Carwash

"Wow. This woman must be pretty special," his dad said as he wrote out the check for the full amount owed.

"She is, Dad. She really is. And her daughter is just as special to me."

"Do you love her?" he asked as he handed his son the check.

"I do," he told him. "I haven't told her yet, though. She's needed time to decide what she's feeling, but yes. I do love her."

"For pretty much anyone else your age, I'd try and talk them out of getting involved with anyone that much older, but knowing you like I do, I know first of all it wouldn't help and second, I know you have good judgment. If she's this important to you, then she's that important to me, too."

"Thanks, Dad. I can't tell you how much it means knowing you're always there for me."

His dad smiled then said, "You did hear me say this was a loan, right?"

Chandler laughed then hugged his father and thanked him again.

An hour later, the hospital was paid in full and Chandler made sure Mrs. Pinknay knew this was to be kept anonymous.

"You are one very generous...friend, Mr. Caulfield," she told him when he explained things. "Okay, my lips are sealed!"

He found Hadley right where he'd left her only this time she was asleep in the chair. He sat down as quietly as he could then just sat there watching her and then Avery as they slept.

"My two 'anjuls'," he said to himself.

Hadley's neck was bent over in what looked like a very painful position and when she finally woke up she reached for it unaware Chandler was there.

"Oh, my heavens! I had no idea you were here," she told him as she rubbed her neck.

"Here, let me," he told her as he got up and stood behind her.

"That feels so good!" she told him as he massaged her neck.

She reached up for his hand as he continued to work and said, "I had a dream while you were out."

"What kind of dream?" he asked.

"Don't laugh, okay?"

"I won't."

"I dreamed my husband...James...was right there, above Avery's bed," she explained pointing to the area above the bed. "He looked down and told me everything was going to be fine because he was watching over us."

"That must have been have very comforting," Chandler told her.

"It was," she admitted. "He said something else, too."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, he told me he wanted me to be happy, and that he'd sent the perfect man for me and all I had to do was look for him. I tried talking to him, but he couldn't hear me. I could only hear him. I wanted to know who it was and what his name was."

"Did he tell you?" Chandler asked.

"No. He didn't give me a name. He just said, 'I can't be there anymore, but I'll always be right here watching over both of you. And then he was gone. Chandler, it seemed so real to me!"

"Maybe it's a sign," Chandler said knowing he didn't believe in such things.

She wanted to tell him that's when she woke up and saw him sitting there. The 'perfect' man her husband had sent her way. And that's when Avery woke up.

She was feeling much better and asked for something to drink. Chandler handed a cup of water with a straw in it and realized he was finally hungry and asked Hadley if she'd like anything.

"I'm actually starving," she said as she reached into her purse.

"You've got to be kidding, right?" Chandler said telling her with his eyes to put that away.

"Sorry," she said. "I forgot who I was with for a moment."

"Don't let that happen again, young lady," he told her with a smile.

"I won't," she said sweetly. "How could I when you're so sweet to me?"

While he was out, the doctor stopped in to check on Avery and said everything was right on track.

He turned to Hadley and said, "I hear you have a guardian angel."

She sat up straight and asked, "What did you just say?"

"Mrs. Pinknay told me someone came and paid your bill in full. I was just making a joke about the guardian angel," he said wondering if he'd done something wrong.

"That's not possible," Hadley said. "No one even knows I'm here."

She sat quietly for a moment then said, "Except for one person."

"If I just let the cat out of the bag, I'm really sorry. I don't know why I assumed you knew," the doctor said just as Chandler came back with sandwiches and coffee.

"Hey, doc! Is everything okay?" he asked as he handed a cup of coffee to Hadley.

"Yes. With Avery anyway," he said while looking at Hadley.

"What am I missing?" he asked looking around.

The doctor put his hands up and said, "I'm probably already in deep with Mrs. Pinknay. I don't think I should say anything else other than that I'll be back to check on Avery in another six hour or so."

And with that he was gone.

"What was all that about?" Chandler said as he unwrapped a questionable-looking sandwich from the hospital cafeteria and handed it to Hadley who didn't answer because she had tears in her eyes again and was having trouble speaking.

"Hey, are you okay?" Chandler asked now very concerned. "Did the doctor just tell you something I should know about? Is Avery okay?"

"Nothing you don't already know about," she said reaching for his hand as the tears fell.

"I'm getting very concerned," he said as he took her hand. "Can you please explain what just happened?"

