Author's ramblings: One of my New Year's resolutions was to write "my"
chapters in a more timely manner. AngieBaby can crank them out in a matter
of hours; it takes me a matter of *days*! I'm trying to write faster, with
the hope that speed doesn't detract from the cohesiveness of "my" chapters.
Here we go. ~~AJ
Please see the disclaimer in Ch. 3. "TBAA" sure ain't ours!
Chapter 5 by AJ
What was this? One of God's gifts to His angels was the ability to have emotions. This, however, was an emotion Andrew had never experienced before. Indescribable happiness and.something more. Tiny butterflies flitted about his stomach, and he didn't even mind. His ears and face felt warm, but not uncomfortably so. Monica shifted so that her head now lay on his chest. He rested his chin on her head; it felt so natural, so perfect. Andrew chuckled.
The reverberations of Andrew's laugh in his chest woke Monica from her almost-sleep. She had had a long day and was very tired; never before had she felt fatigue like this; this was *real* tiredness, not the shadow of human feeling she had experienced before. Still, Andrew's laughing her awake didn't bother her. In fact, she smiled too. "What's so funny?"
"Nothing. Nothing and everything," Andrew wasn't even sure what he found humorous. "I like this: sitting with you. Your head makes a good chinrest."
"And you make a nice pillow," Monica retorted, too tired to really think. She yawned.
"You're tired," Andrew noticed unnecessarily.
"Yes. A wee bit," Monica had to confess.
Andrew hugged his best friend. "When people are tired, they usually go to bed. At least, that's what I've seen. Maybe this is your cue to try out your new room?" he teased.
Monica laughed. "I'm not going to argue with you, Andy. I'm too tired." Andy. She'd called him "Andy." Usually, he hated being called anything but his full name, but from Monica.
She realized didn't want to leave his side, not even to fall into bed and slumber. Andrew shifted beside her.
"C'mon," he prodded gently. "I'll tuck you in."
Monica pushed herself to her feet then. "Humans tell bedtime stories. Will you tell me one?" She was only half-kidding.
Andrew laughed, half-hoping that she was being honest. With her out of the chair they shared, no longer touching him, he felt as if something was missing. He had to change the subject. "Race you upstairs!"
He took off at a sprint, leaving Monica a step behind and a second confused. Andrew was at the stairs before Monica jumped into movement. She was faster than her tired body wanted to admit to, and quickly ducked under Andrew's arm as the raced up the stairs. She was ahead of him now, and he caught her around the waist. Monica squealed, completely forgetting that Estelle was trying to sleep.
"Shhh!" Andrew admonished, laughing. Monica dropped to her knees on the top stair, unable to control her mirth. Andrew fell beside her and they laughed together.
"Who won?" Estelle, wrapped in her emerald green bathrobe and cane in hand appeared around the corner to find Monica and Andrew in hysterics at the top of the steps. She looked very tired, but not angry. These "kids" reminded her of herself and Walter, many years ago.
The sight of Estelle snapped Andrew and Monica out of their reverie and into the present, where they realized they'd just awakened an exhausted elderly woman. "Oh!" Monica exclaimed, standing up quickly. "Estelle, we are SO sorry! We didn't mean to wake you up -"
"I want to know who won the race," Estelle interrupted, her eyes sparkling. She was a terrific sport; Andrew and Monica liked her even more right then.
Andrew was on his feet now too. He and Monica glanced at each other, and Monica dissolved into giggles again. Andrew rolled his eyes good- naturedly. "She did," he relented. "But not without a fight."
Estelle smiled at them, shaking her head. She remembered racing Walt up the stairs; how he always let her get a step ahead and then caught her so that he could kiss her. She remembered the sounds of her children running the stairs, calling to each other, "Last one up's a rotten egg!" She remembered the happy faces of her grandchildren as they sprinted up the stairs to give "Gramma" a big hug on their rare visits. It was nice to hear the stairs in use again, to see smiling faces at the top.
"Sounds familiar," Estelle replied after her moment of reflection. She leaned heavily on her cane, her thoughts of her family apparent in her expressive eyes. Monica noticed right away.
"We're done making noise now, I promise," Monica said genuinely. She fought a yawn, but Estelle didn't bother stifling hers. Monica eyed the cane, observing how much Estelle was relying on it.
