The Tangled Web | Peter Parker

Chapter 30

A week had passed since our meeting at the diner with Foggy. During that time, Eddie and I had spent almost every day together. Hours ticked by at the office as we recalled moments from the opening statements of the Connors trial. We wasted time riding around the city, sipping coffee at cafes, and going for countless walks by the Hudson. We were discovering new things about one another and enjoying every moment of it. I didn't feel like I had to explain anything to him; he understood me in a way that no one else had besides Peter.

Speaking of Peter, we have not said more than a few words to each other since our conversation in my room. It was as though he was actively avoiding me. I don't think he was intentionally being cruel, but his coldness struck like a knife to a wounded piece of my soul. I felt like I had done something wrong by bringing up our lack of communication about all of our recent losses.

I attempted to apologize a few times, but he made sure that we were never alone for too long. I think May was starting to pick up on our disconnect. She made a few comments at breakfast one morning but didn't bring it up again after Peter deflected the conversation to something relating to college applications.

I tried my best to ignore it and remind myself that he was having a difficult time after the incident at Oscorp. I knew Peter blamed himself for the death of Captain Stacy and he was working through it, but I wasn't sure how to help him. It was clear that he didn't want me to know about his web-slinging activities; I just wasn't sure if he was keeping me in the dark to protect me or because he didn't trust me.

Either way, it was becoming more and more frustrating to maintain the charade that I didn't know. Sooner or later, I would need to come clean. I wanted him to tell me on his own terms when he was ready. But I was beginning to think maybe he would never be ready.

"Hey, Em? You still with me?" Eddie asked, waving his hand in front of my face. "Did you hear what I said?"

"What? Sorry," I mumbled as I looked up at where he was leaning against my side of the desk.

"I knew you were off somewhere distant," he chuckled, crossing one leg over the other as he sat on the edge of the desk. "What's got you so lost? Deep in your own world? Or down a rabbit hole on the internet?" he asked as he crouched forward to look at my computer screen.

"You know me," I laughed nervously as I quickly closed out of the open tab, "Always in my own head." I had been researching the Beloit Psychiatric Asylum where they were keeping Dr. Connors for the duration of his trial. I was hoping to find information on their website that indicated if they allowed visitors.

Eddie narrowed his eyes as he stared at me with a smirk on his face. "That's a dangerous place to be," he laughed, shaking his head. "But what I wouldn't give to spend at least an hour inside your mind," he jested, wiggling his eyebrows while inching closer to where I was sitting.

"You've been around me long enough these past few weeks. You basically have unfiltered access to my thoughts at any given moment," I chirped, crossing my arms as I settled into my seat.

"Is that so?" Eddie prodded, lifting an eyebrow.

"You two are still here?" Eleanore interrupted as she walked by our desk with a large stack of papers in her hands.

Eddie pushed off the desk and trotted over to help Eleanore before she tripped. "Here, I got it," he grunted as he took some of the papers from her hand.

"Thanks," she sighed, lifting her hand to wipe her brow. "I thought you would have left by now. The rain's picking up and shows no sign of stopping anytime soon."

"Rain?" I whined, exhaling loudly. "Great."

"Yes, rain," Eddie laughed softly as he walked past me. He reached out, lightly touching my forehead, and gave me a gentle shove. "That's what I was trying to tell you, dummy."