CHAPTER 11

Andrew started to make their bags so that they left to hospital as soon as possible. He had noticed that one of his drawers, previously empty, had been filled with some lady's clothes. The blond angel smiled and sent a silent prayer of thanks, grateful for the divine intervention. As he finished his task, Andrew frowned, noticing that Monica was taking too long in the shower. He knew her movements were even slower due to the crutches she had to use, and her ankle and entire body ached terribly, but he couldn't help knocking on the door.

"Monica? Is everything alright?"

"Y-yes... I'm just finishing, Andrew..." she replied, and sighing deeply, he crossed his arms in front of his chest and stood by the bathroom door, like a guardian, waiting for her to get out.

As soon as the door flung open and she appeared, wrapped up in a comfortable warm robe and with her hair wet, he relaxed. With the help of the crutches, and keeping her foot away from the floor, she eyed him with curiosity and he offered a slight smile. "I... I was waiting for you..." He spoke, immediately wrapping a supportive arm around her waist so that she could walk over up to the bed.

For a moment, Monica returned to her usual cheerful behavior and smiled too - more to herself than to him, as she was secretly finding his embarrassment extremely adorable.

"I've just packed our bags, angel. When you're ready, please let me know, okay? I'll be standing right here on the corridor."

He bent his head and kissed the top of her head tenderly. Even though things were a little bit shaken up between them, he had the need to show her how deep his love was, and promised to erase the sadness he'd inflicted in her little heart.

Monica watched him leave and sighed, feeling the great sensation of guilt in his very soul.

The trip to the city hospital was a quiet one for both angels. Due to the medication Dr Flannigan had prescribed her, Monica spent most part of the trip dozing into a light sleep. Sometimes she would open her eyes and look through the window a bit confusedly, but once she knew where she was, the little angel returned to her place in Andrew's arms. Almost unconsciously, she was leaning on his loving embrace, and resting her head on his shoulder. No words were spoken but he kept on with his arms protectively wrapped around her, praying that the weakness he could feel flowing from her body and soul were healed soon, as it ached right in his heart as well.

They arrived at the hospital by 4 PM and Monica was immediately placed in a wheelchair and taken to do some exams. As the doctors suspected, she had broken her ankle and her condition required permanent care. She was admitted and taken to the forth floor. When Andrew was finally allowed to go to her, she was fast asleep already, and the blond angel approached the bed very carefully not to wake her up.

Sighing deeply, Andrew gently stroked her pale face, still feeling terribly guilty for what had happened. He bent down and lay a feather light kiss on her forehead. Then he pulled a chair and sat down beside the bed, holding Monica's hand, praying for her recovery and wishing that someday she would forgive him for one more silly mistake. He'd hurt her feelings so many times already that he wondered if he was really deserving of her love.

X

Andrew remained by Monica's side for the entire night, never moving his eyes away from her sleeping form, like the loyal guardian of a precious treasure. The morning sunrays were already shining through the window when a soft moan made him rise to his feet and he studied the Irish angel's face carefully.

"Angel? Are you in any pain?" he wanted to know, as she moved her head. Her eyes flickered open slowly and she eyed him.

"I'm... thirsty..."

He helped her to sit up in bed and placed a pillow against her back to make her more comfortable. Then, he quickly grabbed a cup and filled it with water. "Here..."

"Thank you." She replied, and once he placed the empty cup back on the bedside table, the blond angel sat down at the edge of her bed and reached out to cup her face.

"Are you feeling any pain? Are you hungry?" He wanted to know, worry so visible on his face that she felt sorry for him. Andrew might have made a mistake, but she knew how much he suffered during the time she was missing. And he was still suffering right now.

"I'm just a bit sore..." she covered his hand with her much smaller one and tilted her head, "But I'm so grateful you're here..."

His smile was a bittersweet one, and he frowned at the multitude of feelings inside his heart. He took her hand to his lips. "So am I, angel."

A soft knock on the door interrupted their conversation. Andrew opened it a second later and a smile finally appeared on Monica's face once she saw Tess, Sarah and Mr and Mrs Cooper.

"Sarah! Tess!"

"Monica!" the little girl yelled, as she rushed to the bed holding a small bouquet of delicate flowers. Once she wrapped her little arms around Monica's neck, the angel felt tears of happiness in the corner of her eyes. "Oh, wee Sarah... I'm so happy to see you again, sweetie!"

"I missed you, Monica!" the little girl replied, eyeing her very closely, and frowning a little despite her smile, "Will you be alright?" she wanted to know, observing Monica's injuries.

"Oh, I'm am alright already, Sarah. Just seeing you here and knowing that you're fine makes me feel wonderful." She said, stroking the girl's pink cheek.

"And yesterday she wouldn't stop asking her mom and dad to bring her to you!" the oldest angel spoke, also approaching the bed.

Monica turned to face her dear friend as some tears finally made her way down on her face. "Tess! It's so good to see you again..." she said, holding her hand as Tess bent down to kiss the top of her head, doing her best not to let anyone see how moved she was for finally meeting her angel girl again.

"God knows how much I prayed for this to happen, baby..."

"And He was listening all the time, right Monica?" the girl added, with her sparkling blue eyes filled with faith.

"Oh, yes, He was, sweetie."

