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“You could be right. I’ll give it a taste.”

Not once on the drive home did Ricky mention the cookies, which was a relief. She hated disappointing him.

“I’ll order the pizza as soon as we get home.”

“I’m not real hungry, if that’s all right.”

“Sure thing. Dinner can wait awhile.”

Once home, Ricky headed into this bedroom.

Sage waited thirty minutes before ordering the pizza. Not more than a half-hour later, DoorDash delivered the two small pizzas. Once she tipped the driver, she brought the two boxes into the kitchen and called Ricky. She assumed he was on his iPad playing his favorite games.

“Dinner’s here,” she reminded him a second time.

When Ricky didn’t respond, Sage went to check and found him on top of his bed, sound asleep.

Sage wasn’t sure if she should wake him or not. After a brief hesitation, she covered him with the afghan her mother had knit for her last Christmas. Uncertain what best to do, she checked his forehead once again. He seemed a little hot, but not so that she’d worry. Best to let him sleep, she decided.

Even though Ricky had been with her for less than a week, it felt odd for them not to have dinner together. She’d come to enjoy his happy chatter as he relayed the events of his day.

When it was apparent Ricky was going to sleep through the night, Sage roused him enough to help him change into his pajamas. Unsure if it was typical for kids to skip dinner and sleep instead, Sage phoned Erica, looking for advice. She didn’t want to worry Saffron.

“I don’t think he’s running a fever,” she explained to Erica, “but he isn’t himself. He didn’t eat much breakfast, and when I mentioned the pizza, he said he wasn’t hungry.”

“And you say he’s sleeping a lot?”

“Yes, I had to wake him this morning, and as soon as we got home, he went to bed. He’s been asleep for hours. What do you think is wrong?”

“I can’t say. Breanna is fine and Lisa would have said something if either Oliver or Amelia were under the weather.”

Sage agreed.

“It might be that he’s missing his mother and his friends at home. You never know how emotions come out in kids.”

Sage needed to consider that. “He talks to Saffron every night; we both do. Ricky hasn’t said anything about missing his friends.” A large part of their conversations revolved around all the fun Ricky had with Oliver, who was close to the same age.

“I don’t know what to tell you. If anything changes, let me know,” Erica told her.

“I appreciate the help. Thanks.”

Sage went to bed at her regular time. Propped up against the pillows, she was reading when she heard Ricky cry out. Rushing to climb out of bed, she nearly stumbled when her foot got caught in the sheets. Something was wrong and she needed to get to him quickly.

Ricky stood, vomiting over his sheets. Tears streamed down his face. “I’m sorry, Auntie Sage. I don’t feel good. My tummy hurts.”

“Oh, Ricky, there’s nothing to be sorry for.” She gently placed her arm around his shoulders and helped him into the bathroom to wash his face.

After cleaning him up, Sage helped him change pajamas. She quickly made a bed for him on the sofa and placed a pan on the carpet in case he needed to throw up again. As soon as he settled, she took the bedding off his mattress and placed it in the washer.

Unwilling to leave him, she sat in the chair and waited until he was asleep again before she returned to her own bed. Before she turned the light out, she sent a text to Erica.

Ricky is sick. He just threw up. I won’t be in the office tomorrow.

This meant Sage would need to take a sick day herself. Really, how did working mothers manage situations like this? Surely once Troy heard she was out of the office, he’d use the information to his advantage, making sure Mowrey knew she was absent when she should be working with her team on the Hudson project. It went without saying that Ethan wouldn’t use this to his advantage. He was nothing like Troy.

By morning, Sage wasn’t feeling so great herself. Between frequent visits to the bathroom and an unruly tummy, she was down for the count. For his part, Ricky was feeling much better.

“I’ll take care of you,” he told her cheerfully.