Chapter Seven

As Andrew and Monica walked back to Rick’s office building, they passed a bookstore and Andrew suddenly heard the Father’s voice floating down to him and he smiled. “Come on, let’s have a look in here.” They went inside, and found the section for children’s books. “You like reading, so how about I buy you a book, then that will keep you busy for the rest of the afternoon.”

Monica smiled up at him, letting go of his hand as she wandered over to the shelves, looking at all the books on display. Finally she picked up ‘The Sleeping Beauty’ and turned to Andrew, handing the book to him. “Could I have this one, Andrew? Please.”

Andrew smiled as he took the book from her. “Oh, I think that would be okay. Come on.” He took her hand again and they went to the cash desk for Andrew to pay for the book. The cashier handed him the book in a carrier bag and he turned to Monica. “You want to carry this, or shall I?”

“I will.” Monica grinned up at him as she took the bag, holding onto it tightly with both hands, forcing Andrew to put a hand on her shoulder instead as they walked out of the store. He didn’t like her to be too far away from him while they were out in public, knowing all too well the kinds of people that could be nearby. Silently he thanked the Father for the idea of a book, as he led his dear friend back to Rick’s office.

The elevator up to the sixth floor was quite crowded, and Andrew saw how Monica looked almost swamped by all the other people in close proximity, and he could tell she was glad when the doors finally opened and they stepped out. He turned to her and smiled. “So, you ready to spend the rest of the afternoon here?”

Monica nodded, looking toward Rick’s office warily, but then she looked down at the book in her hands and smiled. “Yes. Thank you, Andrew.”

“Hey, anytime, sweetie.” Andrew led her back into Rick’s office, past Kathy who smiled at Monica again. Thankfully it seemed that not everyone in the building hated children as much as Rick did.

Andrew sat Monica down on the couch, pulling the book out of the bag and handing it to her. He watched with amazement as she smiled at the picture on the cover, then opened the book and began reading the large, easy to read text. And as he watched her small finger trace over the words, and the occasional frown on her young face, Andrew realized that Monica was more like a child than he’d ever imagined.

***

Rick seemed much calmer that afternoon, pleased with the fact that Monica was engrossed in reading her book, although he still checked on her every once in a while to make sure she was still sitting there and not wandering off looking at something else.

Andrew, too, kept a close eye on his young friend, slightly annoyed at himself that earlier in the day he hadn’t been watching over her enough to have seen what she was doing. But the Father’s words reassured him that he was doing just fine, and coping very well with the younger version of Monica.

Rick, however, seemed to be making no attempt to even speak to the young angel, let alone start to like her, and this was frustrating for Andrew, who didn’t really know how to get through to the man. About half way through the afternoon, Rick leaned back in his chair, rubbing his eyes. “Well, I’m about due for a break, and a drink. You want some tea, Andrew?”

The blond angel nodded. “Yeah, that would be great, thanks.”

Casting a glance over at Monica, Rick saw that she was still engrossed in her book. “What about her? Does she want something?”

Andrew sighed. “Well, why don’t you ask her, Rick?”

Rick looked at Andrew as if he’d just announced that he was a visitor from Mars. “You want me to ask her myself?”

“Yeah. You know, she might only be six years old, but she can talk... and she can understand what you say to her. I know it’s pretty amazing, but then, kids are, aren’t they?” Andrew looked at Rick with narrowed eyes, hearing a warning from the Father to keep his temper in check, but it was difficult.

Sighing heavily, Rick shrugged his shoulders and got up from his desk. He walked toward Monica, stopping a few feet away and looking down at her. The young angel realized he was there, and looked up at him warily before glancing over to Andrew, who smiled reassuringly at her, realizing she probably thought she was in trouble with Rick again.

“So... kid... you, er... you want something to drink?”

Monica looked up at him and smiled sweetly. “Could I have orange juice, please?”

Rick seemed taken aback at Monica’s politeness and he nodded, running a hand through his hair. “Er... yeah, yeah, you can have orange juice.” He turned back to Andrew. “I’ll get the drinks myself- I could do with stretching my legs for a bit.”

“Okay.” Andrew nodded and watched as Rick left the room, then he got up and moved to sit on the couch next to Monica. “Hey. How you doing with that book? You finished it yet?”

Monica shook her head. “Some of the words are hard, Andrew...” She frowned. “I can’t read them all.”

Andrew sighed lightly, watching his friend closely. “Well, don’t worry about it, okay?” He rubbed her shoulder soothingly. “I know things are all a little different for you right now, but it’s not for long, I promise. Once this assignment is over, you can go back to your other incredibly cute human form.” He watched as Monica’s face took on a puzzled expression. “Go back? Where?”

The blond angel was saved having to answer this because at that moment Rick walked back into the office with a tray of drinks. Monica’s attention was almost immediately diverted to the glass of orange juice that Rick handed to Andrew, still not trusting Monica to take it from him, but as Andrew handed her the drink he couldn’t help but worry about the questions his young friend had been asking today.

============

Chapter Eight

After what had seemed like a very long day, the two angels got back to the apartment in the early evening, and once inside, Andrew turned to his friend with concern in his eyes. “Monica... sit down for a minute, I need to talk to you.” As he sat down he watched as the little girl that was his best friend, climbed up onto the couch to sit beside him.

“What’s wrong, Andrew?”

Sighing, the blond angel hesitated a moment, watching her. “You were asking a lot of questions today, questions about our assignment, and... well, it just seemed a little unusual... is everything okay with you?”

Monica frowned, tilting her head slightly to one side as she eyed Andrew cautiously. “I just wanted to know about... stuff...” She dropped her gaze, watching as she moved her feet up and down, swinging her legs slightly.

