Nell watched him as he spoke and listened, really listened, feeling her throat get choked up and her eyes maybe get a little damp. "Ain't..." she had to swallow hard before she could get the words out. "Ain't nobody ever loved me 'cause I was bossy or stood up for myself. You're right, people just wanted me to shut up and do as I was told and when I didn't there were consequences, but I just couldn't let things lie. I was kinda proud of myself that I won my battles in court and got myself free even if the consequences were hard to live with. But I never could've imagined someone else feeling that way about what I done."

She ducked her head and was quiet for a moment. "God's truth is I'm not sure anybody ever really loved me before. I mean, my Mama maybe, but not enough to really stand up for me. And I think John loved me much as he was able, but it was all mostly because I did the things I had to do and not because of who I was. Which makes this, us, doubly, triply special and so almost sacred to me."