PART 1

“Do you think we’ll be able to get back to the orphanage this night, Miss Monica?”

“I’m not sure, Christian… I guess the storm makes the way ahead of us a wee bit confusing…”

A loud thunder interrupted their voices as Monica drove along the road that crossed the countryside. The heavy rain hit the windshield in full force, making her press her fingers against the car wheel until her knuckles turn white. Sitting next to her, a eight-year-old African-American boy had his big black eyes wide open at the darkness that surrounded them and even though he tried hard to look brave, the roaring thunders and threatening lightning caused him to tremble with fear.

“I see… I guess we should ask for help if a car passes by us, don’t you think?” the spoke, not really believing that they would get somewhere under those weather conditions.

“Oh, you are perfectly right. The only problem is that no one seems to be up crossing the countryside roads under this storm… It’s not advisable, you know…”

The Irish angel feared for their human forms, most especially, she feared for Christian as he was exposed  to any sort of danger that came up on a night like that. Her assignment was picking up the boy at his foster parents’ house and take him back to the orphanage because Mr and Mrs Newman refused him, and her heart was broken with sadness. Christian had been raised at an orphanage since he was three years old and despite his mild manners and cheerful personality, a new home and a new family seemed quite distant dreams to him. It hurt Monica’s soul to think that this refusal had to do with the boy’s colour, even if the reason the Newman’s alleged was that “Christian was a lovely child but that they did not felt connected to him right away.” They could not fool an angel. Especially an angel of truth like Monica.

“I think it was all wrong from the start...” the boy let out a tired sigh, despite the constant worry on his face.

Monica frowned at hearing those words. “Of course it wasn’t, dear! You were open to receive the Newman’s as your parents and if it didn’t work it wasn’t because of something you did or didn’t do. And do you know what I think about it all? I think that the Newman’s have no idea that they had the chance to be the parents of such a special and intelligent young man!”

She placed a supportive hand over the boy’s shoulder and gave him a tender look, watching as he nodded with a little disappointment but also with resignation at a situation he could not change.

The angel turned her attention back at the dark road ahead of them and reduced the car speed, as the rain seemed to fall heavier every minute. She thought about stopping, but then again, stopping there would also represent risk. Plus, she had been told to drive along the road and trusted that the orders had some meaning she was yet to find out.

Minutes later, however, both Monica and Christian heard something that made them feel twice worried.

“Miss Monica... Did you hear that? I guess it’s the car...”

“I did, Christian... And I think this is not a good thing, I’m afraid...” she said, frowning with concern.

Tess’ Cadillac, gently lent for that specific mission, started to fail and in a short time its engine stopped completely.

“Miss Monica... I guess we’re in trouble, aren’t we?” the boy was trying to be brave so far but one could see the fear in his eyes.

“Dear Father... please show us what to do...” the angel prayed, not finding sense in all that was happening there.

But the answer that was whispered to her heart only made her more confused, even though it brought some relief. The certainty that they were being watched became more concrete a minute later, when they heard the noise of an engine getting closer to them from behind. Monica and Christian saw through the wet windshield when a toll truck passed by them and pulled over just a few feet ahead. With eyes wide open filled with curiosity – and slight fear, they saw it as the vehicle door opened and a person got off.

He was tall and wore a rain coat. With large steps, the man walked over to up the Cadillac, causing Christian to shrink back in his seat. “Miss Monica...” he whispered, terrified to see the stranger coming towards them.

But Monica’s expression softened when lightening shone briefly upon that deserted road. She would recognise that silhouette anywhere and it was then that she understood why her heart was so calm despite the situation itself.

“It’s alright, wee Christian. We are safe now.” She said, throwing him a trustful glance.

The stranger was soon knocking gently on the glass next to the driver’s seat and it took her only a second to open it. Andrew’s wet face and the inquisitive look in his green eyes were the best visions she could have on that stormy night.

“I wonder if anybody here needs help...” he said, with eyebrows raised and a friendly smile at his beloved Monica, and not missing her little friend’s fear in the passenger seat.

Her smile back at him made up for the rain and the cold wind that was blowing strong on that scary night. “Well, I was exactly looking for divine intervention...” she winked at him, causing Andrew to chuckle. “...and I guess it could not be more divine...” 

Nodding his head, he looked at Christian. “It’s alright, pal. That toll truck has seen worse storms, I’ll pull you guys to a safe place not far from here. Heaven’s Door Bed and Breakfast stays only a few miles away!”

Saying that, Andrew winked at Monica and turned around, returning to the white truck parked in front of them.

