The Cries of the Children
Chapter 2
Tess finally pulled into the driveway of a stately three story house. It was bordered on the front and sides by a large yard and in the back a peaceful garden. "Here we are, Angel Girl."
"It's perfectly lovely, Tess!" Monica exclaimed.
Tess smiled at Monica's enthusiasm and said, "Angel Girl, you can help get the car unpacked. I need to get m y office set up."
"You think that Mr. and Mrs. Adams will be here soon?" Monica asked.
"If Gloria can convince them, yes," Tess replied. She opened the trunk and pulled out a box of books.
Monica grabbed two suitcases and headed for the door. "What bedroom do you want these in?"
Put them in the one on the left. The front room and the one overlooking the garden are already taken. By the way, that green duffle bag goes in the one overlooking the garden."
"It's perfectly lovely, Tess!" Monica exclaimed again when she saw the beautifully decorated interior.
"Yes. It's much better than that downtown apartment on our last assignment. Remember the girl who played rap music all night? Tess asked as she carried the books into what used to be the parlor.
"Oh, yes. Gloria liked the music and Andrew said he'd finally reached his limit in music appreciation," Monica recalled. She carried the suitcases upstairs and opened one door to find a room decorated in peach and white with twin canopy beds and ruffled curtains. Definitely a 'girlish' room as Andrew would've said, she decided.
"That's yours and Gloria's," Tess said as she stood in the doorway. "We still need to get the car unpacked."
Monica soon returned with the last of the luggage and opened the door to the room overlooking the garden. Noticing that the colors and furniture had a more masculine appearance, she realized that it was the one set aside for Andrew. "Thank you, Father, for Your care and provision," she prayed as she set the duffle bag inside.
It was nearing dinner time when Gloria finally arrived at the house. "Liz and Steven have made all the funeral arrangements. It's supposed to be on October 2nd at the Open Arms Baptist Church," she said joining the other angels in the kitchen.
"I like that name, Open Arms. Reminds us that the Father's arms are always open," Monica commented as she was setting the table.
"Liz is so very angry with God but I believe that Steven maybe receptive to your counseling," Gloria told Tess.
"That's the idea, Little Angel. But we need to get Liz to come too," Tess said, placing a platter of meatloaf on the table.
"And Little Abby is so adorable," the youngest angel continued.
"I wonder what Andrew's doing," Monica said as they started to take their seats.
"Somebody mention my name?" Andrew asked, suddenly appearing in the dining room.
"Cant pass up my good cooking, can't you, Angel Boy?" Tess teased as she hurried to set another place at the table.
"You know me too well, Tess," the Angel of Death replied.
"Go hurry and wash up," she instructed, pointing him toward the kitchen.
"Yes, ma'am," Andrew replied.
Once they were all seated at the table, hands clasped, Tess said, "Andrew, you may give the blessing."
"He bowed his head. "Father, we thank You for the meal in which we are about to partake. And help us to know Your wisdom as we seek to carry out our assignments. In Your name we pray. Amen.'
"Amen," the other angels echoed and Tess passed Andrew the meatloaf.
"So, Andrew, what have you been doing today?" Monica asked.
"Nothing much," he replied, helping himself to the food.
"Andrew, there's a room all ready for you upstairs if you want it," Tess told him.
"I'll think about it. Actually, Tess, the reason I came here was to apologize for my behavior earlier today. I had no right to take my frustration out on you and the others. Can you forgive me?" he asked with an expression of remorse on his face.
"Apology accepted, Angel Boy. We understand how hard it can be for you sometimes." Tess replied, reaching out to squeeze his hand.
"I fixed coffee cake for desert," Monica spoke up.
"With coffee in it, I'll bet," Andrew commented.
"Knowing Monica, I'd say "Yes". Angel Girl, how many times do I have to tell you that coffee cake is served with coffee, not made with coffee," Tess said with well worn patience.
"Well, t least I know that 'dirt cake' is not made with real dirt," Monica pointed out.
"I only made that mistake once," Gloria defended herself.
"But she didn't use real worms," Andrew put his two cents into the conversation.
"Let's find another subject or you babies are going to make me lose my appetite," Tess suggested.
"That I'd like to see," Andrew said under his breath.
"What did you say, Angel Boy?" Tess demanded, her sharp ears having caught every word.
"Nothing, Tess," Andrew said hastily, a scarlet flush coming to his face as he looked down at his plate of food with sudden interest.
Tess shot him a 'We are going talk about you sassing your supervisor' look and resumed eating.
Once the meal was completed, Monica got up to get the coffee cake. "Well? What do you think?" she asked, setting it in front of her friends.
"It, uh, looks delicious," Andrew finally commented, reluctant to take a slice since he'd previously fallen victim a few times to Monica's culinary disasters. "Um, what's this brown stuff sprinkled on top?"
