Hello everyone! Yes, I am still here!
Sorry it's taken me so long to update, it's been a mentally-challenging few weeks and I felt I just needed to take a step back and focus on taking care of myself for a while.
Thank you so much for all the reviews, they make me smile so much :D
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Chapter Nine: Fronting Up
"Rach, if you've changed your mind, we can do this another day," Eddie said as she watched Phillip cross the school car-park.
Rachel turned to face him, a soft smile lighting up her face as Eddie stared back at her. For weeks, she'd struggled with the idea of going public with their relationship; if he'd had his way, he'd have shouted it from the rooftops the day they got together. However, he understood her concerns about how it would look to their colleagues. He understood them, but didn't share him. As he'd told Rachel some time ago, it wasn't as if staff-room romances were unheard of at Waterloo Road. Eventually, she came to see his point of view, but that didn't mean she enjoyed inviting the attention. "If we don't do it today Eddie, I don't know when we will," she admitted, "I'm ready."
"If you're sure…"
"I am," Rachel said, "I won't be able to hide the pregnancy for much longer."
Eddie grinned as Rachel's hand descend to her stomach; it was something he noticed she did whenever they mentioned the pregnancy in conversation. It warmed his heart hugely to know she already felt such a connection to their unborn child. "OK then, let's do this," he said, breaking the silence.
The couple clambered out of Rachel's Mazda, and he retrieved their bags. Once she'd locked both the boot and car, they headed for the main entrance, both wondering how to broach their relationship with the staff body. However, their thoughts were in vain, for someone else beat them to it…
"Morning!" Steph called out in greeting upon entering the staff-room.
Matt merely grunted in response, "you're too cheery for a Monday morning," he grumbled, rising from his seat before joining the blonde in the kitchenette.
"That's because I believe I shall reap the reward of our little bet for the next week and a half."
"What bet?" Matt questioned, feigning innocence.
"Don't play the innocence card with me Matt, we made a deal. I'd make your coffee every break and lunchtime for a week and a half if I didn't have proof to substantiate my theory by this morning, and vice versa."
"So, you have proof?"
A grin broke out upon Steph's face, "you bet."
At that moment, Tom joined them, "what's going on here?" he questioned, having caught the tail-end of Steph and Matt's conversation.
"Steph allegedly has proof of Rachel and Eddie's relationship," Matt replied, filling him in.
Steph pulled a face, "there is nothing alleged about my proof. This is a smoking gun."
"Let's see it then, if it's as incriminating as you're suggesting," Tom said.
At Tom's request, Steph reached into her handbag and drew out her phone. After a few moments of navigation to find the file she wanted, Tom and Matt put their head over each of Steph's shoulders to view the footage. Matt quickly became impatient, "that's not proof," he stated. "I can't see anything, the footage is too grainy."
"But not too grainy to see what's happening," Steph pointed out as two figures approached the silver car she'd filmed, "bingo," she added as Rachel and Eddie embraced.
Matt sighed, "there's a name for people like you."
Steph grinned, "coffee please Matt."
"Uh, break and lunchtimes, that was the agreement."
"Call it a dummy run."
Matt rolled his eyes before reaching across to boil the kettle, Steph would hold this victory over him for years to come.
Eddie cast an intent gaze over Rachel as the pair wandered into her office. He knew she was thinking over their decision to tell the staff about them that morning and probably allowing her mind to leap straightaway to the worst-case scenario. They'd barely exchanged two words since getting out of the car. As they walked down the corridors and climbed the stairs to her office, Eddie watched as his partner disappeared and the head-teacher returned. He loved both, but after spending so much time with her these past couple of days, he wanted his partner back. "Ready for this?" Eddie questioned, breaking the silence.
Rachel met his gaze, a sense of assurance creeping over her as the energy generated by his smile infused her, "I'm as ready as I'll ever be," she replied.
As she spoke, Rachel had a vague recollection of one previous time where she'd uttered those words. That time, they met with the chair of governors, the DFES and other local dignitaries to pitch ROCBEC. This time, they were facing the staff and going public with their relationship. Rachel decided that she'd rather face the governors again than the staff body. But, she accepted that transparency was paramount, now more than ever.
Eddie shot her another reassuring smile before following her out of the office and down the corridor.
Upon approaching the staff-room, Rachel stopped briefly in the doorway to gather herself. Eddie's fingers entwined themselves around hers, offering the comfort and reassurance he knew she needed. Given the setting, Eddie couldn't do as much to reassure her as he'd like, so settled for what he could. The smile Rachel gave him was recognition that she knew what he'd wanted to do; it was enough to give her the strength to walk through those doors and put herself and their relationship in the firing line. As they noticed the two new arrivals, the general buzz of staff-room chatter died down. Rachel whittled through the notices for that week before getting to their own announcement. "That's all for this week, but before you disappear, myself and Eddie have something to announce."
"Here we go," Steph muttered, leaning towards Matt.
Even Grantly, whose attention rarely deviated from his Racing Post, looked interested. Eddie caught Rachel's sideways glance and stepped forwards, slipping his hand into hers. The staff noted the gesture, despite already knowing what this announcement was. Steph clued everyone in beforehand, even though only three people had seen the proof. "We've been seeing each other for about six weeks now," Rachel declared.
