CHAPTERS 7 AND 8

CHAPTER 7

Slightly bored to be in bed, Andrew looked though the window once again and saw the rain kept on falling out there, and clouds covered the green fields and valleys of Ireland. Even though the slight cold he'd catch on the previous day wasn't so serious, he still felt tired and sleepy. The angel in human form decided to rest for a few more minutes imagining that it would take about an hour for breakfast to be ready. Yet, a slight knock on the door woke him from a very light sleep and when he opened his green eyes it was Monica he saw coming through the door. She was carrying a tray with bread, a small bowl with some berries and a warm soup.

"Andrew... I brought your breakfast," she offered, gently, and carefully walked up to the bed.

"Angel, you didn't have to, I-"

"Of course I did, you're recovering and I'm in charge of taking care of you now..." she kindly interrupted, placing the tray in front of him.

He reached out and squeezed her hand, "Thank you."

As he took the spoon and tasted the soup for the first time, she happily announced, "I made it myself!" she was attentively watching to see his approval, "I hope you like it..."

But the little angel didn't have to inform him who had prepared his food: he had felt it at the moment he tasted it. The hopeful expression on her face, though, made him think twice before speaking again. "Everything is just perfect, Monica," he finally said.

"Really?" The way she looked at him nearly made his heart ache. She was always trying to please him, always offering her help and support, and her permanent worry... Her love and affection were so much that for many times he felt undeserving and caught himself promising to return all those loving feelings, and protect her from all evil.

"Really, Angel. Thank you." He said, with all his sincerity, and not exactly for the food she had prepared, but for her care and devotion.

X

When Andrew finished breakfast Monica took the empty tray back to the kitchen and found little Marie playing in the living room. Being so communicative and spontaneous, the little girl immediately smiled at her, "How's Andrew?"

The Irish angel knelt down on the velvet carpet where she was playing on. "Well, he's still a bit weak, but I have faith he'll get better soon."

"Hope he doesn't have to get a shot!" the little girl replied, grimacing at the memories of her last cold, and causing Monica to smile.

"I guess it won't be necessary. But if the cold continues, I'll take him to the doctor, and if it's necessary to have a shot, then he will take it..."

Marie's face turned to one of serious concern about the blond angel. "But you'll hold his hand tight and tell him it'll be okay, right?"

Giggling, Monica nodded her head. "I promise I will."

"I'm glad he has you." The girl heaved a sigh of relief and showed her teddy bear. "I changed Alice's clothes."

"She's just lovely!" the angel said.

"It's a wee bit cold, and that way she won't catch a cold!" she quickly informed.

"Oh, I can see you're a really devoted and caring friend to Alice then!"

"Yes, she's one of my best friends..." the girl lowered her voice and moved the bear away, "... but she's jealous of my other dolls!"

Giggling, Monica nodded her head, "Oh, I see!"

"Do you wanna see my other dolls?"

"Sure!"

Happy to have found someone to talk to, Marie grabbed Monica's hand and took her upstairs to her beautifully decorated bedroom. There were many dolls and other toys spread on the carpeted floor or laying on the shelves. After showing them and telling their names to Monica, they both sat down to observe a dollhouse, which enchanted the Irish angel.

"It's so beautiful... Isn't it amazing how small little things like these can be so complex and bring out so much enchantment?"

Little Marie turned her eyes away from the toy and looked at Monica for long moments, without breaking the pretty smile on her meek face. When she got her attention, she finally spoke again. "You're an angel, aren't you?"

"How... do you know it, sweetie?" Monica asked, taken aback by that totally unexpected question.

The little girl shrugged her shoulders, "When I was little I got stuck with mommy in our car. Then, a man appeared there by my side before uncle Johnny found us. This man had a beard and kept telling me I shouldn't be afraid... He said his name was Adam and that he was an angel..."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes. And he had the same glow you and Andrew have. When I saw you two, I knew you were here to help us!"

Her enthusiasm made Monica smile again. "Well... Andrew and I would be very happy if we could help such a lovely little girl like you!"

The little girl lowered her voice, "Mommy needs to marry uncle Johnny, you know?"

It took Monica a little not to giggle again. "Oh... And... How did you get to this conclusion?"

