Jason Drexler ran into his grandparents' house from outside, seeking his mother. He ran past a sleeping Lindsay surrounded by pillows on the living room couch and into the kitchen. An ironing board had been set up by the kitchen table on which was placed a mound of freshly washed white linen napkins.
Annie was in the dining room with Julia and Cara, holding a handprint turkey Annie had made years ago when she was in kindergarten. Cara held one made by Drew at the same age. They were in the box marked "T-giving" that Julia had taken from the back-hall closet. "I can't believe you saved these, Mom. I remember making this."
"I do too," said Julia.
Jason heard his mother's voice and ran up to Annie, "Mom, we can't find my tooth. The tooth fairy won't come tonight. It's outside in the leaves somewhere."
Annie hugged her son, telling him, "Yes, the tooth fairy will come. We'll just have to put an I.O.U. note under your pillow instead."
"But it's not the same, Mom. What if the tooth fairy can't read?"
"I have an idea, Jason," said Julia. "Go back outside with Grampy and look harder?"
"But we did look harder, Grammy."
"I think you might need to look again. And I think that this time your mother might need to help," Julia said, signaling her daughter.
Julia walked over to her desk and opened a middle drawer as she motioned for Annie to take Jason outside. Annie was holding the front door open to watch Jason bound down the steps toward his grandfather raking leaves aside in a dire search for the missing infant incisor.
Julia showed Annie a small round tin that had once held French hard candies, its lid marked "Annie." Julia opened it to reveal Annie's baby teeth that Julia had kept from when she had been the tooth fairy. "Borrow one for now."
Annie extracted a small tooth from the tin. "I have plenty," said Julia. "I saved the baby teeth of all four of you kids. I was looking ahead in case one of you got your teeth knocked out playing hockey." Julia smiled at her daughter.
"Mom, come help," Jason yelled from the front yard. Kelly and Courtney were pushing leaves aside as Sam spread them out with the rake.
"I'm coming, Jason," replied Annie as she cupped the small tooth in her palm.
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WE GATHER TOGETHER by Edward L. Woodyard
General FictionSometimes you have to go far away to realize just how close you really are. A straightforward, honest and emotional journey of the heart, We Gather Together is a perceptive and joyous story about a small-town suburban family that wants to come toge...
