A Woodstone Manor Christmas

 

Table of Contents

Author’s Note

Chapter 1—A Holiday Escape

Chapter 2—Roxanne Makes Her Final Wishes

Chapter 3—With Every Ounce of Effort

Chapter 4—Never Giving Up

Epilogue

 

Author’s Note: Yes, I do realize this is self-ship but in writing this, I feel healing, catharsis, and some much-needed self-love that I have been not only wanting but needing. 

 

 

Chapter 1—A Holiday Escape

                It was Christmas at Woodstone Manor, and the ghosts were celebrating in their different ways.   Even if they were unique in their world views, something about this time of year made people more reflective, kinder, gentler, and even more serene.   

                ‘I thought we were going to be booked until January !’, Jay complained, seeing that the guest book hadn’t had a single check in since Thanksgiving had come and gone.    Halloween was, by and large, the B&B’s biggest draw, but there were the occasional paranormal enthusiasts that would come just for the thrill of the manor and others who would come to be scared out of their wits’ ends.    These fads had come and gone, however, and now only people who wanted an escape would lodge.    Unfortunately, no one seemed interested in spending the holiday season there this year until a call came in on the landline.

                ‘Landline ringing !’, Thorfinn exclaimed excitedly.   Sam immediately picked up the phone and was overjoyed that it was someone who wanted to spend the holiday there, including New Year’s Eve.   

                The moment Roxanne Bernhart arrived; the ghosts were charmed by how warm, friendly, and lovely she was.   They were also impressed that she could sense them. 

                ‘I’ve heard tales about this place before !’, she said eagerly.   All the while, Trevor couldn’t help but feel his heart flutter.   He had experienced love in the mortal world and even had a family, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on why Roxanne came across as so sad to him.    He wished that she could see or hear them, but it only seemed that her ability was limited to sensing their presence there, or the smell some of the ghosts encompassed.   Somehow though,  he found it emboldening that another human knew they were all around and didn’t seem one ounce afraid.   Still, there was something that was concerning about her, he just couldn’t figure out what it was exactly.  

 

Chapter 2—Roxanne Makes Her Final Wishes

                Little did everyone else sense what Roxanne was actually wrestling with.  Not long ago the man she thought was her one true soulmate happened to be cheating on her with a younger woman.   She had the ring around her finger but had decided to leave that behind with a suicide note she was beginning to write. 

                ‘To whomever finds this, I am done.   Finished trying to figure things out.   I thought I had everything I had ever wanted, but I could never have you.   Granted I am happy you have found joy in your life, but without love, why bother living ?   Please forgive me.   I suppose in that aspect, I am nothing more than a loser, and a reject.’, Roxanne signed.   She took a rope she had been fashioning and looked around the room for someplace to hang her noose.   The other ghosts had been so busy being festive that they hadn’t noticed Roxanne beginning to spiral.   Trevor though, knew that he had felt something was dreadfully wrong with her.    The night was already falling quickly, and Jay had gone to bed for the evening.   Meanwhile, Sam was watching reruns of some of her favorite sitcoms.  

                ‘Sam !  Sam !’, he said, trying to break her from her trance.  

                ‘What is it Trev ?  Can’t you see I’m a little busy ?’, she said, slightly annoyed.   When Trevor whispered his complaints, Roxanne was nearly about to commit the unerasable deed, but Sam caught her.    Trevor couldn’t help but want to comfort her.   When he saw her note on the bed, he fought back tears.    How anyone couldn’t love this woman was beyond him.    She was stunning, even with her mascara running.   She might have been a little older, but he had fallen for her spirit.   He couldn’t imagine having such a sweet lady die on the property even if it did mean he’d never be alone.    He knew that she would be tied to the manor, and the thought of that ripped him apart.  

                Roxanne blubbered and blathered, unable to make any sense.  

                ‘Let me DIE !’, she wailed.   Trevor wished he could hold her, make her see she wasn’t a failure or a waste of space.   To him, she was beautiful, and it wasn’t his loins talking.   She felt like a soulmate.  

                ‘I can’t do that.   Maybe if you just relax for a bit and go to sleep, you’ll see the world in a different light ?’, Sam stated softly.   She was afraid to touch Roxanne for fear of what the repercussions would be, but Roxanne actually allowed herself to be vulnerable.   It was then the other ghosts became curious about what was happening, only to realize that Trevor was falling in love with her.

                ‘You did a brave thing, Trevor.’, Sass complimented.   Trevor didn’t want to toot his own horn, but he only wanted Roxy to be happy, even if he wasn’t certain how he was going to do that. 

                ‘I want to encourage her, but I don’t want to freak her out.  My heart hasn’t felt this full in a while.’, Trevor confessed.   Seeing him smitten with her made the other ghosts see a side of Trevor they hadn’t expected.  

