Val didn’t believe in the after life.
She knew it existed. But as someone who was named after Valhalla, the Viking idea of the after life, she had a particularly shrewd view on what was in the afterlife. And really, until you got there, who the fuck really cared?
She knew that Heaven didn’t exist on earth, their planed couldn’t hide something so beautiful. Valhalla knew that. She didn’t think money could give it to you or possessions. Once you were dead, you couldn’t take either with you.
So instead, Val looked for heaven where she saw beauty. She searched for Valhalla in the faces of children, in the subtle shades of a sunset or sunrise. She listened for Valhalla in the tinkling of wind chimes on Ms. Next Door’s balcony.
Beauty, and Heaven she supposed, were everywhere if you chose to look for it. Currently, Valhalla was looking for heaven on the dance floor. Candy was off grinding with some hot guy that had approached her within seconds of entering the bar. Valhalla was left to her own devices.
That suited her fine.
When you were looking for Valhalla, when you were searching for beauty, it was often a solitary craft. Others who couldn’t find beauty in the small things got annoyed by what they saw as her hippie attitude. Val didn’t think that way though. To her mind, there was beauty in the everyday.
If only we were attentive enough to see it.
Admittedly, there wasn’t very much that was beautiful on the dance floor. Johnny Come Lately’s was a new bar and was hopping. The music was thumping off the walls, in tune with the people who were thumping and dry humping on the dance floor.
Valhalla never understood that. Sure you got drunk at a bar and wanted to get your freak on. But wouldn’t you be more comfortable doing the horizontal mambo…horizontally? Besides, moving and grooving like that couldn’t be good for your posture.
She sipped her beer and tried not to jump when someone came to stand close to her. “Not into dancing either?” A voice said.
Val turned to see the most attractive man she had ever seen looking at her over the rim of a pint glass. “Nope.” She said.
“Me either. I look like I’m having a dry heave standing up.”
The man had gorgeous and shiny black hair and blue eyes that were so blue they were almost white, like partially frozen ice. His smile was blinding and, if she wasn’t mistaken, his skin seemed to be glowing.
“Who are you?”
“No one to be trifled with.” The man said, smiling again. “Names Bumble.”
“Bumble?” Valhalla wasn’t sure she had heard right.
“Yep. Bumble Brian McGee.” He said. He held out a hand and Val noticed the manicured nails, the soft skin.
“So are you gay?”
“Nope, far from it.” Bumble said. “Why are you here?”
“Helping a friend get over her sorry self.”
“That’s noble.”
“There’s nothing noble about it. I was tired of listening to her whine.”
“You helped a friend in need. Some would say that is a beautiful thing.”
“Everyone helps out their friends.”
“No, they don’t.” There was a harshness to Bumble’s words. “People are naturally selfish. But not you. You’re sitting here, hating almost every moment of it despite your love of music, because of your friend.”
“Anyone else would do the same.”
“No, they wouldn’t. I also know that you helped out another friend with a pair of winter boots, that you helped a blind man across the street the other day, that you hand out cigarettes to all the homeless people when you can.”
Valhalla shivered as a chill raced down her spine. “Who are you?” She asked again. “What are you?”
“I’m just your every day, garden variety angel.” He said. “You’ve been searching for Beauty, for heaven. I wanted to show you that something beautiful exists after you’ve passed on.”
“Why would you bother?”
“Because you’re beautiful.” Bumble said. He leaned down at kissed her softly on the lips. “You’re beauty personified.” He said.
“I think you’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen.” Valhalla said.
“Then I think we’ll get along fine.” He took her hand. “Come on, lets go dance.”
“I don’t dance.” Valhalla said.
Bumble smiled as he dragged her off of her barstool and onto the dance floor. “You do now.” He said.
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