STOCKS & SHARES 10

It was an awkward situation. They sat across the table from one another each knowing that communication was unavoidable, part of the territory, yet neither wanted to be the first to speak.

Susan’s throat seemed to her to have a lump of cotton wool in it, but she steeled herself and forced the words out despite her reluctance - someone had to take the initiative.

“Shall we begin?” was all she could manage to say, but at least the dark spell was broken. The Chief self-consciously coughed, feeling rather clumsy and stupid.

“Yes”, he stammered, shuffling the papers on his case for the sake of doing something with his hands.

The ice cracked, Susan closed her mind to the person she was talking to, and assumed her usual professionalism.