Author's ramblings: Hi Kids! Sorry for the delay! Now that Andrew and
Monica have confessed their love for each other (remember, this is an AU
tale, and Monica and Andrew are human!), the story can take several
directions. The challenge is to finally choose one and run with it!
Before running, though, good athletes know to warm up. Consider this
"warming up".
Chapter 9 (by AJ)
With his hand in hers, and hers in his, Monica and Andrew descended the stairs. For the moment, they were happy to just be together. Both realized that soon they would have to discuss where to take their relationship, but, for now, they simply basked in the euphoria of knowing they were in love with each other.
"Do I look all right?" Monica suddenly felt self-conscious. She had been crying, after all, and her emotions always shone clearly on her face.
"You look beautiful," Andrew reassured her, squeezing her hand. Together, the former-angels entered the kitchen.
"We're engaged," Andrew announced, his eyes on Tess.
"You're WHAT?" Tess barked, jolting up from her seat. Then she saw the laughter in Andrew's eyes, realized that he was totally kidding, and glared at him. "Funny, Angel Boy. You're a laugh a minute these days." She sat back down.
"Angel Boy?" Estelle spoke up. Tess, Monica, and Andrew passed a nervous glance between themselves. "You know, that's a good nickname for you, Andrew. You *do* remind me of an angel. You all do." No one knew what to say. It was hardly time to share the Big Secret with Estelle. Luckily, she continued: "Your breakfast is cold now. I don't know how you young people can eat cold food like you do. My children are that way too. Anyway, put your plates in the microwave and warm your pancakes back up. Then I want to know what really went on upstairs, even if it didn't involve a ring."
Andrew set to the task of re-heating his breakfast and Monica's while Monica offered to make coffee. It was the one "dish" she truly could prepare flawlessly. When the pair were seated again, Estelle inquired,
"Is everything all right between the two of you?" She knew that Monica and Andrew were in love, but she could tell now that Monica had shed an ocean of tears, and she hadn't said a word since she and Andrew had come downstairs, save for offering to make coffee.
"Everything is fine, Estelle," Andrew replied, beaming across the table at Monica. "Everything is wonderful."
Monica grinned shyly back, feeling like a schoolgirl under the influence of her first crush.
Estelle chuckled as she peered at the expressions on Andrew and Monica's faces. "You remind me of Walt and me when we were first courting," she observed. "Couldn't take our eyes off each other."
Monica's face turned red, and she broke her gaze from Andrew's. Then, she laughed. She laughed from deep within, warmly and heartily. Andrew joined her. It was a laugh of joy and even of relief. Estelle grinned broadly. Only Tess remained sober. She wasn't sure what to think. Her former angels were in love. Was this part of the Father's plan? It must be. But Tess still didn't understand it. Tess was not a patient woman by nature, but she recognized that the Father had a plan and knew what He was doing. She just wished He'd share a little more of this plan with her. After all, it regarded *her* Angel Babies! "Trust in the Lord", Tess reminded herself. She smiled then, for her "angels" sake: a warm, motherly smile. If Monica and Andrew were happy, then she could be happy for them. She would keep her worries to herself for now.
"You make a beautiful couple," Estelle said as the laughter finally subsided.
"Thank you, Estelle," Monica replied, her Irish brogue rich with her final peals of mirth. She reached over to squeeze Tess' hand, sensing her mentor's concern. Tess was not in any way, shape, or form against Andrew and Monica's love for each other. She just feared the possibility that things wouldn't work out. Could her "angels" handle heartbreak and the other real emotions that may come with love? She knew she would need to trust her "babies" and the Father's plan. But why did it have to be so hard to put everything into the Father's hands sometimes? Tess squeezed Monica's hand in return and vowed to check in on Andrew and Monica as often as possible.
After breakfast, Andrew and Monica did the dishes together while Tess offered to help Estelle weed the flower boxes. Estelle readily agreed, and she and Tess sat on the edge of the porch pulling weeds from the detachable boxes that they asked Andrew to bring them. Running from the kitchen to the windows to the porch made Andrew thirsty, and, following putting the dishes away, Monica made some lemonade for him. Soon, all four were settled on the porch, weeding the flower boxes and sipping lemonade.
