CHAPTERS 24 & 25

CHAPTER 24

The red Cadillac strolled through the mountains and in between the green trees and coloured flowers that surrounded the road. Monica remained on the back seat, leaning over Andrew's chest, and much to his surprise she held a soft smile upon her face. For health reasons, the car ceiling was up but the windows were open so that they could feel the breeze of the mountains. The Irish angel altered between a slight doze and the long gazes through the window, like a fascinated child who goes on an outing for the first time.

"Hey, look who is up again..." Andrew joked, playfully touching the tip of her nose once she woke up from a ten minute nap; his arms permanently wrapped around her small body.

She looked up at him as her smile grew wider. "I wasn't really sleeping... or totally sleeping, you know, Andrew..." she went quiet for a moment, while he stroked her auburn strands, and then kept on speaking. "I always enjoyed the smell of pine tree mixed with flowers fragrance... it tells me that I'm close to the place I got used to call Home, whenever I'm not at our real Home..."

The angel of death kissed the top of her head. "I know what you mean, angel..."

"I guess that's what the Father had in mind when He placed this cabin in here and guided our steps to it." Tess spoke, taking a look at the rear mirror to see the two angels wrapped up in a loving embrace, even though the vision of such a weak Monica did make her heart ache.

A couple of minutes later, the car was parked in front of the pretty wooden cabin hidden in the mountains and the supervisor was the first to come out. She opened the car door for Andrew and he was the next to get off, offering a supportive hand to Monica. The little angel in human form was quite weak to stand on her feet by herself, so once she grabbed his hand and stepped out of the vehicle, Andrew was quick to wrap his arm underneath her knees and another one around her shoulders. As she held him, the blond angel carried her up to the entrance door, and the trio could hear the clear noise of two small pawns scratching the wooden door from inside, along with excited barks.

Tess finally pushed the entrance door open and little Joy came out to greet her "family". The broad smile on Monica's face once she saw the little puppy dog that had been adopted by them so many years ago nearly undid Andrew and Tess. They wanted to smile and cry at the same time. Andrew crossed the living room carrying his precious cargo up to the sofa, where he carefully deposited her.

And when Tess put the chubby little puppy in her arms, Joy covered Monica's face with thousands of wet kisses.

"Well, looks like someone here is very happy!" Andrew joked, glad that that warm reception had cheered his beloved angel girl.

"Oh, wee one! I missed you too, sweetheart! I missed you very, very much!" she said, finding it funny how joy wagged her tiny tail in pure excitement. "Yes, I promise I'll stay from now on, okay? You won't have to sleep all by yourself any longer!"

The two other angels exchanged a quick glance at those words. They knew what was about to come. They just didn't know if they were prepared to it.

X

The three angels and the friendly puppy spent the sunny afternoon enjoying the company of one another. They had done it so many times since their loving Father made their paths cross, and all of them were filled with happy memories. This time, however, the fear of the near future stopped them from laughing with their hearts and soul. They were filled with anguish and uncertainty instead, but their sacrifice so that Monica couldn't see how much they were suffering was moving.

Tess made them a coffee cake and double mochalatte especially for the Irish angel, while they drank hot chocolate. Once in a while, she dozed off to sleep against Andrew's shoulder and that's when their "mask" would fall a little. The worried look upon their faces spoke volumes and the two angels found themselves questioning when and how all that suffering would end.

But they feared the answer too.

Noticing that she had finally fallen into deep sleep, as the trip back from the hospital had really made her tired, the two angels nodded in silent agreement and Andrew held her in his arms once again to take her to her bedroom.

In the beginning of the evening, it was also the blond angel who brought Monica downstairs for dinner. Despite the fact that he and Tess had so carefully prepared her all the kinds of food she liked, nobody felt really hungry. But their beloved friend deserved their sacrifice and once again, they chatted and filled dinnertime with happy memories.

Monica returned to her bedroom some time after dinner, and sitting on her bed for a while. Andrew was helping Tess downstairs and she knew that soon he would join her, but while he didn't, little Joy was her only company. The angel was thinking about the latest events and how her existence would be from that moment on when a soft knock interrupted her thoughts.

"Angel girl?"

"Hullo, Tess." Monica offered a light smile.

