Chapter 22

                            The next day, as the morning sun shone brightly through the hospital window, Tess sat down beside Monica’s

                            bedside and gazed down at the angel before her. Heaving in a quiet sigh, she kept her eyes on her “Angel

                            Girl’s” sleeping face as she gently took hold of her hand once again, squeezing it.

                            Ever since the hospital had provided both Monica and Andrew a separate hospital room, Tess had switched

                            back and forth with visiting her two “Angel Babies”. The older angel had sat beside their bedside, holding one

                            of their hands and speaking softly to them and reassuring her friends that all would be okay; that God would

                            see them through the next few days…

                            Now, as Tess had just now returned from sitting by Andrew’s bedside, she returned back to Monica’s room,

                            her heart heavy from all that her friends had experienced these last few days…and the terrible news that she

                            would have to break to them once they both had awakened. How would Monica be able to handle hearing this

                            piece of information about Denise?? The older angel knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Monica would

                            blame herself and think of herself as a horrible supervisor and that she had failed…

                            And Andrew…How was her “Angel Boy” going to react to it?

                            The questions formed into her brain as she turned her gaze away from her sleeping friend in front of her and

                            stared up at the ceiling, silently praying for strength. The hospital staff had informed her the night before that

                            both Monica and Andrew would most likely awaken the next day…but when? They weren’t exactly sure…So,

                            now Tess sat—and waited on any movement at all from her “Angel Girl’s” still body.

                            But, suddenly, just as the thoughts entered her brain, the angel felt a slight movement come from the hand

                            she held in her own. A soft groan was noticeably heard from the lips of the younger angel before her, along

                            with a slight mumble.

                            Jerking her head back to Monica’s body, Tess nervously stood to her feet, still gently grasping her hand, and

                            kept her gaze on her friend as she slowly started to open her tired, brown eyes. The angel noticed a look of

                            confusion displayed on Monica’s fragile face as she slowly turned her head towards her former supervisor.

                            But, the look of confusion suddenly turned to utter relief as she slowly opened her dry lips and spoke quietly.

                            “Tess…”

                            “It’s me, Baby,” Tess reassuringly consoled her as she reached her free hand out and gently brushed her

                            “Angel Girl’s” tangled, auburn hair away from her eyes before giving her a weak smile, her own brown eyes full

                            of love. “It’s me…”

                            Gazing around her hospital room, Monica shifted uncomfortably in the hospital room as she closed her drained

                            eyes once again, her mind all of a sudden traveling back to the last thing she remembered…the memory

                            coming at her at full force:

                            Herself gripping Andrew’s hands as she watched the orange flames creep closer and closer to them; feeling

                            faint and Andrew’s gentle, worried voice in her ears…and all going black…

                            “Angel Girl?”

                            Tess’ loving voice broke Monica out of her trance as she forced her eyes open to look into her older friend’s

                            tear-filled, brown eyes. Wincing from the pain in her head and her ankle as she forced her body to sit up from

                            its current flat position on the bed, the younger angel kept her worn out eyes on her former supervisor in front

                            of her as she opened her mouth, making herself speak.

                            “Andrew…Where’s Andrew, Tess…”

                            “Shhhh…” Tess consoled once again, squeezing her former charge’s chilly hand once again before sitting back

                            down beside her on the bed. “Shhhh…It’s okay. Andrew’s okay, Monica. You remember what happened, I take

                            it, Angel Girl?”

                            Giving her head a weak nod, Monica once more forced her questions out of her lips, although her gentle, Irish

                            voice shook with emotion and fear.

