The Tooth Fairy
Flash fiction
“Really anything?” my 5 years old sister, Shreya, chirped as she ate her breakfast.
“Not always. But since tomorrow is your birthday, the tooth fairy might give you anything you wish for. But you have to be a good girl.” I told my sister, whose one tooth fell off today morning. “Anyway, have you thought about what are you going to wish for?”
“Hehe, that’s a secret.” My sister giggled and ran to her room to get ready for kindergarten.
I smiled. I already knew what my sister wanted. Every morning, while I walked my sister to the kindergarten, we would pass a toy store full of toys. Through the large glassed windows, all the toys could be seen. But the most prominent one among them was a panda. It was a large soft toy. When we would pass by that store, my sister would slow her pace. I would notice her longing gaze lingering at that panda for a long time. But she didn’t demand it. She was always happy with whatever she already had.
“Brother, I am ready. Let’s go!” My sister chirped into the room with a toothless grin.
“Yes, let’s go.”
After I had bought the panda, I hid it safely in the house. I can’t let my sister find the panda yet. Now sitting in my classroom, my thoughts went to my sister in the kindergarten. It would be another four hours before she would return home. With father too busy to feed us and mother passed away, there was no one to pick her up from kindergarten. But thankfully, her friend’s mother promised me to pick her up.
*grumble*
I held my growling stomach tightly. This has become a daily occurrence. But I have to wait for the lunch break, then I can have whatever I packed off the leftovers of the breakfast. I did get money to buy my lunch and other household necessities from my father. But after I noticed my sister wanted the panda, I started saving my lunch money.
Now I have used all that money to buy the panda. Though my stomach might be growling, I am happy. I want to see my sister’s toothless grin again on her birthday.
The next morning while I was getting our breakfast ready, my sister ran into the kitchen.
“Look, brother! The tooth fairy gave what I wished for!” My sister showed me the panda that I had placed near her bed after she went to sleep.
“Wow! Such a huge panda!” I said, faking my shock. “So, this was what you wished for. I am happy for you. So, you must be a good girl for the tooth fairy to give you what you wished. Anyway, Happy Birthday!”
“Thank you!” My sister said, planting a kiss on my cheek and running off to keep the panda in her room.
As I got back to making breakfast, I hoped that I can keep my sister always happy like that.
This story was inspired by a writing prompt from the “Promptly Written” Publication.
Also, thank you Ravyne Hawke for writing and sharing the wonderful prompt!