Mr and Mrs Cooper exchanged a moving look and approached the bed as well. "There was a time when we wouldn't believe it could be possible... that a miracle could save someone's life, you know, Monica." Sarah's mother spoke, also with tears in her eyes, "But then... Thinking about how you stood by our daughter's side and how you sacrificed yourself for her, I cannot deny that God was with you all the time."

Mr Cooper lay his hand over his wife's shoulder. "When we heard about the snow storm and you and our Sarah were reported missing, we were so desperate that we didn't know what to do... Praying seemed... useless. But now, Monica, now we'll pray to God thanking for sending you to stay with our daughter."

Andrew stood away from the group that surrounded Monica's bed. Watching how much happiness their visit brought to the little angel's heart cheered him up as well. She was indeed a wonderful, amazing creature; the most noble and courageous soul he'd ever met and he felt so proud and so lost in admiration for her!

Yet, at the same time, Andrew felt so undeserving and so terribly bad about the pain he had unintentionally inflicted on her that the best thing at that very moment was to leave the bedroom. Those people had only met her a few days before but were already able to see how wonderful she was. Shame on him he wasn't.

X

"Very good, Pepper! You're so smart!" Sarah clapped her hands as the Saint Bernard puppy brought her a colourful rubber ball she had thrown not far from him. She had been playing outside the lodge with Bailey and Pepper for the last half hour, aware that soon she would have to say goodbye to the little dog, who would certainly grow to save people's life exactly the same way he had saved hers. It was her last weekend at the ski station. The events on those vacations had certainly changed her and her parents, who learned a lesson of hope, faith and trust in the God that they had ignored for years.

Like a "grown up boy", Bailey had been lazily lying on the ground, watching as his master played with their new little friend, but suddenly, something - or in that case, someone approaching the group made the dog rise to his feet and wag his tail as a welcoming sign.

The dog's movement called Sarah's attention and when she looked over her shoulder, her smile grew wider.

"Monica!"

"Hullo, wee Sarah!" the angel greeted. She was wearing warm white clothes and a white hat, and didn't look like the ill and injured lady whom she had visited a few days before.

The little girl rushed towards her, followed by the two dogs, and Monica knelt on the ground so to stay on their same level. "You healed!" she exclaimed, marvelled at Monica's glowing image, still unaware of her friend's true nature.

"Yes, I did. And I can see you, Bailey and Pepper look just fine yourselves, huh?" The angel smiled, ruffling the dogs' soft fur and happy to see the little girl playing around and with perfect health.

"Yeah, mom and dad are leaving tomorrow so we're enjoying the best we can here. But the other kids are kinda lazy, they didn't have breakfast yet so we decided we'd play here until somebody came along..." Sarah explained, and then an idea crossed her mind, "Oh, are you gonna stay with us too? We could go up to that cafeteria to buy chocolate and build up another snowman!"

Frowning a little, even though her smile remained, Monica reached up and stroked the girl's cheek, "Oh, wee Sarah, I'm afraid that won't be possible, you see. I'm leaving too. In fact I came here to say goodbye to you." She looked at the two dogs and added, "And to Bailey and Pepper as well!"

Sarah's little face fell at hearing that sad piece of news. "Really?"

"Yes..."

The little girl didn't think twice before wrapping her arms around the angel's neck in a tight embrace. "I'm gonna miss you, Monica!"

"I'm gonna miss you too, sweetheart..." she replied, equally moved, and returning that warm embrace.

When she pulled away, the girl had some tears in the corner of her eyes. "I'm a kid but I know you saved my life... I know that God sent you to me."

Monica let out a small laughter which was also a half sob. She tucked a curl of blond hair behind her ear and tried to smile. "You are a very intelligent little girl, you know, wee one." Watching as Sarah smiled pleased to hear that comment, she kept on talking. "Yes, God did send me to you, wee Sarah, because I'm His angel."

Her glow was intensified and Sarah's blue eyes were wide open with amazement, even though her smile remained. She was never afraid of the one angel that had been by her side, protecting her from the cold and the snow.

"An angel of God! So everything you told me when we were stuck in the cave, it was all true!"

"Oh, yes. I was especially sent to protect you during your stay here in this ski station. But now that my assignment here is done, God will continue to watch over you and guide your steps, wee one, so that no harm happens to you, and you have a life filled with much joy."

Smiling with emotion, the little girl held her tightly once again, "I'm so happy that God chose you to be my angel, Monica!"

Those words, spoken with the utmost sincerity and innocence typical of children, went straight to the Irish angel's heart, and for a multitude of different reasons.

"And I'm so honoured He sent me to you."

"If I pray to God, will I be able to see you again?" Sarah asked, once they pulled away.

"Oh, honey, when you pray God is always listening. He listens to all His children." Monica replied. "But I myself can answer to this one little prayer: from time to time I'll pay you a visit. Sometimes you won't see me, but I'll be watching over you from a distance. And some other times, we can build up a snowman together or you can tell me about your day at school."

"You promise?" Sarah's eyes were sparkling with hope.

"I do promise!" She held Sarah's little hand, "And I want you to know that you have a very special place in my heart, wee Sarah."

"You have a special place in my heart too, Monica!"

At that very moment, a white dove cooed and very close to them, drawing the little girl's attention. When she turned her eyes to Monica again, the angel was gone.