"I can't believe you didn't tell me."
"There was nothing to tell. I turned it down. It's over."
"But you would've wanted that. You love your job, you love acting. It's your passion."
He moves closer to her. "I do, but I love you more. I'll pick you any day."
"I love you too, and that's sweet, but..."
"No buts, please. It's done."
"Gabriel..."
"Sab, please. You know two years is a long time. Who the hell wants to be away from home for two freaking years?"
Sab shook her head. "You could've told me. I would've understood."
"I know. I'm sorry."
"You think we wouldn't survive two years? It's not like we won't see each other."
"I never thought of that. I was just so focused on being here, with you."
"You don't think our love is strong enough to hold us together, even if we're miles apart?"
"No. No, baby, no. It's not that."
She scoffs. "Well, that's just great."
"What? Oh my God. Can you not assume things that aren't true? You always do that, and I always let it slide because I fucking love you. Jesus, Sabrina."
She shakes her head and walks away.
"Shit." Gabriel sighed and followed her. "I'm sorry." He reached out and took her hand, but she pulled it away.
"I'm going to Emily's."
"Sab, it's just one thing I didn't tell you! I didn't tell you because it wasn't important! I always tell you everything, I never lie to you. And now, just because I hid one thing, you're going to walk away? Can we just talk about this? It's one freaking job, it's not a loss. Jesus." He ran a hand through his hair, frustrated.
"I want us to be open with each other, Gabriel. Completely honest. I want you to feel that no matter how many miles separate us, it wouldn't change a thing about how you feel for me, because I know my feelings wouldn't change even if you were on another planet. I love you, and I always will. No distance could ever take that away. I wanted you to feel that too. I don't care that you didn't take the job. I'm actually glad you're staying. But your reason for it? That disappointed me. If you trusted me, if you believed our love was strong, you wouldn't have doubted it like that."
Gabriel stayed quiet, just listening, nodding as she spoke.
"I'm sorry," he finally said.
"Yeah. Me too." Then she turned and walked away.
—
"So you fought... well, that's a first," Emily said, raising an eyebrow.
"He's just... ugh," Sab groaned.
"I mean, he means well, don't you think?" Emily offered.
"Yeah, I do. It's just annoying that he thinks we wouldn't make it through this."
"True, but can you blame him? The first time you two were apart, you broke up."
"That was totally different."
"Was it? You were in another country, and so was he and you barely talked. Unlike those other times, you hardly even go home on weekends."
"That was me. Now it's him. I know him. He'd make time for me, book a flight from Australia to the U.S. every week if he could. But he doesn't trust me."
"How do you know that?"
"If he trusted me, he'd talk to me about it."
"Do you want him to take the job?" Emily asked.
Sab was silent for a few seconds. "I don't know."
Emily nodded. "Go home and talk calmly. Just talk."
Sab nodded back. "Thanks, Em."
Emily smiled. "Anytime."
As Emily walked her to the door, she opened it, and there was Gabriel, sitting in the hallway with his head down.
"Gabe?" Emily called softly.
He looked up. "Hey, Em." Then glanced at Sab. "Hi."
Emily smiled and gave Sab a quick hug. "Go. Call me afterward," she said, closing the door behind her.
Sab sat down beside him on the hallway floor.
Emily pressed her ear to the door to listen but chuckled softly, shook her head, and left them alone.
"Look," they said at the same time.
They both chuckled.
"You first," Gabriel said.
"Okay. I'm sorry for the way I acted. I was just upset and jumped to conclusions without hearing everything."
"No, you were right to feel that way. I'm just scared I won't be able to fly back every week. Atlanta's easy, but Australia? No way. I was afraid things might change, that once we're apart, you'd realize you don't need me, that there's more to life than marrying me."
Sab looked at him, cupping his face gently. "I love you. That will never change. No matter where you are."
Gabriel closed his eyes, a tear slipping down. Then he opened them. "I'm sorry. Truly."
"I'm sorry too," she said softly.
"I love you," he said.
"I love you," she replied, and they embraced.
After a moment, Sab pulled back and faced him. "I want you to go."
"What?"
She nodded firmly. "We love each other. We can make this work. Two years isn't forever. You open your eyes and it's done."
"What about our wedding?" he asked.
"That can wait. This is your dream. I want you to soar. I'll support you no matter where you are."
"Are you breaking up with me?"
She chuckled. "No. We're just giving each other space and seeing how it goes."
"Isn't that just a nicer way of saying you're breaking up with me?"
She shook her head. "I love you. We'll see each other again. For now, we have FaceTime and texts."
"I love you." He hugged her tight.
A tear rolled down Sab's cheek, but she quickly wiped it away.
