Love's Return

Johnny gave a sigh of relief as the front door slammed shut. He watched from the window as the small family got into their car and pulled away, a feeling of peace settled over him. With the sounds of the car fading in the background he began to drift from room to room. In each room he was able to spot something that needed repaired or replaced. The walls in each room needed repainting from years of pictures staying in the small position, hardwood floors were also in need of repair in the dining room and the carpet in the living room needed replaced.

All of these things he could do on his own and he wanted to do them. He wanted to get the place back in shape and return it to the way it looked when he first bought it only he had a problem.

He was dead.

He’s been dead a long time now. To think he survived being drafted, going through boot camp and making it through the invasion of Pearl Harbor. Somehow living through numerous battles till the end of the war, only to have death take him on his return flight home.

Looking out the back door the memories of that day come back to him, the roaring engines of the plane and the Pacific Ocean flying by underneath.

He continued to look out the door watching a squirrel play on a tree branch. Running his hand through his hair he smiles as the memory of sitting on the plane wishing he had had the time to visit the barber, but he was in such a hurry to get home to his sweet Ashley that he jumped at the first available flight home.

He turned and started toward the stairs to the second story, slowly climbing, his mind back in that plane that faithful day.

He had been leaning against the side of the plane getting ready to doze off when a terrible noise started coming from one of the engines on the left wing; the smell of smoke started filling the cabin. He remembered thinking this can’t be happening, that this plane can not be getting ready to crash.

Things went from bad to worse as the airplane started shaking violently and the smoke became even thicker. Then suddenly everything went quiet; the terrible noise from the engine had stopped. He was getting ready to thank heaven above when it hit him; it’s to quiet. All the engines had stopped completely.

Everything started happening rapidly now. The pilot and co-pilot could be heard calling out for mayday over the radio. The plane began to pitch forward, picking up speed as gravity took over pulling the plane down toward the ocean below.

Every muscle inside him was clenched tight with fear and sweat coated his skin. There was nothing he could do to help them except pray, which he did with every fiber of his being for their survival.

The last thing he remembered was seeing an image of Ashley flashing before him. Her eyes were filled with so much love that for a brief moment it gave his heart joy, only to be over taken by sorrow of what he was going to leave behind.

Right before the plane hit the water he remembered reaching out to her with his hand and seeing her do the same. He swore he could feel their hands touch and as they did he cried out. “I’ll never leave you; I’ll be by your side always and forever. I love you Ashley.” Then everything went black.

He gave himself a shake to find he was in the main bedroom of the house. The sun had gone down and given way to twilight. He moved toward the window feeling weak and sad. The memories of his past and of what he lost zapped his energy. He could feel that dark place, that empty void between life and death calling him. No matter how hard he fought that pull he could never win and he hated that cause he never knew how long he would stay in that place. That dark void only let him return when his ghostly self had recharged.

He took one last look around the room, feeling that void closing in around him but this time he didn’t care, he welcomed it with open arms. Knowing that for at least a little while he would forget the life and love he lost.

Ashley gave a whoop of joy as she pulled into the drive of her new home. Finally a house to call her own instead of renting someone else’s.

She stepped from the car with a smile on her face, her eyes looking the house over. The place was just so cute and charming, how she got lucky enough to find it much less get the house she would never know.

She walked around to the trunk of her car and began to unload boxes to the lawn. With one large box in her arms she walked up the steps to the cozy front porch. After setting the box down she reached into her pocket for that golden key, unlocking the door and pushed it wide open.

She stepped inside with her one of the last few boxes of her belongings and set it in the living room floor. Doing a slow turn, her smile getting bigger by the second she said out loud. “I’m back. I’m finally back where I belong.”

She hesitated a second. “What the hell do I mean by that? I’ve never been here before.”

She searched her memory trying to find anytime that she may have been here before but came up with a blank. “I must be more tired then I thought.” She said out loud.

The house had now been hers officially for two week and in that time she had some repairs made, like walls painted and new carpet installed. There were still a few repairs left but nothing to keep her from moving in.

With all the furniture in place thanks to the strong backs of friends the only thing now was to unpack all the boxes. Thinking that music would makes things go faster she set up her stereo quickly and smiled brightly as the Big Band sounds of the 1940’s came in loud and clear.

Box after box of her things got quickly unloaded as she hummed along with the music of Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman. She wondered about her taste of music as she began to unload the huge collection of compact discs she had. You could find almost anything from her personal favorite of country, to the wide range of classic rock and oldies, to even a few opera singers. But Big Band found a place in her heart the first time she heard it as a child and she just couldn’t explain it.

After she finished with the unloading the last of the compact discs she went to the kitchen and made herself some lemonade and returned back to the living room, stretching out on the couch. The soothing melody of an old love song helped to relax her tired and aching muscles. She felt her eyes getting heavy and thought that she would take just a small nap to get her strength back and it wasn’t long before sleep claimed her.

He was still in that dark void and to tell the truth he didn’t really care how long he had been there either. Time always seem to move at a different pace here then what it did in the real world, but right now he felt something starting to happen to him unlike before. Something was tugging at his soul and he wondered if maybe he was finally heading for either heaven or hell after all these years of lingering in this no man’s land.

