Episode 54 - You'll be in my heart

The spring night had fallen upon Earth as gently as the soft breeze that was blowing through the window, waving the beige curtains that hung on the apartment windows and calling Monica’s attention. The Irish angel was lying in bed watching the few stars that twinkled up above and sighed. She had been living in that small apartment for nearly three months, in order to fulfil a series of assignments in that neighbourhood. But for her it was more than just a regular duty: it was an opportunity to spend more time next to the ones she loved most – her beloved Andrew, wee Angela, their cute little daughter, and Tess, the mother that God had chosen to be by their side along the centuries. There, they experienced a bit more of the human life while helping those who crossed their way, and were thankful for those beautiful days.

But the following day would put an end to those days as was time to leave that temporary home and go separate ways, fulfilling the Father’s mission wherever they were sent all over the world. This chore had always filled their hearts with joy and honour, despite the fact that being away also proved to be a great sacrifice.

A small noise at the bedroom door took Monica out of her reverie and she turned her eyes from the window to look at her eternal valentine. “I left everything ready for breakfast tomorrow, angel.” He said, as he climbed in bed and settled next to her. She was quick to snuggle against his chest as he wrapped his arm around her and kissed the top of her head. “I’m not sure when I’ll be called but if it’s before you wake up, you can-“

“Please, wake me up...” she suddenly interrupted, looking at him with evident sadness in those sweet brown eyes that Andrew loved so much to gaze at.

“Okay...” he removed a stray piece of hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. “You know we’ll be together soon.”

The blond angel felt her tightening the hold around his torso. “I do, but it’s never easy to wait for that day...”

He too was feeling sorry for those days coming to an end, but he had a feeling that their loving Father wouldn’t put them apart for a long time, and specially on that day, Andrew refused to see his dear Monica so sad. Trying to cheer her up, he smiled mischievously and bent down to search for her eyes. “Well, I guess that we’ll have to hold on to the good memories in this meantime!”

He was happy to see a slight smile playing on her lips. “And we had so many wonderful moments while we were here...”

The blond angel cupped her chin up and kissed her lips softly before he spoke again. “We could have some more until the morning comes, you see...”

She let out a small giggle as he kept on brushing tiny kisses against her lips. “It sounds like a lovely plan...”

Andrew pressed his lips more firmly against hers and they started a long, loving kiss; his fingers gently caressing the back of her head, entangled in her long auburn tresses as she touched his jaw with her fingertips, caressing his handsome face with feather-light touch.

But a sweet sound interrupted that equally sweet moment and they pulled away at the same moment they heard Angela’s crying voice coming from the other room.

“I go...” the Irish angel spoke, disentangling from his loving embrace, she and Andrew chuckling and finding that situation rather funny.

“This little angel has a perfect timing!” he joked, still listening to Monica’s giggles as she left the bedroom.

There was soft light coming from the lamp next to Angela’s crib, and in her mother’s presence, the baby’s crying subsided a little, even though she continued to whimper.

“Hey, sweetheart, what is wrong with you, huh?” Monica spoke softly, tenderly caressing the little angel’s soft hair.

Usually, when Angela cried at night it was for something simple like wet diapers or because she felt a bit cold. But her sad little face and the way she was looking at her mother somewhat told Monica that there was more to it. Gently, she lifted Angela in her arms and kissed the baby’s head. “Oh, wee Angela... I guess I know why you are so sad, sweetheart...” she said, holding the little angel close to her chest.

Angela had inherited the bond that her parents shared and it was easy for Monica to know how the sweet little heavenly being was feeling with Andrew’s departure on the following day. The Irish angel knew that soon she too would have to say goodbye to Angela and let Tess watch over her while she was somewhere fulfilling the Father’s work.

“I miss him already too...” she whispered to a very unsettled baby girl who kept on whimpering in her arms.

Some minutes later, Monica gave up putting Angela back to her bed and had no alternative but to take her to the other room. A worried Andrew was already leaving bed and going to see what was going on when Monica reappeared taking their crying baby in her arms.

“Here is your daddy, wee one! We’re all together now...” she kissed the baby’s check and passed her to Andrew, who was equally sorry to see such a sad little face.