Obviously, Andrew noticed too. "Do you want me to walk you back to your bedroom?" he offered.
"If you don't mind, I think I'd appreciate that," Estelle answered gratefully.
With a wink at Monica, Andrew easily hoisted Estelle into his arms. Estelle gasped in surprise, and then laughed. She wrapped an arm around his neck, her free hand occupied with holding onto her cane. "I *know* I'm going to like having you around now!" she exclaimed.
Andrew carried Estelle into her bedroom and lay her gently on her sheets. Estelle rested her cane up next to her bedside table and accepted the covers that Andrew pulled up around her. She settled into her pillow and Andrew lovingly tucked her in, suddenly wishing he might have had a mother who would have done this for him.
Estelle smoothed Andrew's cheek with her hand. "Thank you, Andrew. You know, you remind me of someone, but I can't quite put my finger on it."
Andrew suddenly realized what Estelle was talking about - he had had a sense of déjà vu when he and Monica met Estelle earlier that day, but had brushed it off as a human emotion he wasn't prepared to deal with yet. When Walter had died, it was Andrew who led him Home. However, Andrew had been invisible to humans at the time - how could Estelle have seen him? Like Monica had felt earlier, Andrew found himself in need of Tess' guidance, and definitely some prayer.
"Andrew?" Estelle pulled Andrew back to reality. "Are you all right?"
Andrew smiled reassuringly. "I'm fine, Estelle. Thank you for asking. I guess I'm a little tired too. Can I get you anything before I head off to bed?"
"No, dear. No thank you. My eyes are ready to shut, I think," she smiled up at Andrew, trying to place his face. Maybe, she decided, it would come to her in a dream. "Good night, Andrew. And tell Monica good night. I'm going to say a quick prayer thanking God for the two of you. I just feel like you're Heaven-sent." Estelle's heavy eyelids were beginning to close.
"Good night, Estelle." Andrew tucked the covers around his new friend, and slipped out of the bedroom, turning the light off as he left.
In the darkness, Estelle offered her thanks to God for sending Andrew and Monica to her. She just knew that their relationship would work out wonderfully. Then she drifted off into slumberland.
***** Remembering his promise to tuck Monica in, Andrew stopped at her room next. He knocked softly on her mostly-closed door, and she mumbled an allowance for him to come in. Pushing the door open enough for him to slip through, Andrew found the lights dim, and Monica curled on her side in the bed, her eyes half-open and looking at him.
"'Bout time you got here, Andy," she chided. "I still want that bedtime story."
Andrew laughed and knelt on the floor beside the bed so that he was eye-to- eye with Monica. "Oh, do you now, Angel Girl? By the looks of things, you won't be able to stay awake for the "once upon a time"." Andrew reached up and tucked a stray lock of hair behind Monica's ear. Her skin tingled under his touch. It had never done that before. What was all of this? Suddenly, Monica was wide awake and confused. Normally, she would talk to Andrew or Tess about her feelings, but Tess wasn't there, and Andrew was exactly the wrong person to whom she could talk right now. After all, her feelings concerned him! She needed time to think and to pray.
"How 'bout a rain check, then?" Monica liked that phrase, and now had the perfect opportunity to use it. She couldn't admit that she was no longer tired, because Andrew thought that she was and she wouldn't lie to him. She also needed him to go away so that she could think and pray in private.
"All right. When it rains, I'll check in on you again," he teased her. He had felt the electricity when he touched Monica too, and was just as confused. Unbeknownst to his best friend, he also wanted to hide in the privacy of his own bedroom and do some praying and pondering of his own. Andrew stood up and tucked the blankets around Monica, hoping that his emotions didn't play out on his face. "Estelle wanted me to wish you good night, too. I really like her."
"I do too," Monica replied, accepting the covers that Andrew pulled up to her chin. "Good night, Andy." She found his hand quickly and gave it a squeeze. She felt that same tingling again. She decided she liked it.
"Good night, Angel Girl," Andrew smiled tenderly at Monica, refusing to let his expression show that he sensed electricity when they touched. It was a feeling he decided he liked. Andrew turned around and left Monica's room, turning the light off and pulling her door almost-closed behind him.
