“I’m going to keep them in my shoe,” I said.

“Where are you headed right now?” Dale asked.

I didn’t answer him.

I hung the receiver back in its cradle without another word.

I picked up both birth certificates off the desk and held them right under the bright bulb of the desk lamp.

The tiny blue footprints were a little smeared along the outer edge of the left heels, where the nurse had pressed the paper to their feet.

I held the paper in both hands until it was completely dark outside the window.