Chapter Seventeen
Once their ice creams were finished, Monica had been unsure what she wanted to do next, so Andrew had suggested a walk along the river that ran along the side of the park. Monica had happily agreed to this, and as they walked, holding hands, the little girl was overjoyed to see the ducks on the small river, and the various late-spring flowers that bloomed at the edges of the path.
Andrew sighed, his heart filled with happiness. “You know, Monica, this is one of the best afternoons I’ve ever spent.”
Monica paused in her tracks, peering up at him from under her floppy hat. “You mean that, Andrew?”
“I sure do. This park... the birds singing, the ducks in the river... the flowers all around us...” He frowned playfully. “And... there’s something else... now what was it?” Monica giggled. “Oh yeah... you!” He raised an eyebrow. “And... I think, that this afternoon wouldn’t be complete without.... a tickle!”
The little girl squealed and ran off down the path, but of course Andrew was much faster and he caught up with her easily, grabbing her sides and tickling her gently, but enough to send her into a fit of giggles, and the blond angel couldn’t help but laugh. Finally he stopped, eyeing her playfully. “Okay... you’ve got five seconds to get away... or I tickle you again!”
“Oh, no!” Monica giggled as Andrew started counting. “One... two...” The little girl’s eyes widened and she ran away again, still giggling. “Three... four.... five! Here I come!” He ran after her, but this time when he caught up with her he picked her up, circling her small body around him, smiling as she laughed. Then he held her close to him for a moment, just smiling down at her, before he put her down on the ground. Letting out a deep sigh, he crouched down until he was at eye-level with his friend, his expression turning more serious. “Monica... I don’t understand what it’s like for you right now, but I am just so thankful that I have had the privilege of knowing this... other version of you.”
Monica squinted her eyes at him, and once again he saw a shift in those brown depths, as if something from deep within her wanted to come out, but again it was gone within a matter of seconds, replaced by the look of a little six-year-old girl. “I’m having a lot of fun, Andrew. Thank you for bringing me here.”
Andrew nodded, forcing back tears. “You’re welcome, little one.” He stood up, holding out his hand which she took eagerly, always happy to be close to him. “You want to walk some more?” Monica nodded so the two of them strolled along the path a bit more, chatting happily between themselves, Andrew chuckling at Monica’s childlike view of everything.
After a while the sky suddenly got darker, and the period of sunshine they’d had since arriving at the park was now disappearing. Andrew realized that they’d been walking for quite a while, and it was now late afternoon. “You know, Monica, I’m thinking of... oh, I don’t know... pizza, maybe?” Monica stopped walking and looked up at him, grinning from ear to ear. “Oh, can we, Andrew? Please?”
The blond angel nodded. “We can.” He held out his hand to her. “Come on, it’s a long walk back to the car.” He took her hand and together they started walking back along the path, but a few minutes later Monica slowed her pace and soon stopped altogether. Andrew looked down at her, concerned. “You okay?”
“I’m tired, Andrew... my legs don’t want to walk anymore.”
Andrew smiled at the totally adorable look on his dear friend’s face. “Oh, they don’t, huh? Well, we’ll just have to do something about that.” Andrew reached down at scooped Monica up into his arms, holding her close to him as he started walking. “That better?”
Monica smiled and nodded, holding onto Andrew’s coat with her small hand. “Uh-huh.”
Smiling, Andrew gently kissed Monica’s cheek as he carried his dear friend back to the Cadillac. When they got there he carefully deposited her in the front passenger seat, unable to suppress a smile at how sleepy she looked as he fastened the safety belt around her. “You know, I think someone...” he touched her nose softly, “... is too tired for pizza.”
Immediately Monica sat up straighter in the seat, blinking up at him. “No I’m not. Really.”
Andrew got into the driver’s side of the car, and shot her a look with one eyebrow raised. “You sure about that?” Seeing her nod, he smiled. “Okay... pizza it is. But, please, don’t...”
“Yeyyy!”
Andrew sighed. “Never mind.”
=================
Chapter Eighteen
Andrew juggled with a sleeping Monica in his arms as he fished in his pocket for the keys to the apartment. Finally managing to get the door unlocked, he pushed it open with his foot, stepping inside and then kicking it closed. The little girl stirred slightly but didn’t awaken from the sleep she’d been in since just after they left the restaurant. In fact, Andrew was surprised that his friend hadn’t fallen asleep while eating her pizza, as it had quickly became apparent during the meal just how exhausted she was.