Andrew went into his own room and decided he wanted a shower. No, a bath. As an angel, he hadn't had human needs, but he now felt a desire to soak in hot water. Hot water with bubbles! Retrieving his pajamas and personal necessities, he crossed the hall to the bathroom and prepared at bubble bath. In a few minutes, Andrew was sliding into a full tub of bliss. This was a human pleasure he decided he would never be able to get enough of. Closing his eyes, Andrew sighed and began to ponder the day's events. He thanked the Father for the chance to experience humanity, for bringing him to Estelle's home, for Estelle herself, for Tess, and for his friendship with Monica. Monica. What was it about Monica that now made his heart skip a beat and his skin shiver when they touched? She was his best friend, but had never caused butterflies to flit about his stomach before today! No one had.
"Am I interrupting?" A bourbon voice broke Andrew from his thoughts. His eyes flew open.
"Tess!" Andrew jumped, then tried to cover himself with his hands. He didn't need to: the bubbles had him totally costumed. He'd never felt modest before. "What are you doing here?"
"I told you I'd be checking in on you, and I am," Tess explained. She was sitting on the closed toilet. Her blue pantsuit suited the bathroom's décor perfectly.
"Now?!" Andrew exclaimed.
Tess chuckled. "What's wrong, Angel Boy? Don't worry - I can't see anything. Not that I'd try. I have no interest in what you're hiding beneath those bubbles," she teased him. "I want to know how you're doing. How was your first day as a human?"
Andrew sighed, relaxing under the blanket of bubbles. "Confusing. And.nice."
"I see that you're getting along well with Estelle. You and Monica both. She's a very strong woman, but she's hiding a great deal of pain," Tess continued.
"I could see that," Andrew replied. "Why don't her children visit, Tess? Don't they know how hard it is on their mother?"
"Estelle told you why they don't visit, Baby. Weren't you paying attention? They can't stand to see their mother failing. David and Marcie want to remember their mother the way she used to be: vibrant and full of life. They don't realize that their absence hurts her deeply, especially since their father died. They miss their father, too," explained Tess. "But you've got more on your mind than this assignment, don't you?" Tess shook her head. "I didn't think that this would work. The Father must know what he's doing, but I wish He'd let me in on His little secrets sometimes."
"What won't work, Tess? The fact that Monica and I are human and still doing God's work? Isn't that the whole point of being human: to do His work? To love and help other people?" Andrew asked.
"Well, yes, Baby, of course. But humanity is even more complicated than that. It's harder to be human than it is to be an angel. You have so many more temptations, so many more feelings.But you know that already, don't you?" Tess countered.
Does she know? Andrew wondered. He regarded Tess critically.
"Is there anything you want to talk about, Baby?" Tess asked gently. Andrew sighed again. "I don't know, Tess. You're right about humans having more.feelings. I'm a little confused, I guess. I." He and Tess were close, and he had never been afraid to share things with her before. But would she understand? At any rate, this was hardly the place to have a heart-to-heart talk. "Can we talk about this in a different room? Let me get cleaned up, and we'll go downstairs to the kitchen. I'll make us some hot chocolate."
Tess smiled. "That sounds like a fine idea, Angel Boy. I'll see you downstairs." With that, Tess vanished in the way angels are apt to do.
Andrew finished his bath, got dressed in a set of flannel pajamas - much like Monica's, only Andrew's were larger - and descended the stairs quietly. He entered the kitchen to find Tess already heating milk on the stove for hot chocolate. She had "changed" too into (what else?) flannel pajamas. Andrew had to laugh at their coordinated attire. When Tess saw what Andrew was wearing, she joined him in a chuckle. She turned the stove off and poured the milk into mugs while Andrew added chocolate. A few marshmallows later, and the pair were seated with steaming cups of hot chocolate at the kitchen table.
"Now, Angel Boy, what's on your mind?" Tess asked.
Andrew sipped his beverage. He looked at Tess, who stared right back. She tried to read him from his expression and demeanor, but got nothing more than the fact that he was battling with something. From Tess, Andrew got the feeling that she was very concerned, and he was right. He loved Tess and knew he could trust her to try to empathize with his emotions.
