Disclaimer in ch. 3. TBAA isn't ours!
Ch. 12 (by AngieBaby)
*****6 Months Later...*****
Monica gazed out the window, her eyes fixed on something in the distance. She sat and remembered the last 6 months and how they had sometimes been fun and exhilarating, and other times very scary. What had happened to Estelle had really shaken Monica up. She would never forget her time spent at the hospital by her beside, trying to keep her as comfortable as possible.
Of course, Andrew had been with her all the way. Even all this time into their human lives, their love for each other never faltered, but continued to grow steadily stronger as the days passed.
What had Monica really confused though, was that it took something as major as Estelle being sick enough to be in the hospital for Marcie and David to finally come to their senses and visit their mother. Monica was afraid that Estelle wasn't going to live much longer, and that Marcie and David would have lost time that they could have spent with her. Marcie and David had been true to their word; they saw their mother once a week at the very least. The Reilly family became one again. It made Monica happy. Andrew had reminded her that, since he was at work most of the time, it would be mostly up to her to complete the assignment. And she did. She had gotten to know Marcie and David and their families, and helped them to remember how very important Estelle was to them. After the initial episode in the hospital, when David and Marcie returned to their mother's side, it had still taken counseling with Monica to bring the family together. Alex, Abby, and Sara needed to get to know their grandmother again, and David and Marcie needed to remember how to be the loving children they had been before Walter's death. Tears, trials, and tribulations paid off in triumph; the members of the family were inseparable. And now, it was December 23 and plans for a big Christmas Eve dinner were in the making.
Tess was, of course, invited to dinner, and insisted on cooking everything. Monica had offered to help, but Tess was very hesitant to let her anywhere near the kitchen, which was quite understandable, knowing Monica's past history with cooking.
Andrew had been doing very well with Martin Brothers' and was enjoying his job very much. He remembered his love for building, and it showed in his work. It still made Monica feel a bit queasy when she thought of all the heavy equipment that he was using to build with. It made her nervous to think, that if something were to go wrong, that Andrew would be hurt and she couldn't bear to think of that. She had confessed all of her feelings to him countless times, and he would always tell her not to worry, that everything would be fine. He would always end this conversation with an "I love you" and a soft kiss. Then Monica would feel better until she saw something on television or in the newspapers about construction accidents and all her old fears for Andrew would return. She was scared for him and his life because she knew that human lives can be snatched away in an instant. She had never had to worry about losing Andrew before they became human. After all, angels can't die. But right now, they weren't angels, but very human humans.
"Hey Angel Girl, watcha thinking about?" Andrew's gentle voice sounded from the top of the stairs, jerking her away from her thoughts. She smiled at him and shrugged.
"I don't know...everything I guess. Everything that's been happening in these last few months. Estelle in the hospital...Marcie and David finally coming around..." she said as Andrew descended the stairs and plopped down on the sofa next to her.
"It is a lot for the human mind to handle, that's for sure." He said with a small nod. He put an arm across her shoulders and rested his chin on top of her head. She snuggled closer to him and draped an arm across his waist, her head coming to land on his chest just below his shoulder. Monica closed her eyes and sighed deeply.
"I can't believe it's Christmas. Already. Our first one as humans, Andy..." Monica pointed out. "Let's make it one to remember, 'kay?" she asked with a child's innocence. Andrew nodded his head, very sure that it would be. He hoped. He had been doing some thinking of his own lately; praying as well. He didn't quite know what was going to happen in the near future, but he knew what was happening now. He had fallen so deeply in love with Monica that he couldn't imagine not including her in his plans for the future. He only knew of one way to do that.
**********
Late the next morning, Monica's eyes fluttered opened. She and Andrew had stayed up late the night before talking. She didn't even remember going up to her room and getting into bed, but here she was. Andrew must have brought her up sometime during the night. She didn't even remember falling asleep. She pulled off her covers and stretched, then got out of bed and headed downstairs. As she neared the kitchen, she noticed a wonderful smell coming from it, as well as a rich, deep singing voice that she knew was Tess'. She stepped into the kitchen and saw Andrew sitting at the breakfast bar in the large kitchen keeping Tess company while she cooked dinner for later that day. A bright smile crossed his lips as he saw her come in. She climbed up into the stool next to him and Tess greeted her with a smile also.
"Morning, Baby. Merry Christmas Eve," she said. Monica smiled back and then turned to Andrew. She kissed him gently and then rested her head on his shoulder. Tess watched out of the corner of her eye. It had only been recently that she had begun to except Monica and Andrew's new relationship. She wasn't human, so she couldn't know what feelings they had for each other, but that was ok. She was happy and they were happy. That's all that mattered to her. She set a plate of eggs and bacon in front of Monica.
"Thanks Tess. This looks great," she said, but then noticed that Andrew didn't get any. "Aren't you hungry Andy?"
"No, sweetie I ate already," he said.
"Oh Ok. Do you have any plans for today? Any last minute shopping to do before tonight?" she asked, taking a bite of her eggs.
"Yeah, I have one more thing that I need to get," he said, not telling Monica what it was. She would find out soon enough.
"Well, you better hurry Baby. The stores all close at 4:00 today because of Christmas Eve," Tess spoke up softly.
Just then, Estelle walked slowly into the kitchen. She was wrapped in a blanket and held a book in her right hand. Monica jumped up to help her, and guided her over to a chair around the table.
"How are you feeling?" She asked nervously. Estelle nodded her head in reassurance that she was fine.
