Beetlejuice: the Musical Short Story Book

Soak Up the Sunrise

The spectacularity of the sunrise early every morning was a beautiful sight to behold. It was one of Adam and Barbara's favorite past times and activities to do together before the Deetzes got up and ready for the day. On Saturday and Sunday mornings, after getting ready, Lydia would join the Maitlands on the roof and they would just chat for endless hours about how beautiful the sunrise was that day. It just made Lydia want to get up early and watch the sunrise one morning but she knew what her dad and Delia would say about that.

And then there was Betelgeuse.

The Maitlands did not know this, but he often felt so lonely when the Maitlands got up together and went out to the roof to watch the sunrise. They'd thought about asking him sometimes but were worried he'd say no. Little did the two loving ghosts know... he had never seen a sunrise, as he spent most of his time in the Netherworld and when he was in the living world, he barely had time to look at the sunrise. It would make the Maitlands feel bad for him when and if they ever found out the truth.

"Hey, Beej, Ad and I are going out to the roof together to watch the sunrise if you wanted to come and join the two of us," chirped out an exuberant Barbara, clapping her hands together soundlessly.

Betelgeuse grunted, rolling over in the bed the three of them shared. "No thanks. Not today, Babs."

"Why not? What's wrong, Bee?"

"Do you guys really want to know the truth?" The Maitlands nodded in unison. "Well, did you guys know I've never seen a single sunrise in my afterlife?"

The Maitlands covered their hands over their mouths to keep themselves from gasping. How did they not know this? When they first got with the demon, the three of them played a game where Adam and Barbara would get to know Betelgeuse a little better based on the facts about himself that he gave them and he had never mentioned anything about never seeing a sunrise in his afterlife. Maybe he did and they didn't catch it. He was talking so fast during that game, they barely had time to register everything he was telling them.

"Oh my. I'm sorry," said Barbara, a worried, sorrowful glance in her eyes that Adam shared. "How come?"

"It's... complicated," the demon finally said after a few long minutes of searching for the right words to say. "I'll tell you guys about it later. Go enjoy sitting out on the roof and watching the sunrise together."" With that, Betelgeuse rolled over again so he was facing away from the Maitlands.

The Maitlands looked at one another, turned and went outside to watch the sunrise together.

The sunrise that morning was even more breathtaking than the other sunrises the Maitlands had watched together in the past week. It was a stunning red, looking similar to the sunrise seen in the beginning of the first Lion King movie. Adam and Barbara sat there for half an hour before deciding to go back inside to join the Deetzes for breakfast.

"What do we do, Ad?" asked Barbara with worry as she levitated the Deetz' cups and plates into the sink and started washing and scrubbing them by hand after the Deetzes had left for work and school for the day. "Beej, has never seen a sunrise before and we had no knowledge of that."

"Well, tomorrow, why don't we secretly surprise him with a surprise sunrise viewing tomorrow," Adam replied as Barbara began levitating the dishes over towards him and he used his powers to put them back into the appropriate cupboards and drawers. "It's going to be his first time seeing a sunrise and we need to make it extra special for him."

"Yeah," said Barbara as Adam put away the last of the dishes and turned to her. "Maybe like tell him that it's just a date. We don't need to tell him the exact reason why. Oh, and we can blindfold him."

"That's a great idea, Barb." Adam planted a kiss on her lips and they went back up to the attic to spend some time with Betelgeuse. And they didn't even mention the plan they had come up with to him. They wanted to keep it secret from him until tomorrow. And he didn't even question their odd behavior around him.

Five A.M, the next morning, Adam and Barbara put their plans into motion. They practically pulled Betelgeuse out of bed as soon as they got up. The demon woke up right as a blindfold recently summoned by Barbara covered his eyes. He didn't know exactly what was going on and why his lovers blindfolded him, but in his head he had a clear idea why. But he decided not to mention it to the Maitlands.

"What's going on," he said as he felt the Maitlands begin to direct him towards the window leading out to the roof. "Where are you guys talking me?"

"You'll see!" the Maitlands chimed in unison. Betelgeuse felt one of the two, he wasn't sure which, ghosts briefly let go of his hand and heard the window open. Then he felt the same ghost grab a hold of his hand again and felt himself get pulled out onto the roof with such a force he couldn't imagine.

"What's going on? Why are we out here?" he asked.

The Maitlands didn't say anything as they took the blindfold off and instructed him to look up. Despite being confused as to why, he did so and his eyes widened as his hair became light shades of pink and yellow swirled together. That was the most stunning, his first ever, sunrise he had ever seen.

"Wow!" was all he managed to utter.

"Wow? This is your first sunrise ever and that's all you can say about it?" teased Adam in a goofy voice. Barbara elbowed him gently. "Come, sit with us and enjoy it." Betelgeuse looked over. Adam and Barbara were already sat together and motioning for him to sit down and join them. He obliged to the offer, seeing as it was the only thing that he could do right now, and sat with the Maitlands.

"Isn't it breathtaking?" the Maitlands asked at once.

Betelgeuse knew he had to agree.

This was in fact the most breathtaking and beautiful sunrise he had ever seen, even though it was his very first one.