To all of my awesome readers/reviewers, thank you so much for reading/commenting on my first chapter, they don't go unnoticed or unappreciated. Special thanks to Lynny for reviewing twice ;)

Sorry for taking so long to update again, be patient with me please, real-life gets in the way sometimes.

Here's Chapter Two anyway, better late than never eh?

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Chapter Two: The Absence Of Eddie

"See you later Phillip, have a good day," Rachel called after her nephew as he got out.

"Thanks Rach,"

The young lad closed the passenger's door and Rachel watched as he joined a growing throng of schoolkids meandering towards the main entrance. Once she'd lost sight of her nephew, Rachel glanced at her reflection in the rear-view mirror before making some slight adjustments to her appearance. Upon realising she'd left the engine running, Rachel took the keys out and the humming died away. A few moments later, she got out, retrieving her handbag from the footwell behind her seat, along with her laptop and other essentials from the boot. Unlike the previous four days, there was a definite spring in Rachel's step as she headed towards the school after locking the car. With every minute that passed that day, she was a minute closer to being reunited with Eddie; it was obvious their relationship remained in its infancy, her frown soon turned upside down with a mere thought of him. "You seem chirpy," Steph noted, stepping out of her classroom as Rachel passed by.

Rachel, out of sight, rolled her eyes before turning to face the blonde, "just looking forward to the weekend, that's all."

Rachel walked away, hoping to shake Steph off, but she fell into step beside her boss, dashing Rachel's hopes. "I expected your mood to be worse today as Mr Lawson's attending that course in Manchester," Steph commented in a casual tone.

Rachel had been snappier than usual with her staff that week and blamed it on stress. However, she'd suspected since Monday that she might be pregnant and not even confided her suspicions to Eddie, even though the telltale signs were there. So, to cover up the real issue, she'd concocted the 'stress' story to keep the questions to a minimum. In doing so, it never occurred to Rachel that someone like Steph would stir the pot to get a rise from her. "Mr Lawson's absence has no bearing on my mood, Miss Haydock," she replied in as professional a manner as possible when they reached the top of the stairs. "Haven't you got things to attend to Steph? Because I know I have," she added, shaking Steph off as she moved towards her office.

Steph watched as Rachel pushed open the secretary's office door and let it swing closed behind her, convinced she wasn't being told everything. She, like all the other members of staff, had noted Rachel's mood swings over the previous four school days, but no-one questioned them, until now. They all bought Rachel's story but to Steph, it didn't add up. Rachel's change in mood that day puzzled the blonde. Surely she'd be more stressed out that day with Eddie being away on that course and only Kim available to her from the Senior Management Team? The exact nature of Rachel and Eddie's relationship remained a mystery, but it was one the wily blonde wanted to decipher herself.

Rachel hoped to derive some comfort from being in the office where she and Eddie had shared numerous intimate moments in the past few weeks. She'd been mistaken; the surroundings made her feel Eddie's absence even more than she thought possible. By this point, he'd usually have joined her, even if it was only for a quick kiss before he went into the playground to round up any latecomers. Rachel's gaze shifted between her desk and the coffee machine as she organised herself for the day ahead. While waiting for her laptop to load, Rachel's gaze caught the coffee machine once more, and she contemplated making one to wake her up. However, she vetoed the idea almost straightaway upon remembering that she hadn't even been able to drink the one Eddie made her the day before, now she understood why. Pregnancy was changing her already. After inputting her log-in details, Rachel glanced at the paperwork on her desk and stifled a yawn. All of this needed signing, posting or filing by close of play. Tonight of all nights, she didn't wish to stay on any later than necessary.

Without Eddie, Rachel started to realise she had no distraction from the constant stream of paperwork and because of this, her morning dragged. She'd expected it to, but not to this extent. Very early on, Rachel chastised herself for clock-watching; the day wouldn't disappear any quicker with her glancing up at the clock every five minutes. With only ten minutes until lunchtime, Rachel decided she needed a reprieve; she'd completed most of it so decided the rest could wait until after lunch. She stood up and strode out of her office seconds later, hoping the corridors threw up a distraction.

No such luck; no troublemakers and no absconders, this was becoming the norm for her tenure at Waterloo Road. As she did he rounds, Rachel avoided the Maths corridor, knowing her reason for venturing down there so often was not on the premises today. The highlight of any normal day recently had been her ventures down that corridor, where she hoped she'd catch Eddie's eye, and she missed it. At that point, Rachel wondered whether he ever realised how often she wandered the corridor and stood outside his classroom, watching as he taught, or tired to teach, their students. If he did, he deigned to mention it.

