When we walked back up the driveway to my house, I was initially distracted by the music blasting from behind the closed front door. It was so loud that it took me a moment to realize there was a familiar car in the driveway, one I hadn't seen in a few months.

As I opened the front door, the music intensified: dramatic string instruments, brassy horns, and a strong bass line. Some musical theatre song a la Mallory.

As if on cue, Mallory poked her head into the hallway from the kitchen. "Hey sis!" she said. She was already in her Halloween costume: a stuffy colonial-style suit with a fake beard drawn on her chin in eyeliner—Alexander Hamilton. I had to admire her for her commitment to the look.

Her eyes fell to James. "Who's that?" she asked, with absolutely no tact.

"This is James," I introduced. "He's... a new classmate."

Mallory's eyes twinkled, and I immediately knew she had the wrong impression. Her eyes skirted downwards to the item James held in his hands. "What's the teddy bear for? Is it a gift?"

"No—"

"Yes," James interrupted with a smile, pressing the bear into my hands. "It's a gift for your sister."

Mallory's grin widened, and then she called out, even louder than the swell of music, "Mom! Dad! Jessa has a new friend with her!"

"Mallory!" I hissed, feeling my face warm.

Thankfully, I heard my mom call out, "Mallory! Turn down that music!" which gave me some relief as Mallory had to slink off to find her phone.

I rolled my eyes, about to step into the kitchen, when my eyes were drawn up to the top of the stairs, where a familiar figure stood in a navy blue sweater.

"Hey Jessa," Evan said, climbing down the stairs.

"Evan!" I said, giving my brother a hug as soon as he reached ground level. "I thought I saw your car in the driveway. What are you doing here?"

My brother slid his hand into his pockets. "Nothing was really going on at school this weekend, so I figured I'd come home for a few days. See how everyone was doing."

Evan was typically a pretty good liar—it was how he got away with so much crap when he was in high school—but even I knew that this was a lie. Of course something was going on this week in college; it was Halloween weekend.

My parents must have told him what had happened at the dance. I had a feeling he had come home for me, to see how his little sis was coping after witnessing her classmate collapse into a coma at her silly high school dance.

Part of me wanted to snap at my parents for telling him about it and guilting him to come home for the weekend. Another part of me was really grateful to see him.

"It's nice to see you," I said.

"You too," he said, and then his green eyes flickered over to James and he held out his hand. "Hey man. I'm Evan, Jessa's brother."

Thankfully, James seemed to know what a handshake was, and he returned it. "I'm James. I'm new to the area."

Evan shook his head and looked at me. "I can't believe how many new people you got mid-year."

"What do you mean?"

"Weren't you telling me about some new girl named Lana?"

My heart froze for a moment. I had forgotten I had called Evan about all of that a few weeks ago. "Oh... yeah she's gone now." I took a breath. "Also, I was wrong. She was definitely a 'mean to disabled kids' kind of person."

Evan winced. "Sorry about that. At least she's out of your hair now."

I wish, I thought.

At this point, my parents decided to reveal themselves, slipping out of the kitchen with dishrags in hand and throwing themselves at James as if they hadn't seen a living person in months.

"Hello!" my mom said, and my dad held out a hand to shake his. I gave all the necessary introductions as my mom profusely apologized for the state of the house, saying that she didn't know I had invited someone over. I swapped glances with Evan, who rolled his eyes at the theatrics.

"Are you staying for dinner tonight?" my mom asked.

"Mom, I'm not sure if that's a great idea—"

"I wouldn't want to be a burden," James said graciously.

"Not at all! It's pasta night!" my dad said with a grin. "And I always make too much!" He put an arm on James' upper back, leading him into the kitchen as my mom followed.

Mallory appeared suddenly at my side. "What happened to Alex Mason?" she whispered.

I winced; even her whisper was loud. "Nothing happened to him. I haven't seen him since the dance."

"You were dating Alex Mason?" Evan asked in shock. "I'm gone for two months and Jessa gets not one, but two boyfriends?"

"Alex took her to the dance last night," Mallory said, giving me a look. "You're brutal, Jess."

"Guys, James is just a friend."

"Uh huh," Mallory said, eyeing the teddy bear in my hand and disappearing into the kitchen.

Evan shook his head. "I didn't even know that you liked guys."

"Hardy har," I said. "Thanks Ev."

He held up his hands in mock defense and backed into the kitchen.

I rolled my eyes and joined everyone.

For his part, James was an absolute perfect guest. His awkwardness from earlier vanished as he immersed himself in the dinner preparations, chopping up some red onions for the salad. As I set the table, my family peppered him with questions. I tried to answer as many for him as possible, but he managed to sneak in some answers of his own that seemed to please my parents, small lies about school and such. Guess angels don't have to tell the truth, I thought, cataloguing that thought for later.

Then, right as everyone was taking a seat at the table, James asked if he could use the restroom.

My dad gestured to me. "Jessa, go show him where it is."