Andrew let out a sigh as he watched her, unsure what to say. He was silent for a long moment, just watching his friend who made no attempt to meet his gaze. “Monica, you... you do understand about our assignment, don’t you?”

Monica turned to look up at him, her legs stopping their swinging movement. “You have to help with Rick’s accounts, and I have to try not to get in his way.”

Andrew raised an eyebrow. “Well, it’s... it’s a little more than that...” Looking up, Andrew saw Tess had now appeared in the room, but it was obvious that she was visible only to him. “Look, I’m... I’m gonna make us something to eat, okay? Why don’t you watch some TV for a while.” The blond angel got off the couch and switched on the television, finding a cartoon channel which he figured would be safe for his friend to watch.

“Are you mad at me, Andrew?”

Turning to look at Monica, Andrew thought his heart would break at the look on her face. “Oh... no, I’m not mad at you.” He leaned down and kissed Monica’s head, ruffling her hair slightly. “Now you sit there and enjoy the cartoons, okay? I’ll let you know when dinner’s ready.”

Monica nodded and then caught sight of the Tom and Jerry cartoon, her attention immediately diverted away from Andrew and to the cartoon as she jumped down onto the floor, sitting cross-legged a few feet away from the television screen. Andrew walked into the kitchen, followed by Tess, and he closed the door slightly, running a hand through his hair and sighing heavily. Tess looked at him sympathetically. “Are you okay, Angel Boy?”

Andrew looked up at the older angel. “I... don’t know...” He shrugged. “I-I mean, what’s happening here?”

Tess sighed lightly. “Well, I would have thought by now that it was obvious, baby... our Angel Girl has become so much like her new human form that she barely remembers that she is an Angel. That’s why she’s been asking so many questions today- she really doesn’t understand what the two of you are doing.”

“But... how can that happen, Tess?”

Tess shrugged. “I don’t honestly know, baby... all He’s telling me is that Monica’s behavior is down to the human form that she’s in for this assignment. Now, I know we both expected her to have some elements of childlike behavior, but I think you’ll agree that this has gone much further than that.”

Andrew nodded, casting a glance toward the living room where he could hear the sound from the television- and he suddenly realized that he was having a discussion with Tess while Monica watched cartoons in the next room, and the whole situation seemed awfully unreal. “So... what can we do?”

“Nothing, I’m afraid. We just have to accept the fact that until this assignment ends, our little Angel Girl is less Angel and more little girl. And you gotta remember that, all the time you’re with her. If she feels like a six-year-old then she’s only gonna have the understanding of a six-year-old.”

“Tess, I-I...” He sighed, shaking his head. “I thought I could cope with this because despite her human form, it was still Monica in there. But now... I feel like I’m losing her, Tess.”

The older angel looked at Andrew sympathetically. “Oh, no, baby, you’re not losing her, that could never happen. Although Monica’s personality is different, she still loves you very much, I can tell. She is still our Angel Girl deep down, but the Angelic part of her just can’t get through right now, that’s all. She’s seeing things a little differently at the moment, and you just need to see her differently, too. You’ve got to understand her as a little girl.”

“Don’t get me wrong, Tess, I-I mean...” Andrew smiled a little. “She’s so adorable in this form, I couldn’t not like her... I love her. It’s just... I guess I’m afraid that I’ll never see my Monica again, you know?”

Tess reached across to pull Andrew into a hug, holding him tightly for a long moment. “Baby, she is your Monica, she always will be. The Father assures me of that.” She smiled at him. “Learn from her, Andrew. Take the time to understand how Monica sees things now.”

================

Chapter Nine

After Tess left, Andrew stayed in the kitchen keeping himself busy by making spaghetti bolognaise and all the while thinking carefully about what Tess had said to him, trying to work out a multitude of feelings and thoughts that ran through his mind. The Father’s gentle words had confirmed to him what Tess had said- for the duration of this assignment, Monica was effectively a little girl, and he had to treat her as such.

“Andrew?”

The small voice interrupted his thoughts and he looked up to see Monica standing in the doorway watching him closely. “Hey. You okay?”

Monica hesitated for a moment then shrugged, but didn’t answer. Seeing the nervousness in her eyes, Andrew reached out a hand to his friend, smiling at her. “Come over here.”

Waiting for only a moment, Monica made her way over to Andrew and he picked her up, depositing her on his lap as he sat down at the kitchen table. “Sweetie...” He sighed. “I get the feeling that you think I’m angry at you. Is that right?”

The little girl nodded her head slowly.

“Well, I’m not angry at you- that could never happen, okay? Today was just... a little difficult, for both of us. And, I was feeling confused about some things that happened... but it wasn’t your fault.”

Monica frowned up at him. “I’m sorry if I asked too many questions, Andrew.”

“Hey... if you need to ask me something, you go ahead and ask. What Rick thinks is his business.” He smiled down at her and she grinned. “I know you’re seeing everything in a new way, and although I don’t know what that’s like, I do know that it must be scary. And I’m sorry if I haven’t been very understanding, baby girl. I should have stopped to realize how hard this must be for you.”

The younger angel looked up at him, her childlike features showing confusion but also trust as she looked deep into his eyes. For a moment Andrew thought he saw a shift in her soft brown eyes, a moment of the angelic Monica coming through. But then it was gone, and all he was seeing was a little girl... a very special little girl. “I love you, Andrew.”

The words, so simple, and said with the voice of a child, were almost enough to threaten tears to form in Andrew’s eyes but he held them back with all the courage he could summon as he forced a smile onto his face. “And I love you, Monica, very much. Don’t you ever forget that.”

