Tess awoke late that night after much tossing and turning; she just
couldn't seem to relax knowing that her Angel Girl was lying in that
hospital bed, probably scared and alone, wondering what her fate would be
in this latest assignment.
With a weary sigh, the older angel got up and donned her robe, before she headed out the bedroom door to the kitchen. Much to her surprise, she saw that the light above the sink was on and that Andrew was sitting at the table, still fully dressed and his expression pensive.
"You couldn't sleep either, huh baby?" Tess asked, watching as he looked up in surprise and his expression softened as he shook his head. Smiling knowingly, she sat down beside of him, "Not the same around here without her is it?"
Andrew shook his head sadly as his fingers toyed with the pocket watch he held in his hands, "I'm trying to understand this, Tess, but it's so difficult. Why Monica and why cancer?"
"There is only One who holds those answers, Angel Boy and it isn't up to us to question," Tess replied though her voice was void of the sternness she often used when she said such things, "Though I admit, I've been asking myself the same things."
"I'm worried about her, Tess," He stated after a moment, "I mean, I know she is an angel and that despite all of this, when it is all said and done, it will all be all right, but the thought of her feeling real physical pain just gets to me, Tess. Plus, knowing Monica, she will try to be strong for everyone, even despite how she really feels. I mean, she is being so brave, Tess and we know her better than that. She has to be terrified."
The two angels were silent for a moment before Tess finally spoke up, "Well, it seems that neither one of us is going to get any sleep until we check on her, so lets go," She winked at her friend and fellow angel, as he rose to his feet, a look of some relief finally on his face.
A moment later the two angels appeared in the hospital room, unnoticed to anyone, even to Monica, had she been awake.
"Sound asleep," Tess said softly, reaching a hand down and smoothing back the youngest angel's hair from her face.
"She looks so vulnerable, Tess," Andrew replied, a wave of sadness creeping over him, "So innocent, like nothing on this earth should ever be allowed to hurt her."
"And nothing on this earth can hurt her that the Father cannot heal, baby," She replied softly, though her own eyes were pained at her young friend's plight, "She seems to be resting peacefully. We'll come back in the morning before her procedure," Smiling down at the Irish angel, Tess whispered, "Sweet dreams, Angel Girl."
Bending down, Andrew placed a loving kiss on the side of his friend's head,
"God is watching over you, Monica."
The young angel stirred slightly, sensing the familiar presence, "Andrew."She murmured in her sleep.
A small smile on his face, he placed a gentle hand on her head, "Sleep, sweetheart. We'll see you in the morning," He whispered, watching as she quieted and fell once more into deep slumber.
***
Monica awoke the next morning and squinted at the bright light in the hospital room. She stretched slowly as she sat up, having the feeling that her friends had been here for a time last night. It was either that or a dream and right now, she wasn't sure of which it was. Sitting up slowly, she looked over and noticed that Kayla was already awake and nibbling gingerly on a piece of toast, "Hello," The angel offered, as she managed a sleepy smile at her new roommate.
"Good morning," Kayla returned the smile before she laid back exhaustedly on her pillows and turned her head to the newcomer, "Cancer patient?" Seeing Monica nod her head, she continued, "The nausea gets me every time. I never imagined that eating could be such a chore. My name's Kayla."
"Monica," She replied, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, "You're undergoing chemotherapy then?"
"For two weeks now and I wouldn't wish it on anyone, but unfortunately, you'll find out soon enough."
Monica's stomach churned with dread at her words, though she struggled to remain upbeat, "They're putting in my Hickman line this morning," She explained, reflecting on how two weeks ago, she had never even heard that term and now she sounded like an expert on cancer procedures.
"That's not so bad. You'll be a little sore afterwards, but its bearable," Kayla noticed the fear in the other woman's eyes and wanted to be able to put her at ease as much as she could.
"It will all be worth it to go into remission though," Noticing that Kayla didn't respond, Monica tried to change the subject, "What do you do? For a living, I mean."
"I'm a teacher; second grade," She replied, a warmth filling her eyes and the angel knew that Kayla had a career she loved.
"It must be such a blessing to teach the wee ones. They are so inquisitive at that age," Monica smiled.
