Page 18 of Schooling Little Sage

“Time for dinner, boys.”

“The Daddy has spoken, so it must be,” Devon teased. “Come on, let’s eat. I’m starving.”

Pizza, a Daddy of my own and my new bestie—my bad day turned right around.

Daddy gave us each a plate with a slice on it and a juice box. “Juice boxes are the best.” Devon pushed his straw in. “Before the Ranch, I only had them on school field trips when one of the parents brought them and snacks for us.”

“Daddy”—hee-hee, I loved saying that—“do I get to work with you all day now?”

“I was thinking about that. What say we keep it at half days and in the afternoon you try the nursery?”

“Do they spank us there?”

“They don’t spank you at all. Master Derek made sure that was noted in your file. I feel it’s important for you to find your true self and working full time just doesn’t feel like the right path for you.”

“What is the right path for me?”

“Well, that’s something only you can determine. I say try the nursery first. If it doesn’t fit, then try the Butterfly room.”

“I love butterflies.”

“I know you do, sweet boy. The Butterfly room is like a preschool. You do arts and crafts and fun schoolwork. Maybe you could even make a picture for Daddy’s fridge.”

“It’s nakey.” Devon and I giggled when he said that. “Your Daddy needs lots of pictures for it, Sage.”

“I-I could do that. But what if I don’t fit there either?” They’d run out of places to put me, then what?

“There are the Littles’ and Middles’ classrooms too. If you try all three and don’t like them you can always work full-time with me. But I think you’d have more fun playing with other Littles. Daddy will be there every day after work to pick you up, just like we do now.”

“’kay, I’ll try, Daddy. But no spankings.”

“I promise, no spankings.”

Chapter Six

“I’m so excited for the petting zoo,” Devon said the second the boys spotted me when the elevator doors opened. “There’s your Daddy, Sage!” Even without the words, their excitement was written all over their cute faces.

I had a couple of fun things planned for the boys in honor of Devon’s last day here. Making it special for them both was important and I really hoped Devon held true to his word and kept in contact with Sage. I held out my hands, and they wove their fingers through mine, merrily chatting away about all the animals they’d see as we walked toward Reese’s.

“Look, there it is!” Sage squealed. “See it, Devon?”

“I do. It’s so much bigger than my friend Tommy’s Daddy had for his birthday party. Look at the goats’ cute outfits. Do we get to play with them, Daddy Warner?”

“You do, Devon. There are bunnies and chickens, and a crazy bird named Bossy P who talks.”

“I’m the boss!” the bird in question loudly squawked as we walked up. “Who goes there?”

“Ha-ha, he’s a pirate today, Daddy!”

Sage’s excited squeal warmed my heart. It’d been a couple of days since his anxiety attack, and I had yet to find the right moment to mention the possibility of him meeting with one of the Ranch therapists. It was my job as his Daddy to ensure his well-being, but with as new as our relationship was, the delivery was key. If it wasn’t, Sage may take it wrong and think I was pushing him away.

Through it all, I kept reminding myself that I didn’t have bail money if his parents ever showed their faces around here. This amazing, innocent boy who’d found his way into my heart deserved better and I was just the man to show him how wonderful his life could and would be.

The boys literally stopped at every cage and pen. Bunnies were coddled and carried like babies while goats were giggled at and chased. The boys emulated how they perceived each animal’s movements to be. Way off, but they were having fun and that’s all that mattered to me, plus they were entertaining as hell to watch.

“I see your boy made a new friend,” Arlo said as he leaned against the fence beside me.

“He has, but that friend heads home tomorrow.”