"Tess made breakfast, would you like some?" the Irish tonged former angel asked quietly.
"That would be lovely, dear." Estelle said. She had grown quite fond of Monica over the past six months. Andrew too, but she just thought Monica was the cutest, sweetest person on earth.
**********
An hour later, Marcie and David arrived with trays full of different desserts. Monica greeted Marcie joyfully with a tight hug. Marcie's dark blonde hair hung loosely around her shoulders and she wore a black skirt and a white blouse with snow flake designs on it. Monica helped Marcie with the tray and the two young women walked into the kitchen, chattering happily. Andrew strolled out of the den, curious as to what all the commotion was about.
"Hey buddy." He said happily when he saw David.
"Oh hey Andrew! Great to see you!" David replied with a grin.
"So, is the rest of your family coming?" Andrew asked curiously, wondering why he didn't see any other member of David's family.
"Oh, no. The girls get the night to themselves. They're all coming tomorrow - Marcie's family too," he said with a sigh.
Andrew chuckled. Over the past six months, David had become like a brother to Andrew, the same with Monica and Marcie. Andrew ran a hand through his blond locks.
"Hey David, do you know of a good jewelry store around here?" he asked slowly. David frowned.
"There is a Kay Jewelers in the mall. But you'd better hurry, everything closes at 4:00 and it's 12:45 now," David said, checking his watch. Andrew nodded.
"Why do you need a jewelry store? What do you need?" David asked curiously, his eyebrows raised together in matching arches.
"Well, I...I need...I think...I want to get a..." he stuttered, wondering weather or not to tell David what he needed. David chuckled and nodded his head knowingly.
"You really love her that much, huh?" he asked with a twinkle in his eyes. Andrew sighed deeply.
"Yeah, Dave, I really do."
**********
Monica and Marcie were sitting in the dining room sorting through the silverware that would be used that night, when Andrew popped his head in through the doorway. Monica saw him and flashed a dazzling smile his way. He returned the smile and walked over to the table and stood behind her chair. He wrapped his arms around her neck and pecked her on the cheek and said,
"I'm going out for a while, do you need anything sweetie?"
"No, but thanks for asking. Why are you going out?" she asked, not remembering that he said earlier that he needed to get some last minute something.
"I'm running into the mall for something. I should be back in about an hour," he said and gave her one last kiss before turning and heading back into the living room, where he put his coat on and left the house for the mall.
"I wonder what he's getting?" Marcie said mysteriously. Monica shrugged.
**********
Andrew walked along in the mall, looking for the jewelry store and spotted it after about 10 minutes. He slipped in, made the perfect purchase, and slipped out, then headed back towards his car and back towards home.
**********
Monica glanced up sharply as she heard the front door open and close quietly. Marcie had gone into the kitchen with Estelle and Tess to see if either of them needed any help with dinner, and Monica was on the couch in the family room reading a book that Andrew had given her last week.
"Andy?" she called. He poked his head into the room and smiled.
"What are you doing?" he asked. She held up her book and Andrew smiled again.
"Is it good?"
"Oh yes, it's very interesting. It's about angels," she said with a wink and a sparkle in her eye. He strolled over to the sofa where she was sitting and sat down next to her. He tucked a strand of her long, auburn hair behind her ear and whispered,
"I love you," she turned to face him.
"I know. I love you too," she replied. Their lips met briefly in a warm kiss.
"I should probably get ready for dinner," she said, breaking the kiss and pulling out of his arms. He nodded. Andrew watched her walk away and up the stairs. His heart ached with love for her, and she took his breath away everyday. He was sure that there was no one in the world that he would rather be with.
**********
At 6:00 p.m. sharp, the table was set for Christmas Eve dinner. Estelle and Tess had done an excellent job in preparing all the food, and it all smelled delicious. Monica took a deep breath and sighed.
"It smells and looks great." She complimented.
"Thank you, Baby," Tess said with a smile. "Now, Andrew will you please ask the blessing?"
"I'd be glad to." He said with a nod. He took Monica's hand into his own and asked the blessing over this food.
"Father, thank you for this wonderful day and this wonderful food that you have blessed us with. Thank you for everything that you have ever given us. Let us enjoy this meal and remember you over this Christmas holiday. In your name, Amen," Andrew said. He squeezed Monica's hand and then said,
"Let's eat!"
**********
A couple of hours later, after everyone had eaten as much as they could hold of Tess' turkey and Marcie's desserts, they had all gathered in the living room around the Christmas tree, exchanging different gifts. Monica squealed with delight as she opened a gift from Andrew.
"Oh Andy, it's beautiful!" She exclaimed, fingering the snowy white sweater that had "Moni" stitched into the back in beautiful red thread. She threw her arms around his neck, knocking him over onto the floor in a pile of gift wrapping.
"Sorry..." she said, in between hysterical giggles. Andrew rolled his eyes.
Next, it was Marcie's turn to be excited. She unwrapped a pearl necklace from David. Then Tess opened her gifts from Monica and Andrew, and Estelle opened hers. They sat a talked in the living room for nearly an hour. Then Marcie announced that she should get back home, and David agreed.
Soon, the house was quiet, as Estelle had gone to bed, and Tess had left, of course not without wishing both her angel babies a Merry Christmas.
Monica, not quite ready to go to bed, had snuggled up on the couch with her book about angels. She didn't notice Andrew come in, his right hand wrapped around something, until he sat down next to her. She glanced up at him and smiled softly.
"What are you still doing up, Andy?" she asked quietly, so as not to disturb Estelle.
