Chapter One- Jamie and Clay

Chapter One

“Am I really dead?” I asked as I started into the angels face. At least she must be an angel. She had long blond hair, it was straight, she also had these deep brown eyes, and I swear they stared right into my soul. She was wearing a strapless white dress, it fit her nicely. “Are you an angel?” She slowly nodded her head.

“You don’t remember dying?” She asked. I shook my head. “Come here.” She waved her hand for me to come over to her desk. I looked down, the floor was soft and cloud like. I walked over to her. She snapped her fingers and another chair appeared.

“Do you remember your name?” The angel asked. I shook my head no again.

“What’s yours?”

“Its Ellie. And your name is Jamie Morgan. I’ll bring you back to the moment you died.” A tv came up from the ground and stood in front of us and so it began.

***

“Jamie, please don’t come home tonight. Not tonight.” Clay’s voice was scared and I was walking to my car with an umbrella over my head. It was pouring rain.

“Clay, it’ll be ok. I promise.”

“Don’t make a promise you know you can’t keep. Why don’t you just stay at Nora’s or any friend, I don’t care. Jamie it’s really bad out there, I don’t think you understand. Please? I’m trying to keep you safe; it’s my job as your husband. Please?” He was begging me.

“I am fully aware of how bad it is out here, I just got into my car. Clay, I want to come home. I miss you. It feels like I haven’t seen you in ages. You just got back from your business trip and I’m coming home. I know you’re trying to keep me safe, but you’re not here with me, it’s my choice. I miss you, and I’m coming home and that’s that. I’ll drive slowly, I promise. That promise I can keep.”

“I don’t like this.” He said quietly.

“I know, but you can tell me how much you don’t like it when you see me. At home.” I was really being sassy.

“Ok… I love you Jamie Morgan.”

“I love you, too, Clay Morgan.” I hung up and turned on my car. I turned on some Sia and Jack Johnson just to have some soft background music.

I was going about 35 mph. I was just trying to get home. Clay and I have met in college on a blind date. And we’ve been together ever since. We barley fight and can’t stand to be without each other. It’s the worst thing ever when he’s gone on his business trips. Luckily it’s only ever for a few days and he’s never gone for weeks. I’m a little attached to him; I don’t know what I would do.

Anyways, I was going over a bridge when out of nowhere I saw head lights. Coming straight at me. He swerved and tried to miss me. But I think he was drunk and he swerved towards me instead. It was all happening in slow motions, like in the movies. My car got pushed off the bridge and into the cold water.

I fought. I held my breath and I unbuckled my seatbelt. I kicked and kicked at the windshield, but it didn’t budge. Then everything went very dark. When I opened my eyes, there was white everywhere.

***

“So, I’m dead.” I looked at her.

“Afraid so, this is never easy. I’m sorry Jamie.” Ellie said, keeping eye contact with me.

“Clay was my husband. Nora was my best friend. They were the only family I had left! And I just died.” I got quiet. “He was drunk, wasn’t he? The driver of the other car.” Ellie pressed her lips together.

“Yes, he was. It’s a good thing your beginning to remember.If you want to see your parents I can go get them.” She was trying to change the subject to make this a little easier.

“We’re in Heaven, right?”

“Yes, we are in Heaven. And so are your parents. Do you want to say hello?” I just nodded my head. I couldn’t believe I was really dead. She snapped her fingers and there they were. I hadn’t seen them in years. They died when I was in high school. They too, died in a car accident. But I was eighteen and was expected to take care and provide for myself. Both of my parents are only children and both sides of families were dead. So Nora’s parents took me in. they were already my second parents anyways.

“Mom? Dad?”

That’s right, honey.” My mom said. My mom was as beautiful as I remembered her. She has blond curly hair and these light brown loving eyes.

“I can’t believe you’re here.” My dad said slowly. My dad looked exactly the same too, he has black hair and darker brown eyes, and stubble of course.

“Neither can I.” I ran over to them and hugged them both. It was real and it was warm. It was really them.

“You’re going to love it here, honey.” Mom said. I looked back at Ellie.

“Can I talk to you alone?” I turned back to my parents. “I’m sorry, this is all really overwhelming.”

“Of course, we understand. I love you Jamie.” They kissed my forehead and they were gone.

“Ellie, what else is here?”

“Follow me, I’ll show you, where you’re going to be living.” She opened the door to her office and we walked outside. It was beautiful. Green grass, green trees, just plain old beautiful.”

