Ultimate Spider-Woman: Change With the Light

Chapter 75: Crouching Spider, Hidden Scorpion

"Cut!" April Reese shouted as the actors relaxed their poses. "Damn it all, Gwen, can't you even get this right?"

Gwen briefly stammered, flustered by the sudden interruption of her lines. Taking a moment to regain her composure, she took a deep breath before she spoke.

"What did I do wrong this time, April?" Gwen asked, frustration evident in her voice.

"Everything, you stupid bimbo!" April shouted, before stomping off. "Clear the sets for today-everything's fucked, thanks to Caesar's little squeeze toy!"

Most of the rest of the cast and crew looked on edge, some of them giving Gwen dirty looks as if they also blamed Gwen for how badly the filming of the independent film was going, while others looked much more sympathetic to her.

As angry as she was at April's thinking that Gwen had simply slept her way into the role, Gwen couldn't really blame April or some of the cast and crew for being upset. As the spectacular Spider-Woman, she'd failed to prevent the Nasty Boys mutant street gang from wrecking the Gloom Room A Go-Go, she was having problems at school again because of her messed-up university schedule and of what she'd inadvertently revealed to her boyfriend Randy Robertson.

As Spider-Woman, Gwen had learned that the sociopathic Felicia Hardy had begun dating a lieutenant in the new organized crime syndicate that was setting itself up in New York City, and had convinced her boyfriend to order the bombing of a political rally in Harlem. Felicia had convinced her boyfriend to order the bombing specifically to get back at Randy, who'd rejected her advances both before and after he started dating Gwen. Now, Randy was blaming himself for the bombing, tearing himself apart with guilt, while Gwen blamed herself for her stupidity in telling Randy.

All of the guilt and frustration had taken its toll on Gwen. In the two days since she had told Randy the truth, the stress she was suffering from had made it hard to concentrate on her schoolwork or her acting work.

Of course they're going to be mad at you, Gwen told herself. It's your fault you're screwing this picture up-just like it was your fault you told Randy!

Stop fucking up, you idiot!

Can't you do anything right anymore?

SPIDER-WOMAN #75

"CROUCHING SPIDER, HIDDEN SCORPION"

Randy hadn't answered his phone, and according to his roommates he was staying with his parents while he got his head together. Gwen hadn't had the opportunity to do so before now, but once she had finished with the movie shoot she made her way to the Robertsons' townhouse to see if she could stop by to see Randy. Ringing the doorbell, Gwen could only hope that Randy was well enough to see her. She could only imagine what he was going through, and she hoped that her visit would be able to cheer him up.

The door to the Robertsons' place was flung open by a middle-aged woman that Gwen recognized as Louise Robertson, Randy's mother. An angry glare crossed her face as she regarded Gwen, who sighed inwardly as she recalled how much Randy's parents disliked her. They were none too pleased with Gwen's desires to be a model and actress, disapproving of the way that, in their view, she flaunted her looks and her body to sell things.

"Hello, Mrs. Robertson," Gwen nodded, as she made an effort to smile. "Is Randy-"

"You've got a lot of nerve showing your face here, you little tramp," Louise glowered at Gwen, interrupting her before she could finish. "What the hell did you do to my son?"

"…What?" Gwen asked in confusion. "I…" she trailed off, not entirely sure what to say and unable to divulge the truth about what she'd told Randy because she didn't want to explain how she'd come across the knowledge and give away her secret identity as Spider-Woman. She realized that Randy apparently hadn't told the truth either, likely because it would have been too awkward for him to explain to his parents either without compromising Gwen's secret.