On the Way to Heaven (BWWM Romance)

ON THE
WAY TO HEAVEN

BY
    
STACY-DEANNE

Copyright © 2015 Stacy-Deanne
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this
copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement is investigated by
the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of
$250,000.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to
actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

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CHAPTER
ONE

      
“Wait a minute.” Trina
Flack glared at the tall, full-figured, black woman in the white pantsuit.

The woman stood at the
Gates of Eternity with her eyes straight ahead, like a soldier.

“Maybe you don’t know
who I am,” Trina said. “You better recognize, and let me in these gates.”

      
“I know exactly who you are.” The woman
glanced at her clipboard. “You’re Trina Flack. Thirty-five years old, black,
and—”

 
“Well, with the way you’re treating me, you
act like you don’t know who I am.”

      
 
“Come on!” The man behind Trina huffed.

      
“We’ve been standing here all day,” a
woman whined from way down the line.

      
“Why don’t you tone down the attitude a
bit, Miss Flack?” the full-figured woman asked. “You see, in
here
, you’re not the special snowflake you obviously thought you were on
Earth.”

      
“Look, I’ve had the day from hell.” Trina
flipped her long, curly locks off her shoulders. “You have any idea what I’ve
been through today?” She counted on her fingers. “First off, I was in a car
accident, totaled my new Benz, and oh yeah, I
died,
in case you haven’t
noticed.”

      
The other woman rolled her eyes.

      
“I end up here…” Trina looked at the
thick clouds that floated endlessly in all directions. “Which is supposed to be
Heaven, but if you ask me, it’s a bit disappointing.”

      
The full-figured woman’s mouth dropped.
“Excuse me?”

      
“I get here and I can’t find any of my
stuff. I can’t find my laptop or my phone. If this is Heaven, then send me back
to Earth. Besides, I’ve got things to do. I’m one of New York’s most
prestigious corporate lawyers. Now, I know I’m cute.” Trina patted her hair.

      
The full-figured woman mumbled.

      
“But don’t let this gorgeous body,
fantastic hair, and Janet Jackson face, fool you, okay? And I’m talking young,
eighties
Janet here, by the way.” Trina stuck her finger in the woman’s face.
“I might be hot and sexy, but I’m no fool. I have more degrees than you could
ever dream of, and I can go toe-to-toe with anyone. So, when I say I’m getting
in these gates…oh honey, I’m getting in these gates.”

      
“You can save the speech, okay?” The
woman glared. “I know everything about everyone standing at these gates. I know
all about your professional successes and your romantic failures.”

      
Trina scoffed.

      
“Let me tell you a bit about who
I
am.” The woman stuck her large bosom out. “I’m Lorraine. I’m the
Chief Spiritual Commander.”

      
Trina batted her fake lashes. “Who?”

      
“I’m in charge of the Heavenly Army that
enforces order for the Spiritual Court.”

      
Trina shrugged.

      
“You can think of me as the head sergeant
of the afterlife.” Lorraine beamed. “And let me tell you something…” Her smile
faded. “I’m in charge of these gates, and I get tired of standing out here day
after day, and night after night, to oversee things.” She waved her hand toward
the huge line behind Trina. “Do you realize how many people die each day? The
first place they come is where you are. You see, this is the entrance to the
afterlife. So, while you think you’re in Heaven…you’re really not.”

      
Trina contemplated the scenario. “What do
you mean I’m not in Heaven? I
belong
in Heaven.”

      
“Contrary to popular belief, just doing
what you think you
should
do to get into
Heaven, does not guarantee a spot.” Lorraine flashed an unconvincing smile.
“You don’t just walk up off the street and end up in Heaven. Girl, please.
There’s protocol here, just like anywhere.”

      
Trina exhaled. “And what’s the protocol?”

      
“Everyone has to meet with the Spiritual
Court to learn their fate.”

      
“Look, I’m getting confused by all this
stuff.” Trina put her hands on her waist. “Can’t you cut a
sista
some slack? Oh, I guess you forgot where you came from, since you’re in charge
of the Heavenly Gates now, huh?”

      
“I wouldn’t go there if I were you, Miss
Flack. I don’t make the rules. Whatever happens during your meeting with the
Spiritual Court is the way things will be.”

      
“I belong in Heaven!” Trina pointed to
the shimmering, solid gold gates. “I demand to speak to God or whoever, up in
here.”

      
Lorraine squinted. “No one speaks to God
but Daniela.”

      
“Who the hell is Daniela? I don’t wanna
speak to Daniela.” Trina raised her arms. “I wanna speak to God, because this
isn’t right. I deserve to be in Heaven.”

      
“Since you feel that way you can meet
with the Spiritual Court now.” Lorraine gestured to three muscular men in
white. “Take her to the Spiritual Court.”

      
“Wait a minute.” Trina fought as the men
grabbed her. “Hold on!”

      
They dragged her inside the gates, and
through a massive hall made of clouds.

