Mind the Gap

Scott is missing a tooth--a molar on his upper left side. Consequently, he never truly grins. For photographs he's perfected a closed-lip smirk. Catch him off guard and he may give you a crooked smile, just enough to see the tips of his teeth.

Lately I've been seeing the missing molar. It's because we've been laughing. The throw your head back and laugh until your stomach hurts and you have a stitch in your side laughs. Neither of us has been saying anything particularly funny, but rather I think it's the joys of simply being together. A gentle jab aimed and then we're wrestling on the floor and blowing raspberries on each other's unveiled flesh. Wayward spoons of sauce while we're cooking. Shower Mohawks.

As much as I'm a stickler for pearly teeth, I don't mind seeing the gap in the corner of his mouth. The exposed fissure means he's happy. He's so content that he can't remember to hide his flaws. He's simply existing.

Seeing the gap is making me fall for him.