I drove to the Dental clinic which wasn't so far from the house.

That's one thing I love about my job, it closes the house. If an emergency pops up, I can quickly rush home. Especially now Mia's babysitting Liam.

Don't get me wrong, Mia's great when it comes to babysitting. I'm lucky to have her over but these days she tends to do things stupid.

I pull over at my parking space and pull out my key from my ignition. I look at myself at the compact mirror I always keep in my car Once I feel ready I grab my bag and head out of the car.

"Dora!" Wendy exclaimed the moment I stepped causing everyone to look in my direction and me to jump in fear.

" Don't do that." I glare at her resting my hand on the desk trying to catch my breath.

She's been the receptionist at the clinic for three years. She wasn't always this way there was once a time she was very quiet and timid. It took us weeks to finally break her shell. Some people won't believe she was ever quiet.

"Well, I've been waiting for you." She shrugged sitting back down looking at her system.

"I got delayed." I sighed rubbing my forehead.

"Did Mia come late again?" She asked looking up at me from her system.

"Five minutes and Grace came over too." I tapped the desked gently.

"Uh-huh," She hummed looking back to her system. I wonder what she's doing that got her so hooked up.

"Is she here yet?" I asked scanning the room for a particular face.

"She'll be here soon." She waved her hands dismissively at the clocked eyes glued to her laptop.

"Is it just me or are you excited about today." I smile looking toward the door.

"OMG. I thought I was the only one excited about today! I can't wait for her to show up." She squealed with sarcasm dripping off everyone.

"I appreciate your use of sarcasm." I bluntly say and she looks back at her system. "That's it, what the hell are you doing?"

"Dating sites." She answers tuning the screen to me. "I've been looking for the perfect match for you."

"How many times do I have to tell you to stop doing this?" I asked sighing looking at the blue-eyed man staring back at me from the screen.

"Till I find the perfect guy for you." She smirked pointing at the guy on the screen. "I mean look at him. He's an accountant, has an apartment not so far from yours and he doesn't even mind the fact that you stick your fingers into people's mouth."

"Can we not do this here?" I turn the screen back to face her "Did you bring it?"

"Yup." She bent down to bring out a huge plastic container full of popcorn kernels

"God, why is it so heavy." I groan taking the container from her

"You said go big and that I did" Wendy smirked watching me struggle to balance the container and my bag.

"Would you help me please?" I snap at her glaring at her.

"I don't know." She puts on a considering face tapping her jaw.

"Please, would you please help me?" I say more calmly.

"Okay fine." She stands up walking over to me taking my purse from me. "I'm tired of seeing struggle."

"Thanks," I say adjusting the container as we both head to my office.

"You owe me." She mumbled opening my door for me.

"I'll consider going out with blue eyes." I grin walking straight to my table dropping the container on the floor beside it.

"That would be so cool." She gushes dropping my purse on my desk heading to my chair to sit down. "We would need to go shopping to get you new dresses and maybe we'll go to a spa I mean when was the last time we went to-"

"I said I would consider," I say putting on my coat stopping her from rambling. "Don't you have to be at the reception desk now?"

"Well I was helping you and everyone saw." She shrugged sitting on my chair. "You dentist get the best chairs ever."

"And you receptionist get one of the best views." I pulled her up from my chair walking her to the door. "I'm sure people are waiting for your presence."

"You are no fun." She glared at me opening the door. "Oh hey, Carrie. I'm sure you are more fun than her."

Carrie chuckled closing the door behind her. "Big day."

"Big day," I replied and we both start prepping for the patient we are expecting.

"And when she was going to hit him back she-" Carrie was cut from her story by a knock on the door.

"She's here." I smiled walking towards the door and opening it.

"Good morning, Doctor Harper." She said with a wide grin on her face her eyes glistening with excitement.

"Hey, Kim." I returned the smile stepping aside for her to come in thanking the nurse who accompanied her. "Excited?

"Yeah!" She said waving to Carrie before jumping onto the chair. "I can't wait to get these off."

"I can tell" I chuckled closing the door behind me

She's finally get's her braces off today. It feels like it is such a long time when she walked into this room for the very first time. She was just only nine when we figured out that she needed to get braces. I remember how she was so scared of me thinking I was going to pull out a few of her teeth.

"Okay, let's get down to business," I murmured putting on my rubber gloves and face mask as Carries puts a bib around her.

I always wanted to be a dentist, mostly because my father was one and I found other occupations boring. He would normally scold Jacob and me for getting so much candy on Halloween. Funny thing was that we often found him in his room eating all the candy he took. But it was that one day my dad brought me to his office because no one was able to look after me. I saw how kids walked in with fear in their eyes but he still managed to get them to smile before living the room.