"I.I feel different around Monica, Tess. I experienced emotions as an angel, but now that I'm human, I'm finding that there are so many new feelings I've never had. With Monica.it's more than simple emotion, too. I have butterflies in my stomach. My skin tingles when she touches me. My heart pounds harder when I see her. And right now, she's upstairs, sleeping; she's not right beside me, and I miss her! I don't understand it, Tess. It's all so confusing!" he blurted out, the words suddenly there when he needed them.
Tess smiled, but wore a troubled look behind her eyes. She reached across the table and took Andrew's hand in a maternal gesture of reassurance. "Well, Baby, I've never been human, so I can't say that I know exactly how you feel. I could tell you what it sounds like you're feeling, but the Father wants you to figure it out for yourself. Let me promise you that you're going to be okay, and that you will understand in time."
Andrew released a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. Being human was going to be more difficult then he thought. Tess continued in her warm voice,
"Talk to Monica, Angel Boy. You never know: she might be thinking the same thing you are. And pray. Always pray. The Father has a reason for allowing you to be human. It's a gift, and you'll find out the full meaning of it soon enough. Allow Him to guide you, Baby; He'll take you where you're supposed to go. I'll be back to check on you again."
"You're leaving?" Andrew was surprised, but not nearly as upset as he was a
few minutes ago.
"It's time for me to go. Trust in the Father, Baby," Tess rose to leave.
"I do. And I will. Thank you, Tess," Andrew replied, standing as well.
"Everything will be all right, Baby. Take this all one step at a time," Tess advised, walking around the table to embrace her Angel Boy. Andrew accepted her hug whole-heartedly. He truly did feel better, even though his talk with Tess had only lasted a few minutes. Tess had that way with people: she could turn a frown into a smile with just a few words and a well-placed gesture or two. She pulled away from Andrew, held his arms as she smiled at him warmly, and then was gone. Andrew finished his cocoa and
cleaned up the dishes. He really was tired now, and thought that he might be able to sleep well. He made sure the doors were locked, turned off all of the downstairs lights, and made his way to his room. After saying another prayer to the Father, Andrew climbed into bed and fell asleep, full with the knowledge that the Father was watching over him and Monica and that all would be fine in the end. When one turns him or herself over to the Father's hands, good things happen.
Please see the disclaimer in Ch. 3. "TBAA" sure ain't ours!
Chapter 5 by AJ
What was this? One of God's gifts to His angels was the ability to have emotions. This, however, was an emotion Andrew had never experienced before. Indescribable happiness and.something more. Tiny butterflies flitted about his stomach, and he didn't even mind. His ears and face felt warm, but not uncomfortably so. Monica shifted so that her head now lay on his chest. He rested his chin on her head; it felt so natural, so perfect. Andrew chuckled.
The reverberations of Andrew's laugh in his chest woke Monica from her almost-sleep. She had had a long day and was very tired; never before had she felt fatigue like this; this was *real* tiredness, not the shadow of human feeling she had experienced before. Still, Andrew's laughing her awake didn't bother her. In fact, she smiled too. "What's so funny?"
"Nothing. Nothing and everything," Andrew wasn't even sure what he found humorous. "I like this: sitting with you. Your head makes a good chinrest."
"And you make a nice pillow," Monica retorted, too tired to really think. She yawned.
"You're tired," Andrew noticed unnecessarily.
"Yes. A wee bit," Monica had to confess.
Andrew hugged his best friend. "When people are tired, they usually go to bed. At least, that's what I've seen. Maybe this is your cue to try out your new room?" he teased.
Monica laughed. "I'm not going to argue with you, Andy. I'm too tired." Andy. She'd called him "Andy." Usually, he hated being called anything but his full name, but from Monica.
She realized didn't want to leave his side, not even to fall into bed and slumber. Andrew shifted beside her.
"C'mon," he prodded gently. "I'll tuck you in."
Monica pushed herself to her feet then. "Humans tell bedtime stories. Will you tell me one?" She was only half-kidding.
Andrew laughed, half-hoping that she was being honest. With her out of the chair they shared, no longer touching him, he felt as if something was missing. He had to change the subject. "Race you upstairs!"
