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Tooth

Fluttering clumsily through the cold breeze, Baby Tooth gasped with each breath taken. Her tiny face felt sensitive to the winter air, becoming warmer as she recalled the sight of Jack Frost. What an image he could be when in his favorite season, his smug jacket, and heartily grin lighted by the moon.

Baby Tooth had been making her rounds, collecting teeth and departing with a single coin. Her job had gone smoothly, with all children amazing her with their sparkling teeth. Then, at the corner of her last stop, sat Jack Frost upon the rooftop. Staring into the moon, she muffled her surprise and quickly hid behind the chimney bricks.

She stumbled in on him laughing. His glittery, cheerful mood brought her an instant soft smile. Her skittishness had come from the unexpected encounter. She could hide her admiration for the guardian at any time, but in the shadows, she felt welcomed to glance in shyness at his silhouette.

There must have been a loss of time when she realized her fellow fairies had already finished their duties. Peeling away from the chimney, she hurried to catch up to her fairies, never forgetting the illuminated grin she had just seen. Sleep that night was heavenly.

The new sun shone in on the gallery of teeth and memories. Fairies sorted, arranged, and stored all the teeth collected the night before. Baby Tooth oversaw the work of her fairies, supervising the care taken with each tooth. She ran her eyes up and down her list of teeth, marking the name of each child whose tooth should have been collected.

Just as she felt relieved of another job complete, she came across the final name, yet no collected tooth. Calmly searching through the bags only to find all empty, she began to worry slightly. Questioning her fairies became her second plan. None of them could recall missing a home.

Toothiana's voice then sounded as it dawned on Baby Tooth, "Baby Tooth!"

She had missed the last home that belonged to the missing tooth. All for the sake of enjoying a nightly stare.

Toothiana rushed in with the tooth pinched in her fingers, "Look! You almost forgot one! I was going to wake you last night, but you looked so peaceful,"

Baby Tooth squished her words together, running over many excuses other than the truth. Toothiana paid no attention to her squirmy fairy. Rather than forgive Baby Tooth and hand over the tooth, Toothiana gave her a wink.

She smiled, "Don't worry, I used to always believe he never knew. I'm glad he does, or else we'd be skipping many teeth!"

Baby Tooth witnessed a faint color on Toothiana's cheek as she turned to leave. Holding the last tooth close to her chest, she gasped in a breath she held the entire time. It was his scent that filled the air, and she wondered whether she'd be able to let go of this tooth.


Have a wonderful day!