CHAPTER 5

Monica stopped the car, glanced at the address on the package and then at the address on the house. Yes, this was the right place. Looking out the window, the little angel frowned. It was quite obvious to her that once the house had been in good condition though now, it was sadly in need of some repairs. The grass was in a need of a good trim, and the woodwork around the door and windows was desperate for paint. The spouting was broken in one corner and weeds threatened to choke out a few rose bushes in need of trimming. Feeling a little surge of inspiration, Monica wondered if maybe she would be permitted to help with some repairs, even though she had a feeling that landscaping was not at all what Tess and the Father had in mind as her assignment.

Climbing out of the car, Monica carefully took the slightly heavy box into her arms and walked up the path leading to the front door. Laying the supplies at her feet, she rang the doorbell and then looked a little anxious at all the commotion she could hear coming from inside the house.

The door was opened by a slightly breathless teenage girl with long dark hair that was pulled back into a haphazard ponytail. Though obviously busy, the girl flashed Monica a little smile, "Hi."

Returning the smile, the angel gestured to the box at her feet, "I have some things for your family that the shelter sent over. Oh, my name's Monica, by the way. Might I come in?"

"Sure. Mom was hoping you'd come today. Do you need me to get that?"

"No, no," Monica lifted the box back into her arms and followed the girl through the cluttered house into the kitchen.

"Mom, the lady from the shelter is here."

Setting the box down on the table, Monica came face to face with a woman who seemed to be in her early forties. Her brown hair was pulled back as well, but what struck the angel was just how pale she looked. Immediately, she extended her hand, "Hullo. I'm Monica."

With a tired smile, the woman reached to shake the angel's hand, "Hi Monica. I'm Carrie and I believe you met Jenny," Monica nodded as Jenny tossed her another grin.

Before anymore could be said, two whirlwinds dashed into the kitchen, one in front of the other, both with cries of "Mom!" on their lips. The little angel immediately smiled at the two young boys, one dark haired and one blonde, and both intent on tattling on each other.

"Mom! Kevin said I could play with the truck!"

"Did not! Brian's lying!"

Seeing the weary expression on Carrie's face, Monica immediately knelt down so as to be at eye level with the boys, "Hullo. My name's Monica. Is this the truck you're referring to?" She reached for the toy and inspected it with obvious admiration.

Kevin, the younger of the two, looked at the newcomer in awe, "Wow. You talk pretty."

"Why thank you, wee Kevin," She replied, as she continued her inspection of the truck, "You know, a truck this impressive really should have two owners, don't you think? That way you always know it is getting the best of care and who to better care for it so well then you two?"

Brian looked a tad more skeptical even though Kevin was nodding his head as he took the truck back from her hands, "Yes," he agreed, looking at Brian sternly, "We will both care for this truck."

Monica shot a wink at Brian and watched as his lips tugged into a reluctant smile before he followed his little brother out of the room.

"Monica, you must have children," Carrie laughed with a shake of her head, "That little diversion from an argument could only have been done by a pro!"

A slight blush rose to the angel's cheeks as she stood back up, "No, actually, I don't have children, but I've always been terribly fond of them."

"I'm impressed that anyone could be fond of those two," Jenny stated as she started to unpack the food that Monica had brought with her.

"I can't thank you enough for this," Carrie replied somberly, "It isn't like us to need help, but….well, right now, things are a little tight."

"It happens to many people," Monica could easily sense the woman's embarrassment and longed to put her at ease once more, "It's nothing to be ashamed of, Carrie. One day, you'll be back on your feet and then it's you who can help someone else."

A far away looked glimmered in the woman's eyes and then faded, "I'd like to think that's true."

"It could be if dad would ever get home from this run with his paycheck," Jenny grumbled as she collected up a few items such as shampoo and soap, and then left the kitchen to put them away.

"My husband is a long distance trucker and he was due to be home two days ago," Carrie explained quietly before turning to put some of the canned goods in the cupboard.

"Oh," Monica could sense that Carrie was more than slightly unhappy about this, but she felt that there was more to it than just a paycheck, "Did his truck break down or was there bad traffic perhaps?"

Carrie left out a long sigh as she blinked back tears, "Doubtful. I don't think it was 'something'; I think it was 'someone'. This isn't the first time he's been late, and he had an affair ten years ago. We worked all that out, but now with things being so hard, well, I just think he has found himself a little someone to make him feel good again."

