Forever by your side
It was a sunny spring afternoon and the flowers and trees were blooming with a thousand of different colours and perfumes, filling the eyes and the air in those deserted woods. It seemed that they were especially exuberant only to become part of the important celebration that would take place in just a few minutes in that secluded part of the Earth.
For the first time in the story of the universe, two angels, two heavenly beings, would be joined forever under the Creator’s blessing and share the rest of eternity by each other’s side. The beautiful and pure love they shared was so deep and intense, so full of devotion and affection that it had proved to be deserving of that special permission. Now, besides being angels and serving God, Monica and Andrew would also devote their existence to each other; either being in human form down on Earth or in their angelic one, up in Heaven – their Home.
Tess was finishing to arrange Monica’s long auburn hair with lots of small white flowers, which added more beauty to the curls that the supervisor had previously made. Both angels were in a deserted clear in the woods and the younger one had been sitting on a fallen tree trunk for the last half hour while her supervisor helped her to get ready for the celebration.
In fact, she was like a mother to those two angels and there wasn’t any other creature in the whole universe that could be happier than her on that special occasion. With a contented smile upon her face, Tess finally announced. “It’s ready!”
“Oh really? And can I see it, Tess?” Monica asked, carefully touching her own hair, afraid of disarraying the supervisor’s work.
“Yes, of course, baby. But before, we have to take care of another very important thing...”
“Another important thing? Is there something missing?” Monica asked, slightly worried and not wanting anything to go wrong in that afternoon.
“Of course there is, Miss Wings! The dress!”
In a blink of an eye, Monica’s simple blue dress, which she had been wearing for a while, was suddenly replaced by a gorgeous lacy ivory gown and a crocheted head covering encrusted with pearls. It had a v – necked collar, leaving her collarbone exposed. Her hair was pulled away from her face in thick ringlets and she was also wearing ivory satin pumps.
“Oh! It’s beautiful! I surpassed even myself this time!” Tess exclaimed, a little self assuredly, as she lay her eyes on the dress. And a big mirror had miraculously appeared next to Monica, allowing her to contemplate herself with her wedding gown. Not to spoil the surprise Tess had prepared her, the supervisor had hidden the dress and only now she could see the gorgeous outfit the oldest angel had so carefully and lovingly made her.
With tears threatening to fall from her eye at any moment, Monica covered her mouth with her hand and voiced a few words, full of emotion. “Oh Tess... it’s beautiful... it’s... so beautiful...”
Saying no more, she threw herself in the supervisor’s arms, holding her tightly and shedding some tears of joy, “Thank you so much... I love you so much, Tess...”
Trying hard not to cry herself, the older angel held her back and smiled, “You don’t have to thank me, angel girl. You know I love you too and making you this dress is nothing more than a little present from this ol’ angel here...”
Sobbing, Monica pulled away with a grateful expression on her face, “Although Andrew and I are being joined under the Father’s blessing... You will always be part of our existence, Tess... I don’t ever want you away from me, from us. You’re the mother God gave me... I’m such a blessed angel for having you!”
Now the supervisor couldn’t help but crying too; deeply moved with those loving words. “Oh angel girl... my angel baby... you know I’ve always loved you like a daughter, don’t you?”
“I do...” came her answer, in between sniffs.
“So... will you stop making me cry in such an important day like this? How am I supposed to make the ceremony with my eyes and my nose all red?!” she stormed, not wanting to admit that she too was moved to tears with what the young angel had just said.
*
Not far from there, in a big clearing among green trees and wild flowers, all the angels that had worked with Monica and Andrew started to arrive and gathered around a small altar; all of them with happy smiles upon their faces. If the news about their marriage had first arrived as a surprise and maybe as a shock, it didn’t take them too long to realise that the feeling shared by the couple of angels was sincere and pure. They loved each other, in all the ways a living creature could love another living creature, and if the Father Himself had bestowed them this blessing, allowing them to share a bond for the rest of the eternity, it was because this feeling was love in its purest form.
Some time later, Andrew arrived. Wearing a white suit and carrying an extra spark in his green eyes, he greeted his friends and went to stay by the altar, eager to see the little angel who had made his heart her home walking down the aisle – formed by thousands of white petals of different flowers. Adam saw the expectation in his friends eyes and patted his shoulder. “Ease there, buddy! I have a feeling that, although this is an angelic ceremony, Monica will keep the old human tradition of arriving late... And knowing that little angel, you know that there’s a strong possibility that this happens!”
Those words caused the blond angel to chuckle with amusement and, therefore, made some of his tension go away.
“Yes... I had forgotten about this detail! Though it doesn’t make me feel less nervous, Adam...”
