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A Fair Trade	By : sesshoumarusmistressofthewest Category: 1 through F > Beetlejuice Views: 4507 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to the Beetlejuice franchise nor do I make any money from this. I just like to use them for my own twisted amusement and that is payment enough.

Chapter List
- 11
- 12
- 13
Disclaimer: I don't own anything associated with the Beetlejuice franchise, nor do I make any money from this. The only thing I own is Lucy and Irene and I'm okay with that. The rest I just borrow for my own twisted amusement.
Chapter 12
Fall was swiftly upon them as the leaves began to turn various shades of orange, red and yellow. They littered the lawns and sidewalks here and there and the sound of footfalls and crunching echoed everywhere.
This was the time of year in Connecticut that Lydia loved, and it was prime for capturing some beautiful pieces. Now that the desire to whip out her camera had returned, the young mother wanted to get back in the swing of things. She had to say that it was nice to feel the weight of the device in her hands and to hear the snap of the shutter once again. Her lips twisted into a frown as her thoughts moved to the reason she had stopped to begin with. Lydia couldn't believe that she had allowed a certain douchebag to rob her of something so important. Never would she let anyone have that much power over her again.
A sigh escaped as she chased away her thoughts and focused on the leaves that danced across her lawn. It was a gorgeous scene and had Lydia wishing that she could slip outside to capture the moment. The urge would have to wait though as it was an appointment day and the first time that they would try to hear their baby's heartbeat.
A sudden rush of excitement overshadowed the impulse and one of her hands trailed down to her abdomen and cradled it lightly, while a smile graced her features. They were going to hear their baby's heartbeat! The elation grew, and the smile on her face widened as she caressed her lower belly then turned her dark eyes from the window to her husband and midwife. She watched as the two squabbled with one another over the workings of the medical equipment.
The silver-haired midwife had her hands on her hips as she questioned the clearly annoyed poltergeist. "Are you sure this is going to work Geuse?"
The dead man just rolled his green eyes and huffed loudly. "I told ya that the electronics are juiced, Irene. They should work for ya just like they did when you were a breather."
Irene sent the pregnant woman sitting on the table a raised brow then softly snorted and thumbed in the direction of the fetal doppler. "He says that this thing will work, so why don't you lie down Lydia and we will see."
Betelgeuse looked at the dead woman in outrage and harshly barked out his words. "Oi, it will work woman! Why does everyone question my judgement? I know what my power can and can't do!"
The midwife scoffed as she made her way to the hand-held doppler. "Your past actions say otherwise, so if it blows ups I'm holding you accountable, Geuse."
The poltergeist ran a hand roughly through his messy hair and stomped his foot in frustration. "Fuckin'-A, Nothin' is gonna blow up! I'm not gonna put no one in danger, so don't be overly dramatic."
She turned to face the couple and planted a hand on her hip once again while she raised her brows. "Who says I'm being overly dramatic? I'd say it's more like realistic. Now are you going to let me do my job or are you going to continue to interfere?"
"I ain't interfering with nothin'." Betelgeuse swept his hands in front of him and mockingly bowed. "Continue on, Quicksilver." Irene glared and pinched her lips together as she shook her head at him. The practitioner went to snag the doppler then made her way back to her waiting patient.
Lydia giggled at the two and watched as Irene turned to her with a sigh and a small smile before she spoke. "Okay back to the appointment." Irene approached Lydia and explained what may or may not happen when they do the doppler. "Please know that there is a chance that we will not catch the heartbeat this time around. If we don't find it today, then we will try again at our next appointment. Okay?"
Lydia returned her rely with a nod as Irene moved in to place the doppler on her belly.
The sound of her own heart beat could be heard through the doppler speaker, while Irene swiveled the device in several places. "Hmmm…" She made a few sounds as she moved it around and only stopping when a faster beating filtered in with the louder one. "There is it!" The midwife turned to the couple and smiled brightly.
Liquid pooled in Lydia's brown eyes and her lip quivered slightly as the sound of their baby's heartbeat came out clear and strong. It was beautiful and tangible. Not that it hadn't felt real to the young mother but seeing a urinated stick and hearing your unborn child's heartbeat were two very different things. Hearing the powerful thumps was the sweet confirmation that there was indeed a tiny being growing within her womb. It was one thing to know that she was pregnant, but it was another to hear the proof. Her hand slid over to grasp her husband's and gave it a squeeze to draw his attention. "Betelgeuse…"
The poltergeist looked over at her with wide eyes and his Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed roughly. "Shit Sweetheart…that's…our baby?" Lydia shook her head while the tears finally began to spill down her cheeks. Betelgeuse's gaze softened at the sight of her waterworks and tried to ease them. "Hey Baby. Come on, don't cry." His other hand reached out to wipe away the trails then cupped her cheek.
She leaned into his touch and flashed him a watery smile. "I can't help it. I'm just so happy."
He let go of her cheek and brought the hand he was holding up to his lips to kiss her knuckles. The same emotion overcame him as he grazed her glowing features and couldn't help the twitch of his lips against her smooth skin. Betelgeuse pulled back to give her a large smirk of his own and tried to convey that sentiment to his emotional wife. "Me too, Sweets. More than I have ever been dead or alive."
