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Baby Mama

Ever since I got the talk – you know, the sex talk? – and found out how babies were made, I knew two things. One, I would love sex (I mean, hello? Who doesn't?). And two, I wanted to be a mother. I had always loved kids. Period.

Of course, the talk happened rather late in life. When I was sixteen, actually. I know it sounds odd but my parents never really paid that much attention to me so telling me about the birds and the bees and the general beauty of baby-making never crossed their minds. Or the precautions. No, it was my sister who told me that if I didn't cut it out with the short skirts a guy was going to come along and ask me to bend over. Or maybe not ask at all.

I was always wondering why guys always wanted to be my friend and my girlfriends always looked at me enviously.

I stopped wearing the skirts. And flaunting my beauty around like it was the latest Gucci purse. As much as I like kids and fancied sex (a lot) I had plans. A baby would get in the way of those plans. So I put it off for my career and this in turn put me off to my fiancé Royce. He had proposed when we were both thirty and both working office jobs for the Cullen Corporation. A year later after being together for six years he breaks off the engagement claiming I had too much ambition and we weren't meant to be together if he was my subordinate. Another excuse was it being a professional faux pas. The jealous ass then took off and married our company building's secretary in Vegas.

It was a hard blow at first because I thought I was doing everything right, and I really did love Royce. Stepping back it was my entire fault. Now he has the perfect life with the prefect wife and family and even a dog while I'm married to my job, which I love truly deeply madly, but a job can never love you back.

But I do have my looks, I suppose. That brunette Gianna has nothing over me.

Right. Except a family and those blessed labor pains.

I was busy brooding out my office window that overlooked the Center City, the business district of Philadelphia. Originally from Rochester, New York, I found myself as a young twenty two year-old fresh out of college with a joint degree in Business Communications and Advertisement/Marketing and nowhere to go. Absolutely nowhere and no clue. I certainly didn't want to stay in Rochester. Being my father's daughter, I wanted to make my own name and that meant going anywhere that wasn't there. I mean, my father is the CEO and President of Hale Banking, something I happen to want nothing to do with even now. Then I was so against it I made myself sick. So I made my way through a list of possible business to bless with my talent and beauty. Again, I am not trying to sound completely full of myself because looking back I'm just sugar coating it. Yes, I was a rather stunning young girl with ambitions, but I had absolutely no experience except an internship in a local publishing house that I just accepted because the editor was my father's friend.

I didn't want any more favors. I wanted this on my own and owning a pretty face and gorgeous figure was not what I wanted to get me everything. Starting from the bottom I worked my way up in a small business that put together catalogs for institutions and other businesses. Not very glamorous, I know, but I wasn't looking for glamour. I was looking for my own hard earned success. After two years of sitting on my bum researching and working on pre-determined templates I was noticed by another company who I had done some research work for. I was so bored sitting in a cubicle all day that I accepted the job they were offering, for the experience and the better pay. I was transferred to Chicago. They picked me up and put me in charge of one small section of their Marketing group and I was in charge of what they called "Community Connections". In this sector we upped our credibility with the community by getting involved in local events, sponsoring schools through donated technology and new books, and scholarships.

Easy stuff with my pretty face. It seems I could get those superintendents of the schools to do any of our fundraisers if I just smiled.

A few years later when I was twenty seven, I was at a Business Convention in Seattle where I met, Carlisle Cullen. I wasn't looking for a new job at the time but he was so convinced that his offer was one I couldn't refuse that I took the job. Moving again I landed in Philly where the northeastern branch of his company was located. At the time I didn't realize that more pay could mean absolutely nothing. And at first that's exactly what it meant. Nothing. For six months I sat at a desk and did paper work with little to no challenges. That's where Royce and I met. Well, we had met before through my father but I had never given him a second glance. But that was when we were teenagers.

For me, I saw it as fate. I was chasing my dreams and running from my father only to run into this Royce King II who I hadn't talked to in seven years? Hello? Wake up call. As a bonus he had also grown into himself. Quite the catch. And I caught him easily.