Andrew pulled the small form of his dearest friend closer to him, kissing the top of her head, and for a long moment he just held her in his arms as he prayed silently to the Father to ask Him to help them both get through this assignment.

***

After they’d eaten dinner, Monica had grown tired and so Andrew had sent her off to bed, knowing how much she’d need her rest while in this form. He’d stayed up for a while, going over some of the accounts Rick had given him, but his mind was mostly on the bigger picture of the assignment- how to get Rick to like Monica. Andrew didn’t know why this was so important, or how he’d be able to achieve something that seemed near impossible, given Rick’s obvious hatred of children. But he knew that with the Father, nothing was impossible, and so all he could do was ask the Father for help and guidance, determined to try his best with this rather difficult assignment.

Before Andrew retired to his own bed he decided to check in on Monica, aware that his connection with her was temporarily absent, and he just needed to make sure that she was okay. Quietly pushing her door open, he wandered over to her bed, silently watching her small form which was illuminated by the nightlight on the bedside table.

Andrew smiled down at his friend as he brushed a strand of hair away from her face, and he suddenly became truly aware as if for the first time that Monica was not just an angel in a child’s body, but a child who didn’t understand anything beyond her six short years. And this knowledge almost overwhelmed him as he watched his dear friend with tears in his eyes.

================

Chapter Ten

“Andrew, could you help me?”

The blond angel ran to Monica’s room, worried that something was wrong, but he saw that she was sitting on the floor, one sneaker on her foot and the other lying close by, and she was attempting to tie the laces but without success. Unable to suppress a smile, Andrew knelt on the floor beside her. “Here, let me.” He quickly tied the laces then put on her other sneaker, securing that one also. “There you go.” He smiled at her as he stood up, reaching down a hand to pull her to her feet. “You ready for breakfast?”

Monica smiled. “Did you make pancakes, Andrew?”

“I sure did.” Andrew led his friend to the kitchen and as she climbed up onto one of the chairs he put a plate of pancakes in front of her and she began eating straight away. Tucking into his own breakfast, Andrew watched her with a smile, for a moment not saying a word, just enjoying the moment.

Half way through her breakfast, Monica stopped to take a sip of her glass of milk, then looked up at Andrew with bright, questioning eyes. “Are we going to see Rick today, Andrew?”

“Well, you certainly sound happy about it. Yes, we are.”

“Can I take my book?”

The blond angel smiled. “Of course. How else can I keep you out of mischief for the day?” He finished his breakfast, picking up his mug of hot chocolate. “I know that spending the day in Rick’s office isn’t exactly fun for you, Monica, but it is important that we try and get Rick to like you. And that means, not doing anything that makes him angry. You got that?”

Monica looked up at him sheepishly and nodded. “Yes... I’ll try. I just wanted to see what the things on the shelf were.”

“I know. But, you just read your book today, and be nice to Rick when... if... he speaks to you, and I think you’ll win him over. After all, you won me over the moment I first laid eyes on you.” He got up from the table, ruffling Monica’s hair as he took his plate over to the sink. “And, I don’t see how anyone could possibly dislike you for very long. It’s just not possible.”

***

When Andrew and Monica arrived at Rick’s office, he wasn’t there but Kathy ushered them into his office, telling them that he was never late but there must be a good reason for it. They waited for about a half hour, chatting quietly as Monica showed Andrew her book. Finally Rick entered the office, and he didn’t look happy. “Andrew... I’m sorry I’m late.” He sighed, noticing Monica sitting there. “Hi, Monica.”

As Rick hung up his coat, Andrew leaned toward Monica and whispered, “He remembered your name- that’s a good start.” Monica smiled.

Rick turned back to them, not having heard Andrew’s comment, thankfully. “Would you believe it, my cook burnt dinner last night, and it set the smoke alarms off. Which, in turn, set off the sprinklers. I wish I’d never had that damn fire system installed. My house is ruined, it’s gonna take days to fix. I ended up spending the night in the hotel from hell.” He shook his head, sinking down heavily into the leather chair behind his desk.

Andrew frowned, not liking Rick’s rather colorful language, especially in front of Monica. But a glance at his friend told him that she was reading her book again, and he smiled. “Monica, I’m going to start working now, okay? Just... stay there, and enjoy your book.” He waited until she turned to look up at him, smiling. “Okay.”

The blond angel moved to the desk, pulling out of his suitcase the papers he’d gone over the night before, and he sat down at the other side of the desk. “So... you’re gonna have to stay in a hotel for a while?”

Rick sighed. “I can’t think of anything worse... I have another option, but... I don’t know. This deal could be tied up today, then I’ll be a little less busy for a while- apart from the accounts, that is.”

“What’s your other option?”

“I have a cabin, in the woods over near Saline Lake. I go there a couple times a year for a vacation; it’s peaceful there, away from the city, and it gives me time to think. I wasn’t going to go over there for a couple months, but now... I can’t stay in my house here, and like I told you, I hate hotels.”

Andrew smiled as the Father’s words floated down to his heart, telling him that the ‘accident’ at Rick’s house was in fact not an accident at all, and Andrew understood the reasons for this to happen. “Well, you know, Rick, I think that sounds like a great idea. After all, you’re kinda stressed, what with these accounts and everything, and I think the break will do you good.”

Rick frowned. “I don’t know, Andrew... I mean, I have to finish this stuff...” He narrowed his eyes, thinking. “Although... the cabin has internet access, a fax machine... we could do the work there, and I could still keep in touch with Kathy here at the office, if I need to. That’s if... you don’t mind a trip out of town for a few days?”

