Another set of warm arms wrapped themselves around Eshe.

The sounds of Masahiro's sobs identified the owner. "Eshe-san, you near die, Eshe-san!"

She pulled back slightly and took in his bloodied nose and tear-stained face. "Did the cleaner throw her shoe? She saved my life!"

"Yes, you almost die-" His choked voice couldn't continue for a moment. "But you no say about cleaner-san's shoe. Very important. Maybe no people see who throw."

Eshe was perplexed, but would do whatever her friend asked of her, because Masahiro had definitely become a friend. She owed her life to him as much as the two women.

He swivelled to the elderly Japanese ladies who'd saved Eshe and were wiping their faces. He bowed so low his upper body was laying on the floor and pressed his forehead to the subway tiles, irregardless of the hundreds of thousands of feet that had trekked all sorts of offal over it that day alone. A low stream of Japanese came from him and the two ladies bowed their heads to him. Something he said made their eyes widen in surprise and they turned to Eshe, giving her a deep bow in turn.

After several more seconds bowing, he sat up, retrieved a business card holder from his pocket and, one at a time to each woman, held out his card, thumb and forefinger pincered on each corner, arms extended and head bowed low.

Each woman reached out and accepted the card offered with equal respect. They examined the card closely before stowing it carefully inside their purses.

Masahiro said something in Japanese again. They bobbed their heads and gave him a close-lipped smile.

The noise of the authorities trying to get through the crowd got louder.

Masahiro frowned and gripped Eshe's hand. "They maybe speak English," he warned. "No mention Eiji. Joey..."

"I'll tell the truth. He lost his balance and fell forward onto the tracks and grabbed me as he went by."

The old woman kneeling closest to her said, "They will ask you pay money because train stopped and must clean. Big money. The shoe..."

Masahiro spoke quietly and rapidly in Japanese.

The woman nodded. Eshe was certain it was for her benefit the woman replied in English, "Yes, if we don't know then no tell lie."

"Ruslan?" Eshe asked. Her racing heart had been slowing, but thoughts of the grisly wound on his stomach wound it back up. A pain stabbed deep in her heart. Her voice cracked on her next word, "Leora?"

He pulled out his phone, read something then rapidly typed. He hit 'send' just as the police broke through the crowd. "My friend have her. Ruslan-san I send message."

Four officers in navy blue uniforms and flak vests, with hands resting on the black sticks hanging from their black belts, stopped short of the foursome on the floor. Behind them the crowd started thinning rapidly.

One officer spoke in Japanese. His raised intonation indicating he asked a question.

Masahiro pushed on a knee to stand up, then reached down and helped the women to rise.

He bowed low from the waist and replied, indicating Eshe and her saviours as he spoke.

At the end, the officer stepped forward and gave a sharp nod to Eshe, then cut his eyes towards the front of the train. In perfect American-accented English he asked, "What happened?"

Eshe resisted the urge to look at Masahiro and kept her eyes firmly fixed on the officer while she related what she'd promised she'd say.

The officer frowned and sighed deeply. "A most unfortunate business. We are lucky you were saved."

She shrugged. "There was no way I could pull him in."

The officer looked at the almost non-existent crowd. "There were many people filming. We will see on social media exactly what happened soon enough."

Eshe felt a pang of panic for the elderly cleaning lady who was nowhere to be seen.

"We will have to take you to the station." He pressed his lips together, but wasn't able to completely hide his smile. "On behalf of all Japan, I thank you for the work you do. My son became an archaeologist because of the show we went to in Germany that had the archaeopteryx fossil you found there."

Eshe felt a blush rise to her cheeks. She'd never have expected this after Masahiro's warnings. However, she'd learned long ago to gracefully accept people's gratitude for what her gift brought to the world. "Thank you," she said simply with a smile.

The officer held out a hand to indicate she should precede him. She nodded, but waited until Masahiro fell in step beside her with the two old ladies behind them.

Masa squeezed her elbow and ducked his head sheepishly. "If you happy for it, I make you hoverboard."

Despite the painful memory of her first lying in pieces beside Leora, she smiled in appreciation. "I would love that."