The next day…

The sunrise was beautiful, though not as beautiful as usual. Her best friend wasn't there to enjoy it with her. Would he ever be? Of course he would. She couldn't let her mind trick her into thinking that God wouldn't turn this bad situation into something wonderful.

The sky was a bright orange and the breeze was warm against her skin. She gathered the dew-dropped grass between her fingers and inhaled the hot air. Anyone around her was oblivious to her mind. Her thoughts dwelled on only one just like every other day.

Her hair rapidly blew in the wind and her dress rustled. The wind dried the tears that rolled down her pink cheeks. She was in solitude-just her and God alone. No one else knew of her presence; no one had to. She had to think things over. So much had happened lately. Her mind was in a daze and her heart ached. She just wanted to know that he was all right. She only wanted to hear the sound of his voice and see cheer in his green eyes.

Just then a dove cooed and landed on her finger. She smiled widely and giggled. The dove looked almost as if it were as lonely as she was. Maybe God had sent it to comfort her and remind her of His presence.

She kicked of her sandals and sighed. She hated shoes. It felt much better to go bare-foot. As long Tess didn't know, it was fine. Tess only rolled her eyes each time the Irish angel refused to wear shoes. Sometimes Monica wondered why Tess acted the way she did. In the end, Monica decided that Tess just loved her and wanted to be just like a mother to her.

The dove cooed loudly and flew behind the Irish angel. Monica looked behind her shoulder to find the dove land on her supervisor's hand. Tess smiled and sat down next to her angel girl.

"Tess?" Monica said surprisingly. "How did you know where I was?"

"I have my ways, Angel Girl," she said. She opened her arms and let Monica lean into her. "I have something to tell you, Baby."

"What?" Monica asked. She sighed in relaxation.

"Someone's waiting for you," Tess began.

That was all Monica needed. She leaped up and grinned from ear to ear. Her eyes glittered with happiness.

"Tess?"

"You know where to go," Tess told her the Irish angel.
Monica quickly kissed her supervisor on the cheek and skipped through the tall grass, the dove tagging along after her. Tess looked up to the heavens and whispered a thank you. This was going to be a good day after all.

Rain started to fall upon her. Monica strained her vision to see down on the shore. She stood on top of a rock. When she saw no one, she sat down. She was too excited to wander around. She would wait patiently.

"Looking for someone?" a voice that she had long wanted to hear, asked.

Monica's heart pounded furiously. She took a deep breath and turned around. Her eyes fell upon the one she hoped was there.

"I'm not dreaming, right?" she stuttered.

"No," Andrew said.

Monica slowly stood up on and leaped off of the rock. She embraced him tightly. He was here. The cancer was all gone. No more visits to the hospital. At last no more wondering day after day what would happen next.

There was a long moment of silence; all to be heard was the crashing of waves and the upcoming storm. Rain pattered upon the ground, ringing through both of the angel's ears. They both cried, though not hard. Monica held him tighter as if she didn't want to let him go.

"I'm not leaving," Andrew said, breaking the silence. It was as if he read her thoughts. He kissed her on the forehead.

"I know, Andrew, but…" She stopped, releasing him and wiping the tears from her face. Andrew took pushed some loose strands of hair from her face.

"Thank you," he said.

"For what?" she asked.

"I know what you did for me and I'm very grateful," the angel of death said.

Monica slightly smiled, almost embarrassed. Her eyes fogged up again as she thought of what had happened.

"You gave almost half of your blood for me, just so you could hold on to me a little longer, Monica. If we were human, you could've…well, you could've passed out from all of the blood you were loosing."

"If we were humans, you could've died, Andrew," Monica pointed out. She again hugged him tightly. "That's what the nurses and doctors said. They said that you might die."

"But I didn't, did I?"

"No, but still…I had to do something, Andrew." Monica wept heavily.

"I love you, Andrew. You're my best friend. Nothing feels right when you aren't around. When I know that you're in pain I feel so…well, I feel pain too."

Andrew hugged her back. He too started to cry harder.

Monica opened her eyes, her head resting on his shoulder. Tess stood with her Cadillac in the parking lot, keys in hand. She smiled at her two angel babies. Monica looked into Andrew's green eyes and saw the cheer that she had been longing to see. He nodded at her and they both walked over to Tess. Tess hugged the two tightly.

"I get it know," Andrew said to the two women. "I don't think I have been trusting God as much I should've been. My assignments have been so hard to deal with lately. I think I had experience what they were going through before I could continue."

"I think you're right, Angel Boy," Tess said. "Now who's hungry?"

Monica and Andrew let out a laugh.

"You are, Tess," the two chimed.

Tess shot them a stern, but loving glare.

"Actually, Tess, I am. I was getting tired of all that jello. I found out that the green stuff ain't any good," Andrew said as he made a disgusted face. "A hamburger sounds good."

"And a mocha late," Monica added. Everyone laughed together.

"I missed that," Andrew told his Irish friend. "I guess I was wrong to make fun of you at the picnic," he said. "For now that I realize it, what you like makes you, you."

"Let's go," Tess said. She handed Andrew the keys. "You want the honors, Angel Boy?" she asked.

"Sure, Tess. I missed this too," the angel of death replied.

"Take it easy on my baby."

"Of course. I wouldn't dream of getting a scratch on it."

"Why did you have to mention that, Andrew?" Monica asked, leaping into the back seat. Tess glared at Andrew.

"You better not!"

The laughter-filled convertible zoomed down the street. It passed the hospital on the freeway and Ruby and Dr. Parks waved at the angels. Monica sighed.

The Irish angel looked down onto the floor mat and saw the papers that had her signature on for the blood donations. She picked them up, tore them and let the pieced of paper fly into the air. A few of the pieced blew together and turned into a dove. The dove flew off, cooing on its way. Andrew looked in the mirror and smiled at the Irish angel. Tess reached over and grabbed both of her angel baby's hands. They all smiled.

"Thank you, Father," Monica whispered.

THE END