But back to my desk job and the six months of just sitting there.

I finally was given the chance to be part of one of the company's big projects. It was a little part of a bigger part but it was still a part and I was still right where I wanted to be.

Soon after it was finished I was promoted and that was just the first of my climbing the corporate ladder and the first of my problems with Royce. Now, at thirty five I have an office the size of an apartment and over three-hundred people working under me in the Creative Marketing Branch of the Cullen Corporation.

There was a knock on my office door.

"Come in, James." I didn't turn from where I was watching the sun set. My room was facing the west and I could just see a tiny sliver of the sun as it finished going down. Quite a luxury in a city full of smog and when you work a ten hour work day and hardly get to go outside except for that "special" research. Just another reason why I loved being Rosalie Hale. I got to watch the sun set and use my creative abilities anyway I wanted.

James was breathing so loud I could hear him from the other side of the room.

"Yes, James? What is it?"

"Um . . . the meeting is starting and Carlisleis frantic . . . looking to make sure you are there. His assistant Felix just called –"

I bolted out of my chair nearly knocking a bunch of building permits off my desk in the process. "Shit! James, damn it! I told you to give me a twenty minute warning once you found out the time! What the hell is wrong with you?"

James took a step back as I lunged for the door, wrenching it open and storming down the hall. He followed frantically after.

Carlisle had a habit of just showing up unannounced and expecting everyone to be at the meetings. We always knew the day, but never the time. One night we were all here until two in the morning because his jet was delayed because of bad turbulence.

"Well, Heidi sent a companywide e-mail that said the meeting was scheduled for seven thirty, but, um . . . she lied. And it wasn't companywide."

I took a calming breath and jabbed the elevator UP button. "Okay, James. I have told you at least a million times never to trust the company mattress when she is sending you, my assistant, e-mails. Because she is a backstabbing bitch who wants my job and this promotion."

He nodded and whipped out my black binder as I stepped into the elevator. "You forgot this on your desk."

I took it and pointed to the floor next to me in the elevator. He gave me a panicked look. "In. NOW, James. I need you in this meeting. I hired you to work for me not to sit at a desk texting your precious Laurent."

"Victoria, actually." He flashed me a wounded look. "I told you I am not gay."

Riiiight. "Victoria's your sister and Laurent's your potential lover." I said sarcastically. "Don't try and deny it. I see everything."

We were in the room and I was in my seat with James sulking behind me a second before Carlisle opened the double wood door that led from the conference room into his office. He relaxed and smiled when he saw I was in attendance.

Here's the deal; you miss a meeting, you lose credibility on a project and that's everything. If it's new, don't even dream on securing one of the prime holds on a lead spot. It just won't happen.

"Good evening, everyone." Carlisle said in his deep sexy voice and sat down at the head of the long table where twenty two of us sat.

See, the thing about Carlisle is that he is hot for an older man. He's one of those guys who just keep getting better with age. With a full head of hair and no wrinkles and a killer body all the women in the office salivated over him. Fortunately he is completely faithful to his wife of twenty years who I completely adore.

Weirdly enough I seem to be the only one on the board not trying to get into his pants and I think that's one of the problems many of the women (and some men, gross) have with me. Carlisle respects me and my work and I respect him. He's kind of like the father I never had. He cares and sees and encourages my potential without awarding me falsely. I earn it through his guidance. And his wife Esme is a good friend of mine.

Hate their son, but love them.

"As I was explaining last Tuesday we have a new project coming up concerning my new endeavor. This chain of super stores will feature family friendly, kid friendly, everyone friendly, health merchandise and products. As you know my wife, Esme Platt-Evenson as she is well known in the fashion world, has come up with a new line of clothing that is environment friendly. Also our very successful chic and tasty health food line and organic products that are now be available in most regular and specialty stores will be featured in these stores, but now it will be exclusively ours."

We were pulling the lines so it only could be sold through us.

