Which door will it be?

This is my story for fun. Yep, it still probably has errors. Sorry. Tried to catch them all, but I am sure I missed some. So did my editor. We were never that good in English anyway. Probably why we never wrote that best selling novel. So sue us, Or better yet, write some nasty comment for me to read and mull over for hours on end till it causes me not to sleep at night.

All characters are over 18 and are fictional. Any resemblance to any real-life persons or situations is purely coincidental.

I awoke to find myself confused and in a very unfamiliar surrounding. I was sitting in a room, very similar to that of my middle school principal, except almost everything was gray.

There was a gray desk. On the wall was a gray clock. Behind the gray desk sat an older gentleman dressed in a gray suit. On the desk was a gray nameplate with the name Peter written in gray letters. The only other thing in the room was a very large gray binder sitting in the middle of the top of the desk.

I said, almost everything was gray. To my left, there was a white door and too my right there was a red door. Short of that, there was nothing. No sound. Nothing.

I sat for felt like hours, just staring at the older gentleman. Him eyeing me and me eyeing him in silence. In reality, it was probably only like a few minutes, but to me it felt like forever, before I had the nerve to say something.

Me: Hello.

Peter: Are you getting it yet, or do you need more time?

Me: I think I am getting it. Am I dead?

Peter: Yes, Tom. I am sorry to say that you are dead. Please allow me to introduce myself, I am Peter. I will be the judge today for your judgment.

Me: Peter? You mean, as in The St. Peter?

Peter: Yes. Some have called me that before. However, where here in paradise, we prefer not to use titles anymore. In paradise, I am just Peter. Of course, that being said, when if you get a chance to talk to the "big guy", we still tend to address him by his title. And, I should stress, if you are unfortunate enough to go through the red door, the "boss" down there is insistent on your referring to him by his title. But let's cross that bridge if it is needed.

Me: OK. Do you do everyone's judgements?

Peter: No. Not at all. Actually, I do very few judgments now. Doing judgements is a tiring task. I am getting older and there are so many people that come through now, that I have to have a lot of help. There is an entire staff of people who do judgments. However, today is a special day, and it was all hands on deck. The judgment team wanted to close shop early so we could catch the big game. Therefore, I agreed to pitch in and take a few cases to help lighten the load.

Me: The big game?

Peter: Oh yeah, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are taking on Einstein, Elvis and Lincoln in the 3 on 3 beach volleyball finals of the All-Paradise Shootout. It is going to be very exciting. Ever since Lincoln joined E squared, they have been unstoppable. He is very tall and can work the net better than most. This is the first time in a few millennia that a team has put up a decent challenge to Team Trinity.

But enough of that, lets get on to your judgement so we can out of here and maybe you too can catch the game.

That being said, Peter opened the gray binder on the desk and quickly leafed through the pages stopping every few seconds to make some notes. After a few minutes, Peter looked at me and spoke.

Peter: What do you remember about, the end.

Me: Well, I guess is all started about 6 months ago. My best friend's wife, Sandy passed away in a sudden car accident. She was coming home from work and was hit by a drunk driver. Killed instantly. Shocked all of us to our core. The kids were devastated and it really hurt my wife Toni and her husband Frank.

Peter quickly moved through the binder stopping abruptly on a page. He looked for a few seconds, murmured to himself and then spoke.

Peter: Yes. I thought so. I know Sandy. I remember when she passed though judgement. I was her judge. She is a very beautiful woman. Both on the inside and out. When she passed through here a while back, she practically took the express train through the white door.

If that is your path, I am sure you will be able to see her if you would like at the volleyball game later today. She is huge sports fan here in paradise. As a matter of fact, I says here that she had asked to come speak on your behalf as a witness in your judgement.

However, according to the notes, "her testimony was not needed". Interesting. There is an additional note here, but I will save that for later. Please continue.

Me: Well, as I said, Sandy and my wife Toni were best friends from college. They met as freshman roommates, and hit it off immediately. You would think they were sisters. This is when I met them. I saw them in a bar off campus one night, and I watched them as they got hassled.

