A mother's prayer, an angel's prayer
Instinctively, Monica followed the sound of the desperate cries that echoed through the woods on that sunny Saturday morning. She and Andrew had been sent to a campsite on the previous day and so far they wondered what exactly their assignment was. And truth to be told, she was already thinking that maybe there had been a change of plans and that their going there wasn't necessary anymore.
But at the moment the little angel heard those cries breaking the silence of the woods she knew that there was a mission to be fulfilled and, judging by the urgency of the woman's callings, she had to be fast. The plea for help got as closer as the noise of the running water. Suddenly, the vegetation ended and gave place to a very steep slope, and Monica nearly stumbled at its top. There was a car very close to the river and held just by a thin tree trunk - were that tree not there, it would have fallen straight into the river, and the strong water stream would have carried it away.
"Please, somebody help us!" the desperate woman's voice repeated, and with her heart pounding loudly in her chest, Monica soon realised that the car had slipped away from the road not far from there and rolled down the slope.
"I can hear you! I'm coming!" the angel replied, and facing her own fear, she started to go down the slope - the unstable and soft ground underneath her shoes threatening to collapse at any moment. The river waters were running so strongly that if she fell in them, Monica knew that the chances of her swimming back to the surface were almost zero.
Grasping at the scarce vegetation along the way, and feeling her entire human body trembling, she got closer to the car and saw that it had rolled a few times during its fall.
"Please, miss, help my daughter! She hit her head and is unconscious and I guess I broke my leg!" the woman pleaded. Monica was scared to see the nasty gash she had on her forehead and even more worried to see that the five-year-old little girl lying on the back seat seemed to have fainted during the accident.
"Hold on... I'll help you get out of there..." the angel replied with trembling voice.
But the woman in the car shook her head. "No! Please, take my daughter first! Take her out of the car and carry her up the slope, to a safe place!"
Monica looked at the little girl - yes, she wanted to save the child and take her away from that dangerous place but it would take her too long and she feared that the tree trunk that supported the car weight would break soon; it was possible to feel it crushing already.
"I could take your daughter and then help you..."
"Are you a mother?" the woman asked, staring at Monica straight in her eyes.
"Y-yes..."
"Then you do understand me... I want her safe... only my baby matters now!"
"I... I do..." the angel replied, and forcing back a few tears, she proceeded in opening the back door. The belt was wrapped around the little girl's body and when Monica leaned over to remove it, the car moved a little. With trembling hands, she managed to set the child free and pulled her out of the vehicle, which, once again, bent to the left.
Monica's heart ached twice. The vision of a wounded child had always been too painful to stare at, and after little Angela came into her existence she loathed it even more. But there was also something else that worried her deeply and caused her heart to break: she and Andrew had been requested there on assignment, and now that she had found out what her job was, she wondered if Andrew was there as an angel of death, in charge of taking that poor mother Home, and away from her daughter.
She knew that this duty would break his heart too, and it would also destroy a family. Some tears fell from her eyes as she finally managed to take the little girl out of the car. "She's breathing." Monica said, a little relieved.
"Please, save my little daughter! Find help!" the mother's plea broke her heart and in a way that she could fully understand. Besides, there was no way she could also help the woman out of the vehicle at the same time, and she felt that it would soon fall in the river.
"I'll take her to a safe place and I'll come and get you," the angel said, as she saw the woman closing her eyes, somewhat surrendering to the pain and suffering.
She carried the child up the slope with so much difficulty that her human form ended up hurt as well. Some cuts caused by the small twigs on the way, along with the difficulty to carry an unconscious five-year-old in her arms, made Monica take long minutes to reach the top.
"Father, please, help me... Please, take care of this little girl and allow me to go to her mother..." the Irish angel prayed as she carefully lay the child's small body on the ground. "There was so much love in her eyes... I saw it and I know it was genuine, unconditional... Please, allow her to live..."
Monica was ready to go back to the car when a loud and terrifying noise reached her ears: the thin tree trunk that was holding the vehicle gave in and the car rolled down the slope and fell in the troubled river waters.
