PART 2

Some days later...

“It’s scary and fascinating at the same time...” Monica’s soft words travelled with the breeze as she and Andrew remained sitting on a bench along the sidewalk, observing as the waves crashed upon the sand. Her long auburn tresses were flying with the wind, sunrays accentuating their glow as well as light up the angel’s face. Andrew was already able to move without a wheelchair as the injury on his leg healed faster than what the doctors expected.

Now he used crutches and he and his sweet companion used to go for a walk once in a while. It was good for him, both to his human body and to his spirit.

“I noticed you never go too close to the water, but I never thought you were...” his words trailed off as he did not mean to hurt her by saying anything wrong.

“Afraid?” she spoke, looking deep inside his green eyes.

“I’d say... you prefer to keep your distance.”

She nodded her head. “A healthy respect, if you prefer... I’ve been there a few times, though...” she turned her eyes from him, a flashback of their honeymoon days playing on her mind. He had led her through water. He put her heart at ease with tender words and showing her that she should not be afraid.

“Hey...” Andrew covered her hand with his, as he noticed the sadness in her eyes. Monica looked at him again, her heart beating in rhythm with his. “Nothing is so sad that cannot be healed, trust me.”

A bittersweet smile was a reply to his words. “I know... I have faith in this.”

Andrew returned her smile and for a moment, he was lost in the beauty of her meek Gaelic features, of which he had grown fond over the last month. He’d never had a sweeter assignment like her. And never wanted another one. Her beauty was hypnotising, and if in the beginning he saw his staying on Earth as another mission, now it had turned into a gift from the Father as it was an opportunity to spend more time with Monica. He had been avoiding to think about the day he would have to leave, as recently he had come to terms with the fact that he wouldn’t be able to do it. He would ask his superiors to be her guardian angel and stay close to her as to protect her from the dangers that human life could bring.

A sudden voice interrupted the moment and they broke up the unconscious eye contact to look at a ten-year-old boy who was carrying a huge basket filled with red roses.

“Excuse me, sir, would you like to buy a rose for your girlfriend?”

The boy’s words caught them by surprise and, smiling, the angel of death searched for his wallet to pay for a beautiful flower. “Alright! Here you go, buddy! A beautiful flower to the beautiful lady!” he said, depositing the rose in Monica’s hand afterwards.

“Ah... It’s lovely...” she spoke, as Andrew observed how her fingertips touched the delicate rose buds – the same delicacy with which she touched his injured skin, “Thank you...” her eyes were sparkling, not managing to hide the love she felt for him.

The angel of death in human form smiled back at her, enchanted with her sweetness. “Please do not thank me for anything, Monica. You’ve done so much for me I... I just wish I could repay you.”

“Then I am the one to ask you not to say that... Being here with you... being able to help is... it means so much...”

There was a moment their eyes were locked with each other and, having the noise of the ocean waves in the background, it seemed that they could see each other’s soul.

“I thank God for sending you to help me.” He gently squeezed her hand again. “And it only shows that no one is ever alone, Monica. That any adversities in life can be overcome. There is always someone to help.”

She smiled at him – tenderly, her love for him would grow as he spoke. “Sometimes I end up forgetting about this but I’m happy that there is always someone to reassure me in difficult times..”

Monica squeezed his hand back and finally their gaze broke as she looked at the flower he’d just given her.

“There’s a new cafeteria not far from the beach street and I heard they make a great mocha, and it made me think of someone!”

Her broad smile back at him made me feel like he had just been granted heavenly gift. “Well, I have a wee bit of an idea about who this person is!”

Laughing, they stood up from the bench and started a lovely walk along the coast heading to the cafeteria Andrew had mentioned. His first impulse was to grab her hand but he refrained himself – funny enough, it felt like the most natural thing in the world, perhaps because Monica was such an enchanting creature that anyone would want to feel her presence a little longer. But on the other hand, he did not know how she would react to such contact and the last thing he wanted was to make her feel uncomfortable with his presence.

The hours that followed passed by quickly, filled with cheerful conversation and many coffee cups. The two angels in human form were not aware of the closeness they were in, not even Monica who knew the whole truth could realise how attached he had become to her, his great care and interest about everything that was related to her.

When the sun began to set behind the ocean, however, what had started as a beautiful hot sunny day soon became a stormy night. Monica and Andrew were heading back to the cottage – she wanted to make sure he was at home before she left, when they were caught by the heavy rain and wind. Fortunately, they were just a block from Andrew’s temporary home and got there in time to watch as the storm finally hit the small town in full force.

While Andrew changed his t-shirt, Monica sat on the armchair by the window, watching with some worry as the rain pelted down outside. The storm was increasing and would certainly continue as the night fell. The rays and loud thunder bothered terribly, and this time she had no one to hold her tightly until it was all over.

X

“We were fortunate to get back in time.”

Andrew returned from his room wearing another t-shirt and now his hair was only damp. Monica had also dried her hair with a towel when they got there, and her dress was not very much affected by the raindrops. He took a seat in front of her and placed the pair of crutches to the side – how he wanted to get rid of those soon, so he could be free to take the beautiful Irish nurse to other places, fill her eyes with the beautiful things that there are in this world. The angel of death would even give up of his primary function just to see her fully happy again. And that afternoon he was certain that he was in the right track.

