Kamara’s POV
I stared blankly at the wall dreading any sound that I might hear. The one I feared the most was my phone ringing. Tears rolled down my face uncontrollably and I couldn’t seem to stop. I have harbored the thought of telling my parents about what I got myself involved in, but what difference would it make? We would end up on the streets and all of my sacrifice would be for nothing. How am I supposed to sleep with a man that I do not have any interest in?
It’s bad enough that I have to deal with his disrespect and scornful glares. The room suddenly felt suffocating and the dark shadows of my life kept roaming around me like wraiths. Chantelle knocked roughly from behind the door.
“Open the door, Kamara.” She yelled.
I have been indoors since yesterday when I got discharged from the hospital without food or water just crying my eyes out. I don’t feel the need to struggle to live. I am at a crossroads in my life that I can’t seem to find a way out of.
“Kamara come on, please. Brandon is here, should I let him in?”
“Go away, Chantelle.”
“Fine! I will tell Brandon to leave. But you have to open the door and talk to me, please. I am worried about you.” She stayed quiet for a brief second. “Did you hear me, Kamara?”
I huffed, swallowing. “Okay.”
She returned not too long and I had to drag my weightless self to the door. It felt like all of the intestines that I needed to live had shriveled. I opened it and Chantelle gasped with a tray carrying a plate of pancakes and a glass of milk.
“What storm hit you overnight?” She joked putting down the tray.
“Smile at least. You look like a homeless person.” She said making her way to the window to pull the curtains.
I winced as the bright light burned my face. I sat on the edge of the bed like a stranger. Chantelle nudged me to go wash my face. I could no longer argue. The smell of the pancake already made me hungry. Also, I have never been the type to keep away from food no matter how upset I was. I guess situations do change. I hurried to the bathroom as much as my weak body could carry me to brush and wash my face.
Without a word, I sat down to eat when I returned to the room. Chantelle as usual calmly watched me eat. I stopped halfway as I felt full.
“Did Brandon really come?” I asked.
“Don’t bother yourself about him.”
“Why not?”
“I know what is going through that head of yours. Now don’t forget that all he did was make a fool of you. Just because he is trying to act all nice towards you now does not change the fact that he is a snake.”
Chantelle has never been a fan of Brandon from the beginning. She was always doubtful about his person. But maybe it’s not all his fault. I am not telling her what I think though.
“Yes ma’am. Just so you know I am not doing it.” I started with my head down.
“But I haven’t even said anything.”
“I know that look on your face. I am not interested.”
“Are you saying that to convince me or yourself? Even at that, do you have any other option? I would swim through the ocean to help you, Kamara. But I am just as helpless as you are. That bastard was right about that. And no matter how much we try to fight we won’t take any disrespect. We still don’t have any way out.”
My eyes watered at my reality. No matter how much I try to run from it. The circle remains. I sniffed. “I can’t go on like this, Chantelle.
That bastard would think he is above every one of us.”
She folded her arms. “You just have to close your eyes to it. You signed a contract and he might sue you for real. Not only will you lose the house, but you run into debt saving yourself from the court.”
“Is the contract content true?” I asked stupidly.
Chantelle reached out to caress my face. “I know it is all hard for you at the moment. But you need to understand that this sacrifice is all going to be worth it in the end. I am not in your shoes, so it would be wrong for me to say I know how you feel. It’s going to take a night or two.”
I cringed at the thought of it shaking my head vigorously this time. “I can’t do it, Chan. I can’t.” I said wailing.
She sighed patting me gently on the back. “Do you remember when I told you the things my mum had to endure before we could settle together?”
I nodded remembering the scary tale of Chantelle being left with in foster care because her mother couldn’t take care of her. The poor woman had to go through hell and back seeing herself through school and trying to get her daughter back. I cried the first time I heard the story. Must have been a lot enduring that for not just a year but over five years. I had met Chantelle in middle school.
“You see, I have realized that there are many sacrifices we have to make for family. I respect you so much for taking the courage to save your family from becoming homeless. And I want to promise you that I will be there every step of the way. I am not sure how much help I will be able to proffer, but you can lean on me whenever it weighs you down.”
“I…I am scared, Chan. What if I don’t get pregnant again and he eventually takes back the house? What will I be left with then?”
“You don’t have to worry about all that for now. When we get to the bridge you will cross it. However, you won’t be sleeping with him so soon. He has to give you a week to recover.”
I furrowed my brow. “How would you do that?”
“First, I need that lawyer’s contact. You just lay your pretty head down and let me handle it.”
“But I don’t have his contact.”
She blinked thinking for a brief second. “What about that contract? He might have his mail or any of his contacts there.”
I struggled to stand up, heading towards my reading table. It took a few seconds to fish it out. “Here,” I mumbled in a coarse voice, handing it over to her.
Chantelle looked through it, smirking to herself in pride. “Here he is. Let’s see what he has to say.” She typed the number into her phone and dialed it. “Hello, is this Attorney Fernando? Hmm, nice to know. I am Chantelle, Kamara Hermes’ friend and I need to see you urgently.” She paused. “No, it can’t wait. Alright, I will see you in forty minutes.”
“What?” I asked when she kept grinning from ear to ear.
“I do have an appointment in less than an hour. I will see you later baby. Make sure to close those eyes of yours and sleep like a baby.” She blew me a kiss walking out of the room.
Just like it was before, it felt choking all over again.