“No wonder, you never did this before! No angel did, you’re the first ones!”
“Now I understand how humans feel on this day. I had no idea it could feel like this... as if everything that happened in your whole existence was suddenly meant to lead you to this very moment...” the blond angel smiled at the sudden thought that had crossed his mind, “I feel like I was made for her, Adam... As if I was created not only to accomplish the Father’s work but also to be by her side and love her every day of my existence...”
Also smiling, the other angel shook his head, “You’re in love, Andrew!”
“In love? I guess that... there is no ‘in love’ with us, Adam. Being in love could mean something temporary, something that’s not gonna last forever. I LOVE Monica. Every day I love her even more and I know that I’ll spend the rest of my days by her side loving her. She is truly my soul mate.”
“... and she was telling me exactly the same about you, angel boy, when I told her it was time to go...” Tess suddenly spoke, interrupting their conversation. The oldest angel was wearing a long white dress, like the other female angels in the place, and, with a happy smile, she took her position behind the altar. “Then I told her it’s time to stop talking and add a little more action here, cause we have a wedding to celebrate!”
“Oh so you mean, it’s time already?”
“Yes, Adam, and you angel boys gotta take your positions!”
“Yes, ma’am!” the angel of death said, disappearing from the place.
Andrew stood by the altar, waiting with anxiety for his little angel girl to appear. He had never felt so nervous and, at the same time, so happy in his whole existence. A few moments later, Monica finally emerged at the beginning of the flower carpet, with a beautiful smile upon her pretty face. The image of the little angel wearing that gorgeous white dress, with her auburn hair flowing from her shoulders, and holding a bouquet of delicate white flowers in her hands caused his heart to pound loudly in his chest.
And a similar sensation took over Monica’s soul when she saw her beloved Andrew standing at the altar, wearing that white suit, which she always found so perfect for him, sent pleasant butterflies in her stomach. The look in his eyes left no doubt that he loved her deeply and she could even feel that connection between them getting stronger every second. For a moment, she felt like running to him and throwing herself into his arms, but then, sighing deeply, she reigned herself in to walk along the aisle built up especially for that occasion.
Holding Adam’s arm and barefoot, Monica stepped in the thousands of petals and walked along the way up to the altar slowly, and, a couple of minutes later, she had shortened the distance between her and her beloved Andrew. Adam handed her to the blond angel, who took her hand and kissed it tenderly, never averting his green eyes from her.
“You’re gorgeous, angel,” he said, in a low voice, with emotion in evident on his face, “I love you...”
“I love you too...” she replied, her voice also low and full of emotion.
Tess began the ceremony by asking Monica to lay her hands over Andrew’s and then the oldest angel started to pronounce the holy words that would accomplish that ritual and establish a sacred and eternal bond between the two Heavenly creatures. Some time later, by Tess’ command, Andrew took a gold wedding ring and placed it in Monica’s finger, not missing the opportunity to stroke the back of her hand with tenderness; and shortly after, the Irish angel repeated the same action, placing the ring on his finger.
The supervisor finally said the words both had been waiting for for a long time. “...with the Father’s blessings, I pronounce you husband and wife, and so you shall remain for the rest of the eternity.” With the other angels saying ‘amen’, Monica and Andrew looked at each other: there was a multitude of different feelings in their faces, evident in the spark of their eyes. Some of them were indescribable, others, too obvious to the ones who witnessed the whole ceremony, but one thing was for sure: love was definitely present in all of them.
The blond angel gave one step closer to his beautiful wife and gently lay both hands on each side of her face. There were some tears of joy falling rolling down her cheeks and Andrew was quick to wipe them away with gentle fingers. They were hypnotised by each other’s gaze and it took them a split second to inch their faces closer and touch each other’s lips – their first kiss as a husband and wife; the first of the many countless kisses they would share from that moment on. As they pulled away, under the applause of their angelic friends, he brushed a tiny kiss on Monica’s forehead and whispered some loving words to her. “I’ll love you forever, Monica...”
“I’ll love you too, Andrew.”
Then they had to pull away as the other angels made a queue to congratulate them and Tess, of course, was the first one to get a warm, tight embrace, first from Monica and after from Andrew.
“Thank you for everything, Tess. I love you...” the Irish angel said, trying not to cry again.
“I told you don’t have to thank me, angel girl. Just be happy you two and you’ll make me happy too! In fact, I guess this is the happiest day of my existence!” the supervisor replied, also making a huge effort not to cry. After Monica had kissed her cheek, it was Andrew’s turn to hug her tightly. “I guess I have so much to thank you since you introduced us... Maybe Monica and I meeting each other was already part of God’s plan, but I’m specially thankful it was you who put us together...”