                ‘Well, there is one way, but it’s unorthodox.’, Flower stated.    She whispered that some ghosts had the ability to breech the subconscious if they tried hard enough.  

                ‘That seems a bit cringy.’, Trevor said.   He was a bit afraid that if he didn’t, she might still try to off herself in some other way, like leaping from one of the overlooks.    Her emotional state was still very fragile.  

                ‘I can try, but I’m afraid it’ll backfire.’, he said, doubting himself.  

                ‘I think Trevor should go for it.’, Thorfinn encouraged him with a hearty slap to the back.  

                ‘I’ve actually done so myself.   It…didn’t really go so well, but it might work.  What is it they said in the nineties ?’, Sass chimed in.

                ‘Just do it !   Flower, Sass, Thor, I can’t thank you enough.’, Trevor said, gratefully. 

 

Chapter 3—With Every Ounce of Effort

                Roxy had exhausted herself weeping herself to sleep.   With every ounce of effort, Trevor initiated the same power Sass had achieved so easily and appeared in Roxanne’s dreams.   While she was there, she was at a Parisian café, listening to music and eating expensive pastries.   

                Trevor knew he had no pants in the dream, but somehow the dreamscape gave him exquisitely fashionable clothes.   He looked sharper than he had ever appeared in his waking life.   He couldn’t help but be impressed with how detailed Roxanne’s mind was.   He wondered if she had kept her innovative side hidden under a bushel but decided to keep that information to himself.   

                At the table, Roxanne looked stunning.   She was dressed in Christmas finery, humming a French carol.    Trevor couldn’t help but feel warmth stirring in his heart, since her voice was so lyrical and charming.    He had manifested a bouquet of roses but felt his heart quicken when approaching her.  

                ‘Is this seat taken ?’, he asked.  

                ‘N-no.   Who are you ?’, she asked.   Momentarily, she smelled the aftershave he was wearing, and she smiled broadly. 

                ‘Call me Trevor.   I died back in 2000.   Bit of a long story, actually.’, Trevor said.  He wanted so badly to hold her hand but didn’t want to seem too forward.  

                ‘I smelled you earlier.  I know that sounds a little…odd.  I’m very perceptive.’, she said.  

                ‘I noticed.   That’s such an incredible gift.  Well, now you can see me.  I hope this isn’t intrusive.’, Trevor said, feeling creepier by the minute. 

                ‘No, actually…I was feeling so alone.   I didn’t think anyone would care if I, well…Just ended everything.’, Roxanne began.    Her beautiful blue eyes stared to pool with tears.   Trevor loathed seeing her become upset, so, he wiped her tears very gently.

                ‘Sam proved that is totally incorrect.   Whoever left you was a damned schmuck.  No, I’ll go one worse.   That idiot was a putz.   He doesn’t deserve you and you deserve better.’, Trevor said.   He looked down and noticed that subconsciously, his hands and her’s had clasped.   The electricity that ran through him was undeniable.   This woman was his soul mate.   There was no doubt about it.   The surges running through him were sublime.   He never wanted to leave her side, but he knew that the window the two shared together was getting smaller.   

                ‘Do you think I’ll always be alone ?’, she asked, with some sorrow.   Trevor looked at her and laughed. 

                ‘Honey, I’m a financier, not a prognosticator.  With your mind, your gentleness, any guy would be lucky to have you.’, he said, sweetly.    She looked at him, lovingly.  

                ‘Thank you for telling me all of this.   You, my dear, are a mensch.’, she said.

                ‘Ohhh, and you speak Yiddish.  Be still my heart.’, Trevor said.   He couldn’t hold back any longer.    He switched the atmosphere up only slightly to a dance hall where the two could be closer.  

                ‘I’ve always wanted to dance with someone, but I felt so foolish…’, Trevor asked.

                ‘It isn’t.   This is fantasy.   Do with it what you will.’, Roxanne said, with a bit of seduction.    Even if she was seducing him, he remained a gentleman, but he couldn’t restrain himself from bringing her close and kissing her.   It was far more intimate than anything he had felt before.    His soul and her’s merged for a moment and he had to catch his breath.  

                ‘Did that just happen ?’, he asked, looking at her as though her ultimate dream had come true. 

                ‘You were unbelievable…’, she said, as they kissed again into the night.   When she awoke, she was singing and having the most incredible time.   All the while Trevor was bewildered, staggered at what had just happened between them.   Something told him that he wouldn’t be seeing her again, but he had to leave a trinket somewhere that would remind her of him whenever she felt low, so he went to consult the female ghosts for a bit of help. 

                Immediately, the male ghosts gathered around Trevor, noticing something different about him.   Even the gals saw that he was singing Broadway tunes, something he only did when he was rhapsodically happy.  

