"The Ghost And His Lady"

AGhost and Mrs MuirStory

By TunnelsOfTheSouth

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"The Ghost and Mrs Muir" and all its wonderful canon characters are the eternal property of R.A. Dick and NBC Television Studios.

Where truly would we all be without the enjoyable skills and wonderful acting abilities of Edward Mulhare, Hope Lange, Charles Nelson Reilly, Reta Shaw and Scruffy. Please enjoy!

As always, I have enjoyed myself hugely with this work.

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"You are my best friend as well as my lover, and I do not know which side of you I enjoy the most. I treasure each side, just as I have treasured our life together…"

Nicholas Sparks

Chapter One

How It Should Have Been

Edward Mulhare stopped walking when he reached the edge of the stage set. The vast 20th Century Fox soundstage had almost become a second home to him over the years.

He shook his head. "Lord knows, I'm here long enough every day. But it's all right."

Over time, he'd made his peace with the long hours, the early starts and late finishes to their filming days. But it was now early May, and they'd wrapped the show for another season. The warmth of the summer months stretched ahead before they would all be back to begin again in August.

He knew he would dearly miss it if everything ended now. He turned and looked back. Behind him, the huge, two-storied structure of Gull Cottage loomed in the semi-darkness. It filled his vision, and he smiled at the house that had given him so much.

After something of a rocky start, Edward had become grateful for its secure shelter and the continuity of work it represented. But without the illumination of its lights, both inside and out, the house looked forlorn and deserted. It was surrounded by cameras, sound booms and chairs of all sizes and shapes. Piles of gear and pieces of equipment were cluttered everywhere, except along the path from the house. Almost everyone had already left for the holidays.

'The Ghost and Mrs Muir' TV show had now been running for five years, and it seemed the viewing public could not get enough of the unusual love affair that was at the very heart of the show. There had been huge issues at the end of the second season, and back then, they'd stood in very real danger of being cancelled for good. No one had wanted that. Certainly not Edward or any of his hard-working co-stars.

But their generous and very vocal public had gotten behind the show and they wouldn't allow the network to close it down. After a great deal of tough negotiating and a lot of tears and frustration, the show had been renewed for a third season and then a fourth, and now a fifth had just been wrapped. Despite all the setbacks, they were a very highly rated show and they got better with each season.

"Life is good…" Edward stretched and rolled his shoulders as he waited.

The tall figure of a man opened the front door of the house and walked out, humming a tune to himself. Charles Nelson Reilly grinned when he saw his very good friend waiting at the edge of the set.

"Are you coming over for the party later?" he asked as he reached Edward. "I'm catching a cab, if you wanna share. If you're not, then I'll say farewell here and don't be a stranger. Mi casa es su casa and all that. Schlep on over to my place anytime. But it would be a pity if you couldn't make it to the party. I know everyone's looking forward to it."

"Thanks…" Edward replied. "But I have no idea. It has been mentioned, but nothing firm was settled. It depends on a few things."

"Well, you know there'll be good food and great conversation. And a little extra from yours truly, as always. I can't say fairer than that," Charles added, winking as he tapped the side of his nose with one long forefinger.

"See you when I see you, then..." He waved generously as he walked away and out into the wide world beyond Stage 2, whistling as he went.

"Edward? You not gone yet?" Reta Shaw asked as she left the house, checking for something she couldn't find in her handbag. "If you're not coming to the party, I thought you would be the first to escape for the summer break. It won't be that long until we're all back here again."

"It was my intention to attend," Edward replied. "But something came up at the last minute. So, I must wait for the final verdict."

He smiled. "But I'm glad I know the hostess personally. I'm told it'll be a great night."

"Ahhh…" Reta nodded as she looked back toward the house. "Well, if I don't see you later tonight, don't you go being a stranger. You know where I live. But I do wish you would come along tonight. You've always loved a great party. There'll be dancing. I was hoping to grab a waltz or two with you. And, no doubt, Charles has something planned for us all. He always does."

She put a hand on his broad shoulder and tugged gently. Edward obliged by bending down for her to press a kiss against his cheek.

Reta drew back and smiled up at him. "I still say you're much more handsome without the beard. And I always will." She patted his smooth jawline.

"Thanks," Edward replied, kissing her soundly on the other cheek before he hugged her close and let her go.

"Oh, you are such a charmer…" Reta sighed gustily as she walked away, still delving into her handbag for whatever it was she was looking for and couldn't find. "See you later then, I hope."

"Later…" Edward waved goodbye.

Unconsciously, he assumed the familiar stance of Captain Daniel Gregg that had become like second nature now. He stood with his hands clasped in the small of his back and his feet spread apart. He rocked forward and back on the balls of his feet. Still, he waited.

He checked his wristwatch and tried to contain his impatience. He knew he should be used to waiting by now. He'd been forced to learn how to practice the art often enough in the last few months.

He sighed as he looked up to the house and went back to his easy stance with his hands behind his back. It had been a long and incredible fifth season. He knew he would not change a single thing about any of it.

"Well, maybe one thing…" He ran the ball of his thumb absently across the inner side of the ring finger on his left hand.

It was still bare and there was a good reason for that. But maybe, tonight, that too would finally change.

He was very keen to attend the season's end, wrap party that Reta was hosting at the Beverly Wilshire. It was a private function for the cast and crew of the show. But their leading lady was late… again.

