Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
“Why is my Sage so sad?” Mom asked. We’d been here all of an hour and my sleepy boy curled up on the floor with JoJo and fell right to sleep.
“It was hard for him to leave Devon.” Hell, it was hard for me, but how could I explain that to my parents. They had a hard enough time with mine and Sage’s relationship though they adored him.
“I don’t think he’s the only one.”
Ever the observant mother. I swear, that woman never missed a thing.
“Maybe. We have a lot to talk about for sure once we get home.” Or during the long drive, if Sage was up for it.
I didn’t have the words yet. How does a Daddy explain to his boy that he loves him as much as ever but loves someone else too? I couldn’t risk their friendship over my issues.
“Don’t you break that boy’s heart.”
“Never, Mom. He’s my world.”
“Sounds like your world may require a bit of expanding, son.” Dad squeezed my shoulder as he walked past. “You were never one to do anything half-assed, but you’ve got yourself quite the dilemma.”
That was exactly what this was, a dilemma. Not an issue, my boys will never be that.
My boys.
Was it possible?
Could we make it work?
Fucking hell. “I don’t even know where to begin.”
“I’d recommend starting with that adorable boy curled up on the floor. I have a feeling you both want the same thing but are afraid of hurting the other by bringing it up.”
Had Mom rubbed off on Dad over the years or was it the other way around?
“I understand missing a friend,” Mom said, “but his reaction tells me there’s more than friendship on that mind of his.”
“Maybe.” I’ve had friends over the years, but never best ones that I’d consider visiting or even still spoke with. Sage was hurting and as his Daddy it was my job to take the pain away.
“Dinner’s ready. Why don’t you wake him. We’ll do presents after we eat,” Mom said. They’d already had Christmas with my brother and sister, so it was only Sage and I here tonight. Tomorrow we’d head home.
“Sage, sweetheart, it’s time for dinner.” My sleepy boy’s eyes barely opened. He rubbed at them and sat up.
“How long have I been asleep?”
“Couple of hours. You needed a nap, so we let you be.”
“Sorry, Daddy.”
“You have nothing to apologize for. Go wash your hands and meet us in the kitchen.” He gave me a quick kiss then headed down the hall.
JoJo nudged my hand. “I can take a hint, sweet girl.” Sage was right, I’d never realized before how soothing it was to have a pet.
They just knew when you needed their attention and petting her was definitely calming me down.
Mom and Dad steered their questions away from Devon and kept them Sage-related.
“What did Santa bring you, Sage?” Mom asked him.
“I got turtle luggage and a Squishmallow Mikey and,” he went through everything. “For my birthday Daddy took us to a fun amusement park.”
“You have a good Daddy,” Dad smiled.
“Yup, you raised him well.” That got everyone laughing.
“Let’s go in the living room and do presents,” Mom suggested after we’d cleared the table. “We have cake for the birthday boy.”
“You do?” Sage’s eyes lit up. First real smile I’d seen on him since Christmas morning.
“Of course we do. Didn’t think we’d forget such an important day, did ya?” Dad teased him.
Mom brought out all the presents and set them beside the ones I’d laid out.
“Happy late birthday, Sage,” she said as she handed him a birthday bag with balloons all over it.
“Thanks, Mom and Dad.” He pulled the paper out and then the gifts. “This is neat.”
“It’s a scrapbook kit so you can put all the stuff you and your Daddy do in it.”
He ran his fingers over the cover. “Thank you, that’s so thoughtful. I already have lots of pictures and stickers to put inside.”
“There’s more,” Dad said.
“A stuffy butterfly. Oh my gosh, I love it so much. Thank you.”
How in the world did she find that?
“You’re welcome,” Mom grinned. “I think there’s one more thing in there.”
“I’ve never seen this before.” He flipped the case around.
“It’s a traveling coloring desk kit. Inside it holds crayons, pencils, paper, whatever you want, but the case opens up into a portable desk you can use.”
“Daddy, can you open it?”
“I can but we’ve got Christmas presents to open next. Why don’t you give Mom and Dad their presents from us.”
“’kay.” Sage handed everything out, including what was for us and what we bought them in California. Not really presents but traveling trinkets and such.
“Thank you, boys. Sage, let’s see what Santa left you here.”
“How did he know I was coming?”
Dad tapped the side of his nose. “Santa knows everything.”
“This is a big box.” Sage ripped the paper off then the strip of packing tape. “What is it?” All he could see was white.
“Pull the Styrofoam out, silly boy.” Chunks were coming off, making the room a static nightmare. “Here, let Daddy help you.” I removed the top piece and handed it back.