"I should ask of you the same, Angel Girl," he pointed out. She sighed.
"I'm not tired. I'm enjoying this book," she said truthfully. "I love the sweater, Andy. It's gorgeous." Andrew smiled in her happiness.
"Just like you," he said and kissed her softly. "But you know what? I think we forgot one," he said with a twinkle in his eye. Monica wrinkled her forehead.
"What are you talking about?" she asked innocently. He pulled the hand that held a small, blue, velvet covered box out from behind his back. Monica's eyes widened in surprise and she tried to guess what was inside. She gasped as he opened it. Inside was a ring, a very sparkly, single stone ring.
Andrew stood up off the couch and knelt down on one knee. He, obviously, had never done this before, and was a little nervous. He placed one hand on Monica's knee, while the other held the small ring box.
"Monica, we've been through a lot in these past few months, but we've always had each other to help us through the hard times. I've learned that being human isn't easy, in fact...it's pretty hard. But I've also learned that it makes it a little easier to go through it with someone you love with all your heart and soul. That's you Monica. I love you so much and I can't imagine having anyone else in the whole angelic realm but you to be mine if given the chance. I love you Moni. Will you marry me?"
Monica heard it all as if it were in slow motion. Her mind was whirling. Andrew had just asked her to marry him. Tears welled up in her eyes. A billion thoughts flowed through her mind at that very moment, but she ignored them all. She nodded her head.
"Yes..." she whispered. Andrew let out a breath that he didn't realize he had been holding. Though she didn't know it, a billion thoughts rushed around inside his head too. But he, just like her, ignored them all.
He took the ring from the box and slipped it gently onto the fourth finger of her left hand. A tear escaped her eye as she watched him.
"It's beautiful..." she whispered, not because she was trying to be quiet, but she thought that if she spoke any louder, she would burst into happy tears.
"Just like you..." he repeated of what he said earlier. He pulled her close to him and she buried her face in the nape of his neck, tears trickling from her eyes.
"This is the best Christmas ever..."
**********
The next morning dawned snowy white as Monica woke up from the sounds of birds calling to each other in the distance. She yawned and moved her left hand to rub the sleep from her eyes when the diamond ring caught her eye. All the memories from the night before rushed back into her mind and her eyes welled up with more happy tears.
She wiggled her fingers and watched as the sparkles danced on the wall. She smiled softly, and then heard a knock on the door. She sat up and called for whoever it was to come in. It was Andrew.
"Hey good morning. Merry Christmas." He said sweetly and walked across her bedroom to the side of her bed. He sat down on her bed next to her. He took her left hand into his right one and ran a finger over the ring.
"We should probably tell Tess," he said, with a tiny smile. Monica smiled back at him shyly. She nodded in agreement, then chuckled.
"What?" Andrew asked, giggling a little himself.
"Well, I woke up this morning and I thought it had all been a dream...I didn't think it really happened," she said, sounding like she couldn't believe it had happened.
"Well you still want to marry me, right?" he asked, a grin playing on his lips. She giggled.
"Of course I do. I love you, Andrew." She said brightly, but then her expression turned sour.
"But wait...how long are we going to be human? I mean, what if it was only for this assignment...this assignment is nearly over...I...what do we do...I mean...I love you...I don't want it...to just...end..." She said, her eyes wide. Andrew took a deep breath and put a hand to his forehead. He had certainly not thought of the possibility that they would return Home after the assignment was completed.
"Gee, Angel Girl, I didn't even think of that," he said, his voice a little nervous. Monica's eyes widened in horror again. A tear escaped her eye.
"Oh, sweetie, please don't cry...I'll...I'll talk to Tess, I'll find out. Don't worry!" he soothed, as he ran a hand through her tangled auburn hair. He kissed her gently and then said,
"Come on. Let's go downstairs right now and talk to Tess," he pulled her off the bed and to her feet and they both made their way down to the kitchen, where Tess was preparing a Christmas Day brunch. Tess took one look at her Angel Girl's tear streaked face, set down her cooking utensils and wrapped her arms around her in a big bear hug.
"Oh, baby, what is it?" She asked, with concern clearly showing in her mahogany eyes. Monica pulled away and glanced nervously at Andrew. Andrew cleared his throat.
"Tess can we talk to you? It's very important." He said seriously. She nodded and it was then that she noticed the ring on Monica's finger. Her eyes narrowed and she glanced up sharply at Andrew.
"Are you going to talk about that ring on her finger, Andrew?" Tess asked, not angry, but not happy either. Monica flinched and fear rushed through her that she wouldn't be able to marry Andrew.
"Uh, yeah Tess," Andrew said calmly, and Monica wondered how he could be so calm.
"Spill it, Angel Boy! I'd really like an explanation," Tess said sternly. Andrew motioned from Monica to come over towards him and he drapped an arm around her shoulders.
"Tess," he began slowly, "Monica and I are engaged. We want to get married, Tess."
"What?!" She shrieked, hoping with all her being that she heard the wrong thing.
"Engaged Tess, and this time I'm not kidding around!" he said, for some reason, quite angrily. Tess stepped back.
"And just how do you think two ANGELS can be married Andrew? Has it ever happened before? NO! What makes you think that you two can just go off and get married when you feel like it? Honestly, Andrew!" Tess shouted at him. Monica trembled and Tess realized that she had probably scared her half to death, but she continued on her rant. "I can't believe that you didn't even ask me before you did this, Andrew!"
