't the Dynamic Duo," Ronnie teased and blew a raspberry.
"Very funny, Ronnie," Podcast retorted as he approached the sink to lay the mug there. He peered at his girlfriend going to the stove in the corner of his eye. "Is the bacon finished? Has the pancake mix, milk, and butter been mixed together?"
"It's yes to both questions," Jeanette replied.
Phoebe placed her hands on her back. "If you are wondering about Janine, she is doing well. Of course, she had to deal with another prank call. This one was for Rihanna concert tickets."
"All these prank calls and texts make me want to throw all the phones in this place against the wall," Ronnie grumbled with a roll of her eyes.
"Who doesn't feel that way at some point?" Jeanette wondered.
"Unfortunately, we'd have no way of contacting each other or calling for an Uber or Lyft ride," Podcast replied.
"Jeanette and I are of age to do rideshare," Ronnie said proudly.
"Podcast and Phoebe have to have an adult accompany them if they do that," Jeanette murmured.
"That doesn't bother us in the least bit," Phoebe said with a soft chuckle. "Besides, it's better safe than sorry."
Podcast came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. "That it is."
Podcast kissed his girlfriend's temple, making her laugh. She brought her hands to his arm. She gave it a gentle squeeze. Jeanette did a tsk-tsk-tsk-tsk while shaking her head. The couple eyed her closely.
"You two should glue yourselves together. You can't stay away from each other," Jeanette teased.
"That describes your parents very well," Podcast responded with a big smirk.
"They can't keep their hands off each other, even in their old age!" Phoebe blurted out and laughed loudly.
"Neither can yours!" Ronnie responded.
"At least our parents have aged well," Jeanette commented. "If anything—"
The sounds of the doors opening and an engine revving caught everyone's attention. Podcast and Phoebe headed out of the kitchen, followed by Jeanette and Ronnie. They went downstairs at a steady pace. They arrived in the garage as Gary turned off Ecto-1's engine. Oscar and Trevor closed the doors with a loud slam. Gary and Callie got out. Podcast, Phoebe, Jeanette, and Ronnie stopped close to the front of the vehicle.
"It's about time you guys got back," Phoebe said.
"You can blame the traffic," Gary joked with a snicker.
Callie opened the top compartment and grabbed the smoking trap. "And the interstate dragon."
"He was trickier than the sewer dragon was, but we managed to get him," Oscar added.
"It was a lot of fun speeding down that interstate," Trevor commented and imitated an engine. He, Gary, Callie, and Oscar came around to the front of the vehicle. "There wasn't much traffic at all."
"Why can't all of the ghostbusting be done on the weekends? The reduced traffic makes it so much easier," Phoebe said, shaking her head in disbelief.
"We can't always get what we want," Gary answered, walking up to her to flick her chin. "Isn't that right?"
Phoebe chuckled. "Right, Dad. If you are wondering about breakfast, the bacon is all done. The pancakes and eggs are ready to be cooked."
Gary smiled. "Great. Why don't you kids head into the kitchen and get the eggs and pancakes going and the table set while Callie and I take care of that dragon?"
"Sure," Podcast said and waved his hand toward himself. "Come on, everyone."
Podcast, Phoebe, Ronnie, Jeanette, and Oscar left the garage and headed upstairs. Gary and Callie made their way toward the basement stairs.
00000
Gary and Callie reached the basement within three minutes. They approached the containment unit. She opened it and slipped the trap inside. She touched the handle button, releasing it. The red light switched on. She closed the door with a slam. She pushed the handle in and down. She pressed the first button, followed by the second. She pulled down the lever, causing the green light to come on.
"When the light is green—" Gary started.
"The trap is clean," Callie finished while flicking his chin. She tossed the holder aside. "It doesn't feel like a year since the unit was expanded. It feels like only yesterday."
"That thing looked about ready to burst," Gary mumbled, sighing heavily. "Now, we don't have to worry about that."
"There is enough space to put many decades of ghosts in here," Callie said, crossing her arms.
"If only your father could see this. I think he'd be shocked at how much space it has now. I have no doubt he is proud of you and your kids for following in his footsteps," Gary said, slipping his arm around her shoulder.
"I hate that he was not in my life, but I understand why now. He didn't want me to be endangered," Callie said, inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly. "Ghostbusting can be very dangerous."
"It can cause property damage sometimes," Gary admitted and chuckled in a nervous way. "We try hard to prevent it, but it isn't always enough."
She clicked her tongue. "Thank God that Phoebe isn't ghostbusting right now. She doesn't feel like it, anyway."
"It feels unreal becoming a grandpa in my forties," Gary commented, hugging her.
"I have similar feelings becoming a grandma in my forties," Callie said, pinching his chin. "I don't give a shit. I am looking forward to it."
"So am I," Gary agreed with a big smile. "It will be fun taking care of a little baby here."
"Maybe we should stick Trevor on diaper-changing duty for a whole day," Callie suggested and snickered under her breath. "I think he'd appreciate the effort it takes to keep a baby's bottom clean and fresh."
"I agree," Gary commented. "By the way, do you know it's been seven years since your ex-husband divorced you?"
"I noticed recently. I never want to see Dino again. He hurt me with his infidelity. He tried to get custody of Trevor, but the judge wouldn't allow it. I struggled to make ends meet after the divorce," Callie said bluntly. She touched his arm lightly. "It doesn't matter now. I married a wonderful man who has become the father my kids need."
