CHAPTERS 4 & 5

CHAPTER 4

With Sam's presence, the situation, which was already tense, only became worse. The old angel had a stern expression on his face, and it seemed that Monica and Andrew's relationship was about to be judged by their superiors. In fact, it had already been judged, and if depended on the older angels they would be sentenced to spending the rest of the eternity apart. With Tess' discovery, a chain reaction started and now the two would have to be prepared for what they were about to face.

Andrew reached for Monica's hand and held it firmly in both of his, taking it to his lips. She was cold and trembling, and all he wanted to do at that very moment was take the little angel away with him and run to a place where nobody could find them. He gave her a reassuring look and then caressed her face. "Calm down, angel. I'm here with you..."

"I'm sorry to inform you, Andrew, but you're not." Sam stated, now standing side by side with Tess.

The angel of death turned his eyes away from Monica to face the two angels defiantly. "What do you mean, Sam?"

"Well, you have an assignment to fulfil and right now you should be miles away from here. Besides, there are very serious issues here that will be discussed later on and while they are not, you two have different assignments to accomplish." He informed, with a very serious expression on his face.

The angel of death let out an ironic chuckle, not believing the two older angels' reactions to something that, he was definitely sure, could never be wrong. "And you two are making a huge mistake here..."

"You know, Andrew, angels actually make mistakes. Some of these are excusable as we're not perfect. And some others... are unthinkable..."

"Andrew and I are not making a mistake, Sam..." Monica tried to speak for the first time facing her superiors, "We-"

"Actually I didn't come here to argue with you, Monica. Like I said, I'm taking Andrew back to his duty, as he got so distracted with some other things that he seems to have forgotten it." Sam interrupted her.

"Well, I'm not leaving until we have this solved!" Andrew replied, not wanting to go away from the little Irish angel who he loved so much.

The older angel shook his head. "This is not an request, Andrew!"

"You cannot deny us this! Tess, I'm surprised that you're against us!"

"I'm sticking on what I think it's the right thing to do, and don't you dare telling me that what I think is wrong and that you and Monica are the ones who are right!" the supervisor snapped back at him, and this time it was Monica who spoke again.

Delicately, she held Andrew's hand in both of hers and searched for his green eyes, which would always bring her so much peace and joy that even in a tense moment like that they managed to put her soul at ease. "Andrew... you should go..."

"Angel, I-"

"You do have an assignment to fulfil... there are people who need an angel, and I know you'll do everything you can to help them. You always do, as you have a loving and compassionate heart. That's why I love you so much."

Moved with emotion, he gently cupped Monica's face, his bright green eyes meeting her brown ones, both of them ignoring their co-workers for some instants. A bittersweet smile broke on his anguished face. "I need an angel too..." he said, tenderly caressing her cheek with his thumb, his heart broken to see so much sadness. "How am I leaving you like this?"

"I'll be fine, you know... When I feel sad, I'll think of you... and I'll remember what I see in your eyes right now..." she replied, almost in a whisper, as the two other angels lowered their heads in disapproval.

Andrew leaned over and brushed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "I'll come back to you sooner than you think, angel. I promise you."

"I'll be waiting for you..."

The angel of death kissed her both hands and whispered the words that kept on echoing in his heart. "I love you."

"I love you too..." she said, and finally they pulled away even though their hands remained entangled with each other and refused to let go. Sam turned around and started to walk, and as much as he didn't want to, Andrew finally released the hold on Monica's hand and followed the older angel. A last gaze at her before he disappeared was all that she had now; along with the promise he would come back to her.

As fresh tears fell from her sad doe-like eyes she lowered her head. Tess spoke again, even though she avoided to look at her charge. "There is a new assignment waiting for us. And I believe we're already late." She announced emotionless, and still without looking at Monica, she started to walk away.

The little Irish angel sighed deeply, forcing herself to raise her head again and follow her supervisor. Tess and Sam were right about one thing: she couldn't let her personal feelings interfere with her mission. She was an angel of God before an angel of her own heart, and people who were suffering, perhaps more than she was, needed her reassurance and comfort.

But seeing her dearest friend, the one friend she loved like a real mother, turning her back on her hurt terribly too. There should be a way to reach Tess' heart and make her realise her feelings for Andrew were not wrong; Monica couldn't believe the supervisor was being so harsh on her. "Tess..." The young angel spoke, with trembling and crying voice, making one last attempt to talk.

For a moment, Tess stopped walking. "Like I said, we're late." She said, still not looking at her charge. And that cold reply only caused Monica's heart to ache even more.

What she didn't see was the conflict on the supervisor's face.

CHAPTER 5

Two weeks later...

