“I thought that was odd, but then again, he’s a bit of an odd dude.” Gates absorbed the information. He’d skipped over Guy’s file, since he was so far down on the list of those of interest or suspicion.

  “So, eyes are deceptive. While teeth, hold all the cards. They light up like the sun, showing you exactly how powerful, healthy, and good a creature really is. And they sputter and fade with age or anything evil or bad that weakens magical powers. Teeth can determine the length of our journey, for Goddess’ sakes. How much more important than that can you get.” Her brown eyes watered. “I watched my father lose too many. His powers weakened to the point he aged like a human. That’s why I’m a witch doctor dentist.”

  Gates paused and cleared his throat. “I’m sorry, Betty. That was also way more interesting and helpful than you know. Thank you for sharing.”

  She rolled her eyes. “I’m a complete nerd for loving the tooth fairies, but I do. And I’m good at it. I’m a good witch doctor dentist. Plus, I don’t have all the pressure of saving lives or the world, like my brother and sister. So, my life is not complicated.”

  “And that is definitely important to you. No complications. No saving the worlds.” Gates mused.

  “Yeah! I’ve got a little witch to raise, a familiar to uncurse, and all these teeth fairies to help transition. That keeps me busy enough. Besides, no magical creature, since my father has left this earth in that manner. And I hope to keep it that way.” She glanced down at her clinched fists and opened her palms to rub them together.

  “That’s quite a to-do list. I can see why you don’t want to add anything else to it.” Gates agreed, knowing he wanted desperately to add to her to do list. He wanted to get to know Betty Babington. He wanted her to know who he was.

  “Besides, my Mama, Blanche. I’m sure you’ve heard of Blanche Babington. Who hasn’t, right? She always dubbed me the social one of our family, because I was always playing with the familiars and the teeth fairies. I even befriended a circle of Pixies when I was young.” She confessed. “I still like to visit them when I go see Mama. Anyway, Bart was the smart warlock, and Betsy, the artistic witch. Thus, Bart became the full-blown super witch doctor cosmetic surgeon, and Betsy is the master alchemist and apothecary witch doctor. Me, I’m just here for the tooth fairies.”

  “Funny. I think a witch doctor dentist is definitely the sexier profession,” He nudged her with his knee.

  “Ha. Ha. Now you’re being a real smart-ass,” she quipped.

  “No. I’m being totally honest. Betty, please listen to me. I believe you can help me out. Which brings me to my second question.” He paused. “Why do you think you’re so busy?”

  Betty stared at him without expression. Then let her brown eyes search the empty waiting room. “I’ve been pondering that question for a few weeks now. I’ve rolled it around in my head so many times.”

  “Yeah, and what have you come up with?” Gates waited for Betty’s response. He wondered if she already knew the reasons things were changing and uncomfortable for her.

  “I don’t have any idea really why it’s happening. I see it happening. Millie thinks it’s the end of an era.” She hesitated, “I’m kinda enjoying being needed, honestly.”

  “Being needed is a good thing.” Gates burned for her. He needed her. “Betty, I think I better go.”

  “Huh. And there it is.” Betty stood and held out her hand to shake his. “I’ll ask you one favor Gates Thatcher.”

  “Anything.” He embraced her hand with both of his.

  “First, don’t do that,” she took her hand back and crossed her arms. “Especially not after you’ve basically told me you’re not interested.”

  “I didn’t say I wasn’t interested, Betty. I said I can’t act on this right now.” Gates pleaded.

  “That feels so much better, thank you, Gates, for the kind rejection.”

  “Wait…”

  “No. Look here. Again, I’ve got a totally full plate. I’ve got Birdie, Ginger, and all of this,” she motioned to the room. “I don’t have time for romance. I’ve been telling Millie that for years now. It’s obviously not for me.”

  He stood in silence, taken by her candid vulnerability. She was amazing. She was beautiful, and she was slowly but surely filling up a part of his heart that he didn’t know existed. But she was right. This was complicated, and no matter how much he wanted her, he had to let her make the decisions. She had to come to her own conclusions—no matter if she broke his heart.

  “Understood.” Gates nodded. “I’ll see myself out.”

