PART 2

“Monica said things were busy here but I didn’t think it was that much!” Andrew spoke, cleaning a table that had just been left empty by a group of teenagers. Juliet had just finished serving the table next to it and nodded her head in agreement.

“Thank God you replied to her ad, otherwise we wouldn’t be able to handle it. This coffee shop became quite popular, you see. I guess there’s something in the coffee we serve here that makes it so special.”

He chuckled, not really surprised at that fact considering who was in command of that café. “Really?”

“Yes!” Juliet took a quick look at Monica and smiled. “She’s a good boss and a kind person, Andrew. During the time I’ve been here, we had the opportunity to talk and... well, it’s impossible not to like her.”

He nodded his head in agreement. “I guess I know what you mean.”

“Yeah, you might be happy too, after all you got the job real fast!”

“I am. I was just wondering what I’d do since I arrived from Castle Dale.”

Juliet stopped cleaning the table and stared at him in surprise. “Castle Dale? You’ve been to Castle Dale?”

“Not for very long, but I spent some weeks there.” He replied, not missing the look on her face. “Do you know the city?”

“I... If you excuse me, I have to take this away...” she left in a hurry, carrying a tray with empty dishes and cups. As the other tables had been served, the blond angel walked over up to the counter, where a very concentrated Monica made calculations and drank a large mug of mocha.

“I guess you have an employee with pending problems in her past...” he spoke, watching as her beautiful brown eyes searched for Juliet. “She’s in the kitchen.”

Monica sighed. “Juliet has such a sad soul, Andrew... I don’t know what else to tell her so that I can deliver the message she has to hear.”

“I guess you’ve done a lot already, angel. She likes you a lot and your chats during the time she’s been here did help her.” Andrew watched as she took a sip of her fresh mocha and, chuckling, he cleaned the milk moustache that remained below her nose.

“Thank you...” she spoke with a smile, slightly blushed. “Well, I’m glad to know it, at least some good news.”

“I noticed that she was especially moved when I mentioned Castle Dale, which is the city where I was before I came here.”

He enjoyed to see the surprise on her face, she was especially cute then. “Really?”

“Yes. Something tells me that whatever it is that has caused her so much pain, it’s certainly connected to this city.”

She threw him a grateful look. “I’m so happy you are here...”

“Well, I’m happy to be here as well. To help you and to tell you that perhaps you should take a break from your favourite drink!” he winked at her and nearly chuckled at her pleading / pouting face.

“A break?”

“Yeah, you know, so much coffee can do you no-“

“I think there is a customer calling you at the table two!” she immediately interrupted him, grabbing the mug of mocha with both hands.

Sighing deeply, but still amused, he decided to fulfil his duties as a waiter, while his dear Monica headed to the kitchen.

“Juliet?”

The waitress wiped a few tears from her eyes and forced a smile. “Monica... I’m sorry, I’m cleaning this up and...”

“Are you alright?” the angel came closer and stood face to face with her assignment.

The woman sniffled. “I’ll be fine...”

Saying that, she turned around and was already leaving when Monica spoke again. “Juliet...”

“Yes?”

“No one should bear so much sadness alone... Talking about it helps relieve the burden.”

“Thanks, Monica... I won’t forget it.” She said, with a tearful but also grateful smile.

X

“I’ve seen you holding this mug nine times during the day...”

It was past 6 PM and Andrew’s words coming from behind her while she was in the kitchen made Monica jump – because deep inside she knew that her “love” for a certain beverage had gone a little too far lately.

The Irish angel turned around and stared at him with the same expression of a child that had just been caught doing something wrong. “I’m... controlling the quality of the product we serve!” she spoke, stubbornly facing her dear valentine, who was standing just a few inches from her with a stern expression, even though the distance between them just increased his wish to kiss her.

“Well, it seems you have done it quite a lot for only one day, ‘ma’am’!” he replied, putting his both hands over the sink and inclining even more towards her.

She raised her eyebrows apparently immune to his comment. “What do you mean by that, may I ask?”

Andrew pointed at the half empty mug. “I mean that you’re exaggerating on some of your human habits and that may cause you problems!”

“Well, do you know what I think, Andrew?” Monica replied, looking at him defiantly. “That you too might be exaggerating on your control system!”

“I beg to differ!” he calmly disagreed, “What I’m trying to do is to protect an angel in human form from the possible side effects of so much caffeine in her human organism!”

“My human organism is just fine, thank you, and for your information you are not entitled to supervise my... prediction for this lovely beverage!”

“Oh, no? And why not, may I ask?”

