THEY THOUGHT SLAPPING HIS 5-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER WOULD HUMILIATE HER—UNTIL HER FATHER SAID, “TOMORROW YOU’LL KNOW WHAT THIS COST YOU”
/
Chapter 9 / 10
Chapter 9 - THE NEW TOOTHMia lost another tooth naturally at seven.
She ran into Nathan's office holding it.
“Dad!”
He stood so quickly she laughed.
“What happened?”
“It fell out!”
He stopped.
Then smiled.
Normal.
No blood.
No crying.
No shattered glass.
She held it proudly.
“Do I get money?”
“Ah. The real motive.”
“Five dollars.”
“Inflation?”
“Ten.”
“Extortion.”
Mia laughed.
That night Nathan placed money beneath her pillow.
Then found himself sitting beside her bed longer than necessary.
He remembered the ballroom tooth.
Wrapped in a napkin.
Evidence.
Fear.
May you like
This tooth was just a tooth.
That felt miraculous.
