Mona’s heart almost broke when her tiny baby girl gazed at her, and she murmured softly, "One more month at most, then I'll come to see you, okay?"

Rue’s eyes showed a tinge of disappointment, yet she still agreed like a child.

Luke, who had been seated next to Rue, eventually spoke up after his sister and mother were done chatting. He said in a bossy voice, "Are you in trouble over there? Do you need me to step in and help?”

Mona laughed, but she knew her young boy well enough to say, "Don't worry, I can handle the problems here. Okay, if something really hard comes up, I'll...