"Yes, call him and set lunch with him so we can talk before we meet Morse… Yes, in the hotel it’s ok… Is he staying at the Regent Beverly too? Ok… Yes, that’s all… see you in… 20 minutes. Thanks, Rafael… Bye" Vivian heard her husband talking by the phone and she sighed. She turned to look through the window and recognized the line of houses by the beach as Santa Barbara’s suburbs. They would be arriving to Los Angeles in no time, and this would be the first time she went back to the city where her whole life had changed four years ago. She had met Edward in one of the darkest days of her life when she hadn’t found another way of living but in the streets, and in a week they had fallen in love with each other, making her childhood dream come true.

"I’m fine…" she said and leaned to peck him on the lips. "Just remembering…" she rested her head on his shoulder.

"Wondering how it would have been like…" he tried to guess kissing the top of her head, "… if I had decided to go?"

"Really…" he assured her taking her hand and kissing it lovingly. Then, meeting her brown eyes, he inched his face closer to hers and kissed her long, savoring her lips like the first time she had allowed him to kiss her.

"I don’t know… But according to Morse, his lawyer contacted him and he’s interested on what we are doing here. He’s young and very rich and powerful for what Rafael has found out…"

"Intriguing…" Vivian commented and looked through the window again to the high hills that would reveal the Hollywood advertisement any minute now.

"Tell me again… Who is this guy?" a blond tall angel was telling a younger Latin-type one.

"Edward Lewis…"

"And I’m supposed to be his partner in business?"

"You want to be… You are interested in his enterprises…"

"He builds ships with this other man…"

"James Morse, yes…" Rafael said helping Andrew to fix his tie. "Sam is your lawyer and he contacted Mr. Morse…"

"Sam?" Andrew said once more fixing his tie. "You mean… Sam…?"

"Your supervisor, yes… If you are not sure about something, he will help you…" It was now time for Andrew’s handkerchief. The blond angel felt just like a doll being dressed. He had been called barely ten minutes before and he had been fill in details in such a hurry he wasn’t sure of what he had to say. "Your personal assistant is Tess, I’m Edward’s…"

"Okay…"

"Here he comes…" Rafael said spotting Edward coming into the restaurant. "Oh, by the way… I almost forgot…" the younger angel reached his inner pocket to handle Andrew something more. "Get this on! You’re married!"

"What?!" Andrew asked looking at the wedding ring Rafael had given him. But as Edward was just a table away, he glided the ring on his finger and kept the questions for later.

"Mr. Lewis!" Rafael walked to meet Edward.

"Rafael…" Edward greeted the angel.

"This is Andrew Parks…" he introduced the new "businessman" shooting him a "just follow me…" look at the intrigued expression he had when he heard his "last name".

"Mr. Parks…"

"Mr. Lewis…" the blond angel shook hands with the man.

"Please, call me Edward… Rafael and my other partner, James Morse, tell me you want to talk to me…" They took a seat in the nearest table.

"Call me Andrew… Yes… I’ve been following the development of your enterprises and I think we can make some good deals… You build ships, I have a big harbor that remains almost empty…"

"And it is in…?"

"Oregon… New Port city… We managed to save this place from a firm that wanted to buy the land and build a mall not caring about the people, most of them families that lived from the harbor and that had nowhere to go if they lost their houses…"

"Yes… The port is a place with a lot of projection to the future. We’re in a big trade center and our facilities are good even for big cruiser ships or transatlantic…"

"Then I think we may have a deal, Andrew!" Edward exclaimed offering his hand to the angel. "James asked me to come and meet you before to, you know, find out what kind of man you are… Not that I don’t trust Rafael, but we wanted to make sure you were not a self-seeking man… I know you’re married?"

"Good! My wife is here too… Perhaps we can have dinner tonight all the four together."

"Sure!" Andrew didn’t know what else to say.

"Vivian and I went to The Voltaire on our first date ever and we haven’t come back to Los Angeles in four years… I’m planning to take her there tonight again…"

"We’ll be happy to join you," Andrew smiled feeling he was getting in more and more trouble with every minute. "What time?"

"7.30. We can meet in the lobby if that’s ok with you…"

"Fine!"

"Yes, married, angel boy…" a female voice they both knew quite well said reaching their table. "There are not two assignments that are just the same…"

"Tess…"

"Hey, this is not my idea, ok? Do I arrange the assignments? Do I decide what angel goes to each assignment? No, I don’t! I just follow the orders I’m given… And this time the orders I had been given is that you will be Edward Lewis partner… and that you will make him value some other things more important than business."

"Like what?" the blond angel wanted to know.

"Like love, and friends, and trust, and the blessings the Father sends without His children knowing about them…" Andrew’s half scared, half surprised face made Tess’ heart melt with tenderness for that angel that was much like her son. "You’ll do great, Andrew! If the Father sent you here, it’s because He knows you’re the right angel for this…"

"Nope…" the dark skinned angel sighed in defeat. "It was such a short time to fix all this that we haven’t decided who she will be… It has to be someone who you are comfortable enough with so you can really help Edward and Vivian…"

"I know, baby… Then, we’ll have to see her…"

"You better take a seat, baby…" the dark skinned angel said as Andrew had stood up to help her with her chair. When she was in front of her, she continued. "This is very unusual and I know you will be surprised. You can refuse to do it…" Andrew shot her a nasty look, "but if you accept you would be really helping Andrew…"

"It’s my assignment…" he explained. "I’m supposed to be this man’s new partner in a ship business, but…"

"But he is supposed to be married…" Rafael completed sensing the angel wouldn’t have to courage to say it.

"Married?!" Monica exclaimed. "But, Tess… aren’t angels supposed to…?"

"Yes, baby… That’s what I have always said, but it looks like I was wrong… The instructions this time were very clear… He even got the ring…" Andrew rose his hand to show it, and when he lowered it he started to play with the band.

"So who is your "wife", Andrew?" the Irish angel asked.

"I’m as surprised as you are, baby…" he said now reaching to take her other hand. "And I cannot refuse to do the assignment ‘cause I’ve already met Edward. He asked me to join him and his wife for dinner tonight and I say yes! I was told to follow the instructions and what Rafael would say! He told me I was married just when Edward was two tables away!"

"This is incredible!" Monica murmured still shocked by the news.

"Yes, it is! And now I feel I’m trapped! What do I do? Please, Monica, help me!" he pleaded and squeezed her hand a little tighter. "Please, say you will be my wife!"

"How did you two meet?" Tess asked Andrew later that afternoon. He was reading a big bunch of papers to learn enough about Edward’s business while the older angel was combing Monica’s hair for their dinner that night.

"We can talk about how we really met… in the wedding…" Monica suggested. "We started to work together and became friends for many years…"

"…Till we realized we were… in love…" Andrew completed her sentence and blushed and lowered his head when he saw her blushing and hiding her eyes from him too.

"That works just fine… Now when did you realize you wanted to spend your lives together?" Tess continued as she tied Monica’s hair in a high bow.

"I…"

"We…" The younger angels started at the same time and then smiled shyly at each other.

"Ok, everything’s ready now…" Rafael got into the room carrying a suit bag with a black tuxedo for Andrew. Placing in on the dinning table so it wouldn’t get wrinkled, he announced, "You’ll get a limousine ready to take you wherever you want to go. Your driver’s name is Doug. Armani, Prada and Channel boutiques have agreed to get you in a private session tomorrow morning so you can get proper dressings for the dates with Edward and with Morse, and your reservation here is ready…"

"Good, what suite is it?" Tess asked. They had been taken to a big suite but they were hoping to get another one that would "accommodate" them better…

"This one…" Rafael told them a little ashamed. "All the two-bedrooms are busy… They only have this one available…"

"Who has always helped you with your tie, Andrew?" Rafael teased his friend who was finding the bow tie incredibly uncomfortable and kept on moving it to fix it.

"Funny…" the blond angel mumbled, "maybe you got one too small for me…"

"I’m almost done!" the Irish angel replied but Tess’ voice came a second later. "You never hurry a woman when she’s getting dressed, angel boy! You want her all dress up and good looking, so you better let her take her time!"

"Edward and his wife must be waiting for us already!"

"Sure thing, buddy…" the younger angel replied giggling.

"They asked me to tell you they’d be waiting for you at the bar, Mr. Parks," she replied politely.

"Ok, thanks…" Andrew said and headed there but went back a couple of steps later. "Oh, I almost forgot… My… wife…" he blushed lightly at the word, "is coming too. Would you please tell her we’re there?"

"Sure, Mr. Parks, don’t worry…"

"Hey, Andrew!" Edward greeted him when he saw the angel. "I want you to meet my wife, Vivian."

"My pleasure, Vivian…" Andrew said shaking hands with her politely. "I’m sorry I’m a bit late but Monica is not ready yet… She asked me to come and tell you to please wait a few minutes…"

"Women…" Edward complained jokingly and he won a slap on the arm from Vivian.

"Yes, you do complain! But you always find it worth waiting!" she said.

"I agree on that!" Andrew said. "Meanwhile… can I buy you a drink?"

"I’m sorry to keep you waiting…" she smiled shyly.

"Edward, Vivian… this is my wife, Monica…" Andrew said introducing her.

"Hi…"

"Nice to meet you, Monica…" Edward said reaching to kiss her hand gentlemanly.

"Shall we go?" Andrew said feeling suddenly proud of having such a beautiful partner for the night.

"They are planning to join a new investor in the business…" David Morse, James Morse’s grandson, was telling a bald man, who was sipping at a cup of coffee. "I don’t know who he is yet… All I know is that he comes from Oregon and owns a harbor…"

"You need to find who he is, and soon…" the other man said. He was Phillip Stuckey, a self-assertive lawyer that had worked for Edward Lewis for ten years just before Edward met Vivian and under her influence changed his mind on a two billion dollar business… Phillip had been so furious about Edward’s decision that he had gone to the hotel room and hit Vivian and he would had abused her, hadn’t Edward come back right on time to stop him. More than a broken nose, Phillip had kept the deepest resentment against the business man and had been patiently waiting for a chance to take revenge.

