Rachel: She grinned as his name appeared on her laptop, the little flutter in her stomach making her a little nervous. Leaning forward she answered his call, her smile still there when she saw his face appear on the screen. “Hi, this is a nice surprise.” There was something about the look on his face which made her smile slowly fade and the fluttering in her stomach turn to dread. “Is something wrong?”

Hugo: He tried to smile at her enthusiasm, but truthfully he couldn’t. This wasn’t going to be the easiest conversation, and he’d been dreading it for the past couple of hours. “Rachel,” there was a grave tone to his voice and he cleared his throat in an attempt to change that. “Nothing’s wrong, per say, I just have something to tell you.”

Rachel: Shifting uncomfortably in her chair, Rachel didn’t like the tone of his voice. Usually he was a happier person, but there was something about the way he spoke which worried her. “O-Okay.”

Hugo: “Well I received a phone call earlier from the Smithsonian and I’ve been offered the research position in DC.”

Rachel: “Hugo, that’s wonderful,” she smiled, knowing just how much this job had meant to him. When they’d first met he’d told her how working there had been his dream job. “I’m so happy for you.”

Hugo: “You are?” He couldn’t hide the surprise in his voice.

Rachel: “Of course I am, why wouldn’t I be?”

Hugo: “Because this means I’ll be leaving New York.”

Rachel: Her smile faded as the realization of what he’d just said sank in. He’d got the job, the job he’d always wanted... but he was leaving. Looking down she felt tears well up in her eyes but she pushed them back. She couldn’t think of herself right now, or her feelings, this job had been everything to him. That was the good news she should focus on, not the sick feeling which was coming over her.

Hugo: “Rachel?”

Rachel: “I’m here, and I’m happy for you. We knew.. we knew this might happen. We’ve always said it was a possibility.”

Hugo: “I know, but it doesn’t make this any easier. Part of me was starting to hope I wouldn’t be offered the job.”

Rachel: “Don’t say that,” she whispered, lifting her head to look at him, “Please, don’t say that. If you say things like that I’ll ask you to stay and I can’t ask that of you and you can’t turn the job down.”

Hugo: “I know, we’ve talked about it, but it’s not so easy when it’s actually happening, It’s not just words any more. I don’t think I’ve ever been so conflicted before.” Rubbing his face he leaned forward a little, “Can I come over tonight or do you need some time? I just think it would be a good idea to talk about this some more in person.”

Rachel: “N-no, I was just going to have something to eat and take a bath.”

Hugo: “How about I bring Chinese, a bottle of wine and we take that bath together?” It might not be the best idea with the news he’d just told her, but he wasn’t going to let things fall apart. Not yet.

Rachel: All she could do was nod and swallow against the lump in her throat. 

Hugo: “Excellent, I’ll be over within the hour.” He paused, watching her face, “We’ll figure this out okay.”