Esperanza crouched and kissed his forehead.
“What should I do with them?”
“Keep them.”
“All of them?”
He nodded seriously.
“So you come back.”
She hugged him.
“I will come back.”
Miguel stretched both arms toward her.
Esperanza held him for a long moment, breathing in the warm, clean scent of his hair. Then she returned him to Lucía.
“His cough is almost gone,” Lucía said. “I will keep him away from the morning chill.”
“I know.”
“And Tomás has promised not to climb the fig tree.”
Tomás looked away.
Lucía raised an eyebrow.
“He has promised to consider not climbing the fig tree.”
Despite herself, Esperanza laughed.
Mother Caridad watched the exchange from beside the motorcar.
The children were safe. They were loved. The convent would continue around them as it always had.
Still, when Esperanza stepped into the car, she looked back until the gate disappeared behind the bend in the road.