About mid-morning, Estelle had another MS attack, much like the one she had had the night before. Andrew gave her a back massage while Monica dashed to the medicine cabinet for two ibuprofen, even though Estelle refused them. She never wanted to take drugs unless she absolutely needed them. To keep her mind occupied, Tess asked Estelle about where her children lived. Marcie, David, and Estelle were Monica and Andrew's assignment, after all.
"Marcie and Evan are both veterinarians. I always knew that my daughter would do something with animals; we had so many pets, in addition to our other animals, sometimes I didn't know what to do! She's very gentle, which is one of the reasons she's such a wonderful mother. She's also very sensitive. I guess that's why she doesn't visit much. It's too hard for her to see me sick, and it must've been even worse when her dad had his heart problems." Estelle's voice trailed off.
"And David?" Tess prompted gently.
"David and MaryAnne run a dairy farm. The same farm Walt and I worked when we were younger and the kids were little. It was the perfect place to raise a family, Walt said. Must be where Marcie found her love for animals and David learned his excellent business sense. You've got to be a good businessperson to run a successful farm! He always loved planting season: getting up early to milk the cows and then be on the tractor even before the dew burned away." Estelle was lost again in her memories. "Walter was just like that. And I was up at dawn to start my day by making breakfast. The kids helped with chores and played in the backyard. When they were older, Walt taught them how to drive the tractors and work the fields. Marcie would rather have stayed with the cows all day, but David loved cultivating, planting, harvesting. On Sundays, we went to church together, then out to lunch." She laughed ruefully, remembering her company. "Oh, it wasn't all idyllic. We had our share of problems, that's for sure! I guess now it's just easiest to remember the good times. We were a close- knit family. I miss that. I miss my husband and I miss my children. I miss my grandchildren too!" She had fought so hard not to cry yesterday, but couldn't help herself today. The tears fell.
Monica hurried to enclose Estelle in a hug. As an angel, Monica had been terribly empathetic and emotional. These qualities carried over into her humanity. She cried too as she held Estelle. Andrew, who had been massaging Estelle's back, now rubbed it gently. Tess leaned in to take Estelle's hand.
The muscle spasm was over, and Estelle was exhausted from it, and even more so from her recollections and the tears. She was calm a few minutes after the crying began, and asked Andrew to take her inside and up to her room. She wanted to lie down. Monica released her hug, and Andrew lifted Estelle into his arms and carried her up to her bedroom. As he lay her against her pillows and pulled the blankets up around her, he said,
"It might be hard to believe right now, Estelle, but everything is going to be all right. Put your trust in the Lord. I promise He'll take care of you."
"I know, Andrew. I know," Estelle replied, patting Andrew's hand. He kissed her forehead because he wanted to say more, and finally slipped away because he couldn't.
Alone in her room, Estelle's gaze fell upon her wall where the pictures of her family hung. She cried herself to sleep.
**********
Andrew sat down somberly in his chair on the porch next to Monica. Tess continued to pull weeds, but Monica sat back in her seat with a contemplative look on her face. Andrew took her hand and she smiled sadly at him.
"You're back, Angel Boy," Tess remarked, looking up from her work at Andrew. She wiped a drop of sweat from her brow. "How is Estelle doing?" she asked with great concern.
"She could be better." Andrew didn't know what else to say. Monica sighed and rested her head on Andrew's shoulder.
"And what do you plan to do about that?" Tess prompted.
"Talk to Marcie and David, of course. Surely we can convince them that their mother needs them," Monica replied, as though the answer were obvious.
"Yes, well, that's the idea, Baby, but who's to say those children will listen to you? How long have you known their mother? One whole day? And you're not angels any more. You'll have to rely entirely on your human powers of persuasion. It's a God-given talent, and I know you both are more than capable, but it won't be as easy as you think," Tess said.
"We can do it, Tess. Don't worry," Andrew soothed.
"Worried? Oh, no! I'm not worried! How could I worry when my angels have just become human and don't know the first thing about it? Then they realize they're in love with each other, and to top it off, they've got to put a family back together. No, Angel Boy, I'm not worried about a thing!" Tess exclaimed.
