Chapter 4

"We're having a boy! We're having a boy!" Andrew sang so loud and proud as he raced down the hallway to their apartment building that Monica was afraid they were going to wake their late-sleeping neighbors. "Andrew. Shh. Keep your voice down!" She scolded over him with still a hint of amusement in her tone as she hastened her step to keep up with him. But no matter how much she wanted to quiet the Angel of Death, she couldn't help but feel that impulsive excitement growing in her own heart as well as he grasped her hand in his and dragged her along ecstatically behind him.

But before she could say another word to calm him, they reached their apartment door and Andrew took Monica by the shoulders and spun her around, pushing her back gently into the wall. She laughed excitedly as his hands pinned her shoulders against the wall and he fell onto her lips, quieting for just a moment to grant her one, long, firm kiss. Finally pulling away just inches from her face, he stared for a few seconds which seemed like hours into her velvety brown eyes, smiling uncontrollably all the while.

Andrew then lifted one hand and cupped the side of her pretty face, gently pushing a few strands of her amber hair behind one ear. "You are so beautiful." He whispered softly as he kept his eyes glued on hers. But this tender moment only lasted a few more seconds before Andrew started yelling and dancing back down the hall, clearly having no regard for where their apartment resided. Monica stayed where she was by the door, watching Andrew with an even more amused expression. He could've circled the floor and come all the way back to the door again without realizing it.

"We're having a boy! We're having a boy! We're having a boy!" He cried out so loudly as he ran that he must have alerted someone on the floor, for Monica could now hear someone in their own apartment approaching the door to see what was the matter. She wasn't alarmed. She was sure it was just Tess or Gloria or perhaps Eliza. But as the door swung open and the echoes of Andrew's shouting still drifted down the hall, Monica was surprised to find Raphael standing in the doorway, raising his eyebrows quizzically at the young angel before him.

Monica smiled in greeting, but said nothing, as Andrew was still shouting and she doubted she could yell over him. Right about now it sounded as though he was just half way around the other side of the floor. Raphael glanced back and forth down the hallway as though searching for whatever was causing all the racket, but it wasn't long before he recognized the Angel of Death's voice and, although he couldn't make out exactly what it was saying, he still couldn't believe his ears. In all the years that he had known Andrew, he was sure he had never ever heard him so excited about anything. It concerned him a little.

Glancing at Monica, he decided it would be best to just ask her. She seemed as though she might know something about it. "Monica, has Andrew gone insane?" He inquired seriously as he turned his attention fully to her, although she only shook her head unknowingly and shrugged as though she didn't care anymore. "I'm afraid so Raphael." She replied carelessly as she stepped forward into the apartment, allowing her old friend to close the door politely behind her, thoroughly leaving Andrew to continue his ranting in the hall by himself.

Monica ignored what little she could still hear of the Angel of Death and turned her attention to Raphael instead. "So, Raphael, what are you doing here?" She questioned casually as she slipped off her jacket and tossed it on the arm of their couch in the living room before returning to her friend's side. But it seemed Raphael wasn't inclined to say, as he shrugged innocently and turned his gaze away as not to make eye contact with his friend. "Oh…nothing…I was just…is Eliza here?" He questioned quickly in a too-innocent tone as understanding suddenly flooded Monica's being, forcing an amused laugh out of her petite frame as she reasoned with Raphael's meaning.

"Oh." She responded slowly as she also shifted her gaze to the floor, knowing exactly what Raphael meant by the simple inquiry. But she could only shake her head in response as she recalled Eliza informing her this morning of her whereabouts. "Sorry no. She went to the library this morning to do some assignment research on Houdini. You could probably find her there." She told him quietly with an amused smirk written as clearly as a road sign across her face, but Raphael chose to ignore this. But before he could say anything else, Andrew's voice suddenly grew very loud as though it were getting closer before the apartment door flew open and the Angel of Death practically flew through the threshold, still yelling the exact same thing.

"We're having a boy! We're having a boy! Hi Raphael. We're having a boy!" After that one last outburst, Andrew seemed as though he was finished, for his gaze was glued on Raphael's reaction as the younger angel allowed a broad smile to migrate across his face in obvious excitement. He laughed in both amusement with Andrew and in a way to show how happy he was for the angel couple. "Well, congratulations. A boy, huh Monica?" He shifted his gaze momentarily to his old friend and she nodded proudly, allowing one hand to stray to her pregnant stomach, giving it a brief but affectionate stroke.

But Andrew then seemed to shift his attention to another matter when he suddenly realized that Raphael didn't usually visit on a regular basis. "So, Raphael, what are you doing here anyway?" He inquired briefly as he too hung up his coat behind the door and returned only to take Monica's hand gently in his. But it was Monica this time who answered the question. "He was looking for Eliza." She explained with a hint of a smile flashing across her features as Andrew too, now realized the true meaning of this visit. He recalled Monica's daughter's initiation party when Raphael had asked her to dance. The two young angels had really hit it off. Of course he was here looking for Eliza.

But Andrew only laughed and shook his head at his old friend. "Take it easy Raphael. She's only thirteen you know." He chuckled gently in response to Monica's explanation. But Raphael was quick to explain himself before Monica and Andrew got the – God forbid – 'wrong' idea about this. "Oh no no. It's not like that." He replied quickly with a shake of his head, but Andrew only smirked smartly in response. "Sure it's not." He laughed, sarcasm drifting off of his words like steam. But Raphael chose to ignore the statement and continued on. "No. She was just interested in going to see some art galleries downtown and I agreed to take her. That's all." He told the couple quickly with as casual as a shrug that he could manage to pull off before reaching for his coat in a motion that suddenly seemed to say 'ABORT! ABORT!'

But it was too late and Monica and Andrew were already laughing good-naturedly. Finally, Monica managed to stop her antics enough just to inform Raphael of her daughter's whereabouts. "Well, like I said, you'll probably find her at the library." She repeated simply and the younger angel simply nodded in response and practically made a mad dash out the door, slamming it behind him in a desperate manner and leaving Monica and Andrew finally alone.

The two talked for hours on end. Today had been simply wonderful. They were going to have a son. And so what if he hadn't kicked yet? He would. Monica was sure of that. But all that certainty would change when it came time to go to bed and Monica nodded off into what she thought was going to turn out to be a peaceful sleep…