I found myself floating. Floating through the air, floating through space, time had no meaning, there was no beginning or ending through the realm I floated through. My body felt light as a feather. Then I felt my toes touch something. I looked down and noticed I was standing on some green grass. I looked up and noticed the sky was blue. I had gone from floating from nothingness to standing on earth again. Then I noticed it. Before me a massive gate with a fence running as far as the eye could see in both directions. The bars of the gate glowed in the sun. 

At first I was a tad bit confused. I've never seen a gate that massive before. And also, the whole thing seemed to be made of solid gold. Beyond the gate, I could see massive mountains with their peeks capped in snow, snow as white and pure as you could wish for and pretty as a picture. I could smell fruit too, it must have been thousands of fruit trees behind that gate. 

And sitting by the gate there stood a fellow with a bit of a beard. He was dressed in an old fashion suit and was leaning over a wooden podium with an open book in front of him. He noticed me standing there, blinking. He cleared his throat and reached into his jacket. He pulled out a small leather case, opened the case and pulled out an old fashioned pair of glasses.

“Hello.” He said blinking as he looked down at his book. “Hello there Miss. Potter. You're a bit early, we were not expecting you for another seventy or eighty years. But since you're here, I suppose you could come on through if you want. Your name in the book after all.”

I blinked.

“Pardon me, but could you please tell me what going?” I said tilting my head. “I've gone through quite a lot today. First I was at school, then I was at King Daughters, and then I was one of the major hospitals. I think Mississippi Medical Center or something. Then I received last rites from an Episcopalian Priest named Percy Bell, then I went under. Then I fought a battle with a shadow.” I was aware that I was babbling but none of it made a lick of sense to me. I felt like Alice who had chased the  white rabbit and had fallen down the rabbit hole and instead of arriving in wonderland, I had arrived in hell. 

“That is correct. Ms. Potter. You have been through a lot. You passed through the Church Militant, Penitent and Triumphant of the church. And now you stand before the gates of heaven. You could enter through these gates, and get a new pair of wings. Or you could return to earth and live out the rest of your eighty or something remaining years you have.” He paused. “The choice is yours and yours along.”

Jamie blinked and blinked again. 

“So, if I'm understanding all of this correctly. I can either go through that gate and enter into Heaven. Or I can just turn around and walk away and I'll return to Earth as if I'll wake up in maybe a hospital bed or my bed or something?” I asked as I looked over my shoulders.

“That is correct.” The man said. “I take it you've made up your mind then?” He said, raising an eyebrow.

“I think I want to return to Earth to my old life.” She said looking over her shoulder.

“Again the choice is yours. But I think you’re making the right choice. Not to spoil anything. But your life is now just getting started. It is not going to be an easy road for you. It's not going to be an easy life for you. But it's going to be a life filled with riches and rewards.” He said, winking.
“Before I go..” I said blinking. The man's words struck me and kind of threw me for a mental loop. 

“My name is Peter. I'm the gatekeeper here.”

And with that everything seemed to slowly vanish and I once more felt myself floating through the air. As I floated, I started to close my eyes and before I could catch myself, I found myself drifting all to sleep. It was a peaceful sleep, and before long I felt this strange feeling. It was like I was returning to something, like I was stepping into my old room, that strange feeling of coming home. I think my soul was returning to my body. 

I slowly opened my eyes and noticed bright, yellow bars of sunlight breaking through the blinds of the hospital window. I took a deep breath and closed them again and after maybe thirty seconds I opened them again. The room was dark, slowly I turned my head to the side. A small digital clock sitting on the stand next to the hospital bed told me it was one in the afternoon. Then I noticed a dozen or so cards surrounded the small clock. 

Small stuffed animals and trinkets also dotted the table. All seemed to be surrounded by a small glass vase that held three blue roses, my favorite kind of rose. I blinked and turned my head to the other side of the room. A IV pole was placed next to the bed along with some machine, there seemed to be quite many machines, all beeping and making machine-like noises.  I drew in another breath and forced myself to sit up a bit. 

Then in the doorway I noticed a nurse, the nurse blinked and blinked again. Quickly she darted out of the doorway, at first I was a bit confused, but she returned a few minutes later. My mother, father and older sister followed closely behind the nurse. Bringing up the rear was Ben and the girl around Lily's age. All of them flooded into the room. My mother was the first to speak.

“Thank God.” My mother said as she rushed toward the railing of the bed. “We've been worried sick about you girl. You gave us a scare..” She said as she reached over the railing of the bed and pulled me close to her. “The hospital only called us once you were loaded up. You were already going under when we arrived. Jamie there was some trouble with your operation. They waited a little too late, and..” Mom was near tears. 

“None of that now.” My father said appearing over her shoulders. “You're awake now, and that's all that matters.” He paused and looked down.

I then noticed something, my father looked tired, his eyes were glazed over, his face was dotted with hairs. The front of his shirt was stained with small spots of coffee. “Thank God you're awake..” He said, reaching down and stroking my chin with the back of his hand.  “I was afraid I might lose you. We all were afraid.”

