Teddy

Chapter Twenty Nine: A new normal *

The two months that followed our relationship announcement were a whirlwind. Teddy got numerous offers of magazine deals, wanting a couples profile on us, she declined them all, even the ones offering a nice amount of money for the pleasure.

We had both received a-lot more attention than we would like, or perhaps expected, who knew Teddy's love life would continue to be that much of a conversation piece, but it was, the press were blood thirsty for more information.

I was not Teddy's usual type. I was off the radar and nobody knew me, her previous relationships were higher profile and mostly men. She had dated women but they weren't so publicly exposed as the guys she had dated, like Jay Fucking Jones, and so with a lack of information the media strived further, and more intensely for more on me.

I already had my account locked on social media to family and friends and my circle was small. I didn't have any leaks. Teddy also had a private account, and the only picture she had shared so far of me on her public profile was the one we announced with. I think together we could cope with the intrusion, and keep it at bay, if it was just out of interest and would die down, but Wren was another thing entirely.

Teddy had been papped out with Wren multiple times already. Once that first picture of her and Wren in the park had been uploaded online, she had quite literally seen red. Teddy's lawyer managed to get them taken down at great cost and Teddy and I had to release a statement to say that whilst we knew there was interest in Teddy being in the public eye, Wren as a child was off limits. We would expect that to be respected in the tabloids, or any such media outlets who took photos of us, out and about. Wren was to have her face blurred out in the least. If we lived somewhere like California this was actually put into law, no celebrity or persons in the public eye could have their children's photos taken by the media and used as such. I wish it had been universal across the country.

Teddy's management had explained that if we gave the press something, they would go away.
We decided for the up and coming awards show that Teddy had been invited to, as last years winner of MVP in New York, we would go, together, as a couple for the first time. We would take interviews on the red carpet, a terrifying prospect but if it answered the questions they were dying to know, and made us a little like old news, we would do it.

***
"Harper I've been thinking" Teddy says as we sit in business class, our destination, New York.

I turn to her and sip from my lemonade "No I do not want to join the mile high club" I retort.

She turns, her head rested on the back of her seat "very funny" she says slightly amused. "No I was thinking about all this legal stuff we have had to figure out with the paps and Wren... Harper I realised I have no legal say on anything to do with her, legally Wren is not mine"

She looks worried, a frown forming and her eyebrows knitting together at the thought.

I place down my lemonade and turn in my reclined seat, reaching across and taking her hand "Then let's make it official" I suggest.

She squeezes my hand, looking relieved "can we" she asks, as if she was asking for something, so out there, it wouldn't be so easy to accomplish.

"Yes... you can adopt her Teddy... we can start the ball rolling when we get home" I promise.

She smiles with relief and jumps forward, kissing my lips "thank you" she says softly as she pulls back "I can't have anything happen to her and not be in a position to legally be there for her... and the same goes for you Harper"