Page 44 of Schooling Little Sage

“Oops, sorry Daddy.” The little imp slid back into them. “Winky is tucked away, now it’s turtle time.”

His costume was packed with puffy fake muscles and instead of a full-face mask it only had the fabric one that went across his eyes. “Do you want Daddy to paint the rest of your face green for the party?” I was sure Becky had face paints in stock this time of year.

“That would be so much fun, Daddy. Then everyone will think I’m a real Ninja Turtle.”

The bottoms of his costume pants were made to slide over his shoes so they just kind of hung over his bare feet for now. “Here are the nunchucks, be careful with them please.” Though made of foam, they were very realistic but there was no reason to go berserk swinging them around.

“I will, Daddy.” I handed him an orange pumpkin-shaped bucket, and he tore out of the room. “Dempsey?”

“Coming!” Dempsey yelled from the playroom and just like the fairy he was dressed as, he flew into the living room.

Squeals and laughter filled our home. Both wonderful and brain damaging. While Burke and I smiled at our silly boys, I’d wished we’d have thought of ear plugs beforehand.

“I love your wings.” Sage tweaked the tips.

“I love your muscles.” Dempsey squeezed the puffy foam on Sage’s arms. “We look totally adorbs!”

“Stand back!” Sage held his hand up, “I’ll show you how to use numb-chucks.”

I almost corrected his pronunciation but, given the moment, I let it pass. He whipped them around, nowhere close to how they were intended, but he was having a blast. I thanked the toy gods they were foam and wouldn’t cause more than a sting if they hit skin.

“Whoa, that’s so cool,” Dempsey said. “Watch this!” He hit a button on his costume and his wings lit up and slowly flapped.

“You’re a real fairy.” Sage grinned. “Can they make you fly?”

“Mmm, I don’t know, let’s see.”

Before broken bones happened, Burke stepped in and stopped his boy from crawling up on the table. “I can guarantee without any injuries that those wings are nowhere near strong enough to hold you, little sprite. They’re just for looks.”

“Bummer.” Dempsey sighed.

“I don’t think so ’cause they’re super pretty,” Sage assured his friend. “Daddy, can we watch a movie?”

“If it were a Friday or Saturday night I’d say yes, but we have work tomorrow bright and early, sweetheart.”

“Now, that’s a bummer,” Sage said and Dempsey giggled.

“Alright, Dempsey, say goodbye to Sage and thank Warner.” Burke gathered up their things in the box.

“Thank you, Daddy Warner.”

That was a first, but as long as Burke was good with him calling me that, then I was too. To me being called Daddy was an honorific and I was truly honored.

“You’re very welcome.”

“Thank you, Daddy Burke,” Sage said, mimicking his friend before he hugged him.

“Alright, little turtle, let’s get your suit put away before it gets dirty.” It took a bit of wrangling, but somehow I got it off him without destroying it in the process. The wiggle-worm did his best to get me to let him sleep in it. That would’ve gone all kinds of wrong.

It was going to be a long few weeks waiting for the Halloween party.

“Daddy, hurry up!”

“Is my boy getting sassy with his Daddy? It’s not too late to cancel, you know.” It would absolutely gut me to do that to him but if this was a sign of how the night would go, I’d rather miss it all together.

“No, Daddy, sorry. I’m just all wound up.”

That he was. “The festival doesn’t open for another hour and we’re a five-minute walk away.” Probably should’ve had him take a nap first. Littles and sugar, hopefully the Ranch staff had the forethought to make everything sugar free.