      
“Wait a minute, here!” She kicked.
“Listen to me.”

      
Lorraine followed behind. “We have our
hands full with this one, don’t we?”

      
“You can’t do this to me!” Trina jerked
and twisted in the men’s clutches. “Get these goons off me!”

      
“Settle down.” Lorraine moved in front
and stopped the guards when they got to the huge double doors.

      
“Let me go!” Trina struggled.

      
“Put her down,” Lorraine instructed. “You
can go.”

      
The guards bowed, and left down another
hall of clouds.

      
“What kind of place is this?” Trina
straightened her clothes. “I just died. Where’s the compassion?”

      
“You’re the one with the attitude, acting
like you deserve to get into Heaven. No one
deserves
to get into Heaven.”

      
“Is this the Spiritual Court?” Trina
looked at the antique doors with carved markings that looked like they’d been
there since the beginning of time. “What do all these markings mean?”

      
“Ancient sayings.” Lorraine looked her up
and down. “I could spend a year explaining them to you and you wouldn’t
understand.”

      
 
“And I’m the one with the attitude?”

      
“Wait here.” Lorraine delivered three
thunderous knocks to the golden doors. The knocks echoed throughout the hall.

      
“Damn.” Trina covered her ears.

      
The doors opened, filling the hall with
more clouds.

      
“Man.” Trina waved clouds out of her
face. “How do you guys see with all these clouds? I mean the first five minutes
it was cute, but now it’s annoying.”

  
Two men in white stood behind the doors.

      
“State your name and your business,” the
first said.

      
“Fool, you know who I am.” Lorraine
pushed them out of the way and turned to Trina. “I’ll be right back.”

      
The guards shut the doors in Trina’s
face.

      
“Ain’t this a bit…” Trina covered her
mouth and looked around. “Sorry.”

      
The doors opened again.

      
“Come on.” Lorraine waved to Trina.

CHAPTER
TWO

      
Trina held her breath, and followed
Lorraine into the cloudy space that smelled like glazed doughnuts and coffee.
“Hmm, it smells good in here.” She sniffed. “I’m hungry. Can I have—?”

      
“Hush.” Lorraine stopped at another huge
door with antique markings on it. “Now let me tell you something. You have to
be respectful in this room, okay? The Spiritual Court decides your fate. What
they say goes. Piss them off, and you’ll spend the rest of your afterlife in
Hell. You want that?”

      
“No, ma’am,” Trina whispered.

      
“Then lose the attitude, shut up, and
listen. Now, you’d better hope Daniela likes you. She’s the Supreme Spiritual
Messenger. She rules the Spiritual Court, and is the only spirit who talks to
God.”

“She really talks to
God?”

Lorraine nodded.

“Damn, how’d she get
her
job?” Trina chuckled. “Can she hook a
sista
up?”

 
“I’m warning you.” Lorraine exhaled. “You only
get one chance to make an impression.”

      
Trina straightened her Gucci blazer. “I
just wanna go to Heaven.”

      
“Keep your trap shut in here.” Lorraine
opened the door. “Don’t speak unless spoken to.” She moved aside.

      
“Fine.” Trina drifted inside the cloudy,
massive room.

Across the room,
seemingly miles away, sat a table so long it reached from one end to the next.
At least one hundred people, dressed in white, and of all nationalities and
races, sat behind the table.

      
The scrawny woman in the center held a
stern gaze that almost burned Trina’s insides. She sat on a golden chair, with
every jewel Trina could name cascading off her necklace. She appeared to be
white or Hispanic, with her brownish-gray hair perched on top of her head in a
tight bun. She appeared ageless in the face, but common sense suggested she was
older than Trina could imagine.

      
The door slammed behind Trina and
Lorraine.

      
Trina’s heart fell into her suede
designer pumps. As always, gas swirled in her stomach, like it did whenever she
got nervous.

      
Ooh, Lord. Not now.

      
She clenched her
stomach.

      
“Miss Flack, how are you?” Daniela peered
at Trina from underneath her glasses.

      
“I’m…I’m fine.” She rubbed her rumbling
stomach. “Ooh.”

      
“What’s your problem?” Lorraine
whispered.

      
“Nothing.” Trina grunted.

      
“Are you all right?” Daniela asked.

      
“Yes, ma’am.” Trina clenched her stomach.
“May I say I have the deepest respect for your court and the Lord? I admit I
haven’t gone to church in a while. I’ve been busy.”

      
The members of the court looked at each
other.

      
“I know that’s not a good excuse.” Trina
held out her hand. “But I’m not gonna come up in here and lie. I’m sure you
already know what I’ve been doing. I’m sure you also know I’m a good person.
Yeah, I might be a bit selfish, but I’ve had to be.” She touched her hair. “All
my life, I’ve had to depend just on me. It hasn’t been easy, but I do my best.
I’m proud of what I’ve become and—”

      
“Shut up, girl.” Lorraine nudged her.

