He’d left April tucked in her bed and then he’d gone to his own. Just in case. She didn’t want to confuse the kids, and he didn’t, either.
The telltale clang of dishes and noise of a Davis family breakfast were in full swing.
He strode through the entry, and while the clangs and the noises were the usual, the atmosphere was impressively dark.
“Good morning everybody.”
He got two “bananas” in response and one “morning” from April.
Harmony was eating her cereal like it personally offended her.
“What happened in here?” he asked.
“The tooth fairy didn’t come,” April whispered. “Kent forgot to mention that Harmony lost a tooth at his house.”
“I told Dad. That’s the rule—tell a parent.” Harmony shoved another spoonful of cereal into her mouth.
“Then, in theory, that parent gives permission for the tooth fairy to come into the house.” April pursed her lips. “Unfortunately, that system no longer works for us.”
“Ahhh,” Jack said. “Did you check under all the pillows?”
“I checked under mine,” Harmony said with a huff. “The tooth is still there.”
“A molar. I didn’t realize it’d come out,” April whispered.
“When I was a kid”—Jack pulled up a chair to the table—“our tooth fairy got so confused all the time. Sometimes she forgot to take the teeth, but she’d leave the loot somewhere else. I found it under my mom’s pillow once. Under Rachel’s pillow. Once I even found it in my shoe.”
“What’s loot?” Rohan asked.
“Money,” April replied.
“Why don’t you go check under Rohan’s pillow?” Jack suggested. “See if maybe your tooth fairy got mixed up.”
“Fine.” Harmony stood and stalked out of the room. “I’ll look. But it won’t be there.”
No, it wouldn’t. But Jack had a plan.
“Ribbit,” Rohan said, following his sister.
“What are you doing?” April said urgently, like a late tooth fairy.
He strode to the living room like he knew exactly what he was doing. He pulled a bill from his wallet and shoved it deep in the couch cushion.
“You’re serious right now?” April asked.
“My mom used to do this. It always worked for us.” He shooed April back into the kitchen. “When they come down, you’ve got to go up there and get the tooth.”
“Why don’t you go get the tooth? They won’t suspect you,” April said.
“Because then I’d have to touch it.” He shivered. Nope. Not for him.
“I’ll check the couch,” Harmony said, issuing orders to her brother from the stairs. “You check the shoes.”
See?Jack mouthed. This was already going better than he could’ve ever planned.
“Mom!” Harmony called. “She left money in the couch. She didn’t forget me.”
Jack lifted his eyebrows toward April.You’re welcome, he mouthed.
