Title: A New Year's Story
Rating K
Disclaimer: The characters from the Ghost and Mrs. Muir belong to 20th Century Fox and David Gerber Productions. The other characters belong to me except for Jacob and Saul who belong to Simie.
It was hard to believe another year had gone by, Captain Daniel Gregg thought as he stopped up the bottle of ink. One more year in a session of years that had passed since his death 99 years and one and half months ago.
He had enjoyed many New Year's celebrations in his lifetime, passing the day in various countries with different traditions. He had eaten everything from haggis to hog jowls, to pork and sauerkraut and beetles, all of which were supposed to bring good luck for the coming year depending on what part of the world you happened to be in at the time.
For this particular door into 1969 he had no special plans. Jonathan and his sister were in Philadelphia with the Muir's; much to Carolyn's chagrin and the housekeeper was a Watch Night service at the church. He hadn't asked Mrs. Muir if she had any special ideas of how to spend the night--she had spent most of the day up in the master bedroom pretending to write but he knew most of it had been spent staring off into space. They had had a wonderful Christmas here in Gull Cottage but the in-laws had called that night demanding the children come to visit for New Years and said they already wired the tickets and she said she didn't really have a choice but to send them.
So she had spent most of the day sulking and he had known her long enough at this point to know she did not want to be disturbed, although he had brought her a sandwich, which she did eat.
Having been alone for most of his afterlife he had gotten into the habit of spending holidays much as any other day. On the occasion he had humans living in Gull Cottage who knew he was there, he he had spent a nice evening of fellowship. When reminded it was a special day he would go down to the Mouse and Cheese Pub, a place especially for those in spectral form and pass the night away. But tonight he would do nothing, but drink some Madeira, perhaps see if there were any cookies or pie left and work on his sea charts or his ship's log.
Suddenly the space around him became bright and his best mate and former first mate Brendan Darcy was standing there, a keg of ale under on arm, his other around a delicious looking red-head with a come hither smile.
"Tis party time, Danny." the tall, handsome seaman announced. "Here catch" and he pretended to throw the keg before sitting it down.
"Brendan, Ashley, what are you doing here?" he was clearly happy to see them. "Tis have been much to long."
"Exactly what Caswell and I were discussing today." his friend nodded. "And since it's New Year Eve it's the perfect excuse for friends to get together. 1969 should be quite the year and what a better way to ring it in than together?"
"I quite agree." Daniel nodded, smiling as their friend Lord Caswell appeared with an elegantly dressed woman, Miguel another of their crew showing up with a plate of steaming enchiladas, an exotic Spanish senorita just a few seconds behind him.
"Anyone else coming?" the Captain asked, the thought of a party with his friends a welcome one.
"I'm here!" Jacob appeared, almost tripping over his former Captain. "And I have brought the treat of the evening--fudge!"
"We picked you Danny, because you actually have your own house unlike most of us that merely haunt someone else's home. Which fits in with the other reason, you don't have any humans around who might get a little agitated if they should happen to stumble across us.'
"Can we move this party down to the living room?" Alexander popped into the room with a huge platter nachos smothered in salsa and cheese with a dollop of sour cream. Ever since the Englishman had found the treat, he rarely ate anything else.
"Yes, let's do that." Caswell materialized a paper bag brimming full of potato chips, Frito's, and Oreo cookies.
"Oh, blast." Daniel began to tug on his ear. "We can't. As a matter of fact you all need to leave right now. Mrs. Muir is not in the best of moods today."
"Who is Mrs. Muir?" Brendan looked at him.
"Do you have a human living here?" Miguel asked, the looks on all their faces incredulous to the very idea.
"When did this come about?" Jacob asked, "And why didn't you tell us?"
"They've only been here a short time and I guess we are just getting used to being together. But yes, I do have a human here thanks to my dim-witted nephew. He rented my house to a widow from Philadelphia with two children, a dog and a housekeeper. But the only ones here right now are the dog and Mrs. Muir and she is not in the best of moods. I really don't want to do anything to make her angry as she is a literal spitfire when she is angry."
"Who's angry?" Nicholas materialized into the room; his arms filled with Cheese in a can, crackers, fig Newton's and bottles of Mountain Dew.
"Daniel has a human and she's not in good spirits." Caswell slightly complained.
"Does she know your here Danny?" Brendan asked, but then said never mind when he saw the look on his friend's face. "I guess so."
"Why didn't you tell us you had someone living here?" Alexander wanted to know. "We would have found somewhere else to have the party."