"Oh, no! No!" the angel's crying voice held a lot more sadness than any other angel's, as she more than any other knew what it meant for that mother to be away from her child. With tears of sadness falling from her doe-like eyes, she took the little girl in her arms again. "I'm so sorry, sweetheart... Please, forgive me... I should have been here earlier..."
But before she knew it, the angel felt another presence on that tragic scenario - a familiar loving presence which she had long got used to. When Monica raised her head she saw Andrew coming closer to her. He was in his angelic form but carried a human body in his arms: the mother of the child she had just saved.
"Andrew?" she spoke, looking at him through blurred eyes filled with tears.
"She's alive, angel. She's just passed out..." he was quick to inform, aware of the anguish inside her loving heart.
"You're... you're not taking her Home?"
"No," the angel of death placed the woman on the ground, next to her daughter. "... there was a change of plans..."
"What do you mean, Andrew?"
"Initially I was here as an angel of death. But..." he reached out and stroked her cheek, "... an angel's prayer and a loving and selfless mother's attitude granted these two a new chance to remain together."
Monica's crying smile at those happy news did make him feel equally happy and the blond angel also lifted a silent prayer thanking his loving Father for sending him there not to fulfil his usual duty but to help his beloved Monica save a human being's life.
X
"Where's my daughter? Where's Nathalie?"
Those were the woman's first words when she woke up one day later, and the nurse that was assisting her was quick to put her heart at ease. "She is in the children's ICU, recovering from a concussion on her head and some few scratches, but she's doing fine and doctors will probably remove her to a bedroom tomorrow."
Tears immediately filled her eyes at that piece of news. "Oh, my God! Thank you! Thank you so much!"
The nurse smiled - she had witnessed so many sad stories along her career that watching the joy in the woman's bruised face did make that job worth doing.
"I've made so many mistakes in my life, you know, that I thought I didn't deserve God's mercy..." the patient kept on talking.
"Everybody deserves it if they're truly regretful, miss. We're all his children, why would you be different?"
"I did and said so many terrible things..."
"All I can tell you is that God is a forgiving and loving Father..."
The woman wiped away a few tears and made the other question that was on her mind. "Where... where's the lady that found us? The one who helped me out..."
"Lady? No, you were brought here by the paramedics who were heading to the nearest town. There was an emergency call for them and can you believe it that later on we found out it was false?" she replied, with some annoyance at the mock phone call. "Well, anyway, they were driving along the road when they found you two."
"No... wait, there was lady who found us in the car... She fist took Nathalie and then... I believe there was a man too... I... I don't remember very well..."
The nurse stared at her in disbelief. "Weren't you the one who brought your daughter up the slope?"
"Oh, no! I couldn't move! There was a young lady who heard my calling for help, she came down the slope and I begged her to save Nathalie!"
"There was nobody there, miss. Only you and your daughter..."
"That's impossible! I spoke to her! And I believe I saw a blond man too!"
Frowning, the nurse kept on staring at her patient with surprise and amazement.
"Look at me! How could I bring my daughter out of the car if my leg and my arm were broken? How could I climb up that slope if even a healthy person would have difficulty in doing so?"
If the nurse was thinking that the accident the woman's condition were making her confused, now those words made her change her mind. She was right: no one under those circumstances would have managed to escape that accident by themselves.
"You're right... And I think God has truly forgiven you for your mistakes, because now I have no doubt He granted you a miracle..."
"A miracle?" she spoke, with more tears of emotion falling from her eyes.
"Yes... by sending His angels to help you and your daughter at this difficult hour..."
Unseen to their eyes, Monica and Andrew watched as their assignment, in tears of joy and emotion, bowed her head and thanked God for sending them to help her.
"Happy now, angel?" he spoke, watching as she too wiped a tear away and was deeply moved at the scene right before her eyes.
"Yes... so much, Andrew..." she said, as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. And holding the same smile, Monica looked up at him. "And so are you! It's not even necessary to love you so much to feel it!"
