CHAPTER 10

Tess and Andrew waited in the living for Monica to join them, nearly an
hour later. Andrew had started a fire in the fireplace and Tess had
laid out a comforter and some pillows on the floor near the fire before
sitting down in the chair nearest the fire. They both looked up as
Monica approached them, dressed uncharacteristically in an oversized
sweatshirt and sweatpants, her hair, still damp from the ocean, hung
limply and her large brown eyes were downcast.

Andrew patted the seat on the floor beside him and at Tess’ feet and she
carefully sat down, crossed her legs and placed her hands in her lap,
her eyes gazing briefly at the fire. She shivered a little, even though
the room was comfortably warm. Sadly, she looked up at Tess, then at
Andrew, before looking down at her hands once more,
“I’m not sure of what to say,” She whispered finally, after a moment.

“Why don’t you tell us what happened, baby,” Tess urged gently, her hand
reaching down to stroke the damp hair on Monica’s head,
“Why don’t you start with what happened while you were still at the
college? What did Kathleen tell you out on that field before Andrew got
there?”

She nodded her head and not meeting either of their concerned gazes, she
began to speak, the words tumbling out in a rush of pain,
“She wanted me to go with her. She said..she said that God had
abandoned me and left me human and that I could either die there or
agree to come with her. I wouldn’t agree to go, but she kept saying all
of these terrible things. I started praying, begging Him for help and
guidance, but there was only silence. I tried to tell Kathleen all of
the right things—that God hadn’t left me, that He knew exactly what was
happening to me, but…” A single tear slid down her cheek,
“I didn’t really believe it, or at least I was having a hard time
believing it. I started saying the words to that song I’ve heard you
sing, Tess. You know, the one about the sparrow and then the attack
began. I thought I heard you finish the song, Tess, but I think it was
only in my mind, and then Andrew was there, protecting me from them.”
She felt him put his arm around her shoulders in an attempt to comfort
her and she briefly looked up at him thankfully,
“I asked Andrew if God had sent him to help me and he told me ‘No’ and I
couldn’t even grasp the fact that if Andrew hadn’t of shown up, what
could of happened to me. “

“Angel Girl,” Tess said softly, not wanting to give her a lecture, but
needing her to know just the same,
“You know that the Father knows all and He knew that Andrew was going to
be there for you, baby.”

“I know, Tess, but it hurt, just the same.” She replied in a voice that
was scarcely a whisper.

“Why did you leave the college, Monica?” Andrew asked her, trying to
meet her eyes, but failing,
“I was worried when you vanished like you did.”

“I heard you and Tess talking about how Sam was upset over what had
happened and that I had caused enough trouble for you, Andrew. I hated
the fact that you two were in trouble for my actions, so I figured if I
left, then I wouldn’t make things any worse for you both.”

“Monica,” Andrew scolded gently,
“You should know better than that. I did what I did because I wanted to
do it. I knew how afraid you were and I couldn’t leave you alone, even
though I tried. “

Monica closed her eyes as several more tears escaped them,
“That was when I ran into Stacey. She was running away too, away from
Kathleen. Kathleen wouldn’t leave her alone, so I offered to go with
her in order to try to solve both our problems. We talked and I told
her who I was and the funny thing was, that I think she believed me,
even though I was no angel at that point. I must of fallen asleep
because when I woke up we were at the rest stop and so was Kathleen.
She told me that it was either me or Stacey, so of course, I told Stacey
to get out of there and then…..” She swallowed hard, trying to get rid
of the lump that had formed in her throat. Tears began to fall freely
as she covered her face with her hands.

Seeing her pain, Andrew pulled her into his arms and held her tightly,
hardly able to stand the grief that consumed her.

“Baby,” Tess said softly, setting a hot cup of mocha latte down on the
wooden stool near her,
“You have got to get this out, so we can help you; so you can start to
heal.”

“Oh Tess,” She wept, clinging tightly to Andrew,
“I don’t think I can heal from this. It was so terrible! It was so
dark, but yet I knew that there were demons all around me…I could hear
them….feel them…. They were laughing at me and then I felt claws tearing
at my body. I could hear you singing from somewhere far away as all of
this was happening and all these faces kept flashing through my mind,
faces of past assignments, mostly people I had failed. Then…then it was
Andrew’s face I saw and I tried to beg for help, but I couldn’t talk.
Andrew, you looked so sad and told me that I had made this choice and
you couldn’t help me any longer,” Overwhelmed, she sobbed helplessly for
a moment,
“The pain was unbearable…like nothing I had ever felt before! It was
dark and hot and all the while, they were tearing at me, and I knew that
they were going to capture my soul. I—I can’t remember anything after
that….”

Andrew tightened his arms around her as the sobs convulsed through her,
“Let it out, sweetheart,” He whispered, tears falling from his own eyes
as he took in all that she had endured. He could only imagine how he
would have reacted had it been him, but he almost couldn’t bear the fact
that this had happened to the most gentle soul he knew. He looked up at
Tess and saw the tears streaming down her face as well.

“And it doesn’t end there, does it, baby?” Tess uttered, trying
desperately to keep her own emotions under control. She watched as
Monica shook her head, unable to speak at that moment,
“No,” Tess said softly,
“I didn’t thing so.”

Monica cried for a long time, until her body and mind were completely
exhausted. She lay in Andrew’s arm, completely drained, grateful for
the comforting feeling of his hand stroking her hair. She felt almost
sick as she wondered what she would ever do without he and Tess, her two
best friends. She wondered how long she had with them before they had
to return Home and what would become of her when that day came.
“Do you think God wants an angel who has been tainted by the powers of
hell, Monica? No, of course He doesn’t.” Kathleen’s words echoed inside
of her mind and she closed her eyes in misery,
“I don’t feel very well,” She whispered weakly.

Andrew grabbed a pillow and laid it in his lap, helping his friend to
rest her head as she stretched out on the floor. Lovingly, he covered
her with a quilt before he went back to stroking her hair gently,
watching as she began to drift off to sleep.

“I love you both,” She whispered, as the exhaustion overtook her body.

“We love you too, baby,” Tess responded, looking down at the pale, tired
face of her friend as she gave in to sleep.

Andrew turned his concerned eyes to Tess once he heard Monica’s even
breathing,
“What happens now, Tess?”

“Well, baby, we haven’t heard all of the story yet, I know that. Things
have happened in this house and I have a feeling that Kathleen is behind
that. But she’ll tell us when she’s ready. This was enough for one
day. She needs us now, more than ever, Angel Boy and she needs the
Father, but she’s never going to go to Him feeling the way she does
right now. She’s too depressed and too full of grief and guilt. “

“She’s been through so much,” Andrew stated sadly, gazing down at the
sleeping angel.

“Yes, she has, Andrew. More than she ever should have had to go
through, but it’s too late for that. Right now, she needs us to love
her, and listen to her and then, later, she’s going to need to listen.”
Tess sighed softly as her eyes never left Monica’s face.

“Tess,” He began hesitantly,
“Is she going to be alright?”

Tess was quiet for a moment, considering his question carefully,
“I think it’s still too soon to tell, baby. God is in control though
and that is what we need to keep in mind. “

Andrew nodded his head as he turned his attention back to the sleeping
angel, watching she trembled in her sleep,
“I love you, Monica,” He whispered, wrapping the quilt more snugly
around her,
“And I’m never going to let you go.”