Lydia's wet eyes expanded at his revelation and sucked in a sharp breath before gawking up at him owlishly. Her mind suddenly swirled with countless questions. Was he serious? He was happier than he had ever been alive? Surely that couldn't be true? Before their family, he had to have had another one. Was he saying that he hadn't been content in his prior life? "Really?"
His green eyes lit up and he sent her a sharp nod while his voice held his conviction. "Fuck yeah! You and our kids are the best thing to ever happen to me!" Betelgeuse kissed her hand again then grinned even wider. "Baby, you guys keep me grounded and sane." He winked at her and wiped away the rest of the droplets on her face. "Now enough with the tears, Sweetheart."
Her eyes closed for a second as his fingertips glided lightly across her cheekbone. She softly sniffled, then beamed brightly at him with a shake of her dark mane. "Okay. I'll try."
Betelgeuse lifted her hand to his lips one more time and drew back with another toothy grin. "That's my girl." Lydia returned it with one of her own and squeezed his cool hand affectionately.
A clearing of the throat dragged the couple away from each other to the waiting Practitioner. Irene smiled kindly at them and continued with what she had to say. "Sorry to interrupt you folks, but we should really continue with the appointment."
The young mother's face flushed with color while she hastily shook her head and returned the midwife's smile. Her husband chuckled loudly and waved off the dead woman with his hand. "Naw, you're good."
"If you say so Geuse." Irene raised her silver brows as she pulled the doppler away and stepped back from the examination table.
The poltergeist helped his tiny partner straighten her clothes and sit up while they waited for the midwife to continue.
Irene switched off the device and directed a reassuring smile their way. Her tone was gentle and reassuring as she spoke. "So, you two, it seems like everything is going quite well. The baby's heartbeat sounds very strong and doesn't appear to show any irregularities." She came closer and lightly patted Lydia's knee. "You my dear, are doing all the right things to ensure a healthy pregnancy. Do either of you have any concerns or questions?"
Lydia shifted her gaze to her husband with raised brows as if to silently ask him if he had any. He indicated that he did not, and she turned back to the midwife with a quick shake. "No, we don't have any."
"Okay. If you do end up with any. Please feel free to contact me or just let me know at your next appointment." The midwife stated while she stepped back once again and slowly began to put away her supplies.
Betelgeuse carefully helped his pregnant wife from the table and watched as the dead women finished her packing then turned her attention back to them.
Irene held a folder against her chest as she said her goodbyes to the couple. "Well Folks, I should be going." The practitioner waved and carefully made her way to make-shift door. "I will see you both at the next appointment. Bye you two."
"Bye Irene." Lydia returned with the same gesture, while her husband wrapped his arm around her waist and cocked his head at the midwife. "See ya, Iron Maiden."
A snort left the practitioner and she rolled eyes at one of the many ridiculous nicknames the dead man likes to bestow upon her. "Yeah, Yeah, Geuse. See you." With that said, Irene waved once more then snapped the door closed behind her and left the couple standing alone in their family room.
Betelgeuse rested his pale cheek against his wife's dark crown and lightly caressed her growing bump. "That was a trip, wasn't it Babe?"
Lydia practically vibrated with happiness as she twisted to look up at him. "Yeah, it definitely was." Her tiny hand moved to clutch his button down and beamed widely. "Holy shit, we're having a baby! I cannot wait to meet him or her!"
The poltergeist's rough laughter rumbled throughout the room and he leaned in to gently kiss her temple. "Neither can I sweets."
She sighed heavily and laid her head against his broad chest. Her pointer finger came up to make small circles on his clothed pec as she asked him a question. "B, what do you think our little bean is?"
The dead man snorted and spoke with humor laced in his tone. "Human…"
Lydia stopped drawing circles and swatted his chest lightly before rolling her eyes. "Ha ha. You're so funny. Seriously though, what do think we are having?"
The small woman felt her husband shrug and blow out a large breath of air. "Babes, I really don't care what it is as long as it's healthy and strong. Boy. Girl. It makes no difference to me."
"Yeah…" She went back to drawing circles while she continued. "That's what I was thinking too. Though I wouldn't mind a boy since we already have a girl, but I'd be happy with either."
Betelgeuse grazed his lips against her crown and pulled back to raise up his free arm to check the time. He glanced at his watch then released a low groan. "Babes, I hate to cut our conversation short, but I gotta get going. We will talk more on this tonight, okay?"
Lydia released another sigh and stepped away from her husband with a pout and a small shrug. "Sure…"
His hand reached up and brushed some loose strands from her face before trying to sooth the hormonal upset. "Awe sweetheart, don't be like that. I don't want to go either, but duty calls." Betelgeuse ran his fingers roughly through his raggedy mane then fixed his jacket as he remembered something. "Oh yeah. I just wanna let you know that my appointments may run a little late, so I don't think I'll make lunch. You gonna be okay with that?"
"Yeah…I'll be fine." She leaned in and raised up on her tiptoes to kiss him on the lips. "I'll miss you though."
Betelgeuse snagged her waist and dragged her to him. His cool breath tickled her lips while he softly spoke. "I'll miss ya too. Fuck, I always do. It's only for a couple of hours, though, and I'll be home early tonight. All right?" His cool green eyes scanned her features and watched her shake her head at his words. He smiled broadly and closed the distance between their lips to kiss her thoroughly, before he pulled back to peer at his watch once again. Another groan spilled from him as he let go of his tiny wife and stepped back. "I really need to go Sweets. I will see ya tonight, Babe." The poltergeist leaned in to give her a quick kiss goodbye then popped quickly out of sight.
