The after-party was short for Nandi and the girls who left abruptly. Nandi hurried to the exit with Julian tailing her.

He grasped her arm, "Nandi, tell me what's happening. Why are you girls leaving like this?"

For the first time, Julian saw the woman cry. A chilling sensation swept over the man. Nandi was fearless, but she had one sweet and soft spot all knew.

"Nandi, is it Thulile?"

"Julian, sheㅡ."

The woman was breathless.

Julian didn't even take leave from Dalai and his crew. He followed the women out. Thulile's condition was such that the paramedics took her to the only hospital with adequate equipment. She already had a file there, Julian made a few phone calls.

The friends arrived and found Femi rolled up in a ball crying while Thulile's gran heaved oddly in her chair.

"Gogo, what's the matter?" Nandi asked as she crouched down in front of the woman's wheelchair.

Something was wrong with the old lady. Julian went to the desk, "what's going on here? Can't you see that woman isn't well?"

The nurse gave him an apologetic stare, " sorry, sir, they told only to take care of the girl."

"So you're going to let her grandmother die in the hall," Julian's glare made the nurse panic. She nurse grabbed the phone and dialed.

"Femi," Nandi rushed to the boy's side where Mabel and Sus already gathered, "tell me what happened?"

"She's going to die Nandi. I'm scared."

"No, no, we won't let it happen, Femi. Thulile won't die. She can't," the woman grasped her hair and took off her wig, "eish, this nonsense is making hot."

At that moment, nothing mattered for Nandi. Followers, money, men, everything was vanity. All she wanted was her friend. She took off her heels and went to find Julian.

"Julian, lend me money."

"What for Nandi. What do you want to do?"

"If my friend dies today. "Ha," the woman clapped her hands together and looked to the ceiling, "if Thulie dies today, Kungawo better run. I will kill him."

Julian shook his head, refusing the woman's words. Johannesburg was a dangerous city when one knew its back alleys. Like many places on earth, money could be one's salvation or damnation. The man didn't doubt. Nandi was more than capable of committing the deed, "Nandi, let's call the police."

"The Police," Sus interjected and walked up to him, "you are one hell of a dumb rich man. Do you think they will bother themselves for a girl from the township? You are so delusional."

"Girls, there are laws. I'm a lawyer."

Sus, lips drooped low as she threw, "the police works for people like you. Those with the dollars and rands. They don't care about us. Do you think they care about the beaten or raped? They don't give a damn."

Sus knew how things went down. How many of her friends experienced what some called corrective rape, supposed to send sexuality back on the right track. She saw how the files were dropped, dismissed, or closed; especially when the incidents concerned people from poor areas. Sus had no doubts concerning Thulile's case of domestic violence.

It wasn't as if Thulile never tried to get away, even if she never dared file a complaint against her brother. The sound of steps coming in their direction interrupted Sus to Julian's relief.

"I'm doctor Fraser. May I know who her guardian is?"

"Eh, we admitted her gran as well so," Julian began only to be halted.

"I'm her guardian," Nandi said, stepping forward.

"And you are?" The doctor asked while eyeing her up and down.

"Her sister, what do you want, my DNA?" Nandi said in a low-pitched tone while she rocked her head from side to side.

The doctor looked at Nandi's wigless head and bare feet. He understood she was not one to be trifled with; doctor Fraser cleared his throat and pushed up his glasses, "your sister suffered from yet another concussion. She has two fractured ribs and will need between a six-week to eight recovery period."

Nandi gasped; Mabel placed a hand on her shoulder and held her hand to support her.

"Where is she now, doctor?" Julian asked.

"In her room sleeping, you won't be able to talk to her tonight. We gave her a strong opioid for the pain."

"Can we see her?" Mabel asked in Nandi's stead.

"The visiting hours are over," doctor Fraser replied.

"Doctor, can I speak to you for a minute?" Julian took the doctor to the side.

A few minutes later, the doctor authorized two people to see Thulile.

There was no need to debate. It was Nandi and Femi who went in to see her.

Thulile was in a pitiful state. Nandi couldn't stare at her; Thulile's babyface was a palette of beetroot and navy. Her eyes were swollen like a boxer after a match.

"Oh my baby, Thulile darling, why?" Nandi cried. She grasped her sleeping friend's hand. Why did they always have to end up crying after a short instance of joy?

It was as though someone refused happiness to them. Thulile was the most prominent victim of fate in all their friendship circle. She was the one who lived all the trials.

Again she suffered; the shock was immense for Nandi. There seemed to be an escalation in Kungawo's violence. What began with a few slaps was now a life-threatening matter. None imagined the man could go as far as to have his sister needing hospitalization twice.

Nandi hated herself. She felt guilty for leaving her friend in such an environment. The girl naively thought it wouldn't go any further, and Thulile would find a way to leave misery with Femi and her gran.

How could she help her? She didn't have the financial means to support Thulile and her family. Nandi had to think fast. No matter how complicated things were, she had to find a solution to make Thulile disappear from her abusive brother's radar permanently.

Everyone left the hospital except Femi. Julian forced Nandi to go home as well to change. The man had to promise to bring in the morning as she wanted to be the first to see Thulile wake.

Two hours later, the sun rose, and so did happy-go-lucky Lars. Who hurried to shower and drive out to the van. Images from the night invaded his mind, and so did Thulile. She filled all his thoughts. Evicting her was impossible. He drove with one hand on the steering wheel while his free hand touched his lips. The man wondered what would have happened if he had grasped her hands when they were on the dance floor.

Lars wasn't ready to admit anything yet. He was conscious of the shitty stigmas he still carried. He knew if ever he crossed the line, everything would blow up in smoke because he was a ticking time bomb. At the same time, being with Thulile appeased him. She had an anesthetic effect. Lars could stare into her slitted eyes forever, he thought.