Smiling tenderly down at her, Andrew walked to her room, flicking on the light as he carried her over to the bed, laying her down gently as he pulled back the quilt. He carefully untied and removed her sneakers, then unbuttoned her coat, removing it and her hat, and somehow managed to get her into her pajamas without her waking up, which amazed him.
Tucking the quilt around his friend, Andrew reached for the teddy bear that was lying at the bottom of the bed, and placed it in her arms. He sat on the edge of the bed, brushing back her hair from her face, and for a moment just watched her lovingly. Finally he sighed heavily, leaning down to place a gentle kiss on the top of her head. “Sleep well, little one.” His voice was a whisper, even though he knew there wasn’t much chance of her waking now.
Andrew stood and switched on the nightlight beside Monica’s bed, and as he left the room he switched off the main light, pulling the door half closed. Somewhat tired himself, he retired to his room, but as he lay in bed he found himself unable to sleep. So much had happened today and his mind was filled with wonderful memories, which had almost banished the bad memories of Monica going missing and his subsequent anger with her.
Reminding himself about the assignment, Andrew realized that tomorrow, he and Monica would be going to Rick’s lakeside cabin in Louisiana, and although he knew that Rick expected him to help with his accounts, Andrew’s real task was to persuade the man to accept, and like, Monica. The angel had various ideas as to why this was so important, but he knew that the time had not yet come for him to know the truth. All he had to concentrate on, was finding some way for Rick and Monica to become friends.
Andrew was thankful to the Father for arranging things so that the trip to the cabin would happen, because although he didn’t understand how yet, Andrew knew that going out to the cabin, away from Rick’s office, was somehow to be the key for this whole assignment to work. He was still confused as to where Tess was throughout this assignment, finding it slightly unusual that she wasn’t there more often, only appearing to him occasionally, mostly, it seemed, to set him straight about Monica. But, the Father assured him that Tess was where she needed to be, and all he needed to know was that she had her own assignment to do, the details of which would become apparent later on.
================
Chapter Nineteen
Andrew groaned as something jumped on the bed beside him, and he blinked open his eyes, frowning, until a pair of bright brown eyes looked down at him. “Monica?!” He sat up with some difficulty because Monica was now sitting on top of him, and he smiled somewhat bemusedly. “What... are you doing?”
“It’s time to wake up, Andrew! Come on, get up!” The little girl tugged at his hand, trying to pull him out of bed, but she didn’t have the strength. Andrew chuckled, pushing her gently to the side of the bed. “I need to breathe, you know.” He frowned playfully at her, then realizing it was barely light outside, he turned to glance at the clock beside the bed. “Monica, it’s six thirty!” He rubbed his eyes. “I also need to sleep!”
“No, you don’t.”
She said this quite seriously, as if she knew exactly how much sleep he needed, and he couldn’t help but laugh at her serious expression. “How come you’re awake at this hour?”
Monica shrugged. “I don’t know... I woke up.”
“Oh, so you decided to wake me up too, huh?” Andrew narrowed his eyes at her. “Really, Monica, it’s too early to get up yet.”
The little girl pouted. “But we’re going to the cabin today, Andrew.”
Andrew remembered telling her this while they’d eaten their pizza the night before, and how excited she’d been, despite her weariness at the time. “I-I know... but... we don’t need to leave yet. Rick is picking us up at nine o’clock. That’s two and half hours away, Monica. Enough time for both of us to get some more sleep.”
“But I can’t sleep.”
Sighing heavily, Andrew watched his friend carefully for a moment, aware that in her current state of awakeness there was no way she’d get back to sleep on her own. He pulled back the quilt. “Okay... get in.”
Monica smiled, climbing into the bed beside him and she curled up, snuggling up to his chest, clutching his t-shirt with her small hand. Feeling a rush of emotion in his heart, Andrew smiled down at her. “You think you can sleep now?”
“Uh-huh.” Monica gazed up at him for a long moment before her eyelids grew heavy. Chuckling, Andrew covered her with the quilt. “Now, not another peep out of you for at least an hour, you got that?”
But the little girl was already asleep, and Andrew couldn’t stop the wide smile that crossed his face at the sight of her. And minutes later, he too fell asleep.