“I wonder if all those people who were at the café with us have managed to reach a shelter...” there was slight worry in her voice as she kept on looking outside, and Andrew did not miss the slight trembling that ran through her petite body as another thunder echoed along the dark skies.

“Hey...” He  inched forward so he could reach her hand, and the tender contact drew her attention back at him. “I’m sure they are alright. The rain must have kept them there and those who left with us must be home right now. This is a tourist town, the ones who are visiting it are staying at an inn or a small hotel.”

She nodded her head and a slight smile appeared in her lips briefly.

“You’re trembling...”

“Storms... they make me a wee bit nervous...”

“I understand, but you’re safe here, and God is watching over those who are outside.”

The faint smile remained on her face for some seconds and she turned her eyes to look through the window, never letting go of his hand. “I just hope it does not take too long. It’ll be difficult to go back home with a weather like-“

“Monica, I would never allow you leave!” he spoke, as if he had just heard something absurd; his protective instincts towards her immediately raised. She looked back at him as he kept on talking. “You’re staying here, you can have my bedroom, I’ll sleep on the couch!”

She shook her head reluctantly and rose to her feet, as if escaping from his incisive gaze. “You are recovering from a serious accident, it would not be fair.”

But Andrew would not accept a negative answer from her, he was determined to let her know how much she was loved. Yes, initially loved by their loving Father and... well, the way other living creatures felt about her was something yet to be dealt with.

Rising to his feet with some difficulty, he stood up in front of her using the window frame as a supporter. “Letting you go under this thunderstorm would not be fair. As well as it would not be decent to allow you to sleep in the couch, it’s not even an option to me. You’re the one who’s been doing all the hard work in here, Monica. This afternoon, when were by the beach and I gave you that rose I told you that you should never thank me. What you’ve done for me is... much more than I deserve I guess.”

Monica tilted her head and eyed him with tenderness and so much love it nearly hurt. “I found a small vase in the cupboard and placed the rose in it with a wee bit of water. Hopefully by the morning it will bloom with the sun.”

He reached out and stroked her cheek with delicacy. Once again, it felt as the most natural thing in the world. “I’d say it has already fulfilled its mission as a flower. Because it placed a smile on your face.” He spoke, tenderly brushing his thumb against her cheek.

The Irish angel could not avoid the lonely tear that fell freely from her eyes, nor the impulse to hold him tightly and rest her head against his chest. It was much stronger than her; like the little flower that was resting upon the coffee table, or like the wild thunderstorm raging outside - it was nature following its course.

And as he felt her small body in his arms, an overwhelming wave of love, tenderness and compassion washed his spirit, making him realise that perhaps his existence had one single purpose: to be there for her, to be able to hold that lovely creature and tell her once again that she was not alone in this world, that he would always be with her. “Oh, Monica... I just want you to know that whatever it is that has been troubling or saddening your heart, be sure that there is someone here who is ready to listen to you...” he stroked her hair. “ You’re not alone.”

Andrew felt her nodding her head against his chest – he could hold her like that for the centuries to come. “Thank you...”

“No, no thank you’s, remember?” he spoke, smiling against her perfumed hair.

She finally pulled away to look at him, a slight smile again back on her lips. “I think you’ll have to scold me a few more times...”

Shaking his head, he returned her smile, not managing to take his eyes from her. “Scold you? No, I don’t think I’d ever be capable of it...”

They were once again lost in each other’s gaze, unaware of the time and the place, and even of the storm that still chastised that part of the Earth. To him, she was the most beautiful of God’s creations and he did not think he could ever be away from her again along his existence. Monica was precious, a gift from the Father that he would treasure for the rest of his eternity. Her eyes, her meek face that kept such beautiful Gaelic features; the dimples on her cheeks and chin whenever she smiled at him, and, God forbid, the gracious curves of her human body... every small detail that concerned her enchanted him.

Completely in awe at his powerful gaze, the Irish angel felt as if for a split second her Andrew was back there and that he would just call her angel and tell her he had remembered their story. And even though his next words showed her that his memory wasn’t back yet, something inside her told her that his love remained intact.

When the moment was gone, Andrew spoke again, trying to put a more amused tone in his voice. “Considering that this couch is the first place where the sun shines inside this house and that I’m the early bird in here, I’ll get a blanket and a pillow for me, so you can have the room.”

He was afraid she would feel uncomfortable again about the two of them spending the night there, he feared being away from her as well as her rejection now that he had promised himself to brighten up her existence.

But Andrew was not a stranger and his presence only soothed her soul and sent her fears away. The Irish angel accepted his offer and after they bid each other good night, she lied down on his bed; exhaustion taking over her as she rested her head on the pillow. The sheets the masculine cologne that the angel of death never wore as it was his natural smell, just as much as the fragrance of wild flowers exhaled from her own body.

“Sleep well, my dear Andrew... I love you very much...” she whispered, her last thoughts on the angel in human form who was sleeping in the room next door.

What she did not know was that Andrew was not asleep – he could not manage to for a long time, the image of the beautiful Irish nurse could not be erased from his mind or from his thoughts. He would eventually have to reflect upon the feelings that were growing inside his heart – the angel of death had never felt like that before, and doubted if he was even allowed to.

But it did not matter. All that mattered was Monica.

X

To be continued.