CHAPTER 25

Sheets of rain buffeted the plane, and cut visibility as Paul edged the nose down and began the descent. The door into the cabin was open and he turned around briefly to see his two passengers sitting on the sofa, one with a lap full of kittens.

“We’re heading in, and the weather’s a little rough, so you two had better strap in,” he told them.

Neither angel had ever been particularly scared of flying, but the conditions outside were rough, and Monica quickly scooped up her little charges and deposited them in their box. The dark clouds completely obliterated any sign of the sun, and made the afternoon look more like evening.

“You aren’t having a bad feeling about this, are you?” she pointedly asked her friend, eyes shifting to Paul as she spoke.

Andrew smiled reassuringly and patted her hand. “Nope. It might be bumpy, but we’ll make it.”

She nodded, feeling at least a little better knowing that, and then fastened the thick belt around her waist.

“This is actually pretty unusual,” Paul called out. “I bet it’ll pass through by the time we get to the ranch.”

“Ranch?” Monica asked, curiosity aroused despite all the other feelings battling for dominance within her heart.

“Yeah, well I figured you got along pretty well with those horses back on the farm…” Paul hoped that he had made the right decision.

He didn’t want her to think that he was just trying to patronize and distract her from her very real fears, but at the same time he desperately wanted to see that spark of happiness return to her eyes. He was feeling confident that this would indeed be their last stop, and that McArthur would never be able to find them after all of the precautions he had taken. He wasn’t about to take any unnecessary risks, but he didn’t want to have to keep Monica under lock and key either.

When the little angel looked to Andrew for answers he responded with a raised eyebrow and a shrug. “He didn’t tell me anything,” he said, “but I think he made a good choice.”

“Okay everyone,” Paul announced, “here’s where it gets hairy. Just hold onto something. We’ll be down in a minute.”

The plane began a more rapid descent and the pounding rain sounded more like ice hitting the roof and wings. The runway lights were lit, guiding them in, and Paul smoothly angled the plane towards the single strip of tar. A strong wind rocked the plane but he quickly compensated and leveled out the nose. He couldn’t prevent a very pronounced bounce as they hit the ground, but he kept the plane on track and applied the brakes, feeling the sharp deceleration that forced him forward against his seatbelt. The loud rush of the engines died down slowly and he taxied to the end of the runway, breathing a long slow breath when he finally brought the plane to a complete stop.

“Sorry about that landing,” he said, glancing back into the cabin. A look of slight confusion passed over his features as he took in the relatively calm expressions on his companions, and then he smiled. Apparently they trusted his skills more than he did.

There was no one there to meet them this time, just a car parked to the side of the runway and the blinking lights of the tower. The “airport” was no more than a hangar with an attached office, and Paul gave a wave to the man sitting inside as he ran to the car, trying unsuccessfully to dodge the heavy raindrops. He pulled the car closer to the plane as Andrew and Monica gathered their things, and within fifteen minutes they were speeding off the tarmac, bound for their new temporary home.

The road was almost perfectly flat, but Monica could make out cliffs in the distance, and scrub brush dotting the sides of the long, straight road. The rain continued for another few minutes, and then it suddenly petered out, going from a deluge to a spattering of droplets in a matter of minutes. The clouds, so dark and menacing just a short time earlier, seemed to grow thinner and lighter as they moved off, and then the first rays of sunshine broke free, shining off the red cliffs, and looking like the light of God touching down to bless His creation once more.

Monica was particularly struck by the feelings that the vision stirred within her breast. The negative feelings were still there, and she didn’t know how she could deal with them on her own, but one look at that light reminded her yet again, that she didn’t have to do it alone.

“That rain was actually probably a good thing,” Paul said. “It can get up to a hundred degrees or more, even when you’re not in the middle of the desert, and a little storm cools things off for a short while at least.”

“It’s been a while since I did quite this much traveling,” Monica said with wry grin, “I feel like I’m getting a tour of the country.”

“Well I wish the circumstances were a little more pleasant, but at least you’re smiling again,” Paul said.

Andrew glanced back at the little angel, extremely glad to see that smile himself, although he could also see all of the emotions it masked. He had a feeling that those now-hidden emotions would make themselves known in the night, but he was willing to take what he could get.

The remainder of the ride to the ranch was relatively quiet as Monica tried to rest in the little bit of peace she had temporarily found. She was fairly certain it would not last, but for the moment, the scenery combined with finally being away from the house and all that had transpired there had her feeling slightly more appeased then she had felt in the last several days and she wanted to hold onto that feeling for as long as she could.