***
Andrew was the first to awaken the next time, and he saw that it was now a little after seven forty-five. Not a lot of time to eat breakfast and get Monica dressed, for he was sure she’d take a while choosing her outfit again. Remembering that she’d woken him up earlier, he glanced down at her; she’d moved in her sleep and was now curled away from him at the other side of the double bed, clutching the edge of the quilt with her small hand, even though she was sound asleep.
He got out of bed carefully, and quickly showered and dressed. When he got back to his room, Monica was still sleeping, and he smiled tenderly at her, wishing he could let her sleep for a little longer but knowing that wasn’t an option, not with Rick due to arrive in less than an hour. He leaned down and shook her arm gently. “Monica? Sweetie, wake up.”
The little girl stirred and minutes later she sat up, rubbing her eyes with both hands. “Huh?”
Andrew chuckled. “It’s time to get up, sleepyhead. So much for you being awake earlier.” He smiled at her as she blinked up at him.
“Hello, Andrew.”
“Hello, you.” He eyed her carefully. “It’s after eight... we don’t have much time, so why don’t you take a shower, and then pick out what you want to wear, while I make us breakfast?”
“Okay.” She climbed out of bed, heading for the bathroom while Andrew headed for the kitchen. It was only when he had almost finished making them when a thought suddenly struck him- they were going to stay at the cabin, and they’d need to pack a suitcase!
“Oh, no...” Andrew glanced at the clock on the kitchen wall... it was almost eight-fifteen, and there wasn’t much time to pack now. “Father... I really could use some help right about now.”
A minute later, Andrew heard a noise and looked up, expecting to see Monica but instead he saw Tess standing in the kitchen doorway, looking at him with amusement. “I’ll help you this once, Angel Boy, but just let it be known this Angel normally does not pack suitcases.”
“Tess... I promise I’ll be forever grateful.” Andrew smiled at her, sending up a silent prayer of thanks, and she frowned half-seriously. “You’d better be, Angel Boy.” She stepped into the kitchen, peering into the frying pan. “Oh, pancakes, huh? Well I do love them, so, if there’s any going spare...”
Andrew raised an eyebrow. “Tess... the suitcases?”
“Oh alright, alright...” She shook her head as she walked toward Andrew’s bedroom, mumbling to herself. “An Angel can have a little food now and again, can’t she?”
===============
Chapter Twenty
Andrew was ready to serve the pancakes when he realized Monica hadn’t returned from her shower yet. Frowning, he went to look for her, finding her in her room, staring at the closet, which was now open. She was dressed in her pajamas, her hair wet from the shower. “Monica? What are you up to?”
“I don’t know what to wear, Andrew.”
Trying not to show any frustration, especially after what had happened the previous day, Andrew raised an eyebrow. “Well, you know, you need to decide, okay? There’s not much time until Rick arrives... and I don’t think he’ll want to wait around for long.”
“You need some help, Angel Girl?”
Monica’s face lit up as she turned and saw who was standing in the doorway. “Tess!” She ran to her, and the oldest angel hugged her tightly. “Hey, baby.” Casting an amused glance at Andrew, she smiled. “Is our Angel Boy giving you a hard time about what to wear, baby?”
Monica frowned. “I can’t decide, Tess.”
“Well then, I’ll help you. Cause I’ve got to pack all your clothes anyway, that’s why I’m here. Come on.” She took Monica’s hand, leading her to the closet, and turned to Andrew. “You’d better watch those pancakes, baby. I’ll handle things here.”
Andrew smiled. “Thanks, Tess.” He headed back to the kitchen, pleased that the pancakes had been
taken off the heat so they wouldn’t burn. Hearing the voices of Tess and Monica coming from the little girl’s room, he couldn’t help but smile to himself; he knew how much Monica had missed Tess since the assignment had begun.
***
Tess had dried Monica’s hair for her, and then picked out a small sweater and pair of dungarees, and the floppy hat Monica had worn the previous day which Tess agreed she looked totally adorable in. Helping her to get dressed, she finished off the outfit with a small denim jacket and pair of sandals. “Don’t you look pretty, baby girl?” The oldest angel smiled down at her young charge, taken with her appearance.
Monica smiled. “Thank you, Tess.” But then her smile faded.
“What is it, baby?”
The little girl looked sad. “I’ve missed you...”
