Billie tugs her dad's sleeve. "Where do babies come from?" He sets down his newspaper and points to her belly. "From us, Billie. Right here." She presses her palm flat against her stomach. The TV hums. She runs to find her mom.
She runs through the hallway with warm wooden floors, past a framed family photo. She calls out, looking toward the kitchen. The adult woman stands at a sink, washing vegetables under running water. Sunlight streams through a window above the sink.
The next day, Billie watches a seed push through dark garden soil in a small patch. She observes a chick cracking its shell in a box. The adult woman kneels beside her, pregnant belly visible, garden trowel in hand.
Three photos are stacked on a kitchen table: a tiny pair of blue booties, a soft white baby blanket, and a sonogram picture. The young girl looks at them thoughtfully. Morning light falls on the table from a nearby window.
Billie stands on a wooden step stool in the kitchen, opening every drawer. Socks, spoons, rubber ducks spill out. She opens the front door and calls outward. Her voice echoes in the hallway. She runs back inside, drawers slightly ajar.
The young girl runs to her mother's bedroom, then to her father's study. In the bathroom, she finds a baby bottle on the shelf. She holds it up, examining it. Curious expression on her face. Soft bathroom tiles in background.
The young girl grabs the adult woman's hand and turns it over. Five tiny star shapes sit where the palm meets the fingers. She grabs the adult man's hand — same stars appear. She looks surprised in the warm kitchen light.
The young girl pulls up her shirt and gasps. A soft star-shaped mark glows on her belly. "I'm made of stars," she whispers. The adult woman lifts her up and kisses her forehead. Gentle evening light fills the room softly.
The house is quiet except for the clock ticking on the wall. The young girl climbs into bed between her parents. She rests her head on the adult woman's shoulder and the adult man's hand covers both of them. Nightlight glows.
The star on her belly presses warm against the adult woman's arm. The young girl closes her eyes and smiles. Everything makes sense now. She is from here. Moonlight streams through the bedroom window, casting a gentle glow across the room.