I then realized I wanted to do the same thing for other people. I wanted to help them make their smile better. And that's how I also met Ethan.

He was complaining about a toothache, overreacting as usual. Threatening to shut the whole organization down if we didn't find out what was causing it. I was already having a bad day so I snapped at him. It took me about an hour and s few minutes to find out what was causing it because of his constant mumbling.

"And we are done," I say moving back removing the rubber gloves from my hands

"Really?" She asked tapping her hands on her thighs ready to get up.

"Yeah." I smiled at her watching Carrie remove the bib from her.

"Can my mom come in?" She asked sitting up straight playing with her fingers.

" Sure, I'll go call her." I walked towards the door turning back to them. "and no peeking a mirror till your mom's here."

She huffed and slouched back into the chair.

"I'm done with Kim, would you like to see her?" I asked the moment I spotted her sitting near a plant reading a book

"Oh yes, I would love to see her." She said rising from the chair closing her novel.

I lead her to my office and opened the door where Kim and Carrie were having a conversation.

"Hey, mom, like my new look??" Kim asked her mother when she noticed we were in the room.

" Of course I do, you look beautiful." Mrs. Kandel said in a matter-of-fact tone pulling out her phone to take a picture.

"Can I see myself now, please?" She asked impatiently tapping her foot on the floor.

"Fine." I gestured to Carrie who then gave her a mirror.

"I look so different." She whispered to herself trying to absorb her new look.

"I've got a surprise for you." I smile walking to my desk to get out the gift.

"Oh my god! What is it?" She askes almost dropping the mirror.

I bent down to get the ridiculously plastic container filled with popcorn kernels. "Wendy and I just thought it would be the first thing you would want to get the moment you get your braces off."

The next thing I know is to find a pair of arms squeezing the air out of my lungs. I quickly hold the container more firmly so it won't fall on her.

"How did you know?" She asked raising a brow.

"That's a secret." I wink down at her.

"I'm going to miss you so much." She giggled taking the container from my hand.

"Well, you still have to come for checkups now and then." I point out shoving my hands into my pockets.

"I forgot about that." She slapped her forehead making everyone laugh.

"Secret handshake?"

She dropped the plastic container and we did a secret handshake we both formed when she was ten.

"Thank you so much, Doctor Harper." Mrs. Kandel said giving me a heartwarming smile picking up the plastic bag. "Come on Kim."

"Have a good day." I smile at them as they walked out

"Bye!" They both said before closing the door.

"That went well," I announced removing the face mask off my face.

"I can bet you ten dollars Wendy going to be in here," Carrie said dusting her scrubs.

"Oh I know she's going be here in any seconds," I stated dumping the mask in the trash can.

"And I'm back!" Wendy announced slamming the door open entering the room.

"And she's back," I repeat looking over at Carrie who was holding back her laugh. "And why exactly are you back?"

She didn't answer but went straight to my chair falling on it. "Damn this is so soft."

"I'm got to go," Carrie said to us before she walked out.

"Bye," Wendy shouted before the door closed.

"Why aren't you in your post?" I asked taking the seat opposite her leaning into it.

"I'm on a quick bathroom break." She shrugged picking up the little picture of Liam. "If I ever get a child I would want him to be as cute as this."

"I thought you didn't like children." I raised my brows at her teasing her

"And why would you think that?" She asked dropping the picture frame playing along. "I happen to love them very much. Have I told you about my nephew? He knows how to play the piano with his toes."

"Toes?"

"No seriously he really can play the piano with his toes." She said standing up from my chair. "I think it weird."

"You are weird." I pointed out. "Where are you going?"

"You've got your daily dosage of weirdness." She danced to some tune in her head towards the door. "I need to meet some other unfortunate people who need it."

"You mean fortunate" I smirked and she shot me a glare before walking out.

I sigh standing up from the chair I was sitting on the moment my phone started ringing. I quickly pull it out from my coat hoping nothing is wrong at home.

"Hello?" I say without checking the caller's ID.

"Dora!" I heard Shelly's voice from the other end. I can't remember the last time I talked to her it feels like a long time ago.

"How are you doing?" I smiled stupidly knowing she can't see me.

"Oh my god, you won't believe what just happened?" She exclaimed from the other end. "I just had to tell you, I mean you just have to know."

"Okay calm down," I say sitting down to hear what she has to say.

"I'm calm." She says taking in a deep breath. "I'm calm now."

"What happened?" I asked tapping my foot trying to say calm. Whatever she going to say is probably important.

"Remember Mandy Miller?"

"The girl that made our sophomore year unbearable?" I asked already liking what's she going to say.

"The very one." I could imagine her grinning. "So I was minding my own business at the station when someone told me someone in getting transferred into one of our cells."