“Hey, my little angel! There’s no need to cry, sweetie, daddy is here...” he said, and once Angela was settled against her father’s strong chest, the whimpering subsided little by little and she seemed to finally calm down.

“I think she was missing her daddy...” Monica spoke, sitting next to him at the edge of the bed.

“She’s still so agitated...” he said, caressing Angela’s soft hair. “I can feel it...”

The Irish angel touched the baby’s tiny hand. “Yes... Amazing how this little angel of God is already so sensitive...”

Smiling tenderly, he turned to look at her, both keeping their voices low. “I know where she got it from!”

Also smiling, the Irish angel inched closer and kissed his cheek. Then she rested her head over his shoulder looking at their little daughter, who was finally peacefully sleeping in his arms. “I’m under the impression that we’ll have a guest tonight...”

Andrew chuckled at that remark. “Well... I’m glad we still have this morning memories to hold on to, when this little angel was fast asleep like a little angel should be!”

Laughing, they moved to their bed again, but now with a precious cargo cuddled in between them.

X

The first sunrays crossed the window and its beige curtains inside Monica and Andrew’s bedroom, gently touching the wooden floor and announcing that a new day was about to start. But long before it, the blond angel’s green eyes had been open and focused on his two most precious blessings. Monica and Angela were fast asleep right next to him, and he chuckled at the hint of a smile on their faces. In all his Father’s wonderful creations, Andrew had never seen so much beauty and none of them had filled his heart with so much tenderness as the two angels lying next to him.

Carefully not to wake her up, he straightened the blanket over Angela’s small form. It had been a difficult night as even after she was set to sleep in between her parents, the baby whimpered a few times in her sleep. He wondered if it could be because she had been on Earth for too many days, and even hoped the little angel could come back to her heavenly Home soon. But he also wondered if it was because she was already feeling his absence, and this thought saddened him a bit more.

Low and soft words came out of Monica’s lips, making him chuckle. “Double mocha latte, Andrew...”

He reached out and tucked a loose piece of hair behind her ear. “As you wish, my angel...” he whispered back, and silently climbed off their bed.

An hour later, with breakfast ready and on the table waiting for the angels, Andrew returned to the bedroom. But now he was wearing the beige suit typical of his duty as an angel of death. And as much as Monica had asked, he didn’t have the courage to wake her up. She was sleeping so peacefully, so serene that interrupting it just to see in her soft brown eyes a reflex of the same sorrow that could be seen in his green ones was not fair. Andrew sat at the edge of their bed and with sadness, he contemplated the two for some long minutes.

First he watched his baby daughter. Angela’s soft hair was still short, but combed to the side, and Andrew touched the auburn strands so gently that the little girl remained still, as if even unconsciously, she could fee his loving presence.

“Oh, my sweet little angel... Daddy has to leave for a while but he’ll be thinking of you, always.” He whispered, chuckling as she suddenly reached out and rubbed her tiny nose with her chubby hand. He bent down and kissed Angela’s rosy cheek, and then whispered in her ear. “I love you, my little one...”

He pulled away and placed “Mr Frog,” one of Angela’s small toys, close to her. Then, he turned to look at his beautiful soul mate, who was sleeping just as peacefully as their baby. “I’m so sorry, angel, but I’ll let you sleep... You look so serene... so beautiful...” He smiled, “But then again, you always do...”

Gently, and very carefully not to wake her up, Andrew caressed her auburn hair, contemplating her beautiful Gaelic features just a bit more, for as long as he could. Then, he finally bent his head and touched her lips with his, so softly and with so much tenderness that the moment would be now a part of her sweetest dreams.

That was his last moment with Angela and Monica. As he rose to his feet and stood gazing at them, his human form gave place to his angelic one, and moments later, it started to fade away. Soon, there were only mother and daughter inside the room.

X

Monica’s eyes flickered open and were still glassy with sleep, but the smile playing on her lips and the soft giggling had a concrete reason. Angela’s chubby little hand was touching her face and caressing her long hair, and the little girl’s cute smile – making her tiny dimples appear, filled her mother’s heart with tenderness and much love.