Andrew chuckled. “I thought the cabin was a place to get away from your work?”

“Yeah, well, you know... I can’t leave it behind that easily.” He glanced across the room, suddenly remembering Monica. “Oh, I forgot about...” He pointed over to the little girl, who was still reading her book. “Maybe it’s not such a good idea after all.”

Andrew glanced over to Monica, making sure she was okay even though he’d checked on her just a few minutes previously. He turned back to Rick, raising an eyebrow. “No... I think it’s a great idea. Think about it; we have to get these accounts done one way or another, and if we carry on working here, Monica’s only gonna get bored eventually. But at the cabin, she could play outside, and explore... she’ll love it.”

A smile spread across Rick’s face. “It’s not a bad idea, you know. But, I can’t go until this deal is done.” He glanced at his watch. “I have a meeting with the investors in an hour... let’s just hope it goes well.”

Andrew nodded, hearing more words from the Father. “Oh, I think it will.”

“You sound awfully confident, Andrew.”

The blond angel smiled. “You can call it confidence... but I call it faith.”

=================

Chapter Eleven

Rick got up from his desk, gathering various papers together and looking slightly nervous. “You know, Andrew, I think it would be a good idea if you came along to this meeting. After all, you are my accountant; who better to persuade these people that I’m worth the investment?”

Andrew frowned, turning to look at Monica. “I don’t know, Rick... I’d have to leave Monica here by herself, and...” He shrugged.

“Well... hang on a minute.” Rick pressed the button on his intercom. “Kathy... can you come in here for a moment?”

“Sure, Rick. Be right in.”

Moments later the door opened and Kathy walked in, smiling at them. “What’s up?”

“Kathy, I have to go to his meeting, it’s the big deal, you know the one. I want Andrew here to come along with me, but he’s concerned about leaving Monica here alone...”

Kathy glanced over at Monica, who had now looked up at the mention of her name. “Oh, well, I don’t mind watching her for a while...” She turned to Andrew. “That is, if you don’t mind?”

Andrew hesitated a moment, then walked over to his dear friend, sitting down beside her. “Monica... do you mind if I go away for an hour or so? Kathy will keep an eye on you, but you can still read your book.”

Monica looked up at him. “You will come back, won’t you, Andrew?”

“Of course I will, sweetie.” He smiled at her, leaning down to kiss the top of her head. “You be good and stay here, okay? And when I get back, we can go for lunch.”

The little girl smiled up at him. “Okay. Bye, Andrew.”

Andrew got up, casting one last concerned look at Monica before he turned to Kathy. “You will look after her, won’t you?”

Kathy nodded. “Oh, yeah, don’t worry, Andrew. I love kids.”

Rick smiled. “Well, that’s settled then.” He glanced at his watch. “Andrew, we’d better be going, we don’t want to give them the wrong impression by being late.” Rick and Andrew walked out of the office as Andrew turned to look at Monica once more.

***

For the next half hour, Kathy sat with Monica, reading her book with her. But then she heard the phone ring outside and she got up. “I’ll be back in a minute, okay?” Monica nodded and Kathy went to her desk, sitting down as she picked up the receiver. “Hello? Oh, hi, Suzie!” Her smile turned to a frown. “Well what on earth happened?... Oh, no, he dumped you?... ”

Inside Rick’s office, Monica looked up and frowned when she realized Kathy hadn’t come back, and Rick and Andrew were still gone. Putting her book carefully on the couch beside her, the little girl jumped down onto the floor, looking around her. She saw the open door of the office, and wandered outside, seeing Kathy talking on the phone. She didn’t think she should interrupt while the woman was talking, and so she looked around her, deciding that she could find Andrew by herself. Kathy’s attention was solely on her best friend at the other end of the phone line, and so she failed to notice the little girl walking past her desk and down the hall.

When Monica reached the elevator, she saw the doors open and decided to step inside, moving past two people who got out, chatting amongst themselves, not noticing her. The elevator was empty then, and as the doors closed, the little girl frowned as she looked around her, noticing the buttons but they were too high for her to reach. However, moments later the elevator started moving upwards and Monica was nervous at first, unsure where it would take her. Minutes later the doors opened and she saw a group of people waiting to enter, and they looked at her strangely as she exited the elevator and stepped out into a hall that looked exactly the same as the one near Rick’s office.

Monica thought that maybe she was still on that floor so she turned to her right and walked toward where Kathy’s desk should be, but to her surprise it wasn’t there. Confused, she looked around her, seeing a few people walking past, hearing various noises of telephones and typewriters, and she knew she was in the wrong place. She turned to walk back to the elevator when she bumped into a man carrying a stack of papers, and most of them fell to the floor. “Oh, great. Thanks, kid.” The man bent down to pick up the papers, shooting Monica an angry glare. “What are you doing here anyway?”

Unsure what to say, Monica backed away from the stranger. “Sorry...” She turned and ran off down the hall, not realizing that she’d passed the elevator until the hall branched off in two different directions and she wasn’t sure where she should go. She turned to go back, but saw the man she’d bumped into earlier, and he didn’t look happy. Frightened, the little girl picked one of the corridors and ran down it, stopping when she reached a door. Pushing it open with some difficulty, she found herself looking at a flight of steps and she ran down a few of them until exhaustion took over and she sank down onto one of the steps as tears filled her eyes.

