Lauretta has been in an orphanage since few days after her birth. She had suffered several nightmarish experiences from moving from one adoptive home to the other. She was tossed around and each home gave her painful scars to last a lifetime...inclu...
Whoever saw them on that blissful day would surely swear now that they were not the same people who were so in love and happy. Brandon and Lauretta got back to Botswana in very quiet mode. Both were not talking to each other and Lauretta looked like she hasn't seen a bed in weeks. Her eyes were puffy from crying with dark circles from sleepless nights. Brandon on the other hand looked somewhat tired but sad. As they retrieved their luggage and headed out to the International arrival exit at Sir Seretse Khama International Airport, a smiling Phillip waived at them. Brandon smiled back but Lauretta stopped in her tracks.
"Brandon, collect the car keys from him." She said in an icy tone.
Brandon rolled his eyes and turned around to give her a cold reply but was stopped by Phillip.
"Here is the key Brandon, I will get a car and head home." Phillip said with a small smile.
"Where is Mum? She was supposed to come and pick us up," Lauretta said hotly.
Phillip looked down at his feet and responded to her as calmly as he could,
"Let's just go home so you could hear what happened. Mum is not well."
Lauretta felt weak almost immediately and busted into tears.
Brandon felt embarrassed that his wife was about to make a scene but Lauretta was already rushing out of the airport building.
"What happened?" He asked.
"Let us just go home right now." Phillip said and helped his brother with his luggage and they walked out too.
Lauretta dashed out of the car before Phillip could even turn the engine off. The entire trip down home was dead quiet and tense but the latter wondered why the newly wedded couple were not on speaking terms. He did not dare to ask what was going on but kept his peace and drove.
They came straight to the Rakwelas' home from the airport and didn't even think about dropping off at their own house. Phillip couldn't give details of what happened to their mother, he just allowed everyone to be left with their thoughts.
"Mama! Mama!" Laura called for Latoya with tears already running down her face. She was stopped by her father who was standing by the door.
"Papa, what is wrong with Mama? How is she doing?"
"Why are you crying? What did Phillip tell you?"
Laura busted into tears again.
"I need Mama! I need my Mama." She walked into the open arms of her father and continued to sob. Brandon walked in and smiled tiredly at his father in law.
"Let's all go and have tea and we will check your mother later. Let her continue to rest.
Laura reluctantly left her father's warm embrace and walked past her husband into the living room. Her life was about to end and this time nothing can be done to salvage it.
Three hours later,
Laura and Brandon went back to their house at her father's instructions. Phillip dropped them off and left.
Laura went straight to the bathroom and locked herself inside while Brandon went to the guest bathroom to freshen up. The tension between the two was so bad it could suffocate any other living thing in the house. Laura came out and got inside the sheets of their Queen sized bed and began to think over the attacks her mother experienced while they were away. Her mind could not comprehend why someone would refer to her mother as being "careless." Just then Brandon came in wearing a grey silk pajamas and also got inside the sheets to sleep. Suddenly, Laura's mind seem to wake up.
"Oh my God! Oh dear God!" She said out loud and threw off the covers. Brandon thought she was losing her mind as she has been doing for several days now.
"What is it now?" Brandon asked dryly.
"It's my fault! It is because of me! Mama got attacked because of me."
"But Lauretta, this woman raised you well. You turned out just fine."
Lauretta collapsed on the floor and began to wail ... literally. Brandon got up and began to get worried. She had been like this for days. She would wake up in the middle of the night and begin to cry and wail or wake up and make a punching bag out of him. The entire two weeks was only blissful during day time but once the sun sets and it gets dark, Lauretta changes and start making excuses of sleeping on the couch alone and if he tried to come close, she would grab the nearest thing around her and throw it at him. He was shocked on the first night it happened and thought maybe she was tired or anxious but the first day turned into the next and the one after it. In the end, their marriage was not consummated.
"Mama got hurt because of me Brandon. She did take care of me but was blind to other things that were happening under her roof. It is all my fault."
"What was happening under her roof that made her a careless mother?" Brandon asked as he crouched next to her.
"Brandon, please I am sorry for not telling you. I know it is a lame excuse but I didn't want you to abandon me like everyone else."
Brandon sighed and held her hands, "I love you with my entire being. I will not leave you. I have told you this time without number!" He said gently but deep down was really frustrated.
"I betrayed you and your trust! I deceived you completely and because of my selfishness hid so many things from you about my past and especially as the daughter of the Rakwela family."
"Lauretta, someone is out there hunting down every member of your family and you have the answer. Just say it so we could keep everyone from harm!" He finally let out his frustration.
Lauretta stood up and wiped away her tears. Brandon got up too and held her in his arms as she sobbed quietly.
"I'm so sorry that our married life began so badly. I have no one to blame but myself."
"Why don't you get some rest then we will check on your mother tomorrow after church."
"I can't go to church tomorrow Brandon, not until I make things right."
"Whatever makes you happy." He said softly and led her to her side of their bed.
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Brandon and Lauretta's bedroom
Laura did not sleep but thought over in her mind about how to tell her husband that she was a victim of sexual abuse with four abortions to her name.
