CHAPTER 9

Early in the morning, on the following day, Monica and Andrew headed to Carrie's house, and, although time was running out, the woman's apologies definitely encouraged Monica to go on with her assignment. Amazing how things could change so much in such a short time! A tiny smile crossed her face when she remembered what made Carrie see the truth, and then Andrew's voice took her out of her reverie.

"Should I offer a kiss for your thoughts, Angel?" he asked, permanently holding her hand.

Her smile grew wider and she looked up at him with sparkling brown eyes, "A kiss was exactly what I was thinking about, you know?"

"Oh, really?" he said, and stopped their walk for a second. Cupping her chin up, the blond angel bent his head and brushed his lips with hers briefly but always tenderly. "Let's make it two kisses for you to think about now!"

His kind manners made her twice happier, and never breaking her smile, she kept on talking. "I never thought our love could help us with an assignment..."

"See? There can be many advantages in dating me!" he playfully replied.

Giggling, she wrapped her both arms around his, and they continued to walk. "I'm so hopeful now, Andrew. This woman needs to have a new chance, she's been through so much already..."

He became serious again, and nodded his head in agreement. "And she's got a lot to face yet, let's not forget it."

"But the Father will help her. I have faith she'll be alright."

"Me too, Angel. Me too."

As they stopped in front of the fence, he reached out and caressed her face, "And I'm also happy to see how this assignment is bringing back this generosity you have in your heart."

Returning his tender gaze, she leaned on his touch, "It's not only this assignment that brings out the best in me, you know."

But before they could say something else, the front door was open and Carrie greeted them with a warm smile. "Oh, you're here already!"

"Hullo, Carrie," Monica cheerfully greeted, and they watched as she crossed the garden and opened the small wooden gate, "Please, come on in," she invited, "I even feel embarrassed to make you two give up on your day just to come here..."

"Oh, no, we're glad we can help!" Andrew kindly objected, exchanging a quick glance with the little angel, and squeezing her hand.

"Yes, Andrew is right. And we want to start as soon as possible." Monica agreed, smiling at him.

The woman looked at them with a surprised look upon her face, "You're both so kind... It's so rare to meet people like you nowadays..."

"There are good people in this world, Carrie, more than we think. And they appear when we least expect, but when we most need them."

"I guess you're right, Monica. I'm starting to believe it myself."

She took them up to the kitchen and they talked for a little while, and Carrie explained what needed to be done. The children greeted the two angels and were glad to see that their mother was finally convinced that Monica was a good person and just wanted to help them.

"I'm happy you're here, Monica." Jenny spoke, "Thank you so much. You too, Andrew. We need all the help we can."

"We're glad we can help, Jenny."

"You're gonna visit us more times?" little Kevin wanted to know, he and his brother smiling at the Irish angel.

Monica knelt on the floor to stay on the same level of him, "Yes, wee Kevin, Andrew and I will be around more times from now on, while your family needs us."

"Really, really?" Brian asked, exchanging a look of happiness with his little brother.

Monica, Andrew and Carrie looked at each other with amusement. "Really, really!" she replied.

The children soon had to leave for school, and Andrew started to work outside in the garden. He bent his head to kiss her temple and both angels exchanged a quick glance before he left, once again, having a silent conversation through their connection.

"Well, shall we start?" the Irish angel spoke with enthusiasm, once he was gone, "I think the cupboard could use a good cleaning!"

Carrie took her hand and guided her up to a chair. "Monica... Please, have a seat..." she said, with a serious expression on her face, "Before we start, I want to apologize with you again for the way I behaved..."

"Carrie, you shouldn't-"

"No, please, I should... I treated you badly, I spoke harsh words and accused you of the most terrible things, and you... You returned all my anger with kindness and generosity..."

"I just want to help..."

"Yes, now I know. And I think I don't deserve it after all I did..."

"Carrie, you're a God's child, of course you deserve all the support you need at this difficult time... He never forgets His children."

"I believe it too... After all, He sent me you, didn't He?"

X

Monica and Carrie spent the next few hours cleaning the kitchen and living room, while Andrew was working outside, and during this time, the traces of Carrie's illness were more and more visible. The woman was pale, breathing with difficulty and got easily tired. But, helped by her heavenly nature, Monica managed to finish the tasks three times faster, sparing her assignment from working so much.

"It's amazing! How did you do that, Monica?" Carrie exclaimed, once she entered the living room and saw it all tidied up.

The little angel smiled shyly. "I'm better here than in the kitchen, believe me. Even Andrew would agree with me!"

"Well, judging by the way he looks at you I highly doubt it! That young man loves you very much, I can tell that!"

"Well, I... I love him very much too..." she replied, slightly blushed. Carrie was going to say something else but, all of a sudden, she felt her head spinning and leaned on the living room wall.

"Carrie?" Monica quickly held her for support, and guided her up to the sofa. "Please, have a seat."

"It'll be over soon..." the woman spoke, with a weak tone in her voice. Monica rushed up to the kitchen and returned seconds later, carrying a glass of water, "Here, have some water..."

"Thank you, Monica. I'm already feeling better..." she said, taking a few sips. "It must be the hot weather..."

