Looking all around the room, she noticed little bits of furniture coming together. The colors blended in well with the interior décor. The interior walls were painted natural colors with an off-white base. The exterior of the house was painted white with dark brown shutters. The carpets were pale shades of gray and blue. She always loved the color blue. It was her mother's favorite color too. She had picked out the furniture herself. She was excited and anxious to get the rooms decorated, especially the nursery upstairs. This was moving day but the beginning of a wonderful life for her.

It was Saturday, September 27th. The leaves had not changed colors yet as they do in late October or early November. Most people locate and buy homes in the springtime; however, they were fortunate to find this house before the fall season. She and her husband had planned this day for a long time. They had been house-hunting for the past six months before they found out they were expecting their first child in January. She was now at 20 weeks. They had signed a yearly lease three months ago, even before the doctor confirmed she was pregnant. It took a loan from the local bank and a 10% down payment to secure the house. There was another couple interested in the house but hadn't signed the contract yet. They had to offer a little bit more to get the house.

They moved into their apartment when they first married over eighteen months ago. They had broken the yearly lease and had lost their deposit. Attempts to recover their deposit were futile. The cramped little apartment was cozy for the newlywed couple. It just wasn't enough room for their new addition to their small family.

Angela remembered their wedding day as if it was yesterday. It was a beautiful sunny afternoon on Saturday, March 16, 2013. It was at 5:00 o'clock. She was married in a private home wedding ceremony at her aunt's and uncle's home. The great room had a wedding arch with candelabra on both sides. Several rows of folding chairs were on either side with a long runner in the middle. There were about 50 people in attendance. Besides her aunt and uncle, she had few relatives in town. Her aunt had known the minister for a while, Reverend Barnes, who performed the wedding ceremony. Angela hadn't attended church in a long time and didn't want a church wedding either.

Her colors were pink and white. Her bouquet of flowers was made of pink and white roses. Her wedding gown was made by a dressmaker in town. It was a beautiful long white gown, made with laced layers and long laced sleeves. She had a white satin bow which tied in the back. Her train was almost to the ground. She wore her hair up, which made her look stunning. Steve's father was his best man while Betty, her friend, was her matron of honor. There was a flower girl that sprinkled rose petals onto the runner while a ring bearer carried the rings. Both the flower girl and ring bearer were Steve's niece and nephew. Her aunt had hired a wedding coordinator for the wedding ceremony and reception.

The reception was held outside afterwards in the backyard. A tent was set up in case of rain, although the weather was perfect that day. Her wedding cake was a three-tier cake with columns between the middle and top layers. It was decorated with pink and white roses. Angela thought it was lovely and delicious. The food was catered by a local restaurant that handled large parties and weddings.

The couple spent their honeymoon a few days in Virginia Beach and then two days in historical Williamsburg. After five days of fun, they came back home to Richmond, Virginia. After all, Virginia is for lovers.

Angela was 25 years old now. Her husband, Steve, was four years older. At 29, he worked as an assistant manager at a manufacturing company. He was paid fairly well with full insurance benefits. He worked long hours during the day. The additional hours would help pay for the new house. The company Steve worked at had expanded and opened more branches in the area. Sometimes he didn't come home until late in the evening. He was a good provider. The new baby would take more income that they needed.

The new house was a dream that came true for Angela. It was a small starter home but adequate for their purpose now. It was located in a part of the city with plenty of public schools. The house was a colonial two-story with three bedrooms upstairs, including the master bedroom, located on the left side upstairs. The master bedroom had a full bathroom with a two-person hot tub. She knew she would enjoy that hot tub. She dreamed of taking long relaxing baths with tealights giving dim lights. How relaxing and wonderful! There was also a walk-in closet for her and Steve's clothes. The house actually had two and a half baths. There was another full bathroom in-between the master and back bedroom. Angela decided to make the back bedroom into the nursery. There is also a laundry room upstairs opposite the bathroom. With the new baby coming, she would soon be washing loads of clothes daily. The front bedroom was closer to the laundry room. Steve had wanted to make this room into an office or study one day.

Downstairs, the kitchen was located mid-section in back of the house. The living room and dining room connected on the left side while the den was on the right side downstairs. As you entered the house, there was a small foyer with a hallway headed for the kitchen. There was also a small powder room down the hallway on the left side near the kitchen. From the foyer, stairs led upstairs, from the left side of the hallway.

There was a double garage leading from the kitchen side door to the right side of the house. A sliding glass door led out from the kitchen to the patio outside in the backyard.

Angela had worked as a secretary in an insurance firm. The pay was decent enough but the insurance benefits were not inexpensive. She was glad that her husband's company had offered full benefits and compensation. She had worked up to now, however, the job was somewhat demanding. She grew tired of the hours and the job itself. Her feet ached as she was sometimes on them filing papers. She was relieved to get home to soak her swollen ankles. The doctor recommended she quit work at 32 weeks until the baby was a little older.

Angela was optimistic of the future, the birth of their baby and getting settled into their first house together. She had dreamed of this day for a long time. As she continued looking around the room, she had envisioned what the house would look like once she fully decorated it. Money was tight right now so she would have to buy a few items at a time. A bare house with little furniture but that was the best the couple could do. Some of the few pieces of furniture they had were bought at thrift stores or donated to charity organizations. She hated to take from charity but had no other option.

Angela's eyes became glued on something in the room. It was something that she remembered when she was only a little girl. She took a small box out of a bigger box that the movers had brought upstairs into the nursery. She held the small box and opened it. Inside was a small inanimate object – a baby rattler. It was used by her when she was a baby herself. It wouldn't have had as much meaning except it was from someone she held dear to her heart. Her mother gave it to her years ago. Angela was still a young child then, seven or eight years old, when she found it. Her mother saw her lift it from the small box one day and startled her. "Angie,"...