"T-T-Tess, it-it doesn't ma-matter if we ask y-you or not..." Monica stuttered, her voice laced with tears and trembling like mad.
"And just what do you mean by that, Miss Wings?" Tess demanded of her young charge, clearly taken aback by Monica's forwardness. Monica took a shaky breath.
"I mean, that it doesn't matter if we ask you if we can get married or not. It's not up to you and you can't decide for us. No matter how much you hate Andrew and me being in love, you can't stop us from loving each other. And if we want to get married, to hell with you trying to stop us!" Monica yelled at Tess, her Irish temper way stronger as a human being. She stormed out of the kitchen on a rampage, nearly running into Estelle, but not caring. She ran up the stairs and into her room, slamming her door behind her, acting like a spoiled six-year-old.
Andrew and Tess stood speechless, exchanging glances with each other and Estelle.
"Oh, Lord..." Tess said, after a few minutes. Andrew, who couldn't help feeling a little angry at Tess himself, started out of the kitchen and up towards Monica's room to see if he could repair the damage. Tess grabbed onto his arm and tried to stop him, but he just wrenched it out of her grasp and continued on his way, without a word to her.
He entered her room quietly and his heart nearly broke. There she was, sprawled on her bed, quiet sobs making her shoulders shake. Feeling as if he were going through deja vu, he made his way over to the side of her bed and gently climbed upon it. She lifted her head, knowing that it was him, and met her eyes with his, before turning away from him and hiding her face once more.
"Moni...please...sit up...we need to talk about a few things," he said quietly. She reluctantly agreed and sat up, turning to face him, her face tear streaked.
"Baby, what you said down there about Tess...why did say that? About her hating us being in love?" Andrew asked, his face contorted with sadness. Monica's lower lip trembling violently again, she shrugged her shoulders.
"B-because she d-does..." She said. Andrew sighed.
"I don't think she does, Moni. She may not be all that happy about it, but I really don't think she hates it. I'm not sure what all you said down there was very appropriate, especially for you," he said.
"I know, and I am really sorry for saying that word...I-I didn't mean too, it's just so much easier to let it slip now. I'm so sorry, Andy," Monica whispered regretfully. Andrew nodded.
"It's OK, sweetie, but I really think we should go back and talk to Tess. We can't leave it like this. You know we can't. I think that she's a little confused right now. She doesn't know what being in love is like, and we can't blame her for being a little protective for that very reason. It probably scares her a little bit that we are engaged," Andrew said, trying to calm her down. She took a deep breath and nodded.
"OK. Let's go." She said, dried her tears and climbed off the bed, Andrew not far behind her.
**********
"Tess?" Monica asked timidly, as she spotted her former supervisor in the living room reading Monica's book about angels.
"What Miss Wings?" Tess asked impatiently. Monica looked down and sighed.
"Look, I know I said some awful things. I didn't mean what I said, about you hating Andrew's and my relationship. I know you don't. I'm sorry," she said sincerely. Tess looked up and met her Angel Baby's eyes.
"Come here, sweetie." Tess said, and patted the sofa next to her. "Angel Girl, I'm sorry if I made it sound like I was trying to control this issue. I didn't mean that. I was just scared. You and Andrew just came in and announced that you were getting married, and that was the first time I had heard about that, how do you think I felt? I felt that you and Andrew didn't feel like you could talk to me, or ask my advice anymore." Monica shook her head, tears filling her eyes.
"No! No that's not it at all. We came to talk to you about the marriage, not because we needed to ask your permission, but because we don't really know what to do. You giving us permission would have no effect whatsoever on what we decide to do, because it's just that. Our decision. We both love each other very much, and we want to get married. But the reason we came to ask is...we want to know how long we are going to be human...I mean...I love Andrew with my whole heart and I don't want to give this up. Not now. Not before we've really had a chance to experience it," Monica said, close to tears again.
Tess sighed deeply.
"I want you to know that I don't really like this. I don't. But I don't hate it, and I would never keep you two from being happy. Never. I would never want you two to be unhappy because I don't understand something. Like I said, I can't know what it is that you and that Angel Boy are feeling, but I still want you to be happy. And I'm sorry for everything I said. I love you, Angel Baby," Tess said, and Monica threw her arms around her former supervisor's neck.
"I love you too, Tess. Thank you," Monica whispered. Just then Andrew walked casually into the room at the same moment that Monica leaped into Tess's arms. He shook his head and stifled a giggle.
"So, I take it we're all ok?" he asked. Tess nodded with a smile.
"Yeah, Angel Boy. We're ok. I'd be glad to help with anything. Even wedding plans." She said, as she jabbed Monica playfully in the ribs. Monica smiled, a big toothy grin. Tess got up from the couch and said,
"I am going to start some dinner." She kissed Monica on her forehead, and moved to Andrew, kissing him on his cheek. Andrew watched Tess leave, and then took her spot on the couch right next to Monica. Out of habit, she snuggled against him, resting her head on his chest and wrapping her arms around his waist.
"So are we going to do it?" She asked. "I mean, really get married?" She pulled away from him far enough that she could look into his emerald green eyes. He looked at her thoughtfully for a moment, as if he were considering her question. She elbowed him playfully.
"You're taking too long to answer me!" she whined, sticking out her bottom lip and mumbling something under her breath.
"Of course we are," he said after several minutes of driving Monica completely insane. She smiled.
"Andy, I-" She started, but he interrupted her.
"I know, I love you too," he said. He kissed her lips softly, and then she snuggled back up against him, where they both fell into a deep sleep.
