EPILOGUE

The sunrays were shining through the window and gently touching the cabin's wooden floor. Outside, the bluest of the skies and the singing of the birds announced it would be a beautiful summer day. Andrew stirred slowly in bed and slowly opened his eyes, hoping to see his beloved angel fast asleep by his side.

But once he did so, Andrew saw a pair of beautiful and sparkling brown eyes gazing at him. Monica was lying on her side, inches away from him, and with her elbow propped on the mattress. Her long auburn strands were cascading over her shoulders and white nightgown, and the smile on her face made his heart ache with love.

"Good morning, Andrew." She greeted him, and her Irish lilt couldn't sound more adorable to him.

"I'd say it's a great morning already!" he passed his arm around her waist, bringing her closer to him. On the following second, they were wrapped up in a loving embrace and he was softly kissing her sweet lips.

"Looks like somebody is becoming an early bird!" Andrew joked, as he tucked some loose auburn strands behind her ear.

"Well, I found out it's totally worth waking up a wee bit early just to see you fast asleep by my side! You're quite cute when you sleep, you know?" Her words made him chuckle.

Monica lay a gentle hand against his cheek and brought her face closer to his, kissing him again, something she had been waiting to do since she'd woken up.

Andrew held her firmly but gently at the same time, treasuring the feeling of having her in his arms, such a precious gift he had vowed to love and protect for the rest of his existence.

"It's a lovely routine the one of the marriage..." Monica let out a content sigh as their kiss ended and she snuggled closer to him, resting her head underneath his chin.

"I couldn't agree more!" he spoke, kissing the top of her head repeatedly and stroking her long auburn hair, but also aware that with the sweet little angel there wasn't such thing as a routine.

"Andrew?"

The angel of death especially liked the way she pronounced his name, in a way that no one else did.

"Yes, angel?"

"I was wondering what we're going to do today."

"Well... As long as it involves you being in my arms, I'm game!"

Monica pulled away and grinned at him adorably. "When you were still fast asleep, I had an idea..." she made a small pause and then added, "... and don't worry, it involves us together and engaged in a romantic context!"

Chuckling at her wording, he playfully touched the tip of her nose. "And what is it that you have in your mind, may I ask?"

"There is a beautiful place in the woods, not far from here, with a pond and a waterfall. I was hoping we could go there for a few swimming lessons!"

The blond angel nodded his head, visibly pleased with her suggestion. "Hum... so I'll get to see you in a swimming suit?" enjoying to hear her giggling and the lovely blush that crept on her cheeks, he kept on speaking. "I'd say it's a great idea!"

"Actually, Andrew, there's something else I thought..."

He kissed her forehead. "So far I'm enjoying everything!"

"What about building up a campsite at the lake and you giving me a lesson about the stars when the night falls? Oh, you and I would still be in each other's arms during the class!"

Monica went on talking about her plans for the day and the blond angel stood quiet, pleasantly listening to her and enjoying every gesture she would make. The way her eyes sparkled, her childlike excitement about such simple things, the way she smiled at him and her lovely accent were just a few of the uncountable things he loved about her.

Still that morning, after they had breakfast, both angels prepared food, water and a few clothes to spend the picnic day. Angel food cake, pudding, strawberries and Jell-0 were all organised on the counter and ready to be covered by a thin layer of sugar so that they could keep them in two baskets and head to the woods. Andrew needed some special ability to deal with Monica's insistence in helping him out with the food, and for a while he indeed managed to do so, as she was in charge of picking their clothes and placing them in a small bag.

But as soon as she did so, the Irish angel returned to the kitchen still wondering if she could be useful, after all the idea of a picnic had been hers.

"Actually, I guess we're almost ready here too, angel..." he was quick to inform, much to his relief. "I just need to see if I can find the other box of sugar layer to cover the pudding..." he spoke, opening the cabinet in search for the final ingredient.

"Oh, could I do it myself then? I mean, cover the lovely pudding that you prepared with an extra layer of sugar?" she was almost pleading and he knew there was nothing he could do but let her do what she was asking. And after all it was a small task that could cause no harm at all. The food was prepared, and ready to be placed inside the basket.

"Sure, angel..." he started to arrange the food in the basket. She reached out to get the pack of sugar and in doing so, Monica knocked out of the cupboard the coffee tin, which opened and on the following minute there were lots of coffee grains all over the counter and over the pudding.

