Doubtful Heart
by
Owlcroft
A/N: There is a translation of the French in the end notes.
They were visiting the Fallen Arches of Triumph one sunny afternoon, Beetlejuice translating all the signs for Lydia and making wry comments on the scene, when a tall zombie, dressed in a very chic and feminine manner, rushed up to them.
"Pouvez-vous m'aider, s'il vous plaít?" she said quickly.
Beetlejuice turned to Lydia, realized she didn't understand, and responded himself. "Bien sûr. Je suppose que oui. Qu'est-ce que c'est?"
"Mon amoureux doit me retrouver ici dans quelques minutes, mai j'ai une urgence à la maison. S'il se présente, vous lui diras que je serai un peu en retard?" She wrung her hands together and looked at him hopefully. "C'est un grand et beau squelette portant un béret rouge et une chemise verte."
"D'accord. Aucun problème." He spread his hands and smiled at her then at Lydia, who was gazing casually at her surroundings pretending to be interested in the scenery.
"Jer serai aussi rapide que possible – juste quelques minutes, je les promets." The zombie looked her gratitude, then put her hands on Beetlejuice's face and pulled him to her to kiss him enthusiastically on the cheek, saying, "Milles remerciements, c'est si bon de ta part!", smiled at Lydia and dashed away.
Lydia looked coldly at the lipstick on the ghost's face and pulled a tissue from her purse. "So what was all that about? And you know, that color's not really your shade," she told him in a frosty voice.
He took the tissue bemusedly and dabbed at the scarlet on his face.
"Oh, for heaven's sake," she snapped and snatched the tissue back, moistened it with her tongue, then held his face in a firm grip while she cleaned off the vibrant color, wondering if she might look better in that tone of red. He tried not to wince back from the dampness but it was still an awkward business.
Beetlejuice rubbed his cheek tenderly when she was done and gave her a reproachful look. "So, look, you didn't get what she said but I've got to stick around until she comes back. Do you want to go up to the top of the arches to see the view, or is that too high for you?"
"You . . . you're going to wait for her? To come back?" Lydia was now truly cross, and a feeling of betrayal also crept into her voice.
"Yeah, I said I would." He eyed her uncertainly. "You okay, babes? You look like . . . like you don't feel so great."
Lydia turned away from him, saying, "Actually, I do have a little bit of a headache. I think I'll just go on home."
ooooo
Just ten minutes later, he appeared in the mirror, saying quietly, "Lyds? How's the head? You feeling any better?"
Having truly developed a headache with her worry and hurt, she shook her head. "Not really. I guess you're just checking on me before going somewhere else, huh?"
Perplexed and unhappy, he said, "No. I was hoping you'd be okay, or maybe that we could do something quiet and easy for you. But if you don't feel like it, I'll just . . . I don't know, just hang around and you let me know if you feel better later. Is that okay?"
Try as she might, she couldn't help blurting, "Aren't you meeting that zombie? The one you were waiting for? The one who . . . who kissed you?"
"No," he said, frowning. "Why would I stick around once her boyfriend got there?"
"What?" Lydia sat bolt upright and stared at him in the mirror. "Her boyfriend?!"
Beetlejuice shrugged. "Yeah, the one she wanted me to tell where she'd gone. Babes," he looked at her with concern, "you sure you're okay?"
"Oh, yes, I am," she sighed, then said his name three times. As he floated into the room, she added, "I guess I'm fine; just really, really stupid."
He lowered his brows, frowning. "That's one bad headache, isn't it? Want some aspirin, a cold compress? Maybe you should lie down for a while."
"No, what I need . . ." She got off the bed and went to him, somewhat shyly. "I need to apologize, and for you to forgive me. For being such an idiot."
A confused ghost took her in his arms at once and held her close. "There's nothing you need to apologize for, babes. You can't help having a headache." He cocked his head then, and thought. "Did I miss something?"
She shook her head, burrowing under his chin. "No, it was me. When you said you were staying to see that pretty zombie again, I was so . . . stupid. I felt hurt and . . . and betrayed, I suppose. I said I had a headache so I had a reason to leave you there, waiting for her. So I could come here and wallow in my stupidity."
"Wallow? In stupidity?" He put a gentle hand to her forehead. "No fever that I can tell. But it sure sounds like you're hallucinating or something." He smiled down at her, but when she didn't return it, he held her closer. "Okay, I should have translated what she said, huh? So it's actually my fault, isn't it?"
"No!" Lydia objected by pushing away from him. "It was my fault, my idiotic jealousy."
His eyes lit up and he tried extremely hard not to laugh. "You were . . . were you really . . ." His grin expanded until she had to look away.
"Don't you dare," she warned him.
"Lyds!" he got out before cawing with laughter.
She covered her eyes with her hands. "Oh, well, I suppose I deserve it."
"My beautiful, my precious, my Lyds!" She was in his embrace again before she could lower her hands. "You really were jealous, weren't you? How . . . amazing, how incredible!"
"How stupid," she muttered.
"No! It's . . . the most flattering thing ever! You know that, after that first time." He smiled down at her adoringly and lifted her chin to kiss her. "It means so much to me that you can feel that way. About me!"
She rested her hands on his chest and sighed. "I could have simply asked you what was going on. But when she kissed you, I guess my emotions just took over. Can I say I'm sorry or will you laugh at me again if I do?"
"Nah, I won't laugh. But I will snicker a little from time to time." He instantly proved that to be true. "But you really don't have to apologize. Never apologize for being jealous."
"Somehow that just sounds like it's wrong. But I know what you mean and I do want to say that I trust you, Beej. Honestly, I do. I was sitting here, being miserable, trying to figure out exactly what I thought was going on and starting to realize how stupid I'd been."
He snickered again, and tried to cover it by clearing his throat. "You were not stupid. You were, maybe, a little . . . hasty, that's all. And you would have figured it out – and figured out you didn't have any reason for a headache, right?"
Lydia sighed. "Except that I managed to give myself one by being so stu –"
He put a finger on her lips to quiet her, then replaced it with his mouth. "You are the best thing that ever happened to me and I will never let anyone say you're stupid, you hear?" he murmured.
"I think I knew all along in my heart that I was wrong. You haven't even looked at anyone else since . . ." She shook her head in resigned chagrin.
"Since the picnic, when you kissed me," Beetlejuice said softly. "Why would I? I still find it hard to believe, but I want to believe it. And if it is true, then my heart is yours forever. Even if . . ." he looked away, the very picture of diffidence, "you change your mind –"
She interrupted him thoroughly and convincingly. "If I promise never to be jealous again –"
"No! Don't do that!" He looked at her, clearly considering something. "I can't promise never to be jealous of you, and I don't want you to. Promise, I mean."
"Whatever you want, darling Beej. If you can forgive me for doubting you this afternoon, I will promise – or not promise – anything you want." She looked at him with hope, and love, in her eyes.
"You know," he mused, "none of this would've happened if you spoke French. I'll have to teach you, just some of the basics." Then he smiled at her. "Maybe later," and kissed her.
Translation:
"Please, can you help me?"
"Sure. I suppose. What is it?"
"My boyfriend should meet me here in a few minutes but I have an emergency at home. If he shows up, will you tell him I'll be a little late? He's a tall handsome skeleton wearing a red beret and green shirt."
"Okay. No problem."
"I'll be as quick as I can – just a few minutes, I promise. A thousand thanks! This is so good of you!"