“Welcome Andrea my dear, please come in. I am Dr Wand; we have been expecting you!”
The voice was warm, welcoming, enough to put Andrea at ease. The apprehension of turning up to such an isolated clinic was nearly enough to have prevented the usually carefree girl from taking advantage of such an opportunity. A two-week vacation to anywhere in the world just to try on a new prototype bra sounded almost too good to be true, but seeing the small group of researchers spread around the room, some obscured by computer screens, others looking up at her in the doorway, all dressed in white lab coats and looking busy, it all felt so much more legitimate.
*‘Just remember…two weeks in the French Polynesia islands,’* she kept reminding herself, to make her go through with it.
Andrea closed the door, leaving the stream of twilight sun behind, to then be bathed by the synthetic light radiating around the windowless clinic.
“Hello, sorry I’m a little late,’’ she said timidly as she moved forward.
“Please, no need to apologise, we are very happy to see you. Follow me!” said the doctor who had greeted her upon entry, taking off a pair of surgical gloves as he walked along slowly.