"Uncle Johnny saved us, he is always visiting us... He tells me stories and explains me things and is like a real daddy to me. Then he brings flowers to my mommy and takes us for a picnic and we fly a kite together... He's always worried 'bout us, and once he even promised me he'd always keep an eye on mommy and me along with God..."

"Your uncle Johnny seems to be a good man."

"But mommy is still very sad because... because of my real dad... He didn't want us, I know..."

Feeling very sorry for the child - who learned at a very early age that not all human beings were generous and loving ones, Monica caressed her cheek, "Oh, sweetie... I think your real daddy must be the saddest man in the world as he doesn't have a lovely little daughter like you near him."

"I wish he didn't make mommy so sad... Uncle Johnny makes her smile and she's happy when he's here, but then... I guess she remembers my real dad and gets sad all over again... Could you and Andrew fix this, Monica?"

"Well, sweetie, I don't know... But I do know something that you could do and that could help your mommy: offer your prayers to God. Tell Him you want your mommy happy again. There's a great power in prayer, you know?"

"And is He always listening?"

"Oh, yes, dear. Always."

The cute and innocent smile that formed on Marie's lips warmed the angel's heart. "Okay, then!" Then, a questioning expression appeared on her face. "You and Andrew are angels, but... Andrew can be your boyfriend too, right?"

Highly amused, Monica laughed, imagining Andrew's embarrassment once he was asked that same question.

Chapter 8

As the day went by, the rain kept on falling with dark clouds covering the sky. In the small castle, Monica helped rose to lay the table for lunch and then, once they had finished, the Irish angel also helped with the tidying up. with Andrew still recovering from a bad cold, she had a feeling they would stay there at least for one more day. A tiny smile appeared on her face as she checked her dearest friend's temperature and noticed that at least his fever hadn't returned.

"It's a good sign! You're healing, Andrew!" she exclaimed, with hopeful eyes.

Sitting on his bed, with a blanket up to his waist, Andrew chuckled at her enthusiasm. "Must've been the tea and the soup you made me!"

Slightly blushed, she tilted her head. "Well, I don't know about that..."

"I do. After all, they were prepared by an angel!" Still chuckling, he stretched his arm and pulled her to sit next to him, "And that counts a lot!"

With her knees drawn up to her chest and eyeing her barefoot feet, she managed a short smile, "Talking about angels... It seems you and I have been disclosed, Andrew!"

"Disclosed?"

"Yes. By a very smart five-year-old little girl!" she added, and then her face turned into a serious one, "And now we do have to fulfil our unexpected assignment!"

Narrowing his eyes, and having no idea what she was talking about, he looked at her sceptically. "Monica, I know I've told you that before, but you're really staring to sound like Tess!"

Finding his confused face quite funny, she let out a small giggle, ready to tell him about the conversation she'd just had with little Marie.

X

Rose placed another bucket in the stairs that led to the second floor of the castle. With a frustrated expression on her face, she watched as the water from a leak permanently fell from the ceiling.

"Looks like the weather isn't cooperating with anybody!" John spoke, not missing the hint of sadness in her brown eyes.

"Yes... With anyone in fact. Monica and Andrew had their camping trip interrupted, he got sick, you're stuck in here too..."

A slight smile crossed his handsome face. "Well, that isn't bothering me at all!"

She looked at him and a shy smile also appeared on her face, "Well... Then I won't feel so guilty... I have to confess that I was quite happy with you being around!"

They started to climb down the stairs, crossing the living room and towards the window. "You and Marie stay all isolated here, Rose. I... I'd like to see you living in the city, closer to... to other people. She needs to play with other kids of her age and there aren't many nearby," he said, with his usual protectiveness. Rose sighed deeply and nodded her head, "I know. But I can't afford renting a house. Not until I sell this one..."

She looked outside the window, to an invisible point lost in the cloudy view. "I wish I didn't have to do it either, though... I have so many memories of this place... of my childhood, you know, John?"

Deeply moved, and wanting nothing but to hold her in his arms, the History teacher reached out and caressed her cheek. "And I wish I could do something about it, baby..."

Rose turned her eyes away from the dark sky and looked at him, managing a tiny smile, "You've done so much for us already, John. You're our saviour... And a saviour who appeared in our lives when I was starting to lose the faith in the human being. Right before I came to live here I was... so empty inside..." she remembered the time when she lived with her abusive husband, Marie's father. Her marriage ended after a year and six months of pain and suffering, and right after that she'd moved to the little castle she'd inherited from her father.

