It was a typical Botswana winter afternoon – crystal clear, endless blue sky, warm but with a cool breeze blowing. A perfect day for a wedding, Kate thought as she looked at the red carpet which flowed down the length of her back yard leading to a white tent decorated with fresh flowers on one side and a make shift altar where the minister would conduct the marriage on the other side. Long tables were laid out with white and gold china and crystal glasses. Kate had to admit, OT had managed beautifully. She knew the reception would be a deterioration into gumba gumba music and wild, abandoned dancing fuelled by the three barrels of traditional beer OT had been brewing for two weeks. Kate decided that it was a compromise that she was willing to live with.

She pulled out one of the chairs and sat down to wait for the crowds to arrive when she heard a noise behind her. “Sorry, are we too early?” Kate turned to see Constable Lecheng dressed in a black suit and looking decidedly handsome. He was with the young woman Kate had seen at his house. When she remembered her behaviour that day she blushed with embarrassment.

“I don’t think you two have met, properly at least. This is my fiancé, Bonnie,” Lecheng said.

“Hi Bonnie, lovely to meet you. Sorry about the last time,” Kate said.

Bonnie smiled shyly. “So how’s the case going?” Kate asked Lecheng.

“Well, it looks pretty solid. They’ll definitely get life in prison. I wouldn’t be surprised if Kgotletsa and Matebele don’t get the death sentence for killing Thela and Mosenene. It was good work, Detective, decidedly good work,” Lecheng smiled.

“You were the hero Constable. How did you find us that night anyway?” Kate asked.

“I had arrived from Gaborone just before dusk and I saw Matebele and Kgotleletsa coming into the village from the road that side. I thought it was a bit strange but then I never thought of it again. I dropped Bonnie at the clinic, she’s a nurse there and was working the night shift as they had someone in the maternity section, and I saw your car parked in the bushes at Kgotleletsa’s place but you weren’t there. The place looked to be empty so I went around to Beirut, I knew somebody would have seen something and they said that they saw you passing by at the back of Kgano’s truck with Matebele and Thela. I knew something was up and called the local police in to help me. We went around the back way and luck was on our side because we managed to arrive at their makeshift cemetery just minutes before you did. It was all luck really. I’m no hero.”

“I wanted to apologise for suspecting you. You saved my life and I’m grateful.”

“Don’t worry about it. I really should thank you. You taught me some discipline. Between you and Bonnie I might just come right now. When I think about how my incompetence nearly let those three walk free, I get nightmares. That will never happen again on my shift, I promise you Detective Gomolemo. I promise with all my heart.” His earnestness touched Kate and she knew she was looking at a man who was going to be a great police officer and probably a pretty good husband, too. She patted his leg and said, “It looks like my other guests are arriving.”

People made their way to the chairs that had been set out when the minister moved to the front of the altar. OT pressed the button on the tape recorder and the Wedding March boomed through the garden. The first batch of tears for the day welled up in Kate’s eyes as her handsome son moved to the side of the Minster. Kate knew that somehow his father was also here with them, looking down and feeling as proud as she did. She turned with all of the others to see her new daughter-in-law, Rachel, walking down the aisle in a simple white dress with a long flowing train. OT had done a good job with the dress, as well. On her arm was her father, who at the last minute decided that prejudice had no power against the love he felt for his daughter. Her mother sat in the crowd with her two younger brothers .

When they finally made it to the front of the red carpet and Gomolemo folded back the veil to reveal the beautiful face of his new bride, no one in the gathering could refute that true love resided in those eyes. Kate was happy that Gomolemo had found what she and his father had had – a rare gift of love to be held carefully with two hands. But then Kate turned and looked at John sitting next to her in a suit, something he rarely wore now a days. Was it possible for her to be blessed with true love twice in her life? Kate leaned over and kissed a surprised John on the lips and with that she decided that she was willing to find out.

THE END