Chapter 12

During their stroll in the park, now under the beautiful sunset, Andrew was more careful than ever with his sweet-mannered friend. In their last outing, on the Ireland seashore, he had pushed her spirit up to some great effort and Monica felt weak and tired. This time, however, the angel of death measured her every step, and deciding that she had already covered enough distance, he elected to make the spot under an oak tree their final stop. And he could not have chosen a better place: it was at the top of a small slope and from there it was possible to see that a music concert was about to begin.

"This is why spring and summer remain to be my favourite seasons, you see, Andrew." She started, once they were again comfortably seated. "Everything is so joyful and vivid and there always seem to be music filling in the air..."

He nodded in agreement. "You're right, angel. Human beings have always celebrated summer as a time to bond and enjoy each other's company."

Monica leaned against him and rested her head over his shoulder, making the blond angel to automatically hold her as the music started. Andrew lifted his prayers asking their Creator for Monica's healing so they could return to that very spot and enjoy Nature's wonders and each other's company in a more complete way.

Meanwhile, dark thoughts kept on haunting his spirit: the seriousness of Monica's condition, the pain she was under and how long she would remain there. And although the angel of death tried to deny it even to himself, Dr Richards's evident enchantment with her did bother him terribly – he had been almost rude to her a couple of hours before just because of her interest in whom was assisting her. Plus, in his most hidden thoughts, Andrew resented the fact that this man was doing everything he could to save Monica, while all that was left to him was to sit and wait. All the doctor's care, attention and protectiveness had always been Andrew's job, not Richards'. That man would never be able to understand the complexity and beauty of Monica's soul, her thoughts and feelings...only Andrew had that privilege besides the Father Himself.

The angel of death had a firm belief that his dearest friend was on an important assignment and that, once it was totally fulfilled, she would wake up and have her health quickly restored, so that the contact with Richards was brief and the angels could move away to another assignment, far from that town, far from that man.

A gentle tug in his arm took him out of his reverie and made him look down at his beautiful friend. "I was wondering something..."She said, with a smile, sparkling brown eyes gazing up at him with expectation as the music kept on playing.

"And what is it, angel?" He replied back, also smiling at her, his dark thoughts left aside for a while.

"May I have this dance?"

Despite the implications of that request – dancing would perhaps mean more effort to Monica, Andrew could not help chuckling at the way she was inviting him. "I thought things are the other way around!" He joked.

"I suppose they are but the music is so beautiful that I felt the urgency to do justice to it right now!"

"Monica..." He started, but if there was something Andrew was positively sure was the fact he was unable to deny Monica almost anything. "It'll be only one dance..." He raised his index finger and gave her a warning look, which she knew was a feeble attempt to set limits for her request.

And his utmost care and evident love did touch Monica's heart deeply. She knew how he had been suffering, how much any angel of death would suffer if assigned to take another fellow angel Home – so far she had never heard something like that could happen. She was Andrew's dearest friend, a companion in so many difficult or joyful moments and watching her suffering over a hospital bed was certainly extremely painful to him. But he was there, trying his best to bring her some relief. The blond angel was more than a soul mate: he was her warden, and his actions would forever be etched in her heart.

"One dance will be perfect, I'm sure."

Despite his half-hearted attempt to joke by establishing a boundary for her will to dance, Monica's smile and soft words back at him did not come from amusement. The Irish angel held a spark in her sweet doe-like eyes that captured Andrew's green ones and softened his heart up to the point of leaving him speechless with emotion. There was a mix of gratitude, enchantment and tenderness in her gaze.

And there was also much love – deeper than he had ever thought, or at least ever noticed before.

As Monica's delicate hand rested upon his, Andrew wrapped one arm around her waist and brought her closer to him, their eyes never breaking the contact as they started to sway along their very private dance hall, with no one to witness the great sense of union between the two souls other than the Father. It seemed that the golden glow around Monica's form became even brighter, even more splendid and awe-striking when she was in Andrew's arms, gently guided by the angel of death as the soft music played. She had closed her eyes at one point, but her smile remained and her ethereal image seemed to float.

