Lydia woke up with the sounds of her daughter's laughter echoing in her mind as she faced the digital clock, trembling with her eyes wide open. She could barely move when she felt his presence in bed with her. How could this be? She had sworn that she had sent him back to the afterlife after calling his name three times or so she thought. Yet, it was at this moment that she felt his icy breath on the back of her neck. "I just had the weirdest dream," he said softly. Meanwhile, Lydia froze in fear with her eyes wide open only to be awakened again. Only this time she heard the echo of his manic laughter while eying the room only to discover that the Beetlejuice was nowhere to be seen. She let out a sigh of relief while allowing herself to reflect on two nightmares. What did they mean anyway? After all, she didn't love him as she thought she had made herself perfectly clear to him at the altar.
As she sat up on bed, with the covers still drawn, the celebrity remembered the very words that she had firmly spoked before saying his name three times. "Look, I'm sorry that it didn't work out between us but a 600-year age gap was a bit much for me…" As she reflected on the events with the eccentric ghost, Lydia also reflected on all of the good things that he did for her and her family that night. She also reminisced about a time in her young life when Beetlejuice became her best friend shortly after the Maitlands found that loophole and left. In fact, it was only yesterday that Lydia climbed the stairs to the attic after promising Adam and Barbara that she would take care of the model.
…Once again, the 16-year-old was alone in the world and felt the same type of abandonment when Charles got custody of Lydia. Though she had not yet made any friends at school, things had just fallen into place. Why did the Maitlands have to leave? As she climbed up the stairs to the attic, Lydia sobbed uncontrollably. Yet she knew that being in the attic near the model was the only thing that would bring her solace. As Lydia entered the attic, she reached for her flashlight as it was night outside and felt no desire to turn the overhead lights on. Rather, her plan was to turn on the white lights that hung over the model while she would lay on the nearby couch that also belonged to the Maitland's. She felt it was the perfect way to remember her ghost friends.
As she neared the model, Lydia took in the musty smell of the attack which was also warm from the summertime air. Meanwhile, she noticed that the sign "Betelgeuse, Betelgeuse" over his grave was lit. "Strange," Lydia muttered to herself as she moved to investigate. As she peered over the sign and his grave sign she asked firmly "I thought you were gone for good." At that point, she heard light cackling. "Gone for good Babs? Gone for good? You seemed to have underestimated the ghost the most."
"What are you still doing in 'The Maitland's Model!?" Lydia with a combination of anger and fear in her voice. "Ah that, you see, it's very hard for the Juice to get some peace and quiet. As you know I am well known and living in the graveyard is not an appropriate place for me." "Well that doesn't matter," Lydia replied firmly. "You can't just move into someone else's property and take over. This property belonged to the Maitland's and they asked me to take care of it. As it's caretaker, I want you to take your tombstone and your obnoxious sign out of the model and find someone where to haunt. It's disrespectful to the Maitland's. Even worse, you think I want to see your face again after what you tried to pull on my family and I?" Lydia shouted while glaring at him.
"But Babs, I don't think you understand how much you really get me and I need a woman like you." "Get you? you've got it all wrong, I hate you Beetlejuice." "For starters you're beautiful when you are angry and I just need my name said two more times." "Ewww, just…stop with all of the flattery because I am not ever going to be your little wife. Got it? For one thing, I'm a child and you're a dead creepy older man. That's gross What you put me through was very terrifying and I never want to see you again. ""But Babs, we're perfect for each other." "I don't care and I wouldn't want to marry anyone who treated my family and friends and I as bad as you did. For one thing, I am not some green card that you can just use because you're dead and want to get out of things." "I do whatever I want babe as I am a free spirit," he snickered. "Oh, I just cracked myself up. See what I did there?" "That doesn't matter you are haunting someone that didn't belong to you in the first place. Do you understand that these people started building a life together and then lost their lives? If they were here, they wouldn't approve of you being here either. In fact, they found a loophole and left this morning and they left me to take care of the model. It hurts so much so much since they were my only friends in this town and…," Lydia replied but got choked up as she returned to sobbing. "You were the last ghost that I need to see and talk to." "Oh Babs, are you going to be okay?" "No, and I don't need a husband, I need a friend and it's bad enough trying to connect with my Dad and Deelia as they never have time for me. Not to mention, the other girls at school don't get me." "You need a hug, Babs?" "Yeah, it would be nice." "I'll also make you some tea," the unhinged ghost offered. "That would nice," she accepted as he made a green T float in the air. Through her tears, she started to chuckle. "I saw a smile and to tell you the truth, no one gets me either as I don't often work well with others," he explained. "Anyway, please say my name two more times and I will offer you that hug." "Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice," she answered. "Ah, that's more like it Lyds." At that moment, Lydia saw a blur before finding herself standing in front of the man who tried to marry her. Though hesitant, she moved towards the ghost who was wearing the same back and white suit and a very cute smile. "Well, are you going to let me hug you or nor?" He asked. "Of course," Lydia said and moved for the hug where she allowed herself to sob in his arms while he comforted her. "Everything's going to be okay Lydia and I am here if you ever want to talk…"
As Lydia remembered that sweet moment, she was also reminded about all of all the good times that she spent with Beetlejuice as a best friend. From the first time that he snuck her into the afterlife to providing her with a familiar black pants suit and red poncho with a spider web, the fond memories brought a smile to her face. After all, he was always there for her when her school rival Claire Brewster managed to remind her that he was a lesser of a person because she wasn't a girly girl who otherwise didn't fit in. He was also supportive of her when her dad and her step mom were always too busy with their own driven lives to notice her. Still, she didn't care. Being that the attic was never off limits to her, she found every excuse to climb up there and spend time with best friend. It was during those years that she was with Beetlejuice that she was truly happy. As she sat up in bed thinking of those fond memories, she also recalled what he told her earlier that evening. "I'm going to make you so happy," with puppy dog eyes. Yet she proceeded to ignore him as protecting and saving Astrid was at the front of her mind. She also could not help but feel a sense of resentment for being forced to marry someone who was stalking her. Still, she felt some remorse for how she had treated him after she was reminded that he has a heart of gold under his character flaws.
As Lydia pulled back the covers, she felt a draft in the room where she has been staying since she had arrived at her old home Winter River. It was officially the first day of November and the temperature was set to drop to the mid 30's that night. Though the room was dark, Lydia managed to find her plush navy blue slippers next to her bed before carefully finding her bathrobe. Although Lydia had more than enough to deal with, her thoughts about Beetlejuice were so overwhelming that she needed to clear her mind. Maybe a cup or two of peppermint tea in her old kitchen where she grew up would bring ease to her mind before going back to sleep.