CHAPTER 13

Carrie was relieved when she arrived home and realized her children hadn't returned from the church. Jenny had offered to help Tess tidy up things once the yard sale was over, and her two younger brothers would come back with her. It was better this way. Now, the woman wouldn't be able to hide her tears or the deep fear that had settled in her heart. She sat down at the edge of the bed and cried openly for long, painful minutes.

"Oh, God... I so want to face this... I want to fight this disease, to fight for my life... My children need me by their side... they're still so young... And I want to live... I want to see them grow... There's so much I still want to do... but..." a sob interrupted her prayers, "... but what if I fail? What if it's too late for me now?"

"Carrie..."

She turned around and saw Jim standing by the bedroom door. In his eyes, a mix of opposite emotions: sadness and fear of losing her, and deep love for the woman who he'd chosen to be his wife so many years ago.

"Please, Jim... I... I can't... not now..."

"I'm not here to argue..." he walked over up to her and knelt on the floor, "I'm here to ask for your forgiveness..." Jim took her hands in his own much bigger ones, rough due to his work. "And I'm not asking you to forgive me for today. I'm apologizing for all those years. For all the mistakes I made... For all the times that I hurt you, baby..."

"Oh, Jim..." two long tears fell from her eyes as she whispered his name.

"You shared a life with me, you gave me three beautiful children and your love... But... It's very true when they say you don't know what you got until you lose it..." With tears in his own eyes, and a voice filled with emotion, he kept on talking, " Life has made me a rude and selfish man... You're the only good thing I have... maybe a blessing from God so that I could keep my human part... You're my reference, Carrie."

"Things were never easy for both of us, weren't they?"

"No, they weren't. And I feel like I'm the greatest responsible for this... If I could turn back time, things would've been so different..."

Through her tears, Carrie looked at their entwined hands and sighed. "We cannot change the past... They also say that good things can come out of something terrible... I'll try to hold on to that... You should do the same, Jim."

"I will. To tell you the truth, I guess good things started to happen already..." he searched inside his pocket and showed her a card.

"What's this? Who's Dr. Fogarty?" she wanted to know, a bit confused.

"He heard about the yard sale, and was impressed at how the community got together to help you. Then he decided to come along and see it for himself, and that's when he spoke to Monica. She told him about you and your disease..." he managed a feeble and bittersweet smile, feeling terribly guilty about the way he treated the little Irish angel. "Dr Fogarty works for the largest cancer center in the city and wants to offer you a full assessment and treatment. And at no cost at all, Carrie."

The look in Carrie's eyes was the one of someone who had just witnessed a miracle. Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks as she spoke again. "A free treatment?"

"Yes... He wants to see you as soon as possible and asked me to call his office tomorrow."

"Oh, God..." as she cried, Jim held her in his arms.

"We'll fight this together, Carrie. I'll be by your side and make things right for you..."

Invisible to the human eye, both Monica and Andrew watched the scene. The blond angel wrapped his arm around her shoulder as a silent tear rolled down her face. Moved with emotion, she looked up at him and saw in his warm smile the comfort and reassurance that would always speak volumes to her heart. Quietly, she held him tightly, lifting a prayer for Carrie and also for Jim, while Andrew kissed the top of her head.

X

A few weeks later...

Monica and Carrie climbed down the hospital steps after a battery of exams. The last ones were taken that afternoon and in ten days they would know if Carrie's leukemia was treatable or if she would need a bone marrow transplant. Her family prayed for the first option. Finding a donor might take too long, and she was getting weak and tired. Monica and Tess had been constantly by her side, sparing her from the housework and giving her an opportunity to spend more time with her children. Jim, for himself, proved to be a devoted husband and father, doing his best to support his wife and give her all the reassurance she needed, even though, deep inside, he was terrified at the results.

That afternoon, Jim stayed at home with little Kevin, who got a slight cold, and Monica offered to go to the hospital with her. As they climbed down the steps, the little angel saw a pair of green eyes watching her every movement. Andrew had parked the Cadillac in front of the building and had been waiting for them for a few minutes. As his beloved angel's eyes met his, a smile appeared on both faces, and their immediate connection was not left unnoticed by Carrie.

"Oh, here he is! Your eternal valentine arrived!" the woman spoke, holding on Monica's arm for support.

Slightly blushed, but with an extra sparkle in her sweet brown eyes, she nodded her head. "He must have had some hours off..."

"Well, judging by the way he looks at you, I guess he must take even the seconds off to come and see you!"

Amused, Monica giggled at her words and at the truth in them. For many times since their relationship had become more than friendship, Andrew would take every opportunity to appear by her side, even if it was for just a couple of minutes - enough time for him to say how much he loved her and kiss her one more time. And even during the times they were apart, their connection remained strong, and they could feel each other's love right in their hearts.