Tess walked over up to her bed and sat at its edge. "I... I came her to know if there's anything else you need."

"No, Tess, I'm fine... Actually, everything was perfect."

"You deserve all the best, baby." The oldest angel was quiet for a few moments and then, reaching for Monica's hand, she broke the silence again. "Angel girl... there's something I also want to tell you... to ask you..."

The Irish angel tilted her head in curiosity. "What is it, Tess?"

"Every night, along all these months that we've spent together, I lift my eyes to the sky and pray to God... And I ask the Father two things: your healing and His forgiveness..."

"His forgiveness?"

"Yes. For judging... for condemning... for betraying the confidence of those I love the most... What I did to you, babies, was unacceptable. Every day of my existence I will regret what I've done to you, and even though you have forgiven me, it'll take me a long time to come to terms with my actions... I accused you of being affected by humans weaknesses and yet I was the one who acted like a mean and cruel person. These latest few nights, however, there's something I else I ask for: your forgiveness."

"Oh, Tess... Your being here with Andrew and me is much more than I could ever ask... I don't know what we would have done without you..."

"Please, tell me that you forgive me for my attitude... and for all the times I hurt your feelings, baby. You're the closest thing to a daughter to me and this is a blessing no angel has ever been granted with. And I didn't give it any value when I put you two apart... I hurt your feelings and no mother would have done it to her daughter..."

Monica squeezed the supervisor's hand. "A loving mother suffers together with her daughter. And even though she's falling apart inside, she remains strong so that her daughter doesn't feel sad or guilty... This is what you do for me, Tess... This is why I love you like the mother I never had along all those years of my existence... And even if I don't have to, I forgive you, Tess, and I thank you for your protection and support, and for your love."

"Oh, angel girl..."

Tears rolled down their faces as they held each other for long minutes. The supervisor feared she wouldn't have the opportunity to do it again.

"I want you to have only good dreams, baby. And may the Father watch over you while you sleep..." she said, once they finally pulled away.

Squeezing Tess' hand in both of hers, Monica smiled. "I know He will, Tess." She said, "And you know that too."

"Yes, I do... How in the world did you become such a wise angel girl, huh?"

The comment made her smile, and she eyed the old angel with love. "Because you taught me so!"

A tear finally fell from her eyes, and Tess realised there wasn't much to say at that very moment. Deeply moved, she held Monica in her arms once again and summarised her feelings in only a few words. "Oh, angel girl... I love you very much..."

"I love you too, Tess."

As they pulled away, they heard another soft knock on the door: it was Andrew. The supervisor bid them goodnight and left the bedroom, closing the door behind her so that none of them could see it when she leaned over the wall and broke into tears in the corridor. She didn't know where all that was leading. But she couldn't hold so much suffering any longer.

"Please, Father, give me a sign... Show me something to hold on to other than hope... because I feel mine has already abandoned my soul..." she whispered, her head bowed and hands conjoined. Never had the old angel prayed with so much intensity and so much despair.

Andrew helped Monica to lie on her back and covered Monica's small body with the warm purple blanket. Then, he arranged her pillow underneath her head and turned all the lights off, except the one on the bedside table. She followed him with sleepy eyes until the moment he sat down by the edge of her bed and stroked her cheek. "Comfortable and warm enough?"

"Yes. Thank you."

"Then you should get some sleep, angel. You had a busy day today."

"I enjoyed this day very much, you know, Andrew... Thanks to you and Tess... and wee Joy." There was a slight smile on her face and it broke his heart.

"Having you here brought back the atmosphere of the cabin. Without you, this place is empty."

There was a brief silence between them and Monica reached for his hand. "May I borrow your shoulder for the night?"

The blond angel returned her smile and kissed her hand. "Of course, angel."

He removed his shoes and on the following minute Monica was snuggling close to him, resting her head over his chest. "This is much more comfortable..." she said, a sleepy smile playing on her lips as Andrew stroked her hair.

"I want you to sleep well, my angel..." he whispered, and brushed a gentle kiss against her forehead. "... and have only good dreams."

"I hope I'll dream about you..."

These were her last words before she fell into deep sleep. Andrew's protective eyes, however, remained open and alert. Every minute next to the sweet little angel that lay in his strong arms was precious and he couldn't risk wasting any of them. Time had turned into a cruel enemy now as he didn't know for how long he would be able to have her by his side.

