Junie B., First Grader_ Toothless Wonder Part 2

"BLOOD! BLOOD! THERE'S BLOOD IN MY SPIT!" I hollered some more.

Grampa Miller covered his ears. "Please "Please, Junie B. Just stop the screeching."

After that, he took an aspirin. Plus also, he ate two Tums.

I kept on rinsing and spitting.

Then finally, my spit water turned regular.

"Whew," I said. "That was a close one. I was almost out of blood."

Grampa bent down next to me and smiled. "Well, let's have a look," he said.

I opened my mouth for him.

He looked in and did a chuckle.

Then he lifted me up to the mirror so I could see, too.

I quick closed my mouth again. 'Cause I was nervous to see myself, of course.

My tongue felt my tooth hole. It felt very roomy in there.

"Well?" said Grampa Miller. "Aren't you going to look, honey? It looks cute, Junie B. It really does."

My heart pounded and pounded.

Then-fast as a wink-I opened my lips. And I did a little peek at my mouth.

I quick closed my eyes again.

'Cause what do you know?

A freako.

"Put me down, Grampa," I said. "Put me down right now. I don't want to look at myself again. I don't, I don't, I don't."

Grampa Miller put me down.

Just then, my nose started to sniffle very much. And my eyes got tears in them.

"I hate hate me," I said. "I hate the way I look." me," I said. "I hate the way I look."

Grampa blew my nose on toilet paper.

"I'm never going to look at myself again," I said. "Not ever, ever, never never! And I mean mean it." it."

Grampa bent down next to me again.

"I want you to listen to me, little girl," he said. "I would never lie to you, Junie B. You look every bit as cute without your tooth as you did with it."

He gave me a hug. "Your new smile is wonderful," he said. "You didn't even give it a chance, honey. You really need to look at it again. Honest you do."

He ruffled my hair. "Do it for me, okay? Just give yourself one more chance."

I rocked back and forth on my feet very slow. 'Cause I needed to think this over, that's why.

Finally, I did a big breath. "Oh, okay, Grampa," I said. "If you really want to lift me up there again, I guess I will let you. But I'm only doing this to be nice."

Grampa Miller patted my head. "You're very kind," he said.

After that, he lifted me back up to the mirror.

Very slow, I opened my mouth again. And I peeked at my new tooth hole.

"Try smiling," said my grampa. "You'll love your new smile. I know you will."

I did a nervous breath. Then I smiled at myself kind of shy.

"See?" said Grampa Miller. "See how cute it looks?"

I didn't answer him. Instead, I made another face at myself. And then another one. And another one.

Pretty soon, I tried every face in the book.

Finally, Grampa winked at me.

"So what do you think, little girl?" he said. "Hmm? How do you think you look?"

I smiled kind of shy again.

"I think I look fascinating, Frank," I said.

Grampa Miller put me back on the floor.

Then he went to the kitchen. And he got a stool. And he brought it back to the bathroom.

He helped me up to the top step.

I stared at myself till Mother came home.

That night we had festivities.

Festivities is when my grampa and grandma come over. And all of us eat cake.

Grandma Helen Miller made the cake herself. She put a big smiley face on the top. Only that is not all. 'Cause the smiley face had a tooth missing! Just like me!

I laughed and laughed at that silly thing. Then I reached in my pocket. And I got my tooth. And I pa.s.sed it all around the table.

"Oh, that's a beaut beaut, Junie B.," said Grandma Miller.

"I know it, Grandma. I know it is a beaut," I said real proud. "I can't wait to take it to school for Show-and-Tell. The children are going to love this thing."

Daddy looked strange at me.

"Oh, gee ... I don't know, honey," he said. "I'm not really sure you should take your tooth to school."

Mother shook her head.

"No, Junie B. That's definitely definitely not a good idea," she said. "And besides, you won't even have your tooth on Monday, remember? You have to leave it for the tooth fairy tonight." not a good idea," she said. "And besides, you won't even have your tooth on Monday, remember? You have to leave it for the tooth fairy tonight."

Just then, my skin got chill b.u.mps again. And the flutterflies came back in my stomach.

'Cause I know stuff about the fairy, that's why.

My voice felt kind of shaky.

"Yeah, only what if I don't want to leave my tooth for the fairy, Mother?" I said. "What if I just want to take it to Show-and-Tell, and that's all?"

Mother shook her head again. "No, Junie B. No Show-and-Tell," she said. "Taking a tooth to Show-and-Tell is just... well, it's just-"

"Disgusting," said Daddy.

"Yes," said Mother. "Disgusting."

I whined at those two. "No, it isn't," I said. "Lots of kids bring teeth to school. 'Cause one time Roger brought a shark's tooth. And he even let me and Herb put it right in our mouths. And then we looked like sharks, too."

I thought some more.

"Plus another time, s.h.i.+rley brought her grandmother's dentures. And lots of us put those in our mouths, too."

Grandma Miller did a little gag. Only I don't actually know why.

My grampa patted her hand. "Just be glad she doesn't want to take the spit cup," he whispered.

Just then, my whole face lighted up. 'Cause I have ears like a hawk, of course!

"The spit cup! The spit cup! I will take the spit cup!" I hollered.

I jumped down from my chair. And I zoomed to the bathroom.

Then I got the spit cup out of the trash. And I dusted it off real good.

"Good news, people!" I shouted real loud. "There's still some blood around the edges!"

I quick ran back to show them.

Grandma Miller closed her eyes at that sight.

Then Mother put her head on the table and hid her face in her arms.

The festivities were over, I believe.

After Grandma and Grampa Miller left, Mother took me into the bathroom. And we brushed my teeth real careful.

Then I took my loose tooth out of my pocket. And I brushed that guy, too.

I held it up to the light. "Look," I said. "Look how s.h.i.+ny I made it. I really wish I could take this tooth to school, Mother. I really, really wish that with all my might."

Mother gave me a hug. "I know you do, Junie B.," she said. "But it's still going to be fun to put it under your pillow tonight, isn't it?"

She smiled. "I remember when I was a little girl. I couldn't wait wait to wake up in the morning and find out how much money the tooth fairy had left me." to wake up in the morning and find out how much money the tooth fairy had left me."

My skin got p.r.i.c.kly at that name again.

Also, sweaty came on my head.

I thought and thought about what to do.

Then finally, I stood on my tiptoes. And I whispered in Mother's ear.

"Yeah, only I know stuff about the fairy, Mother," I said. "I know the truth.'" truth.'"

Mother looked shocked at me.

"The truth?" she said. "You know the truth?"

"Yes," I whispered again. "I know the exact exact truth, Mother. 'Cause last year Paulie Allen Puffer told me the whole entire story." truth, Mother. 'Cause last year Paulie Allen Puffer told me the whole entire story."

I took another big breath. Then I cupped my hands around her ear. And I talked even quieter.

"The fairy isn't real," real," I said. "The tooth fairy is just I said. "The tooth fairy is just pretend" pretend"

Mother's eyes got big and wide at me.

"No!" she said.

"Yes," I whispered back. "Paulie Allen learned it from his big brother. The tooth fairy isn't a fairy at all. She's actually a teensy little tooth witch." I whispered back. "Paulie Allen learned it from his big brother. The tooth fairy isn't a fairy at all. She's actually a teensy little tooth witch."

Mother's mouth came all the way open. "A tooth witch?" witch?"

"Shh!" I said. "We have to talk soft, Mother. If the tooth witch hears anyone telling her secret, she flies into their room at night. And she pinches their cheeks."

Mother covered her face with her hands.

She was in shock, I believe.