Glancing down at her furry charges, she scooped Lucy out of the box and cradled the kitten in her arms as she continued to look out the window. Strangely, for an angel who generally enjoyed being around people, the fact that there were no houses or other cars in sight came as a great relief to her. It served to make her feel safer though she was still determined to not let her guard down and she wondered how long it would be once this was over that she would finally feel safe again.

The ranch seemed to appear out of nowhere as if it were little more than an oasis, but as it grew closer, it seemed to take on life. The ranch was situated in the valley, the mountains acting as a breathtaking backdrop that hugged the little ranch from a distance. The Irish angel could make out the stables and the corral, positioned next to the house and it all seemed very warm and inviting. As the car pulled up the dirt road, her expression further softened at the sight of two foals in the corral with the other horses, and when Paul stopped the car, Monica quickly jumped out, seeming to forget her current situation for a moment.

As his friend hurried towards the corral, Andrew started to raise his voice to stop her, as he and the agent got out of the car as well, but Paul laid a hand on his arm to stop him, “Let her go. At the moment, there is not a soul in the world who knows we are here and I don’t plan on letting anyone know until morning. Let’s give her these few hours to not feel caged and afraid. After everything that has happened, she deserves it.”

Andrew felt tears prick the corners of his eyes at Paul’s words as he silently nodded his head. He knew that for the moment, Monica had forgotten why she was here in the first place and with the reminder from his partner, he realized how grateful he was for that fact. Though it would be brief, he was currently seeing his dearest friend as she had been a few weeks ago, before any of this had started. He elected to keep his distance, along with Paul, allowing her the moments of freedom, where fear was not her predominant emotion.

The older angel had always been struck by Monica’s ability to bond with animals and children especially, though she always made an impact on every human she met. Now was no exception as he watched the two foals trot over to her as she approached them, her soft voice seeming to intrigue them. He was mesmerized as she reached out a hand to stroke them each in turn as one of the larger horses approached as well and nuzzled her shoulder as if to say “Hello”.

His heart positively ached as he watched her, so wanting the innocence that had always been Monica to remain in place, despite all she had witnessed and endured the last few weeks. He and God alone knew just how deeply she had been affected by everything and he felt as if the moment of watching her with the horses was a stolen one, as if it had somehow been taken out of context and didn’t belong in this day and place, but he treasured it with every fiber of his being. He chose to allow it to be proof that one day she would again be all right, full of life and love, instead of the guilt and despair that he could still feel weighing upon her heart, despite her smile.

As if feeling his eyes upon her, the little angel turned around and met her eyes with his as she slowly walked back to the car to gather up her kittens, “They’re lovely, Paul and it is so beautiful here,” She looked around her once again, wishing she could believe that no violence could ever some to such a peaceful setting. At one time, she would have believed that to be true, but now that kind of trust felt like little more than a fanciful wish.

Paul and Andrew both noticed the way her eyes clouded briefly and Paul was quick to speak up, “How about we get our things inside and your kitten family settled and then go for a ride? We have a few hours of daylight left and tonight you can gallop off into the setting sun if you want to.”

A smile crossed her pretty face as she nodded her head, “I would love that, Paul,” Her words were heartfelt as his offer was a gift; the gift of being able to feel like herself for a while and to simply feel the freedom of being one with the Father’s creation.

*****

Once Monica had seen to her kittens and Paul had given both she and Andrew a quick tour of the spacious ranch house, human and angels saddled up and set off across the land. The early evening breeze was warm and inviting as they rode in comfortable silence, each of them weary from the long and stressful day, but unable to help but to take advantage of not being restricted for the time being.

As Paul cantered ahead a little ways, Andrew’s heart saddened at the fact that Monica stayed close to him and he was reminded that fear was choosing this for her. While her spirit longed to feel the wind in her hair, her mind couldn’t allow it this time, afraid of what could be lurking down the road ready and all too willing to harm her and he was determined that her spirit win out over her mind, “Up for a little race, angel?” He asked her with a smile.

Her face lit up as she nodded her head eagerly and a moment later, they were both spurring their steeds forward at a gallop. The little angel’s face was lit up with joy as she seemed to become one with her mount, leaning down in the saddle, only hearing the sound of hooves beating upon the earth. Andrew stayed close to her, allowing her not only to feel safe, but also like the free spirit she had been created to be once more.