                            “Where is he, Tess…And Denise…”

                            Feeling her tears flood down her cheeks at the mention of Monica’s former caseworker, Tess drew in a shaky

                            breath as she tried to find a way to answer her Baby’s questions…and tell her the truth about Denise…

                            “Angel Boy’s in another hospital room, Baby,” Tess replied softly, meeting Monica’s desperate gaze. “He hasn’t

                            woken up yet and I’ve been switching back and forth between the two of you since you’ve both been

                            admitted into the hospital last night…”

                            “And Denise?” Monica fearfully demanded, her weak voice filled with terror at what had happened to her

                            caseworker…and where she was right now…

                            “Angel Girl…” Tess began again, lifting up another prayer of guidance and direction in this situation. And a

                            prayer that Monica wouldn’t blame herself for this…

                            “Baby…Denise isn’t here…” she continued, her voice quiet and nervous. Staring at Monica as the words

                            escaped her lips, Tess watched as her face continued to hold a look of confusion.

                            “Where is she, Tess?” she whispered shakily.

                            Oh, please, Father…Give me strength in this, Tess prayed to her Father desperately as she drew in another

                            deep breath before facing her friend again with the terrible news.

                            “Monica…Denise turned over with Kathleen…” she tearfully finished, wiping away as many tears from her

                            cheeks as she could right then. “The Father told me this morning, Baby…Denise and Kathleen were the ones

                            that started the fire and—and Denise chose to go over with Kathleen last night before you and Andrew were

                            rescued…”

                            Feeling like someone had punched her in the stomach at Tess’ words regarding her young caseworker, Monica

                            gasped as she felt her entire body shake and tears filling her brown eyes and rolling down her cream-colored

                            skin.

                            No, this can’t be…she tried to force herself to not believe the other angel’s words. Please, Father…please say

                            it ain’t so…Denise COULDN’T have left! She’s an angel…You’re angel, God! Oh God, no…

                            Turning her head away from her friend, Monica allowed the tears to stream down her tired face as she faced

                            the window. The sun shone brightly outside, no signs of the horrific weather from the last few days, which

                            made Monica feel even more terrible inside.

                            There should be a storm out there…the Irish angel thought miserably as she let out a quiet, shaky sigh of

                            regret.

                            Noticing her Baby’s body movements and tears, Tess continued to hold onto her hand as she tried to get a

                            good look at her face before speaking out loud.

                            “Monica…What are you thinking right now?” she whispered, but loud enough for the angel to hear her.

                            Still not facing Tess, Monica shook her weary head, her tangled, auburn hair swaying against her shoulders,

                            before she slowly answered, her voice shaking.

                            “I failed, Tess…” she replied wearily. “I failed as a supervisor…Denise turned away from God…and it’s all my

                            fault. It’s my fault alone.”

                            Her voice cracking at the last words, the Irish angel closed her mouth, not trusting herself to continue

                            speaking. After all, what else was there to say? She had failed Denise. She had failed God. She had failed as a

                            supervisor. And she had failed as Andrew and Tess’ friend.

                            “Oh, Baby…” Tess soothed, her tears continuing to flood her eyes as she spoke. “Baby, it’s not your fault…It’s

                            no one’s fault but Kathleen’s. And—I hate to say it, but it was Denise’s choice; not ours, Monica—“

                            “It was my fault, Tess,” Monica croaked, tears in her voice. “I failed everyone, including you and

                            Andrew…Now—can I please be alone for a minute, Tess? Please?”

                            Hearing the desperation in her younger friend’s Irish voice, Tess decided against it to try to talk some sense

                            into her and gave her head a tired nod before standing to her feet once again.

                            For that moment, she would go by her friend’s wishes and leave her alone, but…not for very long. She would

                            be back, Tess assured herself as she quietly exited the room and walked down the hallway to Andrew’s

                            hospital room. And when she would, a specific angel would be with her to try to talk to Monica…

                            *****

                            As she walked through the door of Andrew’s own hospital room, Tess found herself surprised as she noticed

                            that Andrew was wide awake and staring out the nearby window at the mountains and the beautiful trees

                            outside. His own worn out, green eyes didn’t move from the window as Tess came into her other friend’s room

                            and sat down beside the bed.