He took off at a sprint, leaving Monica a step behind and a second confused. Andrew was at the stairs before Monica jumped into movement. She was faster than her tired body wanted to admit to, and quickly ducked under Andrew's arm as the raced up the stairs. She was ahead of him now, and he caught her around the waist. Monica squealed, completely forgetting that Estelle was trying to sleep.
"Shhh!" Andrew admonished, laughing. Monica dropped to her knees on the top stair, unable to control her mirth. Andrew fell beside her and they laughed together.
"Who won?" Estelle, wrapped in her emerald green bathrobe and cane in hand appeared around the corner to find Monica and Andrew in hysterics at the top of the steps. She looked very tired, but not angry. These "kids" reminded her of herself and Walter, many years ago.
The sight of Estelle snapped Andrew and Monica out of their reverie and into the present, where they realized they'd just awakened an exhausted elderly woman. "Oh!" Monica exclaimed, standing up quickly. "Estelle, we are SO sorry! We didn't mean to wake you up -"
"I want to know who won the race," Estelle interrupted, her eyes sparkling. She was a terrific sport; Andrew and Monica liked her even more right then.
Andrew was on his feet now too. He and Monica glanced at each other, and Monica dissolved into giggles again. Andrew rolled his eyes good- naturedly. "She did," he relented. "But not without a fight."
Estelle smiled at them, shaking her head. She remembered racing Walt up the stairs; how he always let her get a step ahead and then caught her so that he could kiss her. She remembered the sounds of her children running the stairs, calling to each other, "Last one up's a rotten egg!" She remembered the happy faces of her grandchildren as they sprinted up the stairs to give "Gramma" a big hug on their rare visits. It was nice to hear the stairs in use again, to see smiling faces at the top.
"Sounds familiar," Estelle replied after her moment of reflection. She leaned heavily on her cane, her thoughts of her family apparent in her expressive eyes. Monica noticed right away.
"We're done making noise now, I promise," Monica said genuinely. She fought a yawn, but Estelle didn't bother stifling hers. Monica eyed the cane, observing how much Estelle was relying on it.
Obviously, Andrew noticed too. "Do you want me to walk you back to your bedroom?" he offered.
"If you don't mind, I think I'd appreciate that," Estelle answered gratefully.
With a wink at Monica, Andrew easily hoisted Estelle into his arms. Estelle gasped in surprise, and then laughed. She wrapped an arm around his neck, her free hand occupied with holding onto her cane. "I *know* I'm going to like having you around now!" she exclaimed.
Andrew carried Estelle into her bedroom and lay her gently on her sheets. Estelle rested her cane up next to her bedside table and accepted the covers that Andrew pulled up around her. She settled into her pillow and Andrew lovingly tucked her in, suddenly wishing he might have had a mother who would have done this for him.
Estelle smoothed Andrew's cheek with her hand. "Thank you, Andrew. You know, you remind me of someone, but I can't quite put my finger on it."
Andrew suddenly realized what Estelle was talking about - he had had a sense of déjà vu when he and Monica met Estelle earlier that day, but had brushed it off as a human emotion he wasn't prepared to deal with yet. When Walter had died, it was Andrew who led him Home. However, Andrew had been invisible to humans at the time - how could Estelle have seen him? Like Monica had felt earlier, Andrew found himself in need of Tess' guidance, and definitely some prayer.
"Andrew?" Estelle pulled Andrew back to reality. "Are you all right?"
Andrew smiled reassuringly. "I'm fine, Estelle. Thank you for asking. I guess I'm a little tired too. Can I get you anything before I head off to bed?"
"No, dear. No thank you. My eyes are ready to shut, I think," she smiled up at Andrew, trying to place his face. Maybe, she decided, it would come to her in a dream. "Good night, Andrew. And tell Monica good night. I'm going to say a quick prayer thanking God for the two of you. I just feel like you're Heaven-sent." Estelle's heavy eyelids were beginning to close.
"Good night, Estelle." Andrew tucked the covers around his new friend, and slipped out of the bedroom, turning the light off as he left.
In the darkness, Estelle offered her thanks to God for sending Andrew and Monica to her. She just knew that their relationship would work out wonderfully. Then she drifted off into slumberland.
