Birth and Rebirth

Waiting . . .

Jake returned from making his phone calls. He found Eddie and Futura sitting together in a tight, comforting embrace, each with very red eyes. As Jake entered the waiting area, he immediately noticed that not everyone was present and accounted for. “Where’s Egon and Janine?” he asked Winston.

“Don’t know. She wandered off about five minutes ago. Didn’t say where she was going. Egon went after her just a moment ago.”

“Any more news about Jess?” Ray asked.

“Nope.” Jake’s response was casual, almost to the point of nonchalance. Winston and Peter exchanged a knowing glance. Indifference in the face of traumatic situations was a common defense mechanism. Peter had studied it in graduate school, and Winston had seen it firsthand in Vietnam. Not a good sign.

A few minutes later, Egon came back in, looking more than a little flustered. “I can’t find her.”

“That’s not like her,” Peter commented.

“No,” Egon replied tiredly. “I believe she’s still angry with me.”

“You? What for?” Winston asked.

“It’s a long story. One I’d rather not discuss.”

“Hey whatever, man. Just asking.”

Egon sighed and rubbed his eyes beneath his glasses. “I apologize if I’ve offended you, Winston. I meant no disrespect. I just don’t know what to do about it and . . . well, I don’t know. I just wish I knew what to do.” He looked over to Jake. “How is she?”

“Not good. She may die, Egon.” Jake swallowed hard, finally realizing the impact of those words.

“Jake. I don’t know what to say.”

“There’s nothing to say.”

Egon stared at his friend, then replied. “There is one thing to say. Don’t lose hope.”

Jake nodded weakly and retreated back into his shell. Peter looked from Egon to Jake and back. They looked equally lost, and he didn’t know who to try to help first. Then the decision was made for him when Futura and Eddie got up and took Jake for a walk to talk things through. That left Egon to Peter.

“So Egon, what’s going on with you and Big Red? Things have been a little strained between you two as of late. Come on, you can tell your Uncles Petey, Winston and Ray. The others are gone.”

“It’s personal Peter,” Egon growled in warning.

“Oh, I don’t doubt it. But you see, we’re your friends, and you need us to talk this thing out with you, so why don’t you just get off your fucking high horse and talk to us.”

Egon glared at Peter for his abrupt tone. He was right though. He needed to talk. With a heavy heart and a lot of pain, Egon told them about his botched marriage proposal.

“And the worst part about it is that I can understand why she would think that I didn’t really mean it. I didn’t exactly jump for joy at the prospect of dating her for a number of years. I made her feel so horrible about herself she felt she needed to change her appearance. But the fact is I really do want to marry her. Perhaps her rejection is punishment for my own procrastination at making a commitment.”

“No way, ” W” Winston interjected. “The lady’s not built that way. She’s not petty and she loves you too much to do that to you. It’s something else.”

“I can’t imagine what else it could be, guys.”

“Relationships aren’t like physics, Spengs. The answers aren’t always logical, but they’re there.”

“I know Peter.”

“So go talk to her,” Ray suggested.

“I would, but I don’t know where Janine is.” Jake and Eddie wandered in again, so the conversation was dropped for the time being. When asked where their third companion was, they informed them that Futura had decided to go check up on Jessica’s condition so that Jake would have a chance to compose himself. Jake and Eddie sat down in a corner and talked quietly in hushed tones.

After about a minute, a nurse walked past the open door and poked her head in.

“Hey! Ghostbusters! Wow, then that was Janine Melnitz I saw! That’s so cool! Can I have your autographs?” She glanced at Jake and Eddie. “Holy shit! And you’re the Ghostbusters from . . .”

“Pardon me miss,” Egon interrupted. “Did you say that you saw Janielnielnitz?”

“Sure, she’s over by the nursery.”

“And that is where?”

“Down the hall and to the right. Follow it all the way down, and then make a left. You can’t miss it.”

“Thank you miss.” Egon signed a hasty autograph, and then departed in search of his beloved.