"It's...you," Hadley said as the tears streamed down her face. "You're my guardian angel, aren't you?"

"I...I don't know what you're talking about," he said, not sure whether or not he did. There was no way she could know unless that sweet little woman had told her after promising she wouldn't.

"Did Mrs. Pinknay stop by while I was out?" he asked trying to sound unconcerned.

"No. She didn't," Hadley said as she stared into his eyes through her tears.

Hadley half stood up then sat down on his lap and put her arms around him.

"Okay, as much as I'm enjoying this...what in the world is going on?" Chandler asked.

"A miracle," Hadley told him.

She wiped her eyes then sat up to look at him. "You. You happened, Chandler Caulfield. You are my miracle."

"By hiring you?" he said. "Or is it the cheap sandwich I just brought?"

She put her hand on his face and said, "I know. I know it was you. And now I know who James meant."

She pulled back a bit more then said, "He meant you, Chandler. You're the man who's perfect for me."

"I have no idea what you're talking about, but if it gets you to sit on my lap, I'll take credit for it," he told her with a smile.

"You knew I'd never let you because I don't take something for nothing. So you just did it anyway because...."

"Because?" he asked.

"Because...you needed to show me that you love me without saying a word," she said as tears began to fall again. "And...and I love you, too, Chandler."

Before he could reply, Hadley leaned down and kissed him. This kiss wasn't like the kisses at her door when she only wondered if she might love him. This was a very real, very meaningful kiss that said she did know; that she was sure and that she was beyond grateful. Not just for his generosity but for his love for her, too.

"Wow. Whatever I did, I'm gonna keep doing it," he said when the kiss ended.

"I know you will," she told him. "Because that's who you are and that's why I'm falling in love with you."

Avery's eyes had just opened and she'd heard what her mom had said.

"So you are going to marry Mr. Marshamallow Man?" she asked, her voice still tiny and frail.

"Not unless he asks me, honey," she said without taking her eyes off the man she loved.

A month later, he did ask her, and she said 'yes' without the slightest hesitation. Chandler had introduced her and Avery to his parents the day after she was released from the hospital, his father having filled his mother in on the rather unusual situation.

Initially concerned, his mother's fears melted away when she met this beautiful, kind, sweet woman and her gorgeous little girl. She and Hadley became friends immediately and she couldn't wait to babysit for this precious little child who had quickly and fully recovered for her appendectomy.

When Chandler brought Hadley to his parents' home to pick up Avery after proposing, Hadley told her daughter what happened and showed her the beautiful new diamond ring on her finger.

"So now you're going to marry Mr. Marshamallow Man?" she asked with hopeful excitement.

"Yes I am," she told her. "And if it's okay, he'll be your new daddy.

"Well, of course it's okay," she said precociously. "My other daddy already told me he would marry you so why wouldn't I want him to be my new daddy?"

Chandler bent over and picked her up and held her in her arms.

"You can call me Daddy if you'd like to," he told her.

"I will. Sometimes," she said. "But can I still call you Mr. Marshamellow Man, too?"

"You can call me anything you like, sweetheart," he told his daughter-to-be as Hadley moved over and put her arms around both of them.

"I guess there was a reason Avery got out of her carseat that day," she said quietly. "I just had no idea something that seemed so traumatic at the time would lead to something so wonderful."

"I guess that's why they call them miracles, right, honey?" he told her.

"I guess so, sweetheart," she told him as the three of them held each other close.

Chandler's mother got the big wedding she'd always dreamed of after informing her husband he was going to pay for it and be happy about it. Truth be told, Gil Caulfield was as happy as his wife, as he'd grown to love Hadley like the daughter they'd never had and he was gaga over little Miss Avery whom he spoiled horribly even as Hadley started enforcing boundaries and rules again.

Both grandparents love their new granddaughter dearly, and had she been the only one they ever had, they'd have been thrilled. But when Hadley told them a year later she was two months pregnant, Chandler's mother nearly passed out with joy and Gil was passing out cigars the next day and then again when when their grandson was born seven months later.

Hadley continued helping out at the legacy location until she was unable to work then helped Chandler get their third location up and running two years later.

Chandler Caulfield still found it very hard to believe in the supernatural or in miracles, but when he thought about the odds of all that had happened and the way it had happened, he was at least open to the possibility.

And when he held his son for the first time he actually looked up and said, "James? I never had the privilege of meeting you, but if you're there and looking over your wife and daughter...thank you from the bottom of my heart."