“There isn’t anything in my existence that makes me prouder, angel boy.”
“Thanks for giving us your blessing.” He said, and, like his beloved wife, kissed the oldest angel’s face.
“You take care of my angel girl!”
“You can be sure I will!”
As their other angelic friends congratulated them, soft music filled the air – as Tess hadn’t forgotten to invite the angel of music, and, when she took her position to sing along with that beautiful melody, Andrew held Monica’s hand and, now happier than never, asked, “May I have this dance?”
“Always...” she replied, resting her head on his chest. Together, the couple of angels danced for some time, and, although they were on Earth, they both were under the impression to be dancing in the clouds due to so much happiness.
But down on earth, in human form, hours went by fast, and for the angels who had come to celebrate that memorable ceremony, was soon time to go back to their assignments. Besides, Monica and Andrew had been granted some days down on earth as a husband and wife, and for them too it was time to go.
After they had thanked their friends, Tess took both their hands with a mysterious smile, “I didn’t tell you this before, but I have a little assignment for you, babies...”
“An assignment?” the Irish angel said, with surprised and slightly worried eyes.
“An assignment? Today, Tess?” Andrew spoke, a bit upset.
“Yes, an assignment, and I’ve been ordered to take you to a certain place right now, so come with me and don’t you complain!” the supervisor spoke, with a bossy tone in her voice. A second later, they were gone from the clearing in Ireland and reappeared in a beach.
Monica immediately recognised the place as soon as she saw a construction, not far from where they were. “The beach house!”
“Yes, that’s correct, angel girl.”
“The beach house? But... I don’t understand, Tess, you said there was an assignment...”
“This is where you’re going to start a new life, together. And I was told to bring you two here with one little assignment for both of you to fulfil: live with happiness, taking care of each other and with much love. What you two have is very, very special and precious and the Father and I want you to keep this feeling... this deep love you have inside these little hearts forever, because it’s holy and perfect, as it comes from the Father Himself.”
“Oh Tess...” crying once more, Monica held her dear friend tightly, “Thank you...”
“You can be sure we’ll honour this grace that we’ve been conceded every day of our existence.” the blond angel spoke, also hugging the supervisor tightly.
“I know you will...” she said, struggling not to cry, and stroking both their faces. “I’ll leave you two now. God bless you, angel babies. I’ll see you in some weeks.”
“Goodbye, Tess.”
“See you, Tess.” Monica and Andrew both said, and the oldest angel disappeared a second later.
Now, completely alone, as the beach house was the only construction in that secluded part of the Earth, both angels looked at each other and smiled; their love was such it could be seen in the sparkle of their eyes. Andrew took Monica’s hands into his own and gave a step closer to her, kissing her forehead with tenderness. The foam of waves that crashed at some distance from them suddenly reached the spot where they were standing – just enough to tickle the Irish angel’s bare feet.
“You know... although I’ve seen you barefoot before many times, you’re specially adorable now...” he spoke, committing to memory every feature of her meek face.
“It must be the occasion...” she replied, tilting her head and eyeing him with her heart practically bursting with love.
He let go of one of her hands and lay it on her cheek, “I love you so much, angel. And you can be sure of what I told Tess just now... I’ll honour that love promise every day of our existence, forever...”
Their lips met a second later, and they shared a long, loving kiss, full of love and devotion; leaving Andrew with the certainty that there couldn’t be anything sweeter than that loving that beautiful, warm hearted creature.
A while later, when they finally pulled away, the little angel stroked his face with tenderness, admiring his handsome features. Also smiling with tenderness, he offered her his hand and she gladly took it, also holding his gaze. After he had placed a kiss on her palm, the two angels left the beach towards the house, which was only a few steps away.
There, they stopped again before climbing the porch steps and looked at each other one more time, aware of the fact that, from that moment on, their existence would be filled with the countless happy memories that only a human couple could experience – and which had been graciously granted them.
“Let me do the honours...” he spoke, enjoying her inquisitive gaze. Then, he lifted the Irish angel in his arms and carried her along the way up to the door, which had been left ajar. Happily, Monica wrapped her arms around his neck and softly kissed his cheek while both finally entered the house.
Once they were inside, the blond angel carefully placed her on the floor and she looked around them – the place, which was already beautiful and cosy, had been carefully prepared for the two of them to spend their honeymoon. The wooden furniture and its rustic style, combined with the soft light, as now darkness was starting to fall over the Earth, gave the beach house a romantic and comfortable atmosphere.
“Tess thought about everything...” she said, her face softening at the supervisor’s loving gesture. Dinner was served and Andrew took her hand to his lips, before motioning to sit at the table with him. “That’ll be our first dinner as husband and wife...”
