EPILOGUE

EPILOGUE

"Look at this, mom!"

The nine-year-old Anna Jenkins showed her new teddy bear with enthusiasm. They were both in the room designed for patients to receive the chemotherapy treatment and had a broad smile upon their faces. Some colourful balloons decorated the room and together with them were the other adults that, for some time, had to go through the same treatment with her. The nurses and her doctor were there too, and there was a small cake over the table.

"It's beautiful, sweetie!" her mother spoke, and then turned to all those who were present there. "I don't know how to thank you enough..." her eyes were filled with tears and she was fighting hard not to cry.

"We're all so happy to know that Anna's recovering. But please don't thank us, Mrs Jenkins. Knowing that our little Anna here has healed is already such a wonderful present to us." Susan, the nurse who had assisted the group, was radiant with the girl's recovery.

And Anna wasn't the only one who had reasons to celebrate: all the others who had been doing the treatment were healing too and the small party was actually made for all of them. "I think there's one person who should be here and who we should thank to." Mrs Swanson, one of those patients spoke, and they exchanged a common gaze, aware of the person they were talking about.

"What Dr Miller did for all of us is... Well, I don't know if he's aware of the great present he gave us when he decided to put us under his new treatment."

"That's true..." Susan spoke, taking a seat next to Anna. "When Dr Miller's wife passed away and later on when he himself fell ill I thought all the research work he was doing would be lost, as he isolated himself from the rest of the world. But something touched his heart in the last couple of months.... something so wonderful that made him keep on his work."

What the group didn't know was that, through the glass door that separated the room from the corridor, Dr Stephen Miller observed them in silence. The result of his research was right before his eyes even though those people hadn't been the reason why he restarted his work. The young lady named Monica was the one who touched his soul and brought back compassion to his empty heart. Miller had even prayed for her, something he hadn't done since his wife died.

The doctor was exactly wondering if she was still alive as the last time he'd seen her, Monica was very weak, when a sudden voice took him out of his reverie.

"Wee Anna has a lovely future ahead."

Stephen looked at his side and to his surprise and amazement, Monica was standing next to him. But differently from the times he had seen her, now she was gorgeous, with her full auburn hair cascading over her shoulders. Sparkling brown eyes and rosy cheeks made her meek face look brighter and a long white dress made her look divine.

"Monica?"

"I'm glad I met you here, while you observed just a tiny bit of the present you gave to this world, Dr Miller."

"You... you were extremely ill..." he spoke, still not believing her image.

"My human form was."

He blinked with a confused look on his face. "I... I don't get it..."

"I'm an angel, Dr Miller. And I was sent here with a mission and a message."

A beautiful and intense glow started to involve her, and the doctor gave a step back.

"Please, don't be afraid."

"An angel? I... I don't understand..."

She smiled at him, and the power of that image standing before his eyes caused him to feel amazingly grateful and deeply moved - and he didn't know why.

"God, your loving Father, has sent an angel to stay by your side, to bring back the compassion and the love for human beings that you lost a couple of years ago, when your wife died."

Stephen bit his lower lip, fighting against the emotions in his heart. "God? He... sent an angel to me? He sent you to me?"

"Yes, and He wants you to know that your compassion touched thousands of other lives, as your research will have a decisive role in the research for the cure of cancer. Other doctors, who nowadays are your students, will give sequence to your work." She turned to look at little Anna, whose giggles were making all those around her smile with joy. "See that little girl? When she grows up she will become a great oncologist, because a great doctor inspired her."

She could see the tears in his eyes, as he too looked at the little girl and at all the ones present in the room. "They are all healing?" he asked.

"Yes. This will be your legacy to the world, Stephen Miller. And God couldn't be more proud of His child."

"I'm... I'm glad that their relatives won't have to face the great pain to be separated from a loved one... like I did..."

She stepped closer and placed her hand over his shoulder, the touch was delicate and comforting. "This is over now."

"What do you mean?"

"You had a heart attack this morning, while you were sleeping." She spoke, to a very surprised Dr Miller. "And I was sent here to escort you to your eternal Home."

Without much thinking, still very confused, he took her proffered hand and they started to walk along the corridor, disappearing moments later.

X

When Monica and Dr Miller reappeared, they were in a totally different place. A green field covered with colourful flowers and the tall trees and under the bluest of the skies was ahead of them. Some white cotton clouds travelled slowly above the mountain tops at a distance and the gentle rays of the sun warmed up their faces.

"This is your new Home now, Stephen Miller. And there's someone who has been anxiously waiting for you..." Monica spoke, and those last words finally made some tears of emotion fall from his eyes. The Irish angel smiled at him and nodded, turning to look at the open field once again. Stephen followed her gaze and saw a woman walking towards them. She had a broad smile on her face. "Your wife has been waiting for this moment as much as you. She knew you had an assignment to fulfil on Earth and she counted the time until you could accomplish it so that you two could be reunited again. Now, for the rest of the eternity."

"Clara... My Clara..." he whispered, without taking his eyes from the woman. "Is this some kind of a dream?"

"I believe no dream could be as sweet as the reality that stands before you now."

He looked at the angel one more time, with a grateful expression on his face. "I thank God for putting you in my way," the doctor said, visibly moved.

Then he turned on his feet and headed to his beloved wife, gathering her in his arms moments later. And it was possible to see a smile breaking on his face as their heavenly forms collapsed - the first smile since Clara had passed away.

Monica watched the couple with a broad smile and felling the joy to see two souls who loved each other reunited.

"I believe you'd make a wonderful angel of death..."

