PART 1

Those who had the privilege to spend some time by the ocean would soon learn to sleep lulled by the lovely sound of the waves that crashed upon the white sand at night, or by the soft breeze that hastened gently through the tree tops. They would also be graced with warm sunrays pouring through the window early in the morning and watch as the once mighty waves had turned into small vibrations in the sea water that kissed the shore. It was a perfect picture created by our loving Father.

The angel in human form strolled along the beach with her bare feet touching its sand and the soft breeze gently disarraying her auburn hair. Mother Nature had gifted that region with the bluest of the skies and the gentle sun spread its warmth along the land, brining more life to what was already an enchanting region.

But to the heavenly being that made its silent walk towards the white cottage that faced the beach it was only one more day of painful wait. A week earlier, she had had the joy to watch her soul mate leave hospital after a terrible accident that had left his human form seriously injured. The perks of a human body were many for an angel who spent some time on Earth, doing their Father’s work. But so were the risks. Initially assigned only as an angel of death, along the years that followed Andrew had also gradually been given the mission to help and guide instead of just escorting God’s children back Home. And two weeks before that sunny morning, he had managed to rescue 23 children from a building that collapsed during a terrible thunderstorm.

Seen as an angel by many even though his true nature remained unrevealed, he had experienced the joy that very few angels of death were honoured with: to save a human being’s life. But now he needed to find his way back to his life, discover the reason he had been created other than doing his Father’s work. The serious accident he had suffered had not just left physical marks. These were easy to heal: a leg kept in plaster would soon be giving its first steps again; the cuts on his temple and forehead would close with the help of precise stitches; the smaller wounds on his strong arms fade away with time.

But what about his memory? What about the most beautiful images his green eyes had ever seen in all those centuries of his existence? Monica smiling at him, the beauty of her meek face, the lovely sound of her voice telling him about her never ending love. When would he remember the unforgettable nights they had shared as a human couple, experiencing a unity of bodies and souls brought by physical love? And when would he remember the living proof of their union? Little Angela’s smile back at him, her joy caused by his mere presence, a chubby little hand holding his as she gave her first steps of her existence...

All those thoughts haunted Monica’s mind as she made her way to the cottage, that place itself reminded her of another special one, the beach house – their beach. The place where they had made love for the first time, the place where little Angela spent her first days on Earth, a shelter where they would go to whenever their earthly chores had been accomplished.

The angel climbed up the porch steps still processing the multitude of anguishing and bittersweet thoughts when an unexpected voice finally took her out of her reverie.

“It’s really a blessed day...”

Andrew was sitting on a wheelchair and had spent the last half hour not only admiring his Father’s creations but also following his temporary nurse’s walk along the beach with intrigued eyes. Sadness would always invade her heart whenever she realised that part of his memory was still laying dormant somewhere in his sub-consciousness, but Monica smiled. The joy to see him recovering and his presence alone were enough to renew her hopes.

“Oh, Andrew... I’m sorry if I’m a bit late... I must have lost the track of time while-“

“Oh, no, you’re not late, Monica!” He was quick to say, not wanting her to feel guilty or uncomfortable in any way. “Apparently, I’m the one who wakes up as the sun comes out. An early bird, as people would say!” The angel added, offering a friendly smile.

You’ve always been the one to wake up early, my love...” She thought.

To him, there was a clear reason why he had remained on Earth after saving those children, there was a logical explanation for his injuries to take time to heal: the beautiful nurse with the lovely accent was his assignment. There was much sadness behind those sweet brown eyes and he was determined to cast away her sorrow and give her the hope and joy he could feel she’d once had.

And looking at Monica it was difficult to reckon how Andrew did not realise she was an angel like him. She was dressing a lovely lilac dress, with tiny flowers on its hem. With her arms bare it was possible to admire the perfection of her porcelain skin and the fact that her hair had been previously disarrayed by the wind only added her figure more beauty. Auburn locks cascaded over her shoulders, framing her meek Gaelic features even more accentuated by the cadence of her Irish lilt as she spoke.

Without realising it, Andrew had his eyes transfixed on her image, Monica had become a vision that he could not stop contemplating.

“There was a wee bit of mist just as the first sunrays shone. But now look at what the Father has given us...” a brief look at their surroundings was her pause. “You must be hungry,” she kept on talking, looking back at him not only with worry but also with great care. “Let’s go inside and I’ll prepare your breakfast. I’ll help you.”

She moved to push his wheelchair but he gently stopped her. “That’s ok, Monica. Thanks. I feel my arms much stronger now than two days ago.”

The Irish angel smiled, happy to hear that.

X

Monica set the table for breakfast at the same time she and Andrew engaged in a conversation. He knew very little about her: only that she had a family that lived far from there, and some friends that were also busy at the moment. She had told him that she was living all by herself in a small apartment not far from the hospital and spent most of the time working as s nurse there and for him.

“I have something to confess, though...” there was worry on her face as she spoke.

“What is it?” he wanted to know, alarmed by her solemn expression.

“I’ve heard that the delivery restaurant that served us for the last couple of days is closed and... I’m afraid I’m not a good cook...”

Andrew couldn’t help chuckling at hearing that confession, nor at the cute way she said it.

“I’m serious, I promise!” she spoke again, still worrying about lunchtime.

