When Dennis Irvine finally arrives at the pearly gates, St. Peter tells him he's late. This is nothing new for Dennis, who's always had a poor sense of timekeeping. On being admitted into Heaven, Dennis is assigned to Brett, a handsome college football player, who will be his guide. Heaven is not what Dennis expects. It's a college campus, Dennis sleeps in a dorm room with Brett, it's always football season, and why are there so many corners? Dennis and Brett forge a close platonic father and son friendship as they both wait for their lovers to pass over. Each time the Archangel Gabriel comes to tell them of new arrivals, Dennis hopes he'll have news of Colton, his beloved firefighter. But the wait is a long one.

Waiting for Colton

Dennis felt his wrist.He wasn’t wearing the watch Colt had given him for their first anniversary.Not that he could have seen it in the total blackness.


However,the gift of the wristwatch hadn’t improved his timekeeping any.Colt had gotten into the habit of telling Dennis they were expected at a certain place an hour before they were actually due.Even then,Dennis was often late.


“Colt,oh,Colt,I miss you.”Dennis sniffed back tears.


Turning a corner—though how he knew it was a corner in the total blackness,he wasn’t sure—he suddenly found himself in a meadow.It was daytime.Dennis whirled around,but couldn’t see where he’d just come from.The sun wasn’t overly bright,but sufficient to momentarily blind him.Rubbing his eyes and turning back around,he almost collided with a young man running toward him.


Chapter 2