**********
More soon,
Angie and AJ
Ch. 12 (by AngieBaby)
*****6 Months Later...*****
Monica gazed out the window, her eyes fixed on something in the distance. She sat and remembered the last 6 months and how they had sometimes been fun and exhilarating, and other times very scary. What had happened to Estelle had really shaken Monica up. She would never forget her time spent at the hospital by her beside, trying to keep her as comfortable as possible.
Of course, Andrew had been with her all the way. Even all this time into their human lives, their love for each other never faltered, but continued to grow steadily stronger as the days passed.
What had Monica really confused though, was that it took something as major as Estelle being sick enough to be in the hospital for Marcie and David to finally come to their senses and visit their mother. Monica was afraid that Estelle wasn't going to live much longer, and that Marcie and David would have lost time that they could have spent with her. Marcie and David had been true to their word; they saw their mother once a week at the very least. The Reilly family became one again. It made Monica happy. Andrew had reminded her that, since he was at work most of the time, it would be mostly up to her to complete the assignment. And she did. She had gotten to know Marcie and David and their families, and helped them to remember how very important Estelle was to them. After the initial episode in the hospital, when David and Marcie returned to their mother's side, it had still taken counseling with Monica to bring the family together. Alex, Abby, and Sara needed to get to know their grandmother again, and David and Marcie needed to remember how to be the loving children they had been before Walter's death. Tears, trials, and tribulations paid off in triumph; the members of the family were inseparable. And now, it was December 23 and plans for a big Christmas Eve dinner were in the making.
Tess was, of course, invited to dinner, and insisted on cooking everything. Monica had offered to help, but Tess was very hesitant to let her anywhere near the kitchen, which was quite understandable, knowing Monica's past history with cooking.
Andrew had been doing very well with Martin Brothers' and was enjoying his job very much. He remembered his love for building, and it showed in his work. It still made Monica feel a bit queasy when she thought of all the heavy equipment that he was using to build with. It made her nervous to think, that if something were to go wrong, that Andrew would be hurt and she couldn't bear to think of that. She had confessed all of her feelings to him countless times, and he would always tell her not to worry, that everything would be fine. He would always end this conversation with an "I love you" and a soft kiss. Then Monica would feel better until she saw something on television or in the newspapers about construction accidents and all her old fears for Andrew would return. She was scared for him and his life because she knew that human lives can be snatched away in an instant. She had never had to worry about losing Andrew before they became human. After all, angels can't die. But right now, they weren't angels, but very human humans.
"Hey Angel Girl, watcha thinking about?" Andrew's gentle voice sounded from the top of the stairs, jerking her away from her thoughts. She smiled at him and shrugged.
"I don't know...everything I guess. Everything that's been happening in these last few months. Estelle in the hospital...Marcie and David finally coming around..." she said as Andrew descended the stairs and plopped down on the sofa next to her.
"It is a lot for the human mind to handle, that's for sure." He said with a small nod. He put an arm across her shoulders and rested his chin on top of her head. She snuggled closer to him and draped an arm across his waist, her head coming to land on his chest just below his shoulder. Monica closed her eyes and sighed deeply.
"I can't believe it's Christmas. Already. Our first one as humans, Andy..." Monica pointed out. "Let's make it one to remember, 'kay?" she asked with a child's innocence. Andrew nodded his head, very sure that it would be. He hoped. He had been doing some thinking of his own lately; praying as well. He didn't quite know what was going to happen in the near future, but he knew what was happening now. He had fallen so deeply in love with Monica that he couldn't imagine not including her in his plans for the future. He only knew of one way to do that.
**********
Late the next morning, Monica's eyes fluttered opened. She and Andrew had stayed up late the night before talking. She didn't even remember going up to her room and getting into bed, but here she was. Andrew must have brought her up sometime during the night. She didn't even remember falling asleep. She pulled off her covers and stretched, then got out of bed and headed downstairs. As she neared the kitchen, she noticed a wonderful smell coming from it, as well as a rich, deep singing voice that she knew was Tess'. She stepped into the kitchen and saw Andrew sitting at the breakfast bar in the large kitchen keeping Tess company while she cooked dinner for later that day. A bright smile crossed his lips as he saw her come in. She climbed up into the stool next to him and Tess greeted her with a smile also.
"Morning, Baby. Merry Christmas Eve," she said. Monica smiled back and then turned to Andrew. She kissed him gently and then rested her head on his shoulder. Tess watched out of the corner of her eye. It had only been recently that she had begun to except Monica and Andrew's new relationship. She wasn't human, so she couldn't know what feelings they had for each other, but that was ok. She was happy and they were happy. That's all that mattered to her. She set a plate of eggs and bacon in front of Monica.
"Thanks Tess. This looks great," she said, but then noticed that Andrew didn't get any. "Aren't you hungry Andy?"
"No, sweetie I ate already," he said.
"Oh Ok. Do you have any plans for today? Any last minute shopping to do before tonight?" she asked, taking a bite of her eggs.
"Yeah, I have one more thing that I need to get," he said, not telling Monica what it was. She would find out soon enough.
"Well, you better hurry Baby. The stores all close at 4:00 today because of Christmas Eve," Tess spoke up softly.
Just then, Estelle walked slowly into the kitchen. She was wrapped in a blanket and held a book in her right hand. Monica jumped up to help her, and guided her over to a chair around the table.
"How are you feeling?" She asked nervously. Estelle nodded her head in reassurance that she was fine.
"Tess made breakfast, would you like some?" the Irish tonged former angel asked quietly.
