PART 15

CHAPTER 15

Andrew and Tess had been taking turns to watch over Monica and, whenever he could, Adam came to visit her as well. Two days after she had regained consciousness, she was still sore and her condition was considered delicate. But no one could deny she was getting better and the doctors, pleased with her recovery, had stated the worst was over.

On that morning, while Tess had gone home to feed little Joy, Andrew stood by Monica’s bed sitting on a chair, always holding her hand and softly soothing her hair. Some time later, the Irish angel stirred and finally opened her eyes; her dearest friend’s face was the first image she saw.

“Hey! Good morning, my angel!” he greeted, with a smile upon his handsome face.

Still sleepy, she smiled back at him. “Good morning, Andrew...” then, she frowned with concern, “What time is it?”

“It’s 9:10. Why?”

“Joy’s breakfast...”

He couldn’t help but chuckle at her concern, “Don’t worry, Monica. Tess went home to check on her. Our baby is gonna be alright.”

She sighed more relieved and looked back at him, “You stood here all night long?”

“Yes. I told you I’d keep a close eye on you, Miss Wings!”

“You didn’t sleep very well...” she was now worried about the tired expression on his face.

“Well, I managed to get some sleep once in a while... when you weren’t snoring away!”

She started to giggle and the sound filled his heart with happiness.

“I have some great news for you.”

“What is it?”

“Susan is leaving hospital today. She had an excellent recovery.”

“Oh really?!” she exclaimed, her heart now full of joy.

“She wanted to come here and visit you, but visitors in the ICU aren’t allowed. I told her you’re doing fine too.”

“What about the wee baby?”

“The baby will have to continue in the ICU for some more time, as she’s a bit underweight. But there’s nothing to worry about, she’s recovering as well and, as soon as she reaches the ideal weight, she’ll go home too.”

“Oh Andrew, that’s wonderful!”

“Yes, and it was thanks to you!”

“No. You were there too and...” he held a finger to her lips.

“But it was because of you that Susan survived. If you had left the lab when I told you to, she and I would’ve been the ones stuck down there when the ceiling collapsed. I would’ve survived, maybe. But Susan... she surely would’ve died.” He looked at her with all the love in his soul, “I guess the Father couldn’t have chosen a better angel to take care of her.”

She gazed at him full of gratitude, “But you were there too and I guess the Father couldn’t have chosen a better angel to take care of us all...”

For some instants, Andrew lowered his eyes with an inch of sadness, “I just wish you didn’t have to go through all this...”

“Andrew, you saved my life down there, remember? When I needed you the most, you were there to take my hand and pull me close to you. It was right after the building collapsed. If you hadn’t been there, what would’ve become of me? What would’ve become of Susan, Grace and the baby?”

The blond angel sighed and looked back at her with the same loving way, “You know, I... I guess I feel responsible for you... As if I had to protect you...” he admitted, slightly embarrassed.

Finding his embarrassment adorable, Monica smiled broadly, “Andrew could you come closer, please?”

“Why?”

“Because I want to kiss your face!”

“Monica!” he spoke, twice more embarrassed, and now blushing deeply. But he finally obliged her and she brushed a loving kiss on his cheek. Andrew looked deep inside her eyes with so much love inside his heart it ached and continued to speak, “I guess Tess feels that way too... It’s one of the consequences of being close to you...”

“You’re so sweet...”

“No. I’m just telling the truth, like an angel should do. But of course loving you deeply is the greatest consequence of being close to you!”

*

Three long weeks had passed since Monica woke up from the coma and the doctors who treated her were pleased to see how well she recovered from her injuries. Her arm and leg were still in plaster, that was true, but the bad cuts on her skin had disappeared completely and her broken ribs were healing faster.

The Irish angel was sitting on the bed, wearing a long flowered skirt and a white sleeveless shirt and Tess was finishing to comb her wet auburn hair when they heard a light knock on the door, “Come in, Andrew...” Monica spoke, she and Tess chuckling at his anxiety.

The blond angel entered the room with a smile upon his face, “So? Everything ready?” he said, a spark of happiness in his green eyes.

Monica sighed deeply, more than ready to leave the hospital, “Yes! I can’t wait to be back to our temporary home and, most importantly, I can’t wait to hug our precious wee baby again!” she replied, as Andrew gently stroked her wet hair.

“Poor baby, she’s missing her mom terribly! I’ve never seen such a sad little creature!” Tess spoke, “I’ll go and get the car, I’ll park it in front of the gate.”

As Tess went out, one of the nurses came in with a wheelchair, “Well, looks like someone is finally going home!”

“Thank you, Clarice. For everything! You were so kind to me during the time I was here.”

