"Your graduation suit?" Snorted Aruda. "Forgive me, Xeno, but you've worn it for almost each and every workplace event since you came here. Don't you think it's time to change it up slightly?"
"Why would I change it when it's fine how it is?" Xeno asked. "Wait, do you think anyone else has noticed?" He tried to keep up an organised exterior at the museum- he was still gunning for that promotion, after all.
"Of course not, Xeno." Aruda pursed her lips. "It's not like Ms. Pepper pays the Astronomy department much heed, anyway. Much less your manner of dress."
"That's not true, I'm sure she pays us a lot of attention." Xeno replied.
Suddenly, the doors of Dr. Aruda's office burst open, slamming on their hinges.
CHAPTER TWO:
"Xeno, Ms. Aruda, I-"
"That's "Doctor Aruda" to you, Jess." Aruda half-joked. She was fiercely proud of her PhD, and wasn't afraid to show it.
"Right." Jess rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Anyway, It helps that you're both here, can you believe Ms. Pepper's email?"
There was a brief, uncomfortable pause.
"Don't tell me neither of you have checked your inbox for the last thirty minutes." Jess rolled her eyes. "Honestly, I'd expect this type of thing from you, Dr. Aruda, but Xeno, I thought better of you." She shook her head and tutted with mock disappointment.
Aruda began to chuckle, joined quickly by Xeno, and Jess cracked a slight smile before she seemed to remember herself, and her face darkened.
"No, guys, it's actually really serious." She said, "Look, I don't know how to say this, but.. Ms. Pepper's just sent out an E-mail that one of our departments is going to get.. cut." Her lips pressed together until they formed a line, and she shifted uncomfortably.
Xeno's heart dropped. Surely she was joking? Or, perhaps, a misunderstanding?
"Why?" Aruda demanded. The smile was gone from her face, replaced with a look of intense worry.
"Something about a lack of funding. Apparently, they're still deciding who they're going to cut, but they told us all to prepare ourselves. She should decide by the end of the quarter,apparently." Jess started playing with a lock of her auburn hair, as she often did when she was stressed.
The older woman frantically clicked the space bar on her computer. When it finally flickered on, she opened her email and saw the top one, labelled "URGENT" From Ms. Pepper- their boss and the head of the museum.
As she opened it, Xeno walked behind Aruda's desk, and read the screen alongside her.
"To all museum staff and personnel; It is with a heavy heart that I announce that we at Willowheath Museum will be forced to say good-bye to one of our departments. Unfortunately, we have faced a severe slice in our budget, and can no longer afford the rich plethora of specialties at our museum.
This email is being sent to avoid any sudden fear or shock when the time comes for a department to be cut. The decision will be finalised at the end of this quarter, in November. I am terribly sorry for any pain caused by this, but the good of the museum must come first.
With Regrets, Zara Pepper."
After a moment's pause, Aruda looked up at Xeno from where she was sitting.
"She can't do this. Not after how hard I've.. We've all worked at the museum. I knew her when she inherited it, she can't.. she can't."
"I agree." Xeno replied, looking at Jess. "Are you sure this isn't a prank or something?"
"Not sure if you've caught on, but I know about as much as you do." She looked away. "I've barely worked here for two years, I hate that we might have to leave."
Xeno started to tremble, though he hoped that it was imperceptible to the others. Working at the museum had been his dream job since he was nine or ten, how could it potentially all be gone?
"Well, here's hoping that it's the Palaeontology department that gets cut, eh?" Dr. Aruda nudged Xeno with her elbow, trying to make light of the situation. There had been tension between the Palaeontology and Astronomy departments for goodness knows how long, for reasons seemingly only fully clear to Dr. Aruda. Not that anyone was brave enough to ask her for clarification.
"Yeah." Xeno forced a chuckle. "I mean, you never know, this could be a win for us, right?"
"I'm not so sure." Jess replied. "I mean.. What if they try something funny? You know what I mean?"
"You're right. Keep an eye out, you two." Dr. Aruda warned them. She was almost like their mother at the museum. "Stay out of trouble, I mean it." Her brow furrowed as she said the last part, and she looked away.
