He was wearing an old brown leather jacket. He had insisted on wearing it today, even if it was old. "Why this particular jacket today, Mr. Collins?" his nurse had asked him.
He had replied simply with, "I want her to recognize me."
The nurse checked her list and said, "Sir, you don't have any visitors scheduled today." Collins nodded. He knew, no one else did, but he did. The battle would be over today.
He walked towards a bright, white light. His cane helped him hobble up a tall, shimmering gold staircase. He was tired and running out of breath. But he persevered, and climbed to the top. The pearly gates opened for him. Big, grand and beautiful. But he was too distracted to admire them, he had to find her. "She will be here, won't she? She has to be," he thought to himself. As he walked through the gate he found he had transfigured to his younger self. Everyone was wearing white robes, and he too found his jacket and hospital gown replaced with an ivory gown. There were people everywhere. "How will I ever find her?" he thought.
Just then, a dark haired man walked up to him. "Welcome Thomas. If there's anything you need, let me know," he said.
Collins wasn't used to being called by his first name. As he shook the man's hand, he said, "Actually sir, I'm looking for someone-"
The man cut him off with a sharp nod. "I know," he said. The man pointed towards a crowd of people that had gathered around a table. Collins headed toward the crowd of white gowns. Then, between elbows he saw a glimmer of red. Then he heard the sound of drumsticks on an empty pickle tub, the sound he'd waited his whole life to hear again. Suddenly, people parted like the Red Sea, making a path for him. And there, at the end of the path, he saw her. The only Angel he would ever need. She was wearing a red Santa dress with zebra leggings. And she was smiling right at him.
Collins was in shock. He'd waited forever to see her beautiful face smiling at him, and he'd longed to have just one last conversation, one last kiss. But now that he was standing before her, he had nothing to say.
He must have had a dumbfounded expression on his face, because she walked up to him. She stood right in front of him, and whispered, "You okay, honey?"
Then Collins smiled and swooped her up in his arms, pulling her into a tight embrace. "Angelcake," he said lovingly to her.
"I've missed you so much," Angel said as she ran her fingers through his head.
"You have no idea," Collins smiled as he pulled her into a passionate kiss.
