PART 5

CHAPTER 5

Andrew worked as fast as he could, his hands frantically removing the blocks of cement in the upper part of the pile of debris that was blocking the corridor and. Monica and Susan remained holding each other, waiting as he worked, and the Irish angel felt responsible for the teacher’s life and for the baby she was expecting.

“Father please help Andrew...” she prayed, as the cracking of the ceiling grew bigger and more blocks fell, nearly hitting their heads.

“I got it!” he shouted, on the other side, opening a hole on the top of the debris pile.

Immediately, Monica turned to Susan, “I’ll help you!”

“Ok.”

Carefully, although quickly, Susan managed to reach the top, always helped by the Irish angel, and grabbed Andrew’s hand on the other side.

“Come with me, I’ll hold you!” he said, and, with some difficulties due to her huge belly, the teacher passed through the opening and reached the other side. Andrew helped her down the pile of debris by placing a supportive arm around her waist, never missing the nervousness coming from her.

“You’re safe,” he said, as she was on the floor now.

“Thank you.”

“Go to the lab with Grace, while I take Monica,” he commanded, immediately climbing on the pile again. With difficulties due to her hurt leg, Monica reached the passage he had opened. And an inch of relief filled the blond angel’s heart when his hand touched hers.

“Andrew...”

“I got you, sweetie!”

The ceiling on Monica’s side started to collapse entirely, but, before the Irish angel was hit by the huge blocks of concrete, Andrew grabbed her other hand and pulled her through the passage at the exact moment the ceiling fell down. Now placing a supportive arm around her waist and not missing the bad cuts on her head and arms, the blond angel helped her to her feet and the two quickly entered the lab.

The two angels held each other for some minutes and they all remained in silence and afraid of doing any single movement that could cause another tragedy, only listening as the blocks of cement fell on the floor.

Only when the noise finally ceased, Andrew pulled away just enough to look at Monica’s eyes, with a mix of sadness for her wounds and happiness for being at her side. He placed some strands of her hair behind her ears, “You’re hurt...” he said, in a low voice, carefully caressing her cheek.

“It’s nothing serious, Andrew,” she replied and a weak smile appeared on her face when she saw that, now, the teacher, Grace and her dearest friend were also safe, “And thank God we’re all together again!”

Noticing that she couldn’t step properly, Andrew gently led her to sit on the floor. He and the others knelt right in front of her a second later.

“She protected me all the time when the earthquake started,” Susan explained, “It was because of her that I didn’t get hurt. And a block of concrete fell over her leg.”

“What?!” the blond angel asked, in shock.

“But I’m not that hurt. Actually, it fell over my foot...” the Irish angel replied, not wanting to make that a big problem. Twice scared, Andrew made her stretch her left leg and raised the hem of her jeans up to her knee: her ankle was swollen and there was some blood on it due to the impact with the block.

“God...” frowning with concern, he sighed heavily: judging by its appearance, it was probably broken.

Monica searched for his hand and squeezed it, “Andrew, it’s not so serious... I’m sure it’ll heal in some days.”

Not at all convinced by his words, he shook his head, “You’re hurt, Monica, and need proper treatment,” he gently stroked her hair, “And I feel awful for not being able to do anything for you.”

“You’ve just saved Susan and me! I’m afraid that way we’ll become spoiled!” she joked, covering his hand with hers.

A bit calmer, Susan placed her hand over her belly, “Monica is right. If it hadn’t been for you, I can’t imagine what would’ve happened. Thank you, Andrew,” the teacher said, with a bittersweet smile.

Grace sat down beside the Irish angel and, equally sad, checked on her bruises, “I’m sorry you’re hurt, Monica... but... well, we are in a lab, we could treat her here! There’s a lot of material here we could use to clean bad cuts.”

Glad to see that Grace and Susan were finally calming down, Monica smiled and squeezed Andrew’s hand once more, “See? I guess we are in the right place at the right time, don’t you think?”

Although the blond angel was shaken up by the latest events, he tried to smile, “As long as I’m together with you, I’m always in the right place!”

*

Despite Monica’s protests concerning herself, she and Grace were the first ones to receive treatment. There wasn’t a variety of medicines in the place and Monica needed to have her foot and part of her leg immobilised, but at least they could find a bottle of alcohol and some gauze, which allowed them to clean the bad cuts on their skin.

“I wonder what’s happening outside right now... How Tom is...” Susan said, leaning on the wall and constantly caressing her belly.

“Susan, I’m sure he is fine. Remember he was already coming to pick you up? He probably stopped somewhere to wait until the earthquake was over and now he must be outside,” Monica spoke, continually trying to keep the teacher’s heart at ease, while Andrew finished to clean the wounds on her forehead.