And then, due to the absolute silence of the night, the angel of death heard the seconds and minutes ticking inside his pocket watch, which now rested on the bedside table. Despite his human form, he never felt the need to rest as the wish to be close to the one angel who had touched his heart forever was stronger than anything. Once in a while, he kissed her temple and arranged the strands of hair that had fallen over her face. It was shorter now as the treatment to fight the disease that consumed her body had caused it to fall.

Andrew covered her small hand with his and sighed, secretly begging for courage to face the future not so far away.

X

Monica stirred very little during her sleep. It was past 5 in the morning when her eyes opened very slowly and then she came to her senses little by little. Her brown pools searched for the window and she could see it was still dark outside. Nevertheless, the sky was beginning to change and a new day was about to start.

"Is there anything you need, angel?"

Andrew's voice broke the silence inside the room and a little surprised she turned her head up. Her eyes met his green ones and she could see he had spent the entire night in permanent vigil. It made her heart ache.

"I... I thought you'd be sleeping..."

He stroked her cheek with the back of his hand. "You were sleeping so peacefully in my arms I just couldn't get my eyes off you..."

He held her gaze for a long minute and then she broke it so she could rest her head underneath his chin. "I like this time... before the dawn, you know... It always filled my heart with expectations..."

"I know what you mean. A new day beginning to form is God's way to tell His children there is always hope... that everything changes eventually." He said, caressing her hear.

Monica fell silent for a long moment and Andrew bent his head to check if she had fallen asleep once again. But instead he saw that her doe-like eyes were open and gazing at the window.

"Angel?"

She turned to look at his handsome face again, sorting out her words. "Andrew... there's something I'd like to ask you..."

Andrew strengthened his body so that he could see all her face. "And what is it?"

"Remember when you took me to see the sunrise from a cliff not far from here, on a new year's morning?"

That sweet memory made him smile. "I could never forget it, baby. You were as excited as a little girl!"

"I want to go there again. I want to see the dawning of this day, as I guess I spent too much time isolated from God's creations."

The slight smile that had formed on his lips quickly faded and he frowned with concern. "Monica, I don't think this is advisable right now, you see. You're-"

"Please? I have to..."

The look in her eyes left no doubt: the little Irish angel was feeling that her human body wouldn't resist too long, and truth to be told, he felt it too.

Biting his lower lip not to cry, Andrew nodded. "You're... you're gonna need something warm to wear..."

"There's a wool overcoat inside my closet... Tess made it for me a while ago, you know... Could you get it for me?"

"Sure, angel..." he kissed her forehead and gently disentangled from her. Monica watched him walk up to the wardrobe and once he was looking for the outfit, she turned her eyes to the window. Minutes later, the Irish angel was wrapped up in a thick lilac overcoat and wearing equally thick woollen socks. Her pyjamas were warm enough too and the weather had been quite hot at that time of the year. Andrew knew it would be a sunny day and the temperature would rise quickly, but for the first hours of the day it was still chilly outside. He had to protect Monica from anything. Even from the nature that she loved so much.

She was sitting at the edge of her bed and once he finished to button the overcoat, Andrew spoke again. "Are you ready?" the tone of his voice revealed that he was against that idea, and she knew it.

With patience, Monica searched for his hand and motioned him to sit next to her. Once he did so, she looked in his eyes and could see his suffering reflected in them. "I know what you're afraid..."

"It's... it's hard for me... as much as I know there is a purpose in all this... seeing you suffering is too hard for me to bear... And the possibility to lose you, angel... is unthinkable..."

"Andrew..."

"I told you the other day that you could ask me anything, angel... but I was wrong... Don't ask me to be patient because I cannot accept this any longer..."

She reached up and caressed his face. "You've been there all the time for me..."

"And I will be. Always." He couldn't hold the lonely tear that rolled down his cheek and Monica held him slowly, wishing she could take away the sadness she could feel coming through his heart.

"I love you, Andrew... I'll love you for the eternity..."

The angel of death dared to tighten the hold around her fragile human body a bit more, and closed his eyes for a moment. "Monica... Angel, nothing will keep me away from you. And you know why? Because your soul is the other half of my soul." He pulled away just a little and stroked her cheek with the back of his hand. "Never forget that, baby."

