Radios In Heaven
By; Laura
"I hope I'm just like you"
There were too many memories floating around in his head as he entered the church that cold October morning.
Memories of Shane.
His best friend.
He remembered those care free days they had when they were kids. Writing music together had started as a hobby but escalated into a career neither of them would have chosen.
The days of summer spent in Shane's grandmothers house, camping out in the back yard, laughing until they both had tears in their eyes.
Shane had shaped him into the man he was today. Without him he wouldn't have had the confidence or the skills to be where he is today. He wouldn't have Caity.
Caitlyn Gellar. They had been away on vacation when it happened. He had just proposed to her on the beaches of New Zealand when he got the call.
Shane Grey.
His Shane.
Overdosed on painkillers.
He never saw it coming. He called Shane from their apartment the minute they had arrived.
He was fine.
He was happy.
"Don't do anything I wouldn't do Natey Boy," he had laughed slyly down the phone.
The last words Nate had heard him speak.
He didn't even get to say goodbye.
"Shane Grey was not only a great husband to his wife Mitchie and a fantastic father to his daughter Rosie, he was also my best friend. I thought he was happy, but I guess he wasn't. I'm sorry I didn't notice. I'm so sorry man. So sorry."
Nate gave the speech at his funeral.
"I hope you're happy now. I really do. What's it like up there Shane? Is it everything we talked about? White, spacious, peaceful? Just don't find another best friend up there ok? Cause someday, my time will be up and if I find out you've replaced me, let's just say there will be some serious spirit ass kicking going on. I love you man. You know that? You were more then just a friend to me. You were my brother. Just don't tell my actual brother that .I'm gonna miss you so much. But I know you're in a better place now. I love you."
Mitchie gave him a small teary eyed smile as he sat back down beside his fiancé. He felt bad when Caitlyn buried her head in his shoulder, knowing Mitchie was watching.
He couldn't even bear the thought of living without Caitlyn, he couldn't even imagine what Mitchie was going through.
That night he couldn't help but pull out the old photo albums.
"Come to bed," Caitlyn leaned against the doorframe. "Nate it's late."
"He was my best friend Caity."
"I know, and I understand Nate, but you've had enough for one day," she walked towards him, and snaked her arms around his shoulders so she was hugging his torso from behind.
"Look at this Caity," Nate picked up a photo from the floor. "We were seven and he could already play the guitar."
Caitlyn held the photo and traced the outline of both boys. The tallest posing holding a guitar, a goofy grin spread across his face. The smallest, trying to copy his pose exactly.
"He taught me," Nate continued. "That Summer. Even at the beginning, when I couldn't grasp it at all, he never gave up. And look at me today. It's all thanks to him."
Caitlyn moved so she was sitting beside Nate.
"I know this place," she picked up a photo of two sixteen year old boys. "It's that funfair that used to come to town every year."
"I met you there," Nate smiled at her, the first time he had smiled all day. "That night. Shane had brought along his girlfriend and I was getting tired of the whole third wheel thing, he told me to talk to you. I never looked back."
"I knew Shane was your best friend," Caitlyn said looking at the floor. "I just never realised how much he meant to you."
"He helped me through so much in my life. He was my confidant for 24 years. I just don't think I thanked him enough. I'm gonna miss him so much."
Caitlyn saw the tears starting to roll down his cheeks and wrapped her arms around his body.
"You still have me," she whispered. "You'll always have me. I'm not going anywhere Nate. I love you."
She rested her head on his shoulder.
"I said I'd help Mitchie tomorrow," she continued. "Rosie has to go to school and the house has to be cleaned. She's still walking around in a daze."
"Mind if I help? I owe it to Shane"
"Of course not."
The couple sat in silence examining the photos laid out on the floor in front of them.
Nate's eyes laid on a picture that he knew was framed somewhere in Shane's house.
All four of them were in it.
Shane, Mitchie, Caitlyn and Himself.
Nate was wearing sunglasses, holding his guitar, Shane was holding his guitar too, posing as always, one of his arms was wrapped around Mitchies waist. Caitlyn was on Nate's back. He remembered how hard it had been to make sure she didn't fall, while still clutching his guitar.
All four had the biggest smiles on their faces.
They had been nineteen.
"Caity," Nate spoke softly.
"Yea."
"Do you think they have radios in heaven?"
"I dunno, why do you ask?"
"It's just, I could never imagine Shane in any place where music doesn't excist."
"You know," Caitlyn sat up, "I bet, even if there were no radios, Shane would be up there with his guitar making the music himself."
Nate laughed. "Your probably right. And when my time comes I'll make sure to pack my guitar, and I'd join him."
Caitlyn's face turned serious for a second. "Don't talk about that. I've been with Mitchie, I know what she's going through. I could never go through that. I never want to."
Nate fell backwards, lying on the floor and sighed. Caitlyn lay down beside him, her head on his chest.
"Should we call Mitchie?" Caitlyn asked, worried for her friends well being.
"Don't worry," Nate said stroking her hair. "I already called Jason, he should be with her now."
"You're amazing."
They lay in silence until Nate heard Caitlyn's breathing slow down. She was asleep.
He finally shut his eyes and drifted off to sleep. Dreaming about the past and all the memories he had had with his best friend.
The ending sucks, but other then that what did you think? And there's probably a few spelling and grammer mistakes. I forgot to spell check. Sorry.