Bella POV

September 5th 2011

I sighed and shoved three files towards the end of my desk, being a principal was harder than I thought it was going to be. Whether that was down to the fact that we had only been in the new term for three days or because of my condition at the time I was unsure.

I sighed as the phone on my desk rang and I reached to answer it.
"Hello?" I tried not to yawn.

"Hey Bells." Rose said from her office that was next to mine, "Mike is here to speak to you."

I tried not to groan, "Okay, send him in."

Edward was not going to be pleased if I got stressed or worked up over whatever it was that Mie had to say. Mike, like his wife was on the board of governors for the school, and he was a right royal pain... much like his wife.

In some ways I was disappointed that it wasn't Jessica who had turned up in Rose's office asking to speak to me. Their relationship was so fractious that I was certain Jessica knew Rose wouldn't have let her speak to me.

Mike pushed open the door and I looked at him from my work, greeting him before glancing back down.

"Erm Hello Bella." He said and stood awkwardly in front of me.

I sighed and leant back in my seat, "Take a seat."

He nodded and eagerly sat down in front of me; I rested one hand just under my stomach, and fiddled with a pen with the other.

"Its just a small thing really, what I was coming to tell you about..." He very nearly stammered.

My eyes narrowed as he continued speaking.

"Its just that erm, with you being... you know... pregnant..." He said and gestured to my stomach, "I... well we... well Jess were just wondering, when you planned on taking maternity leave?"

I frowned, "Not yet mike. My baby isn't due for two months."

He nodded, "I know I know I just... when you give speeches in assembly, are you sure you're going to reach the lectern?" He tried to break the ice with his joke, but if anything, I just got madder.

"Are you saying you want to take the assemblies Mike, because I'm sorry but I don't know if you're going to be able to see over it." I tried not to snap.

His smile faded and he looked slightly scared.

"So you're not going on maternity leave yet?" He asked quietly.

"No." My words were firm and final.

He nodded and stood, "Erm okay I'll... okay... I'll go." He said and all but ran from the rom.

I groaned and rested my elbows on the desk, my head in my hands.

The door opened again and I felt two hands rest on my shoulders, working gently to knead the knots out of my back.

I moaned and leant backwards in my chair, my head resting back on the top of it.

"Ummm that feels good." I whispered and I opened my eyes to look into to sparkling green ones.

I sighed and moved my hands to my shoulder to take both of his.

"What are you doing here?" I asked and he rested his chin on top of my head while I played with his fingers.

"I was just coming to see that you were okay, Rose phone to say that you were tired this morning." Edward told me.

I tried not to feel like Rose had snitched on me, but I knew that she had done it just to be helpful, "I'm always tired Edward."

He kissed my hair, "I know that... and..." He said and moved to sit on the desk facing me, handing me a brown paper bag, "I brought you some lunch."

I took the bag from him and looked inside, beaming and reaching to kiss him, "Thank you."

He chuckled and stroked my shoulder, "It makes a nice change from pop tarts."

I rolled my eyes and put the paper bag on my desk.

He touched my cheek, "What time do you finish today?"

I sighed, "I just have one more meeting, and Emma is going to play with Jo at Angela's so I'll be done about five."

He nodded, "okay I'm on till six so I'll see you at home, and I'll ring you later"

I smiled and he kissed me gently, "Try not to get stressed love, please."

"I'll try." I whispered and he kissed me again before smiling and walking out of my office.

The day slowly got worse from there on in.

"Mrs Cullen I do not want to pressure you I would just like to know when exactly you are thinking on leaving for maternity leave." Mr Volturi, the state secretary for education, asked me.

I was so sick of being asked this question, "Mr Volturi, please can we continue this conversation at another time. The meeting is not on my schedule and I' sure you appreciate just how busy we all are trying to meet with everyone as the new term has started."

He stood, "Fine Mrs Cullen, I will be in touch." He shook my hand and Rose showed him out.

I sighed and turned back to the other man sat in front of my desk.

Caius was the principal of a school in Seattle, and i had called a meeting with him just so I could put a name to a face.

"Right I'm sorry sir, would you mind terribly if I just went to the bathroom before we start..." He cut me off.

"You were the one that called the meeting Mrs Cullen, and now you expect me to wait while you sort out a personal issue?" He demanded, and I took an instant dislike to this man. By the look on Roses face, she wasn't very keen on him either.

"With all due respect sir I am seven months pregnant." I tried but again he interrupted me.

"Then maybe this proves that everyone was right about women working while they were pregnant, with all due respect, Mrs Cullen."

I swallowed and felt tears prick the base of my vision, "Fine." I said firmly and reached for my folder, "Shall we start with budget quotes then."

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Rosalie answer the phone in her office while he continued to talk at me.

She glanced up to look at me and ran a hand through her hair. She paused and then nodded, looking down, there was only one person who she spoke to like that.

There was only one person who phoned to check up on me, and there as only one person she was brutally honestly with when it came to my health.

She only looked like that when Edward phoned.