Just the Way You Are

As was their way, the Ghostbusters returned to their usual routine very quickly after yet another world-threatening peril. Janine was feeling much better and had returned to work, although Egon insisted that she only work half-days until she was back to 100 percent. He also demanded that she let him perform tests to determine the extent of her powers and whether they were going to cause her any harm. To date, he’d found no evidence that she or others were in any danger.

Peter and Dana had been completely incognito all morning, but they showed up in the afternoon, with Dana sporting a diamond ring on the third finger of her left hand.

Louis and Pauline dropped by Wednesday evening to inform them that they were going to make a new start in California. Louis had an uncle in San Diego who’d been begging him to come work for his tax law firm. His uncle would surely be glad to get a really capable paralegal like Pauline in the deal.

A paternity test had been performed and the truth was undeniable.

Louis was taking the news of being Oscar’s biological father pretty well, but he said he wasn’t ready to be a parent, and he thought Peter would make a better dad. He wanted to make a clean break from his old life in New York. It had been terrifying and he felt it was better left completely behind. However, he would be there for his friends and his son if they ever really needed him.

With the exception of Louis and Pauline who’d already left town, they all had dinner together at Kel’s restaurant that night to celebrate. They were glad to hear she wasn’t going to close down yet, and they promised to try to think of a way to save her place. Kel and Winston snuck over to his mother’s restaurant during dessert, bringing her over to Abyssinia.

She was thrilled to find everyone there, happy and getting along. They reassured her that the problems they were having were over, and that it had all just been a misunderstanding. When she asked about Oscar, Dana said he was fine and that he was staying with Rosa’s family.

“Well, we’ll have to do this again when Mary and Lois can come too,” she said. She winked at her son and hugged Kel. The couple smiled at her. “See? And you two didn’t like each other. Mother knows best. Had to force you to talk to each other, but I knew you’d thank me for it one day. The sexual tension between you two was so thick, you couldn’t cut it with an axe!”

“Mom!” Winston chastised her. Kel blushed furiously. The others all laughed.

Ellen raised one manicured brow at the group. “And just what are you laughing at? I was talking about all of you! You all need to go home and get laid before you bust.” She pointed at Alice and Ray. “Especially you two.” Everyone stopped laughing. They all turned various shades of red. Ellen cracked up and left to go back to her own restaurant. “Night!” she called back in a sing-songy voice.

The friends all looked around at each other. They all looked away from each other just as quickly. Ellen was right. They all needed it bad. Really bad.

Peter grabbed their waiter’s arm as he passed. “Check, please.”

“It’s on the house,” Kel announced. She jumped up out of her chair and grabbed Winston’s arm, dragging him to the coat rack by the door. Everyone else quickly followed suit. Dana, Alice, Kel, and Janine exchanged hugs. The men pulled their coats on with seriousness etched into their features. They refused to look at each other again.

The group left for their various destinations, Ray and Alice in Ecto-1, Winston and Kel in her car, Egon and Janine in her car, and Peter and Dana in a cab.

It was going to be a good night for all.