  8

  The Mistake

  Gnomelder scurried out of the gnome-sized door hidden in the folds of the largest tree in Rabbit Hash. The Dawn Redwood stood 89 feet, while its fluted trunk splayed out in all directions, the braided and twisting tentacles disguising many dark hollows in their shadows. Towering over Betty’s cottage, the gentle giant’s soft, feathery, bright green needles rustled and shook with the wind. Gnomelder patted the tree’s truck as he stood in her cover. The gnome’s entrance to his tunnel to the rock mine was hidden on the back-side of the tree and faced into the woods behind Betty’s dental delivery station. He closed the small arched door and locked it with one of several skeleton keys dangling from a bulky metal ring. Skipping from the safety of the redwood, he sprinted across the cottage’s yard to the back patio, where his wet footprints followed him on the brick pavers.

  Capering up to the cottage, Gnomelder planted himself against the brick wall. He poked at the flap on the bottom half of the door with his shovel, lifted the corner, and squatted to peek inside.

  “And little gnomes stay in their homes, eating, sleeping, drinking their wine.” Ginger poked her head out, singing her favorite Pink Floyd song, ‘The Gnome,’ and bumped Gnomelder on the noggin.

  “Flibber giget mush Inger. Ba. Na na.” Gnomelder scolded and rubbed his forehead. “Pleg gog. Pleg gog. Ima muchi specie, BetBet.”

  Ginger beamed and stepped aside as Gnomelder hopped through the opening. The big dog stretched her long front legs out in a downward dog pose to allow her friend to jump on her back. Trotting away, the two creatures headed down the hall toward the Containment Lab. They were a mismatched pair, because of gnomes’ natural fear of big dogs, but had become fast friends when Betty, Birdie, and Ginger arrived in Rabbit Hash. Prior to that time, Gnomelder and his army of gnomes spent many nights tunneling through the earth, gathering up discarded stray teeth. Even the teeth meant to become fairies were cast off as homeless creatures. It wasn’t until Betty was born and she discovered a small baby tooth fairy in her mother and father’s garden, struggling to survive. She took the small creature in, nurtured it until it was grown, and set it free. That fateful finding set Betty, Ginger, Birdie, and Gnomelder on a collision course.

  Triggering the double glass doors open, the pair entered the clinical space. Gnomelder dismounted with a bounce and splat his wet shoes on the concrete floor. Dashing to a large tote full of small boxes, he whistled as he rummaged through the unopened mail.

  “He’s a rebel and he’ll never ever be any good.” Ginger crooned The Crystals classic.

  Popping out of the tote with three small boxes balanced in one hand, Gnomelder sniffed the packages, beamed and bobbed his head, “Elpin em, Ingerg.”

  Stepping on the familiar’s head, the gnome exited the tote. He jumped to the floor, juggling the boxes. The two shuffled and danced through the lab, singing, oblivious to the silent glide of the re-opening glass doors. Mid grandiose slide across the floor, Gnomelder’s jig abruptly ended with a thump as he ran smack into someone’s calf. The small creature fell to his rump, and followed the pinstriped pant leg upward, to stare into the dark brown eyes of Job Barker—a doppelganger for a young version of the real Bob Barker, with an unfortunate habit of trying to imitate his famous look-alike.

  “Gnomelder, strange gnome creature, come on down.” Job boomed into an invisible microphone and crumpled into a snicker.

  “There's a man who leads a life of danger. To everyone he meets, he stays a stranger. Secret Agent Man.” Ginger skidded into the small gnome imitating Johnny Rivers.

  “And the showcase showdown is coming up next, featuring Ginger and Gnomelder.” Job strode across the room, eying the tote full of small boxes. Flipping through several, he grimaced, “Business is good, too good.”

  Gnomelder scrabbled to his feet and puffed. Swiping at the dampness, from his own sliding tracks, off his bum, he exclaimed, “Ima na elik ob arker. Ou er nat ood. Ou er ba ob arker. Ou faird em nd Ingerg. Ou er un ba ientist, oo. Molder na ike ou.”

  “You weird little gnome. I got no idea what you are saying. But who really does? Like, I’m sure, it’s profound or you wouldn’t be trying so hard to communicate with me. Yet, another example of why mind reading would really come in handy. I bet you can read my mind.” Job glared into the gold-rimmed eyes of the gnome.

