Chapter Three
The sun shone through the rips in the old drapes that covered the roadhouse windows. The light gently rested on the sleeping forms of Lydia and Beetlejuice.
Beetlejuice snored very loudly, his mouth wide open, his snake-like tongue lolling around in his head. His pot belly rising and falling with each new snore.
Lydia on the other hand slept silently. Her delicate features utterly relaxed. Her body was curled up against Beetlejuice's bigger form. Her hand resting on his chest. They were the picture of peace. Both sound asleep, without a care.
Their peace was shattered when the covers were abruptly pulled off them and a shrill voice screeched, "JR!"
Lydia eyes popped open and landed on a very disgruntled Beetlejuice. He moaned, and looked at Lydia with pleading eyes. "Lyds; please tell me I'm still dreaming?"
Before Lydia could answer both Beetlejuice and herself were drawn into a bone crushing hug. "Nooooooo!" Beetlejuice screamed. His face contorted in horror.
"Now Jr. That's no way to greet your mother." Bea chided.
She squeezed them even tighter and made criticisms about Beetlejuice's house and his hygiene. Especially about washing behind his ears.
Nat , Beetlejuice's father walked into the room slowly behind her. "Bea let the kids breath." Reluctantly Bea let Beetlejuice and Lydia go.
Beetlejuice spat on the ground, and gasped for breath. Then making an even bigger scene he clutched his throat and pretended to choke. Lydia giggled softly, shaking her head. "Hello Mrs. Juice. Mr. Juice. It's good to see you again."
Bea smiled widely. "It's good to see you too dear." Then she remembered her son. She turned her gaze on him, giving him a withering glare.
"Whhat?" Beetlejuice cried.
"What indeed."
Beetlejuice wrinkled his nose and leaned over to Lydia whispering, "Parents babes, you know I hate 'em."
Lydia covered her mouth with her hand to stop herself from laughing. Beetlejuice smiled at her seeing her reaction. He ruffled her hair playfully and hovered over the bed in midair. Their moment was interrupted by Bea continuing. "When were you planning on telling us your were engaged?"
"Uh. . . Never." Beetlejuice said grinning.
Lydia reached up and smacked his arm. "We just found out last night. We would've come to tell you but it was so late, and we didn't want to wake you up."
Bea stopped glaring at her son. "You're such a sweet girl Lydia dear." Lydia turned red, smiling shyly.
Nat came over to the bed, and he was beaming. "I never thought my son would get married. But not only is he getting married, he's marrying a polite and beautiful lady." He complemented her.
Lydia blushed an even deeper red. "Thank you." She said quietly.
Beetlejuice blew an exasperated raspberry. "How did you find out me and Lyds are engaged. We haven't told anybody yet."
"Well early this morning Judge Mental knocked on our door. He told me and your father that you two were getting married." Bea said cheerfully.
"Damn him." BJ cursed.
"He probably didn't trust you to tell us dear." Bea shrugged.
"True, true." Lydia whispered under her breath.
Nat gently took Lydia's hand and held it in his own large one. "He told us the other choice." They all remained quiet for a moment. Lydia looked at Beetlejuice and smiled before turning back to Nat. "It was never a choice for me."
"We want to thank you for what you are doing for our son. You are an amazing girl." Bea said respectfully.
Lydia looked at Bea, her dark eyes friendly. "I wouldn't have it any other way Mrs. Juice."
"You are a brave girl." Nat agreed.
Beetlejuice lifted his eyebrows. "You keep talking as if being married to me is the worst thing that could happen to her."
Bea and Nat looked at each other. "That is about the worst thing that could happen to her dear." Bea said smiling at Lydia.
"Hey!" BJ yelled indignantly.
Bea, Nat and Lydia laughed and stood up. "Well my dears, we had better be going. You have things to do as do we." Bea said lightly. "We will see you tomorrow at the wedding. I would be honored if you would let me help you get ready dear."
Lydia nodded. "That would be nice."
Bea hugged Lydia and then to Beetlejuice's dismay she hugged him again. Then her and Nat left.
"That was awful Lyds!" Beetlejuice said making a sick face. "Remind me to always lock my door from now on."
