Steve looked up in mild surprise, even if under his skin it was a bit more jarring. The first time he'd unexpectedly been addressed today it had gone considerably abnormal, though. He relaxed almost immediately, however, and his face split into a genuine smile as he recognized his neighbor.
"Lara," he nodded back, sticking the mail down into his bag and closing his box. It was a relief to see somebody familiar from the day-to-day he pictured clearly in his mind. "Oh. Mostly normal. Didn't get a great start, but as long as it really starts and ends with mail... well, it's as interesting as it sounds."
He chuckled softly. He remembered seeing her, vaguely, off and on. She'd always been cheerful and friendly. A good neighbor to have, even if they had never gotten close.
"How about yours? Anything interesting in your studies? I don't think I heard about that last conclusion you were excited about..." he paused and legitimately winced, then chuckled. "Sorry. I definitely remember being interested but it was over my head or something."