The young nurse smiled and took Monica’s hand, “Oh no, I’m the one to thank you, Monica. You helped me so much with your advice! I guess I needed to hear the truth and now Jack and I aren’t thinking about eloping to get married anymore. And yesterday, he came to talk to my parents again and they didn’t argue! My parents even invited him to go back next Saturday!”

“See? I told you running away wasn’t the right solution!” the Irish angel winked at the young woman, totally pleased to see how happy she was. Andrew for himself never got tired of watching his dearest friend, always marvelled at Monica’s loving nature, amazed with the fact that, even being in hospital and seriously hurt, she had managed to help the others.

The nurse hugged her gratefully, “Thank you for everything, Monica! I hope you get better soon, and I know you will!” she turned to the blond angel, “I know Andrew will take good care of you!”

Blushing deeply, he nodded his head, “I sure will!”

As the nurse left the room, the blond angel turned to Monica, who was unsuccessfully trying to hold her giggling, “What?!”

Her cheeks were getting pink when she managed to speak, “Clarice thought you were my husband!”

Hearing that, Andrew blushed twice more, deeply embarrassed and fairly annoyed, as he knew Monica was laughing at his reaction, “You’re going to do this over and over again, aren’t you?!”

“Well... you look rather cute when you blush!”

“Monica!” his stern tone of voice only caused her to laugh even more.

“Don’t worry, Andrew, I told her we’re not married. But she said that you would propose soon!”

With his face completely red, he took the giggling angel in his arms, “Wait until you get rid of all that plaster, Miss Wings! You and I will have a very serious talk!”

Still laughing cheerfully, she wrapped her good arm around his shoulder and took the opportunity to place a tiny kiss on his cheek, “You know you look cute when you’re upset too?”

He carefully placed her in the wheelchair, “One more of these and I will forget about the plaster and start tickling you right now!” the blond angel threatened, “And I’m not upset!

“I know, you’re just pretending, and that’s what makes it cuter!”

Shaking his head with disapproval and nearly laughing himself, he pushed the wheelchair out of the room, “I guess you need a cup of coffee urgently!”

“Oh, that would be wonderful!”

*

Tess met the 2 angels at the hospital front gate and after Andrew had placed Monica (who was holding a large cup of mocha latte and surprisingly hadn’t heard a word of protest from Tess) inside the Cadillac, they headed to their temporary home.

Thirty minutes later, Tess opened the apartment door and found little Joy waiting right behind the door. And the sad expression on the animal’s face changed into a happy one when she looked right behind the supervisor and saw Andrew carrying Monica in his arms.

“Hey little one, look what I brought you!” the blond angel joked, finding the puppy’s reaction really funny. Joy wagged her tiny tail, barked, ran around Andrew’s feet and even tried to stay on her 2 leg, trying to reach her ‘mom’. And the Irish angel smiled broadly to see her precious baby again.

“Oh my wee one! I missed you so much!” she exclaimed, also eager to hold the puppy in her arms.

“I bet she’s saying exactly the same thing!” Tess spoke. Andrew placed Monica on the couch and carefully placed a cushion under her plastered leg, while Tess straightened 2 pillows behind the Irish angel’s back.

“Thank you Andrew, Tess. I love you two so much, but now could you please give me my precious wee baby?”

“Of course!” Andrew scooped the little dog and Joy wasted no time in covering her mom’s face with hundreds of wet kisses, causing her to giggle and hug her tightly in her arms

“Oh sweetheart, I missed you too! I’m sorry I had to stay away from you for so long!”

Nothing could stop Joy from kissing Monica and she kept the chubby little puppy close to her chest and stroked her soft black fur. Tess and Andrew remained still, happily contemplating such sweet scene.

“That’s an image we’re never tired to see, right, angel boy?”

“You’re absolutely right, Tess!”

The Irish angel looked at her 2 dearest friends, “I’m so happy we’re all together again! It’s so good to wake up knowing that you’ll be by my side... I feel so much blessed, you know.”

Deeply moved, Tess took her hand while Andrew stroked her auburn hair, “I guess I can say I feel like my daughter is back...” the supervisor said, with some tears forming in the corner of her eyes.

“That’s exactly how I feel: as if I had come back to my mother’s arms, you know.” The Irish angel replied.

Andrew nodded his head, “And... well... I’d say I have my angel back again... though we both know now that you’re not really ours...”

“Oh, but I am!” she gently disagreed, “I belong to you both with my heart and soul and I guess the Father knows that as well, and He doesn’t mind sharing me with you two!” she looked down at little Joy and quickly corrected herself, “I mean, you three!”

Monica smiled even more as Tess squeezed her hand and Andrew brushed a gentle kiss on her temple.