Tess moved to sit down on the bed, gesturing for Monica to come with her. Then she picked her up, sitting her on her knee, and looked at her kindly. “Baby, I’ve missed you too. But, I just haven’t been able to be here with you, okay? I would have liked to, very, very much, though.” Monica nodded and Tess smiled at her. “But... you’re having fun with Andrew, aren’t you?”
“Uh-huh. I love him lots, Tess.”
“Oh, baby, I know you do. That’s why God put the two of you together, and made you the best of friends. And, even though everything’s different for you now, Andrew still loves you just as much as he ever did- maybe even more.”
Monica nodded. “Do you have to go away again?” Tess nodded somewhat sadly. “Then... will you stay for breakfast, Tess? Please?”
The oldest angel smiled. “Of course I will. You don’t think I could let the two of you eat those pancakes without me, do you?”
***
“Angel Boy, these are mighty good. I couldn’t do a much better job if I’d made them myself.” She finished her last mouthful, dabbing at her mouth with a napkin and smiling.
“Well, thank you, Tess. Although, I’ve already been told how good they are.” He smiled across at Monica, who grinned.
Tess chuckled, glancing up at the kitchen clock. “Rick will be here anytime soon, baby. Your suitcase is all packed and ready to go.” She turned to Monica, who was still eating. “You almost finished there, baby girl?”
Monica nodded. “Uh-huh.”
Andrew stood, taking his and Tess’ plates to the sink. “You know, Tess, if we’re going up to the cabin, you may as well have your car back...” He raised his eyebrows and shrugged. “We’re not gonna need it.”
Tess grinned. “Well, I think I might just do that. Is it outside?” She held out her hand and Andrew frowned, handing her the keys. “Yes... and to answer your next question, no, there are no scratches on it. At least, no new ones. I can’t speak for any that might have been on there already.”
The oldest angel grunted. “I can assure you, Angel Boy, there were no scratches on my baby before I lent it to you- and if I find any, rest assured you will know about it.”
Monica giggled, taking a sip of her glass of milk. “I think she’s serious, Andrew.”
Tess glanced at Monica, unable to suppress a smile, and when she tried to glare at Andrew it wasn’t as serious as it could have been. “You can bet I’m serious.”
Just then there was a knock at the door and Andrew looked up, realizing Rick had arrived. He frowned at the stacked plates in the sink, and the almost-eaten pancake on Monica’s plate. “Er... Monica, you gonna finish that?” He watched as his friend nodded and ate the rest of it, and he turned to Tess, frowning. “Would you mind, Tess?” He indicated the dishes.
Tess rolled her eyes, but there was a sparkle in them. “Yes, I’ll do the washing up.” She smiled down at Monica. “You have a good time, okay, baby?”
Monica nodded, and Tess hugged her young charge tightly, then turned to smile at Andrew. “Take care, Andrew. And look after my baby girl, okay?”
Andrew nodded, also hugging her briefly. “I will, Tess. Don’t worry.” Hearing another knock at the door, he sighed. “We’d better go... come on, Monica.” He took Monica’s hand and led her to the door, where Tess had placed their suitcase and Monica’s backpack, which he gave to the little girl to carry. Andrew picked up the suitcase and opened the door, smiling at Rick. “Hi. We’re both ready to go.” Monica turned and waved at Tess as Andrew led her out of the apartment.
=================
Chapter Twenty One
Andrew helped Monica down the steps of the apartment block, and as Rick opened the trunk of his car the blond angel put the suitcase and backpack inside. Rick glanced down at Monica and for a moment Andrew thought he saw a brief smile on Rick’s face, but it was gone in an instant as the man turned to Andrew. “Well, we’ve got a four-hour drive ahead of us, so... we should get started.”
“Okay.” Andrew nodded, opening the rear door of the car and turning to his friend. “In you get.” Monica climbed into the backseat, then frowned up at him as he fastened the safety belt around her. “Andrew, did you bring my bear?”
“Um... well, I’m not sure about that.” He glanced at Rick, who looked impatient to leave. “Rick, do you mind? I’ll just be a minute.” He moved back to the trunk of the car, sending up a silent prayer, and as he opened it he smiled, finding Monica’s bear lying beside her backpack. Glancing upwards and smiling, he grabbed the toy and shut the trunk, leaning into the backseat to hand the bear to Monica who took it gratefully, grinning up at him. “Thank you Andrew.”
