Outside the little window, the snow fell heavily from the grey-casted sky. Lydia eyed the whiteout conditions with an enormous amount of relief. She wasn’t still feeling the greatest because of the pregnancy and honestly didn’t have the energy to deal with her stepmother right now. It was taking what little vigor she had just to make breakfast, and she still had lunch as well as the dishes for tonight’s meal to throw in the oven. Thank the underworld that she had prepped the meals last night, or she would be dead on her feet by the end of Christmas.
A sigh escaped when her husband’s arms wove around her waist and pulled her gently to his chest. “Merry Christmas, Baby.” He said while leaving a heated trail down her neck.
“Mmmm…” Lydia moaned, eyes closing for a second before tilting her face to the side to look at him. “Merry Christmas.” She smiled in return before returning to the filling sink. She’d let the dirty dishes soak while they ate, then she would tackle them.
“Damn, it’s snowing like crazy out there.” He observed, taking in the blinding conditions, then reached over his wife for his large coffee mug.
“Weather report is stating blizzard-like conditions.” She threw over her shoulder as Betelgeuse went to fill the cup to the top.
“Well, it isn’t Christmas without snow.” Remarked the poltergeist. “Mmm…” He hummed happily while taking a drink of his cup of joe. Her husband liked his coffee as black as the night sky. “You makin’ that Bean casserole thingy you made for Thanksgiving?” he asked, sipping on his hot drink and leaning against the counter, so he could see Bug as she munched on pancake bits.
“Green Bean casserole, and yes I am,” Lydia confirmed, then giggled when her ghostly husband began to slightly drool at the thought.
“Good.” Betelgeuse quipped before taking another sip.
Lydia eyed the snowy scene yet again then trailed back to her husband. “I don’t think we will be making it to my parent tonight.” She said, lips curling upward at the thought.
He barked out an amused laugh, his eyes twinkling with mirth. “You don’t sound too broken up about it, Sweets.” Said the poltergeist, flashing a row of teeth and wiggling his brows.
Her shoulder lifted, then dropped as she turned off the water and grabbed a towel to wipe her damp hands. “To be honest, I love my family, but I just want to spend this time with you and Lucy.” She said, tossing the towel on the counter.
“Once a month is more than I can take.” snarked the dead man.
A snicker ripped from the small woman. “You only say that because you can’t charm the pants off of them.” She retorted, snickering some more.
“I can scare the pants off of them, but I don’t think they would appreciate it.” Joked Betelgeuse, his face twisting happily at the thought.
“No, that definitely wouldn’t help in your favor.” Lydia quipped, leaving her husband to make her way to the table to feed her and the unborn babe.
Another amused chuckle left the poltergeist as he pushed off the counter and followed his cheeky wife.
----
After breakfast, Lydia returned to the full sink to wash the soaking dishes. She was on the last pan when her husband’s voice impatiently echoed from the doorway. “Come on, Lyds. Shake a leg.” He said, swinging Lucy in his arms, causing the toddler to giggle excitedly.
“Geesh B! I just have to finish this pan, and then we can open presents.” She said, lightly shaking the damped rag in his direction.
He looked over at her in mock outrage. “Why didn’t you say anything? I would have had them done with a snap of my fingers.” Retorted the dead man, snapping his fingers to emphasize his point.
They had discussed this on many occasions, and Lydia’s opinion still hadn’t changed; some things were best to do without supernatural hoodoo. “Thanks for the offer Hun, but some things need to be done with a little elbow grease.” She said as she rinsed off the pan and placed it on the drying rack.
“Whatever ya say, Babe.” Shrugged the giddy poltergeist, letting the subject drop. “You ready now?”
A hearty chuckle resounded from the pregnant woman. “Yes,” Lydia said, wiping her hands on the tea towel before hanging it below the sink.
“Good,” Betelgeuse remarked before grabbing her hand and gently pulling her out of the room.
“B!” she cried in between giggles and continued as they sat around the Christmas tree.
The poltergeist was practically vibrating with excitement. He snapped his fingers, and the tree lit up along with some Christmas music playing softly in the background.
“Now, Bug, here ya go.” He slid a massive gift in front of the tiny child and smiled. Lucy’s bright eyes widened, and she grabbed onto the wrapping, drawing the present closer. Lydia aided the toddler to reveal a rocking horse that eventually converted to a horse on wheels. It also made a bunch of noise which Lydia wasn’t sure if it would bite them in the ass in the long run or not.
“We are never going to get her off that thing.” She said to her husband, who was trying to get Lucy to open her other gifts.
He seemed to give up after a while and turned to his wife with a shrug. “Yeah, but it will wear her out.”
“True.” She admitted as they watched their child happily rock back and forth and slapped at the buttons. Dragging her attention from the giddy toddler, Lydia stood up to grab the large package hidden behind the huge tree. “Here’s your present, B.” She said, pulling the gift to her husband as she continued. “It took me some time to find it, and I hope you don’t have it already.”
“I’ll like anything that you give me, Sweets,” Betelgeuse stated while tearing at the dark wrapping. “Well, Shit…” he said softly and continued to stare at his Christmas present.
Her stomach flipped nervously when the ghost with the most said nothing more. “Do you like it?” she nervously asked.
A happy grin split the poltergeist’s face as he glanced up at her. “I love it, Babes. Where’d ya find it?” he asked, turning the clear case around studying the life-sized Regan doll.
