Thulile opened her eyes at 5 am on the dot only to realize she hadn't dreamt of her hospital stay.

The woman sat up and began to trifle with the plaster holding the needle. Thoughts bustled; she could take out the drip, get dressed, go and make a couple of coffees till 9 am. She would slip back into bed without anyone knowing teen-late-for-curfew-movie-style.

"Don't even think of it."

Her gran's voice killed the noise. Thulile sighed, fell back on the bed, and closed her eyes. Palesa was aware of the situation. She told Thuile she would ask her eldest daughter to help her make tea to go with the snacks.

Thulile agreed there was no use depriving Palesa of any income as small as it was.

Lars woke up at 6 am, like the day before the man had an irrepressible urge to drink coffee. He prepared himself with a slight remix. He showered and chose an outfit that wasn't pajamas in disguise.

The man didn't even interrogate himself to understand why he buffed himself to buy coffee.

"Okay, let's go," he said to his reflection in the hall's mirror before leaving.

There was no rain or clouds; Lars felt grateful. It had been a while, there the man was glad to know he would have the privilege to drink Thulile's coffee. Just the thought of watching her make it made him bubbly.

Lars found a space to park and got out. Something was off; where was the queue? He jogged along and crossed over to the truck's side of the street.

No one, not one soul in sight, yet the truck was open.

"Hi."

"No coffee," Palesa replied blatantly before the man even asked.

"Pardon."

"I said there's no coffee today."

A black hole opened under Lars' feet, and the man saw his happiness barometer drop below zero.

"Why?" Lars looked behind Palesa; another woman with braids that stretched down below her buttocks stood behind her.

"Where is she?" The man pursued.

Palesa eyed him up and down. Her lips deformed to welcome her sneer, "Hey, mister, are you her controller? I said there's no coffee, but we have snacks and tea."

Lars slid his head back and blinked, "eh," he didn't know what to think of her reply, which almost sounded insulting. Palesa constantly tried to intimidate him. Lars leaned forward, making Palesa believe he wished to whisper, "when you say there's no coffee does it mean all day?"

"Yeah, there won't be no coffee today."

"How about tomorrow?" Lars rebounded in a tone more desperate than he expected.

Palesa shrugged, "maybe."

"Why maybe, can't be more accurate. Give me an hour or something?" Lars stopped realizing how crazy he looked and sounded. He continued despite himself, "did something happen?"

Palesa frowned; what was wrong with this man?

She wished to add even if something did occur, what is it to you? Instead, she opted for what she estimated to be a muted response, "Mista, the coffee will be here when it's here. Palesa accompanied her question with a head movement from side to side, "for now, we have tea, so do you want tea or not?"

Palesa's daughter stood mouth agape since she turned and saw Lars. She wiped her eyes; she was probably sleeping and dreaming a sexy man stood in front of the run-down truck. There was nothing worse than waking up at 5 am to help her mom, but the sight of Lars compensated for her efforts.

"She's sick."

Palesa turned to glare at her daughter, "Nolwozi," Palesa exclaimed and glared with eyes that said wait-for-it, wait-till-we-get-home. The woman turned back to the counter, "she'll be here tomorrow."

Palesa didn't think she lied Thulile assured her she would not sit idly in hospital.

Lars understood he would not get more out of the woman. He returned to his car and sat silent for a minute as he attempted to recollect his thoughts.

He was disappointed, and what surprised the man was at what level the emotion hit.

How could he get so whined up for a drink?

His image in the rearview mirror brought his appearance back to mind. He had done himself up like someone going on a blind date.

Who did he wish to please?

Lars started his car and maneuvered out of the space. She wouldn't even have looked at you; he thought as he drove past the truck.

The man couldn't be more wrong. Laying in her hospital bed, Thulile thought of the truck, the coffee, and wondered if the blue-eyed man tried to purchase his drink.

She rarely dealt with customers. She just made the coffees.

Unlike what most would expect from someone with her gift, the woman didn't need to touch or see the person to make a cup. There was no trigger. She just knew what she had to do, but she saw Lars, and since the man's face twirled like a vinyl of a turning table.

"Good morning Ms. Chidubem. How are you feeling?"

"Better, when can I go out?"

"We'll see how things go."

Julian's instructions were clear Thulile was to stay till the end of the week.

"Excuse me, doctor, I'm good to go, really."

The doctor smiled, "you need a good rest, miss Chidubem. You escaped the worse scenario. You should profit from this moment with your family."

There was no reasoning the physician. He didn't wish to have to answer to Julian.

Nandi had left money for expenses. Femi went to get ready for school. Thulile's gran stayed to witness another Julian the gentleman moment. It was noon when a bouquet made its entrance with a box of chocolate.

"Good afternoon, ladies."