"I guess we’ll find out quickly…" David commented when he saw Edward and Vivian entering the restaurant followed by two other people he didn’t know. "As quickly as you can leave this place, Phillip…"

"Darn… Four years and he has to still like this place?" the lawyer angrily said lowering his head as the four passed by their table not noticing them. "The partner has excellent taste! Look at the goddess he’s coming with!" His eyes had traveled all the length of Monica and for a second he just kept on looking at her. "I better go…" he said when they were away.

"Yeah… I’ll call you. Go while they are not watching…" David told him.

"Thanks for the dinner, pal…" Phillip said ironically as David would have to pay the bill. Once he was by the door turned to look at the angels again briefly.

"Welcome, Mr. Lewis, Mr. Parks, ladies…" the manager of the restaurant greeted them giving them the menus. They searched them and ordered their dinner.

"It’s been four years since we first came…" Vivian said looking around. "So many memories!"

"Edward said you came here on your first date ever…" Andrew ventured.

"And I behaved like a maniac that day!" Vivian exclaimed and even Edward smiled. "I had never been in a dinner with business men and I just felt so out of place…"

"But you saved the dinner that night, Vivian…" a voice interrupted them and they turned to find David standing by their table. "I still remember you managed to keep the conversation between my grandpa and Edward in a friendly way, otherwise they would have killed each other without making any business…"

"David…" Edward greeted him though obviously he wasn’t very pleased with that stranger.

"Hello, Edward. My grandpa told me you were coming but I didn’t know you had already arrived…"

"David, these are Andrew Parks and his wife, Monica. Andrew will be investing in Morse and Lewis enterprises…" Edward introduced the younger man.

"Andrew…" they shook hands. "Your wife is very beautiful! Just as much as you are, Vivian!" he pointed out in a way that made both Monica and Vivian uncomfortable.

"Thanks…"

"And what are you doing here, David?" Edward asked w bit impolitely.

"Er… I was supposed to meet a friend here but he’s not coming… I-I was on my way out…"

"Oh…"

"I see…" Vivian and Edward said at the same time with obvious different intention. "It was nice from you to come and say hi."

"Yes." David thought a minute about what to say as he could sense Edward didn’t want him nearby. "Well, I’ll leave you to enjoy your dinner… Vivian, it was a pleasure as always… Mr. and Mrs. Park…"

"Oh, no!" Both Vivian and Edward smiled back to their old humor. "We have met one day before… I… She had found me lost in Los Angeles…"

"… in a car he didn’t know how to drive…" Vivian punctuated.

"… in a car I didn’t know how to drive, and she drove me back to the hotel…" It was obvious in the man’s eyes the love he felt for his woman as he reached for her hand and stroke it with his thumb tenderly. "Once we were there, I asked her to…" he stopped all of a sudden as if he was going to say something that he better not.

"… have dinner with him…" Vivian saved the situation. "Time flew away and when we realized it was too late for me to get a taxi so…"

"… we had to spend the rest of the night talking and talking… I got a phone call from my ex lawyer first hour in the morning and he warned me I needed a mate for a dinner with David’s grandfather… My mate was already there…" Edward finished and Monica and Andrew exchanged an accomplice gaze when he reached to kiss Vivian’s hand and her eyes were shining with tears.

"It’s a lovely story!" Monica said smiling widely. "I would say it was a match made in Heaven! You truly had to find each other!"

"Well, now it is your turn, Monica," Vivian said drying her tears discretely. "How did you two guys meet?"

"She didn’t like me at the beginning!" Andrew started and smiled at the reproachful gaze the little angel shot him. "She was jealous of me and she kept on being nasty with me as much as I tried to become friends…"

"Not true!" Vivian exclaimed unable to believe they hadn’t gotten along since the beginning judging for how they acted around each other.

"Oh, yes!" Andrew continued. "See? I was called to work with her in the last minute and she felt I was interfering with her job. Truth to be told, I just didn’t want to be away from her! I wanted to follow her wherever she went and she kept on running away!"

"You didn’t let me!"

"I was nice the second time we worked together, wasn’t I? You even taught me how to throw a football ball!" the little angel continued. "Even when you made fun of me…"

"ME?" Andrew asked.

"Yes! When I asked a special dispen… favor for the man I was working with!" She knew she had a point there and smiled proudly.

"I didn’t make fun of you! It was a difficult request and I felt proud of you when you got it!"

"What kind of job was that?" Vivian wanted to know sensing that the two angels would continue arguing about the first time they worked together the whole night if they didn’t stop them.

"Good question… I thought you had owned your harbor for a long time, Andrew…" Edward supported his wife’s question.

"I-I…"

"This was before he owned the harbor, Edward," Monica explained. "In fact he got the harbor after one of those jobs we shared…"

"Really? What kind of work is it?" the man wanted to know.

"Non-profit work, believe it or not…" Andrew replied now fully regained. "You’d be surprised of how rewarding that kind of job is…"

"They look so happy…" Monica commented with a hint of longing in her voice.

"Yeah… I still can’t figure out what my assignment is…" Andrew told her taking a last sip of coffee. "It seems that everything’s right in their life…"

"Once you’ve found the love of your life, what else can you ask for?" she said more to herself than to Andrew. He turned to look at her and studied her expression carefully. She was lost in the image of Edward and Vivian together in the dance floor. She had her hand delving into Edward’s hair behind his neck and he seemed so lost in her eyes that he had a permanent and tender smile playing on his lips. They seemed to be talking quietly. After a minute he leaned down to kiss her on the lips and she surrendered to his caress.

"Yes…" she murmured and stood up with him.

"Hi…" the little angel greeted Andrew the next morning when she walked out of the bedroom to find him reading a newspaper and sipping at a glass of orange juice.

"Good morning, sweetie…" the blond angel smiled warmly, his heart again full of tenderness at her sight. "Did you sleep well?"

"I didn’t hear the wake-up call. You should have waken me up…" she reached to pour herself a cup of coffee.

"You were sleeping like an angel… literally…" he smiled when she blushed a little. Then getting serious, he reached to take her hand and brushed his thumb over it. "I had a great night yesterday… Thank you…"

"I have to be the one thanking you for it…" Monica said all of a sudden unable to take her eyes away of his. She had seen something different in his green pools and her heart raced wildly in the most pleasant way at the mere thought.

"Put that coffee cup down, Miss Wings! It’s too early for it!" Tess’ commanding voice broke the moment and made them come back to reality immediately. "Andrew, what kind of care you take of her, huh? Allowing her to have coffee so early in the morning…"

"Hi, Tess…" Monica greeted her supervisor putting her cup down.

"Tess…" Andrew said too, although he hadn’t helped the tiny hint of disappointment in his voice.

"You two are taking too long here!" the supervisor scolded them. "Your assignments are waiting for you!"

"Assignments?" Monica asked. "I’ve been assigned too now?"

"Yes, baby. Since you and Vivian are getting along so well, you may be supporting her… She may use a friend soon…"

"Edward and I had agreed to meet later, Tess. Monica and I had to go get some clothes…" the blond angel tried to argue.

"Monica can get your clothes, angel boy… I trust her taste more than yours…" the dark skinned angel teased him and Monica smiled at his frowning. "You need to get your angelic butt on your way to the office soon. I’ll meet you there." She then reached to take a toast with butter and jelly he had ready on his plate, and disappeared.

"Sometimes I’d like she’d be more explicit…" Andrew mumbled preparing himself another toast.

"Oh, yeah?" he asked, his left eyebrow lifted in surprise. "We’ll see about that… I want to see what you get me in the afternoon…" he challenged her.

"You’ll be the most handsome angel playing a businessman…" she wriggled her eyebrows. "Now, you heard Tess! Go!"

"Yes?" Vivian asked opening the door. "Monica!"

"Hi, Vivian. I hope I’m not disturbing…"

"Oh, no! Not at all! Come on in, please! Edward’s gone already…"

"So is Andrew…" the angel explained following the woman to the living room. "We were supposed to go shopping in the morning today but his assistant called him and asked him to go to the office earlier… I was wondering if you’d like to join me…"

"And do you think I would say no to a shopping morning?" Vivian smiled widely. "Of course not! Let’s make the men shake in fear, we have the credit cards!"

"Can you tell me the reason of such an early call, Rafael?" Edward asked as a way of greeting the young angel, who exchanged an exasperated look with Andrew. They saw the man walking to his desk and placed his briefcase on it.

"I’m really sorry, Edward, but something important had arrived when I came here in the morning…" Rafael tried to explain.

"What?" the business man sighed.

"This, Mr. Lewis…" Tess said coming in. She had an envelope in her hands.

"And you are…?"

"Oh… She’s Tess," Andrew intervened. "She’s my personal assistant."

"Bastard…" he murmured in the lowest voice and then turned to look at Rafael. "Please, get me James Morse and Sam as soon as possible".

"Edward?" Andrew asked again when they were alone.

"I’m sorry, Andrew… There’s something I need to tell you before we can start any business…"

"What exactly are you looking for?" Vivian asked Monica after half an hour of just passing by the stores.

"According to this… Clothes for Andrew… and for me too…" she replied absentmindedly. "Believe it or not, the trip caught us out of place and we didn’t bring all we’ll need…"

"Oh…"

"Instead…" Vivian wrapped her arm around one of Monica’s guiding her, "there’s someone way much better when you need to buy things…"

"Yes, indeed, Bridget… You don’t remember me, do you?" Vivian replied.

"Yes!" she reached to hug the woman friendly. "I’m happy to know you still remember me! Hadn’t it been for you, I don’t know what I would be wearing in that dinner…"

"But look at you now!" Bridget reached her arms so she could admire Vivian from head to toe. "I take it that you’ve had a good life since that day... Are you still with your ‘uncle’?"

"Oh… Oh, I see" Bridget stuttered when she saw Vivian’s reaction and Monica’s questing face. "Let’s go then. What do you have in mind, Mrs.…?"

"Parks…" Monica replied shaking hands with the sales woman. It was still strange to give a last name, more when it meant that she was "married". "But please, call me Monica. I guess I’ll need some formal suits for Andrew…"

"Do you have in mind something in particular?" Bridget asked as they walked towards the Men section.

