COME WHAT MAY

CHAPTER FIFTY - THE BEGINNING OF THE END

It has been three months since Lorato's suicide attempt. Three months that Lolita had left for the UK. But it felt like eternity for their loved ones waiting for them to come back to their normal selves.

Lolita got off the phone with Ryan feeling more hopeless than ever. Pain indescribable gnawed at her chest and she clutched at it with tears running down her face. Her heart was bleeding for Lorato and the thousands of miles apart only made things worse. She felt bad that she was not able to be there for her; she felt sad because everything was tied to her. But Lorato cannot go to prison for life. She sat on her bed in her dorm room feeling totally overwhelmed. Her program was going well and she was catching up with what she missed out on but the mess she left at home seem to be getting bigger.

Ryan calls her twice a week (that was their joint decision) and things were running smoothly between them. With his medical background, he believes Lorato might be suffering from bipolar disorder. But the latest news revealed that she was not mentally fit to stand trial and has been admitted at a mental institution.

Later that day, she decided to send him a message via whatsapp.

"This had been a terrible journey Ryan. I realized that our response to other people's mistakes can also be a mistake. Lorato's response to Darren's betrayal and Desire's brainwashing has brought us to this place." She sighed deeply and continued typing.

"Our lives will surely never be the same again."
She clicked the "send" icon and turned off her Wi-Fi. She stretched on her bed and began to  weep for the disaster that has befallen them.

Kgosi watched as Desire sat on her wheelchair by the entrance of the departure terminal at Sir Seretse Khama International Airport. She was going away to get treatment and has already sent divorce documents to Kgosi so that he could become a free man.

FLASHBACK

Three weeks after Lorato's suicide attempt, a letter was delivered to Kgosi and Desire. They were both seated to eat lunch when a DHL staff came knocking. Kgosi answered the door and received the brown envelope addressed to the couple.

After lunch was over, they decided to open it. It was a letter from Attorney Motsumi. It had his Law Firm's stamp and letterhead.

"What does it say?" Desire asked.
Kgosi's face was hard to read and this really frustrated Desire. She snatched the letter out of his hand and began to read the content.

Angry tears fell from her eyes as she re-read the letter.
"Why is she doing this to me ? Why has she decided to torture me in this way?"

Kgosi was baffled. Lorato made her lawyer swear to never mention Desire in the entire prosecution process. She took all the blame.

"She is giving us a new beginning."
Desire shook her head vigorously in the negative.

"I can't take this offer. I am already plagued with guilt. I can't." She had wheeled herself inside and cried to sleep. If Lorato's happily ever after was destroyed because of her, nothing should stop her from getting what she felt she deserved. And Kgosi? She was convinced that she doesn't deserve him. It was selfish to think only about herself at this point but with this new development, her marriage will crumble.

And so the next day she called her mother to help register her for physiotherapy in another part of Botswana. But her mother had a better idea. They would go back to Nigeria together and her father would visit when he can.

"It hurts mum. It hurts that I became a monster that ruined the lives of my friends and husband. I can't bear to stay here anymore. Please take me away. Please save me."

Her mother understood everything and promised to sort things out. Her father took the chance to do what he can for his hurting child. He paid for their airplane tickets and the only thing left was to convince her husband to let her go.

BACK TO  THE PRESENT

"Call when you get there okay."

"I will Kgosi. I promise."
"I will see you at Christmas." Mr. Charleston said with a small smile.

"Honey, we will call once we settle in. I will miss you." Mrs. Charleston said and hugged her husband.

Kgosi stooped down to face Desire.

"Are you saying if I meet a really pretty cool lady I can forget you?"

" Yes. Please move on without me. Please forget about me and the pain I caused you."

"That's my call to make."

"It's time to go ladies. Honey, take care of yourself and our daughter."

"I will. I surely will."

Kgosi hugged his wife and kissed her forehead. The latter held unto his arms as if to dear life itself. Tears fell from her eyes.

"If I could go back in time, I would and change everything...love you more; cherish you and take good care of you. If I could, I would forget that useless Darren and his pregnant wife and move on with mine."

"It's alright. What matters is that you get well. Darren has left and I doubt you will ever see him again. Take care of yourself please." He fought back his own tears as he finally patted her hands and let go.

"Goodbye." She waved and turned away as her mother smiled weakly at him and they went through the check point.

Mr. Charleston smiled.
"Guess it's just us men left here. I was told Lolita left her man here too."

Kgosi was too distraught to reply. His father-in-law tapped him by the shoulder and said, "Let's get the young man to have dinner sometime. Should I move in with you?"

At this Kgosi seem to spring back to reality. Staying with him? A reminder of his wife and the people who made her what she became?

"Oh no! Thank you for the offer but I will surely ask Ryan to join us for dinner sometime."

They headed out of the Airport to the parking lot.

"I think I will come and stay with you tonight. The two women I love the most are gone..." His voice trembled as he spoke. This really hurt Kgosi and he decided that perhaps staying together for a while wouldn't be such a bad idea after all.

As they entered Kgosi's car, Mr. Charleston busted into tears. He cried out like a child and wailed like a widower who lost his one true love.

"They will be back before you know it."

"What have we done to deserve such a great son-in-law like you?"

Kgosi patted him on the back and wiped off a tear that escaped his left eye.

He blinked back the threatening tears and silently prayed that Desire would honour their vow of "till death do us part." He will not be a statistic and join the army of divorcees around the globe.

"Your perfect will be done Lord."

Ten minutes later, they drove out of Sir Seretse Khama International Airport. Two broken souls ready to start a new journey in their destiny. What may come is unclear like muddy water but they believe that come what may, the light at the end of the tunnel would surely not be from a coming train.

"We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed ; perplexed, but not in despair ; persecuted but not abandoned; struck down but not destroyed."

2 CORINTHIANS 4:8-9.