This is Karen's Story!

ELOI, ELOI, LAMA SABACHTHANI? (Mark 15 v 34) –My God, my God, why has Thou forsaken me?

Friday, 26 November 1993, 1pm, Lonehill, Johannesburg. A day, a date, a time and a place destined to change my life so drastically that I still struggle to find answers to the reason why this happened. Anything ..... just to understand.

At 6am that morning my bedside alarm went off as usual. It was just like any other day, but it was to end in a nightmare and be burned into my memory forever. I dragged myself out of bed to start the normal routine of making coffee, running bath water, and then my major task of the day - to get Karen out of bed and to work on time. She just loved to lie in until the last minute and usually all my efforts and coaxing were in vain - except this specific day.

At the first call she was up. Today was special to her. She wanted to look her best as it was the first official company lunch that she would attend. This was a time of the year I hated most - Christmas lunches and parties for every conceivable occasion. But for Karen it was exciting. She had started working for Tacholog in Midrand on 4 August 1993. It was her first job after leaving Technikon - she enjoyed her work and was a favourite amongst her colleagues. This was HER day.

The mornings we shared together in front of the dressing table mirror were unique. Laughter, music, irritations when we couldn't find the mascara, chatting about this and that, more irritations when our stockings would ladder, grabbing another quick cup of coffee and then dashing out to work in the nick of time. This particular Friday morning was no different. With a quick hug and a kiss, wishing her a super day and to enjoy her Christmas lunch, I dashed off, never ever knowing it was the last time I would see her, the last time I would touch her, ... the last time ... the last time!

Work was busy as we too had our Christmas lunch scheduled for 1.30pm that same day. Everyone was rushing about trying to get work done as it was nearing month end. At 10.30 a.m. I decided to give Karen a quick call, find out how her day was going and what time she planned to be home. Their lunch was being held at the Lonehill Country Club and Karen said they would be leaving work at 12.30pm and driving there in convoy. She had contacted her friend Tessa to phone our home at 6.30 that evening to find out if she was back yet. She did not want to stay any later than 7 o'clock. Her boyfriend, Marcell, had arrived that Wednesday on a long weekend pass from the army and she wanted to be with him. Karen had told Tessa that if she was not home when she called, Tessa was to come out to the Country Club and make some excuse for her to leave. Karen knew that her colleagues would try and persuade her to stay till the end of the party, but she wanted to go home as early as possible. With their little "plan" neatly worked out, all was settled. I told her I hoped to be home by my normal time and would see her later. Whenever we said goodbye she never once failed to say "Love you lots". But today she said it in a different way. "Mommy I love you very much". "Me too", I replied and put the phone down totally unaware that this would be our last time we would share a conversation .... the very last time I would hear her voice.

(to be continued .....)