“Because while we are on assignment here I’m the boss!” she spoke, matter-of-factly and with a mischievous smile on her face.

He narrowed his eyes, visibly not pleased to hear that remark. “But I’m your husband and-“

Juliet’s voice coming from the corridor interrupted that little argument and they moved away from each other – Andrew still rather upset.

“Oh, Monica, I’m glad you’re here...” the young woman spoke as she entered the kitchen, appearing slightly worried.

“What is it, Juliet?”

“We seem to have a little problem... The mocha is over.”

“Over?” the angel’s voice was slightly louder and shocked, and she did not miss Andrew’s pleased face right behind Juliet.

“Yes, I just served the last cup.” The waitress informed. “I don’t know how it was over so fast, I thought we still had it for two more days...”

Sighing deeply, Monica nodded her head with disappointment. “I’ll... I’ll see what I can do, Juliet, I’ll be with you in a minute.”

“Okay!” she said with a half smile, and then left the kitchen.

Monica turned to Andrew, who was now facing her with the same defiant look that she wore minutes before. “Andrew...” She started, with a pleading tone in her voice, which he knew quite well.

“Yes, boss?” he came closer to her again.

“Our supplier isn’t far from here, do you think you could...”

“Sorry, ma’am, but it’s not in my job description!” he finally spoke, leaving a very upset Monica behind.

X

“Please forgive me to say that, Monica, I guess that in the end I’m a little happy that coffee was over because we could have a break from the rough day we had...” A very tired Juliet spoke, taking a seat at an empty table next to her boss, who also looked quite tired after a hard working day. There were no more customers in there, and Andrew was sweeping the floor not far from them. He and Monica had barely spoken with each other since their argument in the kitchen.

The Irish angel looked at her assignment with a hint of sorrow. “I totally understand, Juliet, and you worked so hard that I too am glad that customers decided to take a little break... I’m just sorry that coffee was over so soon...”

Andrew could not avoid rolling his eyes at hearing that.

“Fortunately we had help today.” The employee kept on talking.

“I was working at a farm back in Castle Dale and we had a lot to do so it wasn’t that difficult to get the rhythm.” The blond angel replied, and once again his comment made the expression on Juliet’s face change.

“At a farm?”

“Yes. My boss, Mr Reyes, was the greatest dairy products producer in the area.”

“Really?” the woman’s eyes were suddenly filled with tears. “And... What is he like?”

“Well... Edmund Reyes is a good man, treated us fairly and well. But there was great sadness inside him.” Andrew spoke, he and Monica noticing how that piece of information had touched Juliet.

“Sadness?”

The blond angel came closer. “Yes. And once, when we were talking, he confessed to me he had a daughter and that they’d had an argument and that the greatest regrets in his life.”

Hearing that, Juliet rose to her feet and quickly rushed to the kitchen, as more tears rolled down on her face. Monica and Andrew exchanged a look of complicity and then the Irish angel stood up from her chair and went look for her.

“Juliet?” she spoke, keeping her voice low and approaching the crying lady carefully.

“I’m sorry, Monica...”

“Please do not apologise...” the angel finally placed her hand over her shoulder. “I can see how much you’re suffering...”

“I am...

“And suddenly Andrew’s words brought out emotions you were hiding deep down inside your heart.”

After a short silence, Juliet spoke again. “Edmund Reyes is my father...”

“And what happened for father and daughter to go separate ways in such a sad way?” the angel wanted to know.

“I got pregnant... He... He told me that I did not have any respect for him, that I had betrayed him because he had dreamed a different future for me. We said hurtful things to each other and these things made me leave...”

Monica was moved to hear that. “What happened to the father of your son?”

“He abandoned me just like my father said he would. But then I decided I would raise Jimmy without anyone’s help and that’s what I’ve been doing so far. I thought that my father would never want to see me again, I thought he was still too angry to talk to me and I wouldn’t bear a new rejection.”

“I believe we’ve talked about it earlier...”

“Yes, and I’ve been thinking about what you told me... that we shouldn’t allow so much time pass after a disagreement with those we love. And now... now Andrew suddenly appears here and by a coincidence he worked with my father...”

“There isn’t such a thing as a coincidence, Juliet...”

Monica’s words were followed by a sudden and warm glow around her form, which made the young woman’s eyes grow wide in surprise.

“Don’t be afraid,” the angel spoke, with a beautiful smile that transmitted peace. “I’m an angel, and I’m here to tell you that God has a message for you...” She covered Juliet’s trembling hand with hers. “...Even though I have a feeling you already know what His words will be!”