Monica watched as Andrew moved from body to body, a single tear running down her face. She wished she could help him, but this was his task and his alone. Andrew stroked the hair of a little girl whispering comfort as the life ebbed out of her. He looked up at Monica and she felt his pain like a stab in her heart. Then he moved on, for there were many more needing his specialised attention.
Monica sighed. This had been more than a massacre. The gang of young white men had taken pleasure in each of their kills, shooting to wound and cause the maximum pain before watching their young victims die. Not one of the shooters was over 16, and neither was any one of their victims.
Tess and Gloria appeared then, one on either side of Monica and Tess put her hand on her shoulder.
"Come on baby girl. Hold on. They are in Gods hands now"
Monica nodded, "But I'm not sure about Andrew..." They looked across the playground to where Andrew was holding the hand of a toddler. He gently placed the little hand back on his chest and stood up, his face set. He walked towards his fellow angels and wiped the blood and sweat off if his face with his sleeve. Monica thought he looked terrible, angry. She couldn't remember him ever being angry.
"I can't do this anymore" Andrew said softly. "I quit". He turned away and walked down the road passing the blaring lights of the emergency vehicles. Gloria moved to go after him. "Don't honey. He needs to find his own peace."
"But he'll be all alone", protested Gloria.
"No baby girl, no he won't"
The young man walked along the dusty road. If anyone had asked, he wouldn't have been able to tell them how he'd got there or where he'd come from. In fact there wasn't much that he would have been able to say with certainty. He knew he was tired that was for certain. He seemed to have been walking for hours with no food or water. The sun beat down on his head. He pushed sandy hair off his face and looked down at his hand. It seemed to be stained with blood and dirt. Confused, he looked ahead. Far down the road he could see the shimmering silver of a diner. They at least would have water. He took a deep breath and walked on.
Clara looked up at the jingle of the bell. She wasn't expecting any customers this afternoon and she'd sent Hank, the fry cook, home early. A man was walking through the door, looking around uncertainly. He was certainly handsome, she thought and smoothed her hair down. He looked like he'd been through the wars somewhat. There were bloodstains on his face and his shirt, although he didn't seem to be hurt. He sure looked like he could use a good long drink and a meal. She motioned him to the first booth and he sat down. Clara walked over with a jug of iced water and a glass. She poured him a large glass and as soon as she had put it down, he had grabbed it and drained the glass. She smiled, topped up the drink and placed the jug on the table.
"So, what'll it be?" She paused with her pad n pencil ready.
He didn't say anything for a moment and then looked up into her face. Clara was taken aback by the expression of pain and loss on his face. Her heart went out to this young stranger. He spoke "I have no money."
She nodded her head and smiled.
"Can you wash dishes?" He grinned at her and nodded.
"Ok then", she said. "You go wash up and I'll knock up some eggs and bacon, that suit you?" Another nod. Clara continued "then you can help me with the washing up." The man smiled again. He really was beautiful. "Deal."
Clara watched the man wolf down all she had prepared; eggs bacon and sausages with fried potatoes. When he was finished she sat down opposite him. "You got a place to stay?" He shook his head. Clara made her decision then and there. "There's a spare trailer out back. Basic but dry and clean. You can stay if you like. In exchange for some help in the diner?" He looked into her eyes and she was caught off balance again. "Thank you. You're very kind." She shrugged the compliment off, picked up his plate and moved as to go into the kitchen. "Come on then. You got a name?" "Andrew" came the soft reply.
The next morning Clara came to open up the diner and found a young girl sat outside. Her hair had been dyed black, badly, and she wore the remains of black eyeliner and lipstick. She'd been crying. Clara sighed and beckoned the girl in. She installed the young girl in a corner booth and went into the back to get some water boiling. When she came out with tea and pancakes for the girl, Andrew was sitting opposite her talking softly to her. Clara put the food down and returned to the kitchen. The only she heard was Andrew "She must miss you". Clara smiled at Andrews kind tone. She glanced up when she heard the sobs and looked over to the booth. The girl was wiping her eyes and got up to leave. Clara saw Andrew gesture to the pay phone and Clara quickly got 2 quarters out of her purse. As the girl passed her, she held her hand out. Clara smiled to herself and watched the girl hesitantly press the buttons and push the coin into the slot. This was one run away that maybe , just maybe, wouldn't become a statistic.
That night they sat in the diner talking. Clara found herself telling him things that she hadn't revealed to anyone here, in America. Clara told of her half-sister so far away, the beatings she had taken at the hands of her step father, which had so damaged her insides that she couldnt have children. Andrew took her hands at this revelation and she again marvelled at his touch. The she told him of her birth father who had died last year, leaving her this diner.
Feling like she had monopolised the conversation, Clara asked andrew if he had any family. but he couldn't say. he couldn't remember anything before being on the heay that had ked him to this diner and her. Clara put her hands on his "It'll come back, she said. He looked into her eyes and again she became quite swimmy at his gaze. "I think we should go to bed." She said and then blushed. "I mean to our trailers."
And that was how it was, for a time. Andrew worked with Clara in the diner and spent time with the customers, listening to their lives. He spent time with Hank too. He liked the gruff old fry cook. A veteran of the gulf war, hank had never allowed bitterness to taint his life.
One afternoon, Hank had gone to take the trash to the kerb when they heard a commotion coming from outside. Hank rushed in holding a bundle of fur in his arms. "Some bastard ran over a pup and just left him." He growled. "What was a dog even doing there?"
