The birthday present - by Deyse

The two angels of God enjoyed it as the gentle sunrays shone through the leaves of a centenary tree and touched their faces. Their laughter and contented sighs were just a small evidence of the great joy that took over their hearts for being together again, after painful weeks away from each other. Monica and Andrew had been lying on the soft green grass, with the Irish angel resting her head over his chest, for the last hour. And so far the blond angel had enjoyed listening her eternal chatter about her latest assignments, remarks about the world, the human beings and especially about her new duty supervising a young angel named Gloria. With patience and amusement, Andrew listened to her every comment intently and never got tired of seeing the spark of joy in her sweet brown eyes as she kept on speaking.

Once in a while, he lay a tender caress on her face, either to remove a loose strand of hair from her forehead or to merely have the pleasure to touch her soft skin. His amusement was even greater whenever she stopped talking and eyed him with blushing cheeks that made her even more adorable to his eyes - if that was ever possible.

"I guess I've been way too wordy while we're here... I'm sorry..."

Chuckling, he bent his head and kissed her forehead lovingly. "I'm enjoying to hear everything you have to tell me, angel!"

Monica reached out and lay a gentle hand over his handsome face, and the angel of death was quick to capture her small hand and brush a kiss on her palm.

"I always feel at Home when I'm in your arms like this, you know?"

"Well, if it depends on me here is where you'll always be!"

She looked deep inside his green pools and Andrew could see his dear angel was trying to organise her thoughts in order to voice them to him, like she always did. He waited patiently until the moment she broke the silence again.

"I missed you... so much... There... there were moments I wanted to have someone by my side, helping me out with my new duty and then I prayed for and asked the Father to see you again... You have this ability to tell me the right words at the right time..."

"I'm here now, baby. Tell me what's troubling you, you know you can tell me everything."

"Yes... I know... Gloria is so full of questions, you know... She has so much to learn..."

The blond angel nodded his head in agreement. "Yes, and has about two thousand years to catch up."

"Exactly. Sometimes I don't know how to answer to her questions... And some other times I'm afraid to answer them, afraid of what to tell her and how she'll interpret my words." She explained, and stirred a little so that now she was propping her chin on his chest, facing him like a curious child that seeks for an explanation. "There are some issues that I don't think I'm the best angel to explain her about..."

"Monica, you're a wonderful angel. The most wonderful I've ever met, if you ask me!" he joked a little, playfully touching the tip of her nose, causing her to smile a little. "And I know that you'll find the right words to tell her what you tell all the ones who you meet: the truth."

She sighed deeply. "Sometimes I feel so nervous..."

"You should do what your heart tells you to do. And no angel has a heart like yours... so beautiful, so innocent but at the same time so full of wisdom..."

She looked at him again for long moments and he knew she was elaborating another thought. "May I ask you something?"

The warm smile was back on his face and he caressed her cheek with the back of his fingers. "You know the answer for that."

"Could you help me? C-could you maybe teach Gloria about death?"

His smile grew wider as he nodded. "Of course I can, angel! If you think I'm the best to tell her how and why the Father calls His children Home and how it happens, then I'll be happy to do it!"

A broad smile appeared on her face and she suddenly sat down straight. "Oh, Andrew, could you?"

"Sure! Do you want me to go to her?"

"Hum... no... no, I guess that it could intimidate her..." she bit her lower lip and then spoke again. "Let's do like this: when we all meet, I'll suggest her to spend some time learning about what you do."

"We have a deal then!"

"I don't have words to thank you..."

Laughing, he too sat up straight and searched for her hand, "I would do anything to help a friend, angel. But..." the angel of death kissed the back of her hand, "... if the friend is you, then I'd say there isn't anything you ask me that I wouldn't do..."

"I love you." Came the simple reply.

They were soon hypnotised by each other's gaze and Andrew gently cupped her cheek with his free hand, brushing her soft skin with his thumb. "You know that the same goes to you, right? That I love you, my sweet angel. Forever."

Her smile grew wider and she tilted her head. "You never let me forget about it..." the little angel spoke, playfully brushing the tip of her nose against his.

Andrew's eyes were so deep and bright and green that she felt as if he was invading her very soul, making all her thoughts and feelings his own emotions. And his gaze held such powerful love that made her wish they were granted a few more moments alone, to enjoy the beauty of those feelings that once were believed to belong only to humans. Monica and Andrew proved it to be wrong as there was no greater and purer love than the one that kept the two heavenly beings together. The angel of death slowly crossed the small distance between them and their eyes closed as their lips met, in a sweet loving kiss that sealed all the loving feelings inside their hearts.

******

A few days later...

The young angel walked along the park with a pensive and rather sad expression on her face. At the end of the assignment she had not only learned about life and death but also that angels were sent to Earth to help and not to interfere with human beings' free will. Gloria's mind was also in turmoil as now she knew that some humans would be so away from their Father's teachings that they were capable of doing cruel things to an innocent and defenceless creature, like a child. She couldn't fully understand why or how.

