Word spread fast in Finetown.
By sunrise the next day, neighbors who hadn’t spoken to me in months were suddenly greeting me at the gate.
Old women walked by humming softly, blessing the newborn from a distance.
Men from the corner shouted, “Congrats, grootman!”
Even the boys who used to stare at me like I was broken now smiled with respect.
People who once whispered about Rebecca…
who blamed her…
who avoided her…
Now smiled when they saw her carrying the baby.
It was as if Olerato came into this world with healing sewn into her tiny palms.
Some brought blankets.
Some brought baby powder and sweets.
Some brought nothing but warm words — and somehow that meant the most.
One neighbor said:
“Le ngane e tlo tlisa khutso le lerato mo ga lona.”
(This child will bring peace and lov
