Chapter 4
Andrew felt his heart leap into his throat and his breathing quickened in disbelief when the little girl told him her name. He couldn't believe it. It couldn't be. Not after all these years. And today of all days? But it didn't seem impossible, for now as she stood there before him, it was easy enough to see who she was. Just her face and her beautiful, young features were enough to give her away. She looked even more like her birth mother now than she did as a baby. She had grown and the similarities were uncanny.
"You're Eliza Tucker?" He repeated in a hesitant voice as he looked the young girl up and down as if searching for some sort of proof. But he needn't look anymore. Just the way she stood, moved, blinked and even breathed were enough proof for him that she was, not a doubt in his mind, Monica's daughter.
Eliza nodded in response and avoided Andrew's gaze, clearly uncomfortable standing there, as she had obviously caught on to the fact that Andrew knew that name. After a long, awkward moment of silence, Andrew finally pulled himself from his amazed trance-like state and forced himself to say something more to the little girl. "Uh…okay Eliza, why don't you come inside. Monica should be back soon." He stammered the explanation out and waved for her to come in. Eliza forced a tiny, polite smile – something Abby had taught her to do as a measure of courtesy, no matter what mood she was in – and followed the Angel of Death inside the house. Normally she wouldn't accept such an invitation from a stranger, but she had nowhere else to go.
Andrew led Eliza into the kitchen, where Tess was still sitting and invited her to sit down at the kitchen table. "Eliza, why don't you sit down here." He then turned his attention over to Tess and motioned from her to the little girl sitting next to her. "Tess, this is Eliza. Eliza Tucker." Andrew introduced as he seated himself on the other side of the young girl and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, as if to reassure her that he was on her side. The poor thing seemed to so lonely and scared. He didn't know what had happened, but whatever it was, it must have had a big impact on her for her to come here. How much did she really know about Monica anyway?
Tess raised her eyebrows in obvious surprise, but said nothing as Andrew went on to question Eliza. "Well, sweetheart, what are you doing here?" He asked her in a voice so caring and gentle that the little girl had no problem trusting him as she replied. But as she spoke, tears slowly found their way into her hazel eyes and her voice became more choked by the minute. "We were on a plane." She began slowly, taking deep breaths all the while to keep herself calm, but it didn't work all that well. "It was storming out and we crashed. My mommy and daddy died. An angel named Katie rescued me and told me Monica was my real mom. So I came here." She explained, though she had to take several lengthy pauses to collect herself as sudden, unexpected tears rolled over her pretty features.
Andrew, suddenly incredibly interested in her story, leaned forward and placed a comforting hand on the side of her face, using his thumb to brush away her tears the same way he had with Monica just a little earlier that morning. But upon feeling his tender touch, Eliza did just the same thing her birth mother had before and threw her arms around the angel's neck, sobbing into his shoulder deeply as she recounted the story in her head. Even though she didn't know Andrew that well, it still felt incredible relieving to hold someone again. To depend on someone for comfort. And Andrew was just the one for such things.
To him, holding Eliza felt just like holding Monica when she was upset and he did just as he had done with her before, kissing the top of Eliza's head lovingly as she held onto him. After a moment, Andrew glanced over the little girl's shoulder at Tess with a saddened expression. "Abby and Mike are dead." He whispered to his supervisor as Eliza still didn't let go of him. Tess nodded sorrowfully as well as she thought of the poor girl who now had no parents. Well, the truth was, whether Tess wanted to admit it or not, Eliza still had one parent and she was all she had now.
Just then, all three of them heard the front door of the house open and slam shut again and Monica's distinct Irish lilt drifted through the kitchen to them. "Hey, I'm back." She called as she kicked off her shoes and moved toward the kitchen. "Listen guys, I thought we could…" but her voice trailed off as she stepped foot in the kitchen and noted a third being there with Andrew and Tess at the kitchen table. A young girl sat there and she released hold of Andrew, turning to face the newcomer as she wiped a tear away and stared back at her. Monica caught her breath for a moment, but she knew her suspicions just couldn't be right. She wasn't seeing what she thought she was seeing. She couldn't be.
She had frozen in place from where she stood in the kitchen doorway and was staring across at the little girl with an expression that suggested she recognized her. But then Eliza realized this must be Monica, the one she had been waiting for and managed a small smile at the success of finding her. Upon seeing this smile though, Monica felt tears prick the corners of her eyes and she covered her mouth with both hands just to keep from screaming. It was her! It was a miracle! Unlike Tess and Andrew, she didn't need a name to recognize her own daughter.
Letting out a little cry of disbelief, Monica raced forward, tears of joy already streaming down her face and Eliza too, leapt from her seat and met Monica half way, allowing her to lift her into the air and hold onto her so tightly that she was sure she would never ever let go. Monica sobbed almost uncontrollably as she held onto her daughter. Eliza's legs encircled her mother's waist and her arms around her mother's neck as Monica supported her weight with her own arms. Oh how she had dreamed of this moment over and over in her mind. And now it was happening. It was really happening! She was holding her daughter again in her arms and she sent up cries of thanks to the Father between sobs. She was sure she would never be able to stop the flood of emotion as it spread through her like a gentle, beautiful mist drifting through a city.
Though Eliza had never actually seen her real mother since the day she was born, she was already perfectly comfortable with her, for it was obvious that she loved her a lot.
Tears falling freely from her own eyes, Eliza held onto her mother so tightly that it seemed to give her some form of comfort. She hadn't expected to feel such love and relief to be in a stranger's arms. But it was as if she had known Monica forever. As if she remembered every moment of that day she was born and lay tiny and helpless in the angel's arms. Now here she was again, eight years later and she suddenly realized, she wasn't staying with strangers at all, but with family. This was where she belonged.