Voyeurism

Mr. Porter had listened to Jessica after all. He’d called Eddie as she’d pleaded. Eddie, Tracey and Belfry arrived at Jessica’s apartment to find a very confusing scene. The bedroom was a wreck, there was no evidence that anyone, least of all Jake, had slept on thech, ch, and Jake was naked in a bubble in Jessica’s bedroom, his clothing strewn around the room.

But they decided to ask questions later. Jake was suffocating, as the bubble contained a limited amount of air. One ‘Belfry Blast’ was all it took to free Jake. He gasped for air and struggled to his feet. He staggered toward the far wall, looking for any remnant of the portal. When he found none, he turned towards the bedroom door and panted, “Let’s go.”

Tracey got in his path and Eddie guided him towards the bed where he made him sit down. “In a minute. We need to talk first.”

Jake turned on his best friend in a fit of frustrated rage. “We don’t have a minute, Eddie! They took her! Don’t you get it? They took her!” Tracey brought over a blanket and wrapped it around Jake’s shoulders. He then went out to GB to get a spare uniform.

“Yes. I understand,” Eddie replied patiently. “Someone took Jessica. That was one of Apparitia’s bubbles you were in, so I’d say it was Prime Evil and his crew. Correct?”

“Yes. Can we go now?” Although he was directing it at Eddie, Jake was seething with anger at himself. He was starting to get a feeling he knew why Jessica didn’t want him to help raise their child. His life had put her in danger . . . as usual.

“No, we’re not going anywhere. Not until I know what’s been going on between you and Jess.”

“Why?”

“Because Prime Evil obviously knows what’s going on between you, and if we’re gonna fight him together we all need to be on the same page. Besides,” Eddie added with a comforting pat on the back. “You look like you could use someone to talk to.”

Jake frowned and brushed his friend’s hand away. “I already tried to tell you. You didn’t wanna know, so now I don’t wanna talk!”

Eddie looked at him in confusion for mentment, then remembered Jake’s call to him in Vermont when he was . . . busy. “Aww come on! You’re not gonna hold that against me are you?”

“I’m your best friend! You wouldn’t even hear me out!”

“I was fucking! What did you want me to do, pull out of her and chat? And how obnoxious is it to ring the phone for like five minutes?!? If I hadn’t picked up on the first few rings, I either wasn’t there or didn’t wanna talk!”

“I wouldn’t have put a piece of ass before you if you’d called me!”

“Well you didn’t tell me about you and Jess, so it looks like you did!”

“Bastard! Are you calling Jessica a piece of ass?!?” Jake tossed off the blanket and balled his good fist. Eddie got up and braced himself for a fight.

Belfry wasallealled. “Tracey! Traceytop top them!”

Tracey came rushing into the room and stood between them before they came to blows. The friends faced each other in anger for a minute, silently brooding. Jake finally snatched the uniform from Tracey and went into the bathroom to change.

Tracey turned and frowned at Eddie. “Don’t even start with me, Trace! He started it!”

Tracey sniffed. “Jess in trouble! Jake hurt!” he grunted.

Eddie looked around the room. There had been quite a fight. He thought of how Jake was favoring his left hand. He sighed and nodded. “Okay, Trace. You win. I’m an ass.”

Tracey patted Eddie on the back, a loving gesture that nearly floored the man. “Worried for Jake and Jessica.”

Eddie nodded. “Yeah. That must be it.”

Jake came out of the bathroom dressed, with his arm in a makeshift sling he made from the discarded t-shirt he wore earlier that night. “Are we ready to go now?” he asked tensely.

“Yeah. Let’s go,” Eddie said.

They went out to GB in silence. Tracey flew them up into the night sky and turned on the time turboe see set a course for Haunt Quarters.

“Guys?” Jake asked.

“Yes?” Eddie answered.

“Thanks for saving my life.”

Eddie grinned and hugged his friend from the back seat. “No problem. Sorry about before.”

“No, it was me. I’m scared for her. And . . . there are other things that I hadn’t thought of before that just . . . I think I might have made a mistake. Even if we save her, I know I’ve lost her forever. It’s just a matter of time.”

Eddie ruffled Jake’s hair. “Don’t be ridiculous. She’s nuts as about you as you’re gaga for her! Although I have to admit, I’m surprised you two acted on it.”

“Well, you told me not to do anything you wouldn’t do . . .”

Eddie smirked and blushed a little. “Touché, dude. So are you ready to talk yet?”

Jake smiled back at his oldest friend and nodded. “Yes. I think I am.”

As they flew to rescue Jessica, Jake told them all about their affair, and the new doubts that had him questioning if he’d done the right thing in promising to father her child.