"Well if you had told me you were having party here, then I could have told you," Daniel reasoned.
"So where should we go?" someone asked, just as Alexander's sweetheart Megan and Nathalie popped in.
"Why do we have to leave?" Nathalie asked, her long dark curls shining in the light from the lamp. Nathalie was officially the Queen of all ghosts and had the final say so in most of their decisions. But she was also an old friend of Daniel and Brendan's and had known them since she was a human 15 years of age.
"Daniel has a human."
"And she's in a bad mood."
"Maybe we could cheer her up." Nathalie tossed her head. "You don't want us to leave, do you Danny-boy?" she slipped her arm around his waist.
"No, I don't." he admitted. He wanted them to stay, to eat and listen to music and play games. He hadn't seen any of them in so long. "Well perhaps if we are quite."
"We are spirits." Caswell said. "We can be not seen or heard if we wish it."
"Well, then let's try."
It didn't take long before the party was in full swing. Miguel had rolled the piano out into the living room and Saul, who had arrived about half an hour into the festivities, had a saxophone which wailed out the music with a beat that made them all want to dance. Nathalie was in her element, being with Daniel again and catching up as they danced and flirted. Brendan and Ashley who were excellent dancers challenged everyone to who could do the Irish jig the fastest, Caswell winning, his skinny legs never missing a step.
Food was plentiful as was the drink and the old friends were having the time of their after life existence. No one had noticed the blond woman standing in the doorway, her face full of anger at first but after a few minutes, softening as she watched the handsome seaman dancing with their beautiful ladies, the sound of laughter filling the tiny cottage. It was impossible to be in a bad mood watching them she thought and she had a sudden desire to join them. She didn't know who any of them were but she wanted too. She wanted to sing and dance with them and feel as happy as they plainly were.
She watched the dark haired girl flirting with Daniel and much to her dismay felt a jolt of jealously. Imagine being able to dance with him like that, to put her hands on his broad shoulders, to feel his strong arms lift her up and swing her around to the music.
The saxophone stopped and the piano began to play alone, the song old-fashioned in it's rhythm, the couples began to dance slowly to the tune. Carolyn watched them all, trying not to focus on Daniel and his friend. She focused instead on the tall, dark haired spirit in the white shirt and form fitting pants and his auburn-haired partner. The woman danced gracefully and had a beautiful smile but didn't have the same glow as the Captain's friend.
Suddenly the music, stopped, as did the dancing, Carolyn finding every eye turning towards her.
'I thought you said she wouldn't see us Caswell." Nicholas hissed.
"I didn't think she could." the lord shrugged.
"Now I understand why you didn't tell us about her Danny." Jacob shook his head. "You wanted to keep the beautiful lass all to yourself."
Carolyn felt her face grow red at the man's words and gave him a smile.
"I'm sorry if we disturbed you Madame." the Captain started towards her. "We will stop the frivolity right away. " and he turned to face his friends to ask them to leave.
"No!" she shook her head. "Don't go. It's not even midnight yet." she looked at the clock. "Please stay. I even have a bottle of champagne I've been saving for a special occasion that I'll donate. Please stay."
"Will you join us."? Caswell bowed low to her, making her giggle. "I'm afraid my bumbling dolt of a friend here is not polite enough to make introductions, he poked the Captain on the back, "but I am Lord Caswell currently of Boston and this is my friend Mercy Caldwell also of Boston."
"Carolyn Muir." she bowed her head. "Formerly of Philadelphia."
Everyone went around the room and introduced themselves, then the music started up again and the dancing continued. Carolyn didn't feel left out not being able to have a partner, swaying to the music and enjoying herself immensely.
As the clock moved closer to midnight, she felt as though she were one of their group and would be sorry to see them go. Even the one she now knew was Nathalie, who had looked at her intensely with her dark eyes and gave her a feeling that the spirit perhaps too felt that jolt of jealousy.
At a quarter to, Brendan rolled the television set into the living room, while Carolyn and the Captain went to open the champagne. "I was going to say I was very sorry for the intrusion Madame." he popped the cork, nodding his approval at the year. "But it seems to me that you are having a very nice time."
I am." she nodded. "Thank you very much Captain for allowing me to join you and your friends. I feel very privileged."
"I believe I can speak for all of us when I say that is is us who are privileged.
She felt her face grow red and she couldn't help but smile. "Let's get the champagne out there."
The group stood around, watching the ball drop in Time Square, the brilliant 1969 filling the screen.
"A good one for everyone." Brendan toasted.
"God be with us all." Caswell added.
It was a great way to start a year.