The little angel swallowed hard and tried to think of the right words to say, "But you don't know that for certain."

"I don't have any proof if that is what you mean, but it doesn't change the way I feel." Brushing away her tears before they could fall, Carrie gave a small, self conscious laugh, "I'm sorry, Monica. I didn't mean to dump that on you."

"No, no, it's all right. Really," With the box now unloaded, Monica removed it from the table and set it down on the floor, "I was wondering if maybe you could use a wee bit of help around here until he gets home? If you have to work, I could watch the children for you."

"I don't work, though help would be nice. I…got sick last year and lost my job."

The stress and strain in the woman's eyes was impossible to miss and Monica felt a bit of unease in the pit of her stomach, "Are you all right now?"

Carrie gave a little wave of her hand, "Nothing for anyone to be concerned about. There isn't a whole lot we can do about anything anyway until my husband has been with the company for six months, so he can get insurance. Kevin broke his arm a few months ago and all our savings went into those medical bills."

A million questions were on the tip of the angel's tongue, but all hopes of asking them were dashed and excitement erupted from the living room.

"Daddy's home! Mom! Daddy's home!"

Watching the tension that seemed to infect Carrie's body did little to make Monica feel comfortable about meeting her husband, but the little angel's blood ran cold when the front door opened and the voice she heard was all too familiar to her.

"How's my boys?"

"I'd better go," Monica murmured but before she could flee, Jim, one of her captors, walked into the kitchen to greet his wife. He never got that chance however, as his eyes met with those of the angel.

"Monica…" Immediately, Jim was uncomfortable. He knew this young woman was an angel, but he was not about to tell his wife that until he had proof that Carrie knew that too.

Monica opened her mouth to speak, but no words would come. Her heart was pounding loudly in her chest and she was struggling to remind herself that this man had repented when Andrew had revealed himself to him. Yet somehow, all she could see when she looked at Jim was a man who had held her captive when she had been too sick to fight him off.

Carrie looked from her husband to Monica, a look of absolute disgust filtering across her drawn feature, "I don't believe this! Monica, you're the one? You stood here telling me I didn't have any proof when you're the one who has been sleeping with my husband!"

"No!" The little angel finally found her voice when she realized what Carrie thought, "Carrie, no, you have this all wrong!"

"Do I? How else could you possibly know my husband? The two of you both look like you've been caught and that you are guilty as hell! What else am I supposed to think?" The woman's face was turning deathly white and she suddenly clutched the counter desperately.

"Carrie?"

"Baby, what's wrong?" Jim was by his wife's side a second later, but just as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, the woman's eyes rolled back into her head and had Jim not been there, she would have been lying on the floor.

"What's wrong with her?" Monica cried out, reaching for the telephone, "I'll call for an ambulance!"

"No!" Jim snapped even as he held his wife tenderly in his arms and patted her cheeks to try to bring her around, "We don't have any insurance to pay for a hospital. This just happens sometimes. She says it's because she doesn't always eat right."

The little angel was looking helpless. Carrie not only thought she was having an affair with her husband but now she had passed out! How on earth was she supposed to convince Carrie that though she knew Jim, it wasn't what she thought? She couldn't tell her the truth without admitting she was an angel or getting Jim into trouble with his wife.

"Maybe…maybe she hasn't eaten today," Monica stammered worriedly, "I had just gotten here with food from the shelter. Maybe there was nothing else…"

Her breath was nearly snatched away when Andrew suddenly materialized behind Jim and Carrie and Monica instantly knew that he was only visible to her.

"Angel, it isn't because she hasn't eaten," Andrew explained gently, seeing her distress and wishing he could go and hold her in his arms, but he couldn't until this crisis passed, "Carrie is very sick, but no one else knows. She hasn't even told Jim yet about the cancer."

The little angel was blinking back tears when Jenny and the boys clamored into the kitchen, "Mom!" Jenny was the first one to cry out, as she looked at her father in anger, "What did you do to her?"

"Nothing, Jen. Has she eaten today?"

"Of course she has. She was fine until you got here!"

The boys were crying and Monica came to her senses and knelt down to wrap her arms around each one of them, "She'll be all right," She said softly, looking to Andrew for confirmation and seeing him nod his head. The immediate crisis was over and Carrie was slowly opening her eyes.