Baby Love

Erik was exhausted. He had no idea how other working parents did this every day. Even with Nanny Rushman, as she insisted on being called, he was run ragged.

It didn’t help that when they were apart, Anya was always on his mind. The way she cried every morning when he left broke his heart a little more each day. She really had latched onto him like he was her birth father and that…meant more than he’d thought it would.

“You’ve been taking a lot of time lately…” Angel said with a hesitant twist to her mouth. Erik blinked up at her wearily. He insisted on waking with Anya during the night and putting her to bed, bathing her if he made it home in time. He’d been trying to make it home on time. In spite of his best efforts it was very hit or miss.

“I’ve been here as usual. Or nearly,” he amended remembering the few times he’d slept through his alarm from staying up too late with his girl. The days he’d left early-for him- to get home in time for dinner and bedtime.

The time he’d scheduled off to take her to a Baby and Me class once a week after a run in with a group of other omega parents at the park. He had never considered that he might actually be failing Anya until they’d all gone on so matter of factly about the advanced classes their children took and waiting lists for elite preschools that he’d never even heard of.

He wasn’t going to let her fall behind just because he was a single omega. Unfortunately, a parent had to attend each lesson so the duty fell outside of Nanny Rushman’s purview.

The point was, he was still hitting his goals and deadlines so what did all that matter?

He frowned at Angel’s averted gaze. “I need the weekend to see my parents. Just clear my schedule,” he wiped a tired hand over his eyes. He’d been trying to plan a visit in the month and a half since Anya came into his life, but between work, caring for Anya, and trying to sleep he hadn’t found the time to actually leave the city. In spite of it all, he still felt like a failure when it came to her.

He hoped the feeling faded with time.

“Erik,” Angel said hesitantly.

He snapped to attention, her tone alerting him to the fact that something was very wrong. “What?”

“Mr. Black has asked to see you in his office,” she said. Eyes averted.

A cold chill danced down his spine. They didn’t have a scheduled meeting and it wasn’t time for his performance review.

Chippenham had signed, but certain aspects of their contract were still being ironed out.

He’d had to reschedule a few meetings here and there but he had good rapport with Mr. Chippenham and had every faith that they would find a good conclusion to their plans.

He took a moment to clear his mind. There could be any number of reasons Mr. Black wanted to speak with him.

He straightened his suit coat and tie and took a quick glance in the mirror to make sure he looked his best. He looked a bit worn and had shadows under his eyes but his appearance was otherwise impeccable.

Angel wasn’t at her desk when he walked past.

He felt eyes on his back as he made his way to Mr. Black’s office. He passed Azazel on his way in. The alpha winked at him, smirking broadly as he sauntered by.

Erik swallowed convulsively and hurried his steps. Mr. Black’s assistant stood as soon as she saw him and quickly ushered him into the office with a strained smile.

“Mr. Lehnsherr,” the elderly alpha stood to greet him as he entered the room.

“Mr. Black,” he gave his most charming smile and strode across the office to accept his handshake.

“Please sit,” he gestured across his desk and waited to sit until Erik took a seat.

“How can I help you, sir?” he asked, trying to seem confident.

“How are things going for you, Erik?”

“Fine sir.”

“Good, that’s good. How’s the baby? I heard you decided to keep her.” He said genially.

Erik pursed his lips, gossip spread like wildfire in the office. “I did. She’s doing very well. I hired a nanny. They get along well.”

Mr. Black nodded. “I’m glad to hear it. It’s good to see you getting back on track.”

“Thank you sir, it was something of an adjustment but a worthwhile pursuit.”

“That’s what I like to hear,” he sighed heavily and rose from his seat to pace over to the wall of windows and gaze out over the city. “I don’t know if you’re aware of it, but Azazel has stepped in to lead a few of those meetings you had to reschedule.”

Erik frowned, “I knew he’d taken second in a few of the preliminary contract negotiations.”

Black glanced at him over one shoulder, “He’s been a bit more involved than that, Erik. He’s already closed on Raime. I’m giving him the Chippenham account.”

Erik’s blood turned to ice for one horrified moment in time. He sucked in a cleansing breath, trying to take a moment and figure something out. “Sir, I-”

“It’s been a hell of a year for you Erik, take some time to yourself. You’ve been on the fast track for years. No one’s keeping score. Slow down a bit, enjoy some time with your daughter.”

“I-I-” his mind was still offline. He simply couldn’t cope with what he was hearing. “I was going to be partner,” it came out as a hushed whisper.

“And you still can be. Maybe next year or the year after. We still need you here, Erik." He assured him firmly, "I’m putting you on a lower profile account. Beppa’s”

Erik choked out a cough, “Beppa’s? The local dog food company?” he asked, incredulous. That wasn’t even the work of an account lead, much less someone being considered for junior partner.

“It’ll be less work for the time being. After a while we can see about getting you on the team for some larger accounts again,” Mr. Black said stoutly.

Erik was on the verge of begging. “Sir, please reconsider. I can put in the hours, it’s like you said, I’ve just had a rough few weeks-”

“God damn it, Lehnsherr!” Mr. Black snapped turning back to him with a glare. “I don’t know how many grandkids I have but I do know that I’ve kept this company in the black for over thirty years!” He looked conflicted-almost ashamed about that revelation.

He stormed back over to his desk and ran his fingers through his steel grey hair in exasperation. “I kept us afloat during the recession and we’ve come back better than ever. You can’t have it all. None of us can! You have a choice to make Lehnsherr! Something’s got to give!”

Erik rose to his feet, fists clenched to keep his hands from shaking; he blinked hard and clenched his teeth. He was not about to cry. He understood what the other man was saying, but “I can’t go back out there and tell everyone that I’m working Beppa’s.”

“Swallow your pride, Erik.” he admonished sternly.

He straightened up and looked him right in the eye, “I can’t. Not about this.”

Mr. Black frowned deeply and pressed his lips together in a thin line, “Then I guess you’re going to have to do what you feel is best.”

Erik cleared his throat trying to breathe past the knot of pain that had developed over the course of their conversation. “I guess I will.”

~~

Twenty minutes later saw Erik hefting one loaded file box of all the personal items he’d compiled during his ten years with company. Fortunately his sorrow and humiliation had turned into icy rage that had carried him through the halls past a smirking Azazel and an anxious Angel.

She was even now sitting on his couch watching him glance around his office one last time. She dabbed her eyes with a loud sniff. “You don’t have to leave, Erik. I’m sure you’ll be back on top in no time.”

He bit the inside of his cheek hard, “I can’t stay like this, Angel. You couldn’t either in my position.”

She couldn’t argue with that, the humiliation of being demoted would have made it very difficult for her to hold her head up in the office. She couldn’t imagine how impossible a task it would be for Erik, the proudest omega she’d ever known.

“I’ll miss you,” she sniffled.

He set his box down and pulled her into a brief hug, “You’ll go far, Angel. I gave you a chance because I saw something in you. Make me proud, I believe in you,” he said sternly, fighting back his own tears.

She bit her lower lip to stop its trembling, “I will. I’ve already been reassigned to Walter,” she said softly.

Erik grinned in relief, “Lambert? You’ll bring him up to scratch in no time.”

She smiled back as best she could, “Stay in touch, okay? I still want to see you and your little girl. Let me know when you…figure out what you’re going to do.”

“I will,” he said softly before stepping back and hefting his belongings into his arms. “Good luck, Angel.”

“Goodbye, Erik.”

~~

“Mama?”

“Yes, love? Is something wrong? What has you calling in the middle of the day?”

“I have news.”