Thulile haunted Lars' mind for a month, and now it was his turn to rent some space in hers.

His eyes, how could someone have eyes so blue?

This time no waves crashed behind his stare. He was in peace, but they were still a few ripples.

"He must have liked the first coffee," Palesa said as they cleared that day.

"Pardon?"

"The tall white man, he must have liked your beans."

"It wasn't the first time?"

Palesa shook her head, "nope, I remember he asked for our menu. He's the unforgettable type. Did you see his eyes? Or hear the accent? I doubt he's an Afrikaner. He's probably from somewhere where there's ice. He has this cold side to him. Humm, he must really like the coffee."

Thulile rinsed her coffee utensils, and the women left.

As Thulile walked, the morning scene with Lars replayed. The woman wondered why she panicked or why she still trembled without thinking her psychical reaction could be a response to something else.

She giggled at her thought. It was crazy to presume the man remembered her from the club. As if he could distinguish a person of color from another. He'd probably be lost if she wore a wig.

The woman naively placed Lars in the category of those who imagined all people of color looked similar.

Also, Thulile forgot the specific detail of her face. Lars could at least nail his list down to women with her eyes shape. In the club's lighting, the man almost thought she was Asian or mixed. Like many black South Africans, her skin was naturally fair. For Lars, she was darker than he imagined, but it didn't change the fact Thulile was the girl who bewitched him with her dancing.

The woman walked instead of taking transportation. She wasn't in the mood to squeeze up on the bus with her swollen face and the heat.

Both cheek and head throbbed. She had barely slept, and she ran under the rain to open shop. The woman felt her body temperature rise with every step.

When she opened her home's door an hour later, Thulile burned with fever.

"Thulile?"

Dizzy, Thulile dropped to the floor.

Her gran wheeled herself to the spot where Thulile laid motionless.

"THULILE," the older woman yelled; she wheeled herself back a little, gritted her teeth to brace herself. She then began to rock on her chair, forcing it to topple. The woman didn't even feel the shock of the fall as she focused solely on her suffering grandaughter.

She pulled herself in Thulile's direction. The woman used all the strength she had in her arms. When she came close enough, she touched her grandaughter's forehead.

The young woman boiled, and she mumbled gibberish. Thulile didn't take anything for her cheek or head, which now had an egg size bump. Kungawo's blows were heavy, her gran panicked. Perhaps Thulile had a concussion.

Her gran screamed for help. Femi was not due home for at least an hour.

The old lady's voice dried up, and her sobs became a murmur as she caressed her grandaughter's face.

Femi stood stunned in front of the sight he found when he got home. The scene reminded him of another one where his mother starred as the victim. Femi refused to lose someone else. He ran to their neighbors four doors up, who came to lift his gran and placed Thulile on the couch.

"Eee, this child is so sick. Perhaps it's Typhoid fever or Malaria. Whatever the case, she needs a doctor, and fast," said Kalesi.

Femi rummaged through Thulile's bag and tried to unlock her phone. He knew he had three tries for the pin.

What was he thinking? She had a smartphone. Femi used Thulile's fingerprint. The phone unlocked; he scrolled until he found Nandi's number and dialed.

Nandi excused herself from her client and went to the toilet to reply, "Chi-du, my darling, wassup?"

"Nandi, it's Femi. Thulile is sick. The neighbors say she'll die if she doesn't see a doctor."

"What, Femi, what are you talking about?"

"Kungawo hit her and knocked her head on the wall. She isn't waking up. Please, Nandi, we need your help."

"Femi, stay by her. Don't let any charlatan doctor come close. I'm coming."

Nandi hung up; She had to find a reason to leave work. Inspired by the situation, she screamed and fell to the floor. All her colleagues came running.

"Aunt Juliett-oh, why leave us like this?" the woman cried in overdramatic gestures with hands regulating invisible traffic.

"Nandi, what's wrong?"

"It's my father's sister. She is dead,ㅡ ah my poor baba [ah poor dad]. I need to support him; ㅡhe will kill himself. He loved his sister so much."

"Oh my God. Nandi, go, child, go."

"But what about Ms.Kissango's box braids?"

"Nandi, I'll finish off the hair. Don't worry."

Nandi got up with the help of her colleagues, who held her while she played weak and disorientated.

She continued the sobs until she gathered her belongings and was on the street. Then she hogged a scooter driver and gave Thulile's address.

In the meantime, Femi tried to sponge Thulile's forehead with cold water.

When Nandi arrived, her temperature heightened, "Nandi, what are we to do?"

"Femi, call 101011."

"Nandi, but we can't afford it."

"Heh, Femi. I will not let my friend die for budget issues."