“She finally woke up?!” Cried Lily as she rushed to the railing. “Oh Thank you God!” She cried out as she turned toward the young woman who was standing beside her. “Robin! Thank you! Thank you so much for all those prayers. I was a little wary, at first you know, when you suggest I pray the Rosary.. never mind it worked!” 

“So,” Robin said, peering down at me. “This is your little sister.” She said smiling softly. 

“Yep, and I almost lost her..” Lily said showing more emotional concern for my well being and general health than she has ever shown in my brief fourteen or so years. “The whole school was so worried about you too. I mean, really worried. Even Linda.. even Linda sent me a message on Facebook asking about you.”

The last one made me pause. My first impression of Linda was one of a girl who thought herself better than the rest. One who considered herself to be queen of the school and the rest of us were nothing but worms under her feet. Worms she could crush at a minutes notice. But that was the old Linda it seemed.

But according to rumors and a friend of the families. Since Linda had been removed from her toxic household and placed in the care of the Bell's she had started to lose a bit of that toxic edge. She and Lily were even talking again. And much to my surprise she was expressing remorse. It seemed she was still troubled by the way she acted out at homecoming. 

“Anyway.” Robin said, clearing her throat. “I owe you an apology Jamie. I kind of jumped around a bit.” She paused. “You're Lily's little sister, and I want our business to be a family business. Madeline's kind of my little sister so I extended an invite to her without considering Lily. That was quite wrong of me.” She paused again. “What I'm trying to say is, if you still want to, I would love to have you. Maybe you and Madeline could work together. Lily told me, you're one heck of a wiz in the kitchen. And I would love to taste some of your cooking sometimes.”

“Does that mean?”  I asked. My mind was still fuzzy from the drugs being pumped into me. 

“It means.” Lily said piping in. “That we'll like to have you working at the cafe with us. Both of us agreed it would be good for you” 

I nodded my head.

“Anyway.” The nurse butted in. Her voice was clear and commanding a left little room for debating or maneuvering. “While I'm positive all of you are relieved that Jamie's awake and doing fine. I must remind you she is still recuperating from her operation. With that in mind she needs her rest. Visiting hours are over for now.” And with that she started to usher the crowd that had gathered around the bed. 

I noticed Ben looked a little crestfallen. Quickly I lifted myself up. “Nurse!” I cried out. “Can.. My boyfriend will stay for a few more minutes.. please?” I asked. I did my best to give the nurse a puppy dog look. I had over the course of the last few months found out I could charm anybody by giving them a wounded puppy dog look with my baby blue eyes.

The nurse sighed and rolled her eyes. 

“Aright five more minutes. I'll be counting, and don't try anything you two.” And with that she walked out of the room. 

“I was so worried about you.” Ben was the first to speak. He quickly reached down and pulled up a chair. “When I saw you being loaded up. I felt my heart just breaking you know.” He quickly added. “Its been rough on everybody. I kind of rode with your dad over here.. and we got here like a few minutes after they put you asleep.”

I wanted to say something. But something told me it would be best just to sit and listen for a bit.

“I suppose nobody told you. But something happened on the operating table. We don't know what, but your heart just stopped beating all of a sudden. And it was horrible, we thought we were going to lose you. Heck we did lose you for twenty minutes. Then you just came back. They finished the operation and kept you hooked up to life support..” Tears were starting to form at the edge of his eyes.

“I know we've only dated for a few short weeks, but Jamie, I really love you. You mean the world to me. And if I lost you..” He paused. “I don't know what I would have done.”

“I'm better.” I said smiling and then much to my surprise he bent over and kissed me full on the lips. I saw fireworks as I felt his tongue slip into my mouth and my tongue into his. Our tongues touched and pure pleasure flooded my body. I'm not sure how long we kissed, but it seemed like forever. I doubt we would have never stopped kissing if the nurse had not returned and cleared her throat in a loud manner.

“Okay you two.” That's enough. 

We quickly broke apart. A deep blush colored Ben's high cheekbones and another blush colored mine. 

“I believe your party is waiting for the young man.” The nurse said peering toward Ben. 

“Okay.” Ben said smiling, 

“See you later Jamie.. Get better, now.” Ben said as he looked over his shoulders and gave me a wink that set my heart ablaze. The glare the nurse was giving me was enough to cool the warm blood running through my body. Kissing Ben had awoken something deep within me. Something primitive and lustful. To think I came inches from missing that feeling of pure adrenaline and desire rushing through me was mind blowing.

“Ms. Potter.” The nurse said in a scolding, condescending manner. “I would not get too carried away, we have a ghost on this floor. The ghost of a nurse who helps us nurses keep order and keep naughty teenagers in check.” She said as she turned upon her heel and walked out of the room. She turned around and looked me dead in the eye. “So I advise you to follow the rules and try to keep that tongue of yours in your mouth. Unless you want a midnight visit from our phantom friend.”

And with that one of the strangest chapters of my life came to an end.