CHAPTER 13 AND EPILOGUE

CHAPTER 13

As soon as he woke up, on the following morning, Andrew took a quick shower, changed his clothes and went straight to the ICU. Silently, the blond angel entered Monica’s room and sat on a chair beside her bed. Holding her free hand (her left arm was immobilised) and kissing her cheek, he watched her sleep for some time. But the Irish angel seemed to feel his loving presence next to her and slowly opened her eyes:

“Hello there! ‘Morning, Miss Wings!”, he had a gentle smile on his face and his bright green eyes reflected all the love he felt for her.

“Andrew...”, she whispered, also smiling, and moved her hand to stroke his cheek, “...I was dreaming about you...”

Once again, he took her hand and kissed her palm:

“And how exactly was this dream?”

“We were walking on a vast field, full of flowers. They were moving with the soft breeze that was blowing and had a lovely perfume. The sun was warm and bright and the sky was so blue...”

The smile on his face turned into a mischievous one:

“Was I tickling you?”

She started giggling at that question and at the memory of his fingers touching her stomach:

“Of course not!...”, answered the angel, with a beautiful smile.

“So where’s the fun?!”, he asked, with mock disappointment. Monica kept on talking:

“We walked until the field was over and then, there was a beach, with calm waters. But I wasn’t afraid. I let the small waves touch my feet and we took a long walk in the sand, enjoying the view... It was so beautiful, Andrew.”

“I’m happy you had a peaceful night.”

“Yes, I really had. But you know what was the best part of the dream? It was when I woke up and saw you here, looking at me...”

He lowered his head for a second, slightly blushed. At that moment, Tess opened the door and Monica grinned at her supervisor:

“Tess!”

“Hello baby!”

Andrew made room for the oldest angel to come closer to the bed. She held Monica’s hand and leaned to kiss her forehead.

“Andrew and I missed you so much, Tess!”

“Oh... and I missed you two more than never, Angel Girl, believe me!”

She tried to hold back some tears which were forming on the corner of her eyes, “You are my angel babies and I think I’ll never be able to bear another assignment without you again!”, she stated, almost bursting into tears. They smiled at her precarious attempt to contain her emotion:

“The same goes to you, Tess!”, said the blond angel.

“And right now, I’m going to take good care of you, Miss Wings, and if you behave like an angel is supposed to do, I’ll remove you out of the ICU today!”

“Yes ma’am! I promise I will!”, answered Monica, amused by the way her dear friend unsuccessfully tried to look and sound tough and stern.

At that moment, Andrew felt a soft voice speaking right to his heart and silently nodded, leaning to kiss Monica’s head:

“Well, once Tess is in command here, I’m sure you will be in good hands, Angel Girl!”

She stopped smiling:

“Where are you going?”

“I have an assignment to fulfil right now. But it won’t take long, sweetie, I promise.”

There was a fight for life going on in one of the rooms in the ICU. A group of doctors were desperately trying to stabilise a patient who had arrived there the day before. Jack was losing his vital signs due to complications occurred in the surgery to remove the bullet, as the object had entered vital organs of his body:

“We’re losing him!”

“Let’s try the CPR again!”

“Ok, on three. One, two, three!...”

Although his body was on the bed, being treated by the doctors, Jack’s soul was standing right beside it, watching all the procedure. At that moment, he saw another person entering the room: Andrew was involved by an intense glowing and unseen to the human eye. The thief looked at him with astonishment:

“You’re... you’re the guy in the woods!...”

“Yes, Jack, I was there, together with my friend and the two children.”

“But you didn’t die, it was the woman who got shot, so how come you’re here?!...”, he had a puzzled expression on his face.

“I’m an angel, Jack, sent by God.“

“An angel?... God sent me an angel?...”

“That’s right.”

Amazement and shock were evident on the man’s eyes:

“But... why would He send an angel to a ... a thief like me?!”

“You’re His child too, and proofed to be deserving of His love at the moment you faced an evil and armed man to protect four innocent people who couldn’t defend themselves.”