Andrew shot her a smile before he climbed into the front passenger seat, turning to Rick. “Okay... I think we’re ready.”
Rick started the engine, glancing into the rear-view mirror and frowning. “Is she... er... is she good with cars?”
Raising an eyebrow, Andrew looked at Rick. “Well, she hasn’t learned how to change the oil yet, but if you’re wondering if she’ll be okay back there, I think she will be.” The blond angel shot Monica an amused look, and she giggled quietly.
Rick sighed. “Oh... okay, then... well, let’s start this journey, huh?” He pulled the car away from the curb as Andrew leaned back in his seat, knowing that this was going to be a very long journey.
***
“Are we there yet, Andrew?”
The blond angel sighed as the car stopped at an intersection, and he turned to the backseat, raising an eyebrow. “No... this is another intersection, just like the last five. We’re got another three hours driving ahead of us yet.”
Monica frowned. “Three hours? That’s a long time...” She absentmindedly played with the ears of her teddy bear. “Andrew...”
Andrew smiled at her. “You just sit there, and be good, and the time will pass before you know it.”
“But, Andrew...”
He sighed, glancing over at Rick who had barely said a word for the past hour of the journey- and he didn’t look like the happiest guy in the world. Knowing that Monica’s constant questions weren’t helping the man’s mood, Andrew turned back to his friend. “Monica... please... try and sit there quietly, okay? Look... why don’t you...” He glanced out of the window. “Why don’t you see how many red cars you can count, huh?”
Monica frowned and nodded. “Okay...” She didn’t look happy, in fact she looked extremely fidgety, but she did as she was told, turning to look out of the window.
Satisfied, Andrew turned back around to face the front, deciding to try and start a conversation with his assignment. “So, Rick, you’ve had this cabin for a while, or what?”
Rick nodded. “Yeah, about... ten years. We used to...” He frowned. “A few of my friends stay there with me sometimes, but mostly I go there for the peace and quiet. I can only take so much of the city life.”
“Well, it sounds like...” Andrew was interrupted by a small voice from the back. “Andrew...?” Turning to her, he raised an eyebrow. “What is it, sweetie?”
The little girl frowned. “I need to go to the bathroom. Now.”
Rick’s eyes widened and he turned to look at her, causing the car to swerve slightly. “Uh... Andrew...?”
The blond angel nodded, trying not to panic. “It-it’s... okay, Rick, you just... keep the car on the road.” He frowned, turning back to Monica. “Why didn’t you say something before?”
“I tried to.”
Andrew sighed, lifting his eyes heavenward and sending up a desperate prayer which seemed to be answered almost immediately, when Rick spotted a rest stop up ahead. He parked the car as quickly as he possibly could, turning to Andrew. “Please... don’t make her wait any longer. I haven’t had this car for long.”
Andrew nodded, getting out of the car, and it wasn’t long before he’d got Monica out of the car too, and taking her hand, they ran across the parking lot and into the building.
================
Chapter Twenty Two
Andrew waited patiently outside the ladies room in the rest stop, feeling somewhat uncomfortable as he caught more than a few looks from the women who went past. Finally after what seemed like ages, the door opened and Monica walked out, looking up at him and smiling. “Hey. You... okay now?”
Monica nodded. “Uh-huh.”
Taking her hand, Andrew led her back through to the restaurant area, which they’d had to pass through to reach the restrooms, and he spotted Rick waiting for them. The man shrugged as they approached. “I thought, seeing that we’d stopped, we may as well get a drink or something to eat.”
“Good idea, Rick.” Andrew smiled at him.
Rick looked down at Monica, catching her eye, and she grinned up at him, the gesture causing a smile to play on his lips, albeit a small one. Andrew saw this and smiled, as he gestured to a nearby table. “Well... should we sit down?”
Rick nodded and took a seat, watching as Andrew helped Monica onto one of the chairs which of course were too high for her. Then Andrew sat down beside her, picking up a menu, and began reading. It wasn’t until he looked up that he saw that Monica had also taken one of the menus, apparently wanting to copy what he and Rick were doing, and he smiled with amusement as she tried to read the various options. “You uh... you okay there, Monica?”
