When I pass away, is it possible for me — my soul — to stay on Earth to be with my wife until she also dies, or do I have to go to heaven as soon as I die?
— Gerald A., email question

From the angels: Yes, this can be done. When the angels reach to lift souls, some souls decline or fight the angels because of fear of the unknown or remorse for past actions. If souls reject the lifting to god, they could wander Earth without a body. If souls are intensely afraid, they might not want to lift with the angels.

If souls regret the loss of a physical body, they might refuse the lifting.