Chapter 4
Monica felt her heart swell at just these few words and tears sprung into her eyes once more as she stopped dead in her tracks and that tender, loving voice echoed in her memory throughout all the years before. She had waited so long to hear that voice. Again, she was afraid it wasn't real. But as she turned on her heel and, for the first time in five years, allowed her eyes to fall upon that gentle face of her best friend staring back at her, she knew it was. For a moment, she was no longer sure what she wanted. She had stopped wanting and, as she stared back into his beautiful blue-green eyes, she just knew he felt the same way, for they were also glistening with tears as he looked at her with such love and care that Monica felt her broken heart slowly bind itself back together as she looked at him, alive, healthy, with that same, soft smile upon his face that she had missed so much.
Walking almost achingly slowly, Monica still said nothing as she approached him, as if wary that the moment she touched him, he would disappear and she would find that it was all her imagination. But it wasn't. The two inched closer to each other, the only sound breaking the incredible silence between them was the crickets chirping around them as Monica finally reached her best friend and stood right before him, her glassy eyes staring up at his hansom face with equal love and gratitude that he was giving her. She didn't touch him. She didn't hug him or speak to him as she had planned. She only stood there, staring up at him and watching him smile at her and watching the tears of joy slowly trickle over his cheeks as he stared down at the beautiful little, Irish angel he loved so dearly. He wished he had never left. He couldn't believe it had been so long, but now he was back and that was all that mattered.
Gently raising his hands to his friend, Andrew cupped her face in his palms and used his thumbs to gently brush the tears from her cheeks, the same way he had done all those years ago. And that's when Monica knew he was really and truly back. It was all real. That was the Andrew she remembered, and he was here. Letting out one, choked sob, Monica threw her arms around her friend's neck and began to sob almost uncontrollably into his shoulder, as she had longed to do for too long now. It seemed so wonderfully unimaginable that she could do it now and this thought, only brought the sobs coming on harder as she felt Andrew's hands embrace her around the back and shoulders as he held her. She knew he was crying too. She didn't care. Neither of them cared now. All that mattered was that they were together again and, as far as Monica was concerned, she could stay like this for days. This was all she had wanted. This was all she had dreamed about and prayed for and now, here he was, right as rain and holding her like he had done all those years ago. How she had missed that.
She never wanted to let go and it was clear enough that neither did he. It just felt so…right to be holding each other once more. Like it was meant to be and they should've never gone through what they did. That was when Monica found her tongue through her tears, though she still didn't release hold of him or stop crying as she spoke in a muffled voice into his shirt, still holding onto him so tightly that she was sure never to let go. "Oh Andrew…Andrew," was all she could say though as she cried and Andrew tightened his hold on her as he realized just how upset she was as he kissed the top of her head affectionately. "Monica shh. Shh. I'm here now, and I promise I am never letting you go again." He vowed as he held her there in his arms as if to demonstrate that what he said was true. It was now that he realized how much she must have been hurting over these past five years, for she was pouring it all out now as she rested in her best friend's arms, leaning on him now and allowing him to support her small weight. He didn't care. He could've held her forever, as long as he never had to say goodbye again.
Hearing his kind words and having them sink straight into her heart, Monica realized it was proof enough of how much he loved her. She wished she'd never doubted him for a second. "I…I thought I would never see you again." She sobbed yet more drastically still as she rested her head on his shoulder and rolled over his death in her mind for what must have been the thousandth time that day. But he was here now and it was no dream, for she was sure she would've awakened by now, but instead, she still felt her friend's strong arms encircling her upper back and holding her so tightly that they seemed to be a knot in two roped that no one could ever sever apart again.
Upon hearing his friend's honest words, Andrew knew he had to make sure she knew he was never going to leave her. He loved her too much and he couldn't even if he wanted to. "Oh Monica," He breathed with such heavy emotion in his voice that it brought Monica's heart to pump at full capacity as he raised one hand along her back to cradle the back of her head against his shoulder as he stroked her ginger hair with such affection that Monica was sure if he hadn't been supporting her, she would have fainted right there on the ground. "Monica, you know better than that. I love you too much to just abandon you like that. I love you." He repeated as he knew such words were coming from no where else but his loving heart inside him, words he had been waiting to share with her for too long now, and now he could finally tell her once again and he didn't care how long she cried for…as long as she cried on him.