                ‘You seem awfully chipper.’, Higgentoot complimented.   Trevor melted as soon as he saw Roxanne striding around the corner, radiant, confident with a jaunty spring in her step.   And, oh, her voice.   Hearing her singing made him feel ecstatic.    As soon as she left to explore the town, he finally asked them for assistance.

                ‘She’ll only be here until New Year’s Day and then she’s returning.  That woman is my soul mate.’, Trevor explained.    Pete was moved to tears.

                ‘It’s a Christmas miracle, everyone !’, Alberta said as the lot of them, even Hetty, came to hug him.    Pete had explained that he could find something meaningful to give her.

                ‘Any change I had was in my pants.’, Trevor said, regrettably.   His hand was still lingering over his heart as he poured out his feelings to his best friends.  

                ‘I could hear her singing, and I’ve noticed your singing voice is remarkable.   Who knew ?’, Issac commented.    Then Trevor had an eureka moment. 

                ‘Issac, you’re brilliant, bro !   I’ll sing to her and that’ll be my gift.   I think somehow, she’ll know that whenever she hears her song she’ll know I’m thinking about her even if I can’t go with her.’, Trevor said.     Trevor wondered if this is what was meant by ‘heaven on earth’, but he didn’t question it.    So long as he could continue making Roxanne happy, he had a feeling that somehow, someway, he would see her again in the afterlife if he could ever figure out what his unfinished business was.  

 

Chapter 4—Never Giving Up

                It was Christmas eve, and Roxanne had returned from doing volunteer work.  

                ‘It’s so good to see you’re feeling better.    I told Jay about what you were going through, and I’ve decided to stay connected with you.   I mean, if that’s permissible.’, Sam offered.    She and Jay didn’t have many like-minded friends, let alone espers.    Just know you’re always welcome here.’, she said.   Jay couldn’t help but be inspired by Roxanne’s indominable spirit, grit, and gumption.   

                Coming back into the room, Roxanne found it was decorated beautifully.   Trevor had decided to go all out for her. 

                ‘You don’t need to impress me.  You’ve given me such pleasure, I cannot possibly repay you.’, Roxanne said.    Trevor gave the gorgeous vixen privacy as she bathed, singing Christmas carols merrily.   

                As she sunk into reverie, Trevor met her again.   She rushed into his arms, hugging him and ravishingly kissed his neck.   Trevor felt himself blushing.    Roxanne’s passion sated a hunger in him he had long since forgotten but being with her had been spectacularly healing.   

                ‘I wanted to give you something to remember me by.’, Trevor said, gently.   He held her hands, stroked them, and began singing Eta James’ At Last.    Unable to stop herself, Roxanne sang in harmony with him and the two danced.  

                ‘I want you.   I shouldn’t but I do.’, he said, hungrily.     Roxanne changed her dreamscape into something a bit more intimate, pulling him teasingly forward with his tie and tussling his raven hair.   Each touch just aroused him more.   He didn’t question being with her, it just felt right.    The love they made was earth shattering and Trevor now understood what he had truly been missing.    Again and again, being in orgasmic concert with her was nothing short of sublime.   

                ‘I love you dearly.   I want you to have happiness in the waking world.   The man who uniquely suits %you will know that.    Don’t forget…Please.   You deserve it and more, but frankly, you have all of me.    I will always be yours.’, Trevor said romantically.     Roxanne smiled.

                ‘I don’t want to keep you captive Trevor.   I am certain your family adores you.  I don’t want to come between them and you.   As much as I love you I can’t.’, Roxanne said, tenderly.    In the twilight hours of that dream, Trevor stroked Roxanne’s strawberry blonde hair and gave her a lingering kiss.    It was bittersweet but it didn’t surprise Trevor one bit.  This woman, she was one rare treasure.    Giving her freedom was the best thing he could do for her.    After all, he had a family and someday, they would come to visit him.    Somehow, though, he knew that song would come back to her whenever she needed it most and she would remember there was always a soul out there who loved her unconditionally.  

 

Epilogue

                Roxanne took her leave after ringing in the new year and she paid Jay and Sam a hefty bonus to make the place a bit cozier.   All the repairs the two couldn’t do before, Roxanne jovially funded.    Every little ‘fixer upper’ that they had planned would be covered.  

                ‘I’m recommending this place to others.   They don’t know the gem that exists, and historians alike would love this charming, quaint abode.’, she said.   

                ‘I can see exactly why you like her.’, Hetty quipped.   All of the ghosts had become very fond of Roxanne and felt a little sad, a kindred spirit was leaving them.    She had a whole world to explore and experience, but her heart felt a bit lighter, and her hope continued to flourish long after she left Woodstone.  

 

The End