The pregnant woman stared at the spot where her husband had just been and sighed deeply. She really didn't want him to go. No, she wanted him to stay so they could continue to revel in the wonderous moment. It was so very special, and Lydia didn't want to be alone to enjoy it. All she wanted was her damn husband to be with her. Tears started to pool in her dark eyes and she cursed aloud. "Ugh! Stupid hormones!" She wiped the liquid from her vision and sniffled. Christ she was being silly and a little irrational. Okay…it was more than a little, but she couldn't help the way she was feeling. These hormones got out of hand at times and struck when they weren't really needed.
Taking in some calm breaths, Lydia tried to relax and realized that she needed to do something to unwind. Her gaze moved to the coffee table and spotted her camera. That's right! Earlier she had wanted to go snap some shots, and this would be a perfect time to settle down. Yes, she would go outside for a bit, and It would be good for Lulu as well. With that decided, Lydia went about to bundle up herself and Lulu, before grabbing her camera and heading outside.
Several hours after the outing found the pregnant mother relaxing on the couch feeling much calmer and more centered then she had earlier that morning. It seemed that capturing some shots was just what she had needed to sooth her unstable emotions.
Lydia reached out to grab a cracker, while her other hand held tightly to her Lemonade as she waited for Lucy to wake up from her nap. She nibbled around the edges of the biscuit to try and curb the nausea that occasionally sprang out of nowhere. Morning sickness her ass. The nausea hit at anytime and anywhere. It was as bad as the damn mood swings. She really hoped that it went away soon.
Lydia lifted the tart beverage and slowly sipped from it as she mused on the fact that normally she disliked sour things. It wasn't her thing. No, she was more into sugary goodness. Ooh, a big and fluffy cotton candy sounded nice now. Hmm…did they even have lemon cotton candy? Her mouth began to water at the thought.
Crap! Now Lydia wanted that instead of her lemonade. Her bottom lip protruded, and her brows furrowed, while a remorseful sigh released in the air. Damn, these cravings were going to eventually overwhelm her! Thank god that her husband could get whatever she hungered for whenever the urge struck. Lydia wondered if her husband would be able to find some of that candyfloss? If not, perhaps he could get her that lemon tart she had when she had went shopping last? Her mouth began to water again at the thought of the flaky and tarty pastry. Awe shit! Now she had a hankering for that delicious tart too. Ugh! Stupid longings were going to be the death of her!
Finishing the rest of her cracker, Lydia tried to shake the sudden yearning and clear her mind for the tasks at hand. Some things still needed to be completed before the day was through. She set the drink down on the side table and went back to folding the laundry that she had taken a mini break from.
A few minutes passed as she gathered the articles of clothing and placed them in their separate baskets. Lydia paused in mid fold when the doorbell resounded throughout the room. She laid the towel to the side, while her brows furrowed once again, and her thoughts drifted to who it might be. It wasn't like she had been very social these last couple of years, not since meeting Luke and becoming pregnant. Sadly, she lost many ties because of both.
The bell continued to ring, and the young mother let out a groan before slowly pulling herself off the couch. She snagged the baby monitor from the stand then quickly made her way to the entry.
Upon opening the front door, Lydia spied two men dressed in suits standing on her threshold. They stepped back when she went to open the screen door and greeted them. "Hello, how may I help you gentlemen?"
The larger one of the duo stepped forward and flashed her a friendly smile before showing his badge. "Hello Ma'am. I'm Detective Sigerson and this is my partner, Detective Olson. We are looking for someone by the name of Lydia Deetz."
Why were detectives here asking for her? Her stomach twisted into knots and a nervous feeling overcame her. Something was not right. Lydia pushed down her nerves and forced a smile as her hold tightened on the screen door handle. "I'm Lydia Deetz, well it was Deetz. I just recently got married, so it's Geist now."
The one called Olson saddled up next to his partner and grinned widely. "Congratulations, Mrs. Geist."
She aimed her force smile at him then questioned both detectives. "Thank you. Now what was it that you wanted to speak to me about?"
Detective Sigerson cleared his throat and tipped his head in the direction of the doorway. "Do you mind if we come in and ask you a few questions?"
"Sure…" Lydia shrugged her shoulder and nodded, while she opened the screen door to allow them access. "Please come in."
The investigators sidled by and waited as she shut the door then steered them to the kitchen where she motioned to the empty chairs. "Please have a seat." Both detectives pulled a chair and sat down, while Lydia continued to stand. "Would either of you like something to drink? I have some coffee or lemonade?"
Detective Sigerson shook his head no, while his partner vocalized his answer aloud and presented another friendly smile. "Yes ma'am. A lemonade sounds good."
Lydia placed the baby monitor on the table before moving away to get the officer and herself some lemonade. Shortly she returned with two glasses of the tarty beverage and carefully set the drink in front of the detective. With her own drink in hand, Lydia pulled a seat across from them and sat down to wait for either one of them to speak.