“What about mom and dad? Dad always arrives later than me, but mom was probably home...” Grace remembered, a great worry in her voice as well as in her eyes.

“And I’m sure nothing bad happened to neither of them, Grace,” Andrew spoke, “Your house is a lot smaller than this school and if your mom was inside, it would easier for her to get out. And I’m also sure that your parents and Mrs Bale’s husband are outside, waiting to give you a big hug when we get out of here!”

“Do you really think so?” she asked, with a spark of hope in her eyes that always reminded him of Monica.

The angels exchanged a look and a slight smile appeared on their faces, as Andrew continued to speak, “Sweetie, whatever happens to us or to the ones we love we have to be sure that God is taking a good care of us all.”

“And remember that He loves us very much,” Monica added.

“I believe you two, you’re really nice. I’m glad you two are here!”

That comment caused the angels’ smiles to grow wider, and even Susan, who, so far, had been listening to their conversation with sadness in her eyes, looked at them gratefully, “Grace is right. Despite of what happened, I’m glad you two are here.”

Monica reached out an squeezed the teacher’s hand, “We’ll be with you all the time, Susan, until this is over.”

*

Outside, Tom, Susan’s husband, and Tess watched with distress and great anguish as the firefighters rescued the few workers who were in the school building, most of them seriously hurt.

“God... my Susan... what will become of me without my Susan and the baby?!” he desperately said, running his fingers through his dark brown hair.

Although she was equally miserable, the supervisor heard his word and looked at him, “It’s not over yet. If your wife is there, we just have to pray that God takes care of her until the firefighters find her.”

“But look at all this... How can a person survive this?”

“I’ve lived long enough to learn that it’s in times like these that miracles happen, although some people prefer to call them ‘luck’.”

“Do you really believe that a miracle can happen or... are you just saying that to make me feel better?”

“My faith is strong. And, right now, it’s what keeps me standing.” the angel responded, and the certainty and firmness in her voice were such that the man’s heart seemed to beat a little slower. “Besides, there are two people I love very much inside that building too, and I trust that God is watching over them, as well as your wife and that little girl.”

Humbly, he nodded his head, “Thank you. I can imagine what you’re feeling. My name is Thomas. Thomas Bale.”

“My name is Tess.”

“Are these people your relatives?”

“Monica and Andrew are like my children.”

“I’m sorry...”

“Would you like to pray with me, Mr Bale?”

“Sure...”

*

Andrew, Monica, Susan and Grace finished to clean the cuts on their faces and arms and, for some time, remained in silence, waiting to hear any sound that could come from outside.

“It’s awfully quiet...” Grace spoke, breaking the silence, “I wonder when the firefighters will start working.”

“They must be working already, sweetheart, but on another spot. But I’m sure that, soon we’ll listen to them,” Monica spoke, sitting beside Andrew and resting her head on his shoulder.

“We will. Mr Davis knew you and Mrs Bale were inside the school building when I left the bus to look for Grace. He knows we didn’t come out.” Andrew spoke, holding Monica close to him and absentmindedly running his fingers through her hair.

The blinking lights inside the lab soon went out but Andrew had found a gas lamp inside the room. Another half hour passed by and, as they watched as the flame inside the glass burned, the 2 angels prayed in silence.

With apprehension still in his eyes, Andrew bent down and placed a kiss on the top of Monica’s head. Although she was trying to hide it, he knew pretty well that she was in pain, as, among the 4 of them, the Irish angel was the most seriously hurt, and that scared him terribly. A light squeeze in his hand took him out of his reverie and made him look down at her.

“I’m sure He’s listening...” she said, and her kind smile was like a warm embrace.

“I know He is,” he responded, never stopping to caress her hair.

Susan, who had been extremely quiet so far, also lost in her thoughts, looked at them, “Have you known each other for a long time?”

“Yes, Andrew and I have been friends for many years.”

“Do you have relatives? Anyone waiting for you outside?”

“Yes, our friend Tess,” the blond angel replied, imagining how worried the supervisor would be at that time.

“She’s like a mother to Andrew and me. We love her very much.”

“I hope you can see her again...” suddenly, the teacher stopped talking and closed her eyes. A second later, a small cry of pain escaped her as she placed her hands on her belly.

With their hearts jumping, Monica and Andrew quickly took her hand, “Susan, what is it?”

“It hurts!...” she said, breathing hard, “... it hurts so bad, Monica!”

“Please, try to calm down, Mrs Bale!” Grace, equally scared.

The 2 angels exchanged a worried look, “My God, Andrew...” Monica murmured.