"That would be lovely, dear." Estelle said. She had grown quite fond of Monica over the past six months. Andrew too, but she just thought Monica was the cutest, sweetest person on earth.
**********
An hour later, Marcie and David arrived with trays full of different desserts. Monica greeted Marcie joyfully with a tight hug. Marcie's dark blonde hair hung loosely around her shoulders and she wore a black skirt and a white blouse with snow flake designs on it. Monica helped Marcie with the tray and the two young women walked into the kitchen, chattering happily. Andrew strolled out of the den, curious as to what all the commotion was about.
"Hey buddy." He said happily when he saw David.
"Oh hey Andrew! Great to see you!" David replied with a grin.
"So, is the rest of your family coming?" Andrew asked curiously, wondering why he didn't see any other member of David's family.
"Oh, no. The girls get the night to themselves. They're all coming tomorrow - Marcie's family too," he said with a sigh.
Andrew chuckled. Over the past six months, David had become like a brother to Andrew, the same with Monica and Marcie. Andrew ran a hand through his blond locks.
"Hey David, do you know of a good jewelry store around here?" he asked slowly. David frowned.
"There is a Kay Jewelers in the mall. But you'd better hurry, everything closes at 4:00 and it's 12:45 now," David said, checking his watch. Andrew nodded.
"Why do you need a jewelry store? What do you need?" David asked curiously, his eyebrows raised together in matching arches.
"Well, I...I need...I think...I want to get a..." he stuttered, wondering weather or not to tell David what he needed. David chuckled and nodded his head knowingly.
"You really love her that much, huh?" he asked with a twinkle in his eyes. Andrew sighed deeply.
"Yeah, Dave, I really do."
**********
Monica and Marcie were sitting in the dining room sorting through the silverware that would be used that night, when Andrew popped his head in through the doorway. Monica saw him and flashed a dazzling smile his way. He returned the smile and walked over to the table and stood behind her chair. He wrapped his arms around her neck and pecked her on the cheek and said,
"I'm going out for a while, do you need anything sweetie?"
"No, but thanks for asking. Why are you going out?" she asked, not remembering that he said earlier that he needed to get some last minute something.
"I'm running into the mall for something. I should be back in about an hour," he said and gave her one last kiss before turning and heading back into the living room, where he put his coat on and left the house for the mall.
"I wonder what he's getting?" Marcie said mysteriously. Monica shrugged.
**********
Andrew walked along in the mall, looking for the jewelry store and spotted it after about 10 minutes. He slipped in, made the perfect purchase, and slipped out, then headed back towards his car and back towards home.
**********
Monica glanced up sharply as she heard the front door open and close quietly. Marcie had gone into the kitchen with Estelle and Tess to see if either of them needed any help with dinner, and Monica was on the couch in the family room reading a book that Andrew had given her last week.
"Andy?" she called. He poked his head into the room and smiled.
"What are you doing?" he asked. She held up her book and Andrew smiled again.
"Is it good?"
"Oh yes, it's very interesting. It's about angels," she said with a wink and a sparkle in her eye. He strolled over to the sofa where she was sitting and sat down next to her. He tucked a strand of her long, auburn hair behind her ear and whispered,
"I love you," she turned to face him.
"I know. I love you too," she replied. Their lips met briefly in a warm kiss.
"I should probably get ready for dinner," she said, breaking the kiss and pulling out of his arms. He nodded. Andrew watched her walk away and up the stairs. His heart ached with love for her, and she took his breath away everyday. He was sure that there was no one in the world that he would rather be with.
**********
At 6:00 p.m. sharp, the table was set for Christmas Eve dinner. Estelle and Tess had done an excellent job in preparing all the food, and it all smelled delicious. Monica took a deep breath and sighed.
"It smells and looks great." She complimented.
"Thank you, Baby," Tess said with a smile. "Now, Andrew will you please ask the blessing?"
"I'd be glad to." He said with a nod. He took Monica's hand into his own and asked the blessing over this food.
"Father, thank you for this wonderful day and this wonderful food that you have blessed us with. Thank you for everything that you have ever given us. Let us enjoy this meal and remember you over this Christmas holiday. In your name, Amen," Andrew said. He squeezed Monica's hand and then said,
"Let's eat!"
**********
A couple of hours later, after everyone had eaten as much as they could hold of Tess' turkey and Marcie's desserts, they had all gathered in the living room around the Christmas tree, exchanging different gifts. Monica squealed with delight as she opened a gift from Andrew.
"Oh Andy, it's beautiful!" She exclaimed, fingering the snowy white sweater that had "Moni" stitched into the back in beautiful red thread. She threw her arms around his neck, knocking him over onto the floor in a pile of gift wrapping.
"Sorry..." she said, in between hysterical giggles. Andrew rolled his eyes.
Next, it was Marcie's turn to be excited. She unwrapped a pearl necklace from David. Then Tess opened her gifts from Monica and Andrew, and Estelle opened hers. They sat a talked in the living room for nearly an hour. Then Marcie announced that she should get back home, and David agreed.
Soon, the house was quiet, as Estelle had gone to bed, and Tess had left, of course not without wishing both her angel babies a Merry Christmas.
Monica, not quite ready to go to bed, had snuggled up on the couch with her book about angels. She didn't notice Andrew come in, his right hand wrapped around something, until he sat down next to her. She glanced up at him and smiled softly.
"What are you still doing up, Andy?" she asked quietly, so as not to disturb Estelle.