They looked at each other and for some seconds Andrew debated in laughing at the little accident or showing some sympathy.

But it was his Monica who spoke first. Looking at the pudding, now covered with dark brown coffee grains, she smiled cheerfully. "Isn't it wonderful how God turns even the smallest mistakes into something new and pretty?"

Chuckling, he gave a step closer and held her by the waist. "Yes, and I see that right now He gave me not only a lovely angel and wife but also a very talented kitchen helper?"

Andrew stole her giggle a second later, with a loving and soulful kiss against her lips.

For their little escapade, the angel of death also carried a small tent and a comforter and chuckled at the preparation itself, as the cabin was already in the woods so they had no apparent reason to build up a small campsite. Nevertheless, the blond angel knew it was the little adventure that made things so special to Monica and he wouldn't deny her anything.

On that sunny afternoon, they swam in the lake with crystalline waters, as an insecure Monica kept on wrapping her arm around his neck for support. Her excitement mixed with the fear that he was able to send away whenever he held her tight would be etched in his mind for the rest of his eternity, and Andrew knew those lovely memories were meant to bring him comfort in the difficult hours every angel of death has to face while fulfilling their duty.

That night, now wearing warm clothes and lying in the sleeping bags placed outside the tent for a while, they watched the starry night sky, warmed up by the fire Andrew had lit up an hour before.

The astronomy lesson had ended and now the two angels lay together in silence, Monica's head resting against Andrew's shoulder and her arm wrapped around his torso. The warmth of his body brought the greatest peace to her heart and she closed her eyes briefly, enjoying the feeling of his fingers strumming through her auburn tresses.

"So many perfect moments," She whispered a few minutes later, "I never want to forget these last few weeks, Andrew. They have been among the most special in my existence."

"And of mine, Angel," He replied softly, kissing the crown of her head.

Moving enough to be able to prop her chin on her arm to look up at him, she smiled, "But every moment I've ever spent with you has been special. You know that, don't you? Every single one; from the times when we were laughing to the times that have been the most hard. I wouldn't trade even the hard moments with you for a peaceful moment without you, because with you is where I am always the happiest, even when I'm not happy."

Andrew chuckled at her logic, though it was partly to clear away the emotion that had gathered in his throat while she had been speaking. She touched him so deeply every moment they were together, with words or actions or sometimes simply a look. There was surely no sweeter gift in all of eternity than having her in his arms, "Believe it or not, Angel, that made sense," He winked at her, causing a little giggle to emerge, but then he grew more serious, "It means a lot to hear you say that, because in those moments that have been so hard, I have often wished that God would just call you Home, so you don't have to suffer or be hurt. There is nothing that pains me more, Monica than to know you are hurting, physically or emotionally and I just pray that the Father takes you away from what is causing that pain."

Her sparkling brown eyes dimmed a little with concern, "But don't you see, Andrew, He doesn't need to take me away; He only needs to send you to be by my side and it doesn't hurt so much. I admit that there are times when I see the horrible things that human beings do to each other and it does hurt to know that they can turn on each other with so much evil and not have any conscience about it. But then I look at you and know how much love can exist too and it gives me hope for all the people we are trying to help. It makes me want to remind them all the more that there is nothing greater than love, nothing more important, and nothing that can cause greater healing." Her eyes clouded briefly, though a trembling smile brought on by such great emotion crossed her lips, "Your love makes me a better angel, Andrew. It makes me better for our Father and for the human race. Your love, it completes me and who I was created to be."

Unable to wait a moment later, the blond angel moved to grab her face in his hands in order to kiss her, again and again before holding her tightly, "My beautiful angel, the words you just spoke could have come from my own heart. I never realized how incomplete I was until I met you and then you touched my existence every single day with your joy and selflessness, your laughter and your tears. You became my friend, my soul mate and now my beautiful angelic wife. I could never want for anything more, Angel. I have all I need right here."

After another moment of serene silence, Andrew sighed, "I suppose we should go inside the tent; it's getting chilly-."

A small hand against his lips stopped him from saying anymore, "Shh. Not yet," Monica interrupted gently, "This moment, I need to freeze it in my heart for any time we may be apart and I would be missing you. I want to be able to close my eyes and come right back to right here, right now, because it's so perfect."

Andrew smiled as he watched her close her dark eyes, drinking in the sweet smile that was on her lips. Unable to resist, he leaned in closer and kissed her gently, smiling wider as she sighed happily.

"So perfect."

x

To be continued