Battles in the shadows

GOING BACK HOME

Laura was lying on her stomach reading one of John Grisham's books; the king of torts in her room when she heard a knock. She sighed deeply and got out of bed.

"Who is it?"

"Brandon."

Quickly she opened the door. He came in and hugged her. He bent down his head to give her a kiss on the cheeks, Laura flinched.

"What are you trying to do?" she yelled.

"It's just a kiss." Brandon said.

"Brandon! Are you insane? Do I look like a whore to you? Leave now!" She shouted and went back to her reading. He touched her by the arm and Laura punched him on the face. Brandon was shocked.

"What is wrong with you!" he was offended.

"Leave now or I will hurt you more." She pushed him out of her room and after he was way out of sight, she broke down in tears.

"What is wrong with me Lord? Why did I just do that? Why can't I get passed the scars of the past? Please heal me."

She avoided him for two weeks.

Laura avoided her Brandon like a plague. She ignored his calls, avoided his path at school and refused to say a single word to him. She felt very bad. But she needed to protect herself. She refused to be abused again. She stopped eating at the cafeteria altogether and ate in her room. Brandon was a good person but she is no longer the same innocent Laura the Rakwelas adopted. She was typing one of her assignments on her laptop when the door to her room flew opened. She stood up abruptly.

"Brandon." She whispered,

"Laura we need to talk! Stop doing this to me. You are killing me." He walked up to her and held her hands in his.

"I think you have a problem. Please talk to me."

"Brandon, I can't tell you. If you can't cope with me you can leave." She said quietly

"I will never leave you Laura. I love you!"

This bold declaration made time stop. Laura felt her heart tighten. Could this be real? She could have Brandon Holmes? Prisca the prick was really not the love of his life? Although the latter had left her alone, Laura was still uncomfortable with the growing fondness in her heart for Brandon.

"What did you just say?" She asked as if she did not hear it the first time.

"I love you. I am your friend for crying out loud! Do you expect me to hate you?"

Laura felt defeated. He didn't mean that kind of love; the special kind of love.

"I know it has been months since you gave your life to Christ and you are still adjusting to a lot of things especially the pain of the past."

"You will have to be patient with me Brandon. I... it will take time. Will you bear with me? Are you willing?"

"Laura, I love you. I will wait for you."

She hugged him and prayed in her heart that she never ever lose him to anyone especially Prisca.

Brandon Holmes remained loyal to Laura. He protected her and treated her like a rare treasure. They had handed in the compilation of the thesis for their Masters program and Laura was preparing to head back home to Botswana. Brandon had applied for internship in Botswana and it was granted. It would last for two years and after this he planned to come back home to London.