My Boyfriend's Back by Maureen McCarrie (book club reads .TXT) 📕

secrets you can't share, Jack. I don't know if it's juststupid to think I could come back to Hammond for a reunion andsomehow— I don't know, just— fix it. I guess that was justridiculous. But I didn't want to leave without saying it. I waitedtwenty years and never said it. So now you know. I love you."

"He knows."

Rori turned,startled at the voice behind her. A fair haired man in a white coatstood in the doorway.

"I'm sorry Istartled you." The light from the hallway obscured his features,but Rori caught the glimpse of a smile.

"No, I—"

"I didn't meanto interrupt. But I can tell you that he knows."

"I just didn'twant to be too late."

"It's never toolate. The body dies, but the spirit never does. Even if yourfriend's body expires, you can always find his spirit again if youknow where to look."

It was an oddway to phrase what Rori thought was meant to comfort her. Sheglanced back at Jack, struck again by the notion that the bodylaying so still was not him. She turned back to ask thedoctor what he'd meant.

He wasgone.

Chapter 13

Heaven,Eternity Court, Probation Department

A tall angel ina navy blue and white uniform stood to one side of the court room.He stood as John Lydon's spirit filed in. John had been noticinghis body— or, the memory of his body— growing disturbinglytransparent. He was pretty sure it had something to do with JackLynch and the accident, but was having trouble remembering thingslately.

"All rise!" Theuniformed angel's voice boomed through the room. "The HonorableChief Justice Camael, Holy of the Sefiroth, Personification ofJustice, and Grand Poobah of the Order of the Magic Moose Lodgepresiding!"

A few of theangels lingering in the corners of the courtroom snickered.

"Very funny,Ofiel." The huge, winged figure atop the bench above him droppedinto his seat, his massive wings settling around him. "Please beseated."

Norman sidledtoward the front, taking the space beside John's watery figure.

"Hey," he said,pointing, "you're that weird kid in the hoodie."

Norman hadabandoned his hoodie for an ill fitting suit. John noticed wings—though a smaller, less intimidating set— were also sprouting fromhis shoulders.

"There's somefunky stuff afoot here, man." John frowned as Norman patted hisshoulder.

The judgecleared his throat. "We are here to rule on the matter of JohnLydon's spirit, which has been vacated of his body. The vacationwas intended to result in permanent death, however an unauthorizedsoul transfer has taken place."

The judgerattled off more confusing stuff, referring to a manilla file infront of him. John was getting a headache.

"May I assumethe standard form A47-442 was submitted in triplicate and signed byan archangel of the first order?"

Norman waived apiece of paper. "Yes, Your Magnificence, I have the form signed byMetraton here, and co-signed by Uriel."

"Am I tounderstand that Mister Lydon's body is now occupied by—" the Angelwho appeared to be in charge glanced down at the paperwork, "aJack Lynch, under the provisional agreement that he reunitewith his one true love by the hour of midnight on Valentine'sDay?"

"Yes, yourAwesomeness." Norman patted John's shoulder in a way he'd hopedwould be comforting, but his hand passed through it.

"Okay, now I'mreally freaking out."

"The vacatedwill refrain from speaking until asked to do so." The Poobah guyglared at John.

"Am I correctin my understanding that you are requesting a Resubmission of Soulto compensate Mister Lydon for—" Camael shuffled some papers,glancing down, "excessive inconvenience and confusion in theservice of parting his soul from his body?"

"I am,Excellence Personified." Norman tried not to squirm.

Camael leanedforward, peering over the edge of his raised bench. "You realize Iknow you made that last part up, right?"

"Err?" Normanfelt heat rising in his cheeks.

The Judgesighed. "Okay, look. This entire case is a mess. I agree, we'regoing to have to bend the rule book a little. Mister Lydon has, Isuppose, suffered some trauma in the removal of his soul. And hedidn't exactly give his permission to anybody for the use of hisformer body."

John gave aninvoluntary squeak. Former body? He was missing most of whatwas being said, but former body?

"However," the Judge continued, "Mister Lydon was also amajor asshole during his time on earth."

"Hey!" Johnshot to his feet. Norman concentrated hard, shoved harder, and feltsomething like resistance as she motioned Lydon back into his seat.He was pretty sure it was all in John's head. His hand had passedright through the shoulder again.

The judgebanged his golden gavel. "Mister Lydon, sit down or I will hold youin more contempt than I already do! You have led a life ofarrogance and cruelty. You have been particularly harsh towardwomen, particularly young, plump women. You were given many gifts,and misused all of them. If Norman hadn't completely buggered thiscase, you would not be here now, with any possibility of a secondchance."

Camael's facewas red with anger. He paused, straightened the collar of his robe,twitched his wings, and took a breath.

"In spite ofthis, it is the opinion of this court that you are owed somecompensation for the inconvenience of situation at the time of yourdemise. Should— I'm stressing should— the current occupantof your former body succeed in his task, I am willing to consider apossible alternate outcome for its original owner, namely you,Mister Lydon. As such, it is ordered that if Jack Lynch is notreturned to his original body, you be reincarnated upon the finalrelease of your soul, which currently resides in the failing bodyof Jack Lynch. You will be returned to earth at such time as thisoccurs, to resume your existence in a new body, one which wouldotherwise have expired. I will leave the details to..." the judgesmiled, "Karmael."

John Lydon hadno idea what had just happened. There were a lot of big words, andsomething about his body being former.

Norman winced,caught himself, and forced a smile. He glanced at John, who seemedto grow more watery as he watched. "It's gonna be fine. I gottarun. Next Big Star is on!"

Chapter 14

Rori sat on thelip of the fountain behind Hammond High. It was late— she wasn'tsure how late. She didn't care.

This was whereshe'd lost her last chance. That night twenty years ago, when Jackhad turned away from her, she should have chased him, begged him,told him how