Lydia snorted. "Even if I did you would forget Beej."
He smiled. "You know me so well babes."
Beetlejuice snapped his fingers again and their pajama's changed into their everyday clothes. Lydia wore her regular red spider poncho, and Beetlejuice wore his black and white striped suit.
"Where to first Babes?" He asked. "The dress shop?" He turned into a black and white striped dress. "The wedding decorator?" He turned into wallpaper and smiled at Lydia broadly. "Or," He said with a flourish. "The bakers." And he turned into a giant green cake.
He laughed at his own jokes and turned back into himself.
Lydia smiled sadly at him. "I wish we were going to the bakers."
"Where are we going?" Beetlejuice asked again; baffled.
"The world of the living Beej."
Beetlejuice looked at her. And he saw something he rarely saw. Anguish.
"I have to say goodbye." And with that she said his name. "Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice!" And they disappeared.
They arrived at Lydia's house. It was almost two in the afternoon by this time. "We really slept in." Lydia muttered irritated.
They could hear Delia humming to herself as she cleaned the house. Lydia walked to her window, and opened it.
"What's the plan babes?" Beetlejuice asked curiously.
"I need to say goodbye to Bertha and Prudence first, then my parents. Then we can go back to the neitherworld." She said matter-of-factly.
She started to climb out the window when Beetlejuice caught her arm. She turned to look at him. He pulled her back into her room. "Lyds you don't have to do this." He said, his voice tender.
Lydia sighed, "Beej, I can't do this if you are against me."
"I'm not against ya babes." He said pulling her into a hug. "I just don't want you to do something you'll regret."
She hugged him back; her head drooped against his chest. Even though he had a pot belly, Beetlejuice was muscular. And he held her tightly. After a minute she pulled away a fresh blush blooming on her cheeks.
"I want to do this. I want to be with you."
Beetlejuice put his hand on her shoulder gently, looking into her dark eyes. "If you want to do this I won't fight you."
Then he said smiling. "Let's turn on the juice. . ." He paused waiting for her to finish the sentence for him.
"And see what breaks loose." She finished smiling back at him.
Beetlejuice nodded encouragingly and turned into Betty Juice. And they both climbed out of Lydia window and walked towards Lydia's school hand in hand.
They reached Miss Shannon's School for Girls just as the girls came out for their break. Beetlejuice waited at the gate, while Lydia went off to find Bertha and Prudence.
Lydia could see her friends sitting at a small table talking. She headed for them. As she got closer to the table she heard a nasally voice call her name. She didn't have to look to know whose voice it was.
"So Deetz," Claire Brewster said sneering her last night. "Where have you been? Like skipping class?" Lydia didn't acknowledge that she heard her, she continued to walk.
"Deetz I'm talking to you!" Claire yelled after her.
Lydia ignored her. She would deal with Claire Brewster before she left. She promised herself. She had taken her crap for years, and she was done.
She finally reached Bertha and Prudence. They both looked up surprised.
"Hey Lydia!" Bertha greeted her with her buck-toothed grin. "We thought you weren't coming today."
"I'm afraid I can only stay for a minute. But I need to talk to you guys."
"What is it?" Prudence asked in her small squeaky voice.
"I'm going away for a while. And I'm not sure when I'll be back. I just wanted to say goodbye." Lydia said looking away.
"Where are you going?" Bertha and Prudence asked interested.
"I'm moving." Lydia said simply.
"What!" Bertha gasped.
"You can't leave us!" Prudence whined. Her glasses sliding down her short nose.
Lydia eyes teared up she walked over to Bertha and swung her arms around her. "You two are the best friends I could have ever asked for."
Bertha looked at Prudence dismally. Bertha started to cry to, and hugged her back. They cried together for a moment. Then Lydia let go and hugged Prudence.
As she let go, Prudence sniffled. "We'll miss you."
"I'll miss you too." Lydia said trying to clear her throat. With one last hug from each of them she turned and walked away.
Lydia headed straight for Claire. Who was sitting at a table talking to a group of equally snotty girls who were laughing at almost everything she was saying.
