Truth Under Oath
920 Words
The week before the immigration interview felt like living under a storm cloud that refused to move.
Inside the apartment, tension followed every conversation, every silence, every glance.
Nobody trusted peace anymore.
Not after everything.
Bob spent most of his time preparing documents and rereading immigration emails repeatedly.
Alicia barely slept.
And Agnes…
Agnes remained strangely calm on the outside, though fear quietly lived behind her eyes now.
Because for the first time since this nightmare began, consequences were no longer emotional alone.
They were legal.
Real.
Dangerous.
Three days before the interview, Bob sat alone at the kitchen table reviewing paperwork when Alicia approached slowly.
“You haven’t eaten.”
“I’m not hungry.”
She stood there awkwardly for several seconds before speaking again.
“About what you said…”
Bob didn’t look up.
“Telling the truth?”
“Yes.”
He finally raised tired eyes toward her.
“I can’t keep living like this, Alicia.”
Pain softened his voice.
“I’m exhausted.”
Alicia sat down carefully across from him.
“If we confess everything, they could deport all of us.”
Bob laughed weakly.
“Maybe we deserve consequences.”
“That’s not fair.”
“No,” he replied quietly.
“What wasn’t fair was trusting my own family and ending up destroyed by both of them.”
Silence settled again.
Then softly, almost helplessly, Alicia asked:
“Do you still love me?”
The question lingered heavily between them.
Bob looked at her for a very long moment before answering.
“Unfortunately… yes.”
Tears instantly filled Alicia’s eyes.
Because despite everything…
That love still existed.
Bruised.
Broken.
Bleeding.
But alive.
Later that evening, Agnes arrived at the apartment after Bob reluctantly agreed they needed to discuss strategy together.
The atmosphere became uncomfortable immediately.
Bob barely looked at her.
Agnes noticed.
And the distance hurt more than she expected.
For years she had been Bob’s protector.
His role model.
His mother.
Now he looked at her like a stranger.
“We need consistency during the interview,” Agnes said carefully.
Bob leaned back coldly.
“You mean more lies.”
Agnes sighed tiredly.
“You think immigration officers care about emotions?”
“No,” Bob answered sharply.
“But maybe I’m tired of becoming somebody I don’t recognize anymore.”
Alicia watched both of them nervously.
The hatred growing between mother and son terrified her.
Because no matter what happened emotionally…
They were still family.
Or at least they used to be.
Agnes opened a folder of documents calmly.
“We stick to the original story. The marriage was real but didn’t work out. End of discussion.”
Bob laughed bitterly.
“Real?”
Agnes looked at him directly.
“The feelings became real.”
The room became silent instantly.
Even now…
Even facing possible deportation…
She still defended the relationship emotionally.
Bob shook his head slowly in disbelief.
“You really don’t regret it.”
Agnes’ voice softened.
“I regret hurting you.”
“But not loving her.”
Agnes said nothing.
And that silence answered enough.
That night after Agnes left, Bob sat alone on the balcony staring at city lights in the distance.
Alicia quietly joined him.
Cold wind moved softly around them.
For a while neither spoke.
Then Alicia whispered:
“If we survive this…”
Bob looked at her carefully.
“…what happens to us?”
The question hurt because neither of them truly knew.
Bob leaned back slowly.
“I used to think love could survive anything.”
Alicia’s chest tightened.
“And now?”
Bob smiled sadly.
“Now I think betrayal changes people permanently.”
Tears filled her eyes again.
“Do you hate me?”
Bob looked at her for a long moment.
Then softly answered:
“No.”
Alicia looked surprised.
“I tried to,” he admitted quietly.
“But every time I look at you…”
His voice weakened.
“…I still see the woman I crossed oceans for.”
Alicia broke emotionally again.
She covered her face crying.
“I’m so sorry.”
This time, Bob moved closer and gently pulled her into his arms.
Not passionately.
Not romantically.
Just two broken people holding each other in the middle of disaster.
And for the first time in months…
Alicia truly felt how much pain he carried.
The morning of the immigration interview arrived cold and gray.
The three of them traveled together in silence through downtown Toronto.
Nobody touched their phones.
Nobody made eye contact.
Fear lived inside the car.
When they finally entered the immigration building, Alicia’s hands trembled visibly.
Bob noticed immediately.
Without thinking, he reached over and held her hand gently.
The small gesture stunned her.
Even now…
Even after everything…
He still protected her instinctively.
Agnes saw it too.
And something painful moved through her chest.
Because deep inside herself, she suddenly realized a truth she had spent months avoiding:
No matter how deeply Alicia loved her…
Bob and Alicia shared a history she could never replace completely.
Inside the waiting room, an immigration officer finally called their names.
“Mr. Okafor. Ms. Alicia Raymond. Ms. Agnes Okafor.”
The three of them stood slowly.
Together.
Broken by secrets.
Bound by lies.
And terrified of what truth might cost them next.
As they walked toward the interview room, Bob quietly whispered:
“No more lies.”
Alicia looked at him nervously.
Agnes remained silent.
Then the interview room door opened.
And everything changed.
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