“Monica, I could never demand you to cook for me, you’re doing much more than your duty as a nurse!”

She sighed deeply, still not knowing what to do: it was Sunday and the small restaurant that had delivered their lunch during the week was probably closed. But the sudden thought that crossed her mind made her smile:

“Meatloaves!”

“Meatloaves?” he repeated, with a questioning and amused face.

“It’s my speciality!” she gladly informed.

“Then meatloaves sounds great!”

His warm smile back at her was a bit of a relief in such turbulent times.

Andrew insisted that they had breakfast together, and after that Monica started the daily task of changing the bandages on his forehead and arms. What would normally be painful and unpleasant was not felt. Monica’s touch was gentle and tender, like an angel’s touch, and it seemed that the pain stopped at the moment her fingertips brushed against his skin. The delicacy of the contact, however, did not surprise him as he knew that it would only come from a creature like Monica.

But what could lie behind the constant sadness that he could see reflected in those sweet brown eyes?

“I know that Mrs Dockery hired you to be here every day but I imagine you’d like to spend the Sunday with your family.” He was talking about the elderly lady whose grandchildren had been some of the ones Andrew had rescued.

A slight smile appeared on the corner of her lips. “They... they are far away now...” she said, looking through the window for a moment, and then back at him. “I miss them dearly. But I have an assignment to fulfil here.”

“I’m thankful for that, Monica. I know that I cannot offer you a lot of help right now but if there’s anything you need, please let me know.”

She eyed him with a tender smile still playing on her face – her Andrew had such a noble and generous character. “Thank you.” She said, with gratitude. And then she added. “Well, right now I confess I’d love it if you could give me a wee bit of help in the kitchen!”

Laughing softly, he shook his head. “I trust you and your meatloaves!”

X

“I’m so sorry, Andrew...”

Monica’s face was one of disappointment, but her temporary patient wouldn’t allow her to remain sad for a long time just because lunch didn’t go on as well as she had planned.

“Hey, that’s alright, Monica! It isn’t as bad as you’re saying! And lack of practice can cause... small accidents.” He said, looking at the over cooked meatloaves that rested on their dishes – a dark and hard cover with a raw content. “You’re a nurse, and a great nurse, not a chef, and it is more than I deserve!”

“I should have known something like this would happen...”

“Hey...” he reached out over the table to take her hand, and only then realised the bruise on her skin. “You’re hurt...”

“It’s... it’s nothing... really...” came her soft reply, bright doe like eyes fixed on his dark green ones. She could not avoid the rush of emotions brought by his tender touch.

“No, it is. And in a way I feel not only guilty about it but also I think we should swap papers right now. Let me get that first aid kit!”

The box with Monica’s first aid material was over a small side table in the living room and Andrew insisted on fetching it to treat her wound. With his usual gentleness, he made her stretch her arm and opened her hand with delicacy. The contact of his fingers against her skin brought back the usual tenderness that only that angel of God would transmit.

“Thank you,’ she spoke, once he had finished to wrap a bandage around her hand.

“You’re welcome, Monica. And now that problem number one is solved, I just had an idea for problem number two!”

“An idea for problem number two?” the questioning and somewhat worried look upon her face was endearing.

X

Twenty minutes later...

“Well, the mozzarella pizza is exquisite but I didn’t know that there were people who appreciated mocha pizza!”

Andrew’s teasing tone of voice finally made her smile broadly. The pizza parlour was not far from there they were and although pizza was not something that people should trade their lunch for, that one was highly appreciated and secretly looked like a feast if compared to Monica’s meatloaves.

“Are you sure you don’t want to try it? Have you never felt the coffee beans melting in the mouth when you taste a bit of it?” she wanted to know, marvelled at the taste of her food.

Chuckling, the angel of death shook his head with amusement, “I don’t think so!  I’d stay with my mozzarella pizza!”

She looked shocked, yet equally amused.

“Well, you don’t know what you’re missing!”

He laughed, not taking his eyes from her as she ate her mocha pizza. Monica was enchanting, her sweet and childlike manners were able to hypnotise those who were fortunate to meet her.

“It reminds me of a day back in time, when I was sitting on a porch by a lake in my beloved Ireland, you see.”

Her accent was particularly endearing and Andrew wondered if there could be a more adorable human being.

“Does your family live there?” he was still smiling, but now there was also great care in his dark green eyes.

“N-not exactly...” Monica stopped eating and pondered her words. “But they are far away now... separated by the circumstances.”

“Can’t you visit them?”

She smiled softly, it was a bittersweet smile. “I can... It’s just that... sometimes it is difficult to reach them...”

“I understand...” He knew that she was often sad when that subject came up, and tried to bring back the joy he could see on her face that day. “Don’t tell me that back at that time you used to drink mocha with mocha pizza!”

“Of course I did!” she spoke, matter-of-factly, and her slight annoyance only amused him even more. The joyful atmosphere of that sunny day brought back Monica’s eternal chatter, and she went on telling him about her days in a place she considered her homeland.

What neither of them noticed was how easily they connected with each other, their hearts were suddenly filled with peace and with tender feelings, regardless the adversities of the moment. To Andrew, Monica was precious and deserved nothing more than to regain the happiness that she once had, together with her loved ones. She was also beautiful, in and outside, and the blond angel could not take his eyes from her almost heavenly image.