"I won't. I promise."

Chapter 25

The blond angel carried his beloved one in his arms through the trees and the flowers that bordered the path to the nearest cliff, from where it was possible to watch a beautiful sunrise. The sky was turning from dark to lilac on the brink of the dawning, and once they finally arrived there, the stars were beginning to fade.

Monica was holding an oil burning lamp to lighten the way, even though its own use was to cast away the slight darkness that still surrounded the place so that she didn't feel uncomfortable. Andrew knew the way to the cliff by heart and would never get lost in those woods, especially carrying such a precious cargo. Once they arrived at the right site, he gently placed the Irish angel sitting over a rock and spread the towel he had brought on the soft grass.

Then the two heavenly beings sat down under an oak tree and leaned against its trunk, facing the horizon before their eyes. Andrew pulled her into his strong arms and kissed her forehead repeatedly.

"We'll have to wait for a few more minutes. But it'll be a beautiful sunrise, as the weather has been very good lately."

The weak smile that played on her lips made his heart ache. "Yes... And I love watching it with you."

He cupped her chin and lifted her head up. "Sharing it with you is what makes it beautiful, angel." Andrew bent down a little and the light kiss against her lips came as a sweet and tender reminder of a love that would never end, no matter what their destinies could be.

"I wish I could give you more comfortable accommodations..." he said, as she settled against his loving embrace once again.

"The accommodations couldn't be better, you know..." she replied, closing her eyes against his chest.

"Rest for a while, sweet angel... We still have some time before the sunrise..." he said, stroking her hair.

Silent and long minutes passed by.

Slow and sad changes happened to Monica while she was facing the treatment, and one of them was her becoming more and more silent. It happened for two different reasons, both of them very painful for her dearest friends to accept: the treatment caused her human organism to be weak and she got tired easily, spending most of the time dozing off to some light sleep. And the other reason was the sadness that had settled in her heart for she didn't know where all that was leading her.

Noticing that she was too quiet, and not yet used to this, Andrew watched her with worried eyes. She was too weak now and he was eager to take her back to the cabin.

"Angel? Did you fall asleep?" he wanted to know, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

But Monica wasn't sleeping.

"I feel so tired..." she let out a sigh, and gently grabbed his shirt. "... so tired, Andrew..."

The blond angel suddenly felt his heart aching and pounding loudly in his chest. Nearly in tears, he cupped her face and searched for her eyes, begging to see them opening for him once again. "Angel? Monica? Monica, talk to me!"

"I'm so sorry..." she whispered, as her body started to become limp.

With trembling hands and anguish flooding his soul, Andrew gathered the Irish angel in his arms and placed her on his lap, cradling her like a small defenceless child who needed all his care and attention.

"Angel?" he called, his eyes filled with pain and tears. "Please, resist... I'm just a selfish soul who wouldn't know how to exist without your sweet presence, baby... Because your presence is the greatest blessing God has ever given me..."

His tears finally made their way down his face and he rested his forehead against hers, allowing them to moister her own face. Shades of orange and yellow covered the sky and the sun was ready to burst from behind the mountains when Monica muttered something that broke Andrew's heart for the hundredth time.

"You'll always be in my heart, Andrew..."

He pressed her tightly against his human body, like a stubborn child who refused to let anybody take her from him. Then, Andrew turned his tear-filled eyes to the sky above them. "Father... of all Your creations, the one I love the most... the one that I find the most precious and dearest to my heart is the angel that is lying in my arms right now... And it's in the name of this love that I pray... it's in the name of my love for Monica that I use all the forces of my being to ask for her healing..."

Along with the first sunray that crossed the sky, a beautiful glow involved the blond angel. But his greatest fear proved to be wrong when his clothes didn't change into the usual white suit he would wear to take God's children Home.

His outfits remained the same. His human form remained the same.

Still surprised, he noticed that now the glow around him was spreading to involve Monica's ill body. And gradually, the little angel's form started to change.

With all the forces in his being, Andrew's eyes remained on her; his strong and permanent gaze combined with the intensity of his loving feelings seemed to increase the warmth and the glow that involved the ill angel's body. Soon, Monica's human form was wrapped in the same shelter of love, and she was glowing like her angelic friend. But she too continued in human form.