The sun sank below the horizon, but its light continued to streak the long clouds purple and deep pink against the incredibly blue sky. Monica took in deep breaths, feeling as though the air was cleaner and sweeter. Perhaps it was the fact that it hadn’t yet been tainted with violence and violation, but she only knew that it seemed different to her, and she welcomed it after the days stuck in the house. Her hair was a wild tangle, and her cheeks were flushed with color and dimpled from the smile the graced her lips. Paul couldn’t remember her ever looking quite so beautiful, and he hated for the moment to end, but he knew from experience that the darkness could fall faster than expected.

“I think we’d better start heading back,” he announced, reining his horse in and turning back towards the ranch. He expected some slight protest from Monica, but she was too much at peace to argue.

“Do you think we could do this again tomorrow?” she asked, thinking for the first time that this place might remain her safe haven.

Paul felt his heart well up, struck by the tender look on her face and by the child-like hopefulness which crept back into her voice. He had missed it for the past week and he was so glad to discover that it had not been completely lost.

“Sure we can. You just say the word. There’s lots of territory out here to explore.”

Paul wasn’t the only one happy to see a trace of the old Monica coming back to them. Seeing the sparkle in her eyes he was almost able to believe that she was completely herself again, but he knew better. His heart still felt heavy within his chest, and he knew that a part of that weight came from her. Even if McArthur was caught the next day, and they were able to return Home immediately, it would take time for her to recover. A sadness passed over his eyes as he considered that she would probably never be exactly the same. He quickly blinked away that thought when Monica turned in her saddle to face him.

“Thank you for the race,” she said very simply, but the words and her crooked grin conveyed much more than their literal meaning.

She realized why he had challenged her and although it had been a relatively small thing, it was still a demonstration of the special connection that they shared. She didn’t think that she had ever appreciated that bond as much as she did now. She couldn’t imagine not having it, and she pushed aside the fleeting image of the bullet holes in the glass. God had given them a gift, and no man was going to take it away.

*****

“In honor of our new home here, I propose an old fashioned barbeque,” Paul suggested as the three of them reconvened in the kitchen.

They had taken care of the horses, unpacked and showered, and were all feeling much more relaxed and comfortable than they had in some time. Monica was twisting her damp hair up into a ponytail, but she nodded her agreement with Paul’s idea.

“Do you think we could eat outside?” she asked, not wanting to push the issue if Paul thought it was a risk, but desperately wanting to remain out of doors and free.

“I don’t see why not,” he saw the look of thankfulness in her eyes and wondered if perhaps this place would be a new beginning for everything. He had tried to keep his feelings at bay, but he didn’t know how much longer that could last… or how much longer it needed to. Talking to Andrew about Lauren had served to remind him of all the reasons why he shouldn’t pursue Monica, but the fact remained that his emotions were telling him all of the reasons why he should.

The little angel was almost as quick to pick up on the subtle change in Paul’s expression as Andrew was, and she took a mental step back. Her heart beat a little faster, remembering that she was supposed to be taking care not to lead the agent on. There were just so many other things going on that it was hard to keep everything straight in her head. She had forgotten that just an innocent look from her could mean something very different to him.

“Why don’t you get the grill going,” Andrew said as he crossed between Monica and his partner on the way to the refrigerator. “I’ll start getting the burgers ready.”

“Sounds like a plan… and don’t forget some hotdogs too,” he added as he stepped through the screen door and out onto the back patio.

Monica’s gaze followed him out until he was totally involved in lighting the charcoal, and then she hurried to Andrew’s side. “I…” she wasn’t even able to finish her thought before he placed a finger to her lips to stop her.

“You didn’t do anything,” he said sternly. “You have too much to think about already… I don’t want you worrying about that too… not right now. Please,” he said with all the love in his heart, “just let yourself relax for a little while. Everything will work itself out eventually… you don’t have to think about fixing it all right this instant.”

Knowing that he had probably been a little frustrated with her former blindness in relation to Paul’s feelings, the little angel was relieved at Andrew’s words. “Thank you, Andrew,” she whispered, her dark eyes staring into his, “for everything.”

His green eyes held her gaze as he replied with complete seriousness, “Actually, I need to be thanking you, angel.”

“Me?” Her expression turned inquisitive as she shook her head slightly to indicate her confusion over his words.

“Yes, you. For allowing me the honor of being one of your protectors. While I know it hasn’t been easy, if you had to be here, then I’m more than thankful that I am as well.” He smiled seeing a tearful grin cross her face at his words.

“Andrew…” Monica reached for his hand and squeezed it gently, not knowing how else to express her own thanks at his thoughtful and caring words. But then again, with Andrew she didn’t need words. He already knew.