My roommate Frank had run to the bathroom, when I saw them getting "pawed" by this random drunk guy. I was pretty drunk and in addition to thinking I could sing and dance really well, I thought I was Superman. I went over and told the jerk to stop it, or I was going to kick his ass.

Well, a fight ensued, and I got my ass kicked. Eventually Frank stepped in to help, and we proceeded kick the jerk's ass. The girls were so impressed that we got ourselves some phone numbers. Those numbers turned into girlfriends. And those girlfriends turned into wives. It was always going to be the four of us together until the end.

Peter listened closely, so I continued.

Me: After we were married the four of us had great lives together. We were always there for each other. We stood up for each other, during the others wedding. When we had kids, we were there for each other. When we went on vacations, we went as a group. For over 30 years, everything was golden, until that day about 6 months ago, when we got the call that Sandy had been killed.

And then it all started to change. To go bad.

Peter: How?

Me: Well.... The a few years before Sandy's death, the kids had all moved out of the houses and had all gone on to their own lives. It took some getting used to, since they all live many states away, but we quickly got back to being the Awesome Foursome. Hanging out. Drinking together. Doing fun things as a group. Heck, we probably saw each other 5 nights a week, up until Sandy's death.

After that it all changed. Frank immedialty became depressed. He became bitter and angry that life had cheated him. he would not accept help. He never wanted to go out. He never wanted to visit. He just sat in his house and drank by himself. Toni and I were very worried and told him so many times.

For a while, we attempted to get him professional help, but he flatly turned us down. He was even very rude about it. We were at wits end. Out of ideas, until one Saturday when I was getting ready to cut the lawn Toni told me she had enough.

She told me that she planned to go over to Frank's house and break him out of his funk. Whatever it took. We had been best friends for too long and she owed it to her best friend's memory to do what was necessary to get Frank back to his old self. Little did I know it at the time when I agreed, but that apparently that included having sex with him.

I sat their sad for a few seconds and reflected on the end of my life and what had become of it. Peter said nothing, allowing me to ponder to myself.

After a few minutes of dead silence, I began to speak again.

Me: I did not realize they were sleeping with each other until the very end.

Peter: Really? How did you find out?

Me: It was another typical Saturday. I got up, was going out to do some yard work when Toni told me she was going over to cheer up Frank. I agreed, but as she left, I felt both happy and sad at the same time.

Peter: Happy and sad?

Me: Yes. Happy that Frank had finally broken out of his funk after months, but sad that Toni still felt the need to go over every Saturday and spend the entire day with him. I know it was selfish, but my wife had done her job. She had helped our best friend get his life back on track. It was his responsibility to get it fully back in order. She had listened to him, talked with him and helped him deal with the grief. He had to do some of the lifting himself. Or so I thought.

Peter: And?

Me: It all came to an end when I came in from working in the yard. It had been particularly hot, and I thought I might be getting heat stroke, so decided to sit down and get a drink. I came in to grab some lemonade, when I found the note from Toni on the kitchen table.

It said:

Dear Tom,

As you know I have been going over to help Frank every Saturday to get him to start living again and I appreciate all the patients you have shown me so far. Sandy would not have wanted him living like he is. I know you already know that Sandy and I once made a pact, that if one of us died, the other would do everything in our power to help the surviving spouse get back on with their life. I feel I am living up to her expectation of me.

I thought I had tried everything I could with Frank and I was very frustrated at being so unsuccessful. I tried talking. I tried making him take walks in the park to get him out of the house. Nothing worked. That was until one day about four weeks ago, I tried something complete new to try and shock him back to reality.

Without any indication to him, I took his cock out and gave him a hand job. Yes, I said a hand job.

He did not say anything, but as his cum ran down my fingers, for a few minutes, I saw it again. That light in his eyes that was Frank! I was so happy! Frank was back! But as soon as it came, it disappeared, and the darkness fell upon him. Nothing I tried that day brought him back to where we had got.