"Tess. Andrew and I are very happy together. Is it wrong for us to be in love?" Monica lamented.
"No, Baby. No, of course not. There's very little in this universe I want more than for my Babies to be happy. And you quite obviously are perfect for each other. I just worry that something will happen, that your hearts will be broken. You can't blame me for being concerned, can you? I can't stand to see either of you upset." Now Tess felt like crying.
Again, Monica felt the need to offer a hug, and she did so with Tess. Andrew, for his part, couldn't help but join the embrace.
"Everything will be just fine, Tess. We have each other, and you, and God on our side. What else do we need?" Andrew reasoned.
"A job, for one thing," Tess replied a moment later after collecting herself and Monica and Andrew had retuned their bottoms to their respective chairs.
"A job?" Andrew hadn't even thought of that.
"A job, insurance, some way of getting around, among other things. You're human now, Baby. You've got more demands to think about. And one of you will have to get a job while the other stays here with Estelle," Tess explained. She rose from her chair, stepped down to the sidewalk, picked up the newspaper that had been delivered early that morning, and brought it back to the "angels". She flipped to the proper section. "Here. The classified ads."
The trio put their heads together to read the employment columns. The first job that caught Andrew's eye was for a local construction company.
"Here! Look! "Martin Brothers Construction looking for a few good men for short-term employment, possible long-term. Apply in person." And there's an address. I think I'd like to work in construction, to build! I haven't been a builder in ages!"
"But construction is so dangerous, Andy!" Monica argued. "You could be injured or." She refused to finish her thought.
"This is what I was talking about, Angel Boy. Now you wonder why I was worried?" Tess added.
"I at least want to go to the interview. I'll go today. If the job sounds too dangerous, I'll find something else. But to be able to work with my hands again, to construct homes for people or hospitals or fire stations! I think this is what I'm supposed to do." Andrew grew more excited by the moment.
"You'll find something else, Andy? What if *I* got a job instead?" Monica dared.
"I would be perfectly happy if *you* had a job, Moni," Andrew replied sincerely, "but please let me check this one out first."
Monica smiled at Andrew, her brown eyes sparkling. "Of course, Andy, of course."
Chapter 9 (by AJ)
With his hand in hers, and hers in his, Monica and Andrew descended the stairs. For the moment, they were happy to just be together. Both realized that soon they would have to discuss where to take their relationship, but, for now, they simply basked in the euphoria of knowing they were in love with each other.
"Do I look all right?" Monica suddenly felt self-conscious. She had been crying, after all, and her emotions always shone clearly on her face.
"You look beautiful," Andrew reassured her, squeezing her hand. Together, the former-angels entered the kitchen.
"We're engaged," Andrew announced, his eyes on Tess.
"You're WHAT?" Tess barked, jolting up from her seat. Then she saw the laughter in Andrew's eyes, realized that he was totally kidding, and glared at him. "Funny, Angel Boy. You're a laugh a minute these days." She sat back down.
"Angel Boy?" Estelle spoke up. Tess, Monica, and Andrew passed a nervous glance between themselves. "You know, that's a good nickname for you, Andrew. You *do* remind me of an angel. You all do." No one knew what to say. It was hardly time to share the Big Secret with Estelle. Luckily, she continued: "Your breakfast is cold now. I don't know how you young people can eat cold food like you do. My children are that way too. Anyway, put your plates in the microwave and warm your pancakes back up. Then I want to know what really went on upstairs, even if it didn't involve a ring."
Andrew set to the task of re-heating his breakfast and Monica's while Monica offered to make coffee. It was the one "dish" she truly could prepare flawlessly. When the pair were seated again, Estelle inquired,
"Is everything all right between the two of you?" She knew that Monica and Andrew were in love, but she could tell now that Monica had shed an ocean of tears, and she hadn't said a word since she and Andrew had come downstairs, save for offering to make coffee.
"Everything is fine, Estelle," Andrew replied, beaming across the table at Monica. "Everything is wonderful."
Monica grinned shyly back, feeling like a schoolgirl under the influence of her first crush.
