Who celebrates Eddie’s birthday? Why is it significant?

Eddie finds himself in a round building with many doors. Behind each door is a wedding reception from from a different culture; Each reception is full of merriment and festivity. Finally, Eddie spots a youthful Italian bridesmaid in a countryside wedding who simply radiates joy. The young woman is none other than Marguerite, his beloved wife and the fourth person he will meet in Heaven.

It is now Eddie’s thirty-eighth birthday, and Eddie is sitting with his brother Joe in the maintenance shop at Ruby Pier. Although Eddie has been promoted to head of maintenance, Joe is a successful salesman making three times his brother's salary. Marguerite, who works selling tickets at Ruby Pier, arrives and leads the two brothers outside. They see a group of children surrounding a cake with thirty-eight candles stuck in it. The children sing 'Happy Birthday' to Eddie, who is is touched but also a little sad. He and Marguerite both want a child of their own but have been unable to conceive; Marguerite now wants Eddie to consider adoption. Eddie has commented that they are "too old" to be parents now but as he sits among the children on his 38th birthday, Eddie agrees to start the adoption process.

Eddie remembers his and Marguerite’s own wedding, which took place on Christmas Eve in a Chinese restaurant called Sammy Hong’s. Although the wedding festivities were simple and streamlined, their union was filled with contentment and love. After Marguerite’s death, Eddie “let the days go stale. He put his heart to sleep” (156). Reunited in Heaven, Eddie and Marguerite reminisce about that day, joking about the accordion player and the mediocre Chinese food. Marguerite tells Eddie that she has already met her five people in Heaven and now understands how much Eddie loved her. Eddie then drops to his knees and, breaking down for the first time since his death, admits how much deeply he has missed her. Marguerite reveals to Eddie that wedding receptions are her version of Heaven because weddings symbolize love and possibilities.