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Abel saw her try to smile without reaction, but he didn’t et his mom in and out ASAP because now that he knew Nellie didn’t object toin with him, he could really talk to her about his other plans

~~

Of course, Abel had been right It was his ifts Freshly made sopa de fideo was the first She said it was easy on the stomach in case her appetite wasn’t one-hundred percent yet and she used the pasta shaped as letters "It was Abel and Hector’s favorite when they were kids" She smiled as she set the tray with the bowl of sopa in front of Nellie "But even now Hector still asks for his sopa all the time Charlee even asked me to show her how to make it It’s very easy" She lifted her brows at Nellie

Nellie s up, too, Mrs Ayala My s early on how to make it"

Mrs Ayala waved her hand in front of her "Oh, no, I told you already It’s Carolina, but you can call lanced up at Abel, as leaning against the dooratching them with a cautious smile Caro sat down on the bed next to Nellie and touched her forehead "How are you feeling? You look a lot better"

"I feel a lot better" Nellie nodded

"Mijo," Caro looked around then up at Abel, "Ia box I had for Nellie, but I rabbed the sopa If it’s not there, thenit to me, por favor"

Abel started off, and Caro seemed to wait until she heard the front door close She reached into the front pocket of her apron and pulled out a sonna find it, but I wanted a moment alone with you" Caro smiled and looked down at the box in her hand "My late husband had only one brother Like my sons, they were very close My husband was the older of the two and also the first to fall in love My mother-in-laho’s also passed now, sather son for some time and told me she knened her son’s heart She’d waited until she was sure and gave me this"

Caro tugged at the heart-shaped stone pendant hanging around her neck "It’s Fire Agate I personally don’t believe that ge, but she was one of those people who did, and she said this particular stone was supposed to deflect ill wishing and harm" Caro waved her hand in front of her with a smirk "But she also said it represented her son’s heart She’d waited until she was certain I owned his completely and wanted me to have it She said her ave one to my sister-in-lahen esture and always said I would do the same one day"

Caro opened the small box with two heart-shaped stone pendants much like hers on chains She pulled one out and so, one for each of my boy’s hearts" As their eyes un to feel "The only reason I haven’t given Charlee hers is because Hector is still so young" She shook her head and laughed "But I can see now that I’ve been in denial all this tiüerita owns his heart completely She has for so Nellie’s face "I’ll aded "Noah and Roni are living proof that age has no bearing on true love And how can I not be pleased that my Abel has found someone who makes him so incredibly happy? It almost scares me how hard he’s fallen" She patted then squeezed Nellie’s knee over the blankets "Please, promise me you’ll never hurt him"

"Never," Nellie whispered, barely able to speak because she was so choked up

Shaking her head, Caro exhaled before continuing "And please take care of yourself My God, when you were in the hospital, for the first time in my life, I had no idea how to console my son I’d never seen hi for what she’d put Abel through, Nellie nodded and inhaled deeply before speaking "I pro time For the most part, I kno to keep it under control The circureed quickly "I know" She then handed Nellie the pendant "Take this, Mija His heart is yours forever I’ve never been so sure of anything indown at the box with the other pendant "Well, that, and ns this one too"

Nellie s as Hector and Charlee were, those tere definitely as hopelessly in love as Nellie now felt She pulled the chain over her neck, feeling the sudden need to wear it "Thank you, Caro This means so much to me" She kneith co about "I promise you Your son owns my heart completely too"

She hadn’t even heard the front door open, but Abel walked in just as Nellie and Caro were hugging "I couldn’t find--" He stopped as he walked in, his expression so okay?"

"Everything is perfect," Nellie said as Caro stood from the bed