Chance and Reason

Chapter Twenty-Four

A/N: Happy weekend! This chapter contains a splash of Norminah because it's a beautiful ship that we all love.

Navigating her way through the maze of hospital wards, Camila managed to find her way back to Dinah. Even after visiting daily for three days, she still had to admit that she found it hard to locate her best friend in the vast building.

"Hey there, Mila," Dinah beamed, looking up from her tray of hospital food.

Camila internally retched at the sight of the disgusting looking meal, but Dinah was devouring each enormous forkful with enthusiastic gusto.

"Hi, DJ," she grinned, setting herself down in the chair beside the bed, "How're you feeling?"

"Pretty great," Dinah replied cheerily, "And, I'm getting discharged tomorrow,"

"That's fantastic!" Camila exclaimed in delight, "I'm so glad,"

"So am I. Honestly, there's not much to keep you entertained here,"

"I don't know," Camila said, taking a look at the stack of cards and vase of flowers on Dinah's bedside table, "It looks like you've had quite a few visitors. Who are the flowers from? They're new,"

At this, Dinah instantly blushed a fiery crimson, and busied herself finishing her dinner.

"Dinah Jane Hansen! Do you have a secret admirer?" Camila asked, giggling as her friend squirmed in embarrassment.

"No," Dinah shook her head defiantly.

"Fibber!"

"I'm not fibbing!" she retorted, jabbing her fork in Camila's direction, "Mind your own business!"

"Come on, DJ," challenged Camila, "You've got to tell me. I'm your best friend in the whole wide world,"

"You're also the nosiest person in the whole wide world,"

"Says you," Camila rolled her eyes, "Hypocrite,"

Dinah cleared her plate, scraping her cutlery obnoxiously on the china to irritate Camila.

"If you must know," she said at last, putting her tray to one side, "The flowers are from Normani,"

Camila almost choked, and Dinah offered her a glass of water as the journalist coughed and spluttered.

"When you say Normani... You mean... Officer Kordei?"

"How many other Normanis do we know, Mila?"

"Yeah but... I don't understand. Did she come back to interview you again?"

"No, she didn't. She came to visit me,"

There was a pause as Camila tried to decipher what this could mean. Dinah watched her exasperatedly.

"So why did she come and visit you?"

"Gee, I don't know, Mila," Dinah shot back, "Maybe because she just wanted to see me?"

"No work agenda at all?" Camila tried tentatively.

"Does offering to help cook my meals for me while I'm recovering sound like a work agenda to you?"

Camila was quiet.

"No, I didn't think so either. So maybe you could drop it," Dinah suggested hotly.

The pair sat in an awkward silence. Camila fidgeted in her seat, wishing that she knew how to process the news. Normani had always seemed so offish, but that had always been in the presence of Lauren. Whatever issue the two women had, it really needed to be resolved. Perhaps Camila should give Normani a second chance? After all, Lauren had been the least welcoming person when they had first met, but time and patience had proven that there was so much more behind her protective barriers.