The diner was empty, all the regulars had gone home so Hank laid the dog on a table. Clara immediately busied herself getting antiseptic and warm water and called to Andrew. He rushed over and they all worked on the dog together cleaning his wounds and trying to see where the most damage was. Andrew held his fingers to the dogs neck. He shok his head at Hank who stopped his ministering. "What are you doing?" Screamed Clara. "Get back to work! Come on!" Andrew took her hands firmly in his. "He's gone, Clara. There was too much damage. He's with god now"
Clara looked at him "Noooooo" she wailed and fell into his arms beating at his chest. Andrew held her tightly, stroking her hair. Hank caught his eye, nodded, scooped up the dog's little body and left without saying another word. He knew Andrew would look after Miss Clara and he had a burial to do before the sun went down.
Andrew held her until her wails had subsided into soft sobs. He tipped up her chin to face him and bent down to kiss her. Her lips, swollen from crying, felt so soft to him, soft and warm. Her deep brown eyes were locked on his. Clara made another instant decision. She took his hand, wiped her eyes, motioned to the mess on the booth " I'll clean that tomorrow". She led him from the diner out to the trailer she called home.
Later, Clara was lying in her small bed gazing at the man lying next to her. She looked at his face in amazement. "Andrew" she murmured. "You're glowing!" He turned towards her, raising himself on one arm. The glow could clearly be seen reflected in Clara's eyes. "I'm happy" he replied and bent to kiss her. A few moments later Clara had forgotten everything but his touch.
Much later they lay together watching the sun rise from Clara's time window. As the light bathed them both, Clara felt doubly blessed.
They'd had a hectic afternoon looking after a famished lost coach party, and Hank had finally been able to leave for the day. Andrew was finishing the drying and Clara had gone to the door to turn over the closed sign. As she walked towards it, a young woman pushed on the door, jangling the bell. Small with dark hair, she looked at Clara and smiled "Hi!" She said. "I'm Gloria. Is Andrew here?" Clara looked at the woman in amazement. She was glowing just like Andrew had. Clara shook herself and nodded. "Yes, he's here. Are you his family? You glow... Like him..."
"Sort of", replied Gloria and then opened the door "He's here!", she shouted and two other women hurried into the diner.
Clara stared at the mismatched group. They were all glowing. They looked at her staring at them. Then Andrew came out from the kitchen. "All the drying is done, Clara, would you like a ... Oh hello." Gloria ran to him "Andrew!", she exclaimed. "We thought we'd lost you for good!"
The older black woman pulled her back. "He doesn't know us yet baby girl." She turned to the young man. "Is there somewhere we can talk?" He motioned to a booth and the four sat down. The third woman turned to Clara. "Sorry, we're being so rude. It's just we've been so worried." Clara nodded, and went to her office to give her some privacy.
Andrew looked at the three women with no sign of recognition. The older woman took one of his hands, and that of Gloria next to her. Gloria took the hand of the other young lady across from her, who in turn coveted te circle, taking Andrew's other hand. The four started to glow with a bright light and Andrew suddenly exclaimed "Tess! Monica! Gloria!"
Gloria grinned at him "Yay you're back! You look different! Monica, doesn't Andrew look different. Tess, don't you think Andrew looks different!"
Tess looked knowingly at Andrew, "Mmm hmmm". Andrew flushed. "What?" Said Gloria. "What have I missed?"
Monica touched her arm gently "Never mind Gloria, I'm sure Andrew will explain later." Andrew looked across at Monica who was definitely smirking.
"So are you ready to go home now, angel boy?" Tess wanted to get going. They had been lost without Andrew and had had to leave several charges without an angel because of their search.
"Yes" he said. "But I need to talk to Clara. After all..." He left it hanging. Tess and Monica exchanged a smile.
Monica told him they'd wait in the car. As they left the diner, Andrew heard Gloria asking "After all, what? What?" He thought someone should really have a talk with her, and reflected that that someone was probably going to be him."
Andrew entered the office and saw Clara sat there staring into space.
"They've come to take you home." It wasn't a question.
"Yes."
"Do you know who you are?"
"Yes"
"Good" she looked up at him. "I'm glad."
He walked over to her and crouched down beside her. "My name is Andrew. I'm an angel. An angel of death. I was angry at humanity...something happened... something horrible...the wanton destruction of life. But you...you've had pain, loss and you still have joy just to be alive. You made me see that not all humans are bent on destruction. You gave me hope, and comfort, and... Love"
She smiled warmly at him. "I always knew you couldn't stay. That you were never truly of this earth... besides... You glow." He laughed, looked a little confused for a moment and then took her in an embrace. "Thank you Clara, for everything."
And then he was gone.
He walked towards the car. Gloria was telling Tess "And she said I glowed. But I wasn't, you know 'glowing'. How could she tell?"
Tess turned to Andrew. "What do you think, loverboy? Can you think of a reason why a human would be able to see angelic light? Well can you?" Andrew stared at her blankly for a full minute before breaking into a big smile. "Really?"
"Really."
Tess got out of the car. "Sounds like I'd better have a quick chat with Miss Clara." She held the door open and a familiar looking puppy leapt out. "I need to find this young man a home too and a child should have a dog."
Tess found Clara wiping down the tables. She looked up at the bell. "Oh hi", she said, a touch sadly.
"Hello Clara. My name's Tess."
"You're an angel too, right?"
"Yes, baby girl, yes I am and I wanted to say thank you for looking after our boy. You gave him something no one else could, not even god. You gave him back his faith."
"He gave me so much too."
"More than I think even you realise, honey." Tess moved closed to Clara and put her hand on her belly. Clara put her hands over Tess's and looked into the older woman's eyes. "It's not possible" she said
"Anything is possible for god" replied Tess. And she smiled. She turned and called out to the dog who ran in. "Anything."
Clara bent down to examine the pup that she had seen die only last night. Here he was, fit and well and very bouncy.
"A child should have a dog" murmured Tess and when Clara looked up, she had gone.