THE GREATEST IS LOVE

CHAPTER ONE - NALEDI (Star)

Naledi Jeetah sent the last photo of her graduation pictures to her best friend studying Medicine in Australia. She was pained the latter could not make it to her special day but it was all forgiven...only after she knew her best friend would be coming home next year April. But that felt like a lifetime away!!!

"It's only six months Naledi. Not six years. Maria will be back before you know it." Her mother whispered in her ear. Naledi jumped in fright and calmed down when she realized who it was.

"Mum! Please don't do that again. You sneaked up behind me."

Mrs. Jeetah smiled broadly and sat on her daughter's bed. "I couldn't help it," was her reply.

"You don't know how I feel Mum. She has only been gone for a year but it feels like a lifetime." It took about thirty seconds for Naledi to realize her mother wasn't paying attention anymore. "Mum?"

Mrs. Jeetah's face became stone cold and angry. This was the third time in two weeks that her mother had made that face.

"Mum!!!" Naledi shouted and the older woman snapped out of her stupor. She stood up and walked out. This really baffled her daughter who did not know exactly how to confront her so she could reveal the cause of her sudden change in attitude.

Later that day...

"She changes like a chameleon Dad. I can hardly keep up anymore." Naledi narrated her mother's strange behaviours to the man of the house.

"She is probably just stressed. You know she is campaigning for the post of counselor for our ward."

"Dad, this is more than just stress. She completely zoned out on me."

"I will talk to her okay." Mr. Jeetah promised. She kissed him on the cheeks and hurried out of the house.

Mr. Jeetah watched as his beautiful daughter left the house. He suddenly felt alone and helpless. His oldest child had complained about the same thing when he visited last. Baboloki was a twenty- eight-year-old Lawyer that moved out of the nest two years back after he resigned from the firm he was working at and got a job at the DPP's (Director of public prosecution) office. He believed in justice for the weak and the poor, something his mother constantly argues about. Why could he not work at her friend's private law firm where he could earn "real" money and climb up the social ladder much faster? He stopped his frequent visits upon realising it caused endless conflicts and arguments. Mr. Jeetah sighed heavily as he pondered on what to do about his wife's problem.

Naledi soon forgot about her mother's problem as she went out for lunch with a friend; a Nigerian Medical Doctor who had been residing in Botswana for the past five years. He asked her out to lunch and she eagerly accepted. She still had a lot of time at least until she finds a job. Was that even possible? She remembered several relatives and friends who had graduated before her but were still unemployed. What makes her any different? She has a Master's degree in Business administration and had applied to five companies already. But it is still too early to complain. She graduated just two weeks back. A smile lightened up her face as she thought about her fears.

"What are you smiling at?" her friend asked. Naledi looked at him as if to study him. He was dark, tall and handsome and oh...very successful in his field.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" He asked with a feigned worried countenance.

"Why did you suddenly ask me out to lunch? You are always busy with your precious patients and barely have time for even more precious friends as me. What is it Isaac? Have you finally realized you cannot resist my exotic looks, brain and charms?" She batted her long eyelashes playfully. Isaac laughed and took a sip of his water.

Naledi was indeed a beautiful young lady. She was petite, dusky in complexion with long curly hair that was obviously not your typical "African" Kinky hair. Her paternal Grandfather was a Mauritian while her grandmother was a Motswana woman. But she looked more Mauritian than African and this doesn't settle well with her sometimes as she disliked some of the attention, she gets from men who loved her "Asian" look.

"I'm going back home," Isaac finally replied.

"Has your shift ended for today?" She asked innocently.

"No. I am going back to Nigeria."

Naledi felt as if she was slapped several times over. She couldn't process it. He was the only closest friend left after Maria left for Australia. Naledi wanted to be happy for him since he has been missing his family so much but at the same time felt abandoned. She let out a big sigh and soon found herself walking away from the Restaurant. Tears fell from her eyes as she felt suddenly alone and realized that her day was nothing but a nightmare come true. She lifted her eyes towards the sky as she fought for control of her emotions. Why was God tormenting her this way? She has lost both her friends, was she about to lose her mother too?