Joining Ghostbusters 2

Why The Long Face

A few weeks pass and my time at read throughs with Chris and the girls has been amazing. They have helped me relax and take on the character. The other girls have their first scene to shoot. The opening scene to the movie. It is set in the fire house a few months after the first movie.

Yates, Patty and Gilbert are all sitting around down stairs with their laptops and coffees. Its Monday at 9am and they begin to ask where Holtzmann is. There should have been two explosions by now and Holtzmann running down for another extinguisher. But no one has heard or seen her since since Saturday.

Yates calls out "Holtzmann - are you up there?"

No answer.

Patty tries "Yo Holtzyyy! you dead?"

The door to her workroom opens and a different sounding set of footsteps approaches the stairs and decends

Gilbert calls out "Holtzmann is that you?"

Then they look up and see heels, suit pants, a fitted blazer, sleeves rolled up. Long blonde hair.

It is Holtzmann.

Every other Ghostbuster is silent. Their mouths wide open in shock.

"What!?" Holtzmann said as she drudges over to the kitchen to pour herself a coffee.

The women just stare in amazement - having never seen Holtzmann in a classy suit, nor hair out nor straightened.

Gilbert catches herself gazing at Holtzmann, staring up and down and up again. Stopping at Holtzmann's lips.

"See something you like Gilbert?" Holtzmann says seductively taking a sip of her coffee and placing it down on the table, taking a step closer to Erin.

"Ahhh... well... uhhhh" Erin stutters

"What I think Erin is trying to say is DAMN BABY! What you all dressed up for!?" Patty calls out geting up from the stool and walking around pulling at Holtzmann's jacket.

"A dear dear friend has passed. I am going to pay my respects. We hadnt known one another for very long, but the bond" Holtzmann's eyes begin to well up and she holds her fingers over her mouth as she composes "The bond will always be with me, He was such a good boy!"

Everyone gets up and comforts Holtzmann who is still becoming quite upset.

"OH Holtzmann Im sorry, We all are! How old was he?" asked Abby

"He was just 12!" Holtzmann says letting a few tears escape.

"Do you want us to come with you Holtzy?" Asked Patty

Holtzmann nods while wiping the tears as they fall. Brushing her long straight hair out of her face in frustration.

"Ok We will go get changed quickly and will go with you and pay our respects to your dear friend" Abby says pushing Holtzmann's hair behind her ear.

"Alright - Ill get the car ready - meet you out front in 20" Says Holtzmann as she walks off sniffing.

"Wow man! I never seen her like this before - have you Abby? You've known her the longest!" Patty asks leaning into Abby

"Ah - never - She doesnt do emotion, not that ive seen, in all these years not one tear of sadness, only from laughter. He must have been a great boy to reach her heart like that. I wonder who he was?" Abby says as she walks off to the bathroom to get ready.

"Yeah - how did they meet - was he a fan of hers maybe? She said that they hadnt known each other long, she never mentioned him before though" Erin replies heading for the closet to see what spare clothes she has for the slime times, seeing what is appropriate.

"I dont know man - but if we dont hurry we wont find out at all" Patty calls out to them as she hurries up the stairs to the second bathroom.

--------------------------------

The car ride to the funeral is quiet as they all watch Holtzmann drive like a maniac and study her to see if she will get upset again. It is a rare occurrence. Like one of those flowers that only blooms every few years. They didnt want to miss it.

They pull in to the Forest Lawn Cemetery and see there are almost a hundred cars and even more people walking to the plot. The Ghostbusters drive around and pull over and decide to walk from the other side.

Holtzmann leading the way, the other 3 hang back a bit giving each other solemn but troubled looks wondering what is going on. Who, what, how , why and when, all expressed on their faces at the same time.

They reach the crowd and look around for clues. Its quite busy but it soon settles as the pastor begins.

"Thank you all for joining me here today in celebrating the life of Toby. The world will be a darker place with out the kind, loving spirit of this boy." The pastor boomed for all to hear.

Holtzmann welling up again and clearing her throat. The Ghostbusters moving in closer to hug her. Patty being the tallest able to see more from the new angle, sees the coffin. Its small. Especially small for a 12 year old boy. Patty nudges Erin and points to the coffin, She sees and realised the same thing and shoots Abby and Patty a confused look.

The Pastor continues "Toby was loved by all, and made many new friends in the last few months of his life. He was grateful for your friendship, time, love and pats."

The girls all get even more confused and let Holtzmann go to move through the crowd a bit more to try and see the large picture of Toby on the A frame behind the Pastor.

"Toby had a true passion of the theatre, he attended every chance he got, That's how all of you know him best" The pastor says moving to the side of the picture of Toby, raising his hand to Toby's ear "You can run through the gates of heaven now Toby, the matinee is about to start!"

When the Pastor moves his hand down and moves to console Toby's family, the 3 Ghostbusters see the photo and just stop and sigh.

"Dammit Holtzy!" Whispers Patty to herself

"What the" says Yates

"HUH?!" cries Erin

The crowd begins to move as they all console each other and the 3 women all turn to Holtzmann behind them at the same time and say "What the hell!"

"Oh Toby! I will miss you! You were such a good boy!" Bellows Holtzmann

"Dude what is going on! Who is TOBY!!" yells Patty

Holtzmann settles her nerves and confesses "Toby is the Basset Hound from the paper, the one that Erin was in for punching that nobody reporter. Toby was the one that snuck out to see the matinee movies all the time. I reached out to the owners and made them a real time GPS tracker for him and his owners - His owners are over there - Jeff and Chrissy. I should go say Hi." Holtzmann begins to walk through the crowd

"Wait - how did he die?" the 3 women cry out in confussion.

Holtzmann turns quickly whipping her her across looking at the women "He choked on the popcorn!"