"I… well…" Monica was not used to thinking about what would fit a man better. "He’s blond and has green eyes… I like him either with dark colors or very pale colors. It makes his eyes look a deeper shade of green…" The moment the angel thought about Andrew’s eyes, she felt the same pleasant shiver she felt the previous night when he had touched her shoulders. She couldn’t understand what was changing, what was going on with her, but all of a sudden she just couldn’t take off her mind the image of the angel of death in one of his perfect suits, smiling at her and his eyes shining with the color of emeralds.

"You know, Bridget?" Vivian’s voice interrupted Monica’s thoughts. "Monica really has a piece of goodness as a husband…"

"Oh… I don’t think so…" the angel argued weakly. It had spaghetti straps, a deep cleavage and the skirt would only reach over the knees. It was way too revealing!!

"Come on, Monica! Think of Andrew’s face when he sees you on it! I bet he wouldn’t take his hands off you!"

"I-I… don’t know…"

"Don’t be shy!" Vivian said pushing her to the dressing room with the dress in one hand. "If it fits you, you buy it!"

"Yeah, yeah… I did…" Then the angel paid attention to what her friend was looking at. "What are you looking for?"

"Oh… Nothing…" she tried to fake innocence but it was too late.

"Pregnancy clothes?" Monica asked. "Are you…?" She was positively surprised.

"No, I’m not…" Vivian said with obvious disappointment although she tired to hide it. "Or at least, I don’t think I am…"

"I’m sorry… I thought…" Monica explained.

"Don’t you wonder sometimes, Monica?" Vivian surprised now the angel with her question.

"Wonder what?"

"What it would be like… to be pregnant?" Vivian had picked up a blouse and lowered it when she made the question.

"Green eyes, deep brown hair?" Vivian asked now the cheerfulness back.

"Vivian! I’m not buying this one!" the little angel warned her.

"Vivian, can I ask you something?" Monica said trying her cup. "Is about what Bridget said… about Edward being…"

"My uncle?" the woman completed the question for the angel and saw her nodding. "It’s a long story, Monica… But I think you need to know it. I will just ask you to not judge me without hearing the complete story and not let this intervene in Andrew and Edward’s business. It has nothing to do with that…"

"You’re scaring me… Vivian, if you don’t feel comfortable…"

"No, no, it’s ok. I do need to tell someone... and I trust you…" When the Irish angel squeezed her hand and smiled at her, she continued. "As we told you before, Edward and I met four years ago. But things were… different of how we told you yesterday… I did found him lost in Los Angeles, but I found him in Hollywood Boulevard ‘cause I worked there…" Monica frowned not understanding what the woman was telling her. "I… I was a street walker… I know, I know! It’s hard to tell!" Vivian continued. "Who could tell that the always well dressed Mrs. Lewis would have such a dark past! Your reaction is just what I had expected, Monica…"

"Vivian, I’m not judging you… nor I think less of you…" the angel replied softly. "It takes a great courage to say something like this and I really appreciate your trusting in me…"

"I have never confessed this to anyone…" the woman said, her eyes bright with tears, "but I feel so comfortable with you that… I just needed to talk about this! It’s been killing me for years!" She started to sob and Monica moved to be closer to her and to comb her hair soothingly. "Edward knows everything of course, and he accepted me that way. He says it doesn’t matter to him, that he cares about me and about what he feels for me, but…"

"… but you’re afraid that, deep inside, he cares about your past…" Monica completed the sentence.

"It seems to me that it’s you the one that is not willing to leave the past behind, Vivian…" Monica offered softly. "I saw you and Edward yesterday and he looks totally in love with you. If you say he doesn’t care about what you lived before…"

"But he does care, Monica!" Vivian exclaimed, her tears crossing her cheeks again. "Even if he doesn’t accept it, he really cares!"

"How can you know if he proves you wrong every time he looks at you?"

"Look at your hand, Monica!"

"Do you fear he doesn’t want to marry you?" Monica said.

"What else could it be, Monica? He hasn’t mentioned it again ‘cause he does care about my past!"

"You can’t know for sure…"

"I feel it! I know deep in my heart he feels he could have found a much better woman than me!"

"But he loves you! Why else would he be with you after four years?"

"I don’t know! I don’t want to rise hopes or I’ll get my heart all broken…" she sobbed.

"Busy, but you’ll be just as handsome as I promised…" she replied, a smile playing on her face immediately. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Vivian swiping at her tears. "And yours?"

"… this guy was my lawyer four years ago," Edward was explaining Andrew as the angel finished to reread the letter they had gotten in the morning for the thousandth time. "Back when I first met Vivian… I was in town to buy James’ enterprise, just because I would make a lot of money out of that business… Vivian made me see it was wrong to look only for my benefit and not for the others’… When I broke the selling deal and instead, I decided to invest in Morse’s enterprises, Philip got crazy… He even went to the hotel… I guess he would have…" Edward took a deep breath before he could continue, "… abused Vivian hadn’t I arrived on time… He did hit her…"

"You were already married then?"

"N-no…" Andrew stuttered. It was still weird to talk about Monica like his wife. "Just friends…" When they remained in silence for a minute, he asked, "What are you going to do?"

"I guess to follow Sam’s advice and suit him back… He has no way to prove what he’s saying… I’m not evading paying taxes or the worker’s benefits…"

"I have the feeling he will give you some bad times…"

"Me too…"

"You too what?" Vivian’s voice made both men almost jump in their chairs. Edward had asked Andrew not to mention anything to Vivian so she wouldn’t be worried. Yet Monica saw him discretely taking the letter and slipping it on the inner pocket of his jacket.

"I too am in love with my beautiful wife…" Edward said standing up and kissing her on the lips tenderly. She wasn’t all too convinced but responded to his kiss for a short second.

"Aren’t you two going to kiss?" Vivian asked matter-of-factly.

"May I offer you the menus now?" a waiter broke the moment between the angels just as Edward and Vivian took their seats.

"Are you going back to work?" Monica asked Andrew and Edward when they finished their meal. He was holding her and somehow she didn’t want him to let go…

"I’m afraid we need to, angel…" he said rubbing his thumb over her small hand, "we have too many things to arrange now…"

"Edward, are you sure things are ok?" Vivian insisted recognizing the worry in his traits.

"I’ll see you later too, angel…" Andrew said and kissed her hand again.

"You’re not over your spring time yet…" the woman explained.

"Spring time?"

"Yes… Spring time when all is happiness and everything is perfect for you two… You’re still in love as the first time you saw each other…"

"You did fulfill your promise, angel girl…" Tess’ voice surprised her. "Andrew will look good!"

"You think so, Tess?" the little angel smiled back at her supervisor.

"Oh, yes, baby! You did choose great!" the supervisor said admiring a fine silk tie. "You certainly know him well…"

"I-I…" she tried to start but she just couldn’t. Finally she breathed deeply and said, "I’m not sure if I really know Andrew, Tess…"

"Don’t be silly! I think other than the Father there’s no one in this world that knows him better that you!" the dark skinned angel scolded her.

"Then why am I feeling so nervous around him now? Why do I feel like my heart starts beating faster when I see him, or when he touches me, or when he’s near me?!" Monica started to pace around the room impatiently and as fast as the words came out of her mouth. "We went dancing yesterday, and Tess… I felt I didn’t want to be away from him anymore! And when he kissed my cheek today…! Please, tell me what’s going on, Tess?"

"Oh, baby…" the older angel opened her arms and Monica ran to them. "I feared you’d be so confused about this assignment… Yet, the Father knows why He sent Andrew to Edward and Vivian…"

"I know about Vivian’s past now and I think I know what her major problem is… But now I just don’t feel as calm as I should be to help her…"

"You do have to help her, baby. Edward and Vivian’s future may depend on what you can do for her… as well as someone’s else future…" Tess stroked Monica’s long hair some more times and then pulled away. "Talk to the Father, Monica, He’s the only one that can answer to your doubts. Don’t forget He made you and Andrew, and He knew perfectly well why you two had to meet that day in the wedding… when you didn’t like him at all!"

"When you said yes, when you agreed to help him, it was because you wanted to, Monica, and that’s something that is inside your heart… That’s where the answer is, baby, no where else…" The caseworker nodded and saw her supervisor disappearing after she said, "I gotta go… Angelboy needs his assistant…"

"What are you hiding in there?" Andrew’s voice made her jump. She didn’t hear him opening the door.

"Andrew! Don’t do this! You startled me!" Monica scolded him.

"Oh…" the Irish angel blushed deeply. "That’s something I got for me…"

"Let me see it."

"NO!" she screamed and grabbed the bag from his hands.

"Monica?" he was surprised. "What’s wrong?"

"I-I don’t want you to see this…" She confessed somehow scared. Her troubled expression only made him twice worried.

"Angel, what is it?" he pushed gently and reached to take her hand when she crossed her arms behind her back.

"No, Andrew…"

"Show me…"

"Then reach me!" she exclaimed and ran away from him towards the bedroom, but he reached her easily and started to tickle her. "Not fair!!" she shouted, tears escaping her eyes as his strong fingers continued to work around her waist.

"What’s happening with us, Andrew?" she asked in a matching tone, her eyes fixed on his. Slowly she reached to draw his jaw line with soft fingers making him shiver at the simple contact.

"I don’t know, angel…" he said leaning on one elbow and taking her hand to kiss it lovingly. "I’m scared…"

"I’m scared too…" she replied, meeting his eyes with trusting hazel pools.

"I love you too, Andrew…" she murmured in reply, cuddling against his warm body.

"Very handsome… and that’s thanks to who?" she asked walking to barely straight his tie. Her wide smile made her look even more beautiful to his eyes that he couldn’t help but reach to graze her cheek with the back of his hand.

"Thanks to you… and to my credit card…" he joked as he leaned to touch her nose with his index and to kiss her cheek. She joined his laughter after she slapped him on the arm playfully, and then followed him to the dinning room, where their breakfast was ready.

"Will you go out with Vivian today too?" Andrew asked Monica.

