Tense atmosphere

Ava was clearly the last person that Derek and Denise expected to see at the hospital, just as she had not been expecting to see them there either.

“What are you doing here, Ava? Is everything alright?” Derek asked Ava, who was surprised because his voice was so full of concern. She had never heard such concern from him directed at her.

“Yes, everything is fine. I’m just visiting a sick friend.” Ava replied, hoping against hope that Steve would get the message and would not say anything that he wasn’t supposed to say.

“Oh, that’s nice of you. I didn’t know that you had any friends here. Is it anyone I know?” Derek asked, as though he knew any of her friends when they were married and she used to live here. She didn’t even have any friends back then.

“You don’t know a lot of things about me, Derek and there is no reason why you should as far as I'm concerned because nothing connects us to each other apart from the project. To answer your question, no. It isn't anyone you know.”

“Oh