Battles in the shadows

THE NEXT STEP

Blessed Sunday lovely people. Here is another chapter for you. I hope you all had a great day. May God bless you and reveal Himself to you in a marvelous way. Shalom.

A week later, Laura sat down with a large bowl of juicy red seedless grapes to watch TV. She turned down the offer to stay with anyone until her husband comes back. Her only reason was that she was not leaving her own house empty. It was a cool Saturday afternoon and she was getting ready to watch a movie and afterwards visit her parents if she doesn't change her mind in the end. She refused for Koketso to stay with her and allowed Mingie for just three days before sending her on her way.

As she popped the juicy fruit in her mouth, her eyes roamed over to the large frame displaying her wedding portrait. She missed her husband but not enough to be crying over him. Her heart was grief stricken so much that she barely gave herself little time to breathe and not tear herself down with shame, guilt and regret. The annoying tone of the shrilling doorbell broke her away from her thoughts about Brandon and she stood up. She walked out of the door to see who it was. A tall delivery man for DHL was standing outside. She opened the gate and greeted him.

"Are you Mrs. Lauretta Holmes?"

"Yes." She replied.

He handed over a package in the famous yellow DHL plastic bag to her. She signed across her name on his delivery sheet and bid him goodbye. She walked back, locked the gate and got inside.

"I wonder what this is Lord."

The Lord Jesus, her closest companion who would never leave nor forsake her. As much as she beat herself up nearly every day, she kept reading her Bible to receive comfort from God's Word and remind herself of His promises in her time of need. What stood out most for her was John 16:33 where Jesus said to cheer up because He has overcome the world so she should cheer up when faced with trials.

"Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver you and you will glorify me. Psalm 50 verse 15," She ate more grapes and ignored the package beside her on the sofa.

"Lord Jesus, I don't know why you allowed so much tragedy in my life but I know with you I can overcome and be a light to others in this dark world. I will stand my ground and be still, knowing that you alone are God. I feel sad for Phillip all of a sudden and the anger against him is slowly fading away through your grace and love. I know my chances of having a child might be slim but I will keep my eyes on you but seriously Lord, I am afraid of becoming a mother. I don't know if I can protect my child or care for him or her well. I am afraid." A tear escaped her left eye and she wiped it away. She placed the bowl of grapes on the coffee table and picked up the package. She prayed over it then tore it open. She found printed pictures of her wedding in a brown envelope accompanied with a letter and a small HP memory stick.

She looked at the pictures; a total of ten. They were the selfies she took with her father with his cellphone. She smiled broadly as she looked over the beautiful pictures and suddenly laughed at two of the pics where they made goofy faces.

"I miss you Dad, so much." She said in a whisper and then opened the hand written letter.

"My dear daughter, Lauretta Moabe." She stopped and broke into tears at the acknowledgement of her identity as his child and using his surname was a beautiful gesture.

"I am the happiest man alive right now because my first daughter is getting married today, not only that, she has forgiven me and made a part of the proud men that would walk her down the aisle and give her to her new family. My heart is filled with so much joy at the privilege to be a part of your life. I will spend the rest of my life making up for the wasted years. Did I tell you? You are the most beautiful bride I ever laid my eyes on. Lauretta, forgive your father for his crimes against you and your mother. They were acts of my times of ignorance but now, I am blessed and thankful to be a father and a father in law. Looking forward to your return from your honeymoon. Let us go on a trip to Kasane with your younger siblings and husband along with my wife your new mother. I love you Lauretta, more than you know."

She read the letter again and slowly wiped away the tears rushing down her face in torrents. She rushed inside to get her laptop, switched it on in the bedroom and inserted the memory stick. It was named Lauretta's Wedding.

She saw pictures with her father days before the wedding, more wedding pictures and those her father took alone and with Pontsho. There were video clips too. Quickly she opened the first one. She gasped in sadness as she watched herself dance to Mandy Moore's "Only Hope" with her father. She couldn't bear to watch any longer, she stopped the video and began to wail on the floor. A new pain gnawed at her heart as the pictures and memories danced through her mind.

"Come back please! Dad come back!"

She cried aloud and screamed for the reminder of her father who left too soon. A father she would never get to see again in this life and who will never be around to walk Angelique down the aisle nor be there for his sons.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" Suddenly she doubleddown in pain as a sharp and unforgiving pain ravaged her chest area. She was paralyzedwith pain for nearly five minutes. She remained on the floor, not movingfeeling every inch of the pain as it circulated her chest, nearly knocking herout of breath. Tears flowed down her face as the pain slowly ebbed away. Sheremained on the floor for another ten minutes before rising up and got to thebed. She gently stretched herself out and covered herself, hoping to fallasleep and recover from the shock her body just received