Stepping into the Sky: Jump When Ready, Book 3 (17 page)

“So, guys, the word is you did good,” Simon said.

Henry arched his eyebrows in surprise. “There’s word?”

“Martha told us this morning,” Naomi said. “She seemed
really happy.”

“Relieved, I’d say,” Simon added. “She’s seemed kind of
stressed lately but she was all smiles again today.”

As a group they started walking toward the gate.

“Martha said you freed Rose so she could finally move
on,” Naomi said. “That’s really cool.”

Henry noticed that while for the longest time Naomi had
remained with phrasing things as people had in her era, these days she was just
as likely to say something was “cool” or “awesome.” Just another one of those
little things that kept changing.

“Well, it’s really more like we helped Rose free herself,”
Henry said, as they continued walking toward the house.

“It’s really true,” Nikki said. “It was mostly Rose’s own
fear and guilt holding her there.”

“Well, she got to move on and that’s
awesome
,”
Naomi said.

Henry couldn’t help smile, even as what he and Nikki were
about to tell them weighed on him. As they climbed the steps to the back deck,
he stopped and Nikki did too.

The others took a few more steps before realizing, then
turned to face Henry and Nikki.

Jamie searched their faces. “Everything okay?” he asked,
but the look in his eyes told Henry he suspected news was coming.

Henry took a breath, suddenly finding it difficult to
find the words. He looked at Jamie, Naomi and Simon as they stood waiting. His
friends, this family he’d known here. Sometimes it felt like just days since
he’d been pulled away from the family he’d known on earth. Still, as painful as
that had been, there’d been no choice. This was different. This time it would
be his choice to leave. His choice and Nikki’s. Even though he’d imagined this
moment and had told himself he wouldn’t cry, now he blinked back tears.

Henry took another breath. “There’s something we have to
tell you guys.”

Nikki reached out and took hold of his hand. She hadn’t
thought about it, Henry felt sure. It had been instinctive. Still, that simple
gesture told the story. As Jamie, Naomi and Simon gazed back at the two of
them, their eyes misting even as they tried to smile, Henry could tell they
already knew.

Stepping into the
Sky

On the day that
Henry had first crossed over from his last life on Earth, he’d found himself
high in the sky sitting on the branch of a giant fir tree. At the time, he’d
been confused and terrified, having no idea he’d just died. That the tree
itself had been created from his own imagination had been utterly
incomprehensible. In time, he’d come to realize what had taken place. One of
his last thoughts had been about an upcoming trip his family had planned for
visiting the Northwest together. He’d manifested that towering tree in his new
realm by envisioning that future just before he’d drowned.

Now that he and Nikki were ready to jump back into new
lives again, Martha suggested returning to where they’d last seen “Henry’s
tree.” She brought them again to that plateau overlooking a canyon. On the
other side of the chasm, a waterfall cascaded into a river below, the thunder
of its force muffled by distance. Not too far from the waterfall, on that other
cliff facing them, towered the ancient fir tree that had sprung from Henry’s imagination.

Henry didn’t question how that tree remained part of what
was manifested in this realm. He knew that all of it—everything he’d
experienced in the time that had passed—resulted from their shared hopes,
dreams, memories and imaginings.
On some level, though, that was also how it worked in the physical
realm. Everything on Earth—for good or for bad—originated first from thought.
From there, thoughts became words and actions. The result was essentially the
same—creation. The only true difference was time. On Earth, it took time to
grow a tree. Here, it sprang into existence as soon as someone thought of it.
But time itself—as Henry well knew now—was an illusion.

It had been a few days since they’d broken the news to
the others and things had been different since. Not bad, in Henry’s opinion. A
little sad at first but after that they’d all managed to get used to the idea,
trading jokes and asking questions as they always had together. They’d taken
walks, played games, watched movies and shared meals. At times, there had been
moments of silence where there might not have been before. Or maybe Henry had
just noticed those silences in a different way. One day, he and Nikki had also
met with Martha and Lysrus. They’d been asked to decide where they’d be going and
who they’d join in their next life. It seemed funny to Henry now that he’d been
so excited for Nikki’s possibilities that he’d lost sight of his own. Her
situation was different in that she’d been on this side much longer than him.
The result of that conversation had been something he never would have
anticipated and at first wasn’t sure how to feel about. He felt good about
things now, though—given what he knew would happen, what might happen and what
had to happen.