  “Nothing? I got nothing. Nope. You got anything?” Pausing for a response, Job squinted and schmoozed up his face like someone trying to lift a very heavy rock.

  Letting out a huge breath, he leaned down and rubbed the tuft of curly hair on Ginger’s head, then patted Gnomelder. “Good effort, bizarre creatures. We’ll try it again tomorrow. If you two have what you came for, you know the drill. I need my space to get to work containing all these lost teeth. What do you come in here for? I don’t understnad why you sneak off with a few boxes every day. It’s puzzling. I really need to be a mind reader. Bad.”

  The glass doors slid open again. “There you are!” Betty stood, her hands on her hips, relieved to get back to work and away from all the nonsense that went down in the waiting room. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

  The warlock, gnome and familiar all turned to face her in silence.

  “So, how many are we looking at today?” Betty asked.

  Job looked at Gnomelder, who looked back at Job, both clueless.

  Job stuttered, “B… Betty. Hello, Betty. Dr. Babington. Hey there.” Job rocked back and forth on his heels and whispered to no one in particular. “Yep. Another time, mind reading would definitely be helpful.”

  “Hey Job.” She acknowledged him, but heard Millie’s words in her head, and shivered, ‘you could go out with Job.’ Continuing on her mission, she walked to the small creature and bent down to greet him. “How are you Gnomelder?”

  “BetBet.” He hopped from one foot to the next in an excited dance and jumped into her arms for a hug.

  “I’m so happy to see you, too.” Betty cooed in his ear, “you are the best gnome ever.”

  Releasing her, Gnomelder grinned a toothy grin. “BetBet. Molder uried te ethe. Everuff es fes nd ound.”

  She giggled and whispered, “I think that was good news, but gimme just a second.” Gliding the black-rimmed glasses onto the bridge of her nose, she nodded to the gnome, “again.”

  “Betty. Gnomelder buried the teeth. All safe and sound.” The gnomes’ English wasn’t perfect, but he was understandable.

  “I have no doubt. Thank you.” Betty pecked his cheek with a small kiss and sat the gnome back on the floor. His boots squished. He hopped rapidly from one foot to the other, prompting Ginger to join in with her own hum and jig.

  “Amazing, but then again, I’m not surprised you’re amazing… with gnomes, I mean. You’re amazing with gnomes,” said Job. “Can you actually understand him?”

  Betty heaved in a quick breath, removed the glasses and stood to meet Job face-to-face. “Oh no, Job, not really. I try to concentrate and listen. It’s a kindness that works really well with most all creatures.”

  “Wow. It seems to me, you understand gnomish better than anyone, maybe ever. But then again, I think you are like super smart, like your dad.” He raised a thinning, greyed eyebrow, and twitched. “Or maybe you read his mind?”

  “What? Job, that’s nonsense. I’m definitely not a mind reader. Nor do I understand gnomish. That’s just silly.” Wrapping her arm through his, she led him away from her two accomplices. “Job, will you walk this way with me? I’ve been meaning to chat with you about the Containment Labs storage system. How’s it holding up under all this pressure?”

  “Of course, yes. Honestly, Betty, I’m worried. We’re definitely running out of storage. Being the haven for all magical teeth in the universe while they complete their transition from power plug to tooth fairy is a big responsibility. The process takes a while, you know that. If the mail keeps coming in like this every day…. The truth is, we can’t keep up with this pace.” Job stopped with her in front of a wall of small incubating drawers. Almost all were glowing with a soft yellow hue. Looking down at their intertwined arms, he swelled with emotions.

  “Wow. It’s beautiful. I really should come here more often. It reminds me of how amazing the work we do really is. Fostering these wonderful creatures to fruition, then releasing them into the night sky, is so special,” she marveled.

  “That’s honestly my favorite part,” Job admitted, his voice calm, his body relaxed and motionless. “Releasing the tooth fairies to fulfill their purpose and watching them flutter off into the night, just floating away, it’s bittersweet, really. They’re like my children.”

  “I understand that. It is sad for them to have to leave. But wonderful, too. So, that block of drawers, there in the upper right corner,” Betty stared at the cluster of darkness, “that’s our only space?”