***** Remembering his promise to tuck Monica in, Andrew stopped at her room next. He knocked softly on her mostly-closed door, and she mumbled an allowance for him to come in. Pushing the door open enough for him to slip through, Andrew found the lights dim, and Monica curled on her side in the bed, her eyes half-open and looking at him.
"'Bout time you got here, Andy," she chided. "I still want that bedtime story."
Andrew laughed and knelt on the floor beside the bed so that he was eye-to- eye with Monica. "Oh, do you now, Angel Girl? By the looks of things, you won't be able to stay awake for the "once upon a time"." Andrew reached up and tucked a stray lock of hair behind Monica's ear. Her skin tingled under his touch. It had never done that before. What was all of this? Suddenly, Monica was wide awake and confused. Normally, she would talk to Andrew or Tess about her feelings, but Tess wasn't there, and Andrew was exactly the wrong person to whom she could talk right now. After all, her feelings concerned him! She needed time to think and to pray.
"How 'bout a rain check, then?" Monica liked that phrase, and now had the perfect opportunity to use it. She couldn't admit that she was no longer tired, because Andrew thought that she was and she wouldn't lie to him. She also needed him to go away so that she could think and pray in private.
"All right. When it rains, I'll check in on you again," he teased her. He had felt the electricity when he touched Monica too, and was just as confused. Unbeknownst to his best friend, he also wanted to hide in the privacy of his own bedroom and do some praying and pondering of his own. Andrew stood up and tucked the blankets around Monica, hoping that his emotions didn't play out on his face. "Estelle wanted me to wish you good night, too. I really like her."
"I do too," Monica replied, accepting the covers that Andrew pulled up to her chin. "Good night, Andy." She found his hand quickly and gave it a squeeze. She felt that same tingling again. She decided she liked it.
"Good night, Angel Girl," Andrew smiled tenderly at Monica, refusing to let his expression show that he sensed electricity when they touched. It was a feeling he decided he liked. Andrew turned around and left Monica's room, turning the light off and pulling her door almost-closed behind him.
Andrew went into his own room and decided he wanted a shower. No, a bath. As an angel, he hadn't had human needs, but he now felt a desire to soak in hot water. Hot water with bubbles! Retrieving his pajamas and personal necessities, he crossed the hall to the bathroom and prepared at bubble bath. In a few minutes, Andrew was sliding into a full tub of bliss. This was a human pleasure he decided he would never be able to get enough of. Closing his eyes, Andrew sighed and began to ponder the day's events. He thanked the Father for the chance to experience humanity, for bringing him to Estelle's home, for Estelle herself, for Tess, and for his friendship with Monica. Monica. What was it about Monica that now made his heart skip a beat and his skin shiver when they touched? She was his best friend, but had never caused butterflies to flit about his stomach before today! No one had.
"Am I interrupting?" A bourbon voice broke Andrew from his thoughts. His eyes flew open.
"Tess!" Andrew jumped, then tried to cover himself with his hands. He didn't need to: the bubbles had him totally costumed. He'd never felt modest before. "What are you doing here?"
"I told you I'd be checking in on you, and I am," Tess explained. She was sitting on the closed toilet. Her blue pantsuit suited the bathroom's décor perfectly.
"Now?!" Andrew exclaimed.
Tess chuckled. "What's wrong, Angel Boy? Don't worry - I can't see anything. Not that I'd try. I have no interest in what you're hiding beneath those bubbles," she teased him. "I want to know how you're doing. How was your first day as a human?"
Andrew sighed, relaxing under the blanket of bubbles. "Confusing. And.nice."
"I see that you're getting along well with Estelle. You and Monica both. She's a very strong woman, but she's hiding a great deal of pain," Tess continued.
"I could see that," Andrew replied. "Why don't her children visit, Tess? Don't they know how hard it is on their mother?"
"Estelle told you why they don't visit, Baby. Weren't you paying attention? They can't stand to see their mother failing. David and Marcie want to remember their mother the way she used to be: vibrant and full of life. They don't realize that their absence hurts her deeply, especially since their father died. They miss their father, too," explained Tess. "But you've got more on your mind than this assignment, don't you?" Tess shook her head. "I didn't think that this would work. The Father must know what he's doing, but I wish He'd let me in on His little secrets sometimes."