"Yes, I guess… She was feeling pretty bad yesterday, but I’ve started to get her to trust me and I have a good idea now about what’s wrong with her…"

"Edward’s facing pretty rough times too… and I think the worst is yet to come…" When he saw she was clueless, he continued. "There’s this guy, his former lawyer who wants to cause him big trouble by proving Lewis Enterprises do not pay taxes or benefits to its employees… It’s not true though, but…"

"…but the guy may as well give him some nasty days…"

"Yes… Vivian doesn’t know about it, ok? Edward asked me not to tell you too, but…" he reached to take her hand across the table, and the mere contact made her shiver, "… I cannot lie to you."

"I know…" she murmured just to say something as she was unable to take her eyes off him. Time seemed to stay still between them as the only words spoken by then were those of their eyes.

"Rafael…" the angel of death complimented him not very enthusiastically.

"Edward’s coming too," the younger angel said. "Nice suit…"

"He told you. He was his former lawyer. He got mad at him when Edward broke the deal they had with Morse…"

"Edward told me Vivian was the one to show him he was doing wrong by trying to get benefits from other people… I still don’t get it why Stuckey is still wanting to have revenge on Edward…" Andrew said.

"But I think Monica does have a good idea…" Rafael turned to look at the Irish angel, who cleared her throat before she could speak.

"You mean Phillip Stuckey doesn’t forgive Edward for choosing a woman like Vivian?" Monica asked Rafael. He nodded. "This has to be with what Vivian told me yesterday, Andrew," she explained to her "husband", "and with what is her biggest concern".

"What is Vivian concern?" Andrew asked still not getting it.

"Before she was the elegant woman you know, she was… a hooker," the little angel explained. The blond angel opened his eyes not able to believe what he was hearing. "They met by mere chance, when she helped Edward to find his way back to the hotel. He hired her to go out with him when he needed her. What they never thought would have happened was that they would fall in love…"

"I see…" Andrew said at last. "But you said it had to be with Vivian’s biggest concern. What is it?"

"She fears Edward doesn’t truly love her… They are not…" Monica was explaining, but a second knock in the door made her stop. Rafael went to open the door to let Edward come in.

"Good morning, Andrew, Monica…" he greeted his friends. "I hope I’m not interrupting any family breakfast!" he said cheerfully and smiled when the angels exchanged embarrassed glances.

"No, no… I-I am ready…" the angel of death stuttered turning to look for his briefcase. "I-I… We can go…"

"Sure…" the little angel said.

"Could you see her to eat something? The last couple of weeks she has refused to eat anything in the morning arguing she feels nauseous. She hasn’t accepted to go to the doctor either. I thought the changing of weather from New York to Los Angeles would make her feel better, but it seems I was wrong…"

"Don’t worry. I’ll make her eat," she promised, and the man reached to squeeze her hand and kiss it thankfully.

"I’ll be thankful the rest of my life for this!" he said enthusiastically. "She doesn’t have friends in New York. You’re the first one I see she really trusts…"

"I’m happy and I’m here to help," the angel assured.

"Let’s go," Andrew said coming with his briefcase. Rafael reached to take it. When both the angel and Edward stayed in their places, the blond angel looked at them quizzically. "What?"

"Hum… I’ll see you later, Andy…" Monica blushed guessing what they were supposed to do then.

"Oh… Yeah, I’ll see you later…" he said and reached to cup her face so tenderly that she felt her throat closing in a tight knot. He met her hazel eyes and couldn’t help but drink in her expression attentively again, in her slightly trembling lips, her soft skin getting just a hint of pink with the nervousness she was obviously feeling when he had cupped her cheek. He knew they were taking too long but he just couldn’t fight anymore the force that seemed to attract him to Monica unlike ever before. His heart raced wildly when he realized what he wanted to do right then, no matter who they were with. He leaned over until he was just inches away from her face and took a deep breath…

"Bye…" Andrew said simply, quickly kissing Monica’s cheek.

"Bye…" she said too cleaning an inexistent particle of dust on his chest.

"Andy?" Rafael asked his partner in the lowest voice when Edward was ahead of them and they were just leaving the room.

"Come in…" Vivian replied from inside the room and Monica found her lying on the couch.

"Are you ok?" the angel asked her friend. "You look too pale…"

"I… yeah… I’m fine… Just not hungry…"

"Well, that you cannot be… Come here, you’re eating…" the Irish angel said taking her hand and dragging her like a little girl. "I haven’t had breakfast either and my stomach is eating itself…"

"See? None can not be hungry for pancakes!" she blinked behind her coffee cup. "Now, what do you want to do? Yesterday it was my plan, now it’s yours…"

"Tell me…" the angel urged her.

"That must be…" Vivian pointed at a small place on the opposite side of the street where the limousine was parked. "Kit always wanted to take a beauty course and have her own place to work… I just really hope she has done it…"

"Kit… Don’t you recognize me?" Vivian asked looking intensely at her old friend. "Four years have been too long?"

"Yes!"

"Oh, my!" she reached to hug her friend. "I never thought you would come back! You look so, so different!" she studied her from head to toe: if Vivian had never really fit in the boulevard before, now it was more obvious than ever. What Kit had in front was a very elegant woman, dressed in the finest clothes and smelling to the most expensive perfumes.

"I don’t! You look just the same!" Vivian replied. "This is Monica, Kit. She came with me to find you…"

"Hi!"

"Hullo…" the angel shook hands with her. "Vivian’s talked a lot about you…"

"I bet so!" Vivian said. "This is great…" she admired the room. "I take it you don’t see any of the ‘girls’…"

"I see some from time to time. Rachel, Betty, Mary and Cris… they are my regulars here… Mary and Betty in fact are out too. Mary is married now and has a little boy…"

"Wow…" Vivian said in a low voice, "so much has changed…"

"Yeah…" Kit replied, "you just need to look at yourself… I thought you’d never come back…" Vivian smiled lightly. "There’s something I need to tell you ‘cause I bet you haven’t heard about it…"

"What?"

"Rachel came two weeks ago. When I left the boulevard, she kept our old apartment and still has it… She told me she got a phone call for you…"

"For me?"

"From your mom… Your dad’s sick and he wants to see you…"

"What are you thinking about?" Edward finally interrupted Vivian’s thoughts, reaching to graze her arm until he had her little hand in his.

"I love you, Andrew…" she murmured quietly and closed her eyes when she felt him kissing her temple.

"My angel… I love you so much too…" he whispered back feeling his heart was complete for the first time in the long centuries he had lived already.

"It had been a long time since I enjoyed a sunset like this…" Monica said leaning against Andrew’s arm. "Thanks a lot!"

"It’s Andrew whom you should thank, Monica," Edward told the little angel, "he mentioned how much you loved the sea and thought this was a good way to spend the afternoon…"

"Come on, Monica! What a way to thank him!" Vivian’s voice made the angels exchanged a clueless sight. "Every time you two kiss, you make it on the cheek! What kind of couple are you?"

"We’ve never seen you two kiss!" she continued and now Edward seemed as amused with the situation as his wife. "You two guys are married, and married couples kiss!"

"Don’t tell me you’re so shy that you wouldn’t kiss in front of your friends when obviously you want to?" Edward joined Vivian’s request.

"Well…" Monica smiled nervously as if trying to say ‘yes’.

"Don’t be!"

"Monica?" Andrew asked joining Monica in the balcony of the suite. It was almost midnight when they came back from Santa Monica and after that, they only bid good bye to their friends and headed to their room. Andrew had gotten into the dressing room to change his clothes, but the little angel had headed straight to the balcony, her eyes fixed on the few stars she could see looking for the answer her heart so needed. "Are you ok?"

"I’m fine, Andrew…" the Irish angel replied, but her tone of voice speak of her troubled mind. "Just thinking…"

"Andrew? Monica? Are you here?" Rafael voice broke the moment and they sighed deeply. "Over the balcony…" the angel of death replied and stepped back away from Monica.

"How was your day, babies?" Tess asked coming to take a seat on the garden set that was there. "I had never been this tired in years!!"

"Edward is so demanding!" Rafael joined her. "He’s in big trouble, but…"

"But we will have to work faster or this whole thing will go out of control!" Sam appeared at the time too. "Did you find enough proves to beat Stuckey in court, Andrew?"

"Dear lord…" Sam whispered. "And I take it, Vivian is not doing better, is she, Monica?"

"Oh… No…" the little angel replied obviously caught mid-thought. "She learned today her mother is very ill. She wants to go back home and visit her, but she won’t tell Edward… She feels he has problems in the office but no one is speaking to the other and that distance is growing and growing between them…"

"Why is it that married couples stop talking to each other?" Rafael asked leaning against the wall.

"Let’s start since the beginning, boy… They are not a "married couple"… if we say so…" Sam added. When Rafael and Andrew looked clueless, he continued, "Monica knows what I’m talking about…"

"I don’t want to sound too cold or materialist, but I think right now worrying about this wouldn’t help Edward a lot now…" Rafael said.

"But he does need Vivian at his side during the hard times," Andrew replied. "He says she taught him to see there were more things in life than just to make money, and I truly believe him. He is in love, I have no doubt about it!"

"But then what is stopping him from fulfilling a promise he did four years ago?" Monica asked. "It means the world for Vivian as she has found such a different life with him! She loves him so much…"

"That’s what you two are supposed to find, Monica…" Sam stated and stood up from the chair where he was sitting. "And now, if you excuse me… I want to have some rest for tomorrow… I think that polo match will not be the easiest day of this assignment…"

"Polo match?" Monica asked clueless.

"Ops… I guess I didn’t mention…" Andrew replied.

"You didn’t mention what?" she asked again.

"Edward organized a Polo match and a camping day tomorrow for the employees and we have to go…"

"How am I supposed to think of a way to talk to Vivian if you don’t tell me where we’re going?"

"Oh huh…" Rafael murmured and looked at Tess.

"I thought you knew we would be leaving everyday with Edward and Vivian, we are supposed to be with them as long as we can!" Andrew continued.

"But I have to think about many other things before we go out! Like what you and I will be wearing!" the Irish angel argued again.

"That’s not important!"

"It is if you do want to look like an important business man! That’s part of what I have to do for you this time!"

"You are supposed to do other things than to take care of my clothes!"