John knew most part of her sad story - he'd been a loyal and permanent friend, and the hint of terror he could see in her sweet doe-like eyes once in a while only made him dread to imagine the horrible details of her previous marriage. The History teacher wondered how long he could keep himself from punching Marie's biological father for all the sadness he had inflicted on her and her mother. But he also knew it wouldn't be possible: the man had disappeared from her life as soon as they got their divorce, leaving behind an adorable baby daughter and a beautiful and warm hearted woman.

But since that, Rose and little Marie had become the most important people in John's life, and from the moment they'd first met, he swore he would keep and protect them for as long as he lived.

"That's all in the past now, Rose... Leave it there... The last thing I want to see is sadness on this pretty face of yours!" he said, catching her glance in a way that both stood hypnotised by each other's eyes for long moments.

The now familiar fluttering feeling in her stomach was back, and she felt a lump forming on her throat when he looked at her with so much tenderness. But the Irish woman was suddenly afraid. A mix of images from her sad past came back to her mind as she felt his warm breath so close to her face. She felt herself wanting to surrender to the sweet caress he was about to give her, but all of a sudden, she moved her eyes away and lowered her head.

"I'm... I'm trying to... But sometimes the memories just won't go away..." She stifled a sob and, before he could say something else, she excused herself. "I'm sorry, John... I... I'll prepare Marie's snack..."

With that, she headed to the kitchen in a hurry, trying to hide away the tears that started to form in the corner of her eyes.

X

"Rose?"

Monica's soothing voice took the Irish woman out of her reverie. She had been there for a few minutes, thinking about her life, her little daughter, and most importantly about John. Reaching up to wipe her tears away, she looked at her guest and managed a feeble smile. "Hi, Monica..."

"Is there something wrong?" the Irish angel came closer and took a seat next to her.

"N-no, I was... I was just thinking about some things... Sad memories that come back once in a while..."

"I see... Is this why John is out there in the living room, with sadness and worry all over his face?

"He is?" hearing that only made her worry even more.

"Yes..." Monica bit her lower lip before going on speaking, but then she continued. "I'm sorry to ask you this, but did you argue?"

"Oh, no... No... John and I never argued... He's... like my angel..." she immediately replied, "...but he must be so disappointed at me..."

"Please forgive me for saying this, but disappointment is not the feeling I see in his eyes when he looks at you..."

Hearing that was enough to make her break down and cry for long, sad minutes. Feeling very sorry for the poor woman, Monica held her and prayed to find the right words she needed to hear.

"I love him so much, Monica... I never met anyone like him..." Rose said, with tenderness and a bittersweet smile.

"And judging by everything I've seen here, I'd say the feeling is mutual..."

Rose's smile grew wider for a moment, as she enjoyed hearing that. "Do you really think so?"

"I'm mostly certain!"

Rose frowned, and her smile slowly faded away. "I'm so afraid, Monica..."

"Afraid?"

"Yes... afraid of hurting his feelings... of making him unhappy..." she let out a tiny sob, "...in case it doesn't work... like... like with Marie's father... And she too would suffer... she loves John so much, he became her father... And... I'm so afraid of disappointing John..."

Shaking her head in disagreement, Monica lay a gentle hand over the woman's shoulder, "Rose, you deserve a new chance... I can see your marriage with Marie's father didn't bring you happiness, but don't think it was your fault."

"I wonder if... if someday he realises I'm not the person he thought I was..."

"If you are so afraid to let him down, Rose, it's because you love him very much. And if there's love, then there's no way things can go wrong between you two."

"I do..." she finally admitted. "I love him very, very much... like I've never loved anyone before..."

"Love is a gift from God, and if you feel this gift inside your heart, then use it the best way you can. Fear and insecurity will only take this gift away from you. Don't run away from John's feelings; accept them instead, if they are a way to your happiness!"

With tears falling from her eyes, the Irish woman smiled shyly and nodded her head. "Thank you, Monica... We met yesterday and it seems I've known you for years..."

Monica smiled in reply, happy to see some relief in her eyes.