"excuse me your honour may I have a moment with my client." Susan followed her to the ladies' room lobby. "you need to let me do this. Grace. we can get more than that they hurt you, I want them to pay."

She looked at herself in the mirror and looked speedily away. She had talked herself over this, but she couldn't help how she felt. "a man had a heart attack."

"which could have not happened behind a wheel." She raised where fingers to her brow, pacing with her face to the ceiling, "his fault..." she stuttered, "and... and... you almost died! Do you even understand the gravity of all that happened? You wouldn't be able to dance, something you love to do for at least the next two months. A job which by the way has shitty insurance, no offence to your friend being the boss, I'm pretty sure he has his explanations."

"what are you getting at?"

"I need you to stop letting your good heart get you screwed over, that's all I'm saying. Would even be acting this way if you don't have feelings for Dave? Don't_"

"just stop!" Grace screamed. She couldn't bear to hear Susan vent. It made her want to smash her fist on the mirror just to stop seeing the indecisions and denials on her face. "alright?" tears were smudging her mascara but she couldn't care less. "I just need a moment. Can you just be my friend?"

Susan had a pained expression on her face when their eyes met, she looked away. "I know you want a friend, but I can be that right now. Right now, you need a lawyer. And I can't be one without compromising the other, but know that I've got you. I'm doing this because I'm a friend. And I'm sorry if I hurt you."

She leaned on the wall. "we can't keep them waiting." She said about a moment later.

Grace stood up, "I need to get somethings straight, you're my best friend, and I'm sure you want to help me, and for that I'm grateful. But don't call me back here, whatever I say in there goes." She walked towards the door, turn abruptly to face Susan who couldn't hide the disbelief on her face when Grace told her, "and I am not in love with Dave."

After an apology for their time, and a bit of some legal jargons Grace couldn't catch, papers were exchanged, and despite her bravado, had to settle somewhere between what he thought was okay and what Susan thought was best. Susan wasn't happy, neither was she. That's compromise.

"here, here, and here." Susan pointed at the spots on the pages of the legal papers she had to sign to agree to the compensation of 5.5 million Naira for all that had happened to her in the course of the accident, treatment, complications, and an advance for counselling and physiotherapy.

The cheque was signed, hands were exchanged, and everyone went their way.

Their loads were already packed thanks to Angela. They began moving them all away, when Dave knocked. "can't believe you're finally leaving us." He said, he had his hand behind his back. He dragged a chair and sat.

"I thought you'd be happy." Grace said. "thought you couldn't wait to get rid of us."

"I think you think too much. Are you kidding me? You're my star patient. And I dare say..." he paused, his tone was much lowered when he said, "...my good friend. I hope we cross path during check-ups, in the next two months or so. You should lose the crutch by then, yeah?"

"Yeah."

He walked over to the last remaining bag. "I'll be a gentle man and help you carry this." His hand rested on hers on the handle on the bag and stayed so for longer than was necessary, she slowly removed her hands. she could still hear Susan yelling, "Would even be acting this way if you don't have feelings for Dave?" if Dave looks at every girl the way she was looking at her right now, he's the perfect recipe for heartbreak. "Oh, and I have this for you." He said, slowly bringing out the other hand behind his back. He was holding a bag containing his favourite granola bars, "was hoping we could make good memories of today." She couldn't tell why such gesture held her stunned. She shook herself from the daze and laughed nervously.

"that's an improvement, miss I'm-still-mad-at-you."

She swatted at his smock, he acted like it hurts, they both laughed. Truth be told, she had been a bit cold, she rarely saw Dave which may be because Susan was often around. Grace on her part hadn't been too friendly with him anymore partly because the closer the settlement day got the more she felt like she was inevitably going to hurt him somewhat. Her general response to him was cold but that didn't stop him from waving eagerly at his 'star patient' whenever their paths cross, or almost cross no thanks to Susan.

They were waiting for the elevator when Dave spoke next. "can I give you a word of advice." He said.

"my guess is you are going to tell me what everyone has been saying. 'Take things slow'. Don't worry, I will. Not as if I can misbehave with Susan and Raymond around."

"good friends are rare these days," he said in that low voice that bore into her thoughts, "you're lucky you have two." He looked thoughtful, as he always does when he talks like that, such that the unwrapped granola bar he was holding in the hall way looked out of place.

"thank you."

"but that's not what I wanted to say."

"what does yoda has to impart?"

"don't make life altering choice."

"like with the money?" The word came with such speed and anger than she intended. Guess she's yet to lose the ire from the ladies' room.

Dave made a face, "God! You have edges!" he made a ridiculous attempt at eye roll. "wrong again." They quietly walked on. "I was going to say don't make life altering choices like picking up needle points," she smiled at that, still mortified for how mundane she made herself look, "you know, the sort of sweaters and baby blankets you get at agege flea market."

