Kellum let go of his mother’s hand, clutched the pen’s rim and squealed, enraptured. The five puppies leapt over each other for a chance to lick his salty hands and he held them out willingly.

“Mommy!”

She looked at her 5-year-old, pleased her surprise was bringing him the joy she wanted.

He reached out with glee to the shaggy white whose eyes were barely visible beneath a cottony coat; clapped at the short brown who kept trying to eat his own tail; giggled at the grey-black doing flips; and pointed at the silver-striped, who sat in the corner pawing at the empty air.

“I love them!”

She picked up the golden yellow as he asked with sad eyes, “They need a home?”

“Yes, they do.”

“Can we bring them all?”

“Pick only the one you like the most.”

“Why just one?”

“Because if you choose just one it will be special to you and you to it. You’ll only have each other and then you’ll never want to be separated.”

Kellum looked at the puppies barking and playing, and their wagging tails made his smile widen. He would get to take one home and hug it for as long as he wanted. The idea of it felt joyful.

But as his eyes fell on each dog, his heart would sing in a different way. The burden of having to choose began to sour his happiness.

“Where’s the mommy dog?”

“They take her away so that the puppies bond with people like us. It makes them want to find a new home.”

“That’s not fair.”

“But now they’re here for you to take one. Choose your favorite.”

The question felt wrong. They were so different but so happy. It didn’t feel right to take one for himself and break apart their family.

“I don’t want them to be separated, mommy!”

“It’s okay, dear, they’ll adjust. And you’ll wake up tomorrow and it’ll lick your face and our family will become its family.”

Tears began to well in Kellum’s eyes. He thought the puppies weren’t supposed to be here, away from their mother. They weren’t supposed to be chosen.

He whimpered and backed away from the pen. Though he desperately wanted to call one his own, he looked at her and said what was in his heart, “It’s not right.”