Flash Fiction: King-making - #AtoZChallenge

I registered late for the A-to-Z blogging challenge this year, but I'm going to do it. In past years, I have done flash fiction inspired by readers' comments, and I'm happy to do that again, but this month the fiction will be peppered in amongst other random topics of my choosing. So suggest a story idea in a comment if you have one, otherwise I hope you will find my mental meanderings amusing! 

~~~~

Kendra pushed open the glass doors to the dental office and ushered in her 4 year old son. Kenny clung to her leg with the tenacity of a starfish, so that she had to bend over and uncurl his hands. 

"It's okay. See the toy box over there? You can look through it while I check in." He looked doubtful, but the bright colors of the Fisher-Price set on the low plastic table caught his eye, so he obeyed. Kendra let the receptionist know they were just waiting for her husband, and was told he was currently in the surgery, but should be out soon.

She crossed to a seat near the kids' corner. It was a lucky break to find toys here, since this facility didn't offer pediatric dental services. Looking around, it appeared Kenny was the only one in the waiting area under 25.

It didn't take long for him to drive a plastic truck over to his mom's side. "Where's Daddy?" he asked without looking up. She had told him they were going to pick up his dad.

"He'll be out soon. He's getting a new crown."

Kenny turned wide-eyes to his mom. "I never knew he had a crown!"

"Well, he did, but it broke."

"He broke his crown? Like Jack, in Jack and Jill?" Kenny's favorite book was the old Mother Goose nursery rhyme book, and he had many of them memorized.

"No, honey," Kendra answered with a smile. "Different crown. Jack's crown was the top of his head." They had been over that when he first learned the rhyme.

"Oh. Where's Daddy's crown?"

Kendra looked puzzled as she tapped each index finger alternately at each side of her jaw. "I don't remember. Here..." tap. "...or here." tap. "In his mouth."

Kenny abandoned the car on the floor and crawled into a seat by his mother, intent eyes watching her. "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why there? Why not in front?" And he gave a big grin to show his teeth.

"Well, because that's not where he needs it."

"He needs it? Why does he need a crown?" Kenny was incredulous. "Only kings need crowns." Delight lit up his face. "If Daddy's a king, am I a prince?" His big eyes glittered at his mother. She had to suppress her amusement with a tight smile as she wrapped an arm around her son. 

"Well I don't know about Daddy, Kenny, but yes, you are definitely a prince." She kissed his head and was about to pick back up a magazine when she saw her husband coming toward them.

"I'm all set," he said. "Ready to go?" 

Kenny stared wide-eyed at his dad the whole drive home.

This short Flash Fiction story was inspired by the prompt "A broken tooth" offered by Liz A. of Laws of Gravity, in a comment on my A post.  You're welcome to suggest any prompt in a comment and I'll get to it during A to Z or shortly thereafter.