Andrew, for himself, could not be more in awe at so much grace and at the possibility to keep it right there in his arms. The little angel's elegant figure made a perfect picture and seemed to hypnotise him for his green pools followed her every move, and in amazing synchrony he held her, led her to the next step, moved her forward and backward so that dancing became an exquisite performance.

The music came to a part where the couple pulled away and Andrew held Monica by one the hand, watching mesmerised as her auburn locks flew in the air as she twirled around; her broad smile never fading, her dreamy eyes gazing back at him with contentment. When the song came close to its closing, one of his arms gently encircled her waist and he dipped her down softly, his green eyes staring into her brown ones, and he felt her slightly tighten the grip on the back of his neck for support, even though she knew he would forever hold her if he had to.

Moments later, Andrew brought her up and back to him again, and the two angels in cosmic form kept a very short distance from each other, still holding and still gazing at each other with tenderness even if the music had finally faded.

"The concept of 'soul mate' has never been so clear to me as it is right now..." She said, her sweet smile putting in check his most hidden secret.

"Why are you saying so, angel?" He questioned her back, also with a matching smile and in no hurry to let her go from his arms, although it meant that all the layers with which he kept his feelings at bay had now been removed. The angel of death had simply failed to resist to her adorableness and to the evident love he had always felt for her.

"Because our strong connection and the certainty you'd always be my angel whenever I need have always been a constant to me... in many moments of my existence since the day we first met. I have no doubt that this... bond we share is a gift from the Father, perhaps a reminder of His own unconditional love... And it is now, perhaps when I need the most, that you do your best to do justice to this beautiful gift."

Moved at her words, Andrew lay a gentle hand against her cheek. "This... 'bond' will last forever, Monica. And to me, angel, the definition of soul mate is simply you..."

She managed a small tearful smile as she covered his hand with hers. "Then I guess we have matching opinions. A soul mate would understand and connect with me in every way and on every level, bringing a sense of joy and harmony whenever he is around, and when I think about it, it is you that comes to mind, Andrew."

The two angels found themselves locked up in each other's gaze, their enchantment and fascination never fading. The way they looked at each other came naturally and the image of the two together actually portrayed two souls who not only loved each other but who were also in love with each other.

Andrew acted on impulse when he dared to cross the small distance between them and press his lips very lightly and gently upon hers. Monica for herself not only accepted his caress but also returned it with the same tenderness. None of them had planned or anticipated that kiss – so light and ephemeral but which would leave an imprint in their souls for that moment on.

"That wasn't supposed to happen..." He rested his forehead with hers and spoke almost in a whisper once they parted, yet, he made no effort to break the tight embrace around her.

"Why do you say so?" She surprisingly asked, her eyes closed, and also in no hurry to leave the security and comfort of his arms.

Slightly taken aback with what she said, the blond angel searched for her eyes. "Monica...What just happened... I cannot even begin to imagine-"

"Andrew...I love you..." She gently interrupted him, confronting his words with utmost sincerity.

And despite the turmoil of thoughts in his mind – all about the implications of that small gesture, the angel of death could not help a small, almost inexistent smile. "Monica..."

"Right now which other things could I be more certain of other than what I feel for you and God's love?" She asked, with a tearful tone in her voice. Although her words were hard to face, there was no anger nor sorrow in her eyes as she said them.

Andrew was moved at her double courage: facing one of the greatest dramas an angel could face and admitting open-heartedly her feelings for him.

"Oh, angel... My sweet angel..." He spoke, reaching out to stroke her face. "I love you so much, my precious Monica...I've been holding this secret even from myself..."

"I'm sorry I never realised it... Actually, I never that my love for you was...that it was... much greater than what I thought..." She was going to say something else but on the following second, she felt her legs growing weaker and grabbed his shirt. "Andrew..."

"Angel? What... what's happening? What are you feeling?"

"I'm not sure...I guess I'm leaving..."

Andrew held her limp form in his arms and once he knew it, they were back at the ICU of the city hospital. Monica's soul was back to her human form but much to his despair, there were doctors and nurses surrounding her bed for Richards tried desperately to reanimate her.