Feeling sorry for the poor woman, the angel sat down next to her and placed her hand over her shoulder, "Have you been to the doctor lately?"

"No, but I know I'm weak because I haven't been eating much... We don't have enough money to buy healthy food... Besides, I... I cannot afford medicines, or a treatment right now..."

"Well, perhaps if you talk to your husband about it..."

"Jim doesn't earn much. Times have been very hard to us..." she tried to stand up but Monica stopped her, "No, Carrie, I think you should rest a little. I'll finish the cleaning in the kitchen."

"Oh, but that's not fair, you've done practically everything all by yourself!"

"Let's not worry about me, is that alright? Besides, I have Andrew to help me out."

"Are you sure? I'm feeling better already, I could-"

Monica held her hand in both of hers and looked deep inside her eyes, determined to dissuade her from working. "I'm sure."

The Irish angel helped her assignment up to her bedroom and lifted a silent prayer for her condition not to get worse. Promising Carrie she would wake her up before the children were back from school, Monica headed to the kitchen and, in just a few minutes, it was clean and in perfect order.

"Well... I guess I'm over!" she gladly exclaimed, and then, she looked through the window, searching for "someone" outside the garden. The expression on her face changed immediately to one of sorrow when she saw her dearest friend working under the hot sun.

Andrew did a very good job cleaning the garden. He removed the weeds, tidied up a few tools and the old broken toys spread along the now trimmed grass became new in a blink of an eye. But being in human form and making all this effort had an immediate consequence: his face was red and covered with sweat. The blond angel was exactly making a short pause when he heard a familiar soothing voice coming from the front door.

"Andrew?"

He immediately turned around to see his beloved Monica walking towards him with a glass of cold water and a lilac handkerchief. "Angel..." he spoke, with a smile already playing on his lips.

"Here, have some water..." she gave him the glass and frowned with concern at the redness on his face. "Thank you, Angel." He gladly accepted it and drank the water eagerly.

"Look at you..."

"It's quite hot today!"

"Yes, and in human form you shouldn't be exposed to the sun so much..." Monica replied, gently wiping away his face - her delicate touch and genuine concern made his heart ache with love.

"I'm feeling better already, you know?" he said, lost in the beauty of her meek face.

Busying herself wiping his handsome face, and not aware of his loving gaze, Monica shook her head in disagreement, "No, you're not... You have to stay out of the hot sun for today, Andrew!"

Chuckling, and finding her worry adorable, he caressed her cheek with the back of his hand, "My sweet Monica... I don't want to see your pretty face worrying about me, are we understood?" he playfully touched the tip of her nose, and then cupped her chin up.

Only then Monica's eyes met his and the little angel felt the familiar fluttering sensation in the pit of her stomach. "What you're asking me... is impossible..."

Slowly, their faces inched closer and Monica could feel his warm breath against her soft skin. As they closed their eyes, a loving tender kiss followed. Andrew also kissed her forehead and Monica held him tightly.

"Angel... I'm all dirty..."

"I don't mind... As long as you're here with me."

He kissed the top of her head repeatedly and placed a few strands of hair - loosen from her haphazard ponytail, behind her ear. "How is Carrie?"

"Weak and tired... She felt a little dizzy minutes ago, and I told her to lie down and rest for a little while."

"Time is running out, Monica. She needs medical care urgently..."

She pulled away and looked at his face. "I know. I'll do everything I can to help her, Andrew, I promise I will!"

He caressed her cheek once again, and was going to say something else when they heard another voice coming from the front gate, "You two here?"

Jim was staring at them with skeptical and worried eyes. And facing that man again brought back the inevitable sensation of fear and uneasiness to Monica's heart. Andrew felt it immediately, and searched for her hand, holding it firmly in his own.

"Your wife needed some help with the housework, and Monica and I offered to do a few chores." He replied, watching as the man frowned with concern at hearing that piece of news.

"Where's Carrie?" he wanted to know.

"Sh-she's inside... resting a little... She wasn't feeling very well..."

Jim crossed the garden and headed towards the door. And gathering all the courage she could muster, the Irish angel let go of Andrew's hand and followed him, "Jim, Carrie needs to see a doctor... She hasn't been feeling well for months..." she said, before he could enter the house.

The man turned around to face her with a hint of annoyance in his eyes, "I know what's best for my wife."

"If you do, then why does she refuse to see a doctor?"

"Because she knows we cannot afford it, Monica! I don't have money to pay for a treatment!"

She gave two more steps in his direction and looked straight in his dark eyes, "I know you don't. But you're not alone, Jim. Nobody is... Sometimes, help can come from where you least expect. You just need to have a little faith."

Frowning, the man lowered his head and sighed deeply, taking in the angel's words. "I... I need to see my wife..." he spoke, almost in a whisper, and then left.

Monica turned to look at Andrew, not really sure if she'd done the right thing. But the blond angel came closer to her with a slight smile in the corner of his lips. He took her hand in both of his and kissed its back. "I'm so proud of you, my angel. So proud you can't possibly imagine."

Shedding a lonely tear, Monica let go of his hand and held him tightly once again.