      
“No.” Trina moved closer toward the
table. “I want you guys to know I’m a good person. I deserve to be in Heaven.
I’m not perfect, but who is? I’m sure Mother Teresa even made some bad decisions
in her day. I…”

      
Daniela pounded her golden gavel.
“Silence!”

      
Trina jumped back. “Damn.”

      
“In this court, you speak only when
addressed,” Daniela said. “Is that clear, Miss Flack?”

      
“Yeah, but I just wanted to—”

      
“I don’t care what you wanted to do.”
Daniela set the gavel down. “I run this court, and not you. Is that clear for
the last time?”

      
“Yes, ma’am.” Trina’s stomach rumbled.
“Ugh.”

      
“As far as the type of person you are,
the court is well aware.” Daniela lifted some papers. “We’ve been reading your
file.”

      
“My file?”

      
“Every human has a spiritual file from
the day they’re born.”

      
“What?” Trina leaned to the side. “You’re
kidding me.”

      
“I assure you I’m not.” Daniela looked
over one of the papers. “When you’re born, everything you say and do, every
decision you make, and even every thought you have, is transported into your
spiritual file.”

      
“Every thought?” Trina sighed. “Lord,
have mercy. Please don’t hold any bad or sexually-explicit thoughts against me.
A
sista’s
been lonely. It’s hard for a strong,
independent black woman like me to find a man who can handle her.”

      
“Miss Flack.” Daniela tapped the desk.
“Don’t make me pick up my gavel again, because if so, I’ll have you thrown out
and you’ll spend the rest of your afterlife with our buddies downstairs.” She
raised an eyebrow. “Do you get my meaning?”

      
“I’m sorry. I was just trying to
explain.”

      
“Believe me, there is nothing you can
tell this court about you that we don’t already know.” Daniela clasped her
hands. “We know you’re a good person. You’re rather rough around the edges, but
that’s to be expected because of your childhood and not having any parents to
raise you. Your attitude could be a lot better, but overall you have a good
heart.” Daniela tilted her head. “You just hide it under that sharp tongue
because you’re afraid of getting hurt.”

      
Trina sighed. “Does this mean you’ll
allow me into Heaven?”

      
“It’s not that easy.” Daniela pulled out
another paper. “You have to have a certain average on your Heavenly Spirits
Chart before you can be eligible to get into Heaven.”

      
Trina gaped. “Eligible to get into
Heaven?”

      
“Yes, you can’t just walk up off the
street and get into Heaven.”

      
“See, I told you,” Lorraine said.

      
“
No
.” Daniela laughed.
“If that were the case, everyone would be in Heaven, wouldn’t they?”

      
The rest of the court erupted in
laughter.

“Please!” Daniela
leaned back, cackling. “Could you imagine the utility bill? If you knew what we
pay per month already, you’d die again.”

      
The court guffawed.

      
“Silence!” Daniela swiped her hand
through the air.

      
The court sat at attention.

      
“Think of Heaven as an Ivy League
School,” Daniela said. “And think of the Heavenly Spirits Chart as the entrance
exam. Now, you’re a smart young woman and did very well in college. I’m sure
you had to put in some extra time for your harder exams right?”

      
“Yes, ma’am.”

      
“The Heavenly Spirits Chart proves to us
that you’re worthy. You must score an eighty or above to go to Heaven.” Daniela
leaned forward. “In other words, Miss Flack, C’s, D’s, and F’s do not get you
into Heaven.”

      
“Well, what’s my score?”

      
“Your score is a seventy-two.”

      
“Seventy-two?” Trina leaned to the side
as another ache hit her stomach. “Why…why did I get a seventy-two?”

      
“We don’t have time to run down why,”
Daniela said. “We have millions of other people to see today. You will have to
bring up your score to get into Heaven.” She set the chart down.

      
“Okay how do I do that?” Trina rubbed her
hands together. “I’ll do anything to get into Heaven.”

      
“That’s the fun part.” Daniela smirked at
the Asian man next to her. “Well, at least for us.”

      
“Oh, I don’t like that smirk,” Trina
whispered to Lorraine.

      
“In order to bring up your score, you
must complete a task,” Daniela said. “You must affect someone’s life in a
profound way, and change it for the better.”

      
“Are you serious?” Trina grinned. “I
couldn’t even do that with my own damn life.”

      
“Watch your mouth,” Lorraine said.

      
“Sorry, but that’s an impossible task.
How am I supposed to change someone’s life, when I don’t even know them?”

      
“You’ll know what you need to know.”
Daniela snapped her fingers.

 
A photo of a handsome, muscular, white man
with shoulder-length, brown hair and a five o’clock shadow, popped up on the
wall.

      
“Whoa.” Trina’s nipples sprung up against
her bra. “Who is that hunk of stud meat?”

      
Daniela smiled. “He is hot, isn’t he?”

      
“Yeah except for that
nineteen-eighty-seven Kurt Russell mullet,” Trina said. “Once he gets a
hairstyle from this century, he’ll have it going on.”