The Adventures of Harry and Grace Part II

Something is Wrong

Ethan steps up on the stool in the bathroom, rolling up on his tiptoes, moving his body closer to the mirror. Flashing his teeth, he creeps his finger up towards the bottom middle tooth. Placing his finger on the top of the tooth, Ethan moves the tooth.

"Ah!" Ethan jumps, surprised at what just happened. "What da heck." Reaching his finger up again, he wiggles the tooth back and forth. Jumping back, he claps his hands on his mouth and bolts out of the bathroom and down the stairs.

His feet slap the wood floor as he runs towards Harry's office door. The door is open and Ethan makes his way into the office.

"Stud, what's wrong? What happened to your mouth? Are you okay?" Harry jumps up from his desk, leaving the album artwork scattered. He comes to Ethan's side, worried something has happened.

"Something is wrong." His voice is muffled as it floats through his fingers that are clasped tightly against his mouth.

"What happened? What's wrong?" The anxiety Harry is feeling as he assesses his son, his eyes roaming all over Ethan's face, looking for signs of distress.

"My toof... it moved." Ethan's eyes blow up as big as a bubblegum bubble. His eyebrows rise in horror and he holds his mouth tighter than he was a minute before.

"Hold up.... wait a minute. YOU HAVE A WIGGLY TOOTH?" Harry's voice rises with excitement.

"Shhh... this isn't good, Daddy." Ethan attempts to quiet his father who is bouncing with happiness. "Something is wrong." Ethan's eyebrows crinkle with worry.

"Let me see." Harry tries. "Just open up, let's make sure it's okay." Sitting all the way on the floor, Harry crosses his legs and pulls Ethan in his lap.

"Na uh." Ethan holds his hands tight against his mouth and shakes his head no.

"Please Stud, I promise I won't touch it." Harry pleads, trying to comfort his child in this scary moment.

"Something is wrong Daddy. I am worried." Ethan explains, and it breaks Harry's heart.

"Ethan, lets just make sure it's okay. I want to make sure you are okay." Harry rubs his hands up and down Ethan's back. "Do you need Oscar?" Ethan nods his head yes. "Alright go grab him."

Jumping off his father's lap, he runs into the front room, picking up his very loved black stuffed octopus and bringing his friend back to the office, one hand still attached to his mouth while the other is suctioned to his best stuffed friend.

"Okay. I ready." Ethan squeezes his octopus tight for comfort as he looks at his father.

"Alright, open nice and wide." Harry prompts. Ethan opens his mouth slowly and immediately Harry can tell which tooth is loose as it is twisted slightly to the right. "Can I touch it? I'll be careful." Ethan nods his head and squeezes his eyes closed.

Reaching his finger up, Harry touches the twisted tooth and wiggles softly. A gasp comes from Ethan and he covers his mouth again.

"See something is wrong." Ethan is terrified. "Feel da wiggle?"

"Oh Stud, nothing is wrong. This means you are growing up. You are going to lose your first tooth." Harry watches as Ethan's eyes grow at the thought of him losing his teeth.

"Den how am I going to eat salad?" Ethan throws his head back and starts to cry.

"Stud, it's okay. Another tooth will grow in." Harry tries to make it better. But the tears flow harder from Ethan's eyes.

"I have to grow teeth? Oh no...." holding his stuffed octopus close to his chest, Ethan sobs at the thought of the hard work that is ahead in growing a mouth full of teeth.

"Ethan, Buddy." Harry holds back a chuckle as he pulls his child close to his shoulder, rocking him back and forth. "Can I tell you a secret?" He whispers.

A deep breath is sucked into Ethan's lungs as he starts to calm down. Sitting up, he runs Oscar's tentacle under his eye, soaking up his sad tears. "Mmmhmm." He hums, watching his father closely.

"Mum and I have lost all our teeth, and then guess what? We grew new ones. Gracie Bug, she has lost most of her baby teeth too. It's normal, Stud. This is a good thing." Harry comforts.

"So... what happens when I lose it? I have to find it?" Ethan asks sincerely.

"No..." Harry chuckles. "You get to put it under your pillow, and the tooth fairy will come. She will leave you some money..." Harry watches as his son's anxiety grows into excitement.

"My own money?" Ethan exclaims.

"Yes! You can buy whatever you want." Harry smiles. "See not so scary, right?"

"No. Not scary." Ethan smiles, hugging his stuffed friend.

"Go get wiggling; it will come out faster if you wiggle it." Harry says as Ethan jumps off his lap, putting his finger in his mouth to begin moving it back and forth.

———
(Three weeks later)

"Eth, it's your turn." Grace tells her brother.

"Does your person have a hat?" Ethan asks.

"Nope. No hat." Grace verifies her character before answering.

"Okay." Ethan knocks down every card that has a hat. Taking a bite of his apple, he waits for his sister to take her turn.

"Um, does your person have black hair?" Grace asks, looking over at her brother.

"Yes." Ethan smiles and Grace starts to put down all the cards of people who don't have black hair. "Hey, why is there a tooth on the table?"

"What?" Grace is confused, sitting up tall to look at the space in front of Ethan. "Weird... smile, Ethan."

Ethan smiles wide. Blood begins to pool and drop out of his mouth.

"YOU LOST YOUR TOOTH!!" Grace says jumping up on her chair. "MUM, DAD!!! ETHAN LOST HIS TOOTH!!"

Before you can say molar, you and Harry are in the kitchen assessing Ethan's mouth, placing some tissues in his mouth to soak up the blood.

"Let me see that toothless grin." You prompt, taking out your phone to take a picture. Ethan pulls the tissue away from his mouth and smiles wide. The space between his little white teeth melts your heart into a giant puddle.

"Let's get the tooth pillow!" Harry shouts, rocking Baby Penelope on his hip, making her giggle at the movement.

"WHOOT! I get some money!" Ethan stands on his chair, shaking his bum back and forth with happiness and excitement.

Harry smiles as his family celebrates a first for Ethan. He cheers loudly with his people, happy for the experience, and elated Ethan turned his anxiety into something that was life changing and exciting.