“Where would you like to begin this morning, Elisa?” Kim begins.

‘Well first of all I’d like to see if he’s around and if he is, I want to see how he’s doing and tell him I love him,’ I say.

“Hi Mom!”

He says that in a “Where else would I be” way, Kim says with a giggle. “He knew you would be expecting him. Erik, you sound kind of long suffering today.”

He chuckles and says, “I love you, Mom, I love you.”

‘Aw, sweet baby!’ I love you too.’

“He’s showing me something, Elisa. He’s extending his hand and it’s filled with a beautiful spring bouquet of flowers,” Kim exclaims.

“For your birthday and for early Mother’s Day,” Erik adds.

‘Aw, thanks you Erik,’ I reply gratefully.

Kim interjects, “He says ‘I love you’ and shows himself giving you a great big hug.”

‘Big hug back, Erik.’

“Mom, the book, the book.”

“Are you working on the book with him, Elisa?” Kim asks.

‘Well, I’m working on a couple of things. One is a screenplay for a possible TV series and the other one is a book based on our story. You know, a mom loses her son, writes a blog to help with the healing process and, as a team, the two of them reach out to many grieving people to help bring comfort and understanding to their lives. Erik’s insight really helps those who are suffering from their losses. Maybe that could be a movie eventually. I’d call it “Channeling Erik,”’ I suggest. ‘Erik, what’s your opinion about these ideas? Are you still cool with the idea of you and Michael helping with the screenplay about the kids who kill themselves and, from the afterlife, help their friends and family as well as other teens at a similar crossroads?’

“Absolutely, Mom,” he exclaims. Kim sees him jumping up and down, clapping his hands. “He is really excited,” she says energetically.

“Mom, we talk about it everyday!” he says, sounding a bit puzzled by my need to ask that question. “The communication between us has never been better. And I’m not talking about just since I died. I’m talking about ever. Mom, don’t we talk more than we ever have now that I’m dead?”

‘Yeah, exactly. And before you died, we really were good about being open with each other about most things, anyway,’ I add.

“He’s using the word “dead,” but you and I both know he’s alive,” Kim says.

‘Oh, I know. Of course! So, Erik, what do you think about writing a book and film called “Channeling Erik?” It’d be about what’s happened since your death and how we’ve both been able to reach out to other people through the blog…’

Erik interrupts with “I thought that’s what we’ve been working on! I think we’re making great progress. I’m excited no matter how the message gets out there. I’ve brought a couple of friends to advise us on it. One is John Wayne, one is the screenwriter and film director, Preston Sturgess, and the other is Ernest Hemingway!”

‘Oh, good!’ I respond incredulously. ‘So we’re in good hands, then!’

Sometimes Erik’s intense optimism about my writing abilities can be daunting. I feel a bit uncomfortable to be in the company of such star power. After all, I’m just a mom. I don’t know if I can live up to his expectations. But I want to try if it means preventing just one kid from making the same mistake he made.

“Yep, and they say a TV series would be better than a film.”

‘So, Erik, just to be clear, you’re talking about “Channeling Erik,” not the story about the teens who commit suicide, right?’

“Right. But they want you to know one thing. When this is made into a TV series and kids watch it, there’s going to be a big teenage audience. It’s going to be as popular as the Vampire series. You’re going to wonder if explaining reality as it really is (I know that’s redundant) that kids might think, ‘Oh, whoa, maybe I don’t have to be afraid about wanting to go back to Heaven.'”

‘Exactly, and I’ve thought about that,’ I assure him. ‘I’m going to consult with a psychiatrist or psychologist. We’ll have things in there where the teens who commit suicide are like ‘Wow I wish I hadn’t done it.”

“Yeah, so the kids are going to be very repentant and missing their families,” Erik says in agreement. “What you’ll point out is how they can never come back. So it’ll depict Heaven as a wonderful, wonderful place where they are reunited with their loved ones, but the regret they’re going to feel is going to be so overwhelming that they’re going to need therapy. So you’re not going to have to worry. It’s going to make some kids feel, ‘wow, heaven looks cool but ooh those kids seem really fucked up after they committed suicide. Oooh, boy, maybe I should rethink this, geez!'”

‘Exactly, exactly,’ I say with a nod that I’m sure he can see.

“Also, you’re going to have them look back at the lives they thought were so difficult and so miserable when they were on the earthly plane, and they’re going to look at it in a completely different perspective. So it’s going to have a lot of healing overtones for the kids who watch it. Now the guides like the idea of “Channeling Erik” starting as a book, then becoming a film, not a TV series,” he says.

‘Good deal, Erik. I can’t wait continue our work together. A mother and son project!’ I say excitedly. ‘So have you had a chance to meet anyone famous? You know, celebrities like Jimi Hendrix or historical figures like George Washington?’

“No, I’ve just been asking for help to get information for the book project, and so I met those people I just talked about,” Erik says nonchalantly. Clearly souls are not as mesmerized by fame as us lowly humans.

“Mom, you and I talk all the time, and we’ve got all this work, so when would I have had any time to meet anybody like that?” He says with a chuckle. Then he goes on, “I know that you sleep, but when you wake up at night you talk to me then, too, and I want to be available to you all the time.”

‘Oh, that’s awesome. I like having you around, Baby,’ I reply feeling warmly comforted. ‘So last time we spoke you said you were going to get back to me on the whole “God question.” Have you found out anymore information on who or what God is?’

“No, Mom,” he answers patiently.

‘Too busy?’

“Yep, but that’s gonna be the next project after we finish these two,” he promises.

So many crucial projects, and only an eternity to complete them. Who’d have thought I’d be collaborating with Heaven?