"You're right about that. The hardest thing I ever did was explaining cancer to them. Some of the parents weren't too happy I decided to divulge my health information, but if I was going to be away from them for a while, I was at least going to be honest with them. Besides, one day this disease will affect their lives in one way or another, whether it is a family member or a friend," She managed a small laugh, "When I was a kid, I thought that as long as I didn't smoke, I'd never get it. Now that I have it, I almost wish I had taken on the nasty habit, if for no other reason, to calm my nerves about wondering how this is all going to turn out."
"Good morning, ladies," Dr. Stanton smiled as she came into the room, "I see the two of you have met." Seeing them both nodding their heads, she continued, "Kayla, you really need to eat more of your breakfast in order to keep your strength up."
"I'm trying, doctor," Kayla groaned, though her eyes showed the fact that she was rather found of the doctor, "Tell my stomach that."
"I know, but you have to take care of your body, now especially and you know that. I'm trusting you to set the example for Monica." Winking Kayla's way, Dr. Stanton turned her attention to her newest patient as she approached Monica's bed, "How are you feeling this morning, love?"
"Still rather tired, though I slept fairly well," The angel admitted.
"It comes with the territory unfortunately," The doctor smiled gently, "They'll be up for you in about an hour, so you'd better get something to eat in you while you can."
"Will you be there while they do this?" Monica asked hopefully and the doctor could instantly see the fear in her young patient's dark eyes.
"Yes," she responded, resting a hand on the angel's shoulder, "I'll talk you through it, just like the biopsy," She saw relief fill Monica's eyes and she smiled, "Now eat something and I'll be back for you in a bit, all right?"
"Yes, ma'am," Monica replied, as she reached to uncover her tray that had been brought in just before she had woken up. The oatmeal looked hot and there was toast, but she felt anything but hungry.
Seeing that Dr. Stanton had departed, Kayla looked over at her new friend, "Eat while you can, Monica. After today, it only gets worse."
Monica smiled half-heartedly, the panic once again rising up within her, but she pushed it aside as she drew in a deep breath and took up a spoonful of oatmeal. A thought flashed through her mind briefly that maybe the oatmeal was like the cancer, and as soon as she did what she had to do, regardless of how much she didn't want to, the faster it would all go away.
With a weary sigh, the older angel got up and donned her robe, before she headed out the bedroom door to the kitchen. Much to her surprise, she saw that the light above the sink was on and that Andrew was sitting at the table, still fully dressed and his expression pensive.
"You couldn't sleep either, huh baby?" Tess asked, watching as he looked up in surprise and his expression softened as he shook his head. Smiling knowingly, she sat down beside of him, "Not the same around here without her is it?"
Andrew shook his head sadly as his fingers toyed with the pocket watch he held in his hands, "I'm trying to understand this, Tess, but it's so difficult. Why Monica and why cancer?"
"There is only One who holds those answers, Angel Boy and it isn't up to us to question," Tess replied though her voice was void of the sternness she often used when she said such things, "Though I admit, I've been asking myself the same things."
"I'm worried about her, Tess," He stated after a moment, "I mean, I know she is an angel and that despite all of this, when it is all said and done, it will all be all right, but the thought of her feeling real physical pain just gets to me, Tess. Plus, knowing Monica, she will try to be strong for everyone, even despite how she really feels. I mean, she is being so brave, Tess and we know her better than that. She has to be terrified."
The two angels were silent for a moment before Tess finally spoke up, "Well, it seems that neither one of us is going to get any sleep until we check on her, so lets go," She winked at her friend and fellow angel, as he rose to his feet, a look of some relief finally on his face.
A moment later the two angels appeared in the hospital room, unnoticed to anyone, even to Monica, had she been awake.
"Sound asleep," Tess said softly, reaching a hand down and smoothing back the youngest angel's hair from her face.
"She looks so vulnerable, Tess," Andrew replied, a wave of sadness creeping over him, "So innocent, like nothing on this earth should ever be allowed to hurt her."
"And nothing on this earth can hurt her that the Father cannot heal, baby," She replied softly, though her own eyes were pained at her young friend's plight, "She seems to be resting peacefully. We'll come back in the morning before her procedure," Smiling down at the Irish angel, Tess whispered, "Sweet dreams, Angel Girl."