A familiar and dear voice reached her ears and made her look at her side to see Andrew smiling at her. He stepped closer and lay his hands over her shoulders, kissing her cheek with tenderness. "But this is quite redundant as everything you do is wonderful!"

She let a small giggle and wiped away a sudden tear that had rolled down her cheek. "Don't you think you're a wee bit suspect to say so?"

Chuckling, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and held her from behind, both angels watching as Dr Miller and his wife, Clara, walked away, chatting happily and locked in a loving embrace.

"They will have so much to talk... so much to catch up with..." she sighed, leaning against him.

"I can imagine it..."

"I think we both can imagine it, Andrew... When I first met Dr Stephen Miller something deep inside his eyes made me understand him, even though he didn't have much of a friendly character. And I guess now I know why it happened."

"Why, angel?"

She turned around in his arms and now they were facing each other. "When we first met I saw in his eyes the same pain I was feeling in my heart... Loving someone and fearing to be put apart from them forever."

Andrew caressed her face with the back of his hand. "You were the perfect angel for this assignment. But I don't want to see fear and pain in those pretty eyes of yours again, are we understood?"

She smiled and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Yes. As long as you're with me."       

The blond angel sighed deeply and caressed her auburn hair. "I wish I could be by your side like this forever, angel." He spoke, not really wanting to be placed apart from her for their next assignment.

"Well, you'll be able to stay by each other's side a little bit more it seems..."

The familiar voice that interrupted their conversation belonged to Tess, and the angels pulled away to acknowledge her presence. But they were equally confused by her words.

"What do you mean, Tess?"

"What I mean is that you two have a new assignment to accomplish, and it's high time you headed to the place where you'll be working at." She spoke, and then, with a mischievous smile as if enjoying to see their troubled look, she added. "Together."

A hopeful smile appeared on Monica's face and she and Andrew exchanged a surprised glance before looking at the supervisor again. "We'll be working together? Is that what you mean, Tess?"

"Exactly, angel girl. And this mission starts in... well, I'd say in a couple of hours, so if you two decide to go now you might have some time to enjoy the sunny day at the park that exists near your assignments' house."

Monica let go of Andrew's hand just for a few moments, so that she could hold her dear supervisor and friend. And Tess returned the embrace just as lovingly. "Thank you, Tess."

"Oh, don't thank me, I'm not the one who assigns angels here and there..." there was a smile on her face as she said so.

When Monica pulled away, Andrew bent down and kissed the oldest angel's cheek. "We thank you for everything else then!" he blinked at her, as Monica returned to his arms.

The old supervisor looked at them and although the smile on her face disappeared, there was visible joy in the spark of her eyes. "There's something I'd like to tell you two before you go..."

Monica frowned with concern. "You're not coming with us?"

"Well, yes, I'll meet you soon, but you'll start it without me. But I cannot let you both go before giving you my blessing... The love that brought you two together is undoubtedly very powerful... so powerful that allowed a miracle to happen and a stronger bond to be created. You two are special, babies, and so is the connection that exists between you. I guess I took it for granted a while ago, and although I apologised with you, I never had the chance to tell you that your feelings for each other are one more of the Father's beautiful creations. Anyone, either human or angel, can see that."

She gave a step closer and touched their faces. "And knowing that you were meant for each other, knowing that you'll be taking care of each other for the rest of the eternity  fills my heart with joy."

X

"My eternal valentine..." Andrew spoke, as he and Monica appreciated the view from the park. They were both back in their human forms and sitting on the green grass under the shadow of a tall tree. Both were wearing casual clothes: he, blue jeans and the green T-shirt that Monica found so beautiful on him, as it matched his beautiful green eyes. She, a long skirt with tiny flowers and a white sleeveless blouse, and the little angel had abandoned her sandals for a while, finding comfort in his arms as she rested her back against his chest.

Monica let out a small giggle. "I find it lovely that human beings have the habit to celebrate many special dates, you know, Andrew..." her head was nestled underneath his chin but she tilted it just to look at his face. "Because now we'll be able to celebrate Valentines' Day."

"We have already celebrated Valentines' Day, Monica." He reminded her, not getting enough of her meek smile and her loving gaze.

"Oh, well, yes... But on the other times I could not do this..." She straightened her body and turned at him. Then, Monica cupped his cheek and brought her face close to his, until her lips brushed his in a soft and tender kiss.

He nuzzled his nose with hers and smiled. "Just for the record, you could have done it before... I wouldn't have complained!" Enjoying the sound of her giggling, Andrew kissed her smile lightly and many times before entangling his fingers through her hair and wrapping his arm around her waist, bringing her closer to him. And then they were both locked in a loving kiss, which lasted for a precious and sweet eternity.

"I love you so much..." she whispered, as they pulled away but their foreheads remained together.

"I love you, my angel... For the centuries to come..." he spoke, and then searched for her bright brown eyes. "...And I promise to be your angel... to protect you whether you have to face the dangers of this world or to wipe your tears if you should cry."

She smiled at him again, "You don't have to promise me that... I know you will. You always do because you are special, Andrew. God made you like this."

"I can say the same thing about you, Monica. Special and much loved by this angel here... who will hold you in his heart forever."

They held each other again, and remained like that, enjoying the feeling of being together, savouring the sweet sensation that besides their loving Father they belonged to each other for the years to come, two souls forever joined and meant to be together forever. As Monica rested her head against his chest and Andrew kissed the top of her head repeatedly, they watched with a smile on their faces as a white dove cooed and flew across the blue sky on that sunny morning.

The end