The next Saturday, after failing at talking, I decided once again to try and shock him. Once again, he said nothing as I unzipped his pants and pulled out his beautiful cock and started pumping away. After he came all over my hand, I saw the light in his eyes again. It was there for a longer time, but eventually it disappeared again and he dropped back into that pit of depression.

All week i thought about how I could fix this. So the next Saturday, I took a more aggressive approach. Without saying a word, as soon as I got to his house, i got down on my knees, unzipped his pants and without either of us saying a word, I pulled out his cock and went straight to giving him a blow job. Honey, you would have been so proud of me! It worked! After he came in my mouth, and I swallowed, a smile spread across his face. For a few hours his attitude and demeaner were so much better. Our old Frank was back! He was happy! I was so happy! We were talking and laughing just like the old days. I had helped my best friend memory and her husband.

Just so you know, yes, I knew it was wrong. Yes. I knew I broke the vows of our marriage. And for a while that thought really hurt me. I felt guilty, and thought about telling you. For a while, I really felt that I betrayed you. However, in the end, after I thought about and rationalized it, I just knew you would forgive me. I know you will forgive me for helping our best friend.

I leave here today, knowing that I am happy that I was able to help my best friend and her husband. I leave here today knowing that I am not taking anything away from you or our marriage. I leave here today, knowing that this will not influence our marriage at all. Just see, if anything, it made it our marriage stronger.

Therefore, this morning I am writing you to tell you that I plan to spend the night with Frank tonight. I will not be home till tomorrow. I plan to give myself fully to him to complete his recovery. By giving him my entire body freely, he will most certainly break out of his depression and he will be set free. I will be back tomorrow afternoon. We can talk and if you feel it is necessary, you can reclaim me once again as your loving wife.

I love you and will always love you

Your wife forever

Toni

Peter and I sat there for a minute in silence. Reflecting on what she had put in her letter to me. Tears slowly rolling down my face.

Peter: Did you agree with her? Did you agree that what she was doing was right and made your marriage stronger?

Me: No! I certainly do not. We took vows before God. Would it make our marriage stronger? No! Was she deceitful? Yes! Was I happy? No! Did it kill me?

Yes.

Peter: I see here in my notes that shortly after you read the note from your wife that you passed over. Do you remember what happened, or did your mind block it out entirely?

Me: Unfortunately, yes. I remember it all too clearly. I don't know if it was the shock of the letter or the heat, but it was clearly too much for my heart. I felt a sever pain in my chest as I reached for my phone to try and call her. I planned to tell her to stop. I wanted to tell her it was not too late for us to possibly get counseling and save our marriage. I just wanted to stop her from making a further mistake that would lead us to point of no return.

I dialed her number, and it went straight to voice mail. The phone was shut off. They were probably already fucking at that point I thought. Thinking about it, that was probably the straw that broke that broke the camels back. The pain in my chest was unbearable at that time. I was only able to get out, "Toni, no, please do not do this. You backstabbing and betraying......." It all gets hazy after that.

Peter: Yeah. I see here in your binder, that you had a cardiac arrest and fell to the floor with your phone in your hand. It also says that if you had made a call to 911 instead of to your unfaithful wife, there was a better than 50% chance you would have lived. I am very sorry.

After a few seconds of Peter further reading my binder, he spoke again.

Peter: Anything else you want or need to say?

Me: No. Not really. My wife cheated. I died of a broken heart. According to her, it was because her best friend and her made some pact to help the husbands if one of them died, but I don't believe it. Her heart may have been in the right place when she first went over the first time to help Frank, but in the end, it was an affair. She broke her vows. Plain and simple.

Peter: Yeah, I have seen it too many times unfortunately.

Me: So, what's next?

Peter: For you or your wife and Frank?

Me: I guess for all of us?

Peter pulled a small tablet out of his pocket and started flipping through it. He made a small grunt, and a smile passed across his face. He then looked at me for a second while he thinking how to answer my question.