================

Chapter Twelve

The phone conversation with Suzie lasted for a good twenty-five minutes until Kathy was interrupted by a visitor at the desk. Promising to call her friend back later, Kathy ended the call and greeted the woman, who needed directions to Rick’s business partner, who had an office further down the hall. Remembering the little girl in Rick’s office, Kathy decided that she might like something to drink, so she wandered down to the canteen at the far end of the hall, getting two sodas from the vending machine. As she turned to leave, she saw a friend of hers, and caught up with office gossip for another fifteen minutes until she finally decided she’d better get back. But as she walked into the office, her smile faded when she saw that Monica’s book was lying on the couch, and the little girl was nowhere to be found.

“Oh, God, no...” Kathy set down the cans of soda and ran out of the office, looking around her and hoping that the little girl was somewhere nearby. But she was nowhere to be seen, and the woman began to feel frustrated and more than a little worried, not just for the little girl, but for the reaction she knew she’d get from Andrew when he got back.

“Monica? Monica, where are you? Are you hiding somewhere?” Kathy searched all around the nearby area, even checking the copy room just down the hall, anywhere where the little girl might be hiding. “This isn’t the time to play games, kid... where are you?” She stopped everyone she met, asking them if they’d seen a little girl, but no one had, and most of them thought it strange that she were asking such a question.

Sighing, Kathy exited one of the empty offices nearby, running back to Rick’s office just in case the little girl had gone back there- but there was still no sign of her. She put her hands on her hips, sighing. “This isn’t happening...” As she exited the office, she turned to walk down the corridor and stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Rick and Andrew walking toward her. “Oh, no...”

As the two men approached, it was clear that the meeting had gone well for Rick was smiling and sharing a laugh with Andrew. He saw Kathy, and grinned at her. “It was a success, Kathy! The deal is going ahead!” He frowned, seeing the look on her face. “What’s... wrong?”

Andrew saw the look in Kathy’s eyes and he breathed out heavily. “Oh, no...” Moving past her he ran into Rick’s office, shocked to see that Monica wasn’t there. He moved to the couch, picking up her book and looking at it for a long moment then he put it down, walking back out into the hall, where by now, Rick also knew what had happened. Turning accusing eyes to Kathy, Andrew spoke angrily. “Please tell me you know where Monica is.”

Kathy shook her head. “I-I’m sorry, Andrew... I was on the phone, and... when I went to check on her, she was gone... I’ve looked everywhere near here, but... she could be anywhere by now.”

Andrew narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean? How long has she been missing?”

The woman shrugged. “I don’t know, exactly... I was on the phone, then I went to get a soda for her...” She frowned. “Maybe... forty minutes since I left her.”

“Forty... oh, no...” Andrew ran a hand through his hair, green eyes looking around him worriedly. “I have to find her...” He sent up silent prayers to the Father.

Seeing Andrew’s distress, Rick also became concerned. “Hey, man, it’s okay. I’m sure we’ll find her, she’s got to be in this building somewhere.”

Kathy frowned. “It’s a pretty big building, Rick.”

Rick gave her a look when he saw Andrew’s reaction to that statement. “Yeah, thanks, Kathy. Look, call security, ask them to keep an eye out for a little girl, and then we’ll spread out, and we’ll find her.” He turned to Andrew. “We will find her, okay?”

Andrew nodded. “I... need to start looking...” He walked away, aware that Kathy had searched the nearby offices so he knew he must look further if he was to find his dear young friend. As he walked he checked every open doorway, every empty room where a little girl might be, but as he was unable to feel Monica’s emotions while she was in her current human form, he couldn’t get any information that way. He raised worried green eyes upwards. “Please, Father, I need Your help...”

Moments later he was filled with an urge to search upstairs, on the tenth floor, and so he headed for the elevator and got inside, willing it to move faster as he kept on praying for his friend, hoping that she was okay.

=================

Chapter Thirteen

Monica stopped crying after a while and got up, feeling nervous sitting on the otherwise empty stairs. She climbed down, having no idea where to go, only wishing to find Andrew. As she reached one of the floors she saw that the door from the stairwell was open, where all the others had been closed, and so she decided to walk back out, hoping she could find her way back to Rick’s office.

The corridor she stepped into looked much the same as all the others, at least through the eyes of a six-year-old girl, and so Monica continued walking, swiping at tears in her eyes as she realized how lost she now was. She was unable to understand much beyond what a normal six-year-old could, and in her current form was now no longer aware that she or Andrew were angels- but she still believed in God. And so the little girl closed her eyes tightly and prayed for Him to help her find Andrew.

***

Andrew got out of the elevator and looked around him, unsure which way to go, until he felt a pull to his left and he knew the Father was guiding him to his friend. Quickly he ran along the corridor, looking through all the open doors for any sign of Monica. This floor was fairly quiet and there was no one walking about who he could ask if they’d seen her, so all he could do was keep searching and praying. Then as he rounded a corner he saw Monica up ahead, standing in the corridor with her eyes closed, tears running down her face, and he breathed a sigh of relief, sending up a silent prayer of thanks.

“Monica!” Andrew ran to her, watching as she opened her eyes and smiled when she saw him. He crouched down in front of her, eyeing her worriedly. “Are you okay?” He reached up to brush his hand down her hair, looking at her carefully, making sure she wasn’t hurt in any way.

Monica nodded. “Yes... I-I was so afraid, Andrew, when I couldn’t find you.” More tears began running down her cheeks as she spoke. “I prayed to God for help and you’re here.”

Andrew smiled tenderly at her. “He always hears you, Monica. And don’t you ever forget that, okay?” His face turned more serious as the relief he felt from finding her unharmed, turned to anger that she’d run off in the first place. “Why did you run off? I told you to stay in Rick’s office.”

Monica looked up at him, slightly bewildered by his anger. “I wanted to find you... I-I didn’t know when you were coming back.”