Estelle chuckled as she peered at the expressions on Andrew and Monica's faces. "You remind me of Walt and me when we were first courting," she observed. "Couldn't take our eyes off each other."
Monica's face turned red, and she broke her gaze from Andrew's. Then, she laughed. She laughed from deep within, warmly and heartily. Andrew joined her. It was a laugh of joy and even of relief. Estelle grinned broadly. Only Tess remained sober. She wasn't sure what to think. Her former angels were in love. Was this part of the Father's plan? It must be. But Tess still didn't understand it. Tess was not a patient woman by nature, but she recognized that the Father had a plan and knew what He was doing. She just wished He'd share a little more of this plan with her. After all, it regarded *her* Angel Babies! "Trust in the Lord", Tess reminded herself. She smiled then, for her "angels" sake: a warm, motherly smile. If Monica and Andrew were happy, then she could be happy for them. She would keep her worries to herself for now.
"You make a beautiful couple," Estelle said as the laughter finally subsided.
"Thank you, Estelle," Monica replied, her Irish brogue rich with her final peals of mirth. She reached over to squeeze Tess' hand, sensing her mentor's concern. Tess was not in any way, shape, or form against Andrew and Monica's love for each other. She just feared the possibility that things wouldn't work out. Could her "angels" handle heartbreak and the other real emotions that may come with love? She knew she would need to trust her "babies" and the Father's plan. But why did it have to be so hard to put everything into the Father's hands sometimes? Tess squeezed Monica's hand in return and vowed to check in on Andrew and Monica as often as possible.
After breakfast, Andrew and Monica did the dishes together while Tess offered to help Estelle weed the flower boxes. Estelle readily agreed, and she and Tess sat on the edge of the porch pulling weeds from the detachable boxes that they asked Andrew to bring them. Running from the kitchen to the windows to the porch made Andrew thirsty, and, following putting the dishes away, Monica made some lemonade for him. Soon, all four were settled on the porch, weeding the flower boxes and sipping lemonade.
About mid-morning, Estelle had another MS attack, much like the one she had had the night before. Andrew gave her a back massage while Monica dashed to the medicine cabinet for two ibuprofen, even though Estelle refused them. She never wanted to take drugs unless she absolutely needed them. To keep her mind occupied, Tess asked Estelle about where her children lived. Marcie, David, and Estelle were Monica and Andrew's assignment, after all.
"Marcie and Evan are both veterinarians. I always knew that my daughter would do something with animals; we had so many pets, in addition to our other animals, sometimes I didn't know what to do! She's very gentle, which is one of the reasons she's such a wonderful mother. She's also very sensitive. I guess that's why she doesn't visit much. It's too hard for her to see me sick, and it must've been even worse when her dad had his heart problems." Estelle's voice trailed off.
"And David?" Tess prompted gently.
"David and MaryAnne run a dairy farm. The same farm Walt and I worked when we were younger and the kids were little. It was the perfect place to raise a family, Walt said. Must be where Marcie found her love for animals and David learned his excellent business sense. You've got to be a good businessperson to run a successful farm! He always loved planting season: getting up early to milk the cows and then be on the tractor even before the dew burned away." Estelle was lost again in her memories. "Walter was just like that. And I was up at dawn to start my day by making breakfast. The kids helped with chores and played in the backyard. When they were older, Walt taught them how to drive the tractors and work the fields. Marcie would rather have stayed with the cows all day, but David loved cultivating, planting, harvesting. On Sundays, we went to church together, then out to lunch." She laughed ruefully, remembering her company. "Oh, it wasn't all idyllic. We had our share of problems, that's for sure! I guess now it's just easiest to remember the good times. We were a close- knit family. I miss that. I miss my husband and I miss my children. I miss my grandchildren too!" She had fought so hard not to cry yesterday, but couldn't help herself today. The tears fell.
Monica hurried to enclose Estelle in a hug. As an angel, Monica had been terribly empathetic and emotional. These qualities carried over into her humanity. She cried too as she held Estelle. Andrew, who had been massaging Estelle's back, now rubbed it gently. Tess leaned in to take Estelle's hand.
