Page 51 of Schooling Little Sage

“Daddy, please close it. We’re too high. What if we fall out?”

“Daddy.”

“Daddy.”

Ding, I pressed the button. “What can I get you, sir?” The stewardess asked.

“This is his first time flying and he needs a sweet something to take the edge off, if you know what I mean.”

She smiled. “I know just the thing. Be right back.” She returned a few minutes later with a tray holding a tiny bottle of Prosecco, a small bottle of orange juice, and a glass with ice. She mixed the first one up, put his tray down, and sat everything on it. “Here you go, honey, enjoy.”

“It’s fizzy, Daddy. What is it?”

“A mimosa. Take a sip and tell me what you think.” Fingers crossed that it goes down smoothly.

“That’s nummy. The bubbles tickle my nose.” Sage giggled and sipped again and then kept drinking.

With any luck, he’d nod off and sleep through the remainder of the flight. Otherwise… well, shit.

“This is my first time flying,” he said it so loud he scared the poor man across the aisle from us. “Have you had a mee-moose-uh before?”

I leaned around Sage and mouthed “sorry” to the man. Thankfully, he was kind and humored my tipsy boy.

He smiled and nodded. “I have had mimosas before, they’re quite tasty.”

“Daddy, can I have another?”

The man’s eyes widened. Heaven help us all if he thought I gave my child alcohol.

“He’s my boyfriend but I call him Daddy. Isn’t he sexy?” Sage asked.

I swore I heard the stewardesses laughing on the other side of the divider.

Another “sorry” mouthed to the poor man should’ve been enough but no, he too was enjoying himself at my expense.

“Yes, he’s a striking man. Are you sure you drank the orange juice, or did you just finish off that little green bottle?”

“The green one. The bubbles tickled my throat.”

Yup, my lightweight, never-had-a-drink-in-his-life-before boy was lit. Who knew such a tiny bottle of Prosecco would have that effect.

“Here’s a couple bottles of water for you both.” The stewardess was smiling far too wide for my liking. On the bright side, I regained the feeling in my fingers once Sage released them.

I pulled out the iPad and AirPods and queued up a movie. That should keep him occupied for the remainder of the short flight and grant our new friend a brief respite.

“Look, I found turtles, Sage.”

“Oooh.”

Whew, potential flight arrest averted.

Eventually, we both nodded off, waking when the pilot made the announcement that we were landing. I put everything away and tucked his tray in place. Still a bit groggy, Sage remained quiet, only squeezing my hand when the wheels touched the ground, bumping us around. Once we were at the gate, he breathed a sigh of relief.

“See, all good.”

“Yes, but it was still scary. Will Devon be there when we get off the plane?”

“No, he’ll be waiting outside of security for us.”