“Monica, you-you can’t just wander around this building by yourself, don’t you understand? Something could have happened... you could have got hurt.”

Monica looked up at him, fresh tears welling in her eyes. “Are you mad at me, Andrew?”

Andrew heard the hurt and confusion in his friend’s voice but his anger, caused by the deep worry he’d been feeling, wouldn’t go away. He rose to his feet, looking down at her with a displeased expression. “Yes... yes, I-I am, Monica. This is a big building, and I told you yesterday how easy it would be for you to get lost here! And then, what do you do? You go wandering off when I specifically told you, to stay where you were!”

The little girl frowned up at him, hating how tall he was as it suddenly made him seem more threatening now that he was shouting. “I just wanted to find you, Andrew...” She lowered her gaze to the floor. “I didn’t know I would get lost.”

Andrew was about to reply when he saw Tess walking toward him, and she didn’t look happy. Once again she was invisible to Monica, and she looked at the little girl kindly before turning stern eyes to the blond angel. “Andrew, you’d better calm that temper of yours.”

He sighed heavily as Tess watched him for a moment before disappearing from view. Hearing footsteps, Andrew looked up and saw Kathy and Rick running toward them. Kathy looked very relieved to see that the little girl was okay, although she still felt guilty for being the reason Monica had got lost in the first place. “Oh, I’m so glad she’s okay! I’m really sorry, Andrew.”

Rick also seemed relieved to see that the little girl was alright, and he smiled briefly at her, still evidently uncomfortable around children. Kathy saw the tears in Monica’s eyes and she looked at Andrew, seeing the anger on his face, and sighed. “Is everything okay here?”

Andrew sighed heavily. “Yeah... everything’s fine. I-I just... need a minute here, okay?”

Kathy and Rick exchanged a glance, and Rick nodded. “Sure... look, the deal’s all wrapped up, thanks to you, and I think going to my cabin seems like a very good idea. How about you take the rest of the day off, and I’ll pick the two of you up from your apartment tomorrow at nine o’clock? There’s no point in both of us driving there separately.”

Andrew nodded. “Okay... thanks, Rick. I-I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Rick looked down at Monica, and for a moment there was a spark of compassion in his eyes at the sight of the terribly upset little girl. But he didn’t say anything to her, just walked away with Kathy, leaving Andrew and Monica alone once more. And as the blond angel led his friend to the elevator, there was a frostiness emanating from him that upset her more than she already was.

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Chapter Fourteen

Andrew didn’t say a word to Monica as they drove back to their temporary apartment, and Monica could tell that he was still angry at her, although she couldn’t really figure out why. All she’d wanted to do was find him, and she’d been so scared when she was lost. When Andrew had found her, she’d expected him to be pleased to see her, but instead he’d gotten angry, and she couldn’t understand that.

They walked up to the apartment in silence, Andrew holding Monica’s hand as usual but the grip was slightly tighter, not enough to hurt but enough to remind her that she’d better not think of wandering off again. When they got inside, Andrew sighed heavily. “Monica... maybe you should go to your room for a while, huh?”

Monica looked up at Andrew, unable to understand his attitude toward her. “But Andrew, I’m not tired...”

“Did I say you had to sleep?” The little girl jumped at Andrew’s outburst, but he just glared at her. “I just... can’t deal with you right now.” He saw Monica hesitate, more tears forming in her eyes, but his anger overrode his compassion, despite Tess’ warning to him earlier. “Just go, Monica!”

The little girl turned on her heels and ran to her room, pushing the door closed, and she climbed up onto her bed, reaching to grab the stuffed bear as she clutched it close to her, sobbing. She didn’t have the capacity to understand Andrew’s feelings; all she knew was that he didn’t love her anymore.

***

Andrew sank down on the couch and sighed heavily, not noticing that Tess was standing a few feet away, her hands on her hips. “Did I tell you a couple days ago that you were very good with children? Because after what just happened, I think I must have been thinking of a different Angel.”

Startled, Andrew looked up, glaring at her as he ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t know if I can cope with this anymore, Tess! It’s impossible to look after her when she can’t see that she needs it!” He glanced toward Monica’s bedroom.

“Of course she can’t see that! She’s six years old! What has gotten into you, Angel Boy? Yesterday you were telling me how much you enjoyed seeing Monica like this, but now, you seem to hate it! Your assignment here is to get Rick to start liking children, but instead his attitude seems to be rubbing off on you!”

Andrew spoke angrily to the older angel. “Tess, it-it’s difficult! I don’t know where I am with her anymore... she started this assignment more or less like the Monica I’m used to, but now she’s acting like a child and I don’t know how to handle that!”

Tess frowned at him. “She is acting like a child... and do not raise your voice to me... because right now she is a child. Have you forgotten our discussion yesterday, Angel Boy?”

Andrew shook his head, sighing heavily. “No... I haven’t forgotten. It’s just... I’ve never really had to look after a child before, and I... didn’t expect it to be this difficult.” His voice was lower this time, as he suddenly became aware that he didn’t want Monica to hear this conversation.

Tess nodded, folding her arms across her chest. “Well, neither does any parent.” At the look on Andrew’s face, she held up a hand, silencing him. “And that’s what you are right now, Angel Boy... whether you like it or not, you are the closest thing to a parent that Monica has.” She hesitated, sighing. “Her mind has changed, baby. Now, it’s only temporary, while she’s in this form. But it means that she thinks like a child, and doesn’t know any other way to behave. What happened to her this morning could happen to any child, because they don’t know any better. Do you understand?”

