Battles in the shadows

ROSE JONES OF EXPOSÉ

A week later...

It was a bright sunny Sunday afternoon on New Year's Eve. Christmas came and went in a blur as the three men continue to recover at the hospital while Vincent Moabe was laid to rest and of course without Laura as she was not invited. This fact hurt her deeply but she accepted the reality that going there would just elevate their pain. She sipped a cup of black coffee as she tried to watch a gospel music show on TV. She was not going to attend church that day. The news of her father's burial only made things worse as more information about the affair of over two decades with Koketso Molefe surfaced out of nowhere. Laura was not fooled, she could see Obakeng's hands written all over it. He would gain as much sympathy for himself and his family and hatred for Laura and Koketso.

As expected, calls were pouring in and disturbing the peace she so much needed at such tragic season of her life but that was impossible now. Faye and the kids went to the hospital to visit the now conscious Lucas. They had wanted to leave with her but she declined, giving the excuse of proper "family time". They didn't press her further and left. Brandon had left early too to see the public prosecutor Advocate Karabelo who took up the case for the State against Patrick Moloi.

She gulped down another sip of the bitter coffee as she thought about the leave of a month she was given at work. She is to resume back in the first week of February. Not only that, some of her colleagues that visited hinted at her to give them the full story as they were the only team capable to deliver the truth of what happened. Friends at local newspapers were on her case too but came in the guise of mourners and sympathizers. She accepted the gifts of flowers, groceries, packaged and cooked meals that came and the latter came because they "knew" she would be in no position to cook in her grief and such a terrible thing just after her wedding.

She stood up to drop the mug in the kitchen. She walked slowly through the eerily quiet house and washed the mug, dried it with a towel and placed it back in the shelf. She opened the fridge and looked at the stocked drawers inside. She reached out for the case of black forest cake and took it out. She grabbed a saucer and knife and got herself a big slice. She returned the rest to the fridge, got a fork, poured herself a glass of milk and sat down to devour the mountain before her.

With each bite she took, the intense sugar and chocolate flavour busted into her mouth and down her stomach temporarily suppressing the unbearable pain she felt inside. She gulped down the milk and went back and did the same thing; got another big slice and another glass of milk and sat down. She was about to wolf it down when she heard the doorbell. She rolled her eyes in annoyance, gently placed the saucer on the coffee table and walked to the door. She looked over the window and saw a tall and gorgeous dark skinned beauty over the gate.

"Dear Lord, not today." She said with a sigh and reluctantly opened the gate for her colleague in the business of journalism. As her former University classmate and fellow journalist entered her house, Laura could predict the path that the conversation was going to go. Rose Jones was a talented, owner and editor of the popular weekly newspaper "Exposé", the Number 1 gossip and lifestyle newspaper that boasts of top and intelligent investigative journalists and backed by a power packed legal team cleaning up the little mess that ever came out of the "calling" of delivering revelations to the general public.

Initially, Laura had promised Rose an exclusive interview after her honeymoon because the latter wanted to cover the story of why she had three men walk her down the aisle. But looking at the turn of events and the not so well concealed excitement in Rose's eyes, Laura could see she desires to have the exclusive for the tragic event that ensued after the wedding too.

"Congratulations my darling. Despite the tragedy, you are here eating all this yummy stuff because of the new arrival right? Eat all you need my baby okay, we are in this together."

Laura felt like slapping reality back into her mind but she stopped herself. Rose knew how to take advantage of even the worst of tragedies to reach where she was at in the industry and boy, does she look the part of the successful and young CEO she is, with all the melanin popping!

"I won't be of help to you now Rose. Dad was buried yesterday..."

Rose cut her off "and you were not invited! I feel your pain my darling! I too after all is an illegitimate but look at me now! A living success of what putting the past behind can do." She said happily.

"I am here for you my darling." She added quickly.

"I cannot give you any interview at this moment about the wedding and the tragic event."

Rose already had the headline typed on her laptop, "The Rakwela, Robertson, Moabe and Molefe Saga!!!"

Rose waved her off in pretended show of understanding. "We just have to take care of the little one."

Laura wanted to laugh bitterly and tell her she must be the bride with the worst honeymoon experience in history. However, she did not correct her friend's misunderstanding and allowed her to go on and on about God taking one and giving another blessing as a replacement.

It was a great relief when finally Rose left and leaving behind a large fruit basket. Although Rose was a carefree and somewhat brutal journalist, she made the day a bit bearable for her with terrible jokes and updates about her not so enchanting relationship stories and men that wanted her only to find she was way above their league and out of reach.

Laura smiled a little and cleaned up the saucer and glass. She knew the narrative skill of Rose was impeccable and when the time comes, she would surely call her to write the story as only she could. She walked into the bedroom to relax and maybe force herself to sleep but the shrilling noise of the incoming call on her phone stopped her. She looked at the caller ID; it was Advocate Karabelo.

"Mrs. Holmes, how are you today?"

"Better." She replied crisply.

"Is it okay to meet up today probably in the afternoon?"

"Where?"

"I will be coming with Ms. Molefe and your mother Mrs. Rakwela."

"What for?"

"We need to discuss your brother's fate."

"Why can't you take up the case?"

"I see that Preston already told you. Another Advocate has been assigned to the case but rest assured your family is in good hands. I am only giving you legal advice and off the record too because I..."

"I understand more than you know. Let's meet up at 2."

"Great." The line went dead.

The battles in her life seem to be multiplying and she wondered just how long she would be able to hold on.