"Instant coffee. I thought it would be good in the crumble topping," Monica explained. She noticed his reluctance. "You don't like it?'
"No, I like it. I'm just a little too full of Tess's meatloaf and potatoes," Andrew quickly explained.
"What about you, Tess, Gloria?" Monica asked.
"Angel Girl, I'm just a little full also," Tess said, taking her cue from Andrew. She looked at Gloria who nodded her head in agreement. "Maybe we can have some later as a snack."
"All right. I'll just put this up and we all can have some later," Monica said disappointed.
"Since neither you nor I had a part in preparing this most excellent repast, Gloria, let's say we do the dishes," Andrew suggested.
"I think you're beginning to talk like me," Gloria said, shaking her head at the older angel. She got to her feet and followed him into the kitchen.
"No dishwasher. I'll wash and you dry," Andrew decided, tossing her a dishtowel.
"And we'll help clear the table," Tess said, carrying in an arm load of dishes. She looked back over her shoulder. "You too, Angel Girl. Put that cake up and come on."
"I'm coming," Monica said.
Tess shot Andrew a glance. "And no suggestions as to where she should put it, Angel Boy!" she warned.
"You mean, like the trash?" Andrew asked innocently and began running water in the sink.
Tess rolled her eyes and cast her gaze upward as if to say, Lord, give me patience with that Angel Boy! "I'll leave you to the dishes, make sure they're spotless."
"Yes, ma'am," Andrew meekly replied.
"Tess isn't happy with you, is she?" Gloria asked taking the first dish from Andrew.
"She'll get over it. All I have to do is keep my mouth shut and go to bed without dessert," he replied. "Trust me; I know how to deal with Tess. Her bark is worse than her bite."
"If you say so," Gloria commented.
Once the dishes were all put away, Andrew began prowling around the kitchen, opening cupboards. "Ah hah," he said after a moment.
"What ever are you looking for?"
"Let's just see if the Father has provided us with all the ingredients for dirt cake, shall we," Andrew answered. He held up a bag of gummy worms and a box of chocolate pudding. "
"What else do we need?" Gloria asked.
"Milk, cream cheese, vanilla, crushed chocolate cookies," he recited. "Get me a mixing bowl."
Tess stuck her head in the doorway. "Whatever you're up to, you make sure and clean up afterwards," she instructed.
"Yes, ma'am. The kitchen will be spotless," Andrew promised.
Gloria picked up a piece of paper out of one of the drawers. "Here you are, Andrew. One dirt cake recipe," she said, starting to enjoy the impromptu cooking lesson.
"Very good. Now you shall see what real dirt cake is like," Andrew told her.
"I don't understand why it's called 'dirt cake'" Gloria told him.
"Gloria, humans can have weird names for food. This particular dish is often served in a clean flower pot with artificial flowers and the gummy worms," Andrew patiently explained. "Despite, the name, it can be quite good. Although not something I'd want to eat all the time."
Tess and Monica were in the living room listening to a praise music CD when the other angels entered carrying several bowls. "How many worms do you want with your dirt, Tess?" Andrew asked.
"No worms for me, Angel Boy. I don't eat anything that looks like it crawls on the ground," Tess declared, taking one of the bowls.
"Suit yourself," Andrew said, popping one of the worms in his mouth.
"And he thought my coffee cake was bad," Monica muttered, rolling her eyes at Andrew.
"Angel Boy, you are worse than a ten-year-old," Tess said, shaking her head in exasperation. "Did you clean up your mess?"
"Kitchen is spotless, Tess," Andrew said, the gummy worm hanging out of his mouth.
The phone began to ring and Monica hurried to answer it. "Hello?"
Monica, this is Steven. Claire and I want to bring Liz over to see you tonight, if it's okay with you and Tess."
"Yes, of course. Bring Abby so Gloria can watch her," Monica replied. She turned to Tess. "Steven Adams is on the phone . He wants to bring Liz here tonight."
"Tell him to go right ahead. I'll be in my office," Tess replied, getting to her feet.
"If you ladies will excuse me, I think I'll turn in for the night," Andrew said, moving toward the stairs.
"Andrew, wait a minute," Monica said, turning her attention back to the phone. "Steven, we'll be ready for you."
"Thank you, Monica," Steven said.
Monica hung up the phone and hurried up the stairs. Pushing open his bedroom door, she said, "You don't have to go to bed yet. The evening's still early."
"Monica, I just cannot face that girl's parents! Every time I close my eyes, I can see her and I hear her begging me to tell why God wanted her to die," Andrew said sharply. "I'll just see you in the morning." He slammed the door shut.
"Goodnight, Andrew," she said and headed back downstairs.
"Give him time, Angel Girl," Tess said, standing at the foot of the stairs. "Right now, we have work to do."