That last part was up to them, both Martha and Lysrus had
said. What they felt had to happen could only take place if they made sure it
did. And that involved not forgetting. Henry felt sure he’d never forget. Not
now, not ever.

Now, he and Nikki stood facing the people they’d known
here—Jamie, Simon, Naomi and Martha.

Henry met Jamie’s eyes first. “Well, I guess this is it,”
he said.

Jamie nodded. After a moment, he grinned even as his eyes
glistened. “We’ll hit the skate park again together. You know that, right?”

“Never doubted it,” Henry said. “I’ll be looking for
you.”

“Might have to change the hairstyle,” Jamie said.

Henry shook his head. “That mohawk is exactly what I’ll
be looking for. You better hang on to that.”

Jamie wiped his eyes. “Love you, bro.”

Henry stepped toward him and gave him a hug. “You too,”
he whispered. “Love you too.”

Henry turned to Simon. “I guess I’ll be seeing you on my
phone or computer in a few years. I mean, when I’m a teenager again.”

Simon laughed. “That will be like a month for me. But,
yeah, that could happen.”

“Do I hear a note of doubt?” Henry said.

Simon blinked back tears. “Might be changing my ways
soon.”

“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

Simon glanced at Jamie, then Naomi. “It’s all just a
matter of time, right? Been kind of missing England lately. If you know what I
mean.”

Henry gave Simon a hug too. “I guess we’ll just have to
find our way over there, won’t we?”

“You’re the best, mate,” Simon whispered, giving Henry a
squeeze before letting go again. “I’m going to miss you.”

Henry turned to Naomi next, that little girl who’d
remained young and innocent for all this time. Only lately had she started to
grow up but Henry knew she wouldn’t be turning back now either. Naomi didn’t
try to hide the tears running down her face. She stepped toward him and wrapped
him in a hug.

“I love you, Henry,” she said. “I just know you guys will
be happy.”

Henry couldn’t fight it off anymore either. He let the
tears fall. “I love you too,” he said. “I’m going to miss you.”

“No, you won’t,” Naomi whispered. “But you’ll know me
when you see me again.”

Finally, Henry stood before Martha. While over the years,
he’d always seen kindness in her eyes and sometimes concern, this was the first
time he saw sadness.

“Will I see you again?” Henry said. “In the future?”

Martha offered that warm smile he’d grown so used to that
he couldn’t imagine not seeing it again. “We’ll know each other forever.
Nothing can change that.”

“I mean, in the future as I perceive it. Will I see you
again?”

Martha hesitated while she seemed to consider. Or maybe
she heard a voice communicating from some other realm only she experienced. Who
could say? After a moment, she spread her arms and Henry stepped into her
embrace.

“Thank you,” he whispered, thinking back to that day so
long ago when she’d knocked on his door. From the moment he first saw her eyes,
he’d known she was someone he could forever trust. “Thank you for everything.”

Martha spoke softly into his ear. “Speaking off the
record, you’ll see me again in the future. It just might be a while.”

Henry stepped back and watched Nikki’s parting moments
with each of them. Henry didn’t hear most of what they said as they embraced
one another but, true to form, Nikki left each of them both crying and
laughing.
Finally, she
stood next to him again. Nikki took his hand. “Ready, River Rat? We better get
this done. Otherwise, something tells me we’ll find ourselves sitting in the
food court for a few more decades.”

It was one of the hardest things Henry had ever done,
turning his back on his friends in this realm and walking away. But Nikki was
right. If they didn’t do it now, they never would. A few moments later, he and
Nikki stood at the cliff’s edge still holding hands. Henry did his best to
ignore the lump in his throat, but it took him a few seconds to regain his
voice.

He wiped his eyes and turned to Nikki. “What do you see?”

Nikki peered past the cliff down through the mist, seeing
something meant for her alone. A few moments passed before she said anything.
Tears streamed down her face even as she smiled.

“It’s really
them
,” Nikki said. “They’re with my
sister. Just like my dream. She’s with them again.”

Henry’s heart lifted at the thought of Nikki finally
joining her family again. At the same time, he couldn’t resist. “Think you can
handle being the baby sister?”

Nikki laughed. “Oh, my God, no. I never once thought of
that. I really don’t think I’d be good at that. Do you?”

Henry laughed too. “Yeah, no. But maybe the new Nikki
will love it. You never know, right?”

“I bet I’m going to be the little sister from hell.”