My hand shot up in the air and on his go ahead I, well, went ahead. "Just making sure, but are these going to be expensive chic or affordable chic, because that will have a lot of impact on our advertising and the people we are trying to reach."

Carlisle nodded. "Good Rosalie. That was going to be my question to the board. Should we make it affordable to everyone? Should we have two different chains, one for each group of people?"

"If we put them together won't we present ourselves as just another Wal-Mart?" Heidi asked.

Carlisle nodded and then raised an eyebrow in my direction as if to say, "Are you seriously going to let her get away with that?".

I shook my head slowly, digesting her words. I looked at her and pursed my lips in a slightly condescending way, her signature look. "Heidi, it isn't a matter of Wal-Mart's or Target's or even Trader Joe's. We, in this new endeavor, should be presented as both convenience and affordability in a comfortable upscale setting." I looked around the room, now giving them my attention. "We are making new strides and changes that this company has never seen before, for the good and the better. It wouldn't make sense to lapse into a cycle that segregates our customers. This isn't black and white and it isn't rich and poor. We have upscale stores like that already, but this is a franchise that will carry both health and environment friendly merchandise and everyone deserves to have that available to them."

There were murmurs of approval around the room and Heidi, snubbed, looked away. Carlisle winked. Score!

I almost punched the air.

"Furthermore, if I may, Carlisle,"

"Go on, Rosalie, you're on to something here and you know it."

I smiled and looked around at the board. "Furthermore, I also think that although we offer both expensive options and cheap chic, excuse my wording, customers will be comfortable coming into a setting where they can by what they want and not be judged. Using clothes as an example, if you come into a boutique without designer clothes and bag and attitude you are treated differently. This should not be the case here. Our customers should feel that they can buy whatever they want while wearing whatever they want. And I honestly believe that our sales will boost in both range of prices we offer."

"And what do you call that?"

"The Comfort Zone." I offered with a shrug.

"Excellent." Carlisle said with a satisfied smirk. "Alright all in favor of 'The Comfort Zone' say Ay."

"Ay!" That was just about everyone in the room.

Heidi was giving me the death glare. Ha ha, Bitch, ha ha.

Carlisle signed a sheet that his secretary had brought in and then rested his elbows on the table steepling his fingers and looking around the room. "Now. On to the real reason for this meeting. As you know this new project will be the best things that have ever happened to this company. Joining the social classes into a place – if I may steal Miss Hale's words – into this Comfort Zone will not be easy, but it will be done. That is why I am electing one of you to run this project as a trial Vice President. If this person succeeds they will get the position over the the tri-state area, meaning all of the marketing branches in New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey." he wasn't done. He looked excitedly around the room. "Plus, they will receive a chair in the core board and have head over the whole Philadelphia Cullen Corporation."

Everyone collectively had a coronary. This was huge.

"Rosalie Hale."

Everyone clapped and Carlisle stood, holding out his arm, beckoning me to come to him. I rose and walked up to the head of the table where a chair had been placed to his immediate right and James placed my binder and Evian down, smiling excitedly as I thanked him and he knew both our jobs were secured. I could barely believe it.

And then my bliss was fractured as Carlisle beamed me a thousand-watt, I'm-so-proud-of-you-smile and then leaned down into my ear as the clapping continued.

"You're new baby, Rose." he whispered.

So I love the idea of using Rosalie as the main character in this story. Why you might ask? Well I will tell you . . . because there is a happy ending! Yeah! But, that doesn't mean I can't screw with them a little along the way.

;)

Tell me what you think,

Thanks,

M. Todd.

A Sneak Peek At Chapter 2:

Let's be honest, what sixteen year old doesn't know about sex? Well, um, me. Pathetic I know. I was sheltered growing up. An all exclusive all girls school. Practically under house arrest. I knew nothing until the school was made co-ed and my sister told me about that skirt thing and how not to

But I'm no longer young. I have a solid career and I want a kid.

Who wouldn't want their own little mini-me? My little Rosalie? Sucks that it's never going to happen.