DOUBTS

Silence.

Everyone was silent. For the first time in my entire life, I had said something that made everyone speechless. We were in the dining room, having breakfast when I broke the news.

"I am traveling to America tomorrow." I repeated myself. This time, everyone laughed.

"I am serious. I got a job to work as a private therapist to a wealthy family in America. And, I'm leaving tomorrow." I explained myself. When I had decided to tell my family about the news, I did not expect that reaction.

"Okay, okay o. We believe you." My big brother said playfully. "So, if you're traveling tomorrow, where are your documents?"

"I don't have it yet. They said they only need my passport. That they will sort everything out." Immediately I said that, my big brother laughed.

"This is how they will dupe you. If this job offer was legit, they wouldn't be in such a rush to have you. This is how you will end up in the hands of human traffickers, you won't even suspect until it's too late." Anthony dismissed my big news.

"What makes you think so? Is it because they rejected your visa twice in a row?" I retorted harshly.

"Amanda, you better shut up! Who do you tgibk you are? What do you think you know?" At this point, he had stopped eating his food to yell at me.

"More than you." I retorted. "What you struggle to get, I easily have it. If you're such an expert, what are you still doing here?" I know I was a bit harsh. But, it didn't matter to me at that time. I was angry.

"Chimamanda, keep quiet!" My mother snapped at me. "That is not how you talk to your elder brother! "

"Then, tell him to stop—" before I could complete my sentence, my mother snapped at me again.

"You're still talking." She even gave me a threatening look.

"Leave her. She doesn't know what she is getting into and she is arguing with me." Anthony continued eating. Everyone else aside had been watching the show while they ate.

"Look, Chimamanda. Don't go into what you don't understand. Your brother have told you. It might be human traffickers. You had better focus on something that is certain like getting married to Nonso. He is rich. Once you get married, you'll easily have all the necessary documents to travel. You will even be able to get us all an American Visa too. So, you had better go to Nonso and reconcile." And that was how my mother dismissed my good news. My father kept silent. To me, that meant he agreed to what my mother said.

Frustrated, I left the dining room. I went to my room and locked myself in. Did they all think I was a child and couldn't differentiate fake from legit offers. I was recommended for this job by a doctor abroad who had been impressed by my the project research I had done in school. The doctor was a woman and she wanted me to have the opportunity. I was only lucky that it came at the right time. When I desperately needed a break from everything going on.

Immediately I got into my room, I received a message from the doctor. She told me that the other documents I needed was ready and she had already booked a flight for me to leave. She sent me the flight ticket. When I saw it, I quickly started packing. I was going to leave the country whether my family believed it or not.

Few hours later, I was done. I was not packing much. As much I would love to take all of my belongings with me, I needed to travel light. Especially if I was going to sneak out of the house. I know my mother. And, i knew she wouldn't let me leave the house because she believed my clueless brother, Anthony. And, I was sure that no amount of explanation from me would convince her. So, I decided to call my friend for help.

I couldn't call Stella and Celine. Especially after the argument we had the other night. I called Austin instead. Besides, he was the gentle and responsible guy that elderly people easily trusted.

"Hello." He greeted. But, I didn't respond with a greeting. I went straight to the point.

"Austin, I need your help."

"What's the problem?" He asked in concern.

"Please, just come to my place. I'll will tell you everything. " I didn't think it was appropriate to explain on call.

"Alright." He said calmly before hanging up. Austin and I lived on the same street. All the more reason, he was my first go-to person.

After a few minutes, he was already in front of my room. I quickly opened my door and dragged him in when he knocked. He looked at me puzzled as to what was going on.

"Amanda, what's going on? On my way to your room, your mom told me to 'talk some senses into you'."

"I broke up with Nonso, yesterday." I told him in a heartbeat. I noticed how he was not curious as to why I had broken up with him. Instead, he seemed concerned about my welfare.

"Come here." He brought me in for a hug, wrapping me in him arms, tight. I didn't know how much i needed a hug until I had it. I started crying. Tears kept pouring out of my eyes. No matter how I tried to stop, It wouldn't stop flowing.

"It's alright. You're alright. That scumbag doesn't deserve you anyway." He muttered.

"You knew he was cheating, didn't you?" I pulled away a little to ask.

"Yeah. But, I thought he would stop. I warned him. I swear I was going to tell you if he continued." He quickly explained himself before I would attack him.

"I caught him with another woman last night. Can you believe he was not even remorseful. He acted like he was doing nothing wrong." I lamented. Finally, I had someone I could talk to about it. "He was so eager to break it off with me. It was as if he didn't care about me anymore. He even told me I was free to leave if I couldn't handle his 'polygamous' nature."

"He is a nut case." Austin said.

"Exactly! That was what I thought. I just wonder why I didn't notice all these time." I pulled away completely to seat on my bed. Austin sat on the seat close to my study table.

"So, why does your mom want you to still marry him? Did you tell her what he did?"

"I told her. But, she is still adamant that I get married to that cheat. But, I won't. I can't." I shook my head.

"You shouldn't. It's a good thing you found out now and left. Unlike some people that will see obvious red flags and still stay in the relationship." He was referring to Stella.

"I'm sure she will come back to her senses soon." I said as I turned to look at Austin. I knew he liked Stella and was probably very angry that Stella was willing to settle for trash when he was willing to love her with everything in him.

"Hopefully, she will. So, what do you need my help with?" He asked

"I am leaving the country." I announced.

"Wow, to where?" He was shocked, visibly.

"America. I got a job there and I'm leaving tomorrow. " I summed it up.

"That soon? Have you told your parents? Have you packed up your stuff? Traveling tomorrow is so sudden." He didn't even doubt me for one second.

"Yes, it is so sudden. But, that's what I need. I need to start all over again and heal. Besides, the pay is good. "

"I'm so happy for you. " He drew me in for another hug. "I'll come visit you."

I believed him when he said that. He came from a very wealthy family anyway. Traveling to different countries was normal for him. I bet his family owned a house there too.

"So, what exactly do you need me to do?" he pulled away to ask.

"Get me out of my house. They won't let me leave. They think the job offer is fake and it's probably a trick for human trafficking." I explained my ordeal.

"I don't blame them. It's possible it's a scam. There are a lot of scam nowadays. Are you sure it's legit?" He asked.

"I am sure. Remember Dr. Mrs. Johnson?" I asked.

"The lecturer that left Nigeria? How can I forget, she almost had me suspended that year. Is she the one that told you about yhe offer?"

"Yes, she's the one. So, it's got to be legit." I assured him. "Now, please help me get out of this house."

Later in the evening, I was at his place with my stuff. He had helped me. He had convinced my mother that I was going to reconcile with Nonso. For some reason, my mother believed him. The following day, I travelled.

I was so excited to start afresh in a different country with a well paying job. All I had to do was be the therapist to a rich dude. What could go wrong?