Andrew’s eyes widened slightly as he began to realize what Tess was trying to say. “I-I think so...” He glanced toward Monica’s room again.

Tess shook her head. “You were supposed to look after Monica, and help her through what is a very difficult and confusing assignment for her, but instead, you’ve made her lose her trust in you, Angel Boy!”

“What... what do you mean?”

“You’re an adult, and like all adults, they can be scary to a child, especially if they shout and get angry. Now, I know my baby girl knows you, Andrew, but she was lost and afraid, in that building- and she wanted nothing else but to find you. But when she did, instead of comfort, all you gave her was anger... and now, she doesn’t even know if you still love her or not.”

Andrew frowned worriedly. “Of course I love her, Tess! How could I not?”

Tess smiled sympathetically at the younger angel. “Then tell her, not me, baby. And think about how you’ve reacted to her today, and try and imagine what it’s like to be her right now. Then maybe you’ll understand.”

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Chapter Fifteen

After Tess had gone, Andrew spent a long time just sitting alone in the living room of the apartment, thinking of everything that had happened not just today, but since the beginning of this assignment. And he realized that he had completely no idea of what it was like to be a child, or what Monica could possibly be going through right now... but what he did know, was the numerous assignments he’d worked on where he’d seen children upset and confused by the actions of their parents, or other adults. And as the Father reminded him, Monica wasn’t an angel anymore, and Tess was right; the little girl that his friend now was couldn’t possibly understand why he’d been angry at her, and it was up to him to make it right.

Lifting his eyes to the ceiling, Andrew began to pray softly. “Father... I need Your help to get through this assignment. I never realized just how difficult this would be, and all the time I realize that I’ve still been expecting Monica to understand the things she used to understand, despite her different appearance, but I see now that she really is just a little girl, and I need to remember that every moment that I’m with her. Please, help me to do that, and forgive me for my anger.”

A moment later the Father’s gentle words floated down to Andrew’s heart and he knew he was forgiven, although the Father had made it clear to him that he must also apologize to Monica, to let her know that above all else, he hadn’t stopped loving her. Andrew nodded, taking a deep breath as he got up from the couch and made his way to Monica’s room. As he opened the door his heart almost broke at the sight of the little girl lying on her bed, sobbing her heart out as she clutched her teddy bear, and for a moment Andrew was unable to speak, too overwhelmed at the realization at the effect his anger had had on his dear friend.

“Monica...” Andrew moved to sit on the bed beside her, reaching out a hand to stroke her hair. “Sweetie, I am so sorry.” He watched her, waiting for her to acknowledge him, and after a moment she lifted her head, blinking up at him with a terribly sorrowful expression.

“You don’t love me any more, do you.”

Andrew closed his eyes briefly, hating to see the immense look of hurt in Monica’s soft brown eyes. “Oh... baby, come here...” Andrew held out his arms and tentatively, Monica sat up, hesitating a moment before crawling over to him, and he held her tightly. “Monica, I could never stop loving you... that is impossible, okay?” He leaned down to kiss the top of her head, stroking long dark hair away from her face as she looked up at him, trying to understand.

“You said you could never be angry at me, Andrew.” Monica frowned up at him, her eyes filled with confusion.

Remembering their conversation from the previous day, Andrew sighed. “I-I know. And, I never meant to get angry... I was just worried about you. Do you know how I felt when I found out you were missing?”

Monica shook her head. “Uh-uh.”

“I felt like my whole world had gone, Monica. I was so afraid that you might get hurt, or-or...” He frowned. “I prayed so hard to find you, and God answered my prayer, Monica. He led me to you, and I was so relieved to find you.” He squeezed her even tighter for a moment. “But... then I was so concerned, I got angry. And that was very wrong of me.” Andrew sighed deeply. “I am so sorry, sweetie. I’m sorry I was angry, and I’m sorry I didn’t take the time to understand you enough.”

Monica gazed up at him for a long moment as a tear made its way down her cheek. Tenderly, Andrew reached up and wiped it away with his thumb, smiling down at her. “What are you thinking, baby girl?”

“I think... that I’m very glad you’re my friend, Andrew.” She grinned up at him and a wide smile broke out on the blond angel’s face as he leaned down, rubbing his nose against hers. “You are too cute, you know that? And I’m very glad you’re my friend too. Come here, sweetie.” Andrew pulled Monica close to him again, rocking her gently in his arms for a few minutes as tears came to his own eyes. He felt the Father’s words floating down to his heart and he glanced upwards, smiling.

After a moment, Andrew pulled away slightly so he could look down at Monica. “You know, we have the afternoon to ourselves... so... what would you like to do?”

Monica looked up at him warily, biting her lip, but then she smiled. “Can we go to the park, Andrew, please?... And then can we have ice cream? And then...”

Andrew placed a finger over her lips, laughing. “Okay, okay, how about one idea at a time, huh? I think I’m a little old to keep up with all this energy you’ve got!” He shook his head, standing up and he turned to her, holding out his hand. “Come on then.”

Jumping down onto the floor, Monica smiled up at Andrew sweetly. “We will go for ice cream, won’t we, Andrew?”

The blond angel sighed, running a hand through his hair as he smiled down at his friend. “Well, I certainly can’t resist that look, now can I?”

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Chapter Sixteen

Andrew glanced out of the window, noticing the clouds that had filled the sky. “I think it’s gonna be cool out... you’d better put on your coat.” He turned to Monica and smiled, then went to the closet, remembering that one of the items of clothing he’d unpacked from the suitcase had been a small coat. As he retrieved it he couldn’t help but smile; the small clothes that the Father had provided for Monica were adorable, just as she was.

