Zachary sat on the couch beside his wife, a gentle smile tugging at his lips as he carefully folded baby clothes into neat piles. His fingers lingered over the soft fabrics, marveling at the tiny onesies, tiny socks, and absurdly small shoes they'd bought earlier that day. He wasn't rushing through the task, savoring each moment as he prepared for their daughter's arrival.

"Look at this," he said quietly, lifting a tiny pair of shoes in his hand. His thumb traced the seams, eyes wide with wonder. "They're smaller than my palm. I could probably hold both of them in one hand." His voice maintained its familiar calmness but held an underlying tenderness. Each time he picked up an item, his gaze shifted to his wife's belly, mentally connecting these tiny garments to the little girl growing inside her.

The trip to the store still felt fresh in his mind. They had wandered through the aisles, picking up everything from soft pastels to playful prints, savoring the experience as much as the items themselves. When they'd first stepped into the baby section, Zach had been almost reverent, treating the moment with the gravity it deserved. That reverence quickly turned to overwhelming emotion when they found the baby shoes section. He'd picked up the tiniest pair he could find, soft pink shoes that barely measured the length of his finger.

"How do you think she'll look in these?" Zach muttered, holding the shoes in front of his wife's belly once more. His smile grew, a bit unsure but full of love as his gaze softened, the weight of their future settling gently upon him.

Back on the couch, Zach returned to folding but kept getting distracted by the smallest things—like the unicorn onesie he'd insisted on buying. As he unfolded it and held it up, he couldn't help but laugh softly. "This one's gotta be my favorite," he said, voice full of affection. His fingers traced the soft fabric, and for a moment, his eyes seemed distant, as if already imagining their daughter wearing it.

He held up the shoes again, bringing them closer to her belly as though trying to check their "vibe.""What do you think, huh?" His eyes glistened slightly with unshed tears, the reality of their coming child making him feel emotions he'd never experienced before. He wasn't crying, but the emotions were tangible in his voice and expression.

Zach leaned back against the couch, glancing over at his wife with a small smile, still holding the tiny shoes. He shook his head softly, as if in disbelief. "I'm gonna be a dad. A real dad." The words left him quietly, as if even he was still processing that fact. "This little girl... she's gonna be everything."

As his gaze met hers, the intensity of the moment settled around them. There was silence, but it wasn't uncomfortable—just two people quietly enjoying the threshold of their new life together.