Whilst her absent Deputy occupied her thoughts, Rachel wandered the remaining corridors as if on auto-pilot. Only the school's receptionist, Monique, brought her back to reality. "Miss Mason!" the younger woman called, "I was about to bring these up to you but as you're here, you might as well take them yourself.

Rachel frowned in confusion as she approached; she glanced through the glass window as Monique reached for a big bunch of flowers and handed them to the head-teacher. "Someone's got a soft spot for you," she commented.

Rachel smiled at Monique's kind words, "I guess they have," she replied. "Thanks Monique."

There was only one person she could think of who'd spring this kind of gesture; Eddie. The thought made her smile; he had taste, Rachel acknowledged that as the flowers were gorgeous. As the lunch bell sounded however, the smile disappeared and a look of dismay replaced it. If the staff or, even worse, the students, saw her with these flowers, Rachel would face questions over the sender. Questions she had no desire to answer.

Attempting avoid the inevitable questions, Rachel tried retreating to her office but hadn't counted on Steph joining her as she too climbed the stairs. It was an unhappy coincidence that Steph had to climb the same flight of stairs to reach the staff-room. "Who are they from Rachel?" the blonde asked, having squashed her curiosity for long enough.

Rachel tried valiantly to suppress her smile before answering with a half-lie, "I don't know, haven't yet read the card."

Steph knew, for she flashed a knowing smile at the head-teacher before replying, "ooooh, there's a card, let's have a look."

"Steph!" Rachel chastised before beating a hasty retreat to her sanctuary.

With the office firmly closed, Rachel sank into her office chair, laying the flowers across her lap as she picked up the envelope. A small card inside bore five simple words. Missed you. See you tonight x.

Oh Eddie.

Rachel's heart pounded, they were just words on a piece of card but she couldn't help how her body reacted to them. Her Eddie, so patient with her, allowing her to take things at her own pace and still finding time to make her feel so special too. Rachel loved him, of that she was certain. She wished she'd believed him on that first day of term when he'd told her so outside the pub. However, her own insecurities and lack of self-confidence had spoken for her that night. How Rachel wished she'd allowed Eddie the chance the prove her wrong.

In the immediate aftermath, Rachel regretted the haste with which she'd rebuffed Eddie. Her sense of regret heightened when he got involved with Melissa; she watched him lavish affection upon her sister and all the while, wondered whether his words that night had been genuine. Rachel knew, deep down, there was no reason to dwell upon that now, they were together and unbeknownst to Eddie, she was pregnant. It had taken them too long to make the leap from friends to lovers but now they had, Rachel wanted nothing and no-one to spoil it.

"Have you seen the Demon Head-teacher today?" Matt questioned as Steph entered the staff-room.

The staff picked up on Rachel's bad mood during Monday's briefing and the unaffectionate nickname had stuck ever since. Steph nodded, "she's not so demon-like today," she commented whilst making a beeline for the kettle, "I think she's got an admirer."

"How come?" Tom piped up.

Steph braced her hands on the kitchen unit, to stop herself jumping up and down with excitement. "I followed her up the stairs just now, she had a bouquet in her arms and a smile so wide she could eat a banana sideways,"

"And what were these flowers from?"

"It doesn't take a genius to work it out," Steph replied. Tom and Matt sported similarly vacant looks as the blonde rolled her eyes, "Eddie, of course!"

Tom and Matt glanced at each other, then roared with laughter, attracting attention from nearby colleagues. "We've heard your theory about those two so many times over the past few days and I'm bored, can we talk about something else?" Matt pleaded.

"Yeah, leave it out eh Steph? It's none of our business what they get up to," Tom chipped in.

"OK then," conceded Steph, "I'll drop it… if I don't have proof by Monday morning."

"And if you do?" Matt questioned wearily.

"You make my coffee every break and lunch-time for two weeks?"

"One?"

"Week and a half?" Steph compromised.

"Done, you'll lose out though," Matt replied.

Steph winked at him, "oh Matt, you underestimate me, I never lose a bet,"

At that point, Matt thought it best not to remind her that only last term, she lost money betting on Rachel and Eddie the first time round.

Please keep the reviews coming guys, I love reading them.

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