Once they were closer, Andrew bent his head and pecked her lips softly, and greeted them both with a warm smile, "Angel, Carrie..."

"I didn't know you were coming..." she said, her eyes shining with happiness at seeing her beloved angel.

"Well, I knew Jim was taking care of Kevin and I offered to come here and escort you two ladies back home!" he said, with an extra wink at Monica, who blushed even more, becoming more and more adorable to him.

Laughing weakly, the woman shook her head, looking at them with admiration. "You know something? You two are possibly the cutest couple I've ever seen in my life! I'd say, Andrew, that you've been blessed with a wonderful and warm hearted lady, but then... Monica, you've certainly noticed the way this gentleman here looks at you: it's as if he was saying that he loves you every minute!"

They laughed at her words, and the Irish angel nodded her head, "I guess you couldn't have said it better, Carrie. Andrew is always telling me the most beautiful things..."

"And I agree with you too, Carrie. I've been blessed with a true angel. I'll spend the rest of my existence thanking God for this blessing."

The blond angel drove them back to Carrie's house, where Jim was already waiting for them. Once they returned to their car and left, Monica looked at her beloved friend with a curious face, "You told Carrie that we needed to go, but... Where are we going?"

He didn't answer to her question. Instead, the Irish angel saw a mischievous smile upon his handsome face.

X

"... I cannot believe you remembered this too!" Monica exclaimed, as she saw Andrew coming back from the car - parked just a few steps away from them, carrying a small thermos.

They were in a beautiful green field, not far from the city, and Andrew had brought in a white towel for her to sit, and another one where they put some food. They had settled under the shadow of a huge tree and she had abandoned her sandals at the moment they arrived there. Flowers, birds singing and the sun shining through the blue sky, occasionally covered by some white cotton clouds, made it the perfect scenario for a picnic. But for Andrew, Monica's flowered dress and the lilac cardigan she was wearing over it, along with her flying auburn hair and meek face, made her the most beautiful spot to look at.

"How could I bring you to a surprise picnic and forget about this detail, huh?" he said, taking a place right next to her.

"That's why I always say it's wonderful to have friends who know exactly what we like..." she reached out to take the bottle from his hands but he moved it away from her, once again with the mischievous expression on his face.

"... but Tess is not here!" she said, somewhat indignantly, yet, quite amused.

His face went serious for a few moments. "Hum... let's see... I managed to hide this from Tess, bring you for a surprise picnic, and I'm drinking mocha even though I prefer chocolate... I think I should receive something in return..."

"Andrew!" the way she pronounced his name - like no one else did, and the hint of annoyance, shock and amusement in her voice caused him to chuckle. "This is not funny!"

Chuckling even more, he shook his head, "I'm sorry, Angel, but you look amazingly cute right now!"

As she crossed her arms in front of her chest and narrowed her eyes, he stopped the teasing and placed the thermos in her hands. "Here is your mocha, Angel!" the blond angel said, still amused, and kissed her cheek.

Monica gladly accepted the bottle and searched for her mug, "Thank you, mister angel of death."

Andrew watched as she poured some coffee just for her and took a sip. "Seems you're forgetting something... or someone..." he spoke, with his eyebrows raised.

"No, I'm not!" she placed the half empty mug on the towel and then gently lay both hands against his face, pulling him closer so that she could kiss his lips as softly as a breeze.

It took Andrew just a split second to adjust to that loving caress. He wrapped his arm around her waist and cupped her cheek, never breaking their kiss for the following minute.

"... I didn't know mocha could taste so good..." he said afterwards, placing tiny kisses on her lips as she smiled.

"See? I finally managed to convince you!"

The two heavenly beings spent the rest of the afternoon lying in each other's arms, watching the clouds passing by in the sky and feeling the gentle wind disarraying a few strands of their hair. If in the beginning Monica was talkative and really moved with the surprise he'd planned for her, little by little, she started to fall silent. Even though he could feel how much peace emanated from her heart due to her being in his arms, Andrew knew what else was worrying his beloved angel girl.

"The most difficult part of your assignment was to make Carrie recover her faith and strength to fight against cancer. Now you should leave the rest in God's hands, Angel..." he said, caressing her hair and kissing the top of her head.

"I know... But I wish there was more I could do..."

"You can pray. There's great power in prayer, baby, you said so yourself. Don't forget Who is watching over Carrie all the time."

"I know that too..." she sighed deeply, and then turned her head to look at him. "... but I'm happy you're always here to remind me..."

Smiling, he touched the tip of her nose with his fingertip, "I'm always here for you, my pretty angel girl."

She moved a little, so that she could reach his face, "I love you... have I said that recently?"

"Well, actually, I was kind of missing these words in the last... one minute..."

With a warm smile, she inched closer and kissed his lips once again, her heart bursting with happiness when he tightened his embrace around her and returned her soft caress with the same love and tenderness.