He arrived at the van shortly after and only found Palesa.

"Hi, is Thulile hereㅡ."

Palesa's grave face expressed what Lars dreaded.

"Ms. Palesa, please tell me where Thulile is."

"She's sick."

"No, no, no, I won't have it this time. Tell me where Thulile is; otherwise, I'll go to her neighborhood to ask.

Palesa sighed; Nandi gave her a call to say Thulile was in the hospital and that she would not come back to the truck for about a month. The woman didn't know what to do. People wouldn't come without Thulile's coffee. Her mind raced, and here she was facing this guy who she knew would bug her until he got his answer, "she's in hospital."

"Which one?

"I can't."

"Oh yes, you can say it. Otherwise, you'll be stuck with me till tonight."

Palesa sighed again; the man had nothing other than that to do.

"She's at St. Martins."

"Thank you."

Lars left, programmed his GPS, and headed straight to the hospital.

In the meantime, Thulile woke up to find Nandi and Femi.

"Naㅡna," she whispered.

"Aikona, sister, you gave me the greatest fright of my life."

"I'm thirsㅡ."

"Femi, get her some water."

The boy hurried out.

"Nana, where's gran?"

Nandi shook her head, "gogo's blood pressure went up. She's in another room. Julian took care of everything."

"Naㅡ."

"Don't say a word," Nandi placed her hand on Thulile's lips, "I know Thulile. I know you don't want his help, but it's the least Julian can do after what he and Elije played. Let him do it. It serves him right."

Thulile tried to sit, but the pain made her give up; tears rolled down. "Na-na why?"

"It's your ribs. That good for nothing broke them."

Thulile closed her eyes; it was a nightmare. She thought of the van, but also Lars. The punctual man was probably hounding Palesa. The woman couldn't be more wrong; Lars was already at the welcome desk.

"Hi, eh, I'm looking for a friend admitted yesterday or this morning."

"Do you have a name, sir?"

"Thulilie, Thulile Chidudem."

The nurse eyed Lars up and down. Everyone heard about the girl who got VIP treatment thanks to her connections. It seemed Thulile had a special kind of Blackmagic that reeled in men of both beauty and social stature.

"Who did you say you were, sir?"

"Her friend andㅡ," Lars hesitated between saying, business partner or employer. The latter made things seem more official.

"She's in room five-O-four, on the five-floor. You can ask the nurses there to take you to her room."

"Thank you," Lars hurried off, leaving the nurses swooning over him. As the nurse indicated, her colleagues were more than happy to assist Lars, who found himself at her door in no time.

"Thank you."

"It's my pleasure, sir, if ever you need anything else, the nurse strutted off, walking the walk and swaying her hips in her hospital clogs just in case Lars watched. The man had no time; his ears tended to what he heard in the door crack.

"Nana, I'm scared."

"Don't be afraid. I won't let him approach you again. He won't touch you again."

Lars knocked and immediately entered without waiting for an answer.

Thulile gasped and turned her head away as if it wasn't enough to have Julian know and mind her business. Lars' presence flustered, "Nana, why?"

"It's not me, Thulile," Nandi got up to address herself to Lars, "can you get out, please?"

"Iㅡ," Lars began.

"I said get out," it was abrupt, but Nandi understood her friend's feelings. No one would wish seen in the state Thulile was.

"I'm sorry," Lars said, realizing his indelicate error.

He left to stand outside, his heart exploded. He had only seen Thulile's face a split second, but it was enough to note the damage. The man feared the worse. Stevens' stories about kidnapping and rape surfaced. Thulile's state triggered other images involving another black woman dear to him. Sierra, back then, his insatiable desire to please his crush almost got his sister-in-law killed. Lars' felt he lived a reboot as his negligence made Thulile suffer.

The guilt trip was about to launch when Nandi came out, closed the door behind her, and joined him, "I'm sorry, she doesn't want to see you."

"What happened?"

"You tell me," Nandi returned.

"I dropped her off at her house. I saw her enter; she was safe."

"Safe? In her house," Nandi wanted to chuckle with irony but held back," I'm sorry you're not welcome here. So can you leave?"

"No, not until you tell me what happened?"

"I'm not entitled to do that; it's her story. She'll tell you."

Lars frowned and shook his head in denial, "no, Thulile won't, and you know it. Listen, I know I'm an outsider, but I want to help. And I'll do it with or without your assistance, but I would prefer you to enlighten me so that I can aid her to the best of my ability."

Thulile had told Nandi that Lars was trustworthy. She knew her friend only refused to see the man because of her appearance. Lars was wealthy, probably more than Julian. If there was someone who could protect her friend, it was perhaps this stranger, oddly enough.

"Thulile has an older brother; he's violent and harasses her for money."

"Her brother did that?" Lars exclaimed.

Nandi nodded, and Lars gulped the damn he wanted to pronounce.

"Did you file a complaint? She should have a restraining order."

Lars naivety managed to make Nandi's lips curve for a lopsided smile, "eh, things don't exactly work like that here. Listen, she has a concussion and two broken ribs. Thulile needs rest and someone to take care of her. Sheㅡ."

"I'll do it."

Nandi blinked, "pa-pa-pardon?"

"I'll take care of her."

Nandi crossed her arms, "and how are you going to do that, mister?"

"It's simple; she can stay with me."

Nandi opened her mouth, closed it to reflect, and opened it when she got her comeback, "she has family, you know. A small brother and her gran."

"I've got six bedrooms and a pool," Lars said with all the seriousness in the world.

Nandi frowned and bit her lips to stop herself from laughing like a hyena, "you know she'll never accept something like that."

"I'm very persuasive."