“Hello, Winston,” she began, but then stumbled, “Uh, sir, uhm, I’m sorry.” He looked at her, and she continued to speak, rattling off her words, “I’m sorry about the coffee. I was just so surprised to see you.” He looked at her with a confused expression, and it dawned on Natalie that he didn’t recognize her.
“Anyways,” he started, “I wanted to make sure you’re okay.” He offered her an apologetic smile. “I was a bit harsh on you earlier and could sense that you were tense. Is everything alright?” he asked.