“Yes...” she tilted her head with a cheerful smile, “... and, as a matter of fact, I’m a wee bit hungry, ya know...”
Finding the expression on her face completely adorable, as if she was confessing a secret, he chuckled and nodded, “I guess being in human form can do that... But I’m glad that I still have some powers...”
“What do you mean, Andrew?” she wanted to know, eyeing him with curiosity. But, as much as he loved that cute face, he smiled mysteriously, “Well... you’ll see...”
*
Monica changed her beautiful wedding gown for something more simple: a cute short sleeved white long dress, which still made her look like an angel. After a romantic candlelight dinner, Andrew put some soft music on the stereo on the shelf and walked over up to her, “I was wondering if I could have the honour...” he said, offering his hand to her and seductively looking inside her brown eyes. Practically hypnotised by his gaze, and slightly blushed, she smiled and took his proffered hand, “Charmed...”
They swayed slowly, enjoying the feeling of closeness between them. For some time, Monica rested her head on his strong chest, while he held her close to him. But then when one of the soft melody faded, they suddenly pulled away and looked at each other, their eyes sparkling with love, and once again he contemplated her meek features, committing to memory each and every detail of her beautiful face as he stroked her cheek. Monica returned his loving gaze, feeling as if there wasn’t enough space inside her heart for the great love she felt for him, and longing to kiss him and to remain in his arms forever.
Turning his gaze from her eyes to her rosy lips, looking intently at them and yearning to kiss them as much as he could, Andrew bent his head and brushed his lips onto hers; delicately at first, as a confirmation of the immense love he felt for her. Feeling her arms wrapping around his neck again, as if pleading for his caresses, the blond angel placed one hand on the back of her head, his fingers entangling in her auburn hair, another hand on her waist, bringing her closer to him, and deepened the kiss, now pressing his lips more firmly onto hers, tasting the sweet flavour of her mouth.
Monica felt a multitude of pleasant emotions taking control over her heart, filling her soul, suddenly reminding her of the first time they kissed, on that same beach, 6 months earlier. They had kissed many times since that, of course, but not with such passion, and it took her some seconds to adjust to that new situation.
Only when air became an issue for both of them, did they pull away, but that was just for a split second, as none of them could bear separation at that very moment. “I love you...” she heard him whisper in her ear, right before she silenced him by pressing hard lips over his own, and kissing him as deeper and just as lovingly as he had done before.
Some time later, Andrew’s lips made a trail down her delicate jaw, then her neck and finally her shoulder, delighted with the taste and the perfume of her soft skin; and feeling the need to cover her entire body with kisses. Monica tilted her head to give him access at the same time that her small hands caressed his blond hair and his arms, marvelled with the strength of his muscles and aware that the same strength would protect her for the rest of eternity.
His lips sought for hers one more time, in a deep, passionate kiss, which she welcomed with the same passion, and now he moved one of his hands to her hips, while the other one ran up and down her back. The Irish angel felt as if she was falling down in his arms, unable to think; only feeling the surge of emotions that was taking over her soul – their soul. Without breaking the kiss, Andrew scooped her in his strong arms once again and carried her through the living room further up to their room.
The dim light that was coming from the fireplace lit the room creating a cosy, romantic atmosphere. The blond angel gently broke the kiss to place her in bed, which was covered with delicate rose petals, sitting right in front of her. The little angel stroked his face with tenderness and with a loving smile. Then, she looked around her, loving their surroundings, and the fact that she was literally standing in a bed of roses caused the same smile to grow wider. “It’s lovely... Now I know why you said you were glad to have some power...”
Sitting face to face, the blond angel raised his hand and traced a line along her jaw with his finger, drinking the beautiful image right in front of him. “You’re more beautiful than never, angel...” he said, in a low voice, not missing the expectation and anxiety evident in her eyes.
Lost in his gaze, marvelled at the deep love she could see written in there and aware of the same intense love she could feel inside her very soul, she shed some tears of joy. “I was created to serve God... but, in the last few years, I found out that I was also created to love you, Andrew; and I promise I’ll live to make you happy.”
“Angel... You’re so precious to me that... I even feel undeserving right now...” he said, also with a shaky smile and some tears of emotion in the corner of his green eyes, “... I love you, Monica; more than yesterday, less than tomorrow, and for the rest of eternity.”
She took his hand and placed it over her heart, “Every second spent with you, Andrew, is worth a life time...”