“It’s a Ninja Turtle lamp! Thanks Mom and Dad, this is so cool.”
“Sage,” Dad leaned over, peeking beneath the tree. “I think Santa left one more big one back there for you.”
Sage crawled across the floor, carefully dipping beneath the tree and pulled it out. “Whoa, this one is even bigger and its squishy.”
He tore the paper off. Mom must’ve used an entire roll on that one gift.
“Daddy! Daddy! It’s a Ninja Turtle bean bag chair. How did Santa know I asked for one?”
“I sent him your list.”
In the end, he had another Squishmallow with the red turtle on it.
I believe his name is Raphael, a couple of puzzles and more coloring books.
I got some new flannels, Mom complained about my comfy holey ones.
Typical mom stuff and a couple dress shirts.
The rest of the evening went well. We sang Happy Birthday to a very happy boy and had cake.
Sage switched between playing with JoJo and his new toys until it was time to call it a night.
I owed my parents big time for this. They knew exactly how to turn my boy’s frown upside down.
Sage colored and chatted about his new stuff on the drive home. I welcomed the less depressing stage, though as soon as we pulled into our parking space, that changed. Hopefully, the surprise waiting inside would bring my happy boy back.
“Surprise!” Dempsey sang as we stepped inside.
“Welcome home,” Burke added.
“What are you doing here?” Sage ran over and hugged him. “I brought you stuff back from our trip.”
“You brought me prezzies?” Dempsey could barely contain himself.
“Yup and a couple Christmas prezzies too.”
Whew, plan worked and Sage was smiling again.
“Daddy, which suitcase are they in?”
“Well, his Christmas presents are under the tree. Why don’t you give him those while I dig out the travel goodies.”
“’kay. Thanks, Daddy.”
“The room is set up,” Burke whispered while the chatty boys did their thing.
“Thank you for that, I owe you big time.”
“You owe me nothing. I know you’d do the same for me.”
“Very true, my friend.”
“Daddy, look what Sage got me, and he said it’s from another Rawhide Ranch place.” Dempsey made the crochet rainbow fish we got him at Calla’s swim around. “It’s so pretty.”
“It is. I see there’s more on the floor, what else did you get?”
“He found me fairy coloring books and a super cute fairy playset. Thank you, Sage,” he nearly brained Sage giving him a hug.
“You’re welcome.”
“Hey, Sage, why don’t you take your turtle luggage into the playroom.” And now for the final surprise of the year.
“Come on, Dempsey, let’s go play with my new stuff.” The boys wandered off, Burke and I stood back waiting for the changes to sink in.
“Daddy, how did you do all this?”
“You said it yourself, this place is magic. Do you like it?”
“I love it. I have a big turtle rug and the dresser is so amazing!”
I’d seen the pictures Colton sent but hadn’t checked it out firsthand. “Wow.”
“Big wow, Daddy. Look, the handles are all the turtle heads, and he colored their masks too. S-A-G-E,” he spelled out his name as he traced the letters. “And look at all the pretty butterflies he carved on it too. Now I have a place for all my special clothes.”
“Great job on the table,” Burke said. “Turned out fantastic.”
“You made the little table and chairs for me Daddy?” I nodded and he asked, “When?”
“In the afternoons while you were with the other butterflies.”
He ran over and hugged me. “I love you, Daddy.”
“I love you too, little butterfly.”
The boys played while I unloaded and Burke was kind enough to cook dinner for all of us. Having them here really was a game changer, though I knew once they left, my boy would return to being sad, and silently, I would too.
For New Years, we decided to keep it low-key and stay home instead of attending the Ranch festivities. We’d struggled these last few days to fall back into a routine, both still a bit wound up.
“Daddy, my room is missing stuff.”
“It is?” I couldn’t think of single thing other than maybe shelves. “What stuff?”
“Devon’s stuff.”
I let it go, having no answer was better than giving the wrong one. “It’s almost midnight, little butterfly. Time for the countdown and to make a wish at the stroke of midnight.” Together we counted.
“Ten.”
“Nine.”
“Eight.”
“Seven.”
“Six.”
“Five.”
“Four.”
“Three.”
“Two.”
“One.”
“Happy New Year! Make a wish!” We shared the first kiss of the year, closed our eyes and made it.
“What did you wish for, little butterfly?”
“For Devon to be with us. Forever.”
“No take-backsies?”
“No take-backsies, Daddy.”
“Then let’s go get our boy.”
Was this really happening? Was I getting the family I wanted so badly? Someone must’ve been watching out for me to fill my life with so much love.
Hmm, maybe it was our magical Master Derek.
The End