Daddy by Choice

Blind Date

No one likes blind dates when they're a surprise. Mark made sure Quinn, his brothers, and a few other key Alphas on the invite list quietly spread the word that there would be a lot of unattached Omegas at the party. Anyone who wanted to avoid the obvious implications could decline the invite.

To their surprise, curiosity won over matrimonial avoidance tendencies. In the last eight months, two of the Xi brothers had suddenly married Omegas and appeared ridiculously happy thereafter. It was enough to make their friends give, "rubbing shoulders with Omegas to see what sparked," as Mark put it, a try. And it was an opportunity to rub a lot of shoulders without any targeted family pressure.

Chen brought Zed out to the resort two days early and pampered him with spa treatments and massages. Since his due date was only a week away, Chen also made sure the local hospital had a copy of Zed's records and checked the guest list for qualified doctors that would be on the premises. The resort kept a nurse practitioner on staff qualified to perform a delivery in a pinch, but he wanted backup plans for his backup plan.

Since they could do nothing about the local attractions becoming less of a tourist draw, B Corp decided to rebrand their property as a health resort for its reopening. They hired a physical therapist to expand spa services, a nutritionist to run the kitchen, and were in the process of remodeling an older building of seldom filled guest rooms into a small medical office.

Eventually, the elite would be able to undergo long uncomfortable treatments, like chemo therapy, in a resort setting. With over 400 premium guest rooms, it would serve the patients and their family members who wanted be close. This weekend, nearly 400 members of that elite market were coming in good health to give it a trial run. It was first rate exposure.

Zed enjoyed thinking about how his clever Alpha anticipated all the possibilities and always made things better than originally proposed. He figured out Chen liked the challenge more than the money it brought. And taking care of his employees in the process was part of the challenge. He'd come home depressed a few months ago and after a lot of cajoling confessed that a former employee was spreading rumors that B Corp mistreated its workers.

That was the only time his husband ever looked defeated. You can't stop rumors. Instead, he assigned a task force to inspect every subsidiary, every vendor, every nook and cranny of the company to insure their corporate value of taking care of their employees was faithfully executed. If a project couldn't be done without exploiting workers, then it wasn't worth doing. Zed got misty eyed thinking about it again.

Everything made him tear up lately, the towels rolled into teddy bears, a commercial for laundry soap, the chocolate on his pillow, the lawnmower guy waving to one of the maids...everything. He finally pulled himself together and then guests started showing up and he fell to pieces again. So many impressive people, all come to wish Chen's baby well. Zed honored his promise, to the extent of not allowing even himself to think of the child he carried as anyone else but Chen's. It was humbling to be accepted so warmly by everyone for Chen's sake.

His Alpha never left his side. When he felt too tired to stand, Chen seated him comfortably in a prominent location and stood by, expecting the guests to come to them. While the guests enjoyed a beautiful buffet, attendants delivered food and drink directly to Zed's hands.

The parade of arrivals kept them busy and a small pile of gifts grew at Zed's side. All delivered with the same apology, "Of course we're giving to the foundation too, but I saw this and had to get it for Xi Baby because..." insert sentimental memory of Xi Chen here. Zed didn't mind these gifts. He knew every time he looked at them he'd remember the stories and the friends that gave them. A few of the larger gifts were an original work of art for the nursery from an artist Chen once sponsored and a handmade quilt from Chen's grandmother. Priceless gifts that Xi Baby would treasure someday.

The constant distraction of arrivals finally slowed and Zed scanned the welcoming party to see how the blind date aspect of the night was moving along. He couldn't really tell. Everyone seemed to be having fun, dancing, eating, or gathered in small groups to chat. It looked like the Omegas were mixed in but there were no obvious signs of pending romance.

What were the signs? Passing out in an elevator wasn't the normal way people went about finding mates. Zed almost asked Chen, but they were interrupted by his parents. His dad held another small present and his mom was smiling ear to ear about it. What more could they give Xi Baby? Zed couldn't refuse his in-laws, so he graciously accepted the small package and tugged at the ribbon.

"Now, that's not for Xi Baby," Chen's mother interrupted before Zed could finish unwrapping it. "That's for you." Zed paused and looked up to see Chen smiling ear to ear just like his mother. He knew what this was and didn't warn Zed? The pause seemed to worry Mrs. Xi so she added, "you've made our son so happy, and you've turned us into grandparents which is the height of happiness for old folks like us. This is just a sentimental token so you have to accept it. That was the condition you set!" Now Zed was really worried. He carefully lifted the lid and then snapped it shut again.

Chen leaned down and whispered in his ear, "it's not a push present, but it is a fat diamond, just like you requested. I told you I'd give you anything you ask for. My mom was begging me for gift ideas so I get to make you both happy." Then, he took the box out of Zed's hands and removed the ring from it to place on his Mate's finger.

"It was my grandmother's," Mr. Xi announced, clearly intending to draw the attention of nearby guests. "And her great grandmother's. And all the mothers in between have worn it at some time. May all their good fortune pass to you as you become the next Xi mother." He bowed deeply and Zed did his best to bow back over his massive belly. He didn't even bother trying to stem the tears.

Who cared whether the other Alphas and Omegas were sparking when a full on bonfire burned between the guests of honor. Chen passed Zed his backup handkerchief and members of the press asked to take a photo of them together with Chen's parents.

In the photo that made the news the next morning, everyone looked politely at the camera except Chen who gazed down lovingly at his Omega. Zed's heart glowed with  residual happiness until he saw the accompanying headline, "Is Xi Chen the Father?"