"I should ask of you the same, Angel Girl," he pointed out. She sighed.
"I'm not tired. I'm enjoying this book," she said truthfully. "I love the sweater, Andy. It's gorgeous." Andrew smiled in her happiness.
"Just like you," he said and kissed her softly. "But you know what? I think we forgot one," he said with a twinkle in his eye. Monica wrinkled her forehead.
"What are you talking about?" she asked innocently. He pulled the hand that held a small, blue, velvet covered box out from behind his back. Monica's eyes widened in surprise and she tried to guess what was inside. She gasped as he opened it. Inside was a ring, a very sparkly, single stone ring.
Andrew stood up off the couch and knelt down on one knee. He, obviously, had never done this before, and was a little nervous. He placed one hand on Monica's knee, while the other held the small ring box.
"Monica, we've been through a lot in these past few months, but we've always had each other to help us through the hard times. I've learned that being human isn't easy, in fact...it's pretty hard. But I've also learned that it makes it a little easier to go through it with someone you love with all your heart and soul. That's you Monica. I love you so much and I can't imagine having anyone else in the whole angelic realm but you to be mine if given the chance. I love you Moni. Will you marry me?"
Monica heard it all as if it were in slow motion. Her mind was whirling. Andrew had just asked her to marry him. Tears welled up in her eyes. A billion thoughts flowed through her mind at that very moment, but she ignored them all. She nodded her head.
"Yes..." she whispered. Andrew let out a breath that he didn't realize he had been holding. Though she didn't know it, a billion thoughts rushed around inside his head too. But he, just like her, ignored them all.
He took the ring from the box and slipped it gently onto the fourth finger of her left hand. A tear escaped her eye as she watched him.
"It's beautiful..." she whispered, not because she was trying to be quiet, but she thought that if she spoke any louder, she would burst into happy tears.
"Just like you..." he repeated of what he said earlier. He pulled her close to him and she buried her face in the nape of his neck, tears trickling from her eyes.
"This is the best Christmas ever..."
**********
The next morning dawned snowy white as Monica woke up from the sounds of birds calling to each other in the distance. She yawned and moved her left hand to rub the sleep from her eyes when the diamond ring caught her eye. All the memories from the night before rushed back into her mind and her eyes welled up with more happy tears.
She wiggled her fingers and watched as the sparkles danced on the wall. She smiled softly, and then heard a knock on the door. She sat up and called for whoever it was to come in. It was Andrew.
"Hey good morning. Merry Christmas." He said sweetly and walked across her bedroom to the side of her bed. He sat down on her bed next to her. He took her left hand into his right one and ran a finger over the ring.
"We should probably tell Tess," he said, with a tiny smile. Monica smiled back at him shyly. She nodded in agreement, then chuckled.
"What?" Andrew asked, giggling a little himself.
"Well, I woke up this morning and I thought it had all been a dream...I didn't think it really happened," she said, sounding like she couldn't believe it had happened.
"Well you still want to marry me, right?" he asked, a grin playing on his lips. She giggled.
"Of course I do. I love you, Andrew." She said brightly, but then her expression turned sour.
"But wait...how long are we going to be human? I mean, what if it was only for this assignment...this assignment is nearly over...I...what do we do...I mean...I love you...I don't want it...to just...end..." She said, her eyes wide. Andrew took a deep breath and put a hand to his forehead. He had certainly not thought of the possibility that they would return Home after the assignment was completed.
"Gee, Angel Girl, I didn't even think of that," he said, his voice a little nervous. Monica's eyes widened in horror again. A tear escaped her eye.
"Oh, sweetie, please don't cry...I'll...I'll talk to Tess, I'll find out. Don't worry!" he soothed, as he ran a hand through her tangled auburn hair. He kissed her gently and then said,
"Come on. Let's go downstairs right now and talk to Tess," he pulled her off the bed and to her feet and they both made their way down to the kitchen, where Tess was preparing a Christmas Day brunch. Tess took one look at her Angel Girl's tear streaked face, set down her cooking utensils and wrapped her arms around her in a big bear hug.
"Oh, baby, what is it?" She asked, with concern clearly showing in her mahogany eyes. Monica pulled away and glanced nervously at Andrew. Andrew cleared his throat.
"Tess can we talk to you? It's very important." He said seriously. She nodded and it was then that she noticed the ring on Monica's finger. Her eyes narrowed and she glanced up sharply at Andrew.
"Are you going to talk about that ring on her finger, Andrew?" Tess asked, not angry, but not happy either. Monica flinched and fear rushed through her that she wouldn't be able to marry Andrew.
"Uh, yeah Tess," Andrew said calmly, and Monica wondered how he could be so calm.
"Spill it, Angel Boy! I'd really like an explanation," Tess said sternly. Andrew motioned from Monica to come over towards him and he drapped an arm around her shoulders.
"Tess," he began slowly, "Monica and I are engaged. We want to get married, Tess."
"What?!" She shrieked, hoping with all her being that she heard the wrong thing.
"Engaged Tess, and this time I'm not kidding around!" he said, for some reason, quite angrily. Tess stepped back.
"And just how do you think two ANGELS can be married Andrew? Has it ever happened before? NO! What makes you think that you two can just go off and get married when you feel like it? Honestly, Andrew!" Tess shouted at him. Monica trembled and Tess realized that she had probably scared her half to death, but she continued on her rant. "I can't believe that you didn't even ask me before you did this, Andrew!"
"T-T-Tess, it-it doesn't ma-matter if we ask y-you or not..." Monica stuttered, her voice laced with tears and trembling like mad.