The muscle spasm was over, and Estelle was exhausted from it, and even more so from her recollections and the tears. She was calm a few minutes after the crying began, and asked Andrew to take her inside and up to her room. She wanted to lie down. Monica released her hug, and Andrew lifted Estelle into his arms and carried her up to her bedroom. As he lay her against her pillows and pulled the blankets up around her, he said,
"It might be hard to believe right now, Estelle, but everything is going to be all right. Put your trust in the Lord. I promise He'll take care of you."
"I know, Andrew. I know," Estelle replied, patting Andrew's hand. He kissed her forehead because he wanted to say more, and finally slipped away because he couldn't.
Alone in her room, Estelle's gaze fell upon her wall where the pictures of her family hung. She cried herself to sleep.
**********
Andrew sat down somberly in his chair on the porch next to Monica. Tess continued to pull weeds, but Monica sat back in her seat with a contemplative look on her face. Andrew took her hand and she smiled sadly at him.
"You're back, Angel Boy," Tess remarked, looking up from her work at Andrew. She wiped a drop of sweat from her brow. "How is Estelle doing?" she asked with great concern.
"She could be better." Andrew didn't know what else to say. Monica sighed and rested her head on Andrew's shoulder.
"And what do you plan to do about that?" Tess prompted.
"Talk to Marcie and David, of course. Surely we can convince them that their mother needs them," Monica replied, as though the answer were obvious.
"Yes, well, that's the idea, Baby, but who's to say those children will listen to you? How long have you known their mother? One whole day? And you're not angels any more. You'll have to rely entirely on your human powers of persuasion. It's a God-given talent, and I know you both are more than capable, but it won't be as easy as you think," Tess said.
"We can do it, Tess. Don't worry," Andrew soothed.
"Worried? Oh, no! I'm not worried! How could I worry when my angels have just become human and don't know the first thing about it? Then they realize they're in love with each other, and to top it off, they've got to put a family back together. No, Angel Boy, I'm not worried about a thing!" Tess exclaimed.
"Tess. Andrew and I are very happy together. Is it wrong for us to be in love?" Monica lamented.
"No, Baby. No, of course not. There's very little in this universe I want more than for my Babies to be happy. And you quite obviously are perfect for each other. I just worry that something will happen, that your hearts will be broken. You can't blame me for being concerned, can you? I can't stand to see either of you upset." Now Tess felt like crying.
Again, Monica felt the need to offer a hug, and she did so with Tess. Andrew, for his part, couldn't help but join the embrace.
"Everything will be just fine, Tess. We have each other, and you, and God on our side. What else do we need?" Andrew reasoned.
"A job, for one thing," Tess replied a moment later after collecting herself and Monica and Andrew had retuned their bottoms to their respective chairs.
"A job?" Andrew hadn't even thought of that.
"A job, insurance, some way of getting around, among other things. You're human now, Baby. You've got more demands to think about. And one of you will have to get a job while the other stays here with Estelle," Tess explained. She rose from her chair, stepped down to the sidewalk, picked up the newspaper that had been delivered early that morning, and brought it back to the "angels". She flipped to the proper section. "Here. The classified ads."
The trio put their heads together to read the employment columns. The first job that caught Andrew's eye was for a local construction company.
"Here! Look! "Martin Brothers Construction looking for a few good men for short-term employment, possible long-term. Apply in person." And there's an address. I think I'd like to work in construction, to build! I haven't been a builder in ages!"
"But construction is so dangerous, Andy!" Monica argued. "You could be injured or." She refused to finish her thought.
"This is what I was talking about, Angel Boy. Now you wonder why I was worried?" Tess added.
"I at least want to go to the interview. I'll go today. If the job sounds too dangerous, I'll find something else. But to be able to work with my hands again, to construct homes for people or hospitals or fire stations! I think this is what I'm supposed to do." Andrew grew more excited by the moment.
"You'll find something else, Andy? What if *I* got a job instead?" Monica dared.
"I would be perfectly happy if *you* had a job, Moni," Andrew replied sincerely, "but please let me check this one out first."
Monica smiled at Andrew, her brown eyes sparkling. "Of course, Andy, of course."