Samuel glanced at the woman across the table, and then looked back at the child in front of him. "Yes," he said.

"Will you always be nice to me and Mommy?" Hope asked. "Promise not to make Mommy cry, not to bully her, and not to make her sad?"

Samuel nodded solemnly and said, "I promise."

"Let's pinky swear!" Hope said and held out her tiny finger, wanting Samuel to keep his word. Samuel actually made the pinky promise with her.

Eliana ...