In the state park, the Irish angel observed the human beings and the way they interacted with one another. She had centuries of experience in dealing with them and even though they had disappointed her many times, there was one thing she would always admire: the inner joy they carried in their hearts, especially when they were in the company of the ones they loved. A young couple marvelled at their first baby, two little brothers playing with the same car, an old lady waiting for her husband to bring her a small package of popcorn. These were all lovely scenes but at that very moment, they also brought her great sadness.

Her Andrew was away from her, both because of his duties and also due to the intolerance of their superiors. Their love had been judged and forbidden like a terrible crime, and they weren't given the chance to defend themselves. Once or twice, the little Irish angel had raised her head up to the sky and prayed for God to send her a message, showing her the best thing to do. All the resistance and denial to her feelings left Monica to wonder if that love was really wrong. Yet, there was no reply to her prayer; just silence. And as much as she tried to resist to it, Monica's heart kept on telling her that her feelings were not wrong; they were good, pure, guiltless and worthy.

"I can see Sarah and Matthew are learning to give in a little in order to re-start their life." Tess suddenly appeared next to Monica, also observing the young couple and their baby daughter; both Monica's assignments.

"They have a daughter, someone they love dearly and wholeheartedly. It's their love for her that makes them realise the love they feel for each other." The angel spoke, looking at her assignments and not acknowledging her supervisor's presence, contrary to what she always used to do.

The older angel didn't miss the sadness in her charge's eyes. But she elected not to comment about it as for the first time in centuries she too felt deeply confused about the whole situation.

"Yes. Humans have to learn how to value the gift that was granted to them, and only to them by their Father." Came the dry reply.

Only then Monica turned to look at the old supervisor, not believing she was listening to something like this through Tess' mouth. "Love is a precious gift indeed... and if you take it away from someone, you might be breaking their soul forever..." there was not anger in her voice, just great sadness. Then she turned to look at the couple again. "I wonder where Andrew is..."

"Andrew is doing his job as an angel of God. That's why he was created, exactly like you and me."

A lonely tear finally made its way down on her cheek as she bit her lower lip, and Tess didn't miss the turmoil of emotions going in her dear friend's heart. "I miss him so much..." Monica spoke again, somewhat ignoring the supervisor's previous comment.

"And you surely realise how much suffering these 'feelings' are bringing you, don't you?"

Monica closed her eyes, picturing in her memory the face of the one angel who had touched her heart like no other living creature had. Holding on to the memory of Andrew's face and his warm smile at her was all that had been left to her right now. In a way, it was what kept her standing. "Andrew would never make me suffer... nor what I feel for him..." she said, "... what makes me suffer is intolerance..."

"I think it's time to go back to our assignment. Sarah and Matthew seem to be heading back home." Tess spoke, not really wanting to talk about that subject again - she too was trying to escape from discussing that as there were sill many doubts in her mind. The old supervisor's heart broke every time she remembered the night when her two dearest friends were separated from each other. Her initial reaction was one of shock, but now, watching Monica's misery and aware that Andrew was feeling exactly the same caused her to wonder if judging their feelings for each other was a huge mistake.

For centuries she had believed that judging and dictating one-sided rules was a shameful attitude, proper of humans. And now she felt she was the one being judgmental and responsible for her friends' pain. After all, if that love was a sin, why then were two angels feeling like that?

"We should be going by now..." she announced, looking at Monica, who had her head lowered as more tears fell from her eyes. "... or we'll be late."

The Irish angel finally raised her head again and opened her eyes, wiping her tears afterwards, never looking back at the supervisor. But as she gave the first step, something strange happened to her: it was as if the world around her was spinning and the ground trying to disappear from underneath her feet. Quickly, she reached for support on a tree trunk and Tess frowned with concern when she saw that her charge was pale and about to faint.

"Monica?! Monica, what is it?" she took a hold on her arm for support. Terrified, the old angel lay a gentle hand against Monica's face, and was twice scared at how cold she was. "Angel girl, what's wrong with you?"

"I... I don't know..." came the feeble reply. Carefully, Tess wrapped an arm around her waist and guided her up to a nearby bench. She could be upset with Monica but now the motherly feelings she felt for the young caseworker spoke louder. "Sit here, baby. I'll bring you some water."

She returned a minute later, carrying a cup with fresh water and made Monica drink it completely. Little by little, the colour on her face seemed to return and she could see things around her more clearly again.

"Are you alright? The dizziness..."

"I feel better... For a moment it seemed that... that the world was turning around..." she said, looking ahead of her.

"Are you watching over your human form? Did you feed yourself today?" there was true concern in the supervisor's voice, and Monica knew it.

"Yes... even though I didn't feel like." The Irish angel placed the cup in her friend's hands and finally looked back at her. "Thank you, Tess. I feel better already..."

Once again, there wasn't hate or anger in her doe-like eyes, just deep sadness and some disappointment. "If... if you excuse me, I'll go back to assignments. They might need me tonight." Then, the angel rose to her feet and walked away.