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...
Rose Jones entered the newly built and furnished Ranch styled house of Brandon and Lauretta Holmes, all smiles. She missed their house warming/ thanksgiving/ seven years anniversary because she went on vacation. In a few days, New Year will come and bring in its own changes.
"Girlfriend, you have made it!" She stared at the opulent living room with classy brown Italian leather sofas, coffee tables, adjacent dining room with a 40 inch LCD TV.
"Sit yourself down madam award winner! I see your show is making international waves."
"You mean our show silly." Rose said with a laugh. Forget Me Not had received awards from several local and international bodies because of its main theme of forgiveness, family and restitution.
"I saw the launch of your book,"
"Overcoming the battles in the shadows?"
"Yes and you are on your way of becoming a best seller with over six hundred copies sold already! By the way, where is that husband of yours?"
"He's gone out with Preston, David and Papa, it is men's night out!"
"Oh kay! I will call Mingie and then we can have our own night out!" Rose said with a wicked grin.
"Rose, you are now a Judge's wife, you can't be gallivanting around town like a spinster!"
Advocate Karabelo and Rose tied the know three years earlier, thanks to Laura's match making skills. They have a set of two year old identical twin boys, life was never dull at their house. The two were nearly impossible at first. A successful CEO of a thriving Media Company and a Brilliant Public Prosecutor, war was an understatement.
"I don't date over righteous and deceitful men. In fact, I don't need a man in my life." Rose had snapped angrily on their first date and that got Karabelo upset but he was already smitten by her strong will and humble beginnings. He pursued her and made her his girlfriend five months later and all of it now is recorded in their history book.
"Let me guess, Judge Karabelo is home with Katlego (success) and Kgalefa (brave)."
"He can't get enough of them. My Mum is also around so I am just taking time out especially now that motherhood has slowed me down."
"That is beautiful. Let me get you something to drink." Laura stood up and walked to the kitchen. She swallowed the threatening tears and got her friend a glass of Mango Juice. She set it on the glossy coffee table and excused herself. She had worked hard as a blogger and freelance writer after she came back from Kasane. Her first book "The road to sanity and freedom" sold out miraculously for a first time author. A non- fiction about the different challenges she faced since her birth and where she was at. Batswana people were supportive and as a result doors opened for speaking engagements and in three years, she became an African sensation and now an international one too with the breakthrough of "Forget Me Not." Brandon got promoted at work three years prior and since then they had thrived even more financially and were partners to many NGOs catering for orphans and children living with disabilities as well as a shelter for pregnant teens in three centers across Botswana.
"Madam Celebrity, cheerful giver and great wife and daughter and friend," she added the last part quickly.
"So, what did the orphanage say about your application? It is taking too long." Rose was referring to the application to adopt a child since the Holmes didn't have any of their own.
"It was rejected!" Laura replied tightly.
"What?" Rose cried in shock. "Why? You are more than qualified! Is it because of your article on Mothers' Day six years ago? They can't be serious! Now that your life is out in the open, they are using the past against you!"
"I don't have a problem waiting on the Lord but Grandpa Holmes needs to see his great grandchildren too. I want to help take care of others more than I am doing but I don't know what's happening." She cried in frustration.
"I think God has a different plan for you Laura."
"What do you mean?"
"You are qualified to be an adoptive parent but the application has been failing for the past three years! God is speaking sis! Those who wait upon him will never be put to shame! You will have a mother of all miracles. Trust God in this process."
"What if He wills for me to never be a mother? I know God loves me and I am not defined by my past but deep down I wonder if I am just going to end up like Michal."
"Stop beating yourself up okay, you will be alright and have be a mother. God doesn't want you to adopt but carry your own children," Rose was suddenly excited.
"You know what Laura? We are going to act in faith!"
"What are you up to?" Laura asked suspiciously.
"We are going to go into fresh fasting and prayer, buy baby clothes, unisex mind you! We are going shopping and after that I will get an interior designer to decorate one of the rooms in this house of yours for our coming bundles!"
"Alright Rose, I'm with you!" Laura's heart suddenly woke up into a new light.
"By the way, I see that Phillip's wife is doing great in Australia. After winning that contest, doors opened like floods. When last did she come to Bots?"
"Three years ago and Phillip is doing great too. After that suicide attempt in his first year, something changed inside of him. He is now called a motivational speaker and a mini pastor." She said with pride.
"He is doing well and soon will be out and making more waves."
"Everything he touches prospers. He will be releasing a book upon his release plus he loves gardening. The vegetables he grows as well as the beautiful and durable kitchen wares he makes are heavenly. His hands are anointed. Karabo has opened a shop already for some of his works and is saving money for him plus those that are being sold for them in prison. I admire her so much. She buried herself in her career but I know she is struggling with not having Phillip by her side."
"God is our helper and He is her strength. He enabled her to carry this great responsibility. Phillip and Karabo are destined for greatness!"
"You can say that again Rose," Laura said happily and added, "Thank you for cheering me up. Ms. Molefe (her biological mother) is in UK visiting Mum and Dad. She is having a ball!"
Rose sighed the said, "I am glad that you patched things up with the Moabe family."
"It is only God my dear sis! Angelique is living with Mum and Dad now in the UK doing her PhD. OB and Tumi are doing their Masters there too. We are one very big and happy family at last. I went from an orphan to a girl with many parents and siblings. God has blessed my beyond measure."
"Get up Madam! I feel like cooking up a storm and scare those men when they return."
"I like your idea Rose, let's get going and the best part? We are not sharing." They busted into laughter and went into the kitchen.
An hour later, as they set the table the doorbell rang."
"I will get it Rose." Laura said and walked to the intercom. It was not dark but she was able to see the image standing outside the gate. She gasped and quickly opened the door.
She rushed out and went over to see the visitor well. As the gate shut and her visitor struggled with a luggage, she walked over and screamed with joy.
"Elizabeth-Anne! What are you doing here?"
"Dumela big sis! Miss me?"
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