CHAPTER 18

A special Christmas

The two angels had thrown a little Christmas Eve gathering at their apartment, inviting some of the teachers and fire-fighters they had grown close to over the last five months. Andrew had prepared all the food in advance and had enjoyed an evening not only with their friends, but watching his little angel girl happily interacting with everyone and offering them more treats and coffee.

She was now off work until after the first of the year, where he would return to the fire station the day after Christmas, but he knew Monica had at least two lunches lined up with Ella and a few other teachers and she also planned on some redecorating of her classroom. Andrew was praying to get off work early enough on December 31st to bring in the New Year with her.

But now their guests had gone home and the last dish had been dried and put away and Monica was standing in the living room looking out over the city with a contented smile on her lovely face.

"Andrew, I don't think I've ever seen the streets so quiet." She turned her head to look at him, with a trace of awe.

"I suppose most people are home awaiting their Christmas miracles," He replied softly, his eyes in the soft light reflecting the tenderness he felt for her, "Lucky for me, I don't to wait for mine."

Even in the moonlight he could just make out her flushed cheeks, "Andrew..."

"It's true, Angel. I have all I could ever want right here; right now."

Smiling, Monica turned and wrapped her arms around his waist, face tilted up to gaze up at him, "As do I. You know, Christmas is always special, but I can't help but to feel that this one is especially so. I know we are going to be together for it and in past years I wasn't always so sure.
Plus, I don't have to hide the amazing things I'm feeling for you this year...the incredible love I feel for you."

Her words warmed his heart and he reached out to touch her cheek with his fingertips, his eyes taking in every aspect of her face. He kissed her gently and then took her hand and led her over to the sofa so they could sit down.

"Angel...my precious angel, I know that at times this life down here has been hard for you. There are uncertainties here that we have had to learn to deal with, but the one thing I always want you to be certain of is how much I love you."

"Oh Andrew, you know I am certain of that. In fact your love is the reason I don't regret being here, even for a moment."

"Me neither, baby. I wouldn't trade this time with you for anything. It's made me understand what love in its truest form is all about. It's about all those little, special moments that make up our time together and I have realized just how much all those little moments mean to me, " He drew in a deep breath and watched the curiosity flicker in her dark eyes, as if sensing that everything was about to change, "I also know that at times our future here seems uncertain, but in my heart I have come to know that there is no going back to the way things were before, while at the same time, I don't want things to remain just as they are either."

Monica's face took on a slightly worried expression, "You're not happy with the way things are between us, Andrew?"

"Not entirely," Seeing a hint of distress in her eyes, he attempted to soothe the worry lines from her face with his fingertips, "I want to offer you more, Angel...more certainty and I knew that there was only one way to do that."

Moving from the sofa, he knelt down in front of her, his green eyes now slightly nervous as he took both of her hands into his own, "Monica, no matter what happens, my love for you is the most powerful thing I know besides the Father's love for us. I'm tired of waiting in limbo, wondering what our future holds and then I realized that no matter what it holds, nothing else matters; only you, us and our love for each other. We've been giving an incredible circumstance being here together and I want to embrace that with everything inside of me and that's why...that's why I want to ask you to marry me."

Tears flooded the little angel's eyes as from his pocket, Andrew pulled out a small velvet box, which he opened, revealing a beautiful diamond ring in a Celtic setting, "Andrew..."

"I know this probably seems crazy to you, Angel, but I have never been more certain of anything in my existence. Whatever the future holds for us, I know we are going to be together as I won't allow anything less. I love you more with each breath I take. Please, just tell me you'll consider it."

The tears broke free and a trembling smile appeared on her lips, "I don't need to consider it, Andrew. Yes! A million times, yes!"

He felt the sting of tears in his own eyes as he pulled the delicate ring from its box and with shaky fingers, placed it on her left ring finger, "Angel, you have no idea how happy you make me and I am going to work so hard to make you every bit as happy."

"You already do," Monica spoke around the tears, "You are my greatest Christmas gift every single day, Andrew."

Pulling her down into his lap, Andrew kissed her again and again, souls and hearts touching as the clock on the mantle signalled in silence that Christmas day had arrived, but the two angels, locked in love's embrace, never noticed.