Officer Olson drank deeply from his cup and subsequently turned his full attention to her as he finally announced why they were there. "Now… do you know a person by the name of Lucas Johnson?"
Shit, this was about Luke? Why were they here about him? The knot in her stomach tightened and she felt a wave of nausea hit her. Christ, she couldn't get sick. Lydia tried to shake the feeling and prayed that she wouldn't blow chucks across the table. Yes, that would go over well.
The nauseated women sucked in some shallow breaths and reached out to take a small sip of her lemonade. The sensation began to dim slightly, and she was able to think a little more clearly. 'Buck up Lydia! You married the most terrifying poltergeist in the Netherworld. You can't be a puss now. Damnit, you can do this!' Lydia berated herself silently and attempted to come up with some solutions. Okay, all she needed to do was plow through these questions and try to calm her damn nerves, so she didn't come off as hiding something. Not that she was. She didn't do anything to Luke and truly had no idea where he was or what happened to him but didn't think these two detectives would give a lick about that. Another fake smile appeared on her face as she forced some brightness into her tone. "Yes, I do. We dated at one point and he is the biological father of my daughter."
Lydia watched one of the investigators' scribble something on a small notebook then turn his gaze in her direction to ask another question. "Have you seen him recently?"
Of course, she hasn't seen him recently. Not since the night he tried to hurt them, and she had to get Betelgeuse involved. Lydia wasn't going to tell these officers that, though. Some things would never slip passed her lips. She lifted the drink again and sipped some more before shaking her head. "No and to be honest with the both of you. I haven't seen him since the day that he beat the crap out of me for wanting to stay pregnant." Okay so it wasn't a total lie. It was just the wrong day. Her husband had told her it was better to stay as close to the truth that you could, so that it was more believable. Also, it lowered the risk of inconsistencies.
Detective Olson quietly sat watching her, most likely looking for irregularities between her speech and body language. Well, he could stare all he wanted, but she refused to give them any reason to suspect her or her husband. On the outside she would play it cool, while her nerves ran rampant inside.
The officer rubbed around the edge of the glass then finally spoke. "That would be the reason you filed for a protection order?"
Lydia tried not to roll her dark eyes at the senseless question and bit her tongue to stop the sarcastic retort that wanted to spill forth. No, she did it for shits and giggles. "Yes."
Olson didn't miss a beat and continued with his line of questioning. "And Mr. Johnson hasn't tried to contact you since then? Not even to see his child?"
She snorted loudly while her tone cooled considerably. "Why would he? He never wanted a child and had made that clear that day. I haven't seen or spoken to him, but I did receive termination of rights papers in the mail about four months ago." Chew on that tidbit boys.
The detective's faces lit up in surprise and shot a wayward glance at one another. It was Detective Sigerson who spoke first, while his partner jotted something down in his notes. "Would we be able to see them?"
Um…No, they couldn't see them. Lydia didn't have them and had no clue what Betelgeuse had done with the papers. Shit. She would have to bullshit some. Oh, her husband would be so proud. Aiming an apologetic expression at the men, she sighed softly and tried to convey the same emotion in her tone. "Actually, I can't get to them right now. Sorry. They are lock in the file cabinet in my husband's office and unfortunately, he has the key." That was believable, right? It would be understandable that her husband would have the key to something that important. She prayed that the persistent investigators would buy it.
Investigator Olson glanced at his watch before giving her a response. "Well Mrs. Geist, we would like to see them. When will your husband be home?"
Lydia glanced at the clock on the wall behind the officers and noted that Betelgeuse wouldn't be home for a few hours. Damn. She didn't want these men to have to come back, so if she could stall them long enough for her to somehow contact Betelgeuse that would be great. "He should be here at any time now. Would you like to wait? He'll be able to show you the paper work then."
Sigerson looked at Olson who shook his head yes then turned back to her. "We will wait for your husband to come home."
'Great.' Lydia thought to herself as she sent both officers another phony smile.
Detective Olson cleared his throat and asked for some clarification on the information that she had just given them. "So, let me get this straight, the only contact you have had with Mr. Johnson was with the termination papers?"
'No, but you don't need to know that.' She silently thought, while moving in to take a drink before answering the man. "Yes. It was the only contact I have had with him."
"Herrrhem," Investigator Sigerson made a noise in his throat as he finished writing and eyed her inquisitively. "Has your husband ever met Mr. Johnson?"
Lydia's lips pursed with a quick shake of her dark mane and a shrug of her shoulders. "Not that I know of."
"So…you began dating your husband after your break up with Mr. Johnson?" Sigerson asked hesitantly as if he were weighting his words carefully and hedging around something.
Wait a second! Were they trying to see if she had been seeing Betelgeuse while dating Luke? Really? She wasn't that type of woman and didn't need the added drama that it could cause. Seriously people! She had enough trouble with the asshole abusing her to even think about cheating. 'Ugh!.' Lydia mentally cried and stopped the sneer that she wanted to direct at the officer.
Shaking off the irritating question, the greatly annoyed woman tried to focus on the task at hand. She needed to come up with something to tell the officers, because spilling the origins of her relationship with Betelgeuse was out of the question. Yeah, that would go well. 'Um, you see officers. I met my husband while I was an overly dramatic and morose teenager. He wanted to marry me then, but that didn't work out. Though I had to get him involved when my abusive ex tried to kill my child and me. Oh, did I mention that he's dead and has supernatural powers.' Yep they'd think she was straight up crazy and land her ass in jail.