The little girl looked up at him with a serious expression. “Yes.” Then she went back to looking at the menu, even though Andrew knew she probably couldn’t read half of it. He looked up at Rick, who had stopped reading his own menu to watch the little girl, and Andrew was surprised to see a hint of amusement in the man’s eyes. Apparently, it seemed, Monica was beginning to make an impression on him, and he sent up a silent prayer of thanks that at least the assignment was heading in the right direction.
Moments later a waitress approached the table and she smiled warmly at them. “Hi there. What can I get for you guys today?”
Rick glanced at his menu again. “Er... I’ll have a hamburger and fries, and a coke, thanks.” The waitress nodded and turned to Andrew, who smiled. “Hi. I’ll... actually have the same, thanks.”
The waitress wrote this down. “Okay, sure. And... how about your friend over there?”
Andrew turned to Monica, who was still frowning intently at the menu which she was clutching with both hands. “Monica? Have you decided what you’d like yet?”
The little girl turned to look up at him, and shook her head. Andrew chuckled, knowing exactly why she hadn’t decided yet. “Okay... well, let’s see here...” He glanced down at the menu. “I’m having a burger and fries... is that what you want?”
“Yes, please.” Monica smiled at him and he smiled back. “Okay then...” Andrew turned to the waitress, but she was already writing this down. “And... what would you like to drink? You want soda? Or a milkshake?”
Monica thought about this for a moment. “Um... milkshake, please. A banana one.” Andrew nodded and turned back to the waitress, who was smiling. “I take it you got all that?”
She nodded. “I sure did. I’ll be right back with your drinks, okay?” Rick and Andrew nodded and when the waitress was gone, Rick turned to Andrew, glancing at Monica. “She’s... really polite, isn’t she? I-I mean, for a kid.”
Andrew frowned. “Well, you know, a lot of kids are polite, Rick- it’s all about how they’re brought up by their parents. If they’re taught good manners, they learn to be polite and well-behaved.”
Rick shrugged. “So, I guess her parents brought her up pretty well, then?”
“I don’t have a mommy.”
Andrew and Rick turned to Monica, who was frowning up at them both, with a lost expression. Andrew smiled compassionately down at her. “No... no, that’s right, you don’t.” He reached for her hand and squeezed it. “But you do have a Father who loves you very, very much... and you have your best friend... me.”
Monica smiled up at him and nodded. “I love you, Andrew.”
The blond angel grinned at her. “And I love you too, sweetie.”
Rick had been watching this exchange between his new accountant and the little girl, and he couldn’t help but smile. “Listen, I’m... sorry about your mom, Monica.” He hesitated, watching her as if he wasn’t sure if she understood what he said or not, and Andrew knew that this guy didn’t have a clue when it came to children. “You must miss her very much.”
Monica looked at him curiously. “I never had a mommy. Did I, Andrew?” She turned to look up at Andrew, who was beginning to feel slightly uncomfortable with the way the conversation was going, and he laughed nervously. “Well, you, uh...” He turned to Rick, shrugging. “You know, it’s... kinda difficult for her.”
Rick nodded. “Yeah... I mean, she must have had a mother at some point, right? Otherwise she wouldn’t be here.” Thankfully Andrew was saved from having to answer that because the waitress came over and handed them their drinks. And once Monica got her milkshake, complete with a straw which the waitress had kindly included, she seemed to forget all about the conversation anyway.
***
Rick had gone to the restrooms once he’d finished his meal, leaving Andrew and Monica alone for a few minutes. The blond angel had finished his meal, and now he watched as Monica seemed to struggle with the rest of her food, only having eaten about half of it. “Monica? You okay there?”
“Uh-huh...” She frowned up at him clutching her knife and fork. “I don’t think I can eat any more, Andrew... or my tummy will burst.”
Andrew raised an eyebrow. “Oh, it will, will it? In that case, young lady, I think you’ve eaten enough.” He watched as she nodded, putting down her cutlery, and then she finished off her milkshake. “Are you having fun today, Monica? I know it’s a long journey, but just wait until we get there... you’re gonna love it.”
The little girl grinned up at him and nodded.
They looked up as Rick came back, and he smiled at them. “Are we ready to go?”
Andrew frowned, glancing at Monica. “I think Monica had better take another trip... it might be a while before we stop again.”
Catching his meaning, Rick nodded. “I’ll see you out at the car, then.” He walked off, and Andrew stood up, holding out a hand to Monica and he helped her off the chair. “Come on, you.” He smiled down at her and she grinned up at him from beneath her floppy hat.