Also smiling, the blond angel bent his head and kissed her temple lovingly, "Let's go now... Our presence is being requested some other place, far from this hospital."
"Really? Where?" she was immediately worried, wondering if there was someone who needed their help.
"Well... come with me..." Andrew remained serious, trying his best to hide the hint of mischief in his green pools.
X
Distances in their angelic form were easily run in a matter of seconds, and a heartbeat after Monica and Andrew had left the hospital, they were in the middle of the woods, where they regained their human forms. But those were familiar to them and so was the cozy cabin right before their eyes. The smoke coming out of the chimney and the sweet smell of food by the kitchen window were a sign that someone very dear to them had been cooking.
Andrew finally got rid of the mock serious expression and smiled at the image of his dear angel girl's joy to be back there. "Our cabin!"
"Yes, and I believe we should come in!" he said, gently guiding her up to the doorstep and opening the door a second later: Tess and a cheerful little Angela greeted her with a broad smile.
"Oh, goodness gracious! Tess! Angela!"
"Finally the one who's celebrating her day is here!" the supervisor spoke, as Monica rushed towards her and took her baby daughter in her arms.
"Mummy!" the little angel greeted, receiving lots of kisses in reply.
"Mommy missed you so much, wee one!" she said, and then looked at her dearest friend. "Oh, Tess... Thank you so much!" She kept Angela in one arm and held the oldest angel tightly, "I missed you too, you know... So much..."
"Oh, baby... you're as much as a daughter to me as little Angela here is to you!" the supervisor replied, returning that warm embrace.
Pleased to see that reunion, Andrew wrapped his long arms around their both shoulders. "And that's why I prepared you two a surprise for this mother's day!"
"A surprise, Andrew? Another one?" Monica wanted to know.
"I thought my mother's day lunch was the surprise!" Tess exclaimed, with visible annoyance.
The blond angel chuckled at their reaction. "Look again!"
And before they knew it, lots of rose bouquets, coloured in white, yellow and pink, filled the cabin.
"Andrew!"
"Oh, angel boy!"
"For you two beautiful mothers, who I happen to love very, very much!" he said, kissing Tess' cheek and Monica's lips.
"I love you two as if you were my children, babies... And this little angel here as my granddaughter."
"We thank God each and every day for having you by our side, Tess..." Monica spoke, as moved as her supervisor.
Angela's excited eyes were wider at the vision of the coloured room and she raised her chubby little arm and pointed at the roses that surrounded them with curiosity and amazement. "Fower!"
That cute baby's voice caused them to let out a happy laugh.
"She helped me to pick them all!" Andrew added, and kissed his little angel's cheek.
And laughing, that happy "family" sat down by the table to enjoy a delicious dinner on that sunny mother's day, aware of the loving bond that would certainly keep them together for the centuries to come.
X
Later at night...
Monica watched through the living room window as the night fell softly upon Earth and the sky was slowly filled with thousand of sparkling stars; the bright full moon and a soft breeze blowing through the ever green mountains completed the beauty of the scenario. That peaceful atmosphere along with the warmth coming from the fireplace allowed a certain little angel to fall into a peaceful sleep in her mother's arms. Angela's little head against her chest caused the Irish angel to feel such a great joy that it brought tears to her eyes once in a while. With a happy smile, she listened as Andrew tidied the kitchen up after that night's dinner and once he was over, she felt a pair of gentle hands over her shoulders.
"Looks like somebody here had a busy day..." the blond angel spoke against her ear, also smiling at the image of his asleep daughter in her mother's arms - a vision of such perfection that it could never be put into words.
"Every day I'm more and more certain that she likes my singing, you know, Andrew..." Monica spoke, in a low voice and with so much amazement that he couldn't help chuckling.
"She's not the only one!" he said, brushing a loving kiss against her cheek, and wrapping his arms around his two angelic sweethearts.
"Will you help me to put her into bed?" she spoke again, after a few minutes in a pleasant silence.
"That is an assignment I'll always be happy to fulfil!"
