Before one of us could open the door to the room where the children were, Chase eagerly swung it open. He greeted us with a smile and immediately reached out to rub my baby bump.

"I knew it was you," he whispered.

"Hey, buddy! We came to talk to everyone," Fredrick said as he patted Chase's shoulder.

Chase's smile waned, replaced by a somewhat sad expression. I moved closer and reassured him, "Nothing is wrong, I promise," while gently stroking his cheek the way he's always liked. I hoped he never outgrew that comforting gesture; it seemed to calm him when I touched him, even though he was a teenager...