"I'm here."

 Because I was tired, I went to sleep early the other night, at about a bit past nine.

I dreamed I was at some garden dinner with a fancy buffet set up bathed in soft lights and with quiet music piping in from somewhere. I was with friends, eating, having a good time catching up, and amongst them was a friend who had passed away.

I said, “You’re here!” And my friend said, “I’m here, yes!”and we laughed and hugged and joined everyone in more laughter and jokes as we ate and drank and took pictures.

At a lull, which happens in any get-together, I was standing beside my friend and remembered that I had gone to bed early because I was tired and realised this could be a dream. So I asked my friend privately, “Is there an afterlife and are you really here to confirm it, or did I place you here?”

“I’m here,” my friend said, still smiling, still happy, still solid and huggable, still eating a pastry from a dessert plate.

“Your answer applies to both scenarios.”

We laughed again, the dinner went on; and then I woke up and typed all this here so I wouldn’t forget. And since I was honest and said early on that this was a dream, I am the only one cheated by the bad story trope that ends with “It was all a dream”. 

I’m awake so I know I placed my friend at the party. I’m glad it didn’t feel that way for a while. I’ll try to go back to sleep now.