"Tell me, why don't you want to go to sleep?" Charlotte Thompson asked.
The children exchanged glances, and finally, Chad Thompson stepped forward and said to Charlotte, "We don't want to be away from Mommy."
"Mommy will be here to tuck you into bed," Charlotte answered patiently.
But Chad shook his head incessantly, "But Mommy will leave after we fall asleep, and we don't want Mommy to go."
"Mommy..." Grace Thompson also spoke up softly at this time.
"We're scared."
In fact, Charlotte had guessed what the children wanted to say, but she wasn't sure how to respond.
Charlotte pursed her lips and then said, "Well, in that case, darlings, what do you want to do?"
...
In the room of Justin Battleson and Charlotte Thompson, Justin Battleson had just finished showering, with moisture still clinging to his body, casually wrapped in a bath towel around his waist.