Gloria was crossing a short wooden bridge and stopped in the middle of the crossing. Her head was low due to her great sadness, and she ignored the beauty surrounding her, taking the time to observe the crystalline water stream that ran underneath the bridge. It was then that she heard a voice that was, little by little, starting to become familiar to her.

"Gloria..."

Only then the young angel raised her head to acknowledge the Irish angel's presence - her supervisor. "Hello, Monica..."

"I saw it when you walked away from Andrew, Tess and me back there at the hospital... Is there something wrong?"

She lowered her head for a moment again, and turned to look at the running waters. "I felt I needed to be alone for a little while... to think about some things... many things, to be honest..."

Sensing the sadness coming from the inexperienced angel, Monica gave one step forward and placed a gentle hand over her shoulder. "And can I assume that all these things have to do with your latest assignment?"

It took a while before she answered to that question. "Yes..." When Gloria looked at her again it was possible to notice some tears forming in the corner of her dark eyes. "... why did you tell me to put the gun back, Monica? I wasn't trying to hurt anybody, much on the contrary!"

"I know that. And God knows that too, little angel. But some things cannot be changed even though you have the chance to interfere because no matter who good your intentions are, no matter how much you want to help a human being, be sure that the Father's plan in wiser, and His timing is perfect. Only He can make this kind of decision."

Those words seemed to bring some guidance to the younger angel. "I know... But... I'm still so confused about so many things... How come someone can hurt two innocent children, Monica? What kind of human being is capable of doing that? I mean... if we can call this someone a human being at all..."

"There's evil in this world, Gloria. And it chases human beings constantly. Some because their soul is weak, and others because their soul is so noble and good that it has to be destroyed. And that's why our Loving Father sends His angels: to help these same human beings fight it."

The younger angel sighed with discontentment. "But sometimes it's hard to fight it..." she looked at Monica again. "Someone so evil... like that man, shouldn't be granted with an angel."

Monica wrapped her arm around her charge's shoulders, in a supportive way. "You know... There might be angels who are much more experienced than I am, but I can tell you that I've existed long enough to witness uncountable miracles... Sometimes the most troubled of the hearts can turn into one of the most faithful of God's servants... Sometimes humans do regret the terrible things they did in the past."

Monica pointed at the stream of crystalline water running underneath the bridge. "Look at the water of this river... Gloria, do you know a person never crosses the same river twice?"

"Yes. A philosopher named Heraclitus said that, I read a book about him at the library."

A slight smile appeared on the corner of Monica's lips. "And do you know why?"

"Well, considering the speed of water and its mass it's easy to deduct what he was trying to say: the water under the bridge is not the same water that was there a minute ago, when the person made the crossing. It's all about Physics."

"It's not only the water that is different. The person who made the crossing is not the same. Along your existence you will realise that every second, every minute, and every day you will learn something new. And that piece of information sometimes will break your heart. Sometimes it will bring you joy and make you laugh. And sometimes it will make you realise that there is always Someone Who you can trust, no matter how sad your heart is."

The tears that fell from Gloria's eyes joined the river, causing its waters to become even more clear; tears shed by an angel of God. Monica tightened the hold around her shoulders and rested her head against hers. "I know that right now your heart is broken and confused. But if you stop to think about the same assignment that is making you sad you will realise you've learned that human beings can be good too..."

Sobbing, the young angel nodded her head. "Yes... Robbie took the beatings off his little sister... How could one child have so much love for another that he sacrifices himself for her?"

"Many human beings are capable of showing this same kind of love for their next. And you know why? Because they learned the lesson from the one who sacrificed himself for all human beings."

The Irish angel saw as fresh tears fell from Gloria's eyes, aware that now those tears were not from sorrow or disappointment. Her charge had finally learned a lesson about the world that surrounded her and about those who she had been created to help. Monica held Gloria for long minutes, until her tears finally subsided and she managed to speak again.

"I've been here for such a short time and one of the lessons I've learned is that God does have special plans for his children... because if he didn't, he wouldn't have blessed me with such a special angel like you!" She spoke, with a grateful expression on her crying face, her voice hoarse with emotion and dark eyes sparkling with hope for a better tomorrow.

"Be sure that the Father blesses us with other souls that in a way complete our existence..." she said, as the two restarted to cross the bridge until the other side of the park, just a few steps away.

"I know. He's truly wonderful..." She said, and as they finished the crossing, she looked behind and then back at Monica, now with a surprised expression on her face. "... And Heraclitus was right: I am a different angel now!"

Chuckling, Monica nodded her head. "You are, little angel! And does it make you feel better?"

"Yes. Much better!"