The Irish angel reached out and caressed Angela’s soft hair and playfully touched the tip of her nose. “Hullo, wee one, good morning to you too, sweetheart!” She raised her eyebrows at the realisation that the baby’s little friend had also been placed next to her. “Oh, and look who’s here! It’s Mr Frog!” she exclaimed, bringing the small toy close to them and making Angela’s smile grow wider. “Oh, hullo, wee Angela! G’morning!” She said, making a different voice and eliciting a small giggle.

Monica placed the stuffed doll against her ear and, with a mock serious face, she pretended to be listening to the frog speaking. “Oh, really? My goodness, I think you are perfectly right! It’s been hours since we had our last meal and angels in human form must eat regularly! What do you think, wee Angela? Shall we all have breakfast?”

Angela’s smile and her giggling encouraged Monica to do something she was dreading: the apartment was awfully quiet and the bed was slightly big for her and her daughter. Sighing deeply, she propped her elbow on the bed and took a better look on Angela’s face: curious green eyes gazing back at her were a reminder of someone who she loved so dearly and who was not anywhere to be seen.

“You have your daddy’s eyes and, although he disagrees with me, you have his nose too, do you know that?”

A smile with a few teeth was a reply to her words and the Irish angel had no choice but to rise to her feet and face the truth: her beloved valentine had already left, and didn’t want to wake her up. With Angela in her arms, Monica walked along the small temporary home feeling its emptiness. Never that small apartment had seemed so big. Looking at the breakfast table Andrew had left before his departure, she sighed and kissed the top of her daughter’s head. The baby was resting against her chest and also seemed to take in Andrew’s absence.

“Even when he’s distant like now, your daddy is always taking care of us, isn’t he?”

As Angela remained in silence, Monica closed her eyes and touched her lips with her fingertips. It was as if she was feeling his loving kiss once again as a promise that he would carry her in his heart until the moment they were together again. But then, moments later, the Irish angel heard a message in her heart and knew that soon it’d be her time to move away from that temporary home and Angela would be left to the care of her dearest friend and supervisor.

X

Walking along the fields of Heaven, where there was no night and the sun always shone, the angel Monica carried Angela in her arms, and now both were wearing long white dresses, which were gently flying with the soft breeze that was blowing against their faces. Under the warm sunrays, Monica walked barefoot stepping on the soft green grass towards another angel, so dear to her heart. Soon, Tess was opening her arms to hold her.

“Oh, babies, it’s so good to see you back!” the oldest angel said, turning to the little baby who was now fast asleep in her mother’s arms. She caressed Angela’s soft auburn hair “And look at this little angel here! She is such a beautiful little miracle of God!”

Monica kissed the top of her daughter’s head and carefully handed her to the supervisor.

“Will you look after her for me, Tess?”

“Of course I will, angel girl!”

“Andrew has already left and I have an assignment to start in a few minutes... I just returned to leave Angela here...”

Like a mother who knew her daughter very well, Tess sighed and nodded her head, her smile fading a little at the sadness she could see in Monica’s eyes. “Yes, I know that, baby. And I also know that very soon you’ll be reunited again. You always do.”

“It seems to me that staying together for these two wonderful months while we perform our assignments made us grow accustomed to having each other and now coming back to the old routine isn’t that easy, I’m afraid.”

“I understand it, baby. But there are people who really need your help, and you should meet them in a few moments.”

“Is it a family, Tess?” she wanted to know, eyeing the supervisor curiously.

“Not exactly. See, you’ll be working as a nurse at a big hospital.”

Her soft brown eyes grew wide as she heard that. “A hospital? Oh, but then you are right, I could be useful as I’ve had the experience before!”

“The Father trusts you will do your best.”

“You’re not coming, are you?”

“Not for this moment, but soon.” She looked at sleeping Angela. “Uncles Rafael and Adam loved taking care of her once, and you know that here there is a lot of dispute about who is going to watch over her!”

They hugged each other and Monica caressed her daughter’s hair, kissing her rosy cheek repeatedly. “I love you so much, my little angel... so much...”

After saying goodbye to her dear friend, Monica left.

X

To be continued