Page 19 of The Bear, the Eagle, and their Wombat Omega (Omegas of Animals: SD #14)

Bruno

We’d been going back and forth for some time now, us visiting San Diego and Steve driving up here, but now that he was pregnant, we didn’t like the idea of him being on the freeway in traffic for hours at a time.

Not only were we ultra-protective of our omega and the baby he carried, but he just wasn’t feeling that well.

The only problem was, every time we suggested we do all the traveling, he got upset and insisted that he had to take his turn or it wasn’t fair to us.

“When is he due?” Arkyn asked.

“Shortly, but you know traffic. Especially on Friday nights.”

Arkyn had arrived a half hour earlier to spend the weekend with Steve and me.

We still maintained our separate places most nights during the week despite our desire to be together every night.

But we agreed it was unfair for us to get to be together every night when our omega couldn’t be there.

It was bad enough that we got to be together at work all day.

Still, the situation was growing increasingly untenable.

Arkyn went into the kitchen and came back with two opened beer bottles. He handed me one and flopped on the couch. “We can’t go on like this.”

He didn’t have to tell me what he meant. I took a drink from the bottle and opened the sliding door to the deck outside. The scent of meat and spices drifted into the cabin. “Steve asked me to make a brisket. Hope it will be good.”

“Everything you make is good. And it smells incredible. Is he craving that?”

“I don’t know if it’s a craving, but it was a request, and after his early stomach problems, I was just thrilled he wanted something.” I opened the smoker and checked the thermometer. “Looks like it’s almost done.”

“How long has it been cooking?” He leaned over my shoulder, but all he could see was the foil I’d wrapped the meat in after adding cider to it.

“Since three this morning. That’s why I had to leave the office a couple of times.

It’s electronic, but I still don’t trust it entirely.

” I had an app on my phone where I could check the temperature and some other things, and a camera over the back door pointed right at the smoker, so I could look on my phone and make sure it all looked fine, too.

Even if the device instructions said I could leave it, I was trying my best to be careful. Working close by helped.

“He’s going to love it. Sides?”

“I made cole slaw and barbecue beans.”

“Aren’t those kind of heavy?” Our omega had truly been sick at first, and eaten practically nothing, so no wonder he worried. I had too.

“The entire meal is by request. There is also peach cobbler.” I checked the thermometer again and lifted the brisket off the smoker and onto a tray.

“Let’s take this inside.” I hefted the tray.

“It’s twelve pounds. I thought he could take some home with him to eat during the week.

I made lots of everything for that reason. ”

“What do you suppose he eats otherwise when we’re apart? My eagle worries that he’s not eating right.”

“My bear thinks the same. He’s only happy when he can see him with his food and know he’s getting nutrition. He’s also upset that we aren’t together all the time.”

“What are we going to do? He can’t commute from here, and he shouldn’t be away from us while he’s carrying the baby.”

“And why can’t I?” Steve was standing in the open front doorway. “I’m doing fine on my own, and we’re seeing a lot of one another.”

“Steve!” I hustled to the door and wrapped him in my arms as best I could with his belly and his duffel bag between us. “I’m so glad to see you.”

Arkyn took his turn to hug and kiss our omega in welcome then led him to the couch. “Sit down and I’ll get you some water.”

“I’ve been sitting for two-and-a-half hours. And I drank so much water, I had to stop twice to pee. Did you make the brisket?”

“I did. And I just took it off the smoker to rest. Hungry?”

“Starving.” He sniffed the air. “It smells incredible. I am going to eat five pounds of it.”

“As much as you want, omega,” I said. “I was going to serve in an hour or so, but if you’re hungry, sit down at the table and I’ll serve it all up.”

He took a seat, and our eagle helped us to get everything out of the fridge and from the counter and lay it all out so our omega could eat his fill. Watching him made me feel great, but as Arkyn said, what about all the days we weren’t together?

“Omega,” I said finally, “why won’t you come and live with us?”

“But you two don’t live together,” he said, a forkful of tender brisket in his hand. “You have your own places. Arkyn has an apartment.”

“True,” Arkyn said, “but when we are all ready to live together, I’m prepared to give it up. I hate sleeping without the two of you. I miss you all night.”

“Well, we can—” I stopped when Steve burst into tears. “Omega, what’s wrong?”

“I-I don’t want to live alone anymore. I know I need to work and my business, but I just lie awake wondering what you guys are doing. If you’re awake, if it’s okay to call you that late… I just don’t know what to do.”

I dropped to my knees at his side. “Omega, we’ll do anything you like.

If you want to stay in San Diego, we’ll start making plans for that.

But not because you have to work. You are pregnant and that’s a pretty full-time job.

You can quit and then afterward, if you want to do something else or go back to your old business, that’s fine. Just tell us what to do.”

“I have an idea for a business, but it might not make enough money to pay my share of expenses at first.”

“What do you want to do?” Arkyn knelt at his other side.

“I-I want to be an event planner here and specialize in birthday parties. It’s silly, right?”

“No, it’s not.” I kissed him and patted his hand. “It’s a great idea. In San Diego?”

“Here, if you’ll have me. My place is too small and if you both quit your jobs, we’d really have income to make up. And this is a nice place to raise a family.” He sniffled. “Not that San Diego isn’t…”

“It’s great, but yes, we both grew up in Bear Run and it was wonderful. Are you saying you’d like to move here with us?”

“But right after I’m done being pregnant, I want to start my business.”

“Omega, we’ll do everything we can to help. Birthday parties sound fun,” I said. “Right, Arkyn?”

“Uh, well, with you two? Everything is fun.”

We kissed Steve’s tears away and he went back to eating, happy again, after making us happy. Soon we’d all be sleeping under one roof every night. Finally!