But it was after Andrew said these words that Monica finally pulled away ever so slightly, just enough so that she could see his face before her own, but they could still hold each other in their arms. And, as she stared up at his tender, loving gaze, she knew he was telling the truth. He had to be. And that was when she discovered her own truth as well, and felt necessary to speak it. "I love you too, Andrew." She told him with such deep emotion in her voice that Andrew knew she as well, meant what she said. It was so amazing. It was as though they had never been apart. As if nothing had changed. Well, maybe one thing. As Monica stared back at him, she did something she recalled doing just before Andrew died and she had wanted to do once again ever since. Her arms still wrapped tightly around Andrew's neck, she pulled herself closer to him and allowed their lips to collide with such passion that it surprised both of them. But the surprise was not the kiss. The surprise was how right it all felt, like they couldn't believe they hadn't been doing this all along.
But it only lasted a matter of seconds before Monica pulled away once more and stared up at him, tears still streaming down her face at the entire situation. It was clear they were both wondering if such an act was right for them, but they needn't wonder long, for Andrew then bent his head once more and they kissed a second time, more passionately now, as if so caught up in the moment of finally being together again that they no longer cared what they were and weren't allowed to do. All they knew was that they had waited too long to be together and all of a sudden, it was like that song from Beauty and the Beast, There's Something There That Wasn't There Before.
Andrew's arms encircled her back, pulling her more firmly against him every second while her hands rested on his shoulders, and their kiss grew in passion, a passion and love so deep that neither of them knew it was ever there. But it was and this was all it needed to spark up the dwindling fire. Monica remembered the kiss they had shared just before Andrew died and she recalled the feeling of caressing his soft lips with her own all those years ago. It was then that she realized how much she loved him, but by then, it had been too late to do or say a thing about it. But now she had him back, and now, as their tears mixed together and their lips collided over and over again, they knew what they wanted…
The Reason (Hoobastank)
I'm not a perfect person
There's many things I wish I didn't do
But I continue learning
I never meant to do those things to you
And so, I have to say before I go
That I just want you to know
I've found a reason for me
To change who I used to be
A reason to start over new
And the reason is you
I'm sorry that I hurt you
It's something I must live with everyday
And all the pain I put you through
I wish that I could take it all away
And be the one who catches all your tears
That's why I need you to hear
I've found a reason for me
To change who I used to be
A reason to start over new
And the reason is you
And the reason is you
And the reason is you
And the reason is you
I'm not a perfect person
I never meant to do those things to you
And so I have to say before I go
That I just want you to know
I've found a reason for me
To change who I used to be
A reason to start over new
And the reason is you
I've found a reason to show
A side of me you didn't know
A reason for all that I do
And the reason is you
…Back at the house, Eliza and Gloria sat on the living room couch, glancing out the front window every few seconds, as if searching for someone. It had gotten very late now and now and then their gazes also strayed to the clock on the wall. Where was Monica? She never stayed out this late. What if something had happened to her? After all, she had been away since she left for a walk early that morning. She hadn't been back for breakfast, lunch or dinner and they hadn't even seen her pass along the street in front of the house. It was not as though this town was very big and, though it seemed understandable why she would be out a while, she still should not have been out all day. This was not like her. It was past midnight now and, though Gloria had insisted Eliza go to bed and she would wait up for Monica, Eliza resisted, clearly determined on staying up just long enough to find out if her mother was alright.
But it was then that the front door to the house swung open and slammed shut again down the hall. Both Eliza and Gloria practically leapt from their seats and their hearts jumped into their throats with relief. She was back! But it wasn't in fact who they were expecting and they both let out a deep sigh of disappointment as Tess rounded the hall corner and appeared in the living room doorway. But then again, perhaps she brought with her some news about where Monica could be. It was possible and Tess was likely to know of all people after all.
Gloria sighed yet again and approached Tess from where she stood in the living room. She seemed to be beaming quite broadly, therefore she either knew where Monica was and everything was fine, or otherwise she had no idea she was even missing. "Tess." Gloria breathed airily as she reached the senior angel and glanced back at Eliza meaningfully. "Thank goodness. Do you know where Monica is?" She wasted no time in demanding an answer to this, for today of all days, they were growing worried about her. But Tess only smiled a little more widely and nodded her head yes, knowing both Gloria and even Eliza would also be ecstatic to know about Andrew's return.
But the fact of the matter was, right now they had no idea, and looked a mess, as if they had been up for days waiting for their dear Monica to come home. And so, Tess took the liberty of explaining before either of them got any more upset, and, truthfully, she didn't know exactly where Monica was, but she had a pretty good guess. Of course, little did she know…