Page 33 of Schooling Little Sage

“Um, that’s not a problem?”

Not sure he meant it as a question but at least he stopped blinking.

“It didn’t hurt, just takes a few minutes to get used to the stretch.”

“But you want to do it again?” We were asking the same questions back and forth. This was kinda fun.

“Very much so with you, my love.” Daddy shook his head and smiled. “You are one of a kind, Sage. Let’s clean up and get to work.”

My Daddy wasn’t broken anymore and he still loved me. All was well in Sage’s world.

Chapter Ten

“What do you think about taking a long weekend off soon? A Friday and Monday and spending it at my parents’ house? You can finally meet my family.” Maybe springing it on Sage mid-shovel wasn’t the best idea. Used straw flew everywhere but into the wheelbarrow he had aimed for. “Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you. I’ll help you clean it up.”

Probably would’ve been better asked at home while he was playing. Got the best, most honest answers then. My boy had come a long way, but serious conversations made him uncomfortable when it was his sole focus.

Sage was silent for far too long, busy clearing the stalls and avoiding me. Meeting the parents was a big deal, I got that, and considering I’d never taken anyone home before, it was equally as big for me. Had the main reason it upset him been because of how awful his were to him? Was he afraid mine would be too?

Yeah, my delivery thoroughly sucked.

#Daddyfail

Maybe a video chat with my folks first would help ease his worries. I’d wait to bring it up again until after I talked to Mom. She was a champ at making others comfortable which was just what Sage needed.

He didn’t say much during lunch, so I let him be, though he did give me a hug and a kiss before he went into the Butterfly room. This was eating me alive, so I called my lifeline on the way back to the barn.

“There’s my boy, thought you forgot you had parents,” Mom answered the phone.

“Sorry, Mom, I’ve been busy.”

“Too busy to call your folks?” Dad hollered in the background.

Guess I was on speaker.

“I um, I met someone and we’re living together.” Might as well rip the Band-Aid right off.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, back that trolley up, son.”

Yeah, didn’t figure that revelation would get past Dad.

“Start at the beginning.”

“His name is Sage, he’s um, he’s twenty-one.” I cringed as soon as I said it, anticipating their reaction to our age difference.

“Little young, don’t you think?”

Yeah, not Dad’s jam.

“I love him, Dad. I can’t imagine life without him.”

“Next time, start with that. How did you meet? What does he do for work?” Typical dad questions.

“We met here at the Ranch and he works with me.”

“Won’t that cause problems with your boss?” Mom asked.

I had to laugh. “Who do you think paired us up?”