Bending down, Andrew placed a loving kiss on the side of his friend's head,
"God is watching over you, Monica."
The young angel stirred slightly, sensing the familiar presence, "Andrew."She murmured in her sleep.
A small smile on his face, he placed a gentle hand on her head, "Sleep, sweetheart. We'll see you in the morning," He whispered, watching as she quieted and fell once more into deep slumber.
***
Monica awoke the next morning and squinted at the bright light in the hospital room. She stretched slowly as she sat up, having the feeling that her friends had been here for a time last night. It was either that or a dream and right now, she wasn't sure of which it was. Sitting up slowly, she looked over and noticed that Kayla was already awake and nibbling gingerly on a piece of toast, "Hello," The angel offered, as she managed a sleepy smile at her new roommate.
"Good morning," Kayla returned the smile before she laid back exhaustedly on her pillows and turned her head to the newcomer, "Cancer patient?" Seeing Monica nod her head, she continued, "The nausea gets me every time. I never imagined that eating could be such a chore. My name's Kayla."
"Monica," She replied, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, "You're undergoing chemotherapy then?"
"For two weeks now and I wouldn't wish it on anyone, but unfortunately, you'll find out soon enough."
Monica's stomach churned with dread at her words, though she struggled to remain upbeat, "They're putting in my Hickman line this morning," She explained, reflecting on how two weeks ago, she had never even heard that term and now she sounded like an expert on cancer procedures.
"That's not so bad. You'll be a little sore afterwards, but its bearable," Kayla noticed the fear in the other woman's eyes and wanted to be able to put her at ease as much as she could.
"It will all be worth it to go into remission though," Noticing that Kayla didn't respond, Monica tried to change the subject, "What do you do? For a living, I mean."
"I'm a teacher; second grade," She replied, a warmth filling her eyes and the angel knew that Kayla had a career she loved.
"It must be such a blessing to teach the wee ones. They are so inquisitive at that age," Monica smiled.
"You're right about that. The hardest thing I ever did was explaining cancer to them. Some of the parents weren't too happy I decided to divulge my health information, but if I was going to be away from them for a while, I was at least going to be honest with them. Besides, one day this disease will affect their lives in one way or another, whether it is a family member or a friend," She managed a small laugh, "When I was a kid, I thought that as long as I didn't smoke, I'd never get it. Now that I have it, I almost wish I had taken on the nasty habit, if for no other reason, to calm my nerves about wondering how this is all going to turn out."
"Good morning, ladies," Dr. Stanton smiled as she came into the room, "I see the two of you have met." Seeing them both nodding their heads, she continued, "Kayla, you really need to eat more of your breakfast in order to keep your strength up."
"I'm trying, doctor," Kayla groaned, though her eyes showed the fact that she was rather found of the doctor, "Tell my stomach that."
"I know, but you have to take care of your body, now especially and you know that. I'm trusting you to set the example for Monica." Winking Kayla's way, Dr. Stanton turned her attention to her newest patient as she approached Monica's bed, "How are you feeling this morning, love?"
"Still rather tired, though I slept fairly well," The angel admitted.
"It comes with the territory unfortunately," The doctor smiled gently, "They'll be up for you in about an hour, so you'd better get something to eat in you while you can."
"Will you be there while they do this?" Monica asked hopefully and the doctor could instantly see the fear in her young patient's dark eyes.
"Yes," she responded, resting a hand on the angel's shoulder, "I'll talk you through it, just like the biopsy," She saw relief fill Monica's eyes and she smiled, "Now eat something and I'll be back for you in a bit, all right?"
"Yes, ma'am," Monica replied, as she reached to uncover her tray that had been brought in just before she had woken up. The oatmeal looked hot and there was toast, but she felt anything but hungry.
Seeing that Dr. Stanton had departed, Kayla looked over at her new friend, "Eat while you can, Monica. After today, it only gets worse."
Monica smiled half-heartedly, the panic once again rising up within her, but she pushed it aside as she drew in a deep breath and took up a spoonful of oatmeal. A thought flashed through her mind briefly that maybe the oatmeal was like the cancer, and as soon as she did what she had to do, regardless of how much she didn't want to, the faster it would all go away.