It had been a bitch to find but well worth it in the end. “Scoured the world wide web until I found a buyer.” She said as if it had been that simple.
“Damn. It must have cost you a fortune.” He remarked.
“As long as you love it, it was worth every penny,” Lydia admitted, relieved that her husband loved his gift.
“I do. Thank you, Sweetheart.” Betelgeuse whispered, kissing her softly before snapping his fingers. “Now for my gift.”
A thin box appeared in his wife’s hands; she carefully peeled the beautiful wrap away to reveal what looked like a jewelry box. Opening it, the pregnant woman gasped aloud. “Oh my…It’s beautiful, and it matches my necklace.” She lifted the bracelet, examining the unique design.
“It does,” He agreed, “and the tiny beetles are inlaid with our birthstones.”
Wrinkles furrowed her brow as she spoke. “But the baby isn’t even born yet. His due date is just an estimation. He could come before or even after that date.”
“If it changes, then I will fix it, Sweets. It’s no problem.” He cooed softly and took it from her to place it around her wrist.
“Thank you.” She said, leaning in to kiss his cold lips. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” He kissed her in return, then quickly pulled back with an excited gleam in his eyes. “I have one more surprise for you.” He stood up and reached out to pull her to her feet. Betelgeuse snagged Lucy, who protested quite loudly about being disturbed then turned back to his wife. “Follow me, Babe.” He made his way down the hallway to a door that should not exist.
“Where did this door come from?” Lydia asked, eyeing the black door then to her husband.
“Had a hard time keepin’ this a secret, so I juiced the door away. I didn’t want ya stumbling upon it by accident and ruin the surprise.” Admitted the dead man, bouncing on the balls of his feet in utter anticipation.
“What have you been up to?” quizzed the pregnant woman with a bright smile.
“You’ll see. Now close your eyes.” He gently demanded. As she did as he asked, Betelgeuse led her carefully into the new area. “You can open them, Love.” He whispered in her ear and grinned wider when his wife gasped in surprise.
“Wow.” Uttered Lydia, while her dark gaze swiveled around the room. It was all in black and white with hints of gold. “It’s perfect. I figured we’d set up another crib in Lulu’s room. I never thought you’d build a new room.” She mumbled in awe.
“I’d do anything for you and our kids.” He said, placing a squirming Lucy down so she could examine the new nursery.
Lydia watched their daughter toddle over to the pile of toys and plopped her diapered butt on the plush carpet, then began to play. She knew that was true since he had no problem taking care of Luke.
Her husband’s hands slid slowly along her expanding stomach, pulling her back so that she was reclining against him as they continued to watch their child play. “B, did you feel that?” she asked when the baby gently kicked.
He kissed her temple and whispered tenderly, “I did, Sweets.” His large hands gently rubbed the swell.
“I can’t wait to meet him.” She admitted with a happy sigh and nuzzled underneath his chin.
“Neither can I.” He agreed, resting his cheek against her soft black hair as silence enveloped them.
It was quickly broken with a question from the woman in his arms. “Have you thought of any names?” It was the one thing that they couldn’t agree upon.
“Yeah.” He crowed. “I like the name, Norman.”
A round of snickers left the petite mother because she knew where this was going. “Like Norman Bates?” she asked dryly.
A chuckle rumbled through them when he responded. “You know me well, Babe.”
“That I do, and we are not naming him Norman.” Lydia dismissed the first name and wondered if he had any more. “Do you have any other?”
“How about Fredrick?” the poltergeist suggested.
“Is this so you can call him Freddy?” she tilted her head so that she could see his response. When he shook his head in confirmation, Lydia stomped her feet and screeched loudly, “Come on, B. Take this seriously!”
He chuckled before soothing his wife’s ruffled feathers by kissing her temple and gently rubbing the baby bump. “I am Sweets. Okay, What about Theodore?”
“Theodore…” mumbled the pregnant woman contemplating the name for a few seconds. “Theodore James Geist.” She added and smiled up at her husband. “I like it.”
“We could call him TJ for short.” He offered, smiling wider when her eyes light up yet again.
“Or Teddy…” she smiled slyly and hummed as her husband lightly kissed up her neck then whispered in her ear. “Mmm…Like the one you wore the other night.”
“Yeah, but it will look even better when I don’t look like a beached whale and can see below the waist.” She grumbled with a pout and huffed in agitation.
Betelgeuse carefully whipped his wife around, peering down at her with glowing eyes. “Nonsense. You look beautiful no matter what, and you ain’t no beached whale; You are a motherfuckin’ vessel of life, and if anyone disagrees, then they will have to deal with me.”
Lydia’s frown morphed into a cheeky smile, and a small hand went up to rest on his chest. “Aww. You’re my knight in glowing armor.”
He flashed her a row of pearly whites while he preened like a peacock. “Well, I do know how to ride a horse.”
“Why doesn’t that surprise me?” She joked before resting her forehead against her husband and snuggling into his hold.
“Cuz I’m the ghost with the most, Baby.” Retorted the poltergeist before gently kissing her temple. “Merry Christmas, Lyds.” He softly whispered, giving her growing body a little squeeze.
Lifting her head, Lydia leaned up on her tippy toes to kiss him softly on the lips. “Merry Christmas, B.”