                            Her eyes still on her precious “Angel Boy” before her, Tess hesitantly, but gently, reached a hand out and

                            touched Andrew on the arm, unintentionally making him jerk out of his reverie to face her. His tired, green

                            eyes wide, the angel looked into his friend’s dark features and he drew in a deep, shaky breath of his own.

                            “Tess…You’re here…”

                            “Of course I’m here, Baby,” Tess reassured him as she gently rubbed his forearm, gazing sympathetically at

                            him through tear-stained eyes. "I’m here. I was over in Monica’s room…”

                            At the mention of his best friend, Andrew suddenly felt tears flooding his tired eyes as he remembered all that

                            had occurred the other day with Monica: The fire; Monica’s lie to him and Tess; finding out that he was

                            trapped in human form, along with Monica and finally passing out…

                            “Monica…” Andrew uttered, leaning back against the pillows he laid on and sighing quietly. “Is she okay, Tess?

                            How’s she doing…”

                            Forcing herself to smile a bit, the older angel removed her hand from her friend’s arm to hold onto his own

                            chilly hand and squeezing it gently. Gazing into his curious and tired eyes, Tess finally forced herself to speak

                            again.

                            “Monica’s doing okay physically, Angel Boy,” she replied, stopping for a minute to gather her thoughts. “But—“

                            “But what?” Andrew demanded, slightly confused. Staring at his friend for answers, he waited until she finally

                            brought up the courage to inform him on Monica’s current state.

                            “But the Father told me earlier today that…that Denise turned over to the dark side with Kathleen…” she

                            quietly whispered, staring at her younger friend. “I just told Monica about it a few minutes ago. She’s—she’s

                            blaming herself, Baby…She thinks she failed as a supervisor, as an angel, she thinks she failed us and

                            God…She won’t listen to me…”

                            “Denise turned away??” Andrew cried as loud as he could, his voice catching in his throat. A look of horror

                            came across the angel’s weary features as he gasped in shock. Although he was hoping and praying that

                            Denise wouldn’t turn away with Kathleen, it still took him by total surprise that Monica’s caseworker would

                            actually do it!

                            “She—she turned AWAY?” he repeated, staring into Tess’ sad, brown eyes. “Oh God, no…”

                            “Yes. She did, Andrew,” Tess confirmed, squeezing her Baby’s hand tightly, but gently. Not saying anything

                            more for the next few seconds, the angel kept her eyes on Andrew’s face as he seemed to be mulling the

                            thoughts over in his head.

                            As she watched him, however, she was suddenly taken by surprise as her young friend said something that

                            she never would have thought he’d say.

                            Especially now…

                            “It was my fault, Tess…” Andrew whispered, his gaze turned away from his former supervisor. “It’s all my

                            fault…not Monica’s…”

                            “What are you talking about, Baby?” Tess cried out, unbelief showing plainly in her tear-stained eyes. “None

                            of this is your fault, honey. You know that—“

                            “Why didn’t I forgive her?” Andrew continued, as if now talking to himself. “Why didn’t I do it when I had the

                            chance? I—I could have saved both Monica AND Denise if—if I’d forgiven Monica for lying to us…”

                            “Angel Boy…Denise’s choice is NOT your fault!” Tess argued, tightening her hold on her friend’s hand, as if

                            trying to get him to turn her way and look at her. “And you DID help Monica—“

                            “But I didn’t forgive her, Tess!” Andrew burst out as loudly as he could before breaking into a fit of coughing.

                            Forcing himself to take deep breaths, the angel turned to look into his older friend’s worried eyes before

                            continuing with his explanation. “Monica lied about how she sprained her ankle, Tess, and I already had a

                            feeling that it wasn’t an “accident”. I had to force her to tell me the truth and I admit…I WAS upset with her.

                            She asked me to understand why she lied—because she didn’t want us hurt—but…I didn’t forgive her. I didn’t

                            forgive her, Tess…And that’s why I ended up in human form and that’s why Denise turned away from God!