================
Chapter Twenty Three
The atmosphere in the car was definitely lighter after the stop over, and for the next hour Monica kept Rick and Andrew entertained by shouting out every time she saw a red car go past. Andrew couldn’t understand her fascination with only red cars, but anyway, it kept her occupied during what must be a boring journey for her.
Rick had even begun to laugh at Monica’s outbursts, although he still seemed wary of talking to her, something that Andrew couldn’t really understand. He could see that this man had never looked after a child before, but although that would explain why he was having a hard time relating to Monica, it didn’t really explain why he’d seemed to have a hatred of children when Andrew had first met him. But for now the blond angel was just glad that Rick was at least being civil to Monica; even though the guy wasn’t saying much, he was trying, and that was a good start.
When the car slowed at another intersection, Andrew turned to the backseat, anticipating what Monica’s next question should be, and he smiled when he saw that his dear young friend was actually sleeping. It must have happened quickly; she’d shouted out about a red car barely ten minutes previously, and since then she’d been quiet but Andrew had just assumed that she hadn’t see any red cars. He watched her for a moment with tenderness in his eyes, then turned to Rick. “Well, I guess we’re not gonna hear about any red cars for a while... she’s asleep back there.”
“Oh... but it’s the middle of the day?” Rick frowned, keeping his concentration on the road.
Andrew raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, well... she’s six years old, Rick. She gets tired easily. Children need a lot more sleep than adults do, you know.”
Rick chuckled. “I guess you can tell I’m not much of an expert when it comes to kids.”
Feeling like doing a bit of investigative work now that Monica was asleep, Andrew smiled. “Well, when I first met you, you didn’t even like them... was there a reason for that?”
The man looked surprised for a moment, but he answered calmly. “You’re right, I’ve never liked kids, especially...” He sighed heavily. “Monica seems like a nice kid, and I’m sure you’re happy to look after her... but I could never get interested in them like you can, okay?”
Andrew raised his eyebrows, shrugging. “Okay, but... you know, if you take the time to get to know children, you’d be surprised at the joy they can bring into your life.”
Rick shook his head. “From what I know of, they don’t bring joy, they just bring trouble.” He frowned, shooting a quick glance at Andrew, and his temper dissipated. “I’m sorry, I didn’t meant to offend you... it’s just a touchy subject for me, so if you don’t mind, I’d rather we talked about something else.” He hesitated, glancing in the rear-view mirror where he could see Monica sound asleep in the backseat.
***
“Well, we’re about half way there- should be arriving at the cabin mid afternoon, I should think.” Rick took his gaze away from the road for a second to glance at Andrew, who nodded. “That’s great... it’s a long drive, but I’m sure the scenery will be worth it.” After Rick’s comments earlier, Andrew had been just a little bit frustrated at the guy’s attitude, but he’d had a silent discussion with the Father who had told him just to be patient, and to keep trying because it was very important. And after a while Andrew’s frustration and slight anger had gone, and he was once more enjoying the journey to Saline Lake, but aware that the progress he was making with Rick was going to be slower than he’d been beginning to think.
Andrew turned to glance at the backseat, smiling when he saw that Monica was still asleep and he was glad; he could imagine how tedious a long car trip must be for a little six-year-old, and he knew that sleep was the best thing for Monica while they were in the car. But, he was also aware that she would most likely wake up before the journey had ended, and he wondered how he’d keep her occupied until they arrived at the cabin.
Rick suddenly cursed as he slammed on the brakes, and Andrew turned to see that a white pickup had cut in front of them on the busy highway, and he forced himself to stay calm, realizing how close the incident had been as he sent up a silent prayer of thanks. Rick, however, seemed to be anything but calm. “Goddamn drivers- didn’t they ever pass a test?”
“Andrew...?”
The blond angel was about to say something to Rick to try and calm him down, when he heard Monica’s plaintive voice and he turned, realizing that the sudden braking had woken her up. So much for her sleeping, he thought as he eyed her with concern. “It’s okay, sweetie... try and go back to sleep, okay?”
Monica shook her head, now obviously too awake to think of going back to sleep. “I can’t...” She seemed upset, and Andrew could only imagine it was because of the sudden movement.
Trying to reassure her, he smiled. “Everything’s okay, sweetie, but we still have a long way to go till we get to the cabin, so you need to try and rest, okay?”