Henry laughed again, knowing it was more than likely
true. Good luck to Nikki’s sister in the coming years.

“Now you,” Nikki said. “It’s your turn.”

Henry peered down into the mist, which opened for him as
it must have for Nikki moments ago. He saw images as clear and vivid as those
Lysrus had shown them when he’d allowed them to look through the Veil at Rose’s
life. Only this time, the scenes that flashed before his eyes brought only
feelings of happiness and hope. Some were from his past life, nearly forgotten
images of two people he’d remembered fondly but who’d passed away when he was
just a kid. Along with those images, he saw scenes that now seemed somehow familiar
even though they’d remained outside his consciousness until now. He saw a man
and woman who’d loved each other for a long time and who loved each other
still. Only in this moment did he recognize the scenes for what they
were—memories from a different past he’d somehow forgotten until now.

“I see a young couple,” Henry said. “They’re happy being
together again.”

“Do you recognize them?” Nikki said.

“I’ve known them before,” Henry said. “In other lives.
But I knew them in the last one too. It’s just like Martha and Lysrus said.
They used to be my father’s parents but they’re really young now. They’re still
in their twenties.”

“Wow, young parents. That’s going to be cool, River Rat.”

“You’re not jealous, are you?”

“Nope.” Nikki squeezed his hand and remained quiet for a
few moments, her gaze distant. “There was something you said before. When we
were in Rose’s dream. Something you wanted me to know. Do you remember?”

“I remember.”

Nikki waited a few seconds, then said, “Did you still
want to share that thought?”

Henry smiled. “I’m sure you know.”

Nikki shook her head. “You’re not getting off that easy,
River Rat.”

Henry’s smile broadened to a grin. “Really?”

Nikki nodded. “Yep.”

“You mean, you want me to tell you that I love you?”

Nikki nodded again and waited.

“I love you, Nikki,” Henry said. “I think I knew that
from the very first day.”

Nikki sighed and rested her head against his shoulder. “I
love you too, Henry.”

Henry tightened his hand around hers, feeling the warmth
of her palm against his. He told himself he’d hold her hand again in the
future. That he’d look into her eyes again. That he’d know the feeling of her
lips touching his.

“Ready to jump?” Nikki said.

“I’m ready,” Henry said.

At the last moment, Nikki nodded toward the other side of
the chasm. “Look.”

Henry followed her gaze to see a figure sitting in the
tree where he’d found himself perched all those years ago. It was hard to be
sure from this distance, but he felt almost certain the figure silhouetted
there was a girl.

“Whoever she is, she’s going to have good friends,” Nikki
said.

“That much, we know for sure,” Henry said. He looked once
more into Nikki’s eyes. “I’ll see you again, right?”

“You can bet on that, River Rat.” Nikki shot him one last
smirk.

Then, together, they stepped into the sky.

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Acknowledgements

When I first wrote
Jump When Ready
, I intended it as
a stand-alone novel. As it turned out, there were a couple of factors that
convinced me to add more to the story of this teenage group
of afterlife friends. One was that I didn't quite feel ready to say
goodbye to them; it seemed like they had more of their story to share. The
other factor was those who read the first book and got in touch to tell me
they'd like to read more about Henry, Nikki, Jamie, Naomi and Simon. It's these
readers I'd like to thank first.
Jump When Ready
was my first published
book, so it meant a lot to receive those words of encouragement from readers
(it was really exciting, actually, to think that my characters had gained
fans!). I'd like to thank my wife and kids since, if anything, I've continued
to get even more obsessed with writing and publishing. As a result, I go off
and hide to write sometimes when perhaps I should hang out and watch TV or
something like that. I know they get it, though, and I'm not so obsessed that I
miss anything truly important. I may be preoccupied but I'm not crazy. Having
said that, this seems like the right point to say a special thank you to
Samantha Pandolfe for once again creating a very cool cover! This time around,
I'd also like to thank all those awesome people who’ve subscribed to my
newsletter so far. Also, a huge thank you to those subscribers who offered to
read and review this third book in the series. Thank you, guys! I meant it when
I said I appreciated it. And, of course, thank you to the beta readers: Karen
Malone, Deborah MacArthur, Kathy Fair, Ellen McCarty, Jody Escarvage, Tina
Rhoades, Jennifer Mantura and Joanne Berft. Finally, thank you to Haley Cannady
for providing the sky photo used as part of the book’s cover design.