She likened the process to ripping off a plaster. If it's done quickly, it might be less painful. A period of silence greeted her words, which neither Rachel nor Eddie expected, so they'd not prepared for the lack of questions. Eventually, Tom piped up to break the silence, "yeah, we already know."
Rachel and Eddie cast a glance at each other before turning back to the staff, "how?" she queried.
Eddie somehow resisted rolling his eyes as all eyes turned towards the guilty party, "Steph?"
The blonde glanced at the couple after an awkward silence, Matt piped up, "Steph here has been taking the art of stalking to new heights."
"Really? How so?"
"She filmed your embrace at Rochdale train station on Friday evening."
Rachel seethed at Steph invading her and Eddie's privacy, "Steph!"
She had the grace to look guiltily up at both Rachel and Eddie before uttering a response, "I didn't realise it was a secret."
Eddie laughed, he saw that as a typical Steph response, "it certainly isn't now," he replied.
"Anything else to tell us?" Grantly questioned in his usual drawl.
Rachel cast a look at Eddie, wondering whether they perhaps knew about the pregnancy too. "No, that's all, have a good week," Eddie replied.
As expected, the chatter started up as Rachel and Eddie retreated from the room. "That didn't go so bad now, did it?" he questioned.
Rachel glanced at him, conflicting of emotions of relief and anger etched into her features, "you sound as if you approve of Steph's invasion of our privacy," she responded.
Eddie sighed, he should have known Steph's methods would get Rachel's back up. "It's Steph, that's what she does, it's not harming anyone. Plus, it means they'll be off our backs for a while whilst they settle the betting pool."
"When did you find out about that?" she asked as they started the short walk back to her office.
"After me and Melissa split, Tom told me they'd settled it after our engagement but he reckoned Steph or Grantly would have it going again by lunchtime."
Rachel rolled her eyes as she pushed open the ante-chamber door, "you're teaching next, aren't you?" she questioned, a sad intonation present in her voice.
Eddie nodded, "year nine's, but I've got a free after break. Need to catch up on some marking."
A smirk crossed Rachel's face before a playful tut left her lips, "neglecting your marking Lawson, whatever next?"
"Don't tell me you never did it," Eddie retorted.
The incessant ringing of the school bell broke up their back-and-forth exchange, which saddened Rachel, "see you at break?"
She grinned, then watched him walk the short distance from the ante-chamber to his classroom. Once Eddie turned into his classroom, Rachel retreated to her office, unable to wipe the smile from her face. As she settled into the chair behind her desk, she remembered the promise she'd made Eddie over breakfast that morning. The promise that she'd book a doctor's appointment, so that plans were in place for her ante-natal care. Reaching for the phone, thumbed through her diary, then dialled the number for the surgery. "Hello? Yes, I'd like to book an appointment please," she said to the receptionist upon getting through.
Rachel's expectation was that Eddie would appear in her office doorway within minutes of the bell sounding for break-time. He'd worked it into his routine ever since they'd gotten together and now the staff knew, there was no reason to deviate from what had become the norm. A few minutes passed, and Eddie still hadn't shown up. A frown creased Rachel's face as she pondered where he was. Then, a knock upon the door soon brought her back to the present, "you thought I'd forgotten, didn't you?" Eddie questioned, noting Rachel's easily read expression.
She shrugged, "maybe I had,"
"I nipped down to the kitchen," Eddie said, explaining away his absence by presenting her with a stack of toast. "You didn't have much breakfast, so I thought you'd fancy a snack now, if you can stomach it."
Rachel smiled at her partner's thoughtfulness. It reaffirmed her belief that she must have done something remarkable in a past life to have Eddie in this one. "Rose and Candice let you loose in their kitchen? Brave women."
Eddie shook his head, "no, I begged them to make a stack for me. Spun a story about wanting a snack so I didn't have to disclose the real reason."
Rachel bit into the top slice before remembering the phone-call she'd made earlier, "I rung the doctor's earlier, as promised," she told him after swallowing.
"And?"
"There was a cancellation, so I'm booked in for 4:30 this afternoon, can you come with me?"
Eddie strode across the room and rounded the desk. He perched upon its edge before pressing a soft kiss to Rachel's forehead. "I'm there for you every step of the way through this pregnancy Rach, every doctor's appointment, every scan, if I can be there, I will be."
A rush of affection overcame Rachel as his words sunk in; she'd never had this level of support from a partner, or anyone else in her life. To have it come her way after such a tumultuous eighteen months made realise how different her life was pre-Eddie. "Thank you," Rachel responded.
"You never need to doubt my commitment to this relationship."
"I don't, I've never had reason to."
Eddie grinned, he was about to lean across and kiss her properly when the bell signalling the end of break-time sounded in the corridors. "You'd best get back to work," Rachel said, breaking the contented silence.
He huffed, then rose from his perch, "do I have to?" he pouted.
Rachel laughed, "your marking won't do itself."
Eddie conceded defeat, she had a point, "I'll see you at lunchtime."
She nodded, "definitely," she replied. Her lips curved into a smile as Eddie kissed the top of her head before walking away, "thanks for the toast."
He turned in her office doorway, "no problem," he responded before blowing her a kiss.
She pretended to catch it, then threw one back as he left. The smile upon her face remained as she pulled a slice of toast from the stack before returning to her paperwork.
Please keep reviewing, I really do appreciate them. I'll try not to leave it three weeks before I update again!
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