Nicola Bulley's daughters "deflate" after asking their dad questions about their mum who has been missing for over two weeks, a friend has said.
The two girls, aged six and nine, were dropped off at school by Nicola on January 27 - and since then she has not been seen.
Emma White, who is friends with the missing mum-of-two, said the girls "need their mummy" to return home and constantly ask their dad, Paul Ansell, when she is returning.
The friend said Nicola's younger child also asks whether her mum is now famous as her disappearance has been widely reported in the media - a question that leaves adults, including herself, speechless.
Talking on Good Morning Britain, Ms White described Nicola's disappearance as a "rollercoaster of emotions".
She said her daughters and Nicola's children are friends and, despite being "resilient", they always ask questions.
Ms White said: "I think children are quite resilient aren't they, but they are obviously asking questions each day.
"The girls, when they get home from school, ask 'any news on mummy?' and Paul has to say 'no'. Paul says he can see the little girls just deflate.
"The little girl is saying 'Is my mummy famous?' and I didn't quite know how to answer that myself… for the wrong reasons."
She added: "Just bring Nikki home, come to the sofa, with the girls, with Willow and you can have that happy story because that's what we're keeping hope for."
The search for the missing mother has today entered a 16th day after her heartbroken husband said his "gut instinct" is that she is not in the river.
Lancashire Police said officers are keeping an "open mind" while continuing to appeal for information about Nicola, who disappeared while walking her dog in St Michael's on Wyre.
The force is continuing to search the River Wyre towards the sea at Morecambe Bay, working on one hypothesis that the 45-year-old, from Inskip, could have fallen in.
Their search has been aided by specialists and divers from HM Coastguard, mountain rescue, and Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, with sniffer dogs, drones, and police helicopters deployed.
Nicola vanished while walking her springer spaniel Willow near the river, shortly after dropping her daughters at school.
The mortgage adviser's phone was found on a bench overlooking the river, still connected to a work call.
Her partner Paul said he wants to keep "all options open" about her disappearance, but his "gut instinct" tells him she is not in the river.
He described Ms Bulley as "fun", "loving", "the most loyal friend you could ever have" and an "exceptional mum" who "absolutely adores our girls".
"She's just a pillar of strength to our family and without her, the hole is bigger than you can possibly imagine," he told 5 News.
Mr Ansell said that although the family is going through "unprecedented hell", hope that his partner will be found is "stronger than ever".
Police have discounted foul play and are treating the incident as a missing person inquiry.
On Thursday, the focus of their search switched from St Michael's to around 10 miles downstream where the river empties into the sea at Morecambe Bay, with patrol and rescue boats spotted in the area.