“Does it always look like summer up here?”

“Actually, you can walk around we have all four seasons up here. Not to mention mountains, oceans, we have it all.” We kept walking.

Finally she came up to an apartment building. She walked through the door and I followed.

“Stay right here.” I nodded. Then she went to the front desk and began talking to another angel.

I looked around the lobby and just wow. There was a gold fountain in the middle of the room. There were beautiful paintings they covered the ceilings and walls.

“Alright, here’s your key. I’ll show you to your apartment.” Ellie said.

“Is this an apartment building or a five star hotel?” I needed to ask. She started laughing.

“An apartment, silly.”

“Well the apartments on Earth look slightly different and don’t have this kind of lobby.”

“Well this is Heaven, not Earth.” We stepped into an elevator and went straight to the top.

“Ok, here we are. You’re new home. The number is 403.” We walked inside.

It was beautiful. Wooden floors, giant kitchen. I walked around; the living room already had furniture and a flat screen TV. I wandered down the hall and into the bathroom it was red with a huge shower when you step into the shower, a showerhead hits you with water from every angle.

“Wow.” I said in amazement.

“Do you like it?” I nodded. “Come on, one more room. The bedroom.” We walked out of the bathroom then she opened a door at the end of the hallway.

It was a white room. Everything except the TV screen was white. And I mean everything. I felt like I was in some sort of mental hospital.

“I am dead right?”

“Yes, why do you ask?” Ellie asked slowly.

“Because I may think I’m not really dead and I’m really in a mental hospital. What? Did I have some sort of break down and everyone’s just playing along. Does this mean I can see Clay and Nora?” I was really excited.

“I think you need to sit down.” Ellie took my hands and lead me to the bed. She took the remote that was on the king size bed and clicked on the T.V.

“Listen, Jamie, Clay and Nora don’t know you’re gone yet. But it’s almost two in the after-noon on Earth. Police are about to go to your and Clay’s house and tell him what happened to you. This isn’t a mental break, I’ll show you how he’s doing.”

Suddenly we were in my house. The neutral colors and everything that felt like home. I remember painting the house with him. Clay was sitting on the couch. He looked good, but worried. He was wearing a blue button down shirt and the sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. And he was wearing tan pants. He had blond hair and it was spiked as always, and he had these deep blue eyes that were beyond beautiful, I could stare into them forever.

“Maybe I should call her again. She would have called me by now. Or at least someone would have, right? God…” He buried his head in his hands and was trying to take deep breaths. I was standing in front of him with Ellie by my side.

“Clay, baby, I’m right here.” I walked over and sat next to him on the couch.

“He can’t hear you, see you, or feel you.” Ellie stayed in the same spot. All of a sudden there was a knock at the door. Clay got up and ran to the door. Once again, everything was moving in slow motion.

When Clay opened the door, there was a policeman standing there with his hat in his hands.

“Mr. Morgan?” The police office asked.

“Yes, that’s me. Do you know where my wife is? Have you found her?” He was so anxious, if only he knew what the policeman was about to say. I know he doesn’t want to hear it.

“Mr. Morgan… I’m sorry to inform you but we found your wife’s car in the water late last night. There was a drunk driver and they collided and her car went off the bridge. I can’t imagine how hard this is for you. And I am deeply sorry. But we need you to come down to the station and identify the body.” He couldn’t look Clay in the eyes.

“You just told me it was her! Why do I need to do that?” Clay was crying.

“Well we need to make sure its her. We know its her car, but its just protocol, sir.”

“Alright, fine. I’ll be there. I just need a few minutes alone. I’m ok to drive. Thank you.” He shut the door on the officer who was just doing his job. Clay tried to take a few steps then fell to the floor sobbing. He isn’t ok to drive.

“No. No. No. Jamie. Come back, please? I love you!” I turned to Ellie. I couldn’t stand to see him like this. I’ve never seen him this upset.

“So, I’m dead.” It was confirmed.

“That’s the hardest part of my job. Convincing the victims that they really are dead. But my method works best.” She held her arms open for a hug. She was like the police officer, just doing her job. I went in and hugged her, it felt nice.

“Can I see Nora?” I asked.

“You can, but Clay is about to tell her what happened.”

“It’s ok. I can handle it.” So with that, Ellie snapped her fingers.

We were in Nora’s house. She lived alone because more often than not she was at the zoo. That’s where she worked. She’s always had this great passion for animals, especially tigers. Nora was sitting at the kitchen table.

