Chapter 16
It was a good half hour before the hospital maintenance staff finally managed to deliver Monica and Andrew safely back to their floor from the "jammed elevator". They didn't seem to mind. It gave them plenty of time to talk about the baby they were going to have in nine months. Monica had almost forgotten how it felt to be carrying a young life inside of her. It was almost surreal. With Eliza she hadn't actually believed it until her belly had grown enough to see, and even then it was a difficult concept to grasp.
Andrew on the other hand seemed to be having even more trouble then she, if that was possible, believing he was going to be a father. But the thought that seemed to calm his heart every time it seemed to pound out of control was the reminder of who the baby's mother was. There was no one in heaven or on earth that he would've preferred carry his child. If it was a girl, he just knew it would follow in Eliza's footsteps and look exactly like Monica. In that case, he would have the most beautiful daughter in the world.
But as they reentered Eliza's hospital room and laid eyes, once again on the innocent young girl lying unconscious in the bed, it only reminded them both that they wanted anything but to replace this gorgeous child with the one now growing in Monica's womb. Never would they intend that to happen. Monica willed herself not to cry as she took Andrew's hand in hers and squeezed it in something of a comforting manner, hoping it would offer her just a glimmer of consolation.
Neither Gloria nor Tess so much as glanced up at them as they entered. They were both staring down at Monica's daughter with such love and prayer that it caused Monica's heart to swell as she shifted her teary gaze from one to the other. They hadn't seemed to notice how long they had been gone for, much to Monica and Andrew's relief, but it was such a sudden wave of mixed emotions for them both that they hadn't a clue as to what to do next. It seemed like the most impossible deed in history to simply sort out happy and sad at the same time in one's heart. It was so unfair. It should be one or the other. No one, not even an angel, should ever have to make such a decision as to what emotion to feel at a certain point in time. Both seemed so strong at the moment…
Forcing back every emotion slowly flooding through her tender heart, Monica tore her eyes away from her injured daughter momentarily to rest them upon her supervisor. It was then that it seemed she had to use sheer force to pull her lips apart enough to speak. She would have to tell her now. She knew she would never be able to bear it if she waited. "Tess." She called softly as she suddenly felt Andrew tighten his grasp on her small hand in some form of saying 'I'm right here, Monica. I'm here for you. I won't leave you. Never.'
Tess started slightly as though she hadn't heard them enter. She then turned to face them and sighed sadly as her only form of greeting her poor charge. It was then that Monica was suddenly very aware of a second set of eyes upon her as she glanced sideways to see Gloria staring wide-eyed up at her from her seat, clearly surprised her mentor was chancing this moment to inform Tess of her delicate secret. Monica chose not to worry about Gloria for the time being and concentrate on Tess as she took another brave step in her supervisor's direction, towing Andrew along protectively behind her as she did so.
Finally coming to a tentative halt, she frantically searched for the right words in her mind, but suddenly came to the startling realization that she had seemed to have forgotten all vocabulary she had ever learned. Taking a brief moment to draw in one, long, cleansing breath, the experienced angel allowed the words to slowly return to her as she exhaled, quietly thanking the Father for taking the liberty of even arranging the phrases for her.
"Tess, I…we have something we need to speak with you about." The words seemed to be coming from above and beyond now as she released Andrew's hand and lowered herself to her knees on the ground so she was able to look up to her seated supervisor, as she had done through all the years past. This miniscule gesture seemed to make it easier somehow, as Tess then granted her trainee her full and complete attention, though still, no words escaped her lips as she allowed Monica to do the talking for once. And so she forced herself to hold her supervisor's gaze as she continued.
"Tess, I…um…you know the night Andrew…when he came back?" Monica paused briefly as she thoroughly thought through her next words, all the while her supervisor nodded in understanding as she awaited what her trainee would tell her next. Little did she know exactly how surprised she was about to become as her younger charge pressed on. "Well, I waited for him at the park and…well…when he came…we didn't…we didn't stay at the park." She stuttered through the entire explanation, but she prided herself a great deal for even being able to get through it. But Tess didn't quite seem to follow, as she glanced from Monica to Andrew in obvious confusion. "I'm not sure I know what you're getting at." She replied in a soft voice barely above a whisper, but one to force dread into both of the younger angels' hearts as they suddenly realized they would truly have to go into the detail they so desperately preferred not to.
It was then that Andrew took charge as he stepped forward, allowing Monica a brief rest from her somewhat draining speech. "Well, Tess, we…we kissed." Those few words spilled from Andrew's mouth before he could catch them, and, though she still said nothing, Tess glanced more rapidly from the Angel of Death to her old pupil, clearly begging the good Lord to tell her it wasn't true. But it was, which became achingly clear as Andrew forced himself to continue, even though an evil little voice inside of him suddenly screamed out that he must have a death wish for doing so.
"And from there, we…we went back to my apartment and…I'm so sorry Tess." He was sure Tess must've understood now. And she did…unfortunately. For it was then that she leapt to her feet with a sudden horrified expression cast across her dark features. Monica also jumped back up into a standing position, gripping Andrew's hand in desperation as she did so. "What?" Tess boomed angrily as her dark eyes then rested heavily upon Monica and only Monica. Her heart pounded in her chest as she realized what this all meant. It wasn't true! Oh dear God in heaven, it couldn't be true!
"Monica! How could you? You're an angel of God! You're supposed to help human beings, not act like them!" But it was then that Gloria also bounded from her chair, only to position herself protectively beside her sisterly friend, resting one, brave hand on her petite shoulder. Tess ignored her as she ranted on, clearly beyond any reason that cried out for her to listen. "Oh baby, I can't believe you! This isn't the Monica I know and love! How could you have done such a thing?" She demanded almost viciously as she burned into the younger angel's soul with her now blazing eyes.
But it was then that Andrew stepped forward once more, this time to block Monica completely from view, so that it was impossible for Tess to look at anyone but himself. His fists clenched in rage, his impossibly strong feelings for Monica suddenly drove him to protect her with every ounce of the power in his human body. "Tess really! I was there too you know! You can't just weigh this all on Monica for something be both did! By the Lord our God, I love Monica. More than I've ever loved anything in my entire life as an angel. Maybe we didn't handle our feelings the way we should have, but we love each other and there isn't anything you can do about that." Now a slight pulse of pride coursed through him at his choice of words as he stepped back and forced himself to ignore Monica's grateful gaze as he felt obligated to instead hold Tess' aggravated one. But it was then that Tess made the difficult decision that she had only one option from here on.
"Oh yes there is, Angel Boy." She growled in response as she realized with a start that this was most likely the most heated conflict she had ever had with her babies. "For I am still your supervisor and I intend to do something for the situation. And," she paused as her gaze suddenly became teary and she glanced quickly from Monica to Andrew in obvious grief, "I'm sorry Andrew. Monica you're staying with me from here on out, just like the old days. Andrew, I'm sending you to another supervisor. I have no choice but to split you up."