Teal and Brinn looked over to see Sorcha coming in through the doorway, shaking his jacket off as he entered.
Sorcha glanced up at his omega son’s welcome, surprised to see them all there.
“My sweet ones!” Sorcha went to the kids’ table and planted smacking kisses on top of their heads.
“Stop, Daddy Sorcha,” Garin said gruffly. “We’re too old for that.”
“Don’t you grump at me, mister.” Sorcha ruffled Garin’s hair. “I’ll be giving you as many kisses as I want until you’re old and gray.” Garin tried to hide his smile but failed. It was difficult for anyone to deny Sorcha’s sunshine.
Teal certainly couldn’t. He loved how quickly all three boys had taken to theirDaddy Sorcha, how excited they’d been to find out they’d have a new baby brother soon.
“What are you doing here?” Teal asked his partner. “Did you know I was bringing the kids?”
“No. It’s a happy coincidence. I was at the hardware store grabbing a few things for a new project.” Patting his subtly-rounded belly, he added, “This little guy demanded I stop in for an onion bagel of all things.”
Teal put his hand on Sorcha’s stomach. “Our boy is like Daddy Teal, then. Developing a bagel habit even before birth.” He leaned in to give Sorcha a kiss on the cheek before nosing his scent gland, inhaling the blueberry jasmine aroma, which bloomed stronger as the younger man’s pregnancy progressed.
Brinn stared at the two men. Teal knew he didn’t judge them, but like so many people, he didn’t quite understand. Still, he tried his best not to make a thing of it. Sliding up from his seat, Brinn offered it to Sorcha. “It’s nice to see you, Sorcha. I’ll go grab that bagel. Do you want anything else?”
“Green tea, please.”
“You got it.”
After Brinn stepped away, Sorcha sighed. “It’s going to get easier, right? I’d love to get to a place where our friends didn’t look at us like we’re a riddle to be solved.”
“I hope so.”
So far, only Dayson and Mikel seemed to fully accept and take their family at face value. But Teal felt confident that their true friends, like Brinn, and eventually most of society, would adjust.
Once he recovered enough to leave the duplex, the first thing he’d done was go to Mr. Schulman and Mr. Carson and explain his new family situation to them. He’d told them plainly that he was in a relationship with not just Ronan, but three other men, one of whom was an omega who would also bear their children.
He’d shocked his bosses into a lengthy silence. They’d asked Teal to explain it again. And then again.
“I don’t want to put the firm in an awkward position,” Teal told them. “So, I also want to offer my resignation. It’s something I would have done anyway, with or without the change in my family situation, because I want to focus on less intense cases and have a better balance between work and family. I feel likeI’ve made a real difference in the time I’ve been here, and I want to thank you both profusely for the opportunity. I hope you’ll consider hiring more bright-minded omegas in the future, but it’s time for me to focus on my home life.”
They had accepted his decision with a mixture of relief and disappointment.
“I won’t lie and say this doesn’t make it easier on us,” Mr. Carson said. “And I can’t claim to understand your newsituation. It doesn’t sit right with me, a group of men living together. But I am also open to learning. And maybe that’s the best thing about getting to know you, Teal, and having you be part of this team. You’ve opened a lot of people’s minds, changed minds, including mine. About many things. This newpolywatchamacallitthing being public would have made future cases difficult, maybe hurt our credibility with the more conservative alphas, but so you know, we wouldn’t have let you go for it.”
That surprised Teal. He’d been so sure when he and Ronan began playing with Niall that even the whiff of impropriety would get him fired. And maybe years ago that would have been true. But perhaps Mr. Carson was right. Maybe society was changing.
“I appreciate that, Mr. Carson,” Teal said. “Because I don’t plan to hide it. And I’m happy to stay on for a few more months and tie up all my loose ends.”
They’d shaken hands and Teal had walked out of the office feeling lighter. He was ready to dig in deep with some smaller cases, once he figured out a place to land. It would be nice to come to work and not feel like the odd one out, or a prop, or get gawked at like a museum piece. As much as he was a public figure, he’d never liked the sensation that he belonged to the public. He’d done his time in the spotlight. It was time to step back so others could shine.
That’s why when he’d told Schulman and Carson that they weren’t hiding their situation, he’d also reiterated that his family didn’t plan to broadcast their relationship either. The five men had decided to simply go on living as they were, and if people caught on, then great. If not, also great.
Interest in Teal had remained intense since he’d almost died. There were breathless announcements about Percy’s arrest and other members of the pro-alpha groups being caught for their hateful texts and emails. The incident with the brick thrown at the McGinns’ window came to light, along with news of Dayson’s attack, keeping the spotlight on both omegas. Ronan’s courthouse speech garnered hundreds of thousands of online views, and there was general excitement around all the new omega-owned heat services that would open soon.
With so much focus on Teal, Ronan, and their family, it didn’t take long for folks to question the other three men who seemed to be always at their sides.Who was the long-haired, tattooed beta taking the McGinn children to the park? Why was Teal holding hands with his children’s nanny? Who was the pregnant young omega Ronan accompanied to the doctor’s office? Why were Teal and that same omega grocery shopping together? Why were Ronan and the long-haired, tattooed beta always at the gym at the same time?
The questions went on and on until finally, someone filming his own children at the playground caught Kino and Zayne referring to the betas as “Daddy Niall” and “Daddy Jax,” and uploaded the video for all to see.
At that point, Teal threw up his hands and asked Schulman, Carson & Associates to issue a press release:
Press Release from: Teal McGinn
Re: Speculation on Teal and Ronan McGinn’s marriage and family situation
