Monica's eyes opened slowly, still not making out the images around her as they were quite blurred and a bit dark. It took her only a few seconds to realise that the night had fallen on Earth and that there was a beautiful starry sky was above her. The smell of the forest was also familiar and she inhaled the wild flowers perfume before blinking a few times and smiling. The angel knew that she was in the Utah mountains and that just a few steps from that spot was the cabin she and her angelic friends sometimes used to spend their free time.
Despite the darkness around her, Monica did not feel uncomfortable or afraid. There was a pair of strong arms holding her tightly and she immediately recognised who was there together with her.
"Andrew?" Her sleepy half-smile and the slightly confused look on her face amused him and the blond angel smiled warmly back at her, still cradling her small form.
"Good evening."
Frowning a little, she looked around and with his help she finally motioned to sit next to him. "I did not realise it was night already..."
"The sun set in the horizon a couple of hours ago and it looks like we'll have a beautiful night." He gladly informed. There was a fire previously lit up not far from them, involving that small clearing in a beautiful golden glow.
"I do not have any memory of falling asleep..."
"Well, I can promise you'll have some good memories from now on!"
The image of her soft brown eyes gazing back at him in surprise was quite adorable to him. "So is this another dream?"
"Yes. And this time you will dream of a warm night and a sky filled with stars for you to learn about."
Monica grinned at him, with the childlike contentment he grew accustomed to along years of friendship. "It's been a long time since our last lesson about the stars and the universe." She rested her back against an old fallen tree trunk and snuggled close to him.
"This is because you're always so busy bringing joy and hope to people's life. I get on a sort of 'stand-by mode' just waiting for the opportunity to steal you away for me for a couple of hours!" He joked, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and enjoying her giggling at his words.
"You do not need to 'steal me away,' I'm an eternal admirer of these lovely classes! Plus..." She turned her eyes from the hypnotising starry night sky and gazed at him with tenderness. "I'll always be anxiously waiting for our next meeting as we always spend a lovely time together!"
"Well, I'm flattered!"
"I've always been curious about dreams but never imagined they could be so sweet... That you could actually feel smells and sensations and...and all this peace and joy..."
"I'm glad to hear it, it means that I've got at least part of my assignment accomplished!"
"Part of it?"
"Yep!" He winked at her and then pointed out to the sky. "The other part is the lesson you're about to be taught!"
Her sparkling brown eyes followed his green ones. "It's such a beautiful night, Andrew...Warm and calm, and even if there is no moon, it seems that the stars are able to shed their light up in the sky and also down here on Earth and make this a very bright night. I love the cabin surroundings."
Andrew turned to look at her slightly surprised that she recognised where she was. Amused and aware of his thoughts, Monica returned his gaze. "I may be geographically challenged but some places are so dear to me that I could guide myself up to them even in the darkness!" She joked, and a couple of seconds later, she added. "Well, perhaps not in total darkness... and with a wee bit of help!"