They moved away and when they faced the living room another image caused both angels to laugh: an open-mouthed Tess was fast asleep in the comfortable sofa facing the fireplace.
"Seems it's not only our little angel here who was lulled by your singing!" the blond angel joked, making Monica suppress another laughter.
"She must be tired too, you know. After all, she worked so much to prepare lunch and dinner and still took care of wee Angela..." the Irish angel spoke, tilting her head to look at Tess with tenderness.
Andrew nodded in agreement, equally glad to have the oldest angel in their life. "Yes, you're right..."
"Hold Angela for me a little, will you?"
"Sure..."
Without giving any explanation, Monica carefully handed him the sleeping baby and quickly climbed up the stairs. Intrigued, Andrew kissed the top of Angela's head and remained where he was, gently rocking the baby and waiting to see what his beloved angel girl was planning. The Irish angel returned a minute later, holding a warm blanket, which she threw over Tess' body.
"We don't need to wake her up, you know. The fireplace and this blanket will keep her warm enough, and she seems to be comfortable in here..." she finally said, straightening the quilt around her beloved friend. Happy to see that task accomplished, the angel bent over and kissed the supervisor's cheek. "Have a good night, Tess. We love you..."
After those whispered words, Monica offered her hand to Andrew but before they walked up to the stairs, he spoke again. "Wait a minute... Today is your day to put angels to bed!" He said, handing little Angela back to her.
Smiling happily, the two angels climbed up the stairs up to Angela's bedroom, where Monica gently deposited her in her crib and covered her with a blanket - after she and Andrew filled the little one's rosy cheeks with kisses.
"It was one of the happiest days of my existence, you know, Andrew..." the Irish angel spoke, sighing with joy as he held her tightly against his chest while both looked at their sleeping baby.
"Of mine too... But well... all days spent with you are 'the best days of my existence'!" he said, kissing the top of her head as she closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of being in his arms.
"How... how long can you stay?" the Irish angel wanted to know, even though she was afraid of the answer.
"I haven't got any instructions to go anywhere... Guess on the mother's day I'm the one who received a present by spending it with those I love so much..."
A smile appeared on Monica's face. "You mean you have more free time?"
"Well, yes." He looked down at her and gently placed a strand of hair behind her ear. "I guess you can have an extra astronomy class then!"
She finally opened her eyes to meet his green ones, seeing her own image reflected in their dark centres; aware of the immense love they managed to transmit. "I'm afraid I'll skip tonight's astronomy class, you know..." she spoke, in a low voice, as if confessing a surprising secret, and causing Andrew to frown with some doubt.
"Skip tonight's class?"
"Yes... I've been thinking and I guess you were right about something you told me at the campsite!"
"I told you? And... what would that be?"
"Well, I believe our time together could be optimised if we divide it better!"
He still couldn't understand where she was getting at but even so, Andrew chuckled at her wording and at the serious expression on her face - she always looked amazingly adorable to him whenever she was elaborating her thoughts and somewhat confusing reflections.
"Optimised? Really?" he repeated, still trying to understand her.
"Yes! Like for example right now I think you should bend your head a wee bit lower!"
The affectionate look in her eyes told him everything he needed to know, and now with a mischievous smile, Andrew bent down and tightened the hold around her a bit more. "As you wish!"
Their lips met a second later, in a soulful kiss that sealed that happy mother's day. Monica's hands travelled up from Andrew's strong chest to his shoulders. She wrapped her arms around his neck, as he deepened that sweet caress a bit more, entangling his fingers through her hair, cherishing the fact that his precious angel girl was there, in his arms.
"I love you... I guess I haven't said that in the latest hour..." the angel of death whispered against her ear, once they broke their kiss, but still placing tiny kisses along her jaw and causing a broad smile to appear on her face.
"Well... we have a small eternity of joy in the next few hours... and I'll enjoy listening to you saying it again, and again..."
Andrew smiled back before his lips captured hers in another loving kiss.
Hearts permanently connected.
Souls forever joined.
To be continued