Mel is leaving for her date with Austin.
Everyone is standing in the kitchen watching Mel leave for the night.
"I'm going to be late. Have a good rest of the night!" Mel said with excitement as she left.
"Bye! Have Fun!" Ryder and Lennox said in unison, Lennox closing the door.
The kids are upstairs: Lennox getting ready for her night with Zander and Ryder is playing a video game.
Down in the kitchen, Joe is pacing back and forth.
"What if something goes wrong? What if this is the perfect guy?" Joe thought, beginning to worry.
Suddenly, he had a plan. A lightbulb goes off in his head *ding!* or was that the oven? It's the oven.
"I have to think of a distraction. I have to get her out of this date." Joe said aloud.
Joe kept thinking.
The oven is preheated and Joe started cooking dinner to distract himself.
The chicken goes into the oven on time, the water is boiling for the vegetables. Joe sighs.
Ryder comes down the stairs, covering his mouth with his fist as he coughs continuously.
Ryder walks towards him, sniffles and starts speaking "Joe. I feel sick" he mutters, his voice sounding hoarse.
Joe's eyes bugged out and he smiles suspiciously, looking at his complexion.
"Hmm.. You do look pale. Come here" Joe tells him and Ryder walks behind the island Joe is standing at.
As Ryder is beside Joe, Joe takes the palm of his hand to Ryder's forehead.
"Well, you feel warm. Why didn't you say anything?" Joe's tone began to change.
"You sure? I felt fine earlier. I was upstairs taking a nap and when I woke up my body just started to ache. I want Aunt Mel. No offense" Ryder explained.
"Alright. Alright. This is perfect" Joe said with a giant grin on his face.
Ryder shook his head in confusion and sat at the table.
"I'm going to call your Aunt so she doesn't continue on her date and I need you as the problem. Are you following me?"Joe explained to Ryder as if he has been planning this for days.
"Oh no, I don't want to ruin her-" Ryder began to say interrupted by a coughing fit.
"Just go with 's probably having a terrible time anyway" Joe explained and began to call Mel.
Lennox came down the stairs, watching Joe and Ryder. "Um.. Do I want to know what's going on?"
Ryder shook his head.
"Alright. Well, I'm going out with Zander, have a good night!" Lennox said nearly running out the door.
Joe gave her a thumbs up while Ryder just put his head down on the kitchen table.
The phone rang a few times, on the third ring Mel answered.
"Joe.. Why are you calling me" She asked in anger.
"Mel. It's Ryder, he came down a few minutes ago to tell me he felt sick. He feels warm, but I need you to come home" Joe told her with concern.
"Oh no. Well, you can handle him until I get home.. Can't you?" Mel asked as her anger turned calm.
"Can I talk to her?" Ryder asked in the background.
Joe nodded and handed Ryder the phone.