CHAPTER 6: FAMILY REUNION

As Lauretta approached the entrance to her childhood home, her heart was filled with uncertainty. She wasn't sure what she would find on the other side of the door. It's been three years since she last spent time with her family, and she was sure she'd find resentment, anger, or perhaps indifferences. But to her surprise, before she could even knock, her father, Gabriel, swung the door open, a soft smile gracing his lips. He had seen her from his window when she entered through the gate. "Lauretta darling," he said, his voice filled with warmth and affection. "Dad," Lauretta breathed, feeling a rush of emotions as she stepped into his embrace. But the surprises didn't end there. From behind her father, Juliana emerged, her eyes struggling to hold back the unshed tears. It's been three years of silence since their big fight; she was angry that Juliana had told her family about George because she disapproved of it. They had a big fight and had never spoken since then, but Stanley informed her about the divorce and her return home. She knew her friend needed her, and she came to show her some support. Lauretta's eyes couldn't hide her pain, but Juliana drew her close and gave her a tight embrace before she could say a word. "Lauretta," Juliana whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "I've missed you so much." Lauretta's eyes welled up even more with tears as she returned the embrace, feeling a flood of emotions wash over her. Three years of silence, three years of regrets—all melting away in that moment of reconciliation. And then, as if summoned by the sound of her voice, Lauretta's brother Stanley rushed out from the living room, his face breaking into a wide grin as he swept her up into a big hug. "Lauretta!" he exclaimed; his voice choked with emotion. "I can't believe you're finally home." Tears streamed down Lauretta's cheeks as she hugged her brother tightly, overwhelmed by the love and forgiveness surrounding her. Three years ago, she had walked out on her family, blinded by love for a man who never truly loved her back. And now, as she stood in the embrace of those who had never stopped loving her, she realized the magnitude of her mistake. But in that moment, surrounded by her family and her once-estranged friend, Lauretta knew that she had finally found her way back home. "Welcome home, Lauretta darling!" Gabriel exclaimed, pulling her into a tight hug again. " It's good to see you, my baby girl" he wiggled her around like a little girl. "Dad, it's so good to see you too," Lauretta struggled to say in the tight hug and wiggle. Juliana joined in, wrapping her arms around both Lauretta and her father. "We've missed you so much!" Lauretta began to feel the weight of the past start to lift from her shoulders. "I've missed you too, Juliana." Stanley grinned from ear to ear as he watched them for a while. He was filled with excitement as he joined in for a bit. "I'm glad you are finally back, free from that dungeon you locked yourself in all this while." Lauretta couldn't hold her tears any longer as she tried to pull away to speak."I'm really sorry, I'm sorry I treated you all badly, I was so foolish and childish, I thought I had found love leaving the ones that truly loved me behind" She cried even more. "Come on now, girl, you should be happy. We are happy, we should be celebrating," Stanley tried to console her, rubbing off the tears from her eyes. "Who's hungry?" Stanley said, teasing, gesturing toward the dining table. "Dinner is served", He said. With a chuckle, he took Lauretta by the hand and pulled her to the table. He adjusted her seat and helped her to sit. Dinner was a feast of Lauretta's favorite dishes, each lovingly prepared by her family as a gesture of welcome and reconciliation. Laughter filled the air as they shared stories and jokes, the tension of the past fading away with each passing moment. "This roast chicken is amazing, Dad," Lauretta said between bites. Gabriel beamed with pride. "I'm glad you like it, Lauretta. It's been too long since we've had a meal together." Juliana leaned in, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Remember the time we tried to bake cookies and ended up burning the whole batch?" Lauretta laughed, the memories of their childhood antics flooding back. "How could I forget? Mom was so mad!" But amidst the merry chatter, Lauretta couldn't shake the feeling of guilt that filled her conscience. Three years of estrangement, all because of her foolish pursuit of love with George. She vowed to make things right, to cherish the love of her family and friends that she had once taken for granted. As the night hits late, Lauretta offers to walk Juliana home, but Juliana insists that she can find her way. Instead, she hugged Lauretta tightly, her eyes shining with unspoken forgiveness. "Go and get some rest, Laurry," Juliana said softly. "We'll catch up soon." Reluctantly, Lauretta nodded, knowing that Juliana was right, considering she had a long day. She hugged Stanley, who was obviously waiting for a good night hug once more, before retiring to her room, feeling a sense of peace settle over her. As Lauretta settled on her bed, her phone buzzed with an incoming call. Glancing at the screen, she saw that it was Carol, her sister-in-law. With a furrowed brow, Lauretta answered the call. "Hello?" Lauretta greeted tentatively. "Where are you right now?" Carol's voice came through the phone, sharp and accusatory. "I heard you finally left my brother for good What did you do with the necklace he gave me? You know it was rightfully mine, you thief?" Lauretta's heart sank at Carol's use of words, but her initial shock quickly turned into frustration at the accusatory tone. She wondered why she was surprised. "Hold it, Carol. First of all, that necklace belongs to me, not you. And secondly, I have no idea where it is." Carol's voice grew even sharper. "Don't play smart with me, Lauretta! That necklace was a family heirloom, and now that you are no longer family, you'd need to return it, or else I'd ensure I put you behind bars. Lauretta felt a surge of anger rising within her at Carol's threats. "Listen, Carol, you have no right whatsoever to speak to me like this. I didn't take your precious necklace, and I won't stand for being accused of something I didn't do." But Carol seemed unmoved by Lauretta's anger. "You'd better find that necklace, shameless gold digger." Lauretta hung up the phone, full of anger and pain. How dare Bonnie accuse her of theft, especially when she knew the truth? And why was she so fixated on a necklace that didn't even belong to her? Feeling frustrated and unfairly accused, Sylvia consoled herself to focus on more important matters like rebuilding her relationships with her family and friends. Carol's threats didn't scare her; she was ready for 'come what may' from the Lawsons. She has her family at her back. She thought about this as she finally fell asleep.