The first thing that came to him was sound. At first it was a soft buzzing noise but as the sound got louder he thought it sounded like music that was popular back when he was alive.

With his curiosity sparked he blinked and the next thing he knew he was back in the main bedroom, right where he was when he disappeared into that void, but things had changed while he had been gone.

Instead of an empty bedroom now there stood what looked like an antique sleigh bed. He glanced around the room to find the matching pieces to go with the bed. Boxes were stacked up around the room and the closet door was open with clothes stuck inside.

“Damn, so much for peace and quiet.” He thought to himself.

Figuring he might as well get this over with and see just what had moved into his house while he had been gone he left the bedroom.

So he began to move around the upstairs, looking into each room seeing more and more signs of someone moving in. He noticed that the walls had been painted a warm beige color and some of the old carpeting was gone.

Heading downstairs the music was louder and at the moment a song was playing that had been one of his favorites back when he was in the service.

“Well at least they have good taste in music.” He said out loud.

He looked in the kitchen seeing new appliances and the counter tops loaded with unloaded boxes.

With no one in the dining room he moved on into the living room to find only a small lamp turned on. He didn’t see anyone at first till a movement on the couch got his attention.

“Well let’s see what we have.” He said as he circled to the front of the couch.

The first thing he saw was a pair of bare feet with blood red painted toenails. His eyes moved up slowly taking in long legs with shapely calves and smooth knees.

So far so good he thought, his eyes moving up over the pair of shorts that she wore to settle on the tank top that was covering her ample chest. He took his time looking his fill, liking the soft lush figure she had. His eyes finally landed on her breasts and he couldn’t stop the moan that passed his lips. He felt his cock start to get hard as he looked at her. It been so long since he had gotten this hard he almost forgot how good it felt.

“With a body like that she has to have a beautiful face.” He thought as he reluctantly pulled his gazed from her breasts to look up slowly at her face. He licked his lips as he saw her mouth, the lips so full and kissable looking.

“I bet she is one hell of a great kisser.” He said out loud.

He pulled his eyes from her lips to see a cute nose and her eyes closed in sleep. He looked at her dark curly hair before taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly.

He blinked a few times to refocus so he could take in the whole picture.

“It can’t be.” He said in a shocked voice, closing his eyes and shaking his head hard, hoping that the features of the woman before him would change.

When he open his eyes once again it was like someone had hit him in the stomach his breath came out so fast as he took in the sight of her face.

“She‘s dead, it can‘t be her. I watched her die. This can’t be Ashley.”

The ache in his chest grew stronger with each second he stared at her. If he had a beating heart still it would have stopped.

She’s identical to Ashley in ever feature. From every curve to the height of her cheekbones she looked like her. He sat his ghostly self down on the coffee table in front of her and just stared.

“She’s come back to me. My lovely Ashley has finally come back.” His voice breaking as Johnny did something he had not done since he watched her pass away the first time, He cried.

Ashley moaned as she started to wake, the pain in her neck was fierce from sleeping on the couch. She opens her eyes slowly, wincing as the bright sunlight streamed in through the front window. Carefully raising her arms she stretched out her still tired body, moving her hands to her neck and tenderly rubbing the aching muscles there. Her hands gently working the knots and she wished that someone else was doing this right now, someone with a pair of strong hands, limber fingers. The only thing that could make that wish even better was if those hands were connected to a hot hard man.

After a few minutes she got up from the couch and folded the throw that had been covering her.

“I must have woke up for a few seconds to put this over me.” She thought to herself.

She walked into the kitchen and started the coffee then headed upstairs. She pulled open a drawer in her bedroom getting out fresh clothes to work in and went to the shower. After adjusting the temperature she stepped under the spray. She moaned out loud as the water beat upon her stiff and aching muscles. Tilting her head back she let the water soak her hair and run down her body. The warm water slid down her neck into the valley between her breasts, continuing over her stomach and winding a path down between her legs.

She shivered a little as the warm water caressed her clit. She reached up and pulled down the newly installed hand held shower massager, rotating the setting to a soft pulse.

First she started with the water on her stiff neck, letting the throb of the water work its magic on her tired muscles. She slowly eased the shower head down over one shoulder and stopping at her breasts to let the spray stimulate her already harden nipples.

She next lowered the spray over her stomach to the top of her mound. As she drew closer to her pussy she leaned back against the shower wall and spread her legs apart.

She decided to tease herself first by keeping the stream of water from touching her clit to work beneath. Moaning softly as the soft pulsing jet tapped her pussy lips and between the wet folds. Reaching down with the other hand she spread herself open so the water could touch her even deeper, moaning louder as the water just barely worked inside of her.

Her breathing seem to echo inside the enclosed shower as she started the spray upwards, her hips bucking away from the wall when the pulsing spray hit upon her swollen clit.

She moved the throbbing spray around and around her clit, driving herself toward completion. With her need climbing higher she turned the adjustable head up, causing the water to pound now against her clit. Her knees bend and her hips pump her pussy into the stream, her hand moving the shower massager causing the water to stroke her clit like lover’s fingers would.