Lydia surmised that there was only one thing she could do. She'd have to bullshit her way through this as well. Christ, when would this be over with? Her fingers rubbed up and down the glass and smeared the condensation as she spoke. "Yes, we started dating after my breakup with Luke, though we knew each other beforehand. Benjamin and I used to date when we were younger, but as you know young love doesn't always last. We ended up going to different colleges and sadly drifted apart. I ran into him when he was on a job and that's pretty much it." Damn. The young mother didn't realize that she could lie so easily. Hell, she was even beginning to believe the crap coming out of her mouth.
The two men seemed to buy her story and continued with their intrusive questioning. "Do you know if Mr. Johnson was aware of your new relationship?"
The fact that there hadn't been a relationship prior, she'd have to say a big fat no. So, this time there'd be no reason to lie. "Like I said, I haven't seen him, so I don't know if he knew or not."
One of the officers opened their mouth to respond to her retort but was interrupted by the sudden cry from the baby monitor. "Daaaaaadaaaaa…..Daaaaadaaaa…."
Lydia silently thank her cranky child then turned to the investigators with an apologetic expression. "Oh dear, I guess nap time is over. If you both will excuse me for a moment." Her hand went up to skim her beetle necklace and realized that this was the opportunity she had needed to summon her husband. 'Thank you, Lulu baby!' she thought to herself as she stood up from her seat.
Officer Sigerson tipped his head and snapped his notepad closed. "Please Mrs. Geist, go ahead and get your little girl. We can wait, ma'am."
"Thank you. I will be right back gentlemen." Lydia reached over to shut off the monitor, so it wouldn't bother the men at the table and to avoid the possibilities that they would hear her summoning Betelgeuse. That would be another hard one to explain.
The anxious woman swiftly left the kitchen and made her down the hallway to her daughter's room. Once inside, Lydia stopped to flick off the monitor just in case those detectives had switched the one in the kitchen back on. Call her paranoid or simply she was just being cautious. Maybe her husband was merely rubbing off on her.
Hurrying to the crib, Lydia spied her daughter rubbing her sleep crusted eyes then go on all fours and crawl to the barrier. She latched onto the bars with her chubby hands and pulled her little body up. Peering over the rim, the small child's lip wobbled, and watery eyes stared up at her mother while she continued to call for her father. "Daaaadaaaa."
Sighing deeply and gently reaching out, Lydia swooped up her weepy child and drew Lucy to her side. She pressed a kiss to the top of her crown and softly cooed into her blonde curls. "Sssh…I know baby. I want daddy too."
Closing her brown eyes, she tried to not let the nerves that she had pushed down bubble to the surface. Lydia needed to call her husband and he would know what to do. He would know how to fix this, just like that night. Hell, he most likely had a plan for this very situation.
Her free hand dragged up her stomach and grasped the necklace nestled between her breasts. She licked her parched lips and whispered her husband's name. "Betelgeuse…Betelgeuse…Betelgeuse…"
Lydia felt the atmosphere in the room change and the swirl of Betelgeuse's power surround them like a warm blanket. His smoky timber hit her ears and it seemed like her anxiety vanished as quickly as it had come. "Babes?" Her eyes flew open and her vision blurred at the sight of him. She couldn't help the large rush of relief that washed over when her dark pools connected with his bright ones. Her lip trembled and as if on their own accord, her feet began to move in his direction. Within seconds she was in his hold with her face burrowed against his broad chest.
Betelgeuse's light brows furrowed as one of his arms wrapped around his wife and child, while the other went up to lightly stroke the back of her head. His gruff tone was laced with confusion and his words were aimed at trying to sooth and figure out what was going on. "Hey, I'm here, Sweets. Shit, what has you all freaked out?"
Her voice was muffed as she spoke into his upper body, causing the poltergeist to pull slightly away. His hand left the back of her head and moved to her chin to carefully expose her face, so he could properly hear what she had to say. Betelgeuse brushed his fingertips along her jaw line then cupped her cheek. "Baby you need to calm down. I can't understand ya with that mug of yours buried in my chest. Now tell me what's goin' on."
Lydia bit her lip to stop the trembling and cleared her throat of the tightness that had developed before answering her husband. "There are two detectives here and they are looking for Luke. I guess someone reported him missing. Betelgeuse, they were asking a lot of questions. I…I'm not sure what to do?"
The poltergeist's gaze softened as he leaned in to skim her warm lips with his own. Her lids closed at the contact, and a shaky breath left her small form. He stroked her cheek and gently whispered against her skin. "You don't have to do nothin', okay? I got this shit."
Betelgeuse pulled her closer and swiped her bottom lip with his thumb. "Baby, hey, Look at me." Lydia's warm eyes opened and met the cool ones of her husband. The dead man sent her a tender smile and ran his thumb over her soft appendage once again. "Everything will be fine. You just get Bug calm and I'll handle the rest. Daddy's comin' home early." His gentle smile turned into a wicked grin as he flashed her a wink and leaned in to give her a quick kiss. Betelgeuse then pulled back and fixed her with another wink, before he ruffled Lucy's little noggin and disappeared.
