Mallory opened the thick book. Its pages were full of names. She traced each word with her finger. Outside, the nursery window glowed pink with evening light. A paper boat drifted on a rain puddle.
She reached into the wooden box. Three folded cards rested inside. Mallory folded her hands around them and looked out at the garden. She was thinking about what the house would need.
Mallory padded into the kitchen. She opened the recipe box and shuffled through handwritten cards. 'Rosemary,' she read aloud. She stirred chocolate into a bowl of batter and added a dash of cinnamon.
The oven timer dinged. The house filled with the smell of warm cookies. Mallory leaned against the counter and smiled. She thought about how nice it would be to have little feet running through these rooms.
Mallory stepped outside and called to Mrs. Gable next door. The elderly woman was pruning lavender. She leaned over the fence and said, 'Tell me when you decide, darling — that's three of us waiting!'
Mallory pressed her palm flat against the tiny booties. She hurried back inside. The screen door tapped shut behind her. She sat on the rug and spread the three name cards across her lap.
She picked up the booties and pressed them against each card in turn. She whispered the names one by one. Her voice rose and fell like a lullaby. The room grew quiet around her.
When she whispered the final name, she stopped. She looked at the booties and smiled. She knew which one it would be. The house felt still and full of hope.
Mallory tucked the unused cards back into the drawer. She set the chosen card face-up on the nightstand beside the book. She placed the booties in her lap and rested her hand over her rounded belly.
She picked up a storybook and began to read. The lamp clicked off. The house went quiet. Mallory read in the soft dark, her voice barely above a whisper.