Peter: Tom, time is different here than on earth. In the time we have been sitting here passing your judgement, weeks have passed on earth. However, I am able see what happened during that time.

Toni did not turn her phone on till the next morning. This was after she had already had sex with Frank twice that night and once in the shower in the morning. She heard your voice mail, and although it seemed to upset her at first, she and Frank thought you were being "melodramatic". She and Frank had anal sex one more times that afternoon before she returned home where she found your dead body still on the kitchen floor with the phone in your hand. I am sorry.

It appears that this broken her mentally. After calling the police, your kids and Frank, it appears she might have snapped blaming herself for your death. It appears she might have realized that not only was your phone call to her the last thing you did while you were alive, that her affair was probably the reason for your heart attack.

It also appears that she did realize that the affair did influence your marriage after all and she blames herself for your death. I am sorry to say, that she now appears to be a shadow of the person you knew her as when you were in your mortal form. Your kids know almost everything, since she confessed to them her affair with Frank and its probable effect on your death. They seem not to be having anything to do with her at this time.

Peter: As for Frank, he seems to be dealing with your death without issue. It appears that he feels no guilt in your death and continues to pursue Toni, despite her repeated rejections of his advances. Sad. Just sad.

Me: What a terrible waste. OK, what is next? Judgment? I assume you choose the white door or the red door for me?

Peter: Well, there is always your witness statement.

Me: My witness statement?

Peter: Yes, your witness statement from Sandy. As I said before, she wanted to be here today for you, but with case being what it is and the big volleyball final, she chose to write a statement on your behalf instead. It is very common in cases like yours, where there is an almost clear-cut decision. Sometimes, you get a written statement instead of a personal appearance.

Peter passed Sandy's letter over to me to read.

Dear Tom,

I am so sorry you are dead. It pains me that you have crossed over so young too. However, on the other, I am glad that we will be reunited together in paradise for eternity. I am sure that Peter is going to pass a favorable judgement on you, and you will pass though the white door to join me in paradise. How can I be so certain, well let's just say a little saint I know can't hold his tequila very well. When he was drunk the other night, he told me you were a shoe in for the white door.

I want you to know that I always thought you were a great man in life, and you will be an even greater man in the afterlife. I have told Peter that, and I have told him that I would happily come to your judgement to speak on your behalf. I was insistent on that. However, after he looked at your binder, he said it was probably not necessary, as he already knew your character and you were a lock for a positive outcome. Like I said....can't hold his tequila.

I want you know, that even though I made the pact I made with Toni to help each other if one of us died before our husbands, it never included sleep with the spouse. Never! I would have never done that with you or to Frank, if she had passed first.

We agreed to help comfort, talk with and if necessary feed either of you should one of us pass. As best friends, we thought it was our duty to each other and to you. Apparently, Toni also thought committing adultery was her duty.

Well, that was on her, not me. I am not sure if I can ever forgive her for her betrayal, and I hope you do not hold her betrayal with Frank against me. I know she will have to answer for her indiscretions in the future at her judgement.

Since I know that you are coming to the "good side", I am going to make this short. Assuming you believe me when I say, that I had no knowledge of what your wife and my ex-husband were going to do. I would like to see you and if you see fit be with you.

Yes, I did say ex-husband. Apparently in paradise, when someone breaks the wrong one of the "10", you can get a divorce in the afterlife. Who would have thought it.

I am sure you are asking yourself what? Well, according to Peter, Frank broke four of the 10 commandments. #7, #9, #10 and #4.

Thou shall not commit adultery

Thou shall not bear false witness against your neighbor

Thou shall not covet

And.....Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy

Personally, I did not understand #4 until Peter told me he was a little pissed at Frank for fucking Toni twice on Sunday when your cold body was laying in your kitchen. So, in a drunken state, he pinned that one on him too! Once again.... can't hold his Tequila!

Well, enough of that. I want to be with you. It is wonderful here, but I am lonely for my best friends. I thought I would see all of you here eventually, and the four of us would be the Awesome Foursome in the afterlife, but now that does not look like the case.