As quickly as her husband left, their young child began to fuss her complaints. Lydia bounced her lightly on her hip, while trying to soothe her. "Ssh, Lulu. Daddy will be right back. Mama promises." Still Lucy's fretting lingered, so Lydia tried something that sometimes worked in this circumstance. "Come on Lulu love. Let's go get some yum yums."
The fussing began to dim though Lucy still called out for her daddy. The little girl sniffled and blinked at her mother with wet eyes. "Daadaa."
Lydia went to respond when Lucy's little belly gurgled loudly. The flustered mother busted into laughter then smiled widely at her baby girl. She gently poked Lucy's tummy, then tickled it slightly. "Looks like someone's belly is hungry." Lucy giggled in return and bopped her tiny head, while she patted her stomach. "UmUm."
Another round of laughter overcame the young mother and she quickly nodded at her tiny child. "Yeah yum yums."
Moving towards the doorway, Lydia heard the entrance of the garage shut loudly and shortly after, the sound of her husband's voice echo throughout the house. "Babes?" He must have stepped into the kitchen, because she noticed that his tone dropped sharply. "Who are you and why ya in my kitchen?"
Lydia slowly made her way down the hallway and listen to the conversation beginning in the other room.
The poltergeist eyed the two men as he moved deeper into the kitchen and placed the bag in his hands on the counter. He swiveled around and leaned against the edge to face them.
The two investigators approached him with friendly smiles and the smaller one spoke first. "Hello sir, you must be Mr. Geist?"
Betelgeuse raised a brow and locked his arms over his chest. He tilted his head in conformation and sent the strange men a questioning gaze. "Yeah that's me and it's just Benjamin. What can I do for you fellas?"
The larger detective stepped forward and made the introductions. "Well Benjamin, I'm Detective Sigerson and this is my partner, Detective Olson. We are investigating the disappearance of Lucas Johnson. Do you know this man?"
The poltergeist shook his shaggy dome and didn't bother to hide the disgust in his tone. "Naw, I never had the pleasure of meetin' him."
The one called Olson raised his bushy brows at the unveiled repulsion and had the man shooting off the next question. "So, you do know who he is then?"
Of course, he knew who the piece of shit was. The little prick was an abusive fuck who got what was coming to him. Betelgeuse snorted noisily then sneered in the direction of the investigators. "Yeah I know who he is. I also know what he did to my wife and tried to do to my kid."
Detective Sigerson's own brow rose at the change in tone of the man in front of them and seemed to use that to the investigator's advantage. "Were you mad about that?"
Hell yeah. More than these fuckers could ever know. The poltergeist had never been so furious in his entire life, dead or alive. He saw red that night and it wasn't the blood that splattered across the walls and floor of his humble abode. Just thinking about it now was making the dampened embers of fury begin to smolder. Betelgeuse shoved down the feeling and tried to ease the edge out of his voice. "Yes sir. Wouldn't you be?" His hands dropped to his side and one moved to roughly drag his finger through his messy hair. "That woman out there was the one that got away and to know that some asshole put his hands on her; Sure, it fuckin' pissed me off, but there wasn't anythin' I could do about it. It had already been done and he ain't worth my time anyway. I got more important things to worry about then some boy tryin' to play at bein' a man. All I care about is takin' care of my wife and our kids."
The detectives glanced at one another before Officer Olson voiced their silent question. "Kids? We were told that there is only one child."
A grin formed on the dead man's face and his chest puffed with pride as he thought of his bug and unborn child. "For now, there is only Lulu, but we are excepting a little one in April."
Both investigators smiled at the news and sent their regards. "Congratulations. You and your wife must be very happy."
Shit, they were more than happy about the bundle of joy and couldn't wait for the babe to be born. "Indeed, we are."
Detective Sigerson flipped his notepad open and continued with their probing. "Now Benjamin, are you sure that Mr. Johnson has never come by?"
Well fuck him six ways to Friday! These men were trying to trip him up and see if he was going to change his story. It wasn't going to happen. Damn. They must not have many leads if they were fishing this hard. "Nope, not since I've been around. That man has never bothered to come to our home." He wasn't technically lying. At the time it hadn't been his or their home. Not that these fools needed to know that.
The investigator tried to play the question off with a friendly smile. "We only ask, because his current girlfriend is the one who reported him missing. She stated that he was coming to discuss some things with your wife."
Well hell. Who would have thought that the little fucker had some senseless bitch waiting in the wings while he went to murder his kid and ex. Betelgeuse would give his left nut that little snit knew exactly what her lover boy was going to do that night. Yeah, she must be one classy woman and dumber than a box of rocks to boot. He raised his brows as he shrugged his shoulders and lips pinched together. "Well, he never showed his face here. Maybe he saw me and thought twice about approaching Lyds. All I know is that my wife received termination papers from him several months ago and that has been the only contact."
Officer Olson rubbed his chin then he shook his head at the information given. "Yes, your wife mentioned that earlier. She said that you had the keys to the file cabinet and couldn't access them. Would it be possible for us to see them?"
If it would get these men out of their house and hair. Hell, he'd give them a copy of their own and the envelope that conveniently had the little piss ant's fingerprints on it. "Sure. I can give ya it if you'd like?"
A pleased grin slid on the larger officer's face and snapped his notepad closed. "That would be greatly appreciated."
