"I'm a grown man, and she'd know I'm to blame." César laughs.

You can pay him back by telling on him to Mag, to be honest. Make him not have to go around asking everyone. The biggest gift he needs is time.

Angel's good for that; got César with that one, too.

"It most definitely will. You don't need to be perfect at it. Just being there will mean a lot to her. She's working hard to get ready, so you just being there acknowledges all the progress and effort she's made in the last couple of months."

There's a note of finality to that part of the explanation. He's not going to browbeat. Just enough to let it sink in.