“I didn’t mean to hurt any of you... I’ve never killed anybody!”, said the man.

“I know that, Jack. And, most importantly, God knows that too. He saw when you gave up yourself to defend other people’s lives, even knowing how risky and fatal it would be for you.”

An expression of deep sadness appeared on the man’s face:

“I... I committed so many crimes in my life... I stole, lied and hurt so many people’s feelings... And now, before you, I feel so ashamed of those things!...”

“It’s not to me that you have to ask for forgiveness.”

Jack conjoined his hands and cried:

“Oh God... I’m sorry!... I’m so sorry... If I could turn back time everything would’ve been different!”

After watching the man praying for forgiveness for some minutes, Andrew spoke again:

“... you cannot turn back time...”, he replied, “...You must know that.”

The thief looked at the angel:

“I’m gonna die, right?”, he asked, resignedly. The angel sighed deeply:

“Jack, sooner or later everyone will have to be prepared to meet the Father. And so will you... But not here, not now.”

“I don’t understand...”

“In the same way you were merciful to the ones in need, God wants to give you a second chance, a new opportunity for you to fix the mistakes you’ve made in your life.”

“A second chance? For me?”, asked Jack, with his eyes full of hope and hardly believing in what Andrew was saying. The blond angel smiled:

“God loves you, Jack. He loves you so much! And right now, He is very proud of you for what you’ve done in the woods.”, he put his hand on the man’s shoulder, “Take this opportunity to make Him proud of you not just for one day, but all the days of your life!”

A second later, Jack was gone and one of the doctors announced:

“Ok, we did it! His heartbeats turned into the normal rhythm again! He is stabilised!”

Still smiling, Andrew looked at the man lying on the bed once more and left the room.

*

Two days later, now on the 4^th floor of the hospital:

“Good morning, Miss Wings!”, said Andrew, opening the door of Monica’s room and carrying a tray with her breakfast. Monica was sitting on the bed and smiled happily at her dear friend:

“I brought you a double mocha latte and some cookies!”, he placed the tray on the side table of her bed, “But don’t let Tess know about it, ok?!”

But the Irish angel didn’t show much enthusiasm about her favourite drink:

“Oh Andrew... You’re so kind... Thank you, but...”

“Hey, what is it, Angel Girl?”

“I know it’s strange, but... I don’t feel like drinking coffee...”

He frowned and sat on the bed, in front of her, placing his hand on her forehead:

“Are you feeling alright?!”

She kept on smiling:

“Yes, I am. I just feel a wee bit nauseous, that’s all.”

“It must be the medication.”

“Probably. But there’s something else I could use...”

“So tell me what it is and I’ll bring it for you!”

“...a hug.”, came the simple answer.

Andrew smiled lovingly and pulled her closer, wrapping his arms tightly around her. The Irish angel sighed with contentment:

“That’s much better than all the coffee in the world, you know.”, she said, resting her head on his shoulder.

“You’re not saying this because you feel nauseous, are you?”

Giggling at his comment, she covered his entire face with tiny kisses to prove the truth of her words:

“I swear I’m not!”

“Well I guess your arguments managed to convince me...”, he said, hugging her again. At that moment, John and Sally opened the door of the room. Together with them were Tess, Mrs Peters, Mr Stokes (in a wheelchair, because of the plaster in his leg) and the other children who were in the bus:

“See John? I told you to knock on the door, they were almost kissing each other and you interrupted!...”

Andrew stood up, crossing his arms in front of his chest, and, due to his deeply red face, Monica elected not to laugh at the little girl’s words, which was not easy for her:

“Sally, dear, Andrew and I are friends!...”, the Irish angel said, and looked at all the others, “... and we’re very happy to see you all here!”

“They have something to say to you, babies...”, Tess announced.

John took a bunch of flowers that was in Mrs Peters hands and gave it to Monica:

“We came here to thank you two!”, said the boy. She took the flowers and smelled their perfume:

“Oh, they’re lovely!”

