CHAPTER 49

Borrowed time

Later on that same day, Tess, Ella, Mark and Amber watched mesmerised as a very proud Andrew entered the room where the newborn babies were placed holding a small bundle involved in pink blanket. The room was protected by a glass window and at that very moment, the four wished it wasn't, as they all of them felt the urge to hold that little angel of God who has just arrived at this world.

They were eventually allowed to go and see Monica after she had breastfed the baby – watched by a still rather stunned father, and were just as marvelled to meet a happy family inside the hospital room.

"What are you gonna call her?" Ella wanted to know, she and Tess had entered together and were drooling over her.

Monica and Andrew looked at each other and smiled. "We talked a lot about this, you know, Ella..."

"Yes. And Monica and I agreed that her name had to express our journey here on Earth... a word that was always in our hearts whenever we thought about what the future held for us, and about our being together." He looked at Monica and she smiled, turning her eyes to the little angel that now rested in her arms.

"We want you to meet wee Hope!" the Irish angel happily announced, and the others looked at one another with joy.

"Ah, Hope!"

"What a lovely name!"

"And you chose well, baby, it does reflect everything you felt during your stay here!" the old teacher spoke, feeling an inch of sadness to think that soon her dear friends would leave.

Somewhat feeling what was going on inside Ella's heart, Monica and Andrew exchanged a complicity gaze and the Irish angel tilted her head to look at her. "Don't you want to hold her a little?"

The old lady could hardly believe it. "M-me? C-could I?"

"Yes!"

She approached the bed and was immediately dazzled by the cute little angel who was now resting on her mother's arms. Monica made a move and carefully deposited the little one in Ella's arms. The old teacher had lived long, and had witnessed many things – wonderful and also tragic ones. But never in a thousand years would she dream of cradling an angel. At the moment she held the baby, a wave of peace and love filled her heart and washed her soul – it was nearly overwhelming, and if she did not know Hope's true nature, she would have inferred it judging by the aura that involved the child.

"Oh, dear Lord in Heaven... I feel so amazingly blessed... She's so beautiful..."

Hope moved her tiny hands and stirred a little, as if adjusting to the teacher's arms, but nothing interrupted her peaceful nap. "You're so gorgeous, little one... So precious!" She turned to the couple of angels. "She certainly has your traits, Monica. But I can see something that resembles to Andrew too!"

"Oh, I have no doubt that in a while she'll look more like Andrew!"

"Hum... Well, and I have no doubt that time will show us she has some special abilities too..." Tess spoke; eyebrows raised and clearly not happy at the fact that Ella was holding the little baby and she wasn't.

"What special abilities, Tess?" Andrew wanted to know, secretly amused by the supervisor's jealousy.

"Well, she can be a singing angel for example..."

Monica and Andrew exchanged another amused glance and it was the blond angel who spoke now. "Would you like to hold her a little, Tess?"

"I thought nobody would ask me to!" the supervisor finally exclaimed. And also moved to tears, she took the little baby in her arms. And everyone watched with enchantment when little Hope opened her eyes – they were dark green like her father's, and this fact alone made Monica smile broadly and reach for his hand.

"See? She could not have more beautiful eyes!" the Irish angel spoke, visibly happy about that new discovery.

Also smiling, Andrew took her hand to his lips. "She's perfect in every way, because she's yours... And I'm sure that some years from now, I'll be listening to her sing-song voice with a certain accent I happen to love, or watching as those auburn tresses fly up in the air and make her smile so the dimples on her cheek and chin become more visible."

Blushing a little, Monica placed her hand against his chest. "I'll be the happiest creature in this world if she has this kindness of yours... your noble spirit and so much love in her little heart."

He kissed her lips softly and the two rested their foreheads together, certain that that day would be in their memory for the centuries to come.

X

Their friends left the hospital room some time later and now little Hope had only her parents to drool over her until she was taken back to the nursery. Back in her mother's arms, the little angel rested peacefully, once again filling the room with a serene atmosphere.

"She had such a busy day... No wonder she wants to rest now, isn't it, Andrew?"

"Actually, I think you both should rest now." He spoke, with a soft but serious expression on his face. It had been a busy day to all of them.

She rested against his shoulder, turning her eyes back to their baby. "I confess I am tired... but I just can't seem to be away from her, you know..."

Smiling, he reached out to caress the baby's cheek with his index finger. "I totally understand, angel... She's... more than a miracle..."

"It's the most natural thing, after all she's an angel too!"

They heard a sudden voice and their attention was immediately on the new guest in the hospital room.

"Sam?" Andrew was the first to speak, and the look in his eyes was one of apprehension.

But the older angel smiled friendly and approached the bed. He was in his angelic form. "Please, apologise me for entering here like this, but I had to congratulate you in person..." he turned to look at Hope. "And I also wanted to see this new angel of God that has arrived in this world..."

"You're... you're not here to tell us that the plans have changed... That we cannot return anymore... are you?" Monica had a frightened tone in her voice, and Andrew felt like asking the older angel to leave, fearing the news he could be bringing with him. His Monica did not deserve to have such a terrible disappointment exactly on a day like that.

But the couple's fears were shattered in a matter of seconds. "Oh, no! No, Monica! I came here..." he made a short pause, and then looked behind him, where many other angels appeared now – invisible to the human eye, but a reality to Monica and Andrew. "We came here to greet Hope! To wish her a beautiful journey in fulfilling our Father's work, which is why she was created, besides, of course, filling her parents' heart with joy!"

A wave of relief filled their souls and Monica and Andrew exchanged a contented look. Their long time friends were there, all marvelled at the child that rested in Monica's arms.

"You're all in your angelic form..." the angel of death spoke, still surprised. "And the fact that we can see all of you means..."

"Means that you have already recovered your angelic status." Sam completed Monica's thought. He inched closer and took the baby's tiny hand. "And I mean all of you!"

Hope stirred and opened her emerald eyes again, and they could see she was looking at the visitor they had received.

"She can see you!"

"Yes, she can. She could sense angels around her even before she was born. And trust me, there were angels around you during your journey here on Earth. All the time... The Father took care of you all the time, and we never abandoned you."

With her eyes filled with tears, as there had been many emotions for only a day, Monica looked at Andrew with a crying smile.

"I knew it... I could feel it, you know..."

"I know, angel... Although there were times I doubted they were around us, I knew that God was taking care of us."

They remained there for some time, but even after little Hope was taken back to the nursery room, she continued to receive special visitors. That night, the hospital was visited by a realm of angels who came to greet and marvel at God's new creation.