Left with no other choice, Franz and Mariela spilled the beans a week later. She needed the excuse to stay in her chambers. Apparently here, like in 1800s England, it was normal to stay in bed for the entire duration of a pregnancy.
I couldn't even imagine that. I had coworkers who kept teaching right up until their water broke.
One particularly eventful school year a teacher started going into labor right there in the staffroom. Her husband was called immediately and the vice principal was given the honor of driving her to the hospital.
I felt bad for the substitute they called in who had to explain to all those little first graders what happened to their teacher. That must have been super awkward.
Franz left Sir Marino guarding Mariela's door when he made the pregnancy announcement at dinner. I nearly jumped out of my skin from the deadly aura Sigmund gave off under a thin veneer of false politeness.