The little girl nodded. “Okay.” She looked down at the stuffed bear in her arms, and began playing with its ears, apparently satisfied for now with what Andrew had told her. The blond angel smiled for a moment before turning back to face the front, eyeing the traffic carefully as he sent up a silent prayer that they should have a safe journey to the cabin.
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Chapter Twenty Four
Thankfully Rick’s anger at the driver earlier had subsided, which Andrew was glad about because he knew that driving while angry or stressed was more likely to lead to accidents- and that was the last thing he wanted while there was such a precious piece of cargo sitting in the backseat. His friend had fallen asleep again a while back, and as they passed through the town of Winnfield, Louisiana, Andrew was sure that she would remain sleeping until they arrived at the cabin.
“Well, we’re just about there.” Rick turned to Andrew and smiled as they drove along a small back road through some woods. Andrew looked around, admiring the scenery. “It’s a great place, Rick. And I think that Monica will love staying here for a while.”
Rick actually chuckled. “You know, I think you’re right. And hopefully, it will give us the peace and quiet to get those accounts done... I estimate another three or four days, what do you think?”
Andrew nodded. “Yeah, I’d say that’s about right.” He glanced out of the window as the trees suddenly cleared to reveal a beautiful lake to their left. “Is that Saline Lake?”
“It sure is.”
“Well, you know, it is beautiful here. How far is your cabin?”
Rick shrugged. “Another twenty minutes drive... it’s at the north end of the lake, the road sweeps round to it. It’s the only cabin around here for ten miles... just perfect.”
***
Andrew was right about Monica... she was still sound asleep when the car finally pulled up outside Rick’s cabin, and the blond angel knew that the journey had tired her out, for she had slept more than she had the previous couple of days. He opened the rear door of the car and carefully unbuckled the little girl’s safety belt, and only then did she stir, blinking up at him with bright eyes. “Andrew?”
“Well, hey, you. You know, you missed the whole journey... we’re at the cabin.” He grinned at the sudden smile that lit up Monica’s face as she looked around her, not recognizing the scenery, but spying the cabin through the window. “Yeyyy!”
Chuckling, Andrew lifted her out of the car, depositing her on the ground. “I take it you’re glad to be here?”
Monica nodded, running off to where she’d spotted a patch of blue flowers growing outside the front of the cabin. He shook his head, smiling as he watched her pick some of the flowers, then he retrieved his suitcase and Monica’s backpack which Rick had by now removed from the trunk of the car. Rick unlocked the door and Andrew followed him inside, turning to Monica who was kneeling on the ground holding a small bunch of blue flowers in her hand. “Monica? Do you want to see inside?”
“Yes!” She scrambled to her feet and ran up the steps and into the cabin, straight past Andrew and Rick as they put the suitcases on the floor, both watching as the little girl ran from room to room, inspecting the entire cabin with an eagerness that caused Andrew to laugh.
A bemused Rick turned to the blond angel. “Is she always this inquisitive about everything?”
Andrew nodded. “Oh... oh yeah, definitely. Ever since I’ve known her. Although, she doesn’t usually show it with this much energy.” He smiled as Monica ran back into the living room, running right into Andrew’s legs when she apparently misjudged her stopping distance. She looked up at him, grinning, as she wrapped her arms around his knees. “I love it here, Andrew! Can we stay here forever? Please!”
“Um... well...” Andrew raised an eyebrow, never failing to be taken aback by the things that six-year-old Monica said. “No, not forever...” He saw her smile fade. “But... maybe four days?”
The little girl grinned again. “Yeyyy!” She glanced at the open front door. “Can I go outside and pick more flowers, Andrew, please!” The blond angel looked at the small bunch of flowers she still clutched in her hand, and nodded. “Okay... but try and leave some in the ground, alright? Don’t take them all. And don’t go too far from the cabin.”
“Okay, I won’t.”
Andrew leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Have fun, sweetie. I’ll come out and see you later, once I’ve unpacked.” He smiled as he watched Monica run out of the cabin and down the steps, and when he turned to Rick he saw a glimmer of amusement in the man’s eyes.
“Well, apparently your little kid thinks that four days is a long time.”
Andrew chuckled. “Yeah, well, this morning four hours seemed like an eternity to her, so I guess four days is quite a while when you’re six years old.”
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