Slowly moving into the room, Lydia quietly made her way to the talking men. She cleared her throat as she came closer to the little group and sent them all a smile before stopping beside her husband. Her smile brightened when her gaze caught his and their daughter squealed and began to squirm in her mother's arms.
The poltergeist returned a toothy smile of his own as he snatched the wriggling child and planted a kiss on his wife's cheek. "Hey Babe." He thumbed in the direction of the counter where he placed the paper bag. "I got ya that Lemon tart thingy you said you liked so much."
Astonishment was written all over her face and appeared to color her tone. "You did?" Her eyes moved to the bag and noticed that it was indeed from that fancy market across town. When did he have time to get that? How the hell did know that she had just been craving it? A giggle bubbled forth as this man surprised her once again. He really was something else. Lydia bounced back and forth on her heels then shot forward to pepper her husband with kisses and gushed happily. "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you honey. You are the best husband ever!"
Betelgeuse snorted loudly while rolling his green eyes at her dramatic actions. "Woman it's just a pastry. It's not like I did something heroic."
Lydia pulled back and grinned like a maniac as she fluttered her lashes at him. "To me it is. You are the hero of cravings!" The poltergeist didn't say anything in return just barked out a raspy laugh and shook his head in amusement.
One of the gentlemen behind the couple cleared their throat, while the other began to talk. "Sorry to interrupt you folks."
Oh, that's right, they had company. The newlyweds had completely forgotten about the officers and she had acted like an utter fool in front of them. Oh god, how embarrassing. She forced down the blush that wanted to spring to the surface and turned to the waiting men. She tried to appear nonchalant as she waved at the officers. "That's no problem. Sorry we tend to get distracted sometimes. You know how it is with newlyweds. Our heads are in the clouds." Lydia covered her mouth with her fingers and giggled into them.
Olson scratched the back of his head and gave her a kind smile. "That's okay ma'am. I remember being the same way when me and the missus got hitched."
Sigerson snorted loudly and shoulder bumped his partner. "So, do I. You drove me crazy that whole year."
Detective Olson's face flushed with color and he rubbed the back of his neck as he muttered under his breath. "I wasn't that bad."
His partner snorted again and moved his gaze to Betelgeuse. He tried to steer the conversation back to where it had been originally. "Do you think we can get those papers, Mr. Geist?"
Shit. The poltergeist had forgotten about the papers. Damn woman scrambled his brain whenever she was in his presence. Betelgeuse tipped his blond cranium in the direction of the table and answered the officer. "Sure. Let me just put Bug in her chair and I will go get them for ya."
The officers nodded as the dead man strolled to Lulu's highchair and locked the small child into place before turning to his wife. "Babes, you wanna get her some of those melt thingies you bought the other day?"
Lydia shook the box that she had snagged from the counter and flashed him a wink. "Already ahead of you." She made her way to their child and dumped out a few pieces on her tray. Lucy squealed happily then snatched up the fluffy melts and stuffed them into her mouth. A laugh sprouted from the young mother as she stared at her bubbly child munching away on the pieces.
Lydia dragged her dark eyes from Lucy and trailed them to the quiet detectives who had made their way back to their seats. She smiled at them and wondered if Detective Sigerson would now like something to drink. "Detective Sigerson, are sure you don't want anything to drink? Or maybe something to eat? That Lemon tart is mighty delicious."
Sigerson shook his head and stuffed his notepad in his coat pocket before glancing at his watch. "No thank you ma'am. We have another appointment that we need to get to soon."
She peered over at Officer Olson and offered him some as well. "Detective Olson, would you like some Lemon tart?"
The man declined just like his partner. "It sure does sound good, but I'll have to say no thank you as well."
Seriously neither wanted any. Well she sure did. It was like a thorn poking her side. She couldn't ignore the craving any longer. "Would you both mind if I had some? My craving won't go away until I do."
Both let her know that they did not care if she had some or not. Sigerson shook his head and chuckled to himself. "We don't mind at all. I remember when my wife was pregnant with our last child and her cravings drove her up the wall at times."
The pregnant woman snorted softly and could relate to Sigerson's wife. Up the wall indeed. "I can relate." Lydia said as she hurried to the bag and carefully took out the pastry. She grabbed a knife and plate from the drying rack and went about cutting herself a piece.
Gently moving back to the table with the tart in hand, Lydia set the plate on the surface and sat down. She sent the officer's another smile before digging into the tart. She groaned when the lemony goodness hit her tongue then mumbled to herself. "Oh yeah…That hit the spot."
Her husband's smoky chuckle sprang out of nowhere and drew the attention of the occupants at the table. Betelgeuse casted an amused smile towards his wife, then turned to the detective and handed them the paperwork. "Here you go Officers. These are the papers and the envelope that they came in. I'm not sure if you'd want it, but I thought I'd give it to ya either way."
Detective Sigerson took the bundle and thanked him. "We sure do appreciate this. Thank you, Mr. Geist."
Betelgeuse nodded while trying to convey a genuine concern for the missing asshole. "It is no problem sir. Anything to help."
Both Officers responded back in kind then stood up and bid their goodbyes. "Well folks, we need to be running along. Thank you both for your time and if you hear or receive any information about or from Mr. Johnson. Please contact us."
