Dylan continued excitedly telling his mom about the encounter, and their voices faded as they left. I stood in their direction with a lingering smile. The experience was bittersweet--I was glad to brighten Dylan’s day, but it only made me painfully aware that I was an alpha with no family of my own.
Would I ever have a child of my own to hold in my arms? An omega to come home to and kiss?
The fantasy was nice to think about, even if it was fleeting. I imagined what my mate and child might look like--since I’d lost my sight as an adult, I still had a vivid imagination, even if my eyes didn’t match the experience. My omega would be handsome, small enough to press protectively against my chest. My baby would be a cute combination of both our features, getting compliments everywhere . . .
My smile slipped into a frown. A fantasy was only that. Fake. Not real.
Not happening anytime soon.
With a sigh, I gripped River’s handle. “Forward.”
This time when we crossed the street, there was no fuss. We continued on our walk as the sun’s rays warmed the air and melted more slush. I heard the tinysplashof River’s paws and my boots kicking up water with each step. But the sound just reminded me of children playing in the rain with their plastic boots. Once again my mind drifted to a made-up image of my omega and I watching our child play in the rain . . .
A distraction. That was what I needed.
Since this street was on my daily walking path, I knew it well. From scent and sound alone, I knew which storefront was which. Certain shops played only certain radio stations - like the video game store playing rock and soft metal. Places that served food were easier to discern, with their wafting scents and clinking silverware when outdoor patios were open.
The smell of coffee made me pause. The fragrant, milky notes activated pleasurable feelings in my brain, and of course, made me crave them.
“Guess we’re getting coffee, River,” I said.
From experience, I knew which store I was standing outside of--a place called the Omega Angel Café. Apparently, the gimmick was that the employees were all omegas and wore angel costumes. Since I was unable to see them, and touching employees was banned (not that I went around touching people anyway), the costumes meant nothing to me except the knowledge of it being a cute novelty.
Maybe being surrounded by some omegas is what I need right now,I thought.
A latte being served by a nice omega. What was better for my longing spirit?
I directed River in the direction of the door and when I entered, a whimsical bell rung above my head. River stopped in front of what I assumed was a front kiosk.
“Hi there! Welcome to the Omega Angel Café!” the omega said. “Oh, and you have a little friend with you. So cute!”
I smiled thinly. I preferred it when people pretended not to notice River instead of making a spectacle out of him, but it happened so often that I just ignored it.
“I’ll get a table for one, please,” I said, hoping to get my point across.
“Of course! Right this way.”
I grasped River’s handle. “River, follow.”
He maneuvered his way through the tables and booths, following the omega. River was trained to think about all obstacles in his path, including ones that I could bump into. He wouldn’t lead me into a space only wide enough for him, and he was careful to avoid tripping hazards. In other words, he prevented me from falling and eating shit in front of a crowd.
When he finally stopped, I stopped as well.
“Here we go,” said the omega.
I felt for the chair and took a seat. “River, under.”
River took his place beneath the table and settled calmly into position.
“Wow, he’s so well behaved!” the omega said. “Anyway, your server Felix will be with you shortly.”
Thankfully, he left before I made a mildly snarky comment about how much attention he was paying to my dog.
I inhaled, taking in the delicious scents in the air. Pastries, chocolate, sweets, coffee. . . all the aromas mixed together in a symphony that made my mouth water. Usually I didn’t indulge too much--a leftover habit from my days as a fitness junkie--but today was different. I was determined to make the best of today, and if that included stuffing my face with chocolate, then so be it.
I felt the air shift with movement as someone stopped beside my table.
“Hi there,” a warm male voice said. “I’m Felix, and I’ll be your server today, sir.”