Saying no more, as now words wouldn’t be enough to express the many awesome emotions that took control over their soul, Andrew bent his head and pressed his lips against hers, in a slow and sweet kiss. He slowly ran his hands along her bare arms, which were wrapped around his neck, feeling her soft skin once again, and then gently entangled his fingers through her hair, repeating an action that she herself had been doing with his blond hair.
Deepening the kiss, he moved one of his hands from her head to caress her cheek, her neck and then he lowered it even more, placing it against her breast, feeling her heart beats accelerating a bit more and her breath catching in her throat at the touch of his hand. The blond angel pulled away for some air and kissed her cheeks lovingly, up to her ear “I love you so much, angel...” he whispered, nibbling her earlobe, causing Monica to shiver with a pleasant sensation.
“... I love you, too...” she managed to whisper, before he captured her lips once again and parted them with his tongue, stealing her breath away once again and tenderly stroking her breast through the fabric of her dress.
The Irish angel felt the sudden and nearly desperate need to touch his skin and, with trembling fingers, she started to unbutton his shirt, opening it some seconds later and running her small hands against his bare chest and stomach, committing to memory his hard and strong muscles, intoxicated with the perfume of his cologne.
And this physical contact was causing Andrew to have trouble controlling himself; those moments of intimacy were as new for Monica as they were for him and the blond angel ached to have more of her each and every second. But he breathed hard, trying to calm himself, though. The most important thing he should worry about was Monica; he didn’t want her to feel uncomfortable in any way – that little angel was like a valuable treasure to him, and he simply loathed the thought of hurting her.
With infinite gentleness, Andrew moved his other hand from her hair to run it along her spine up and down several times, finally unzipping her dress a while later, and now running his two hands along her bare back, having more of what he hungered for: her soft skin.
He looked at her a few moments later as if asking for permission and she nodded her head, watching as his hands now travelled slowly on her legs and raised her long dress until it passed over her head and was tossed on the floor. Andrew stopped his series of caresses and passionate kisses to admire her body, now covered only with some delicate white underwear, and that was enough to make him even more aroused with passion for her. “Pretty angel girl...” he said, and looked straight into her eyes, taking her hand to his lips.
Keeping the eye contact, he continued to deliver soft kisses on her arm, watching her slight smile at him, and finally reached her neck, once again gathering her in his arms for another passionate kiss. While their tongues danced together, the Irish angel finally managed to remove his shirt and the garment was tossed on the floor together with her dress. Her hands running freely along his chest and muscles and the fact that she was in his arms wearing very few clothes made Andrew almost insane with desire. The blond angel felt his body responding to her, hardening a bit more with every little touch of her hands and with the smell of her perfume, and once again, his hand came to rest on her breast.
A couple of minutes later, Andrew reached out to unfasten her bra, delivering soft kisses on her neck and, as he did so, Monica felt a lump forming on her throat. Somewhat sensing that, he pulled away before removing the piece of cloth and looked straight into her eyes – his green pools penetrating her soul and reading her silent permission for him to go on. Delicately, he removed her bra and finally could contemplate her beautiful breasts, marvelled at her tender nipples already erect, pleading for his gentle touch.
“...angel... you’re so beautiful...” he said, caressing first her cheek with the back of his hand, and then lowering it up to one breast, tenderly grazing it with his palm. He felt himself hardening a bit more hearing her gasp with the pleasant sensation his gentle touch could bring and he soon cupped the other breast. “... so soft and delicate...”
Almost immediately, she wrapped her arms around his neck, claiming his mouth for another passionate kiss, while he brushed his thumbs against her nipples, hearing a soft moan escaping from her mouth – his touch was like electricity running all over her body, and she needed him closer to her more and more.
A few moments later, the blond angel gently held her in his arms and lay her in bed, which was covered with delicate rose petals, making her rest her head against the soft pillows spread there. Only then, did he break their kiss, never stopping his gentle caresses as he looked at her - a lump forming in his throat when he saw her brown eyes staring at him, filled with love and trust. The rest of their clothes was tossed on the floor and now the two angels in human form stared at each other’s bodies with wonder and fascination.
The blond angel lay down next to her, leaning on his elbow, committing to memory every single detail of her naked body, tracing a line along her jaw with his finger and drinking the beautiful image right in front of him. “You’re more beautiful than never, angel...” he said, in a low voice, aware of the trust evident in her eyes.
Andrew leaned down to kiss Monica once more, this time no one of them willing to pull apart until the end of the night. Both angels were lost in those amazing, wonderful and beautiful feelings, now, more than ever, under the impression that the world outside had stopped and the stars that were starting to appear in the sky became brighter only to allow them that treasured moment, which, due to the great and everlasting love they shared, would certainly be repeated innumerable times for the rest of eternity.
To be continued.