Senator Cullen sat behind his desk and looked at the envelope that Bella held out to him, but instead of reaching for it he glanced towards Jasper who was sitting nearby before he looked back to Bella and gave her a bit of a sad smile. "Please have a seat, Bella."
Bella sat down, folding her hands neatly on her lap, still holding the envelope under her slightly sweaty palms, the slight moisture there the only outward sign of her nervousness. She was even surprising herself with how remarkably calm she was in this situation. Her large brown eyes showed her inner turmoil though as she looked from Carlisle to Jasper and back again, waiting for something to say something.
"Can you tell us what happened?" Jasper finally asked, his voice surprising holding little to no anger, rather, it was tinged with sympathy and sadness.
Licking her lips, Bella took a deep breath before speaking. "To be honest, Jasper, Senator, I'm…I'm not really sure. I swear to both of you that I did not know that was going to happen."
Carlisle gave her a kind smile. "We know that, Bella."
"I don't think either of us believed for one moment that you gave Senator Volturi's camp that speech," added Jasper.
Bella was a bit surprised that Jasper was acting the way he was. She had expected him to be jumping up and down like a kid on the playground, pointing and screaming, 'I told you so! Nanny nanny boo boo!' or something along those lines.
"You worked on the speech at Mr. Masen's home?" Carlisle asked gently.
She could only nodded and looked down at her hands on her lap which were now tightly clutching the resignation letter she had typed up that morning.
"Do you think he was the one that took the speech?" Jasper asked.
It was hard for Bella not to jump up and say no right away, but after seeing the guilt on Edward's face the night before and replaying the look over and over again in her mind throughout the rest of the evening, she could barely keep the tears out of her voice as she whispered and unsteady, "I'm not sure."
Her calm façade was slipping.
Silence filled the room for a moment before Jasper continued his questioning, "Have you spoken to Mr. Masen since last night?"
Bella took a deep, unsteady breath and looking up she shook her head. "No, I haven't spoken to him since the speeches were given."
Carlisle nodded, looking thoughtful for a moment as the room once again went quiet.
"I can't begin to tell you how sorry I am, Senator, Jasper, I don't know how this happened. I've jeopardized your campaign and that was never my intention. I want nothing more for you to succeed at this endeavor because I know that you belong in the Oval Office, sir," Bella said, looking directly at Carlisle. "I've known from the first moment I met you that you are a good man who wants what's best for this country. You are needed in the White House. This country needs you." Standing she held out the envelope in her hands again. "My relationship has put your chances at risk so I think it's best that I resign. I thank…thank you for the opportunities you've...," she had to take a deep, shaky breath as she began to choke up.
Carlisle stood up and came around his desk and gave her a hug, patting her gently on the back. "Shh, calm down, Bella." He moved to lead her back to her seat. "Come now, sit down. Jasper, will you get her a drink of water, please?"
Bella sat down and looked at Carlisle with tear filled eyes. "I really am sorry, Carlisle."
"I know, Bella," he said with a kind smile before he turned and took a bottle of water that Jasper was holding out to him and handed it to Bella.
Standing he moved to lean back against his desk and sighed. "I'm not accepting your resignation."
Bella blinked, obviously surprised, and looked from Carlisle to Jasper. "Pardon me?"
The Senator continued, "Jasper and I have discussed it and we are not accepting your resignation."
Bella's gaze went to Jasper, wondering if he really had part in the decision.
"Unfortunately," Jasper added, "that doesn't mean that there aren't consequences to what happened last night."
Bella's heart pounded in her chest as she wondered what this was about. Both Jasper and the Senator sat down again, but it was Jasper that spoke, "You are being demoted. While you are still a crucial part of the speech writing staff, you are no long head speech writer."
"At least, not for now," Carlisle added. "Consider it a temporary, trial demotion or something along those lines."
Bella just listened, trying to absorb what they were saying.
"For the next few months you will be working closely with Michael and Jessica. We know that you have utilized them for more minor things like press releases and prepping the Senator, but they need to know what you're working on and have complete access to it at all times. Also…" Jasper glanced to Carlisle before continuing, "…we are asking that you work out of the California office for the time being."
Bella felt as if the air had been knocked out of her as she reeled from this last bit of news. Though she knew it shouldn't have been, her first thought was of Edward. With everything that had happened the previous evening, with his betrayal, she figured that things were over, but this separation would only cement things.
"It's only temporary," Carlisle said, cutting into her thoughts. "We are not trying to control your personal life, Bella, not in the least. If you wish to continue to see Edward on a personal basis, that is your concern." Out of the corner of her eye, Bella saw Jasper stiffen a bit in his seat at the Senator's words, but Carlisle continued without pause. "We are merely sending you to California because that is where Michael and Jessica usually work and as the campaign gets into full swing we need the group together."
Bella nodded, trying to push down the panic she felt.
"It's only temporary, Bella," Carlisle added, sensing her nerves.
"How…how long?" Bella asked.
Jasper was the on to answer her question, "Well, we'll need you in California for at least a month, after that we're going to be on the campaign trail, we figure you'd join us for that and we'd take things from there."
Carlisle studied Bella quietly as Jasper spoke. "If you'd really prefer to stay here, we can figure out a way."
Bella knew that Carlisle was just trying to make things easier for her. "No, Senator, it's all right. It would be best to work with Michael and Jessica there."
Carlisle frowned a bit and nodded, wondering if they were just helping Bella to run away from her problems rather than facing them head on. Jasper had been the one to suggest that they send Bella to California for a while. Michael and Jessica, while part of the communications group he had put together, were good, they were not as good as Bella. Since they weren't as central to the campaign, he hadn't minded when they had asked to work out of the California office, only flying into DC when needed. Rumors were they were close to getting engaged and were planning a wedding for some time after the election. If it was true then it explained their desire to stay close to home. It worked for them, but he wasn't sure that this would work for Bella.
Jasper had talked him into it, feeling that Bella would need the distance after what had happened. He'd only agreed after talking to Alice who had reluctantly agreed that it was probably the best thing. Both said that she needed to distance herself from Masen after what had happened. He had a hard time believing that Masen had anything to do with the speech debacle, but then again, how could he not. What he had an even harder time believing was that he had so misjudged the man.