"And just what do you mean by that, Miss Wings?" Tess demanded of her young charge, clearly taken aback by Monica's forwardness. Monica took a shaky breath.
"I mean, that it doesn't matter if we ask you if we can get married or not. It's not up to you and you can't decide for us. No matter how much you hate Andrew and me being in love, you can't stop us from loving each other. And if we want to get married, to hell with you trying to stop us!" Monica yelled at Tess, her Irish temper way stronger as a human being. She stormed out of the kitchen on a rampage, nearly running into Estelle, but not caring. She ran up the stairs and into her room, slamming her door behind her, acting like a spoiled six-year-old.
Andrew and Tess stood speechless, exchanging glances with each other and Estelle.
"Oh, Lord..." Tess said, after a few minutes. Andrew, who couldn't help feeling a little angry at Tess himself, started out of the kitchen and up towards Monica's room to see if he could repair the damage. Tess grabbed onto his arm and tried to stop him, but he just wrenched it out of her grasp and continued on his way, without a word to her.
He entered her room quietly and his heart nearly broke. There she was, sprawled on her bed, quiet sobs making her shoulders shake. Feeling as if he were going through deja vu, he made his way over to the side of her bed and gently climbed upon it. She lifted her head, knowing that it was him, and met her eyes with his, before turning away from him and hiding her face once more.
"Moni...please...sit up...we need to talk about a few things," he said quietly. She reluctantly agreed and sat up, turning to face him, her face tear streaked.
"Baby, what you said down there about Tess...why did say that? About her hating us being in love?" Andrew asked, his face contorted with sadness. Monica's lower lip trembling violently again, she shrugged her shoulders.
"B-because she d-does..." She said. Andrew sighed.
"I don't think she does, Moni. She may not be all that happy about it, but I really don't think she hates it. I'm not sure what all you said down there was very appropriate, especially for you," he said.
"I know, and I am really sorry for saying that word...I-I didn't mean too, it's just so much easier to let it slip now. I'm so sorry, Andy," Monica whispered regretfully. Andrew nodded.
"It's OK, sweetie, but I really think we should go back and talk to Tess. We can't leave it like this. You know we can't. I think that she's a little confused right now. She doesn't know what being in love is like, and we can't blame her for being a little protective for that very reason. It probably scares her a little bit that we are engaged," Andrew said, trying to calm her down. She took a deep breath and nodded.
"OK. Let's go." She said, dried her tears and climbed off the bed, Andrew not far behind her.
**********
"Tess?" Monica asked timidly, as she spotted her former supervisor in the living room reading Monica's book about angels.
"What Miss Wings?" Tess asked impatiently. Monica looked down and sighed.
"Look, I know I said some awful things. I didn't mean what I said, about you hating Andrew's and my relationship. I know you don't. I'm sorry," she said sincerely. Tess looked up and met her Angel Baby's eyes.
"Come here, sweetie." Tess said, and patted the sofa next to her. "Angel Girl, I'm sorry if I made it sound like I was trying to control this issue. I didn't mean that. I was just scared. You and Andrew just came in and announced that you were getting married, and that was the first time I had heard about that, how do you think I felt? I felt that you and Andrew didn't feel like you could talk to me, or ask my advice anymore." Monica shook her head, tears filling her eyes.
"No! No that's not it at all. We came to talk to you about the marriage, not because we needed to ask your permission, but because we don't really know what to do. You giving us permission would have no effect whatsoever on what we decide to do, because it's just that. Our decision. We both love each other very much, and we want to get married. But the reason we came to ask is...we want to know how long we are going to be human...I mean...I love Andrew with my whole heart and I don't want to give this up. Not now. Not before we've really had a chance to experience it," Monica said, close to tears again.
Tess sighed deeply.
"I want you to know that I don't really like this. I don't. But I don't hate it, and I would never keep you two from being happy. Never. I would never want you two to be unhappy because I don't understand something. Like I said, I can't know what it is that you and that Angel Boy are feeling, but I still want you to be happy. And I'm sorry for everything I said. I love you, Angel Baby," Tess said, and Monica threw her arms around her former supervisor's neck.
"I love you too, Tess. Thank you," Monica whispered. Just then Andrew walked casually into the room at the same moment that Monica leaped into Tess's arms. He shook his head and stifled a giggle.
"So, I take it we're all ok?" he asked. Tess nodded with a smile.
"Yeah, Angel Boy. We're ok. I'd be glad to help with anything. Even wedding plans." She said, as she jabbed Monica playfully in the ribs. Monica smiled, a big toothy grin. Tess got up from the couch and said,
"I am going to start some dinner." She kissed Monica on her forehead, and moved to Andrew, kissing him on his cheek. Andrew watched Tess leave, and then took her spot on the couch right next to Monica. Out of habit, she snuggled against him, resting her head on his chest and wrapping her arms around his waist.
"So are we going to do it?" She asked. "I mean, really get married?" She pulled away from him far enough that she could look into his emerald green eyes. He looked at her thoughtfully for a moment, as if he were considering her question. She elbowed him playfully.
"You're taking too long to answer me!" she whined, sticking out her bottom lip and mumbling something under her breath.
"Of course we are," he said after several minutes of driving Monica completely insane. She smiled.
"Andy, I-" She started, but he interrupted her.
"I know, I love you too," he said. He kissed her lips softly, and then she snuggled back up against him, where they both fell into a deep sleep.
**********
More soon,
Angie and AJ