"So I like told her what was what." Claire said curtly. "I told that bitch that I was the prettiest girl in town. And that like everyone knew that."
Claire smiled smugly. "She was totally lost."
The wannabes sneered, and nodded in agreement. One of the snobbier girls, a tall dark haired girl spoke up. "I'm glad you put her in her place Claire. She deserved it."
Claire snorted and rolled her eyes. "I know right? Like she was way ugly too. She looked like Deetz, but she like had strawberry blonde hair instead of that like way gross black." They all guffawed stupidly.
Lydia had finally reached her destination. She was standing directly behind Claire. She smiled at the prospect of what she was about to do.
Lydia reached her hand out and grabbed Claire by her golden blonde hair. Making sure to get a firm grip, Lydia yanked Claire backward off the bench she had been sitting on. Claire fell on the ground, but Lydia kept moving; dragging her across the lawn.
Claire cried out in pain. "Owwwww! Let go of me! Like I swear you will regret thissss!" Lydia shook Claire's head hard, to make her shut up.
Lydia headed for the fence where Betty was waiting. Behind them Claire's cohorts were frozen with amazement. None of them came to her aid, they just watched as the gothic girl dragged her over to wear a particularly ugly girl waited.
Finally Lydia stopped at the fence. She jerked Claire's head up to look at her. "You are the Bitch."
Claire didn't say anything. Lydia could clearly see the fear in her eyes.
Lydia looked at Betty who was staring just as amazed as everyone else. "Whoa Babes! What are you doing?"
Lydia smiled evilly. "Taking out the trash. Juice her."
Beetlejuice gulped. "Are you serious Lyds?"
He looked hopeful, "That is one of your biggest rules. Don't juice anyone or anything when you are in the world of the living." He quoted. "Okay I'll admit I almost never keep that rule, but you always want me to."
"I made myself a promise. And I intend to keep it. I think ugly-fying should do the trick."
Betty looked at her questioningly one last time. "Are you sure babes?"
Lydia grinned again, "Juice her."
Claire struggled trying to free herself. "What are you doing? Like what does 'juice me' mean?" She asked in alarm.
Beetlejuice had waited years to do this. He couldn't help but smile. "It's show time." He said in a blood chilling whisper.
As he said those words Claire began to scream uncontrollably. Her hair turned an ashy color, and her features became harder. Her back became bent, and her teeth yellowed. And her skin became thin and sickly. In what seemed like seconds the transformation was done.
Lydia let go of Claire's ash colored hair and backed up a few paces. Claire grabbed at her face in horror. "What's happened to me!" She croaked. She quickly reached into her pocket and pulled out her compact mirror.
She looked at her reflection and screamed again. "Claire." There is a solution." Lydia said calmly.
Claire turned to her in tears. "Please I'll do anything to be beautiful again."
Lydia looked at her hard. "This is what you look like on the inside. The only way to cure yourself is to match your outside with your inside."
Claire stared at her, clearly not understanding what she needed to do.
"You have to be nice to people. You have to act beautiful to become beautiful." Lydia said patiently.
"But I am nice." Claire retorted.
"In your eyes yes. But in others eyes you are not." Lydia said.
"So how long will it take for me to change back?" Claire snapped.
"A few years." Lydia said smiling.
Claire looked at both Betty and Lydia and ran away sobbing. Claire goons stared at them in shock. Lydia smiled at them and gave them the bird. Then she and Beetlejuice walked out the gate and started walking home.
When they were far enough away from the school for anyone to hear them they broke into laughter.
"I'm proud of ya babes." Beetlejuice chortled.
Lydia looked at him tears in her eyes from all the laughing. "Why?"
"Because you gave her a way to de-juice herself."
"She's so thick, she most likely will never change back. But for Claire it seemed like the perfect punishment." Lydia said amused.
"Good job Beej." Beetlejuice bowed to her deeply accepting the praise, and they both laughed some more. As they reached Lydia's front lawn, she sobered.
"Now comes the hard part." She said more to herself than Beetlejuice.
"It can't be harder than saying goodbye to Burp and Prune." Beetlejuice said disbelievingly.
"Saying good-bye to my parents is going to be the hardest thing." She said and walked through the door.