As soon as Camila walked through the door, Claire immediately set aside her knitting and got up from the couch, a gentle smile spreading across her face.
“Mom, why are you still up?” Camila asked, a hint of guilt in her eyes.
Claire shook her head softly and said warmly, “I’m not tired, just keeping busy with my knitting.”
She then poured a glass of warm water and handed it to Camila. Taking a sip, Camila realized just how thirsty she was.
Setting down the glass, she asked with concern, “How have you been feeling these past few days?”
“Better than ever,” Claire replied with a smile. “Let me get you some soup before you take your shower.”
Camila, not wanting to overburden her mother, said gently, “You didn’t have to make soup. The doctor said you need to rest more.”
Claire chuckled and shook her head. “Cole prepared the ingredients; I just threw them in the pot. Have some to warm up before your shower.”
She turned and headed to the kitchen, coming back with a steaming bowl of soup. Claire placed it in front of Camila, who sat down, lifted the bowl, and gently blew on the steam before sipping slowly. The soup was delicious and comforting, warming her from the inside out.
Claire’s lips parted as if to speak, but then closed again, hesitating. Noticing her mother’s hesitation, Camila put down her spoon and asked, “Is something wrong?”
Claire shook her head, looking a bit embarrassed. In a low voice, she said, “Cole and I... we’re planning to get married.”
Her face then lit up with excitement and joy.
Connor felt genuinely happy for Claire upon hearing this. He knew the struggles Claire had faced over the years, and now she had found someone dependable, which made him sincerely happy for her.
“That’s fantastic! Cole is a good man; I believe they’ll be very happy together.”
After a pause, Connor sighed softly, then said, “Cami, when will you marry me?”
Camila’s face lit up with a sweet smile. She shyly fiddled with the corner of her pajamas and murmured, “Cole chased my mom for over a decade. How long have we been together?”
Connor chuckled softly, his self-deprecating thoughts spreading like a faint mist. He realized his urgency stemmed from a deep-seated fear of losing Camila.
“Cami, let’s promise never to break up, no matter what,” he pleaded, his voice filled with earnestness.
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