Page 80 of Something Like Forever

“It’s my birthday,” hesaid to Jace’s photo. “You at least have to sing to me.”

No reply.

“Not inthe mood to talk, huh? We could cuddle instead.” Ben grabbed thepicture frame and took it to the bedroom. He set it next to thesink while he brushed his teeth, then brought it with him to bed,placing it on the side table. “Just for tonight,” Ben said sternly.“I don’t want Tim showing up unexpectedly and catching us in bedtogether.”

In truth, he could fillthe room with photos of Jace, and Tim wouldn’t complain. He was toogenerous about the situation, always taking Ben’s feelings intoconsideration. That’s exactly why Ben didn’t keep the photo there,to pay him the same courtesy.

He got into bed and madesure the photo was angled toward him. Ben stared at it for a solidminute, absorbing every detail of the smiling face and using memoryto animate it in his mind. His hand touched the glassaffectionately before reaching to turn out the light. Scootingdeeper into the blankets, he closed his eyes, drifting off tosleep.

When he woke again, thesun was on his face, warming it and making it all too easy to keephis eyes closed.

“Happy birthday toyou.”

Ben’s eyes shot open. Hewas still facing a window, but the view had changed. He was on thefirst floor now instead of the second.

“Happybirthday to you. Happy birthday, my dearest Ben…”

The voice was soft, andwhile the owner still wasn’t much of a singer, it was leaguesbetter than Tim’s. He rolled over, a tall figure standing next tothe bed, still in his bathrobe. In his hands was a tray, but Benignored it to focus on the face.

“Happybirthday,” Jace continued, singing the final line, “toyou.”

Ben stared. Then his lipstrembled and he started crying, all while shoving the sheets awayand stumbling out of bed, just to reach him.

“Whoa,whoa, whoa!” Jace said, quickly setting down the tray of food onthe side table. “You always get like this. Comehere.”

Ben threw himself intothose arms, unable to get any words out or to stop sobbing, becausehe had fantasized about moments like these countless times, littledaydreams where he would turn around from whatever he was doing tofind Jace standing behind him. Oh. Of course. Ben got himself undercontrol and pulled away. “This is a dream. Isn’t it?”

“No,” Jace said, using athumb to wipe away the tears. “Not exactly.”

Ben’s eyes went wide. “Ohgod! I’m dead, aren’t I? Really good food must mean extremely badfood poisoning.”

“No,” Jace said, chucklingwarmly. “Although the meat did look a little raw.”

“I think it was supposed to be that way,”Ben said. He sat on the edge of the bed and glanced around. He washome. Just not the home he had been living in the past seven years.This little house belonged to the past. To him and Jace. “I wasgoing to ask how you’re here, but I guess the right question ishowI’mhere. Is this Heaven?”

“Areflection of it,” Jace said. “All I can do is meet youhalfway.”

“So you’restill…”

“I’m afraidso.”

Ben looked him over. Jacehadn’t aged a day. Everything was just as he remembered, even theslightly frayed sleeve of Jace’s robe. He could smell the eggs onthe serving tray and hear the sound of a car driving down thestreet outside. Only the light was different. Purer, somehow.Warmer.

“I wanted this to bepossible,” Ben said. “I didn’t think I’d ever see you again, but Ihoped.”

Jace smiled. “Somedaywe’ll be together again. Not too soon, I hope, buteventually.”

“So it’s all true? Theafterlife? Heaven? Hell?”

“Thegood stuff is true,” Jace replied. “The bad stuff is just peopletrying to scare others into doing what they want. There’s nothingto fear. For anyone.”

Ben barely heard hiswords, emotion rising in him again. “Why did you wait so long? If Icould have just seen that you’re all right and known that we’d betogether again someday…”

Jace sat next to him andtook his hand. “I will always be there when you need me. Ipromise.”

Ben squeezed the longfingers, missing the comfort they had always brought. If Jace couldhave visited him sooner, he would have. It was silly to doubt that.So why now? Why not shortly after he had died? Unless… “When Ifirst woke up,” Ben said, mind racing, “you said that I always getthis way. Didn’t you?”

Jace nodded. “Idid.”