"What won't work, Tess? The fact that Monica and I are human and still doing God's work? Isn't that the whole point of being human: to do His work? To love and help other people?" Andrew asked.
"Well, yes, Baby, of course. But humanity is even more complicated than that. It's harder to be human than it is to be an angel. You have so many more temptations, so many more feelings.But you know that already, don't you?" Tess countered.
Does she know? Andrew wondered. He regarded Tess critically.
"Is there anything you want to talk about, Baby?" Tess asked gently. Andrew sighed again. "I don't know, Tess. You're right about humans having more.feelings. I'm a little confused, I guess. I." He and Tess were close, and he had never been afraid to share things with her before. But would she understand? At any rate, this was hardly the place to have a heart-to-heart talk. "Can we talk about this in a different room? Let me get cleaned up, and we'll go downstairs to the kitchen. I'll make us some hot chocolate."
Tess smiled. "That sounds like a fine idea, Angel Boy. I'll see you downstairs." With that, Tess vanished in the way angels are apt to do.
Andrew finished his bath, got dressed in a set of flannel pajamas - much like Monica's, only Andrew's were larger - and descended the stairs quietly. He entered the kitchen to find Tess already heating milk on the stove for hot chocolate. She had "changed" too into (what else?) flannel pajamas. Andrew had to laugh at their coordinated attire. When Tess saw what Andrew was wearing, she joined him in a chuckle. She turned the stove off and poured the milk into mugs while Andrew added chocolate. A few marshmallows later, and the pair were seated with steaming cups of hot chocolate at the kitchen table.
"Now, Angel Boy, what's on your mind?" Tess asked.
Andrew sipped his beverage. He looked at Tess, who stared right back. She tried to read him from his expression and demeanor, but got nothing more than the fact that he was battling with something. From Tess, Andrew got the feeling that she was very concerned, and he was right. He loved Tess and knew he could trust her to try to empathize with his emotions.
"I.I feel different around Monica, Tess. I experienced emotions as an angel, but now that I'm human, I'm finding that there are so many new feelings I've never had. With Monica.it's more than simple emotion, too. I have butterflies in my stomach. My skin tingles when she touches me. My heart pounds harder when I see her. And right now, she's upstairs, sleeping; she's not right beside me, and I miss her! I don't understand it, Tess. It's all so confusing!" he blurted out, the words suddenly there when he needed them.
Tess smiled, but wore a troubled look behind her eyes. She reached across the table and took Andrew's hand in a maternal gesture of reassurance. "Well, Baby, I've never been human, so I can't say that I know exactly how you feel. I could tell you what it sounds like you're feeling, but the Father wants you to figure it out for yourself. Let me promise you that you're going to be okay, and that you will understand in time."
Andrew released a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. Being human was going to be more difficult then he thought. Tess continued in her warm voice,
"Talk to Monica, Angel Boy. You never know: she might be thinking the same thing you are. And pray. Always pray. The Father has a reason for allowing you to be human. It's a gift, and you'll find out the full meaning of it soon enough. Allow Him to guide you, Baby; He'll take you where you're supposed to go. I'll be back to check on you again."
"You're leaving?" Andrew was surprised, but not nearly as upset as he was a
few minutes ago.
"It's time for me to go. Trust in the Father, Baby," Tess rose to leave.
"I do. And I will. Thank you, Tess," Andrew replied, standing as well.
"Everything will be all right, Baby. Take this all one step at a time," Tess advised, walking around the table to embrace her Angel Boy. Andrew accepted her hug whole-heartedly. He truly did feel better, even though his talk with Tess had only lasted a few minutes. Tess had that way with people: she could turn a frown into a smile with just a few words and a well-placed gesture or two. She pulled away from Andrew, held his arms as she smiled at him warmly, and then was gone. Andrew finished his cocoa and
cleaned up the dishes. He really was tired now, and thought that he might be able to sleep well. He made sure the doors were locked, turned off all of the downstairs lights, and made his way to his room. After saying another prayer to the Father, Andrew climbed into bed and fell asleep, full with the knowledge that the Father was watching over him and Monica and that all would be fine in the end. When one turns him or herself over to the Father's hands, good things happen.