“It’s very kind of you all!”, said Andrew, standing on Monica’s side and gently stroking her hair.

“Monica, Andrew, we will never be able to thank you enough for saving our lives”, said Mrs Peters, “I don’t even want to think about what would’ve happened if you two weren’t in that bus that night. But when I think about you risking your own lives for us, I can only come to the conclusion that God interceded on our behalf, putting you two there, at the right time, at the right place.”

“I could even say you’re angels sent by God!”, Mr Stokes exclaimed, causing everybody to laugh loudly. The three angels exchanged an amused look, and winked at John and Sally, all of them smiling broadly.

*

Later, everybody bid them farewell and left Monica’s room. Andrew took a seat beside her on her bed and took her hand into both of his, while Tess sat on the other side, stroking Monica’s hair.

“You should rest, Angel Girl. You too, baby. You’ve been through a lot in the last few days and I want you to get better pretty soon!”

“I know that, Tess, but I just can’t seem to relax. I guess I’m still... shaken up by what happened...”, the Irish angel said.

“Me too, Tess.”, her friend agreed, “Maybe because we’ve never been exposed to so much... fear...”

The supervisor nodded:

“Neither have I, babies, believe me. When the Father gave you two this assignment and, right after that, asked me to stay in this hospital, at the ER, my heart told me something bad was about to happen. And, since then, I have been praying for you and for those people’s safety.”

“Only now I can understand why you insisted on us to keep our faith when you gave us this assignment, that day in the park.”, Monica said. Andrew’s face turned into a sad one:

“And almost forgot that...”, he shook his head, “I felt abandoned and lost... How wrong I was.”

“And I’m glad you’ve realised that in time, Angel Boy. Because there was Someone with you when that bus rolled down the hill and nobody was seriously hurt. There was Someone with Sally and John when they were expelled from the vehicle without suffering any injuries. And there was Someone guiding you and those children in the woods, through the darkness and during the day.”

Knowing the truth in those words, they looked at each other with a slight smile and nodded. Tess kept on talking:

“As Mrs Peters said, if you weren’t in the bus, nobody would’ve survived, because she and Mr Stokes were stuck under the seats and wouldn’t have been able to help anyone. Besides, nobody would’ve found the siblings and the two would have to meet with the adversities of the woods, as well as to face that evil, man alone. The same man who was planning to attack the campsite if the accident hadn’t happened...”

“The Father is so wise!”, Andrew said, squeezing Monica’s free hand. The Irish angel looked at her two friends with emotion evident in her eyes:

“And I’m glad He used us as instruments of His wisdom. But I’m also glad that, after all that has happened, I’m right here, with you two, as I love you very very much!”

With no more words spoken, the three angels held one another in a tight hug, and remained like this for a long time.

EPILOGUE

“...Andrew, I can’t believe you won’t tell me where we’re going!”, Monica protested, with a broad smile on her face, while her dearest friend held her hand and led her on the street, near the park they had visited some weeks before. She was wearing a beautiful hat, a flowered dress and a pair of comfortable sandals, and the wound on her shoulder was completely healed.

“I told you, Angel Girl, it’s a surprise!”, Andrew answered, delighted with her childlike curiosity.

“But I don’t even know if... if I’m dressed properly!”, she said, desperately trying to find a reason to make him reveal his secret.

He stopped walking, held her other hand and looked at her, contemplating her delicate features:

“You look absolutely gorgeous!”

Slightly blushed, she lowered her eyes for a brief moment, raising them again when they heard the noise of a horn near them:

“Anybody here asked for this baby?!”, Tess said, smiling at her two charges. Andrew opened the door of the red Cadillac:

“Tess you’re such an angel for doing this!”

The supervisor got out of the car and her face turned into a serious one:

“And you’d better take good care of my precious baby, you hear me, Mr?!”, she had a mock stern look in her eyes.

“Yes ma’am!”, he replied, with the same mock seriousness.

“Now you two go, ‘cause I have other business to take care of...”

