Chester glanced up from the paper he was reading, and called to Katie, who was working in the kitchen, "Katherine, there's someone at the door, can you go answer it?"

"Certainly, dear," Katie said, and trotted to the door, brushing flour from the lovely red dress she was wearing, and absently taking a moment to adjust the bow in her hair in the mirror in case it was Chester's friends coming over for a social call. After being satisfied that she was sufficiently presentable, she opened the door.

"Oh, hello, Nica," she said with a smile, then paused as she noticed that Nica didn't quite look as happy as usual to see her. "Is everything alright?"