Fill-in Fairy, Part Two

The fill-in fairy was up early again to get ready for work, 4:00 am.

The squeak of the boys' bedroom door wakes me from slumber.

He tiptoes back into our room and stashes the little green box with the tooth in it.

Grumble, shuffle, opens the cigar box and the fill-in fairy stashes the little green box, tooth inside, with his aromatic cigars.

I lay there replaying yesterday's conversation with Oliver through my head. You see, he thinks the tooth fairy will take only the tooth and leave him the treasure chest.

My turn to grumble and stumble as I get out of bed to confirm that yes, indeed, the green box accompanies the tooth in the fill-in fairy's cigar box. The tooth fairy proceeds to stash the tooth with the others that Oliver has lost over the years and tiptoes back into the boys' room. Left behind on his bedside table, the treasure chest is rightfully returned to its owner. Squeaky door closed once again, I head downstairs to talk with the fill-in fairy about his second day on the job.

"You took the box out of his room, you were only supposed to take the tooth," says I.

"What?!" says the fill-in fairy, clearing the sleep from his eyes, half dressed and making lunch.

"Oliver was only sad the tooth fairy didn't take the tooth, he wants the box, so I just put it back." If you recall, Oliver thought that maybe the tooth fairy couldn't open the box, that's why she didn't take the tooth when she left the treasure.

Shaking his head, "that kid's got some serious OCD. He had it left open under his pillow."

He goes back to his morning routine. I head back upstairs to the Tooth Fairy throne and into another two hours of slumber. Waiting. For the happy 7 year old to wake and proclaim that the tooth is gone!