Andrew winced as Monica gave him such a horrid look. Anger was raging through her eyes and pouring out onto her face. Her cheeks were red with frustration and confusion.
"Monica," he mouthed to her. She didn't respond. "I love you, honey," he said softly. She didn't respond. "Don't you know me-you're Andrew?" he asked. This time she responded, but with tears. If he could've only seen life through her eyes at the moment…how scared she was, how upset she was…
"Mr. Dahline," one of the nurses said. "Would you like me to leave you two alone?" Andrew nodded and the nurses exited the small room.
"Andrew," she mouthed back, now the anger on her face turning into fear. Was she scared of him? "How…what…why…"
"I don't know, sweetie," he said. He could tell by her voice that she was still weary from being unconscious. "Because God loves you," was all he could come up with. But as he thought over his wording again, he baffled himself. Sure, he told people everyday that God loved them, but how could He when He would let a situation like this happen? How could he tell helpless people that if he, himself, didn't truly believe it?
"Oh, Andrew," she sobbed. She fell against his chest, her head buried into him. "Andrew…" he words trailed off. She shook furiously from the tears. And even as he held her, she didn't steady.
"I love you, Baby Girl," Andrew whispered. He reached down and soothed her matted up locks of auburn hair.
"What about the children?" Monica asked suddenly, sitting up straight. Andrew just stared off for a moment.
"I don't know…" He looked up at the ceiling. "They are probably being taken care of, Angel Girl."
"By who, child services?" Monica wept. Her Irish accent was clearly gone.
"Shh. Just try to get some rest. You need it dearly."
"But I…" she stopped. "I just can't. I'm in too much pain!" She stuffed her head back into his chest and let the tears flow freely. "I hate this, Andrew…being in here with no way of knowing what's going on in the world!" She winced as a sharp pain flew to her side. She held her hand there until it passed.
"Andrew," a voice interrupted. Officer McKellen walked through the door. "The trial has been rescheduled. The judge wants to see you in this hour."
"But, sir, I don't want to be disrespectful, but my wife…" he paused. Wife…wife? It sounded foreign to his ears. He had never said that before…well maybe he had, but this time he meant it. Just as he looked back at her and deep into the brown eyes, realization hit him: he loved her. I need to tell her before it's too late!
"Andrew, Monica needs to come too," the officer pressed on. "She's being accused as well." Andrew, shock stricken, stood up and looked at the authority in disgust.
"I can't believe this! Monica is…do you know how much pain she in? She is under no circumstance to…"
"Judges order," was all that officer said. Andrew gazed back from the officer to Monica. Well, if it had to be done it would be done, he thought. But how?
The car ride was the hardest for Monica. She cried out in pain several times. Andrew had finally convinced Officer McKellen to move the trial to next week. Surprisingly the judge had agreed. Now, six days later, the two "once" angels were on their way to their first trial ever in their long life.
"You okay?" Andrew asked in a gentle tone as Monica winced and squirmed. Her, being the obstinate angel that she was, nodded; though it showed on her face that she wasn't. Andrew opened his arms, asking her if she wanted to lean in on him. She reluctantly agreed.
Laying her head back on his shoulder was more comfortable. At least her side wasn't ramming into the door at every bump they hit.
"Okay, we're here," the policeman said that was driving the patrol car. Andrew slowly got out of the car, wishing he could help Monica. Instead, the officer came around the side of the car and gave her a hand. Another cop secured Andrew's handcuffs and led him into the courtroom.
"Andrew," Monica whispered before they entered the building. "Whatever happens…"
"Shh," Officer McKellen said. He pushed Monica in opposite direction of Andrew. He sighed, wishing he could've heard what she said.
The whole time that the judge went on and on about how important it was to obey traffic rules and how terrible it was that some one lost their life because two people were careless drivers, Monica and Andrew were impatient. Monica, still in pain, squirmed in her seat, trying to get comfy. Andrew tried to keep his eyes on the judge, but slowly and surely the emerald greens hesitated towards Monica's direction. Finally it was the jury's turn to cast their first vote.
Monica remembered what it was like to be on a jury. It was somewhat interesting, though most parts were boring. Casting your vote was the hardest: guilty or innocent.
"Andrew," one advocate from the courtroom asked. "Tell me everything that you can possibly remember about that night."
"It was dark and she was driving me to work. We had been in a fight that night, but it seemed to be erased from both of our minds as soon as breakfast came."
"Go on," the advocate said. His voice carried a slight southern lilt. "I need to hear everything." Andrew stared out into the crowd of people that were eagerly waiting for his answer. Then his eyes fell upon Monica and she nodded an encouraging smile at him.
"I work at the fire hall across town and we were just at the intersection when a set of headlights flashed in my eyes. The next thing I knew, I was being lugged out of the car, Monica next to me. Then she was being hauled away in an ambulance. I had blacked out for a few minutes so the time between that is unclear."
"Is that all?" the man asked. Andrew nodded. "Thank you, Andrew Dahline. Next we will take Monica."
Monica's testimony was similar to Andrew's. Nothing was different. The story was as same as it could be. Now it was time for the jury to cast their final vote. Surprisingly, after what seemed like hours of waiting in impatience, the jury came out of their discussion room.
"We have decided, through much thinking and discussion, that Andrew Dahline and Monica Dahline are not guilty," a young woman with strawberry-blond hair announced. The crowd gasped. Murmurs and words of disagreement among the audience could be heard.
"Please tell us your explanation, Miss Joy Williams," the judge said. Joy nodded and started from the moment that Andrew and Monica had gotten into the car until the time that Monica was being hauled away. Suddenly, many hearts had just changed about the two angels.
