Dana clutches her rabbit by the ears. She steps into the dental clinic. A fish tank glows green at the front desk. A fish bobs past the glass with its mouth wide open. She stops in the doorway, one foot hovering over the blue tiled floor.
A dentist in soft blue scrubs appears. He kneels to Dana's level, offering a sticker that sparkles like a tiny planet. Dana takes it slowly, her fingers brushing the cool glossy surface. She follows him past a chair that groans when she climbs in.
The dentist tilts her chin gently and asks about her missing tooth. Dana points to the gap while her thumb presses hard against her bottom lip. She whispers that it feels silly. The dentist nods as if she has said something very important.
The dentist holds up a small mirror and angles it so Dana can see her own mouth. In the reflection, the gap forms a perfect round smiley face with two dot-teeth. Dana lets out a loud surprised laugh that bounces off the tiled walls. The dentist grins back.
Dana hops down from the chair, sticker still stuck to her palm. She walks to the front desk with her shoulders loose. She tells the receptionist that the fish looked happy. On the way out, she touches her gap with her tongue and smiles without thinking.