He kissed her forehead and pressed his against hers. "Many men do not want to be involved in the lives of single mothers and their kids. I don't mind. I've always wanted kids."
Gary went behind Callie and wrapped his arms around her. He gave her a big hug before kissing her temple. He planted kisses on her neck, but she pulled away from him. She turned around to face him.
"We can fool around later. Breakfast needs to be eaten," Callie said while jerking her thumb in the direction of the stairs.
"Aw! You ruined my fun!" Gary whined, forming a big pout.
"Keep pouting," Callie said, flicking his chin. "It makes you look cute."
"Okay," Gary said and made his pout bigger. "How's that?"
"It's nice," Callie replied with a giggle. "It's very nice."
Gary and Callie headed upstairs to the second floor. They went into the kitchen to see Phoebe cooking the first group of four pancakes. She had a spatula in her hand. Podcast was watching the eggs cook. He had a wooden spoon in his hand. Jeanette and Ronnie were setting the table. Gary approached the cabinet next to the sink to get a mug. Callie came to her daughter's side. Oscar and Trevor sat at the bar's first and second stools, sipping cream-filled coffee from mugs.
"I think you and Podcast should become chefs, Pheebs," Callie suggested, putting her hands on her sides. "You two are such good cooks."
"And give up ghostbusting?" Phoebe asked, looking at her. She shook her head so rapidly that it seemed to be a blur. "No way."
"Hey, it's just a thought," Callie pointed out and gestured toward the expectant mother's stomach. "Besides, you won't be ghostbusting for a long while."
"I don't mind that. Being there for my baby is more important than anything else right now," Phoebe admitted.
"I have encountered you snacking on pickle spears in this kitchen in the middle of the night three times, Pheebs," Gary said as he approached the coffeemaker. He grabbed the kettle and filled his mug more than halfway full. He returned it to the coffeemaker. "You were nearly halfway through the jar the first time."
"If I am craving something, I am going to eat it, Dad," Phoebe answered while turning to him. She cringed when he sipped his coffee. "I don't know how you can drink your coffee black. I need sugar in mine."
"I do too," Podcast added.
"It's the way I like it," Gary commented, taking another tiny sip. He set his coffee on the counter. "You haven't drunk a cup of coffee since you learned you were pregnant, sweetie."
"I heard drinking more than two hundred milligrams of coffee per day puts a baby at risk of being miscarried or born prematurely," Phoebe whispered, her body shaking a little bit. "Besides, I was repulsed by the taste of it when I tried to drink some. Not even sugar made it taste good."
"At least you can still tolerate the smell of coffee, sis," Trevor said honestly.
"Thank God," Phoebe said in relief. "I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't do that."
Phoebe returned her attention to the skillet. She lifted the first pancake, finding it was not done. She repeated her action with the second, third, and fourth ones to discover the same. Podcast started stirring the eggs at a slow pace.
"I just realized it is the seventh anniversary of our birth father divorcing Mom, Pheebs," Trevor muttered, huffing irritatingly. "I hate him for what he did to our family."
"I know the feeling, Trev," Phoebe admitted and clenched her teeth. "It's so weird. He had no problem getting along with you, but he couldn't even bear to look at me. It was as if I repulsed him."
"Then it was revealed he cheated on Mom with several women. He even got one pregnant, but she miscarried in the eighth week of pregnancy. He tried to separate us, but the judge stopped him," Trevor said and pretended to spit at the floor. "He has no clue he will be a grandfather."
Phoebe looked at Gary. "Gabrielle has a grandfather. Dad was more than willing to parent us. How many men are willing to care for a single mother's kids?"
"Not too many," Gary answered and smacked his lips. He went to his wife's side and took her hand into his. "The sad thing about many single moms is they have no problem putting themselves before their kids."
"Diane Downs is one such mother," Jeanette muttered, setting a fork and a spoon at the head of the table.
"That bitch makes my blood boil. She shot her three children, so she could continue her affair with Robert Knickbocker. He was uninterested in them. She managed to kill Cheryl, but Christie and Danny survived. Christie suffered a disabling stroke. Danny was paralyzed from the waist down. Fred and Joanne Hugi adopted them after Diane was convicted and sent to prison," Ronnie explained while placing a plate on the left side.
"I could never think of harming my children," Callie said, shaking her head in disbelief. "Why not give up your children for adoption if you do not want them?"
Trevor gritted his teeth. "Diane did not want her kids, yet she was not about to let anyone else have them. She needed them for validation. The good news is she was denied parole in 2008, 2010, and 2020. She is never getting out of prison."
"Being a parent is hard, especially when you are just a teen," Phoebe said, turning to Podcast.
"You are right, Pheebs," Podcast agreed, eyeing her. "My parents would have been outraged to learn I was to be a father. They would have told me I ruined my future. They wanted me to go to college and become a doctor or a lawyer. I did not want either career. I wanted to be a scientist and a paranormal investigator. I found my calling there. They never believed in the paranormal. They called everyone who did kooks."
"I'm proud to be a kook," Phoebe joked with a snicker.
Podcast nodded in agreement. "Me too."
"So are the rest of us," Gary said with a smile.
"Of course, I am the kookiest of this group," Callie said, laying her head on his shoulder.
Gary shook his head. "No, you're not."
Callie punched her husband in the chest lightly. Podcast and Phoebe shifted their attention back to the skillets. They proceeded to check the eggs and pancakes.