“Are you sure you don’t wanna come with us?”

“No. I think I’ll finally take the opportunity to take a walk in this park...”

“Ok, see you later then!”

Andrew led Monica until the car, opening the door for her and waiting until she could take a seat.

“Goodbye Tess!”

“Bye bye angel babies!”

The supervisor watched as the red Cadillac went away and then glanced at her watch:

“Where is he?!...”, she murmured, impatiently looking around her. A second later, Sam came up in the corner of the street:

“Oh, finally!”

“Hey Tess!”

“You are late, Sir!”

“I’m sorry, Tess. Phil had an assignment near here so we came together and... well... we got lost...”

“You came with Phil?!”, Tess exclaimed, even more distressed.

“Well, never mind. I’m here anyway; and now come on, let’s take a walk in the park and enjoy our day off!”

She held his left arm and they entered the park, enjoying the nature that surrounded them.

*

About half an hour later:

“Are we close yet?”, Monica asked, burning with curiosity. But Andrew decided to keep the mystery:

“Just a few more minutes, ok, Angel Girl?”

“Can’t you tell me at least what kind of place it is?”

“Nope.”

“Will there be other people there?...”

His answer was a silent smile. But she insisted:

“Do they serve coffee?...”

At that moment, Andrew turned on the right and left the asphalt road. They were in the countryside and there weren’t other houses nearby. Some kilometres ahead, the car finally stopped and Monica’s eyes grew wide when she looked at the scenery that surrounded them:

“Oh my Goodness! Andrew!”

A vast field, fully covered with flowers, lay before them, with some high trees spread along it. The sweet smell of the flowers, gently moving with the breeze, invaded their lungs, and, together with the bright sunshine, brought them a feeling of inner peace. And, to complete that perfect picture, a beautiful beach lay on the foot of the hill they were in, with its blue and calm waters softly hitting the sand.

“...That’s the place that appeared in my dream!...”, the Irish angel exclaimed, still astonished. “How on Earth did you find it?!”

“Well... let’s say I had a little help...”, he replied, looking up to the sky. She smiled broadly and all her love for him was reflected in her eyes:

“Oh Andrew, I love you so much!...”

Monica threw herself in his arms, hugging him tightly and placing a loving kiss on his cheek.

“I was thinking and wondering where would be the best place to have a picnic with my Angel Girl, and then, when you told me about your dream...”

“A picnic?!”

“Yes, we have everything we need right here!...”

They got out of the Cadillac and Andrew took the basket that was in the back seat of the car, hidden by a blanket.

“Fruit, sandwiches, pieces of cake and...”, he took a thermos flask, which was also hidden beside the basket, “... coffee! But I can leave it here if you still don’t feel like drinking it...”, he joked, with a mischievous smile. Monica desperately took the bottle from his hands:

“I’m afraid there isn’t such a strong medicine...”

Laughing loudly, the blond angel grabbed her hand and they started to walk along the flowers. Monica left her sandals in the car, as to feel as free as possible was something that she needed deeply.

They settled in the shade of a high tree, where they placed the picnic blanket and the food which was inside the basket. After having a fast snack (which meant three cups of coffee for Monica), the two angels went down the small hill, and, some minutes later, were on a small and desert beach.

Chatting happily, Monica and Andrew took a long walk on the sand and the Irish angel let the small waves hit her ankles without any reservations:

“I can see you’re enjoying the water, Angel Girl!”, Andrew observed, also walking barefoot beside her, his arms wrapped around her shoulder.

“In fact, it’s a funny sensation to feel the foam around my feet!...”, she said, “...it’s as if it was...”

She didn’t dare to finish the sentence, as her friend already had a mischievous smile on his face:

“... tickling you?!”, he completed. She looked at him with pleading eyes:

“Yes... but you were not doing this in my dream, remember?”

“Yeah, you’re right. And I’d much rather take you by surprise anyway!”

She heaved a sigh of relief, and, noticing they were back to the foot of the hill, she smiled:

“Up for a cup of coffee?”