"What’s going on, Angel boy?" Tess asked in a serious tone when they were alone. "This was just too out of way!"

"I know, Tess…" the blond angel sighed burring his hands on his pockets and turning away. "This whole assignment is so strange and hard…"

"That’s what I feared when it started…"

"Was it really necessary for us to be married, Tess?" When Andrew looked at his friend, the older angel felt tenderness invading her heart at how shaken he looked. "Things are getting out of control, and I’m not talking only about Edward and the company! I-I…"

"What, Andrew?" Tess asked when he remained silent for a little while.

"I’m confused, Tess," he confessed. "I’m feeling things I cannot point out and that I haven’t felt ever before… And all of them have to do with Monica…"

"What do I do, Tess?" he asked a minute later.

"Listen to your heart, Andrew… and talk to the Father. He’s the only one Who can tell you what’s all this about…" He nodded. "But I guess that first of all you have to talk to someone more…" she looked at the closed door of the bedroom, "… and I hope you can find your way with her…"

"Monica…" she read. "I have no words to say I’m sorry. I was so out of line yesterday and guilt is washing me as a giant wave that I don’t know how to stop. These days with you have been so different… but I would give half of my eternal life just to live them again and see you sleeping by my side in the early morning, when your image fills my heart with nothing but peace and the deep love you’ve always inspired on me. Never before I had felt it more intensely than yesterday by the beach… No matter what happens next, I will love you forever. Please, forgive. Andrew".

"Andrew…" Monica murmured, her eyes once more wet with tears. She jumped out of bed, just to see the big bouquet of roses from where the other rose had come from set on the nightstand table. Her heart beating with joy, she wrapped her robe over her nightgown and opened the door to enter the living room almost running. But she controlled herself when she saw Edward was there.

"Good morning, Monica," he greeted, obviously amused with her sudden arrival.

"Oh, good morning Edward…" She then found Andrew looking at her, his eyes shining with love and tenderness. She regained enough to walk out of the door normally and went to get a glass of juice from the table that was ready for their breakfast. "I’ll be ready in a minute…" she said, realizing both Andrew and Edward were already dressed. Nevertheless, she stopped by Andrew’s side and wrapped her free arm around his neck. "I’m sorry too," she said in a low voice, her eyes also shining. "Thanks a lot." When they just held each other’s gaze for a long moment, she murmured, "I love you…" and reached to kiss his cheek. Before she could leave, Andrew kept her hand and kissed it. "My angel…"

"I’ll be back in no time…" the little angel tried to excuse herself and almost ran into her bedroom again.

"Watch out, Monica! Those two there are always only trying to get a nice looking guy to pay all their expenses!" Vivian warned Monica when she recognized the Olsen sisters, a couple of old women who had always been behind Edward’s steps. Edward laughed at Vivian’s remark, and more when the two called Olsen sisters noticed Andrew and shoot him a purposeful look.

"Can we go now?" he offered softly, reaching to stroke her cheek.

"Edward… you are not introducing us?" Rachel Olsen asked when Andrew and Monica reached the group.

"Of course… This is Andrew Parks, my partner… And his wife, Monica…" he remarked the ‘wife’ word and saw Rachel shooting the angel an unfriendly look.

"My pleasure…" Andrew replied shaking hands with the woman. "Let’s go, angel…" he said taking Monica’s hand, "let’s find a place to watch the match…" He could easily know what kind of gazes the woman would be shooting Monica even if they were not looking at her.

"Hello, Edward… Vivian…" an old man greeted them a minute later.

"James! I’m glad you made it!" Edward shook hands enthusiastically with the old man. "Andrew, come here!"

"Mr. Morse, nice to see you again!" the angel of death greeted the man.

"James! Call me James!" the man told him. "Ah! Finally I meet your wife!" he assumed when he saw the Irish woman whose hand Andrew was holding. "Ma’am, you are way more beautiful than what your husband says…"

"Come join me! Let’s find a place so we can see David playing today!" James continued, not noticing Edward’s unpleased expression.

"Hi, Tess! Rafael…" they greeted them. "What are you doing here?" the blond angel asked.

"Working in a different scenario today…" Tess replied fanning herself with her hat. "Business men’s days-off are everything but off for their assistants…"

"And Vivian isn’t telling him anything about her father or her worries…" Monica added too. "I still can’t find a way to make them talk…"

"Maybe if you can make them have a walk alone around…" Rafael proposed. "It’s beautiful here…"

"I hope we find the chance…" Andrew commented, "because I’m afraid this is not going to be the best of their days." He pointed at David, who had now come near to greet them. "Edward doesn’t like David a bit."

"You better go," Tess ordered them, "before things get out of control. Just be careful, ok?"

"Okay…" Monica replied walking with Andrew.

"Look who’s here! Looking as beautiful as the other day!" David exclaimed too enthusiastically. "Monica, it’s so nice to see you again!" he leaned to kiss her hand, not noticing the angel was clearly uncomfortable with the gesture.

"Hello, David," she replied.

"I will play my best for you and Vivian today, Monica", he offered. "I shall see you later…"

"We’re just a couple of mannequins, Andrew…" Edward commented on the low once the younger man was gone, but the angel didn’t miss the bitterness in his comment.

"Nah… they don’t mind him, Edward…" he replied, and saw how his assignment followed David’s way to his horse.

"Perhaps we can take a walk around after the match..." Vivian suggested. "The gardens are beautiful… and way much more fun than the polo game…" she murmured leaning towards Monica, who only chuckled.

"James, would you excuse us for a minute?" the Irish angel asked Morse, reaching to take Andrew’s hand. "I need a word with my husband…"

"Sure, sure…" the old man said and Vivian and Edward saw them walking away, open surprise written on their faces.

"That was the appropriate outfit to wear!" he replied, although he had, just like the angel, chosen a polo t-shirt and informal pants.

"But, as always, you look better with what I chose for you!" Vivian finished the argument, kissing him on the lips lovingly.

"It had been so long since the last time I did this!" Vivian said.

"Oh, I just love it!" Monica answered, but as she turned to look at her friend, she lost Andrew’s view and was about to hit him full force. He tried to stop the swing by pulling one of the ropes, but he didn’t count that would make Monica lose balance and she would fall backwards. "Aaaaah!", "Monica!" both angels shouted at the same time, and while she tried to get grip of the ropes again, he moved to try to catch her. But it was too late, and she fell against his chest, making him lose balance as well. The following second, Monica found herself on top of Andrew, her laughter subsiding as she became aware of the situation. They were so close, their faces were so close…

"Are you both ok?" Edward was there the next moment, offering his hand to help Monica on her feet.

"Yes, I’m fine, Edward, thanks…" the little angel replied still blushing furiously.

"Good thing you do this often…" Vivian added coming closer too. "I think it’s safer to stay on the ground…"

"Yeah. We better go back…" Andrew commented and reached to take Monica’s hand, not daring to look at her. "The match must be over and Edward and I have to be there".

"N-not really…" she replied wincing in pain when she took a seat. "I guess it was the swings… I’m bleeding a little…"

"Bleeding?" Monica didn’t understand at once.

"I’ve been late for two months now, but it seems not anymore… It was just unexpected…"

"You need to see a doctor! Let me call Edward…"

"No!" the woman reached to hold her hand. "Please, I’m ok… It must only be my period… I just have a slight cramp and I’m a bit dizzy, but that’s all… Please, let’s just rest a little…" She took a seat on a beach chair where she could stretch her legs.

"Vivian, you do need to see a doctor… Are you sure you’re not pregnant? You’ve been sick in the mornings and feeling tired…"

"That’s the last thing Edward needs right now, Monica… I cannot be…" the woman said with obvious pain.

"I guess you also have other things to worry about now, right?" the angel asked handing a glass of water to her friend. "Have you called home? Do you know how’s your dad doing?"

"I did… My mom picked up the phone but I just couldn’t talk… I hung up a minute later…"

"Your father is asking for you, Vivian… Don’t you think that’s enough prove that they want to see you again?"

"They would never forgive me for what I was, Monica!" Vivian started to sob. "They knew what I was doing and I remember my mom called to tell me she didn’t recognize me as her daughter anymore! That I’m sure hasn’t changed!"

"Vivian, your mother called, your father wants to see you… You’re not a hooker anymore. You’re a great woman, you have a wonderful life and a marvelous man loving you…" the little angel added softly. "Maybe it is you who is not willing to forget and to forgive yourself…"

"I guess I…" she started to say but then she saw David coming into the tent.

"What are you two doing here? Hiding?" He took a seat by Vivian’s feet, who immediately pulled away.

"We’re just… resting…" Monica tried to cover her friend. "It’s too hot outside."

"Oh, but two beautiful ladies like you should be there, making the party worth coming…" he looked at the little angel from head to top and she just didn’t like that. "I was thinking…" he grazed her arm lightly, "… that perhaps you get bored while your husbands are at work… and I could work on that… Maybe we could have some fun together…"

"That’s not a problem… I know how their work is and believe me, grandpa has promised more than once he would be home to go out with the family and he just doesn’t arrive… Edward and Andrew are just the same. We can persuade them that you two have the right to enjoy your time here… and that I can be your personal guide… We can have a good time together… the three of us…"

"There you are!" Edward appeared just then. "I was wondering where you had disappeared…" David moved from Vivian’s chair and Edward walked by his wife’s side. "Is everything ok?"

"Yes!" Vivian exclaimed a bit too enthusiastically. She just didn’t want Edward to get mad at David and have more problems than he already had. "David was telling us about some places we could go out for dinner and about some others where Monica and I could go have lunch…"

"I see…" the man replied shooting David a ‘be-careful’ look. "Monica, I think Andrew needs your help… He… got stuck with someone who won’t leave him alone anytime soon…" What the little angel didn’t notice before leaving the tent was the playful smile in his face.

"Have you seen Andrew?" Monica asked Rafael when she was looking for the blond angel.

"Over there…" the younger angel replied, he and Tess chuckling at Andrew’s situation.

"Uh huh…" Rachel said pulling away from Andrew.

"Monica, wait!" he shouted and all but ran after the little angel, not caring about the people around who had seen the whole scene and were now murmuring.