Edward would wait. He would not move from his spot until Hope was free to leave with him. It was her ultimate decision if they attended the party or not.

There was a very good reason for such a concession on his part. If she said she was too tired or footsore, then they would skip the party and go home. He was fine with that.

"All right…" Edward turned when he heard the door to the house open quietly and close again. "There you are…" he whispered as Hope walked slowly from the house and down the steps.

As always, the sight of her soft beauty quickened his pulse and made his heart sing. He could watch her forever and not tire of looking at her. She meant everything to him and more…

"Hi…" Hope said softly as she came to a halt beside him. "Have you been waiting long? Sorry about that. Gene wanted to talk, and I needed to let him. He had some concerns he needed to get off his chest. I know he feels better for it now."

"I understand…" Edward looked down at her. He inhaled her soft, feminine warmth. "He told me earlier he had an idea or two he wanted to run by you for the new season. Some workarounds he was planning for August when we're all back for the next season's filming."

"Yes, he did," Hope replied, linking her fingers through his. "He was very worried he would have to explain too much to the network and there would be a new conflict. Not everyone's in favour of continuing a story about a beautiful human woman being in love with a crusty old ghost."

She smiled softly as she cupped his cheek in her palm. "No matter how handsome and sexy he is." She moved her fingers briefly to the fall of blond curls above his forehead.

Edward sighed roughly. "I thought we'd already slayed that particular dragon. The fans have been very accepting of our taking the romance further. Even if it is only in dream sequences for now. It was the fan fiction that gave the writers the idea."

Hope nodded. "Yes, well, Gene was worried, and I do need to respect his decision. He's been very good to us. I'm so glad he decided to return to directing."

She smoothed the gentle swell of her abdomen with both hands. "So, we agreed that since I'm already six months along, we can make it work for the new season, next year. We have four months off before we start filming again. I'll be back in shape by then."

She lifted his hand and placed it – fingers spread wide – over her lower body. "But I suspect that buffer won't be needed. This baby is very keen to be born. He moves around constantly and kicks a lot. It's getting to the point where, sometimes, I can't sleep."

"He?" Edward asked softly as he stirred his fingers against her. "How do you know?"

"A woman always knows…" Hope whispered to him. "Boys are always so impatient."

She went up on tiptoe to kiss him slowly. They stood close before the old house that had first brought them together. It smiled down on them from its many windows.

Five years ago, both had been involved with other people. Hope was married to her second husband, with two small children from her first marriage, and Edward has been living with another woman.

But their mutual attraction had been there right from the very first day they met, simmering quietly beneath the surface of their professional relationship. Slowly, over time, their attraction to each other had begun to leak out in their performances.

A look here, a touch there. A warmly intimate smile when they thought no one was looking. There was nothing 'ghostly' about some of their private interactions between takes.

Their first screen kiss during the initial Christmas episode had blown both of them away. And then there was that unscripted second kiss Hope had begged him for. He had been powerless to resist...

Of course, their fans were always keen to further their on-screen relationship. But their public wasn't aware of how far things had moved forward between the stars, in their personal life.

Hope made no secret of the fact she admired Edward, and he enjoyed her warmth and easy approachability. She was so different from all the other women he had known. But they made sure to end their separate relationships, cleanly and without recrimination - or expensive court proceedings - before they embarked on their relationship.

Charles and Reta had been aware of the new development between them almost from the beginning. They'd run a very able and ongoing defence to keep the secret. Even Harlen and Kellie had helped in their own way.

When asked by reporters, or visitors to the set, the two young teenagers happily portrayed their innocence because they didn't truly know anything. Many visitors may have suspected, but no one actually knew the whole truth except the two at the centre of their own secret romance.

"Are you tired?" Edward asked his love solicitously. "We can go straight home if you wish. I don't want you to go overdoing things."

Hope's eyebrows rose, even as her eyes sparkled. "And miss the wrap party? Reta would never forgive us. But thank you, I'm fine. Truly."

She carried his hand to her lips and kissed the backs of his fingers. "Besides, I would miss the chance to dance with you in public for all the world to see."

She kissed his fingers again. "And no one will think to look twice at us…"

"Yes…" Edward stirred his fingers against the softness of her mouth. "Have I told you lately how much I love you, Mrs Mulhare?"

"Not lately, Mr Mulhare…" Hope shook her head. "I could stand to hear it again…"

"Tá grá agam duit… I love you…" Edward replied softly. "Cuisle mo chroí…"

"Tá grá agam duit… I'm so glad we got married at Christmas and you finally made an honest woman of me," Hope teased as they turned to leave the set together, hand in hand. "Maybe it's finally time to tell the world…"

She stirred her fingers against the bareness of his ring finger. "And put your wedding ring where it belongs when we're not filming. We could finally announce it tonight at the party. If you're comfortable with that."

"Yes…" Edward sighed as he held the door open for them to pass beyond the intimate, fantasy world they worked in, to the larger, busier world outside. "Maybe it is finally time to tell everyone. Though I'm sure most of them already know the truth."

He put an arm around her slender shoulders and drew her close to him as they walked. "I'm very glad you were born in my time, my love…"

"Me, too…" Hope sighed as she nestled into him. "And I pray there will be many, many more seasons ahead for all of us…"

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