"did you make life altering choices? You said the other day you had a fracture."

He was quiet for a while. "it wasn't just a fracture, I lost me the first girl I ever fell in love with." He sighed, and slowed their walk as they approached the park, her head was bent listening, she realised their legs were moving at the same pace, the same sequence, she turned to face him so as not to jinx that. Dave continued, "It hurt pretty bad. So I stopped dancing, went to med school, just like my parent wanted."

"you danced?" she made a double take, there was something at the edge of her mind, it left just before she could reach, whatever it was.

"I've got layers hon." He smiled his classic sultry smile. "I did break dance, then finally ended in ball room dancing. Lots of chicks back then." He paused, "you remind me of her." saying this, he tucked a braid behind her ear, ever so gently. And he was close, towering over her, too close for comfort, some daring part of her wanted him closer but she knew it would be a terrible idea. As if he suddenly realized her uneasiness, he moved away. just then the elevator pinged.

Grace stepped back slowly, "oh I do?" she hid her smile, "Is she in the country?"

"I don't want to talk about that today." Dave said as he entered. Again too close. And there was not enough space to get a comfortable distance. They had never been alone, she realized, never. The walls of the ICU was glass for nurses to watch and respond if need be, then when she moved to the ward, Susan was around. But right here, right now... he leaned close, staring into her eyes. He looked he saw sweat prickled on his forehead and felt goose bumps, he leaned closer and she met him the rest of the way. her nerves sang as their lips met briefly, Dave leaned back, looked uncertain as if he needed to be sure Grace wanted this. She dropped her bag and didn't even bother to watch it land, his hand was on her nape bringing her close. The elevator dinged and slowly the door began to open to show a frowning nurse, and an orderly pushing a weeping woman in wheel chair. Grace felt guilty, embarrassed, but underneath it all is that dare devil exhilaration. She kissed Dave!

To break the awkward silence that stretched on as they made it past the A and E, where there was no scarcity of reasons to avoid thinking of anything as frivolous as a stolen kiss—she tried not to glare so hard at the man with the amputated stump on the stretcher, the shivering kid whose mother wouldn't stop pacing, the tired doctor scolding her—Grace said, "do you regret it. You know, going to med school?"

"fortunately I don't." he instantly replied for a guy she thought was stunned, "I've always wanted purpose and had wanted to drop dancing until I met this girl, when she left. I turned to Medicine. Medicine gave me purpose. No disrespect for what you do, but I'm saving lives." He wiggled the fingers on his freehand. "you know, you are supposed to be eating that if we are going to make a moment here."

"I'm not eating on the street." She said, "it's juvenile."

He made a snoring sound, then muttered. "no wonder the kids like having me around."

"said what?"

"a heartfelt tribute to your amazing parenting skills." She didn't see the joke in it yet. "I'm only joking," he said, "Seriously though, you are an amazing mama bear." He sighed, "you are so not fun, okay, I'll keep quiet." But his free hand was near hers now, and their fingers twined lazily. Moments later, he said in a sing song voice, "Our chaperone is watching."

All the while he talked, she was nourishing a thought. Ever since he mentioned ever dancing before. Looking up, she agreed, Susan was standing by the car, watching, arms folded and had apparently jinxed the sync in their footsteps.

"Would you, can you..." she stammered. she sighed. "Do you still remember how to dance?"

"I don't know." He looked confused by the question, "I haven't danced in a long time."

"me neither."

"longer than you."

"errr." Grace shrugged, not really sure what she should say or if she should say anything indicating her interest other than the fact that she tried initiating a second kiss. "I'm going to learn to get in steps soon, if you don't mind, I could use a partner. That is if you don't ghost me again."

"I swear by my sexy side bun not to." She looked at his clean chin and laughed. Dave squealed, triumphant, "I knew you had it in you!"

"so deal?" she asked, keeping a bit of a distance between themselves now that Susan is watching.

"I'll try and make time_"

"call me anytime you want to." She said, "could be your new exercise routine."

"you'd give me some times to think it over?"

"Okay." They resumed their walk. He placed the luggage in the trunk, shook hands with Jesse, tugged at Victor's cheeks and made ridiculous sounds so he laughed. He stood, watching them leave till he was out of sight.

In the car, Susan was rattling the items in her purse, her other hand steadily on the wheel. She brought out a lipstick, applied it and passed it on to Grace still looking dead on. "I hope you hadn't cleaned that with what I'm thinking." She said. the look they exchanged as she turned briefly, it was a look of knowledge of some secret they shouldn't openly discuss in the presence of the boys. Susan was smiling. "I'm always right." she said.