Big Closet Meeting

Author’s note; Thanks to Bill Durr for the editing. Any remaining mistakes are mine. The use of the names of my fellow authors here is done with total love, and I hope they dont mind I did it.

I found myself in Hawaii, and just ahead of me, I could hear people celebrating. I saw a sign on an archway saying, “Big Closet authors welcome,” so I went in.

“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome. I’ve been asked to act as Mistress of Ceremonies here, but I promise I won’t keep you from the celebration long. But I would like to recount how this amazing meeting came about.

It was two years ago that our beloved webmistress Erin had the most amazing luck, and won a Powerball jackpot of more than two hundred million dollars. Now, most people would have just used the money on themselves, but not Erin. After paying off some debts, she decided that at least some of the money should be used to create a gathering of big closet authors, to celebrate our friendships, meet, and make new friends, and for fine dining. And here we all are.”

“Ladies and Gentlemen and those in between, Erin.”

“Thank you so much. I can’t believe how many of our authors took me up on the offer of an all-expense paid trip to Hawaii.”

“Like we were gonna turn that down?” Someone shouted.

The whole group laughed.

“All right. Lets eat!”

The meal consisted of fish and vegetables. Normally, this wouldn’t be my favorite, but seeing the others tucking in gave me the urge to at least try it, and I found it amazing.

Once the meal was over, we were invited to mingle and there was even a dance floor with a band playing, so I decided to meet some of the authors whose work had touched me.

I got a chance to hug Steff the Cyclist, and tell her in person how much her support meant to me, and then I giggled with Extravagance who had loved to tease and flirt with me.

I cheered a kiss between Bailey Summers and his wonderful girlfriend, who blushed, and then gave a kiss on the cheek to Jo Dora Webster as thanks for her wonderful comments.

I gave a wolf-whistle at Beverly Taff, and made a “Bailey’s Angels” pose with Lisa just for giggles.

I handed Taarpa a bag of popcorn and gave a hug to Diana Moongoddess.

I finally met Jaci face to face after all our phone conversations, and met Ruth for the second time as she teased us both for acting like little girls.

I shook the hand of Felix and hugged his fiancee Katie, who looked lovely.

Then I saw something strange.

I saw Drea with her wife Tracy, and as far as I could remember, Tracy was not in favor of Drea showing her feminine side outside of her writing. But there Drea was in a very pretty dress that matched the one Tracy was wearing, and both looked totally happy.

Then it got even stranger.

I got a tap on the shoulder, and turned to see a beautiful woman standing with her arms open, and somehow, I recognised Wren Phoenix.

“But ... you died!” I cried.

“Don’t worry about it, Dorothy. Come on, you’re going to be late for the wedding!”

“Wedding? Whose wedding?”

“Why yours, of course.” She said, and led me to a room where a bridal gown was waiting for me. Soon, I was ready, and stepped out, and she nodded to someone who made a signal, and the band started playing “Here comes the bride”

And waiting for me at the makeshift altar was Kylie.

Vows were exchanged, kisses were given, and congratulations were sent, which meant it took me some time before I could get away alone to try to find out what was going on. I tracked down Wren, and said, “Wren, please. Am I dead?”

“You are on the threshold, Dorothy. You had a heart attack, and right now your life is in the balance, and the choice is yours. You can stay here, and have everything you ever wanted, or you can go back. “

I sat down in a nearby chair and tried to think. I had everything I wanted here, why would she even ask if I wanted to go back?

But did I have everything I wanted?

What was missing?

Then it hit me. “My daughter.”

“You would have to leave her behind to stay here.” Wren said.

And I made my choice.

“Let me go back. My daughter still needs me, and the real versions of the people here need me.”

“You sure? You’d give up all this to go back to that life?”

“I have to.”

“No. You have to stay!” she said, and grabbed my arm.

“Let go of my granddaughter.”

I turned, and saw my grandmother.

“Grandma? What’s really going on?”

“That’s not your friend, hon. Wren is ... elsewhere, waiting for your time to be up to meet you for real. This was a test. And I’m proud to say, you passed.”

“So I can go back to my daughter?”

“For now. Time will come, and you will come to be with me, with Wren, and there are more waiting for you. People whose lives you’ve touched, and of course The One who gave you that life in the first place.”

“I’m glad. You .... called me granddaughter?”

“Of course hon. You gain a certain perspective here. I’ve watched you fight, and finally accept yourself as a woman. I’m so proud of you.”

She gave me a hug, and then started to fade.

“See you soon, granddaughter.”

I woke to found myself in my bed, with no signs of the supposed heart attack the fake Wren said I had.

I sighed, and turned over in my bed.

“See you soon, grandma, and the real Wren, and all those others waiting for me.”

"See you when my work is done here on earth, but I'll always be looking up at all of you."