"Oh, gosh… What a nasty thing to be so insecure…" Rachel said out loud when she was left alone.

"Baby, what’s up?" Tess stopped Monica’s running when she saw her. "What’s wrong?" The older angel and Rafael had thought Andrew’s desperate situation to get rid of Rachel was quite funny, just as much as it had been on previous occasions when even Monica had laughed at him, but obviously this time it had not worked.

"I can’t do this anymore, Tess… I just can’t!" the little angel sobbed.

"Monica…" Rafael came close too. "I’m sorry… we…"

"I would have, Tess… under normal circumstances…" the Irish angel murmured.

"Baby, I’m not following you… You’ve been together in assignment more times than I can count! You’ve been taken by a couple many times!"

"Taken by a couple, yes! But we hadn’t been a couple, had we?" she replied, new tears filling her eyes.

"So what?"

"So what, Tess?" Monica couldn’t believe her supervisor didn’t see how difficult this whole situation was for her. "So, we are acting as a couple, and doing and feeling things couples feel! Andrew and I kissed yesterday, Tess! And now all I want is him to kiss me again like he did and feel the same I felt in those moments! I know I am an angel and I shouldn’t have done that! I shouldn’t have felt what I felt, but…"

"I knew it… but again, why am I feeling it then? I’m not wrong, Tess. I feel I’m falling in love with Andrew…" she whispered, her face buried in her supervisor’s chest.

"I’m praying for it just to be a little confusion due to you’re spending so much time together, Monica…" the supervisor replied after a long minute. The little angel chose not to reply: on one side, she wanted it to be just a confusion and then, when the assignment would be over, she and Andrew would get back to normal. But on the other side, part of her heart didn’t want the feeling to go: it warmed her with a sense of pure joy that nearly made her insane. She had discovered a new side of her relationship with Andrew that she loved more every minute. "You need to talk to him, you two need to be very clear so you can focus in what matters the most, and that’s your assignments, baby…"

"I wasn’t doing anything with Rachel, baby, she…" he tried to start.

"No, Andrew, please…" she placed a finger on his lips to make him silent. "You don’t have to explain anything."

"Monica, I do. You are supposed to be my wife…"

"I am not, Andrew. You know it perfectly well…"

"Andrew… I cannot tell you I quit. I have to go to the end of the assignment, but truth is that we are going too far. We took the ‘married couple thing’ too seriously…" She was trying to sound convinced of what she was saying, but she was far from.

"Too seriously? Monica, are you listening to yourself? Do you hear what you say?" something just didn’t check for the blond angel, this could not be coming from her.

"Being so close together is making us too confused, Andrew…" she replied in defense. "I can’t think straight anymore…"

"I see you are not thinking straight, Monica!" he stood up and started to pace impatiently. "Of course I’m taking you seriously! You’re Monica, my best friend, my mate! I care so much about you!"

"That’s what we have to be, Andrew… Best friends as we have been so long…" She took a deep breath before she could meet his eyes, which she knew would be shinning in anger. "Best friends don’t kiss the way we did yesterday…"

"Please what, Monica?" he exploded in near anger and desperation. "Please say that I’m not feeling the same you are feeling? Please say I’m not dying to kiss you again as I did? That would be lying, Monica and I don’t lie!"

"Andrew…" she murmured, her tears crossing now her cheeks. She stood up and turned her back to him wanting to block what he was saying, but she just couldn’t.

"Tell me you don’t want to…" he asked with aching pain. "Tell me you think it was wrong…"

"No, it wasn’t…" she murmured, still not looking at him. "It was great, but…"

"But what?" he made her turn gently even when his voice held a barely restricted anger. "Don’t tell me you don’t close your eyes and go back to that moment again!"

"But…"

"Don’t tell me it doesn’t feel different to sleep with me every night, knowing I’m by your side, wanting to touch and feel you like I did yesterday!" he challenged her steadying her face with strong hands. "I know it’s not right for us to feel this way, but we can’t deny it any longer, Monica! At least I can’t!"

"Andrew…"

"Monica…" they started at the same time.

"Andrew, Monica!" Rafael’s voice made them turn immediately. "Come here! We need you!"

"What…?" Andrew murmured when he saw their friend moving his arm indicating to follow him. He took Monica’s hand and went back to the party as fast as they could. They made their way across a group of people around a tent to find Edward leaning over Vivian, who was as pale as a candle.

"Edward! What happened?!" Andrew exclaimed just as he felt Monica holding his arm.

"S-she fainted… She was okay!" he replied with trembling voice. "Please, Vivian… honey… wake up…" he was begging her, and it made Monica’s heart ache at the sight.

"Is there a doctor in here?" Andrew asked out loud to the crowd around them. "Here!" someone replied and ran to Vivian’s side. They saw the man working on her, taking her pulse and checking her pupils.

"Her blood pressure is too low! Help me move her…" the doctor asked and only then did they notice something.

"Oh, my…" Monica’s voice broke the men’s silence as they all directed their eyes to the red spot under Vivian’s legs.

"Sir, did you know if she was pregnant?" the doctor asked Edward, who seemed now more shocked than ever.

"I-I… no! She hadn’t told me… We… we didn’t have…"

"Please, call an ambulance immediately!" the doctor ordered Rafael, who was standing aside. "We need to get the bleeding stop as soon as possible if we want the baby to live!"

"Do you know if she will be ok?" Monica asked Andrew in the lowest voice, watching Edward pacing impatiently along the hall.

"I haven’t been called… That’s good news, I guess…" he shrugged and reached to squeeze her hand lovingly. "Did you know about the baby?"·

"She didn’t know she was pregnant…" the little angel replied. "I talked to her about it and she said she couldn’t be…"

"We managed to stabilize her. She’s not bleeding anymore, yet she lost a lot of blood and she needs to rest… We’ll see how she reacts in the following hours…"

"Thanks God…" Edward murmured running a hand over his hair. "Doctor… is she really... ? I mean… was she…?"

"Next 24 hrs will be critical, Mr. Lewis. I don’t want to lie to you. If she bleeds again, the baby will not make it… But we’ll do our best, for both of them…"

"Please, do so, doctor!!" Edward exclaimed. "Anything you need to do, do it! I don’t care how much it costs or if you have to bring another doctor from the other side of the world!"

"We have everything we need, be sure. Now, if you excuse me… You will be able to see your wife in some minutes…" the doctor shook hands with the man and walked away.

"Congratulations, Edward!" Andrew said reaching to hold his friend. Monica did the same. "I’m sure Vivian will be as happy as you are! She didn’t know about it!" she added.

"Oh, God, thank you!" he said looking upwards, and that gesture made the angels smile and exchange an accomplice gaze. "Please, save them!"

"He’s looking over them, Edward…" Monica offered softly, placing a hand on the man’s arm. "And there are angels here with you now…" she turned briefly to look at Andrew and he smiled at her.

"You don’t have to ask twice," Andrew replied reaching for Monica’s hand. "We’ll be here…"

"The three of you can stay as long as you don’t disturb her…" a nurse told Edward and the angels when they got into the room. "She’s under sedation now but she should wake up during the night…"

"Okay…" Edward murmured, his attention focused only on the woman lying on the bed. He walked to her side and took a seat on a chair near the bed. "I’m here, baby… I’m right here, Vivian…"

"Petey?" he asked and felt her nod. "You still remember him often, don’t you?" When she didn’t reply, he knew that continued to be a delicate issue for her. He tightened his hold on her a little more and kissed the top of her head. "Vivian will be alright, angel…" he added some time later. "I know it…"

"Edward loves her so much…" she then continued, looking at the man that had fallen asleep over the bed, his hand still holding Vivian’s. "He wouldn’t bear to lose her…"

"I understand him perfectly…" he murmured kissing her head again and then resting his chin on the top of her head. He blinked several times, fighting the tears he had felt threatening his eyes when a brief thought of him in Edward’s situation had crossed his mind.

"Good morning… Gosh, I didn’t know when I fell asleep…" he tried to excuse himself. He moved to touch Vivian’s cheek.

"She hasn’t woken up yet, Edward, don’t worry…" Andrew informed still holding Monica. "The nurse came around 5 am and she said it was ok, that it may be related to the loss of blood…"

"Okay… I really appreciate you staying here all night, guys, thank you so much!" Edward stood up and faced his friends. "You didn’t have to and still you stayed…"

"We’re happy to be with you, Edward. You needed a friend here…" Monica offered softly and her tone of voice made Andrew remember what had always attracted him to her: that tenderness she had for everyone around, the purity in her heart that made her put everyone else before than her… He tightened his hold on her shoulders subtly and kissed her temple for a brief second.

"Thank you…" Edward said softly. "I-I think I’ve used you two a lot… Why don’t you go to the hotel and get some rest? I guess I can wait for the doctor now… Besides, I need to call to the office and…"

"Don’t worry for that, Edward," the blond angel replied finally letting go of Monica. "I’ll go there later. Why don’t we take his offer and go to the hotel, angel?" he added offering his hand to the younger angel.

"That will be lovely, thanks…" she said standing up and taking his hand. "Are you sure you’ll be ok, Edward?"

"Yes, Monica, please go have a decent breakfast and some rest… I really appreciate what you did for me last night…" the man reached to hug the angel briefly, not knowing how else he could thank their presence.

"We’ll be back soon, Edward. If you need us, please call…" the angel of death added before leaving the room.

"I will. Thanks".

"Yes?" David picked up the phone the maid had given him while he had breakfast in bed.

"Did you hear about Vivian yesterday?" Phillip Stuckey asked as a way of greeting. "Tell me everything about it, David!"

"Ease, Phillip… She fainted in the polo match, they called a doctor that was there as a guest and he said she was probably having an abortion…"

"Was she pregnant? Gee, Edward must be shinning like a star in pride…" the lawyer replied with an ironic tone. "Sorry, man. He got it first…"

"Damn, yes… But it’s not too late yet… One way or another I still can have her…" David commented.

"Then you’ll become a daddy… Poor you…"

"I will in fact become a daddy… Only that Edward now thinks he is the one having a baby…"

"What?" Phillip was caught out of place.

