Teeth

"Hi friend," I say, opening the door, tossing the keys to the futon. Orion is lying down in his crate. The fan rotates around tossing cool air to all parts of his house.
"How are you doing buddy?" I bend down and open the crate door. He looks so adorable just lying there that I'm half tempted to crawl in.
Instead I give him a big hug. A guy at work today was showing me pictures of his thirteen year old yellow lab that he had to put down three days ago. "Are you prepared to put your dog down?"
"Orion, how about you just grow real nice and old with me? Don't age too quickly. Just be around with me okay?"
Orion rolls to his back.
I kiss his tummy.
I rub his velvet ears.
He coughs.
Something hits my leg.
"Okay Orion, that one, that was a little gross I have to admit," I say as I pick up a half bloody baby tooth. I start to laugh. Just two days ago, I was crawling on the floor looking for a baby tooth. Orion at my side, we combed the floor. My sister, via video chat says, "This is really gross. I just don't think there's any way around it not being gross." "It's for my medicine bag! It's not gross!" "Yeah whatever Moll."
I pat his head. I hold the molar delicately in my hand. I will put it with his tiny canine that I did end up finding on the floor. My little baby dog.