right? Since you’re my dad’s mate?”
“I think so.” Although I don’t really know. Sam told me that Jesse would use they/them pronouns until the day of the gender reveal, and that he couldn’t tell me Jesse’s primary or secondary gender until then. But I guess Jesse gets to choose how to interpret the rules. It’s their gender.
They sit next to me on the bed. “I’m male. A male omega.”
“Thank you for telling me. I’m honored that you’d want me to shop for tuxes with you.”
There are a few basic black styles on the first screen, I scroll down, but Jesse returns to the top of the page.
“I should rent a cheap one. I don’t know how many people are going to see it anyway.”
I set the tablet on the mattress. “What makes you say that?”
They shrug. “Some of my friends aren’t allowed to go to my party anymore. Since… you know.”
“Since their parents found out about me?”
Jesse nods.
“What did they say to you?” I ask.
“They think Dad’s cheating on my omega dad.”
Sam and I knew this might happen. It’s too bad that Jesse is bearing the brunt of everyone’s judgement.
“What do you think?”
Jesse looks away from me. “I don’t know.”
“It’s okay. You can tell me.”
They swallow hard. “I think… people don’t know what it’s like. My dad was so sad before. And now he’s not. Shouldn’t that matter?”
Sam has raised such a thoughtful, kind child.
“Are you disappointed that people aren’t going to come to your party?” I ask.
For the first time in the conversation, Jesse smiles. “Not really. I don’t care how many people are there, as long as I get to do it the right way.”
I pick up the tablet again, and scroll past the cheapest tuxedos. “Then do it your way, Jess. Pick out the tux you actually want. It doesn’t matter how many people see you in it. What matters is that you’ll feel fabulous on your special day.”
They take the tablet from me and scroll down to a white tux with black lapels. “I kind of like this one.”
“It is dapper, isn’t it?”
They hand the tablet back. “Which ones do you think would look good on me?”
“Let’s see,” I say, swiping up. “What do you think about coattails?”
They scrunch up their nose.
I laugh. “Okay, then. No coattails.”
Sam walks in the bedroom with Mary in his arms. He opens his mouth to say something, but when he sees Jesse on our bed, he backs up. “Sorry, am I interrupting something?”
“Lu was helping me pick out a tux.”
I discretely wave at Sam, hoping he’ll get the hint and leave us alone.
“I’ll leave you to it. But I wanted to tell you that Mary peed in the potty.”
Mary grins from ear to ear with pride. “I big girl.”
“That’s right,” Sam says, lifting up his hand for a high-five. She smacks it and giggles.
I hold back the tears pooling in my eyes. I didn’t know how badly I wanted this until now. Sam and I aren’t just a couple in hiding. We’re a family.
“Good job, Mary. I’m so proud of you,” I say.
Sam brings her over for a few more high fives, then he leaves Jesse and I alone.
“Is there anything else you’d like me to help out with? Anything else an omega father does for a gender reveal?” I ask.
Jesse pulls their knees to their chest. “There is one thing. A name. Usually it’s the omega parent who picks out an adult name. Dad already chose one, but… I don’t like it.”
“Have you told him that?”
They shake their head.
“Okay. Are there any names you had in mind?”
“I don’t know. I just figured it was done, you know?”
I open up a second tab and search for baby names.
If Sam can help potty train Mary, I can help with Jesse’s gender reveal party.
36
Sam
I wake to Ed’s face grinning back at me in the dark.
“What in the—”
He puts a finger to his lips.
Lu winds an arm around my waist and kisses the crook of my neck. “Go on. They’re kidnapping you.” His voice is calm. Did Ed warn him that he was going to show up in our bedroom in the middle of the night?
That’s when I notice several other shapes in the darkness of our bedroom. There has to be at least six other adults. They’re all wearing ski masks.
Is Ed involved with some kind of criminal element?
“I put out some clothes for you at the foot of the bed. Have fun,” Lu whispers in my ear.
“Have fun doing what?” I