gradually; by degrees; little by little; steps; stairs; staircase
estrangement; alienation; neglecting to stay in contact
present; gift; to give a present or gift
memories; recollections; reminiscence
development; exploitation
father; dad; husband; you; he
prototype model; experimental machine
poor; pitiable; pathetic; pitiful
stealthily; secretly; in secret
character; personality; (fictional) character; letter; character
machine; mechanism; instrument; appliance; apparatus
misunderstanding; mistaken idea; wrong guess
to reach; to touch; to be delivered; to arrive; to be attentive; to be scrupulous
serious; not joking; straight
to catch; to capture; to grasp (e.g. meaning); to perceive; to captivate; to move (one's heart)
once; one time; one round; one game; one bout; one heat
in that way; like that; that way
to be convinced (that); to be under the impression (that); to make up one's mind; to set one's heart on; to be obsessed (with a thought, idea, etc.); to think about obsessively
I'm told; is what I heard; is how it is, apparently; is what they said
promise; agreement; convention; rule; destiny; fate
concerning the result (as opposed to the means used to achieve this result or the original goal)
to trick; to cheat; to deceive; to coax; to wheedle; to soothe and humor (humour)
circumstances; conditions; situation; reasons; state of affairs
to confide; to reveal; to disclose; to lay bare; to speak frankly; to open (one's heart)
painful; bitter; tough; difficult; cruel; harsh
classroom; lecture room; department (in a university); class; lessons; school (for a particular discipline)
to disappear (of people or animals); to go (away); to leave; to no longer exist
painful; difficult; distressing; (psychologically) difficult; straitened (circumstances); tight (financial situation)
honest; frank; candid; honestly; frankly
to run around; to bustle about; to busy oneself
to have a reason; to have an excuse
what kind of; what sort of; what; no matter what (kind of); whatever; any
jumping to a wrong conclusion
to be solved; to be resolved; to loosen; to come untied; to be removed (of restrictions); to be lifted (e.g. a ban)
freely; frankly; without reserve
marriage ceremony; wedding; nuptials
playing at (something); game of make-believe; something done together
childhood friend; friend from infancy; old playmate
head; chief; leader; the greatest of all; the most excellent
intimacy; friendship; familiarity