I wandered around her house. So many great memories in this place. I had a key to her house just incase I ever needed her. And she has the key to mine and Clay’s house.

There was a light knock at the door.

“Coming!” She got up from the table and opened the door. “Clay! I’m so happy you’re here. Sometimes your easier to deal with when it comes to this whole baby thing.” She grabbed his wrist and pulled him in. He was trying so hard to be strong.

“Baby thing?” I said to Ellie. Ellie just shrugged.

“Can I get you something to drink? Have a seat.” As she was already getting two glasses down. Nora had this beautiful long wavy brown hair, and these piercing green eyes. She was wearing a purple strapless sun dress.

“I’m trying to plan something’s for the baby shower. Like games, and prizes and what people should get you guys. I have a few good ideas, want to hear them?” Clay buried his face in his hands again. Nora turned around. She kept her distance.

“What’s wrong?” She always knew. Although sometimes she could be really oblivious.

“Nora, something happened. There was a crash last night and-”

“Ok! We got to go, let’s go now. She’s in the hospital and that’s ok. We’ll just help her plan the baby shower there. She’s only seven months pregnant. Everything is going to be fine.” Nora cut him off.

“Nora, she’s not in the hospital. She’s… Nora, please don’t make me say it. Please?” He stood up from his chair. Nora began shaking and trembling uncontrollably. Her knees were about to give out. I rushed to her, and as I did so did Clay. Always in sync. Clay caught her because I was gone. She went right through my arms. I would never be able to hold her in my arms when she cries ever again.

“Shh, it’s ok… We’ll figure it out. We’ll figure this out.” He kept repeating.

“Ok, we can go.” I turned to Ellie. For the last time she snapped her fingers and we were back.

“In the first memory you showed me, when I died, why didn’t it show me pregnant?” I had to ask. I put my hand on my stomach; it was perfectly flat like nothing was ever there.

“Because I didn’t want to freak you out, or make you more sad. I have my reasons. But I forgot to cut that part out. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.” I knew she was.

“It’s ok. So anyways, does everything have to be so white?” I wanted to change the subject; there was no point in holding this against her.

“Nope.” She went over to the nightstand and grabbed out a game controller. At least that’s what it looked like to me. Clay always played video games.

“See you just point it at the wall or whatever you want to color and say the color.” She handed it over to me.

I pointed it at the bed and said “Red.” And vol-la it was red.

“Can I say like forest, rain, city too? Does it work only in the bedroom?” I had to admit that was pretty awesome.

“One question at a time, girl. Yes, anything you want it to be, it will be. No, you can use it anywhere in your house.”

“Awesome.” I pointed it at a wall and made it a forest. I was beginning to miss home. I mean no matter how I look at it, tonight when I lay down tonight everything is going to be different. I’m not going to get a goodnight kiss from my amazing husband, I’m not going to be able to sleep in his arms, have his body warmth. It’s all going to change and not be ok tonight.

“Hey, Ellie?”

“Hey, Jamie?”

“Can I go back down to Earth and see how everyone is doing? Is that allowed if I’m not with my angel?” She looked kind of confused. She cocked her head to the side.

“Why would you want to leave? Was it not what you expected?” She spoke slowly.

“No, it’s everything and more. I was just wondering if I could check on Clay and Nora, you know? Or let them know I’m ok somehow?”

“Yes, there is a way. But there are some exceptions.”

“So it’s legal for me to do that?” I asked.

“Yes, but you can’t spend everyday and every night there. There are regulations. The gates to Heaven close at 1 AM unless you just died. And you’re already dead, so you need to be back by 1 or else.”

“Or else what?” What could happen to me? I’m in the most peaceful place there is, right?

“Listen, it doesn’t end well, and I’d rather not tell you. Just be back by 1AM. Promise?” I cocked my head to the side, mimicking her.

“I promise.” She rolled her eyes and stood up straight.

“Ok, good. Are you going to be ok? I need to talk to some other angels and welcome more people to Heaven.” Ellie walked to the door and leaned against the doorframe.

“Yeah, I’ll be fine. I promise. I’ll just decorate the apartment and stuff.” I gave her a smile. I walked past her and she followed me to the door.

“Ok… Call me, if you need me. I’m on your speed dial. By the way your new iphone is on the kitchen counter.”

“Wow, thank you. I promise I’ll call if I need you.” She hugged me then she was gone. Finally, I was alone. All alone. What do I do now?