Tyler came out of his room to find Ariel and her mother, sitting at the kitchen table having a cup of tea.
'Cuppa Mr Gordon?' Veronica said as she stood up and reached for another cup and poured it for him welcoming him to join them.
'Thank you Veronica. Hello Ariel, How's your ankle feeling?'
'I'm ready to return to work. I called in at work today and I was just telling mum we're training a girl for three weeks starting next week,' Ariel answered
'Let me guess. Your boss has offered to give her the training and you will be the one doing all the work. Am I right?'
'Yes something like that.'
'Good luck with that,' He turned to her mother, noticing her dressed to meet friends and said, 'Are you expecting visitors Veronica?
'No. Ariel and I are meeting friends for dinner. You can fend for yourself tonight Tyler. There's leftovers in the fridge from last night. Best use it tonight or I'll have to throw it out.'
'Thanks. I will.'
As Ariel and Veronica, her mother left to meet friends for a meal in town, Tyler made himself comfortable in a lounge chair with a book he had been intending to start reading for some time.
-ooo-
About 3 pages into the book he heard rain outside and a few minutes later, there was a knock at the door. He answered the door and a girl of about 19 years old was stood outside the door. He thought she must have been a friend of Ariel's but more than likely, the new trainee she mentioned over tea that afternoon. In any event, he thought she must have been hoping to see Ariel.
'Hello. Can I help you,' Tyler asked.
'I was hoping to talk to Ariel. I am going to be doing some training with her at work,' she said.
'Come in out of the cold,' he suggested, holding the door open for her.
She brushed past him wearing an overcoat, removing a rain hat and shaking her dark brown hair loose. As she passed him, he noticed how tall she was. At about one meter seventy seven centimeters, (Five feet nine inches) she was about seven centimeters shorter than him.
'Ariel is out with her mother and friends for dinner. They haven't been gone for too long so I wouldn't expect her back for some time. I'll help any way I can but if you call tomorrow she should be here,' he said.
Just then, there was a loud clap of thunder, and a serious storm began to gush loudly on to the iron roof.
'Wow! That sounds like a storm,' she said shuddering.
Tyler said, 'You should wait until the rain passes. Sit down and I'll make a cup of tea,' he said.
She sat in the middle of the divan as Tyler left the room and returned a few moments later with a teapot and cups and some biscuits on a tray.
He placed it on the coffee table, turned on the heater and said, 'Would you like me to take your coat? You could be here for a while yet. The rain seems to be setting in.'
She stood up and removed her coat and he hung it on the coat rack inside the front door. As he returned, he noticed she had a slim figure, but she appeared to be shapeless underneath her white and purple thick knitted pullover. He wanted to see what she looked like beneath that thick pullover. He stopped near the divan and switched on the central heating and within minutes the room increased its temperature.
Sitting on the divan next to her, he said, 'My name's Tyler Gordon. I rent a room here. What's your name?'
'Magda. I'll be doing a short work experience at the hardware store as part of a training course. Apparently I will be working with Ariel for three weeks. I hope she likes me. I wanted to introduce myself to her before training to find out what she expects of me.'
'I think you'll like her. She's friendly and was helpful when I moved in here,' he answered.
They chatted while they drank their tea.
As the room warmed, he removed his pullover, folded it and placed it on the chair and said, 'This room's getting a bit warm. Should I turn the heater down? Is it too hot for you in here Magda?'
'No. It's nice at the moment. Leave it on. It will probably do me good,' she answered rubbing her neck.
'How's that?' he asked.
'I seem to get a mild neck ache in the cold weather and will probably need to see the doctor for pain relief if this weather continues into next week.'
'Does it affect you turning your head or is it mainly an ache at the back?'
'Turning my head hurts when it gets bad. It was beginning to get like that before I called here. I don't want it to affect my training.'
'Let me try something. I had that same thing a few months ago and the chiropractor showed me what to do,' I said. 'Just swivel away from me a little and pull the neck down on your pullover for me.'
'This polo neck might get in the way. Shall I take it off Mr Gordon?'
She felt safe in the presence of an older man, probably twice her age and unlikely to have any carnal interest in her.
He answered, 'Yes. Certainly, as long as you're dressed underneath. By all means'.
She removed her tight thick white jumper and he watched as it stretched past her small round breasts, revealing a mauve top. He took her polo-neck pullover from her and placed it over his on the other chair.
She resumed her position facing away from him on the couch and he gradually pressed the heel of one hand on the back of her neck and held her steady with his other hand above her sternum. He held it for a few seconds without any real pressure and told her to breathe deeply for about one minute. After that he used both hands holding her still with his fingers over her shoulders.
Then her asked her to lace her hands behind her head and he concentrated on her shoulders.