Shelly works with the police force back in California. It's pretty cool because I get to hear a lot of stories about criminals.

"No way," I whisper to myself trying to take it all in. "She isn't is she."

"She is in her cell right now." She giggled. "I don't know why I'm so happy right now I mean our bully is behind bars."

"That's messed up," I mumbled to her. "I thought her father was rich."

"Yeah but no one's against the law." She pointed out. "That's exactly what Jacob said."

"How's he doing by the way?" I asked concerned about my brother's well-being.

"He's great." She giggled again at the mention of his name. "Still not comfortable with the fact I'm a detective."

"You deal with a lot of criminals every day." I pointed out. "I wouldn't feel comfortable if you were my girlfriend."

It is still unbelievable that they are dating. A few days after the incident Jacob flew all the way here like the best big brother he is to make sure I was alright. Then they both started hanging out together and the next thing I know; they dating. It was weird because they couldn't stand each other when they were younger.

"Anyway, how you doing over there." She asked changing the topic.

We ended up catching up on each other then started talking about random things. I didn't realize we had been talking for the past thirty-minute until I heard a knock on my door.

"I got to go now," I say after she was done talking.

"I'll call you again soon." She sighed as I stood up from my chair walking towards the door.

"I'll be waiting." I smile looking at my reflection in the mirror.

Once she hung up I opened the door to see Carrie with a cute little girl about Liam's age. She looked so scared that I felt a little bad for her.

"Newcomer?" I asked stepping aside for them.

"Yeah, her father dropped and rushed out of here clamming he would pick her up later "Carrie explained leading the girl inside. "It was like he didn't want anyone to see him, weird right?"

"He could be late for something." I looked at the little girl giving her a soft smile.

"He's an eye candy so Wendy's going to be all about this later." She warned.

"Hello there," I squat down in front of the little girl. "How are you?"

"Fine." She said looking down at the ground.

"My name is Doctor Harper but I'll let you can call me Dora," I smirk knowing what her reaction was going to be.

"Like Dora the explorer! ?" She screamed in excitement making Carrie and me chuckle. "I love Dora the explorer and Boot the monkey."

"I'm sure you do." I pointed at her shirt that had the cartoon characters on them causing her to giggle.

"My name is Emma and I'm five years old." She announced gaining a little confidence.

"Well, Emma, Carrie, and I are here to help you." I stand up straight pointing over at Carrie as she smiles down at her.

I lead her to the chair and Carrie helps her up as I put on a new pair of rubber gloves and mask. Carrie puts a bib on her and leans her down into the chair.

"So Emma what's the problem?" I asked sitting on a rolling stool moving closer to her.

"My tooth hurts." She pouts pointing at a front tooth.

I pull up my mask and start examining her tooth. Just like I suspected she had a loose tooth which is perfectly normal for a child her age. Just to be sure I touched it again and she winced moving back.

'Well, Emma you have a loose tooth" I say removing my gloves and pulling my mask down.

"A loose tooth?" She repeats looking up at Carrie who nods back at her.

"Yup," I say popping the p.

"Am I going to die?" She asked looking back at me in fear.

"Oh god no!." I exclaim in horror. Who the hell told her that? Why is thinking about death? She's way too young for that.

"It would just fall off," Carrie explained to her laughing off what she had said earlier.

" But I don't want it to fall off." She says pouting.

"But it needs to fall off so another one would grow.." I explain helping her take off the bib.

"And besides, how would the tooth fairy get your tooth if it doesn't fall off?" Carrie asked raising a brow.

"The tooth fairy?" She asked in the bewildered expression on her face.

"She comes at night to take people's fallen teeth from under their pillows and keeps them in her tooth bank for safekeeping." I laughed at her facial expressions.

"Do I get to meet her?" She jolted up from the chair.

"Sadly no," I say and she slumps back into the chair. "But she always leaves something behind."

"Really?" She sits up again in anticipation of my next words.

"Why don't you find out." I stand up walking to my table pulling out a small doll that looks like a fairy. "Here you can keep this to remember her."

"For me?" She asks looking at the doll with admiration. "She's really pretty."

"Just like you." Carrie grins at her.

She mutters a small thank you and I stand up and walk over to my desk to call Wendy. I needed to know if her father was back now. Just before I picked up the phone I heard someone enter the room. I decided to get a case for Emma to put her tooth when it fell off."

"Look, look what Dora gave to me!" I smile hear Emma's shouts and Carrie's chuckle. "Isn't she pretty?"

"Yes Emma, she's really pretty." My face pales the moment I hear that voice.

I know that voice.

I slowly turn to see who Emma's dad is praying he isn't who I think it is. I let out a small gasp looking at the person.

"Dorothy."

"Ethan."

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