"Butㅡ."

"Do what I say. Where is Thulile's phone?"

"Why do you want it?"

"Femi, I'm here to help, don't police me."

The boy gave her the phone unlocked, Nandi dialed. There was no response.

She noted the number on her phone and gave Thulile's one back to Femi.

The paramedics arrived, "Femi, go with ugogo."

"I will follow."

"Butㅡ."

"Don't worry, let me chase the money."

Nandi took another scooter. Her mission was risky, but she had to try.

Half an hour later, she arrived at Carlson & associates' law firm.

"Nan-Diya."

"Don't Nandiya me, call Mr. Zero." The woman said as she barged into his office. Julian was a law student and happened to do his internship in the same firm she was in before quitting.

"What, why?"

"My friend is between life and death. We need money for the hospital fee."

"Who, Thulile?"

"Yes, call him, now."

Without surprise, Elije replied to his friend.

"Julian, my man," he exclaimed joyfully.

"Yo, bro, we have an issue."

"What's the matter?"

"It'sㅡ," Julian glanced at Nandi, who widened her eyes at him.

"Eh, it's Thulile. She's in hospital bra andㅡ," before he could pursue, Nandi snatched the phone.

"Yo Mkhize, your woman is sick."

"Nandi, is that you?"

"Who else do you think it could be?" The woman replied while Julian looked towards the door, hoping no one heard.

At the other end of the phone, Elije shook his head to disapprove of Nandi's aggressive tone, "why are you yelling."

Nandi kissed her teeth, "why are you running? I called you on Thulile's phone, and you didn't answer. Here, the phone call from your bra didn't even ring-ding-dong for three seconds that you replied. You constantly play Thulile you good for nothing Zero."

The woman was unable to control her temper though she needed the man's wallet to show generosity.

"Nandi, what is this about?"

"I told you Chi-Du is suffering. I can not pay the fees. You are her man. You're in a better place to help."

"Nandi, I'm at work now."

"Haaah, God, please help meㅡ; this man has a death wish. Listen, Mkhize [Elije's family name], you better move or do something; otherwise, I will come and bring down the walls of your workplace and universe. If something happens to Chi-Du, I swear, I will dedicate my life to making yours hell. You will beg me to kill you."

Elije knew Nandi. The woman made it clear he wasn't worthy of her friend from day one and called him Mr.Zero.

The man wished he could turn the tables on her thinking.

"Pass me Julian."

"Mkhize, don't try me."

"Nandi, please, my head is blowing up already. Pass me, Julian," the woman did as asked.

"Julian."

"Yes."

"Can you go to the hospital and pay? Just tell me how much it adds up to, I'll pay you back."

"Elije, she needs you."

"Please, I can't go there. Gisele works where they took her."

"Bruh," Julian swiped a hand on his lips. If Nandi weren't there, he would have rinsed his friend.

What kind of lover sat back at work while their partner was in the hospital?

"Okay, I'll do it for Thulile. Don't worry about paying me back."

Stuck in his psychosis of the eventuality of being caught by his fiancee Elije didn't note his friend's words.

For Julian, it was his big break. Thulile wasted time with Elije, and she did it more than ever now that the man was engaged. Julian had to firm intention of showing the woman what a man did when his feelings were genuine.

"Mister Carlson, I have an emergency. My cousin here present came to announce the death of our great aunt. We must hurry to our family's side."

The avocet looked at Nandi. She had wrung all of her tear reserves, but she still had the dried ones that dribbled out stuck on her face like an egg mask.

Mr.Carlson sighed, "there seems to be an unknown pandemic in your family Mr. Nkosi," the older man said.

"Mr. Carlson, I promise it's the last time. I hope."

The full-time clubber tended to be so hungover that he killed a family member weekly to sober up at home.

Everyone has an Achilles. Julian's was the YOLO lifestyle. Party and girls were all he cared about until he crossed the path of a specific dancer.

Back then, when her boyfriend didn't tell her what to wear and how to behave, it was a white tank, black cheerleader skirts, and white Air Max Thulile wore.

Though scouted nightly, the girl refused to be affiliated with the nightlife professionally. Thulile knew how people would interpret the job.

Julian fell for the carefree girl with principles. He was her greatest fan, and he wished for everyone to know how talented and beautiful she was.

Unlike Elje, he was willing to drop his wealth if she gave him an opportunity.

A chance.

Julian didn't leave Mr.Carlson time to react as he put his arm around Nandi's shoulder solemnly, and the two walked out head-bowing like brokenhearted souls.

It was now or never for Julian, who left the law firm and hopped in his car with Nandi to go to the hospital.

The man posed his phone and switched on the music.