"I know you do! Now tell me what is it?!"

"Do you like pink roses? Do you think they are appropriate for a soon-to-be mother?"

"Well, yes, but…"

"Then my present will be just fine…" David explained. "As we are talking now, Vivian is getting a four dozen bouquet with a card that says how happy… and proud I am…"

"You??" Stuckey couldn’t believe what his "partner" was pretending. "But you and her have never…"

"Not that you know… and not that Edward knows… But if I say so, don’t you think he will have his suspicions? You know him better than me…" the young man concluded in pride.

"Yeah… He is not the one that trust people so easily… And, if he’s taken out of the way… It will be harder to know the truth being in jail…" Stuckey licked his lips devilish.

"Just be sure he’s taken soon enough…"

"What about today?"

"Perfect…"

"What will we do with the other guy, Parks?" the lawyer asked.

"If he’s the kind of man my grandpa likes to do business with, he will break the business and run away… He and his perfect little wife won’t like to have anything to do with a criminal…"

"Then you know what you’re risking here, Phillip. I told you I wanted that woman… and I do mean it…"

"Come in…" Edward replied softly to a knock on the door. He saw the nurse coming in carrying a big bouquet of pink roses.

"Good morning, Mr. Lewis…" the nurse greeted warmly. "I have a little something for your wife…"

"Who sent this?" Edward asked truly intrigued.

"Dunno… But it must be a very good friend of yours…" She placed the bouquet on a table at the side and then moved to check on Vivian’s vitals. "She will wake up any minute now…"

"Okay…" Edward waited till the woman left the room to go and check on the card of the bouquet. And what he read didn’t please him at all.

"Edward…" Vivian murmured weakly. "Edward, where are you?"

"I’m here, Vivian… I’m right here…" he replied taking her hand and caressing her forehead.

"What happened?" she was still trying to open her eyes and focus on his face but the light seemed to be too brilliant.

"Oh, Vivian… I was so scared… Baby, why didn’t you tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"P-pregnant?" Vivian asked fully awake now. "Y-you mean, I am…"

"Yes, pregnant!" He replied… but somehow he now remembered what the card of the bouquet said: "I will always think of the few moments we spent together that had blossomed into this baby you’re carrying now." What if it was true and that baby wasn’t his? He had been so happy to know he was becoming a father, for the night he had dreamed of what their lives would be in the near future, and now all those dreams seemed to be spotted with doubts.

"Edward?" Vivian brought him back to reality. "What’s wrong?"

"Nothing…" he said sharply. "Let me call the nurse. She asked me to let her know when you woke up…" He stood up and left the room. Only then did Vivian noticed the big bouquet of flowers.

"Well, Vivian, your blood pressure is stable now and the bleeding is over for good, we hope…" the doctor informed when he finished to check on her. "Yet, I’m afraid we’ll keep you in here for at least three or more days. We don’t want nasty surprises… I’ll be very clear. Your condition is serious. If you had this threaten now, you’ll have to be very careful not to do things that can lead you to a second crisis, or it may be the last chance for your baby… Got it?"

"Okay…" the woman replied feebly. "I’ll be careful…"

"I’m sure Edward will take a good care of you…" the doctor tried to be friendly, yet he didn’t get but a mechanical smile from the man. "I shall see you later, ok? I have to go check on the rest of my patients now…"

"Thanks…" Vivian waited until he was gone to face Edward. She was now perfectly aware of something not going fine with him and she had to know. It was making her to be very nervous.

"Wow! Only now I realize why people feel a good shower takes them back to life!" Andrew exclaimed when he joined Monica on the dinning room of the suite later in the morning. The little angel was fully refreshed too, wearing clean clothes and new make up, and she was having some breakfast now.

"Yes… Those shoes were killing me! I guess no matter how long I spend on Earth I’ll never get used to shoes!" she exclaimed offering him a glass of orange juice.

"Pity… You look good in a suit…" she winked at him and smiled when he blushed a little.

"Now you’re talking about how dashing I look in my business man role?" he followed her game.

"Only if you accept I look good shoes or not shoes on!"

"I…" Andrew was going to reply but he then saw Tess appearing behind Monica.

"You better get going now, babies… Things in the hospital are not going good at all…"

"Vivian?" Monica asked truly worried.

"She’s awaken now, but there has been some surprises, no one of them nice…" the supervisor explained. "You have to go and talk to Edward soon, Andrew, as we need you in the office as soon as possible too. I’m afraid this will be a very long day…"

"Okay… Let’s go…" he said hurrying his glass.

"I-I…"

"You can’t move unless you go get your shoes! And I mean now!"

"Who sent those?" Vivian offered trying to find a way to talk to Edward.

"I think you have an idea…" he replied simply.

"Don’t try to play games with me, Vivian! You know better than that! Don’t try to get my partner into this!" Edward exploded and it left Vivian open mouthed.

"Edward, what…?"

"I know the truth, okay? I know who sent those and why he sent them!"

"What truth? Who sent them?"

"You know? What I hate the most is that you still try to fool me! Did you think I would never know?"

"Know what?" she exclaimed wanting a clear explanation. Only then did he handed her the card. "Do you guess now?" he asked bitterly.

"Why didn’t you tell me about the baby then?"

"I didn’t know! I didn’t expect to be pregnant!"

"Perhaps you didn’t want to be!"

"What…?" she felt air missing her with his words. "Do you think I’m not happy to know about this baby? That I’m not happy to know that my love for you is now more alive than ever?"

"Don’t talk about love for me unless it is real!"

"It is real! I do love you! You can’t doubt it, Edward Lewis!"

"Come in…" came Edward’s reply with obvious anger.

"Hey, guys, how are you?" the blond angel greeted. "It’s so good to see you up, Vivian!"

"Thanks, Andrew!" she replied when he went to kiss her on the cheek, followed by Monica, who hugged her friend.

"How are you feeling, Vivian?" the little angel asked, taking a seat on the bed. "What a surprise you gave us! A baby! See? I told you God was looking over you two and this is the biggest blessing He could have sent you!"

"I’m sorry but I need to go out…" Edward said and he left the room before the angels could ask what was going on. They turned to look at Vivian and she was crying.

"What’s wrong, Vivian?" Monica asked worriedly, seeing how her friend dissolved into tears.

"I-I don’t know… He thinks I’m betraying him! And I’m not! I promise I’m not!" she sobbed again and leaned over Monica’s arms. The little angel looked up at Andrew with tears glistening in her eyes.

"Why is he thinking that, Vivian?" Monica asked softly. Vivian reached to give her the card and sobbed while the angel read. "This D… Is he David?" she ventured handing the card to Andrew.

"I guess so…" Vivian answered weakly.

"He’s thinking about it, Andrew!" Vivian cried. "That’s why he left! He thinks I’m lying!"

"No, no, he can’t!" the blond angel said. "I’ll go talk to him…"

"How can he doubt my love, Monica? See? I told you if he didn’t care about my past, he…"

"Vivian, please, don’t think about this! Edward’s talking out of anger, I’m sure about it! He loves you, anyone who had seen him with you could say…"

"But then why is he doubting?" the woman wanted to know.

"I have my theory about jealousy…" the angel offered. "You feel jealous when you’re afraid of losing something you love deeply, something or someone you’d feel lost without him or her… Edward feels he wouldn’t know how to live without you anymore, Vivian… that’s why he’s acting this way… Let’s see what he tells Andrew…"

"Have you two ever argued, Monica? You two always seem to be so close and so secure around each other…"

"I'm not telling you you're wrong, I'm telling you you're crazy!" the angel exclaimed. "Do you know what kind of a treasure is to have the love of a woman like Vivian? Do you know how many people would like to find their soul mate like you did?"

"I do love her!" Edward argued. "It's her the one who doesn't love me!"

"You're blind!"

"I was blind! I've just had my eyes open today! I was playing a fool! And now I don't know what to do!"

"What you should do is to go back to that room and ask for forgiveness!" Andrew ordered. They were shouting but the angel didn't care about the looks around. He only knew his assignment was making the biggest mistake of his life. "You, humans don't realize love is such a fragile thing! Something you should cherish with all in your hearts! If you only realized what a miracle is to find that person that is meant to be with you forever..." The angel turned away and sighed. His words had come out directly from his heart, and never they had felt so right.

"You, humans?" Edward asked, surprised by the way his friend had referred to men.

"Yeah..." Andrew stuttered, trying to cover his mistake. "I mean, people don't realize it..." He shoved his hands in his pockets and sighed, then looked at his assignment directly in the eye. "Edward... If you knew, only for a moment, that your love for Vivian was forbidden, and that there was a superior rule that stopped you from loving her... I'm sure you'd fight with everything in you for her, for being allowed to spend at least one day at her side and to be able to show her what she means for you... You have never felt the pain of not being allowed to love the woman you love..." The angel of death knew he had to stop... He was voicing his own questions, his own doubts and projecting them into his assignment. Yet it was nothing but the truth: when he had understood his own feelings for Monica, the dilemma over if he was allowed to love her or not had been overwhelming... and it was far from being solved if truth had to be said...

"You don't understand, Andrew..." Edward spoke at last. "If I go back to that room, I will forget the card and what it says...

"The card should not exist if you really love her!" the angel replied. "Are you allowing a piece of paper to ruin a four-year relationship? To ruin the future you’ll have with your child and with the only woman you have truly loved? Because don’t tell me that is not the truth, Edward Lewis: Vivian’s the only woman you’ve loved so deeply that you have given up a billion dollar business… for love."

"Angel boy? How’s everything going on around there?" Tess’ voice brought him a sense of unease like very few times before.

"Not too good, Tess…" he replied honestly. "What’s going on?"

"I need you here right at this moment… Edward is in big trouble, but I guess you don’t want him to know at the time…" the older angel ventured.

"Can I go instead?" When the angel of death asked that, Edward turned to face him, sure as he was there was something to do with the office.

"You better come, and quickly…" Tess concluded. Andrew closed the phone and looked at his friend. "It was Tess. She needs me now..."

"No, no! You stay! I'll go and call you later... Let me go tell Monica..." Andrew waited for Edward to go with him, and he reluctantly did so. The blond angel sighed in near frustration when he saw that.