“You know him, Miss Monica?”

“Oh, I do. You see, Andrew and I are married.”

“Wow... so you guys usually get to meet in the middle of nowhere?”

Giggling, she nodded her head. “Hum... as a matter of fact, we do that quite often...”

she and Christian watched as Andrew attached the Cadillac to the toll truck using a heavy chain and a hook. Then, they saw it as the blond angel waved them briefly before returning to the truck and turning the motor on. On the following moment, they were being pulled along the road and far from the dreadful thunderstorm.

X

The Heaven’s Door Bed and Breakfast was not too far from where Monica and Christian had stopped. Once the two vehicles were parked in front of the lovely, eighteenth century white building, the angels and their assignment rushed to the interior of the building. And the person who was standing behind the counter in the reception room could not be more familiar.

“Tess!”

Monica’s voice made the supervisor move her eyes from the crosswords she had been doing for the latest hour and she was both happy and worried at seeing her dearest friends arriving in the middle of the night and at the vision of Andrew’s soaking clothes.

“Oh, dear Father! Babies, what are you doing here?” she exclaimed, putting her hobby aside to hold the Irish angel who was already walking up to her.

“Ah, Tess, the story is a wee bit long but all we can say now is that we are very happy to see you!” Monica spoke, receiving and warm hug from her friend and supervisor.

“And so am I, baby, so am I...” As she pulled away, the older angel looked at Andrew with worry. “Angel boy, what happened to you?”

“Well, let’s just say that working as a toll truck driver has its drawbacks!”

The supervisor’s eyebrows raised suspiciously. “A toll truck driver? And why was a toll truck driver needed?”

Monica and Andrew exchanged a slight worried look, which also held a little amusement at the expression on their friend’s face.

The Irish angel spoke next, sensing Tess’ concern. “Tess... I’d like to introduce you your new guest... This is Christian.” She said, placing both hands on the boy’s shoulders. “Christian, this is our friend Tess.”

“It’s very nice to meet you, ma’am!” The boy offered a friendly smile. He was already used to Monica, but strangely felt at ease quite fast among those two strangers.

“It’s very nice to meet you too, Christian.” The oldest angel replied, turning her eyes away from Andrew and giving some attention to the boy, as she could see a lot of sorrow past his smile and his big dark eyes.

“He has made me company for three long hours driving along these deserted roads, you see, and when the storm hit I thought we wouldn’t find anywhere to stay.” Monica kept on talking.

“The car broke down and we thought we would have to spend the night out there in the road, which is very dangerous. The wind was blowing so strong that a tree could be thrown against us!” The boy explained, and his words made Tess look back at her two charges, her smile immediately fading away and her eyebrows now knitted together.

“My car broke down?!”

The blond angel cleared his throat before speaking again. “Er... well, you see, Tess... So much water might have damaged the car’s engine... that is why it stopped working...”

“It was lucky that Andrew was passing by at the right time we stopped!” Christian’s quick piece of information was everything Monica needed to speak again.

“Actually, if it hadn’t been for Andrew, a lot more damage could have been caused, you know, Tess... He pulled your car safe and soundly up to this lovely bed and breakfast!” After another quick look exchange with Andrew, she kept on speaking, “I do hope you have accommodations for the three of us, and perhaps some new clothes for Andrew as he might catch a cold if he continues to wear this wet uniform!”

“Yeah, actually, I could really use a hot shower too, and I’m quite sure you’ll have enough bedrooms, right?” he said, visibly wanting to move away from the supervisor’s stern gaze at him.

“I’m not done with this conversation yet...” she said, walking back to behind the counter and taking a key. “...And I want to check on my baby once this storm is over!”

She deposited the key in the palm of his hand and Andrew nearly ran away from her. Monica was trying to suppress a smile when Tess looked back at her. “Fortunately, Christian and I are not soaking wet like my poor Andrew but I confess we are a wee bit hungry, right, Christian?”

Shyly, the boy tugged his hands in his pockets and nodded slowly. “I... I guess so...”

Tess’ stern gaze turned to one of tenderness as she looked away from Monica and back at the boy who was clearly their assignment. “Well, let me guess: you like a roast beef sandwich with some cheese on the top and no ketchup?” she said, gently wrapping her arm around the boy’s shoulders.

“How did you guess?” he wanted to know, a broad smile on his face.

“Oh, well, let’s say I have a talent to find these things out!”

“I wonder if perhaps you have some mocha latte to go with the sandwich...” Monica spoke, walking behind them and she could notice that that comment caused a slight annoyance in her supervisor judging by the way she stared at her.