He heard a knock at the door. Getting up from his selection of teaching materials and books set at the table, he walked to the other side of the modest flat to open it. It was her. She exhaled sharply as he opened the door for her, and smiled nervously at the man, greeting him with a ‘good afternoon’.
Friendly, he smiled back, welcomed her inside and asked if she needed any refreshment. She declined, asking only if there was somewhere she could hang her coat. He took it off her and set it over the chair he had set for her at the table. He asked her to sit, looking her up and down as she moved to the other end of the flat. She looked different, he thought. She had makeup on. Not much, but enough to draw attention to the eyes and lips. Her eyes were wider, lashes fuller, with lips more vibrant and plumper than he recalled. Though it caught his eye, he put it to the back of his mind and focused on the aim of the afternoon. She was falling behind on work, and her progress had truly slowed. She needed some special attention and encouragement to get her back up to speed.