Turning back to Monica, he held out the coat. “Here we go.” He put the coat on her, pulling her arms gently into the sleeves, and he buttoned up the front of it, taking a step back to admire her. “You’re looking good there, Monica.” He frowned thoughtfully, causing Monica to let out a giggle. “But... I think something’s missing.”

“What?” Monica looked up at him curiously.

Andrew turned back to the closet, rooting in it for a moment before turning back to Monica and holding up a small, floppy hat, white with tiny blue flowers printed all over it. “This.” He placed it on the little girl’s head, adjusting it slightly until he was happy with it, then he stood up and smiled at her. “Oh, now that’s perfect. Just like you.”

Monica smiled as she reached for his hand and almost pulled him out of the room. “Come on, Andrew, let’s go!”

“Okay, I’ll just get my coat and we’ll be right there.” Seeing the impatience on Monica’s face, he frowned at her. “Monica...the park will still be there when we get there, you know.”

“I know! But I want to go there now!”

Andrew shook his head, still smiling. As he put on his own coat he wondered how he could possibly have ever gotten angry with the totally adorable, amazing little girl that was his dearest friend. Sniffing away a few tears he turned back to her and took her head. “Okay, now we can go.”

“Yeyyy!”

***

Andrew stepped out of the apartment building holding tightly to Monica’s hand, never wanting to let her out of his sight again. He was right; it had gotten cooler and he knew that their coats were a good idea. But it was late spring, and still nice enough weather to enjoy an afternoon in the park, and he hoped the rain would hold off for a while. Although, one look at the excited look on Monica’s face and he knew she’d enjoy herself no matter what the weather.

“So, Monica... where you think the park is?” He looked down at her and she blinked up at him, frowning.

“Don’t you know, Andrew?”

Andrew looked at her seriously. “Well, I’m not sure... it could take us a while to find it, you know.”

Monica looked horrified and Andrew couldn’t keep his serious expression for long as he started laughing. “Oh, I got you there, baby girl.”

The little girl looked up at him crossly. “You know where it is, don’t you, Andrew?”

The blond angel nodded. “Of course I do. I have an excellent sense of direction, as you know.” He smiled at her. “Come on, it’s this way... and don’t worry, it’s not far.”

“Goody, I can’t wait!”

“I can see that!” Andrew started laughing again as he realized that Monica was walking so excitedly he was sure if she let go of his hand she’d start skipping. Shaking his head he walked faster with her, certain that if she didn’t get to the park soon, there was a possibility she would explode from the excitement.

True to his word, Andrew found the park just a couple blocks away, and as he entered through the gate he saw the joy on Monica’s face and chuckled. “So... now we’re here... what do you want to do?”

Monica looked around her, and spotted a play area in the distance. “Swings!” Letting go of Andrew’s hand she started to run toward them. “Monica, wait!” He ran after her, catching up with her small strides easily, but he couldn’t be angry with her, not now. He didn’t want anything to take away the sheer happiness he could see in her brown eyes. Taking her hand again, he ran with her, determined that she wasn’t going to be away from him for any reason at all. She was just too precious for that.

When they reached the play area, Andrew finally let go of Monica’s hand and she ran to the swings, trying but failing to climb onto one of them. Chuckling, Andrew lifted her up, depositing her on the seat and making sure she was sitting safely, her small hands clutching at the chains either side of her. “There you go.” He smiled at her.

“Will you push me? Please!”

Andrew nodded. “Of course I will. And I’m glad you asked, because I wouldn’t want anyone else but me pushing you, okay?”

“Okay.” Monica grinned up at him and he moved to stand behind her, pushing the swing gently at first but then slightly higher, mindful of her welfare but at the same time savoring the sheer joy that his friend was experiencing as she squealed and giggled. Andrew didn’t think he’d ever seen her this happy, and for a moment he remembered the Monica he was more used to, the angel Monica, and a cloud crossed his face for a moment as he thought of all she’d been through earlier in the year, situations that had affected her deeply and taken away some of the innocence she’d always had.

And even though their previous assignment had done much to move her away from that pain, some of the happiness he’d always seen in her had been missing, along with some of her confidence. But now, watching her see the world through the eyes of a six-year-old, Andrew realized that all her innocence and joy was back, and he couldn’t help but wonder if that would somehow stay with her when at last she returned to her proper human form.

***

Andrew lifted Monica off the swing, smiling at the grin on her face that was the result of a good thirty minutes’ worth swinging, and he deposited her on the ground, adjusting her hat slightly. “Okay... so we’ve done the swings... now what?”

Monica didn’t take long to answer. “Ice cream!”

The blond angel frowned at her half-seriously. “Are you sure you should have this much ice cream, Monica?”

The little girl nodded. “I like it, Andrew.”

Andrew chuckled as he took her hand again, looking around him and seeing a snack bar close to the center of the park. “Well, yeah, I’d guessed that.” They began walking toward the snack bar. “Okay... one ice cream. Or you won’t want any dinner.”

“Yeyyy!”

Andrew rolled his eyes, still unable to wipe the smile off his own face. He bought the ice creams and they sat down at a nearby picnic bench, Monica choosing to climb up onto the table instead of sitting on the bench part, and she swung her legs off the side, something which Andrew had learned that she loved to do, for reasons unknown to him. She ate her strawberry ice cream in silence, but the joy never left her eyes and Andrew knew that she was really having a good time.

And so was he- the blond angel couldn’t actually remember the last time he’d had this much fun and he knew that although he was on assignment, for now the time was his to spend with Monica. And he treasured it, knowing that long after Monica was back in her usual human form, the memories of this precious afternoon would remain with him.

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