The Forty Rules of Love

Ella. Northampton, June 29, 2008. Ella has just sat down to dinner with her family when she sees a text message she never expected: Aziz is coming to Boston for an assignment for Smithsonian magazine. He wants to meet for coffee the next day. Ella feels dizzy and lies to David that the message was from Michelle. He doesn’t seem to believe her. When Ella says Michelle wants her to come to the office, David offers to take her. Ella says it’s a very early meeting, and David finally admits he might not be able to get up early enough to make it. 

Ella suggests to David that maybe she should go to their apartment in Boston tonight, so she can get up first thing tomorrow for the meeting. David is reluctant, but he agrees that Ella can go if that’s what she wants. Ella texts Aziz that she will be in Boston in two hours. Before she leaves, she stresses about her appearance in the mirror, not fully knowing why, since she figures any connection she has with Aziz is bound to be ephemeral. When Ella finally leaves, Orly and Avi say goodbye, but David is nowhere around.