I was going to say that he already knew, but then realized I couldn't explain that he had watched me throw up, so I got up to escort him.

"Bladders are strange," James said as we walked into the hall, rubbing his stomach. "I haven't had one in years."

I started to laugh, but then we passed the living room and I stopped in my tracks. The typewriter was still there, almost grinning at me from the coffee table. But now there was a new page in the slot, this one with fresh black ink.

I looked at James and together we stepped into the living room. Part of me was hoping that someone in my family—Mallory perhaps—had found the typewriter and had decided to test out some keystrokes. But of course, that wasn't the case.

Hi Jessa!

It's so good to hear from you. Yes, of course you can come visit! Sorry to have left you so quickly without formalizing our deal—things got a little crazy ;) I've sent you a round-trip ticket, per your request. The boat will pick you up at midnight and drop you off at the edge of the Underworld. It's a bit of a walk to get to my place, so wear comfy shoes. I'm excited to see you!

~Lana

A purple ticket was propped against the page. My name glimmered on it in shiny black ink.

"Good," James said. "She responded. You'll leave tonight."

"Tonight?" I repeated, incredulous. "I was interpreting the letter to mean that the boat arrives at midnight like... not tonight."

James looked at me. "We don't have much time. The sooner you get to her, the better."

I felt the distinctive urge to throw up yet again. James seemed to anticipate that because he touched my arm. His hand was warm.

"It's going to be okay," he said, his voice quiet and soothing. "You'll have the teddy bear with you. I'll be with you."

"What's it like down there?" I asked, my voice a small whisper. From what Lana had shown me when we first met, I didn't know how I'd survive, even with James accompanying me in spirit.

James hesitated. "I don't know. No angel has ever been down there."

"Surely someone knows what it's like," I said. "Like..." I gestured upwards.

James exhaled. "I mean, I would assume the Almighty knows what it's like. He is omniscient."

"And He has never... informed anyone what it was like?"

James shook head.

"Could you... I don't know, ask Him?"

James looked a bit uncomfortable, as if he could get in trouble for speaking to me like this. "The Almighty isn't as... forthcoming as He used to be. Nor as accessible. I don't think I'd be able to gain a direct audience with Him to ask the question. And if I did, I don't think it would provide us with any helpful information."

"Does it bother you to work for someone so vague?"

James hesitated, as if considering lying. Finally he said, "It can be frustrating at times. But that's how faith works. You need to trust in His plan."

"That's not very comforting," I said with a grumble.

"It's not," James admitted. "But sometimes faith is all you have."

We sat for a moment in silence, and then James glanced at the clock above the television. "We still have a few hours before we have to go," he said. "Maybe use the time we have left to... chat with your family."

I knew he hadn't meant to say "chat." He had meant "say goodbye."

I nodded. Then, remembering why we had gotten up in the first place, I showed James the bathroom.

When I returned to the table, my mom squinted at me. "Jessa, are you okay? You look like you just saw a ghost."

Not exactly Mom, I thought. But I'm heading to see some later.

"I'm fine," I said, settling down into my seat. "Just thinking about Billy and how... you never know what's going to happen."

My father nodded, shoving a fork-full of pasta into his mouth. "That's why it's important to seize each day," he said with a swallow. "Live life to the fullest, no regrets."

I felt my eyes water. Had I been living life to the fullest? It sure didn't feel like it; if anything, I'd just been coasting through. And now that my life was possibly approaching an early end, a feeling of sorrow fell over me, like a cold blanket.

Before I could lose my nerve, I said, "Mom, Dad, Mallory, Evan... I love you guys." I swiped at my eyes, determined not to break down into sobs at the dinner table.

My family exchanged worried looks at my sudden display of affection, and my mom got up from her spot, walked around the table, and embraced me.

"Jessa, it's okay," she murmured, using a soft voice I hadn't heard since I was a child. "We're not going anywhere."

But I am, Mom, I thought. That's the problem.

"I just wanted you to know I love you all, that's all," I said, pressing my face into the fabric of her chest.

I've always been surprised at how hard it is to tell the people in your life how much they mean to you. At my grandfather's funeral, for example, it had been so easy to tell a full church how much I had loved him. But when he'd been alive? I don't know if I had ever told him that.

But it was worth the effort. Telling them all felt good. It felt so good.

When my mom returned to her seat, Evan was eyeing me oddly. You okay? he mouthed, tilting his head towards the hall as if to say, You know we can talk.

I nodded. I'm fine, I mouthed back, even though it wasn't true.

James returned to the table a few minutes later, oblivious to the redness in my eyes and the strange atmosphere at the table. After helping himself to some spaghetti, he said, "Our class is holding a prayer vigil for Billy tonight. At midnight. Jessa and I were going to go."

Normally my parents wouldn't dare let me out that late, but my mom looked at me and my red eyes and nodded. "I think that's a lovely idea. Just stick together and wear a jacket. It's supposed to be cold tonight." My mom looked at James' Hawaiian shirt and khaki combo and added, "We can lend you one."