And only then the angel of death understood.

Angels were made by a whisper of God, a sigh of life granted by their loving Father at the moment they were created. And now, by a miracle of this same loving Father, Andrew was sharing this breath of life that God had given him centuries ago with Monica.

Her human form, so fragile and so ill, slowly started to change. Colour came back to her cheeks and her scarce auburn strands were suddenly becoming longer. A minute later, her hair was full again and cascading over Andrew's arm. Her extremely thin body started to regain weight and the blond angel could not only feel it but also see the drastic change in her appearance moments later.

The slow rising and falling of her chest gave place to a steady and clear breathing and her heart, which was beating so slow, now pounded stronger, as if she was ready to start an exciting journey all over again.

Overwhelmed with emotion and awe, Andrew didn't know if he should laugh or if he should cry. A miracle healed his Monica and loving words whispered to his heart by their loving Father told him that this miracle had been possible because of him.

Because of Andrew's love for Monica.

He gazed at the Irish angel intently, carefully committing every feature of her beautiful human form to his heart. Some auburn strands over her forehead and others a bit longer framing her beautiful face and hiding behind small ears. Andrew noticed her well-traced eyebrows and the long eyelashes, and cheered to remember the spark of her soft brown eyes whenever she observed God's wonderful creations.

Her perfectly shaped nose, her rosy cheeks and equally rosy lips matched the outline of her jaw. The pretty dimple underneath her chin and those on her cheek, which became visible whenever she smiled, had always looked adorable to him. The blond angel had memorised all her Gaelic traits by heart and now, thanks to a miracle, he would have the opportunity to see them again - and for the centuries to come.

What was happening was so amazing to him that he didn't even notice the realm of angels surrounding them and witnessing astounded the miracle before their eyes. They were obviously moved with emotion and rejoicing that an angel had been healed in such a spectacular way.

But on the other hand, a veil of shame and guilt had covered their hearts too. How could they speak in the name of God if they hadn't even heard their loving Father's true words? How could they judge and condemn two angels like them in such a cruel way if God Himself had taught them to deliver a message of tolerance and acceptance? The scene before their eyes was the answer to their hurtful words and attitudes. And they seemed to understand it. They knew there were apologies to offer and, which made them even more embarrassed, they knew Monica and Andrew would accept those apologies.

When the first sunray touched the two angels, Monica drew in a deep breath and suddenly opened her eyes, desperately searching for air as if she was coming back to the surface after almost drowning in the deep ocean. As if she had just woken up from a terrible nightmare.

And Andrew's loving face was the first thing she saw with the dawning of that new day.

"Andrew?"

"Angel? Monica?" he cupped her cheek and searched for her eyes, wanting her to calm down even though he himself was extremely nervous, perhaps still doubting it was happening. "Angel, talk to me! Is there anything you're feeling? Are you in any pain?"

"N-no... no... I'm..." She was extremely confused and grabbed his T-shirt trying to find an explanation to the drastic changes in her human form. The little angel looked at his green eyes, not yet fully understanding what was going on. "Andrew..."

"I'm here, baby!" he said, stroking her face and not sure of what to say either. "Tell me, are you feeling alright?"

She looked around them trying to understand what had just happened to her. "I...Yes... All of a sudden something happened before the dawn... It was as if I was falling but then I felt your arms around me and I felt your presence so intense right here in my heart..." she explained, "I felt the Father's presence as well... I... I heard your prayers, Andrew..." an instant tear fell from her eye as she added. "...and I heard His answer..."

He let a small laughter, which was also a sob, and stroked her cheek as she straightened her body. "Oh, Monica... Angel... Look at yourself, baby... look what happened to you..."

Monica turned her eyes from his just to look at her human form. She ran a hand through her long hair and then placed her palms against her cheeks, feeling the drastic changes that happened on the latest minutes.

He searched for her hand and kissed her palm. Now the intense and warm glow that touched their faces was also coming from the sun that had just burst from behind the green mountains. "You were right. It was a beautiful dawning..." The Irish angel spoke, for some moments looking at the horizon with enchantment.

"The most beautiful I've ever witnessed!"