"Julian, what are you doing here?" Thulile asked while a wave of panic swept over her. Julian always saw her prepped up. There, with her extra flattened flat twists and swollen face, the woman was embarrassed.

"I thought I'd see how you were doing on my lunch break."

"You shouldn't have Julian. You've done more than enough."

"Mrs. Chidubem, how are you?" The man said, turning to greet Thulile's gran.

Thulile's gran smiled. It wasn't difficult to distinguish whose team she was on; Julian had all the brownie points. In her mind, the old already wrote her happy end, "I've never felt better. The bed here are comfortable. I forgot I even fell."

"Fell?" Thulile exclaimed

"Eh, umm, when you fainted. I was so scared I dropped to the ground to approach you."

"Why didn't you tell me. I would have had you admitted with Thulile."

"Oh, it's nothiㅡ."

Julian was in the halls before Thuile's gran could finish.

"Gran, why didn't you tell me?"

"It's nothing. I'm relieved you're okay."

Five minutes later, at the floor nurse's desk, Julian attempted to make a doctor come and auscultate Thulie's gran.

"Yes, it's for the patient's grandmother," the nurse said over the phone.

"Julian?"

The man turned slowly, " Gisele."

"What a surprise."

"Yeah, yeah," said the man who had assumed and prayed the hospital was huge enough to avoid the encounter.

"What are you doing here? Is it your gran?"

"Nah, a friend of mine is here."

"Is something wrong? Do you want me to check up on them?" Gisele asked.

"No, I'm justㅡ."

"Doctor Van Wyk will be here in five minutes, sir," the nurse at the desk said.

"Thank you," Julian replied.

Gisele picked up the name of her colleague who specialized in paralysis. The woman was curious to know who Julian's friend was.

"It's funny to see you here. Everyone is talking about someone who forced the hospital protocols to make someone stay. Can you believe that? Using power and money to make administration bend."

"Tell me about it. I'm an asshole."

Gisele's eyes widened with stupor while Julian began to stride back to Thulile's room.

"Oh, Julian, sorry, I had no idea. Are they okay?"

Julian stopped, "my friend is overworked and stressed by problems she doesn't need, others she didn't even know she had and which are waiting to explode like right now. I just want her to have a few days of peace. Is it too much to ask?"

Doctor Van Wyk arrived at that moment, "oh, Dr. Bridges, what owes me this visit?"

"Good morning Dr. Van Wyk. I just happened to cross my friend. He's the one who asked for your expertise."

"Oh alright, where is the patient?"

Julian led the way, and Gisele decided to tag along. They found Thulile and her grandmother in a deep conversation that stopped when they entered.

Doctor Van Wyk immediately presented himself and began to question Thulie's gran about what happened.

During this time, Gisele observed Thulile, who solely focused on her gran.

So this was the girl Julian went all out for the day before. Gisele made abstraction of the darkened spots due to the slaps Thulile took. Never judge a book by its cover.

Still, Gisele examined Thulile's facial traits and skin. The woman was cute. Without makeup, Thulile resembled a teen.

Also, she was not part of any wealthy family Gisele knew.

Was Julian genuinely interested in this girl? The roses and the chocolates confirmed her thoughts.

Julian was the first of his friends Elije presented. His dark skin and perfect manners fazed the woman until Elije told her about Julian's nightcrawler life, where he drank and partied excessively.

If Julian fancied Thulile, then the woman had something special for a player want to change his game.

"I'll have a nurse bring you to do the scans in half an hour. If there's one thing I can say right now is that you need a new wheelchair, this one isn't adapted."

Problems.

Thulile's ones always came in series.

How was she to get her gran a new chair?

Julian prayed Gisele would not talk about her engagement. The man didn't wish to keep the truth from Thulile, nor did he desire for her to find out then where she was physically weak.

"See you in a bit, Ms. Chidubem."

Doctor Van Why left, and Thulile noticed Gisele.

"Hello, I'm doctor Gisele Burke Bridges. The accent wasn't local or from any South African regions. Thulile's stare traveled on Gisele's appearance. Thin, light caramel tone skin, short spring curls, Gisele resembled the rich girls who photographed themselves in front of impressionist paintings in famous galleries, museums or doing a yoga pose in front of their cat.

The feature Thulile retained was Gisele's hazel pulling on olive green eyes.

"Eh, em, I'm Thulile."

"Nice to meet you, Thulile. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to ask for me; here's my card."

"Oh, eh, thank you," Thulile looked at Julian.

The man didn't know what to do, but he had to find something to avoid the disaster, "Giselle, you don't need toㅡ."

"Your friends are my friends, Julian, really don't hesitate, Thulile. Gisele said before looking at her watch, "I better get going."

Julian walked Giselle to the door.

"Oh Julian, before I forget, the engagement party is on the sixth. You can bring a friend if you want. Giselle said loud enough for Thulile to hear and for Julian to want to pass out on the spot.