The dead man stepped towards the entry and reassured the detectives that if they heard anything that they would. "Should we come across any information we will. I will walk you both out and let the little lady finish her tart." Betelgeuse winked at his wife and barked out another laugh as he waited for the officers to follow.
The Investigators seemed to agree and turned to Lydia with a wave. "Goodbye Ma'am. It was nice to meet you."
She returned the gesture with a friendly grin. "Goodbye gentlemen. It was nice to meet you as well." 'Now hurry up and leave.' Lydia thought to herself as she watched them shift their attention back to her husband and follow him out of the room.
When the men disappeared, she let out a relieved breath and rested her elbow on the table before laying her cheek against the palm of her hand. She could not believe that had just happened. Christ, she hadn't thought that anyone would report Luke missing. Hell, it had never crossed her mind. Even gone from her life, he was still causing havoc. Another sigh escaped, and her dark eyes were drawn to the doorway as she heard the clunk of her husband's heavy boots.
Cool and collected as always, Betelgeuse strolled in relaxed and clearly unaffected by the appearance of the police.
How could he be so calm? Does this not bother him at all? Wasn't he worried that they were clearly persons of interest? Lydia bit her lip and nervously asked her husband the question balancing on her tongue. "Do you think they suspect us for his disappearance?"
Betelgeuse shrugged as he approached the table. "Even if they do, Babe. They have no proof. All they have is hearsay and not enough for the DA to charge anyone. They'd have to find some kind of evidence and there is nothin' in the house. They wouldn't find a trace of that dipshit here. I made sure of it." He went to her and gently massaged her tense shoulders. "Come on Lyds, I don't want ya to stress about it, okay? You and I know it's not good for the baby."
"I Know…." The feel of his fingers moving against her tense muscles felt good, but she couldn't stop the worry that gnawed at her insides. "It's just…Aren't you a bit worried? What if they do find something and come back?"
The poltergeist sighed loudly and continued to knead away her unease and tension. His tone was far more serious than it usually was as he spoke. "I'm serious, Baby. You don't need to worry about it." Betelgeuse bent down and kissed her temple before carrying on. "Daddy's got this." He pulled away and winked at her, then released her shoulders to juice another piece of tart in front of her. "Now my gorgeous wife, eat your damn tart."
Daddy, huh? Is that what he's calling himself now? The thought had Lydia forgetting about her anxiety and caused a giggle to bubble passed her lips. She twisted her face up to flash a flirty smirk and bat her lashes rather seductively at him. "Yes daddy." Lydia watched as her husband noisily groaned and adjust his stance as if he were suddenly uncomfortable. She giggled some more, but sharply inhaled when he swooped down to growl hotly in her ear.
His cool breath tickled the shell and caused a shiver to run down her spine. "Babes, you're lucky our kid is up, or you'd be flat on that fuckin' table. Bet your sweet ass that you'd be saying more than yes daddy." Betelgeuse trailed down to her neck and nibbled at the supple skin causing a low moan to rip from her.
Another moan spilled as the familiar flames began to spring to life and slowly licked at her delicate flesh. She felt her husband chuckle against her collarbone then leisurely withdrew with a cocky grin on his features.
Oh, that asshat! He did that on purpose. Eye for an eye kind of bullshit. She couldn't help that he had a daddy fetish and it got him all hot and bothered. Well, now she was in the same damn boat he. Whipping around, Lydia glared at him with a flared bottom lip. "That was not funny."
Betelgeuse boisterously laughed, and his green eyes twinkled with amusement. "Maybe not for you, sweets." His blonde brows wiggled, and his animated laughter continued as he made his way over to their child while simultaneously ignoring her heated scowl.
Lydia glowered at him even more then returned to her plate and stabbed the lemon tart several times before softly grumbling to herself. "Yeah, Yeah. Guck it up buddy."
Her devious mind carefully began to formulate all the wicked things that she could possibly do to her ghostly partner. The corner of her lips curled up and spread into a sinful smirk as a plan began to develop. Her dear hubby wanted to play the tease game, did he? Well, she'd show him how it's done. He thought he was good, but she…she was better.
Lydia took a large bite of her pastry and glanced at her husband with an amused resolved, before going back to her tart with a soft giggle. Oh yeah, tonight was going to be soooo much fun.
AN: Holy shit! I did not plan to take this long to update, sadly things happened to delay me. It's been a shitty couple of weeks. Where to begin? Oh, my cat died from FIP (feline infectious peritonitis) then my dog got a UTI (She's all better now, which is good). I could not believe the bad luck, but wait. Not long after that I somehow jacked my back up to the point where I could not move or stand up without being in a lot of pain. It sucked majorly, and I hated every moment of it. :( Since I was in a great deal of pain, I wasn't in the mood to do much of anything other than Icing the shit out of my back and hope that I would eventually get better. I have vastly improved, but I'm still not back to my old self. I'm also hoping shit starts to turn around from here on out. Now enough of my whining and thanks for putting up it.
Okay as for the newest chapter, I've spent the weekend and this week working on it and finally finished it. I like this chapter and am thoroughly happy with the way it came out. I think I liked Lydia's interaction with the detectives the best, though Lydia and Betelgeuse hearing the baby's heartbeat was right up there.
What do you all think? Did you like it? Let me know by dropping a review.
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