                            Don’t you see, Tess? I should have forgiven her!”

                            Listening to her “Angel Boy” berate himself over the situation, Tess let go of his hand and gently gathered him

                            up in her arms, hugging him tightly but carefully.

                            “But do you forgive her now, Andrew?” she whispered into his ear as she rubbed his back gently, waiting for a

                            reply.

                            “No…but—I want to so much, Tess…and—and that doesn’t change the fact that Denise turned away from God

                            and Monica’s thinking that she failed as a supervisor—“

                            “The past is the past, Baby,” Tess assured her former charge as she gently released her hold on him and

                            sitting back down on the chair beside him. “The Father can always take away any hurt that you’re feeling

                            right now and He can always help you forgive our Angel Girl, too. If you know deep in your heart that you

                            want to forgive her, then all you have to do is ask Him, Baby…Just ask.”

                            Staring at his old friend, Andrew felt his tears come harder than ever as he forced himself to sit up straighter

                            and reach out for Tess, wrapping his arms around her and sobbing on her soft shoulder. Feeling his friend rock

                            him back and forth, the angel in human form buried his face in his former supervisor’s shoulder, feeling his sobs

                            start to subside and quiet down a bit.

                            Finally finding his voice, Andrew pulled back from the embrace and looked at Tess through tear-filled eyes.

                            “Pray with me, Tess?” he quietly asked of her.

                            Without saying anything, Tess silently nodded her head and reached out for Andrew’s shaking hands and gave

                            them an encouraging squeeze. Each angel bowing their heads in prayer to the Father above, a soft peace

                            filled the small hospital room as Andrew lifted up prayers to God. His heart feeling a bit lighter, the angel

                            continued in prayer as tears flowed freely down his face.

                            *****

                            After several minutes, Andrew was being helped out of his hospital bed and being helped by Tess and his

                            nurse into a wheelchair. His body still aching a bit from the experience the night before, Andrew put the pain

                            aside as he kept his eyes on the road ahead…the road ahead to Monica’s own hospital room…

                            As his nurse pushed him down the hall to his best friend’s room, Andrew found himself lifting up several more

                            prayers to the Father for the correct words to say to Monica. Correct words and loving words…

                            As they came closer to the nearby room, Andrew sucked in a deep breath as he focused his eyes on the

                            slightly open door. Tilting his head a bit, he tried to make out his friend’s body as she lay in her own bed.

                            Feeling the nurse push the chair into the room, the Search and Rescue angel felt tears well up in his green

                            eyes once again as he found his best friend staring out the window…just like he was several minutes ago

                            before Tess arrived in his room…

                            Turning his head to his nurse and Tess, the blonde angel gave his head a slight nod, silently informing them

                            that he’d be okay with her alone for a while. Reaching a hand out one last time, Tess gave her young friend’s

                            shoulder a loving pat before finally following the young-looking nurse out the hospital door, slightly closing it

                            behind them.

                            Grasping the wheels of his chair, Andrew uncomfortable wheeled himself over to his best friend’s bedside,

                            watching as Monica still didn’t notice his presence in her room. Without reaching out, not wanting to startle

                            her, Andrew opened his mouth, his words coming out soft and quiet.

                            “Monica?”

                            At the sound of the voice of her best friend, Monica turned her head around in surprise, tears noticeable in

                            her dark brown eyes. Looking into Andrew’s own green ones, the Irish angel almost felt herself begin to fall

                            apart all over again, the news that Tess informed her coming back at her quickly.

                            Her shoulders shaking slightly, Monica found herself only able to say a few words before she broke down.

                            “Oh, Andrew…” she whimpered softly, tears streaming down her pale cheeks.

                            Seeing her reaction, Andrew moved as much as possible and reached out for his younger friend, holding her

                            tightly against him for a long moment, never wanting to let her go.

                            Oh Father…help me to help her…Andrew silently pleaded as the two angels continued to hold one another,

                            each of them having tears streaming down their cheeks.