CHAPTER 12
Careful not to make any noise, Andrew closed the hospital door behind him and approached the bed; his heart breaking once again at the paleness on his dearest friend's face. Andrew reached her bed and took her hand, and the slight touch of his fingertips on her skin caused her to open her eyes.
"Angel..." he whispered, immediately feeling bad for waking her up.
"Andrew... You're here..." the weak smile in her sleepy face was moving, and he felt like holding her for dear life until illness abandoned her human form. But Andrew had to limit himself to taking her hand in both of his and brushing a gentle kiss against her forehead. "Didn't I tell you I'd be always by your side, huh?" he spoke, trying to smile as he sat at the edge of her bed.
"I guess I fell asleep for a while...But then I felt your presence in the room."
"You should rest as much as you can, angel." He said, all his care and protection written all over his face. "It's very important."
Her smile faded a little and she searched for the green eyes which would transmit her much peace. "What's wrong with me, Andrew?"
"The doctors are working to find that out, sweetie, so that they can heal you."
She looked around her and back at him. "Where's Tess?"
"She... she's outside..." he didn't want to show Monica how terribly angry he was with the supervisor, as nothing could affect her emotionally right now.
"She's upset-"
"She's also worried about you, angel, that's all."
Monica sighed and now turned her doe-like eyes to an invisible point ahead of her. "Is it an assignment, Andrew?"
"What?"
"This... my condition... If it's not a punishment... then... why am I here?"
The angel of death was permanently holding her hand and looking deep inside those sweet brown pools. "It could never be a punishment, Monica. And I believe God will show you the consequences of your being ill in His own good time... Everything will be clear to us eventually..."
She reflected on those words and slowly nodded. "I believe you're right... and I trust the Father knows where it's all leading... I trust my existence to Him..." she said, and after a brief look at their conjoined hands, she spoke again. "...and to you. But I am afraid, you know..."
He squeezed her hand. "I know... and I promise I'll be here to help you through this... I know that I'm just an angel... that I don't have any power to make it less suffering, but-"
"You're the angel who touched my heart, Andrew..." she immediately replied, "I've been thinking... I believe that when the Father made us He knew in his infinite wisdom that our paths would cross and what would come out of our meeting because He shaped our hearts the same way... so that they could be brought together..."
Sometimes her words, spoken straight from the bottom of her heart, left him speechless. And before Andrew could find the right reply, she spoke again. "So know that the mere fact that you exist gives you the power to make it less suffering."
A tearful smile appeared on his handsome face; it was evident that he felt extremely tired and worried, but the little angel's words soothed his soul and brought a multitude of loving emotions to his heart. "I have so much faith in a future for both of us, angel... A near future, where I can see your beautiful smile and hear your voice telling me about your assignments and inquiring about the universe with the childlike curiosity that makes you so adorable to me..."
Those words brought a weak smile back to her face. "You forgot my mocha..."
Andrew chuckled at that remark. He had to be strong and fight the fear inside his heart. Fear of what could be wrong with his beloved angel, fear that she would suffer trying to fight it, fear that he might not be able to help her fight it.
And utmost fear of losing her.
The angels' conversation was interrupted by a light knock on the door, and it flung open a second later: it was the nurse.
"Excuse me..." she was carrying some papers and tried to smile. "I'm Susan and my shift has just started. I need to collect some information about you, Monica. And about you too, sir. I'll ask you to let your wife rest for a while as we talk outside."
Monica and Andrew looked at each other with a slight smile and then at the young woman. "We are not married..." the Irish angel spoke, as their hands remained linked.
The expression on the nurse's face was one of surprise. "Oh, you two are not related?"
They looked at each other again, not knowing how to explain their relationship. "We... We're long time friends and..." he started, but Susan shook her head.
"But then you cannot stay here, sir. I'm sorry, but only family members are allowed."
Andrew felt Monica squeezing his hand tightly, an expression of fear in those sad brown eyes, loathing the mere thought of staying away from him. "Andrew is my family..."
"Monica is everything of the most precious I have in this world. And I am sorry but I'll stay right here by her side." The blond angel's words didn't leave any room for doubt: no one would be able to tell him to leave.
"You don't have anybody else? Any relatives?"
"I..." she was going to say something but sudden tears filled her eyes and she shook her head. "Andrew is my family..."
The woman nodded her head. "I understand... Then I'll ask you a few questions, Andrew, and get you an ID so that you can stay here with Monica."
Calmer, the angel of death looked down at his beloved angel. "I'll be right back, angel." He bent his head and brushed a tiny kiss on her lips. "Please take some rest, okay?"
As she nodded her head obediently he kissed her hand and rose to his feet. Monica followed his movements with her eyes and before he closed the bedroom door, Andrew shot her another tender gaze.