Her moans become mixed with whimpers, her breathing getting louder and heavier with each stroking movement of the water on her clit. Her whole body felt on fire as the flame built hotter and higher between her legs.

Then out of nowhere her orgasm slammed into her. Her body stiffening and arching away from the shower wall. Her hips tipped, her hand holding the showerhead still, keeping the pounding pressure of the spray on her clit. Then the waves of pleasure started each causing her to pump herself into the water throbbing against her clit. Her whole body shook as the spasms of pleasure made her muscles through out her body clench over and over till at last her body went limp and her knees almost buckled.

She leaned her head back against the wall trying to keep her body upright and get her breathing back to normal when suddenly a loud bang filled the room, causing her to jump inside the shower and almost fall. She jerked her head up trying to figure out what happen, her eyes searching the bathroom. Her eyes widen as she looked at the bathroom door and out loud she said. “I left that door open.”

Johnny made his way up into the attic area gasping for his breath. His body on fire and his cock throbbing behind his fly. He moaned out as his hand settled over the bulge under his pants, his mind flashing images of the woman in the shower before his closed eyelids.

He didn’t mean to stay in the bathroom when he seen that she was stripping for her shower but that beautiful body of hers kept his feet nailed to the floor. He squeezed his cock through his clothes as he thought of the water cascading down her lush body. When his eyes saw her harden nipples he had felt himself tremble and his mouth go dry with the need to suckle her. Then he thought of how she used that showerhead to make herself cum and swore he could feel his cock leaking in his shorts.

He groaned out loud and jerked his hand away from his cock.

“One day, one day and she is driving me crazy.” He shouted out in the attic.

Running his hands through his hair as he started to pace back and forth, so distracted that he didn’t bother to duck for the beams of the roof like he normally would, his ghostly body just drifted right through them.

He knew she was out of the shower and downstairs now as the music filtered up through the floors. He drifted down through each floor till he was in the living room, watching her move around and unload books into an already crowded bookshelf.

He had to get rid of her that was all there was to it. If he was going to be locked here on this plane of non-existence she had to go. There just was no way he could go seeing her each day, watching her live and breathe, unable to touch, to only watch her get older and pass away, once again to leave him behind.

He felt a weak smile on his lips as the plan started building in his mind.

“Soon lady you will be out of here so don’t be getting too comfortable.” He said out loud as he turned and walked from the room.

Ashley felt like she was making great progress this morning as box after box was emptied. She paused to take a sip of coffee looking at the crammed bookshelf with rolls of romance novels lined up. She reached out for one and smiled as she looked at the cover, it was one of her favorites, the first paranormal romance she ever read. She remembered how it made her laugh and cry when she read the authors words on how the ghost and his love finally came together.

Just as she was putting the book back on the shelf a funny feeling came over her, the hair on the back of her neck stood up. She felt like someone was staring at her. She couldn’t help herself and she quickly looked over her shoulder to make sure. She released a loud sigh when she saw no one was there. Laughing out loud she thought. “It’s just new house jitters.”

She slide the book back into place and resumed unpacking, finally getting to the last box for the living room.

Now she could start on hanging some pictures. She lined up the few pictures she had, some of family and friends and a few others of decorative scenes.

She lined them up side by side and figured on what she wanted where. She went to the kitchen getting a hammer and some nails and came back but something had happen while she was gone just those few seconds.

The pictures were now scattered around the room, from lying on the couch to leaning against the front door. Feeling a little scared she walked over to the door and noticed it was still locked so no one could have gotten in that way.

“Ok.” She let the word drag out, turning back around only to find the pictures back the way they were except for the one at her feet.

“Come on now.” She said with agitation in her voice, starting to get mad, Thinking. “ I know this move has taken a lot of work but not enough to make me crazy.”

With a huff of breath she picked up the picture and put it back. In no time at all she had the pictures up and was moving into the dining room.

She gasped at the sight that greeted her in the dining room. The table was on its side, chairs at odd angles, some of the dishes had been removed from the hutch and stacked in the corner.

Now she was scared, scared that someone was in her house. She stood still as could be trying to listen for sound of movement, but the only sound she heard was of her own heavy breathing. With a shaking hand she reached out and grabbed the cordless phone and started walking toward the kitchen, her eyes huge with fear.

Johnny stood back in the corner watching her tiptoe toward the kitchen. At first he had laughed when she got mad over the incident in the living room but he stopped laughing when he saw the fear now on her face.

He let out a heavy sigh. “I can’t do it. I can’t scare her like this.”

He felt a heavy feeling in his chest as she disappeared into the kitchen. He quickly rearranged the room back the way it was, then hoping to make her fear go away he went to the front door, working the lock and opening the door, he slammed it hard.

He heard her scream and something crash in the kitchen. He headed in that direction when she came slamming through the door separating the dining room and the kitchen with a big rolling pin in her hand. Before he could move out of her way she ran right through him.

Johnny groaned hard as her body passed through his. He felt like he was on fire from head to toe, he even thought he heard his body sizzle from the heat his skin was so hot. He had others over the year’s pass through him but no one; not a single one had ever effected him this way.