  “Yes.” Job crinkled his brow. “And I haven’t opened the mail today. I fear we won’t have room from the look of that tote full of packages.”

  Betty drew in a long breath and exhaled. “So, we’ll make room. I’ll figure out how to get that done.”

  “I’m sure you will, Betty. You always do. That’s why I’m here. I’ve dedicated my life to saving creatures of all kinds. This is the reason I stayed to help you. Well, and because of Ben. I loved your dad. He was the greatest warlock of all time. Your dad, well, no one could come close to his genius. And you’re so much like him.” Job sucked in a sudden breath, “I bet he could’ve helped me with the mind reading thing. He would’ve known what to do. Like if it’s really a possibility to ‘gain’ that ability, even though we’re supposedly born with all our gifts. I think it might be possible to earn more. Or something like that.”

  “You know what, Job. I’m certain you’re right. He would have known all that.” She reminisced for a moment. “Hey, I’ve got an idea about how we can increase our capacity. Do me a favor and tonight, once you’ve sorted the mail, any tooth we don’t have an incubating space for. Stash them in the blue transition jars.”

  “But the jars don’t have the light or warmth they need,” Job scolded.

  “I’ll take care of that, don’t worry. We’ll make sure all those little guys get exactly what they need. How many are we releasing tonight?” Betty crossed her arms.

  “Well, none.” Job rubbed his hands on his pants and frowned.

  “That’s not great news. Why not?” Betty questioned.

  Job’s head tipped to the floor with a melancholy chuckle. “Timing I guess. Like I said, we can’t rush the process. That’s bad. I’m sorry.”

  “Of course. Of course, Job.” She patted his arm and exhaled through her nose. “Don’t apologize. It’s not your fault, it’s nature. And we’re here to do the right thing by them.”

  “I wish I knew.” Job rubbed his arms. “You know, like I could see the future, or read their tiny minds. Then I’d know. I could tell you who was ready. How many and when?”

  “Job, you know what my dad used to say?”

  “Uh. No. Well, I mean not specifically. He said a lot of things.” Job pointed to his head, “and the whole I can’t read your mind thing.”

  She stared at him, wide-eyed and blinking.

  “I’ve got to let that go, right? That’s what you’re thinking. It bothers everyone.” Job twisted his mouth up in a grimace.

  Betty grinned, “well, I’ll be, Job. You just read my mind. That’s exactly what I was thinking.”

  “Really?”

  “Really.”

  He clapped his hands together in both joy and regret.

  “Hey, there,” Betty saw Job for his nervous, neurotic self. Standing before her, giggling and twitching, and her heart sank for him. He was an out-of-place weirdo, like her. She knew he had to feel like she felt around her family—less than. Slowly placing her hands on both of his arms, Betty stepped closer to her friend. “So, my dad always said. Life is simple, even in the magical world. Don’t complicate it. Seeing into people’s thoughts would complicate things so much, don’t you think? You’d hear things you can never unsee or forget. Things that could even change your mind about who someone is, and whether you even like them.”

  “Hm. I see what you’re saying there. Yes. It might not be fun to know everything about some folks.” He sniggered. “But it might be really fun to know all the things about some others.”

  “Fair point. Right now, though, I really need your help. We need to focus all our energies on all this.” she waved her hands, motioning to the wall of incubators.

  “Right. Yes. Focus. This is my focus. My entire existence.” Job dipped his head up and down even after he stopped talking.

  “Hey, I tell you what. I’ll plan to help you set the matured tooth fairies free tomorrow night. I haven’t seen that miracle in far too long. We’ll really celebrate the moment. Deal?”

  “That’s so exciting. It’s a deal. I’ll be waiting!” Job’s adoration swelled to something beyond, to a feeling he hadn’t known. His eyes watered and his palms sweat. Gazing over at his boss, he felt it happen, the hitch in your soul that occurs the moment you find your soul mate.

  9

  The Invitation

  Vera sat a tray of iced teas on the small bourbon barrel table placed between two rocking chairs and lowered herself into the seat next to Porter. The soothing sound of the runners moving back and forth on the old white washed wooden planks, and an occasional clank of ice cubes against their highballs, cut through the evening silence as they rested on the front porch of the General Store.

 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11