“Yes, literally!”

Suddenly, he grabbed Monica around the waist and lifted her into his arms. She started giggling as the blond angel carried her across the slope:

“I’ll give you a ride, Angel Girl!”

“If this is a new transportation system for angels, I thoroughly approve of it!”, she joked, wrapping her arms around his neck.

He climbed the slope, which wasn’t much inclined, and soon they were back to the place of the picnic.

“Angel Girl delivered right on time for the next coffee!”, the blond angel put the laughing angel down.

“Thank you, Sir!”

They sat on the grass and he poured his friend a cup of coffee and another for him.

“You know, I’m not as fond as coffee as you are, but today, I’ll drink along with you!”

Monica stared at him for some seconds and, suddenly, her face clouded over, causing her to low her eyes. Andrew immediately noticed that change and looked at her with a worried frown:

“Hey, Monica, what is it?”, he asked, putting his cup aside and taking her hand.

“I’m sorry, Andrew. I didn’t mean to worry you...”, she said, not wanting anything to mar that day.

“You’ll worry me if you don’t tell me what happened.”

She sighed with sorrow:

“I’ve realised something during this last assignment, you know... For many years, I feared water, without even having a reason, and I now know it’s a silly thing because, now, I’ve found out what my worst fear really is...”

Feeling the sadness which was coming from her heart, the blond angel tried to dissuade her from talking about what had happened, as he too wanted to forget how much pain they had been through:

“Monica, please, don’t...”

“My worst fear, Andrew, is losing you as well as Tess. You two, together with the Father, are everything to me.”

Those words touched him deeply:

“Oh Monica...”, he got closer to her and, grabbing her face with both hands, kissed her forehead, “You know that the same goes to you.”

“I love you so much, that, if one day I had to be away from you, I think my heart would break into pieces...”

He wiped some tears that rolled down on her face and gently stroked her cheek:

“Come with me, I wanna show you something...”

The blond angel helped her on her feet and they walked for some meters, until they were in a part of the hill where it was possible to view the entire beach, the other hills in the opposite side of the bay, as well as the albatrosses flying in the bluest of the skies, carried by the soft breeze that blew from the sea.

From behind, Andrew wrapped his left arm around her waist and his right arm around her shoulder, pulling Monica closer to him as they contemplated the breathtaking view.

“Take a look around you, sweetie, and see how much beauty the Father has created...”

He kissed her once wounded shoulder:

“...He created this for all of us, humans and angels, because He loves us very very much!”

Sensing the truth in his words, she smiled again:

“Yes... He really does...”

“And you know what? With His great wisdom, He would never do anything that would cause pain to a single creature in this world. On the contrary, together with all this beauty, He gave us another wonderful present: love. All we have to do is to pass on the love He put in our hearts to make all this beauty complete!...”

He whispered close to her ear:

“...and that’s why He brought us together!”

The Irish angel looked at him with a confident expression on her face, her sad memories seeming to have vanished from her mind:

“That was the most valuable present He ever gave me!”

Noticing that he had managed to cheer her up again, the blond angel smiled and continued to talk close to her:

“So fear not, Angel Girl. Because He would never take it away from you! All the love you and I, together with Tess, share, is endless; and it’s also a proof of His work. And, because of this, even when we’re not together, our hearts will always be connected to one another!”

“This I’m definitely sure about.”, she replied, turning her body completely to face him, “And I won’t fear, I promise.”

Andrew kissed her cheeks lovingly, and placed a tiny kiss on the tip of her nose, hugging her tightly once more as they continued to enjoy the view:

“The Father is indeed wonderful. There are times when we think that He has forgotten about us and our hopes seem to have completely vanished... And that is when He is closer than ever...”, Monica said.

“...carrying us in His arms.”, her best friend completed. After a brief silence, the Irish angel concluded:

“I guess that’s what makes us His children...”

A white dove cooed and flew from the top of a high tree, crossing the blue sky, also becoming a part of that beautiful scenario.

THE END.