them into the linen basket and hoped it would close properly. Six fifteen. She needed to get the meal cooking. She looked at the instructions and transferred everything into her own dishes. The waste bin was full. She took it all out to the dustbin and emptied it. Six thirty-five. She needed to change. What should she wear? Casual? Smart? She still hadn't downloaded any music.
She went into her room and decided on being casual. She took out one of her favourite hippy style skirts and tops and put it on. She was about to do something with her hair and the doorbell rang. She ran her comb through it. It would have to do.
'Hi. You're early,' she said without thinking.
'Exactly seven o'clock,' he laughed. 'Do you want me to take a walk round the block?'
'Sorry. I didn't realise the time had gone by so quickly.'
'Are you inviting me in or shall I go for walk?' Mike asked.
'Sorry. Come on in. Well, this is it. My home.'
'Yes, I saw it yesterday. It all looks very much cleaner and tidier,' he remarked.
'Well yes. It was Saturday today. Cleaning day.'
'I see. I'm afraid I took you at your word. I didn't bring any wine. I have brought you some flowers though.' He handed her a lovely bouquet of roses.
'Oh, how lovely. Thank you so much.' She felt suddenly shy of him. She felt her hands trembling slightly. 'Sorry, please sit down. Oh, would you like me to take your jacket?'
'Thanks. Please, relax Joanne. It's only me. Here to spend an evening with you.' She took his leather jacket and hung it in her hallway. She sniffed it as she did so and gave a little smile.
'Sorry. Please sit down. You look nice.' She noticed his blue denim shirt and grey pants. The shirt matched his eyes.
'You look different to last night. Well, the same as you usually look at college. Nice though.'
'Thanks. I'll just put these into some water. Oh, would you like a drink?'
'That would be great.'
'Okay. Just a minute.' She dived into the kitchen and found a vase. How did one arrange roses? She plonked them into water and took them through. 'Aren't they gorgeous?' she said, genuinely pleased with them. 'Oh, I'll get some wine.' She was burbling on. He was sitting there, looking ... well, just looking. She was so unused to entertaining a man, she realised. She must shape up, she told herself. She opened the bottle of wine and returned with it and two glasses. 'Here we go,' she said, handing one to him. 'Cheers.'
'Cheers. Thank you.' They both sipped the wine. 'Nice,' he said.
'Yes.'
'How was your day?'
'Fine. Thanks for asking.' Another pause. 'And how was yours?'
'Good, thanks.'
'This is ridiculous ...'
'This is silly...' they both said at the same time. They both laughed.
'Why is this so awkward?' she asked. 'I mean to say, we spent last evening together and chatted more or less non-stop. Why is it so difficult now it's just us on our own?'
'Maybe it's the lack of other company to set us going. Why don't we talk about college? Once you get going on something you're comfortable with, it should be easy.'
Hesitantly, she began to talk about the other lecturers. It was certainly easier speaking about something you knew about. Before long, both of them were laughing and chatting as if they had never had any problems. At last, he said,
'Not being rude, but when are we going to eat? Only I didn't have any lunch and I'm starving.'
'Oh my goodness. I never put the oven on. I'll do it right away. I can bring the starter through very soon but there will be a while before the main course is ready.' She shot out into the kitchen and switched on the oven. How could she have been so stupid? She went to the fridge and took out the smoked salmon. At least he could eat that and quell the first pangs of hunger.
'Here we go. Would you like to come to the table?'
'I'd be delighted to. Lovely. I adore smoked salmon.'
'I must have known about that.' As they ate, he talked about his family. He had a sister. Older than him and married. You are still planning to
She went into her room and decided on being casual. She took out one of her favourite hippy style skirts and tops and put it on. She was about to do something with her hair and the doorbell rang. She ran her comb through it. It would have to do.
'Hi. You're early,' she said without thinking.
'Exactly seven o'clock,' he laughed. 'Do you want me to take a walk round the block?'
'Sorry. I didn't realise the time had gone by so quickly.'
'Are you inviting me in or shall I go for walk?' Mike asked.
'Sorry. Come on in. Well, this is it. My home.'
'Yes, I saw it yesterday. It all looks very much cleaner and tidier,' he remarked.
'Well yes. It was Saturday today. Cleaning day.'
'I see. I'm afraid I took you at your word. I didn't bring any wine. I have brought you some flowers though.' He handed her a lovely bouquet of roses.
'Oh, how lovely. Thank you so much.' She felt suddenly shy of him. She felt her hands trembling slightly. 'Sorry, please sit down. Oh, would you like me to take your jacket?'
'Thanks. Please, relax Joanne. It's only me. Here to spend an evening with you.' She took his leather jacket and hung it in her hallway. She sniffed it as she did so and gave a little smile.
'Sorry. Please sit down. You look nice.' She noticed his blue denim shirt and grey pants. The shirt matched his eyes.
'You look different to last night. Well, the same as you usually look at college. Nice though.'
'Thanks. I'll just put these into some water. Oh, would you like a drink?'
'That would be great.'
'Okay. Just a minute.' She dived into the kitchen and found a vase. How did one arrange roses? She plonked them into water and took them through. 'Aren't they gorgeous?' she said, genuinely pleased with them. 'Oh, I'll get some wine.' She was burbling on. He was sitting there, looking ... well, just looking. She was so unused to entertaining a man, she realised. She must shape up, she told herself. She opened the bottle of wine and returned with it and two glasses. 'Here we go,' she said, handing one to him. 'Cheers.'
'Cheers. Thank you.' They both sipped the wine. 'Nice,' he said.
'Yes.'
'How was your day?'
'Fine. Thanks for asking.' Another pause. 'And how was yours?'
'Good, thanks.'
'This is ridiculous ...'
'This is silly...' they both said at the same time. They both laughed.
'Why is this so awkward?' she asked. 'I mean to say, we spent last evening together and chatted more or less non-stop. Why is it so difficult now it's just us on our own?'
'Maybe it's the lack of other company to set us going. Why don't we talk about college? Once you get going on something you're comfortable with, it should be easy.'
Hesitantly, she began to talk about the other lecturers. It was certainly easier speaking about something you knew about. Before long, both of them were laughing and chatting as if they had never had any problems. At last, he said,
'Not being rude, but when are we going to eat? Only I didn't have any lunch and I'm starving.'
'Oh my goodness. I never put the oven on. I'll do it right away. I can bring the starter through very soon but there will be a while before the main course is ready.' She shot out into the kitchen and switched on the oven. How could she have been so stupid? She went to the fridge and took out the smoked salmon. At least he could eat that and quell the first pangs of hunger.
'Here we go. Would you like to come to the table?'
'I'd be delighted to. Lovely. I adore smoked salmon.'
'I must have known about that.' As they ate, he talked about his family. He had a sister. Older than him and married. You are still planning to
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