Life with three kids under two.

Two in diapers, one on the potty chair (and she occasionally missed).

The expense of those diapers, formula, and a little girl who refused to eat anything except chicken nuggets and applesauce, but only certain nuggets and certain applesauce, and only from her dinosaur plate and bowl.

A wonderful, loving grandmother who came over frequently and explained to her omega son that he did everything wrong—fed and bathed the babies wrong, fed and bathed the toddler wrong, should be on a schedule, should be stricter with the toddler—and claimed that’s why reproductively typical men shouldn’t become omegas.

A protective alpha that got on his mother-in-law’s shit-list because he kicked her out of the house.

Sore belly, sore back, sleepless nights all around.

A toddler that thought the babies would play with her, just as they did with each other in the womb, and then became disgusted with them that they were so boring, then became jealous that, despite their boringness, they got most of the attention. Tantrums.

City sounds that woke the babies up just after they’d been nursed to sleep.

No sleep.

No sleep.

No sleep.

***

At four months old, the babies were given a clean bill of health and the okay to fly, and the new and improved family was off to Alaska for the summer.

What was it about that big building in that little town that was so conducive to rest and healing?

Part of it was certainly the enthusiastic help that they received from their friendly neighbors. At moments when Elizabeth, now officially in her Terrible Twos, was about to make her parents tear their hair out in frustration, Denise swooped in and offered to take her for a few hours. Raff and Chris got a little break, and Bizzy came home tuckered out from playing with her buddies. Win/win.

Or just when they thought they were going to have to put another frozen pizza in the oven because they were too tired to shop and too un-showered to head up to the café, Holly sent down a delicious, foil-covered casserole plus a side of chicken nuggets.

They loved Brooklyn and would likely never move away, but there was a different pace and different priorities in Stellar, Alaska, that was much needed for a few months out of the year. Particularly this year.

It was fun getting to know the babies. Different from getting to know their sole little girl. Edward was always calm, even staid, as long as he got his meal and a change. Eric was fussier and a messier eater, and he always pooped a second time, immediately after getting into a new diaper.

Raff liked to imagine what they’d be like in a few years.

“Edward, you’re going to be a reader and a writer, I bet. You’ll love Harry Potter. You’ll probably get into middle school politics too. Eric, you’re going to a skateboarder and beg us every year until we get a dog. Hopefully you won’t have ADHD, but if you do, it will be okay. And you guys will be best friends and worst enemies.”

Chris wondered if the boys would be reproductively typical or if they were alpha/omega. It was impossible to tell until puberty, and it really didn’t matter, but he hoped that, whatever happened, they would be happy. Just as Raff was glad to be an alpha but had suffered at times because of other people’s bigoted perceptions, and just as Chris had longed to be an omega and had to work hard to accomplish that, there were pros and cons to both. That didn’t stop him from wondering.

Around the time that the boys turned six months, Denise begged to babysit.

“I miss babies so much!” she cried. “Let me have them, just for a few hours. I can stay at your place. It will be a break for all of us.”

Raff thought that Chris would balk but, as they joked later, he practically threw the twins at the woman and ran out the door.

It was easy to find the best restaurant in Fairbanks—there weren’t many to begin with, and a quick Yelp search was fruitful. It was a romantic Mediterranean place that featured beautiful belly dancers in spangled, jewel-toned costumes on Saturday nights. The iced tea had fresh lemon and pine nuts floating in it, and the tables were set back into alcoves separated by silken curtains woven with gold thread.

“We’ve gone out a lot in Brooklyn. And Manhattan too. And I cannot remember a more romantic location than this,” Chris said. “Or maybe I’m just starved for a night out.”

“No, I think you’re right. Imagine finding it in the Last Frontier.”

Their appetizer was a mezze platter, with vegetarian delicacies—hummus, baba ganouj, stuffed grape leaves, and a variety of olives—all drizzled in imported olive oil.

“Mm . . . olive oil.” Raff gave his husband a salacious wink.

Chris winked back. “Hey, I’m drinking wine tonight. You might just get lucky.”

The drive home was relaxing. Classic rock played quietly on the radio, and Raff drove at a leisurely pace. The summer sun was low in the sky and he said he wanted to enjoy the view together. Chris was glad to let his husband make the plans.

Ever since Chris decided to become an intentional omega, he heard people express their preconceived notions and biases about alphas and omegas. They weren’t wrong, exactly. After all, stereotypes usually existed for a reason. Alphas were usually physically larger. Omegas were usually more involved parents. Alphas could be excellent businessmen, whereas omegas enjoyed the domestic arts. He’d heard it all, and he’d seen in in real life when he met other alphas and omegas.

He also knew that he was the top-notch legal eagle, and Raff was the ever-patient full-time father. Chris was the one who made the investment decisions, and Raff was the one who was deciding which preschool to send Elizabeth to. It worked for them and it was great.

But Raff was the one who was brave and strong when Chris got anxious. Raff was the one who was dominant in the bedroom, and knew how to give Chris exactly what he desired. Chris knew how to comfort and console his man, with tender touches and kisses, and he knew how to give him encouraging pep talks when the going got tough.

He wasn’t sure if any of that was a result of them being alpha and omega, or if it was just two human men being compatible and flexible. But he knew that he was happy with this alpha by his side.