"I'll go with you..." she stated, knowing that not only he needed her, but also that they had to leave Vivian and Edward alone. She moved to pick up her purse. "I'll come back later, Vivian, ok?"

"Okay, thank you, Monica", Vivian answered and looked at Edward out of the corner of her eye.

"Andrew, please call me. If there is anything you need..." Edward stopped the angels before they left.

"I will, but you have more important things to do now..." Andrew looked from Edward to Vivian. "Remember that nothing is more important right now…"

"Thanks God you’re here, Andrew!" Rafael greeted the two angels when the elevator door was opened.

"What’s wrong here? Come on, the guy has enough with Vivian in hospital!" the blond angel said following his friend to the meeting room, Monica’s hand in his.

"Andrew, thank you for coming!" James Morse greeted. "Hello, Monica, nice to see you!"

"Hullo, James…" the little angel replied timidly. She just felt intimidate to be in that huge office where she hadn’t been before, noticing all the employees kept on looking at her in obvious curiosity. She after all was the unknown wife of the new investor…

"Did you two know how’s Vivian doing?"

"Oh… She’s much better now… She woke up today in the morning…" Monica explained, "We were there before we came…"

"I’m glad! I will visit her later…"

"I’ve just sent her some flowers, grandpa…" David intervened casually. Andrew turned to look at Monica, his fury clearly shinning in his green eyes.

"Oh, good, David! I know I can always count on you…" The young man lifted his eyes and dared to look at the angel of death, his smile challenging him to reveal his ugly actions.

"So, James, what was so urgent?" Andrew interrupted to change the topic. "Tess told me we would be in big trouble if we didn’t fix this…" James handed him a piece of paper the angel read carefully. When he lifted his eyes, Monica could read it was really bad news. "But all this is not true! We have go over the accounts once and again and everything is clear!"

"… and yet the suit is there…" David stated faking a worried tone. "Either we work this out, or we’ll be in big trouble! I think that is not good for your business, Andrew…"

"That’s not good for nobody’s business…" Andrew mumbled, took his jacket out and took a seat. "We have to find where the problem comes from… 5 billion dollars don’t banish into thin air…"

"I can’t see anything more!" James sighed and threw the papers over the table. "We didn’t do anything wrong, I’m sure! We paid the taxes and the salaries, we paid social security! We couldn’t keep so much money!"

"I’ve checked this since the beginning and I hadn’t found anything wrong too, James…" Andrew leaned against his chair heavily.

"So where does this come from, huh?" David replied shaking the suit paper they had received in the morning. "The court say we have to present all the documents we have to prove we have done the payments on time and truth is we don’t have them all!"

"Accounts are working on those too!" James argued. "Let’s let them do their job!"

"No, I don’t trust them to!" David exclaimed.

"I have never been wrong!"

"You’ve never been in such a delicate situation!"

"Gentlemen, please!" Andrew stopped them. He turned around and saw that Tess, Rafael and Monica as well as many employees were looking at James and David. "I think we are just too tired! We should take a rest!"

"I.. hum… I think Andrew’s right…" Monica intervened. "It’s almost five in the afternoon and you haven’t stopped… Why don’t we go have some lunch?"

"Edward says Vivian’s been doing better all day long, she’s even eaten a little now…" Monica explained while they waited for their orders. She had a foaming cappuccino right in front of her and Andrew hadn’t had the courage to stop her, knowing she enjoyed the beverage so much.

"What a surprise they got, didn’t they? Edward didn’t expect to become a father so soon…" James commented. "Still, they deserve this happiness so much!"

"Oh, they do!" Monica agreed. "I’m sure this wee one will bring them so much happiness!"

"Excuse me, sir…" the waiter and the captain of the restaurant interrupted their conversation. "I’m sorry to interrupt you but these men need a word with you…"

"Are you Andrew Parks?" one of them asked.

"Yes…"

"Please, sir, stand up and place your hands behind your back. You have to come with us, you’re under arrest!"

"… You have the right to keep silence. Otherwise everything you say may be used against you..." Andrew could hardly register what he was hearing. Arrested? That morning they had gone over and over the numbers and certainly they had realized they could be in serious trouble if they didn't fix everything, but Sam had assured him he was the last to blame. "Come on..." the policeman ordered rudely pushing him to start walking.

"Andrew… I want you out of here now…" she murmured, her forehead still against his lips, her hands stroking his face.

"David…"

"No, Monica! He’s James’ grandson, he trusts him absolutely!" Edward replied.

"Edward…" Vivian tried to speak but he wasn’t hearing.

"No, Vivian! I trust James and he’s a wise man! Andrew’s wrong, Monica! It cannot be David…"

"Edward…" the little angel gave a step closer. "Andrew is not lying… He cannot lie…"

"Monica, I know you trust him because he’s your husband but…" he had a hand up to stop her, but when he looked into her eyes, a new feeling invaded his heart, a feeling of absolute trust.

"Andrew can’t lie, Edward, because his nature forbids him to do so…" Somehow both the man and Vivian couldn’t take their eyes away of their friend. "We are angels, Edward… and angels don’t lie…"

"Why?" Vivian asked finally, when she managed to find her voice.

"Because God knew you needed us, and you needed Him… Four years ago you both got the biggest present God can give His children and that is love… But now, somehow you needed to be remembered of that present to cherish it again with all in your hearts, so you could make the right choices…"

"So you were sent to us?" Edward ventured.

"Yes… We didn’t know for sure what we were supposed to do at the beginning… It’s not a common request that angels act as married couples…"

"Wait a minute…" Vivian interrupted, now more aware of the situation, "but you truly look like you are in love! You even kissed in front of us! And you say you cannot lie?"

"We can’t lie, Vivian… That’s what I mean when I say we didn’t know what we were supposed to do. We were told to be a married couple that comes near to you, but we never expected we would experience feelings of love the way humans do… It was surprising and scaring for us, and so confusing… Yet, as time went by, we realized there was a reason for us to feel this: so we would know how deep you should cherish the man or the woman you love, and how much you are willing to risk for him or her, how empty life would be for you without that other part that makes your life full and complete. In a way, you two have forgotten this: Edward, you have come to think that giving Vivian everything material she may need would be enough… and only when you felt you’d lose her, you did remember what attracted to her in the very first minute, her lack of interest in material things. You didn’t see that not sharing with her your deepest worries only was building a wall between you two, instead of protecting her of your worries, you were pulling her away of you. That’s why you didn’t see David wanting to have her, you only saw him when he was close to her and being too obvious. You trusted James, and James is a very good man… but David is not his grandfather…"

"So Andrew and I were sent here to make you remember what the important things of life are… This assignment was important because of you, but it was important for us too… because we discovered things we so far ignored, we found out how important we are to each other, how we make each other complete… So, now, Edward… I’m talking to you not only as an angel, but also as a woman, a woman that is in love with a honest man, who has shown you nothing but friendship and loyalty, and who needs you now more than ever… Please, Edward, help Andrew! Please, go to the station tomorrow morning and prove his innocence to the judge so he can be free… I love him. And you do know what is it like to love someone so much that you’d be able to do anything for that love…"

"Monica! What happened?" Tess and Rafael ran to meet their friend as they saw her appear by the elevator followed by Edward.

"Andrew's still in jail, but Edward and me now know who's been leaking information to Stuckey," the little angel explained.

"But who?" Rafael asked.

"Impossible!" the old man exclaimed unable to believe what they were saying. "David wouldn't!"

"James, please, listen to me!" Edward intervened. "I didn't want to believe it either, but Monica is right. Look at this," he then handled him an envelope with some paper leaves inside. Color drained out of James' face as he read.

"Remember when we did this calculations? There was no one in the room but you, me and David. We made no more than three copies and erased the file 'cause we already knew what it could entail. I have here the other two copies, yours and mine... The only one missing was David's..."

"That was why we didn't' find it yesterday, when Andrew asked to re-run the tests again and again?"

"Yes, James, I'm sorry..." Edward felt totally embarrassed. Morse had been a very good friend since they had decided to start doing business together, showing him honestly and loyalty in every situation needed. He knew the old man thought so highly of his grandson that he only could start to think what he should be feeling.

"But why? Why would David do something like this if he knows he will inherit my company? I can't see a reason!"

"Perhaps you should ask him directly, James..." Monica suggested.

"What he need to figure out now is how we will convince the judge that this was nothing but a test and not the real numbers we have in the company so Andrew can be released tomorrow," Edward added.

"I will go talk to the judge tomorrow, first thing in the morning... We have everything we need here," he lifted the papers, " and we have the accounts Sam has collected in the past months. Monica, don't worry, Andrew will be free tomorrow!"

"Good morning!" David greeted cheerfully, in the most innocent way. "Why is everybody so early today?"

"And you still ask?" Edward replied appearing from behind James. David's smile faded away. "What's wrong, David? You didn't expect me to be here?"

"No! I mean, why not?" the young man tried to answer. "Actually I think your place should be with your wife, since she's in hospital..."

"How could you, David?" James asked with fury. "And not only this, but also leaking information to put Edward in jail! What were you thinking about? Have you lost your mind?!"

"Edward doesn't deserve Vivian as his wife!" the young man finally started to speak. "He has never cared about her! He has never valued her!"

"You, bastard!" Edward shouted throwing himself against David, but Rafael stopped him. "What do you know about me caring about Vivian?! She's the most important thing in my life! I value her more than anything in this world!"

"Yeah, right!" David retorted.

"David, I understand you were jealous of Edward, but why to ruin me in the way?" James asked.

"You just were in the wrong situation, grandpa!" the young blond man shouted. "You did business with Edward and that's something I will regret my whole life! I did everything I could to keep you unharmed! The only one that had to pay was Edward, not you!"

"What?" David couldn't understand.

"Sam, Edward, we need to go to the court. There's an innocent man we have to put out of jail and point out who the real responsible ones are..." James said shooting his grandson a nasty look. "Monica, I guess you should come with us. You deserve to be the first person to meet Andrew when he's freed."

"Andrew!" Monica jumped out of her chair when she saw him appearing out of the door.