All of a sudden, another familiar voice interrupted their conversation.

"There you are!"

Tess was looking at them with her arms crossed in front of her chest and a not all to pleased expression on her face.

"Hullo, Tess!" Monica tried to smile as she greeted her dear friend and supervisor, aware that she wasn't in her best mood.

Equally glad to see the oldest angel, Gloria smiled at her. "Hi, Tess! Sorry I went away like that, but I confess that after we left the hospital I was feeling upset and came to the park, to think about some things I've seen recently... But Monica found me and... Well, she has that sort of way to say things and manages to make an angel feels better! After we talked I'm feeling hopeful again!" The young angel spoke, quickly as she used to do whenever she had to explain something.

Monica and Tess exchanged a short glance and the supervisor immediately knew that the Irish angel was using her amazing ability to reassure someone in need.

"Hum... I see. Well, I'm glad she finished it because I came here because of you. As a new angel who is constant learning it's high time you were introduced to good music!"

"Good music?"

"Yes! Let's go Home, little angel, because the choir presentation will start soon and I want to be in the front row!" She stated, visibly in a hurry to go back to their heavenly habitat.

"Oh, yes! That's true! Learning about singing angels and the heavenly choir is the next thing on my daily tasks list!" Gloria spoke, enthusiastically.

"Listening to the choir is a wonderful experience. I hope you two have a good time." Monica spoke, causing her charge to look at her with a questioning face.

"Aren't you coming with us, Monica? I heard that you already sang in the choir!"

Hearing that, Tess rolled her eyes to the sky. "Oh, Father, she doesn't know what she's talking about..." she murmured, only to herself.

For a moment, the Irish angel didn't know what to say. "Oh, well... actually, I happen to have a... short experience in that singing issue... But I have a meeting right now, you know, Gloria."

"Oooh, I see..." the young angel tilted her head and noticed something about her co-worker's face. "You're blushing... It means you're going to meet Andrew, the angel of death, right now?"

"Well... yes, I'm meeting Andrew..." she admitted, somewhat shyly, even though being reunited with Andrew again filled her heart with joy.

The expression on Gloria's face was a mixture of curiosity and amusement. "I saw you two right before I left the hospital, I noticed you two kiss each other's lips when you say goodbye and I wondered why..."

Tess rolled her eyes for the second time, "Oh, please, spare me from the details for heaven's sake!" She complained, with some mock disapproval.

Giggling, Monica placed a gentle hand over her charge's shoulder. "I'll explain about it to you some other day, Gloria..." she looked over her friends' shoulders and the smile on her face grew wider. "I need to go now..."

The two angels turned around and saw the blond angel standing not too far from them, hands tucked in his pockets and a matching smile on his handsome face.

Before she left, Gloria took her hand. "Monica... thank you... for being my friend... for listening to my thoughts and speaking the right words to comfort my heart..."

The Irish angel squeezed her hand back and smiled warmly at her. "That's what friends are for, little one." She looked at them, happy that everything had been solved. "I'll see you two later..."

As she started to walk away from them she could still listen to Gloria's voice, and couldn't help chuckling at her words. "Have fun you two!"

With Tess rolling her eyes for the third time, the two angels watched as Monica walked towards Andrew and he opened his strong arms for her. On the following second, the angel of death was holding his beloved one tightly and kissing the top of her head repeatedly.

"I was eager to see you again, you know..." she said, arms wrapped around his waist and resting her head against his chest.

Smiling, he caressed her auburn hair and breathed in her sweet perfume. "Really?"

Monica pulled away just enough to look at him. "I mean... I am always eager to see you again... But... this time I..." not finding the right words, she stood on the tip of her toes and only managed to reach his chin, brushing a tiny kiss in there. "Thank you!"

Chuckling, he lay both hands on each side of her face, studying her pretty features and then looking deep inside her soft brown eyes. "You see, angel... I was going to say that you don't have to thank me for anything. But... if you're gonna thank me like this, then I allow you to do it as many times as you want!"

Happy to see the broad grin and the spark in her eyes, he bent his head and brushed his lips against hers; a sweet and slow kiss that summarised all the loving feelings that bonded two souls together.

"Look, Tess, they're doing it again!" Gloria pointed out, with permanent curiosity and secretly finding the scene rather cute. "Why do they do that? I mean... there's something different about them and-"

"Because they can't seem to keep their wings away from each other!" The supervisor sighed deeply, shaking her head in a hopeless way. "Now, c'mon, let's give these two some privacy!" She looked at the couple again and raised her eyebrows, "... as if they really care about it!"

Impatiently, Gloria followed the supervisor. "But Tess, there are some things I still haven't learned about this closer contact and-"

"Well, now you'll learn about music, little angel!" She firmly stated, and discussing, the two angels' form disappeared as a white dove cooed and flew by the park in that beautiful afternoon.

The end.