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My mom suddenly turned cold towards me. She hardly looked at me, sighed at everything I did, talked to me, or even sent me on errands. I knew something was wrong because, on a normal day, she hardly called my name less than ten times to send me on errands or ask for help.

And she wanted me to know I was being given the cold shoulder. That night, I was meant to help her cook, but she told me not to bother and called my half-sister instead.

I spent a lot of time in my room, worried about what was wrong and why I was being given the cold shoulder.

The next day, it was the same cold attitude I got throughout the day. Finally, when almost everyone was asleep at night, she called me outside and sat me down.

She was so serious, and I was curious and scared about what it was all about.

Then she went straight to asking me.

“Do you know who Stanley is?"

I was confused. I didn't have a single idea of what was going on. The only thing I was sure of was that I didn't know anyone who went by Stanley.

Then she described a house, a house I could recall. It was one of the biggest and nicest houses in our neighborhood.

“Have you ever been to that house before?"

"Huh, I don't even know who owns the house.”

She told me Stanley was the owner of the house and asked me if I had anything to do with him, and I told her the truth—NO!

She looked at me for some seconds as if she was reading my soul. I noticed her body language—she was no longer tense.

Then she told me—apparently, there was a rumor going around, and it got to my mom through a friend who heard it from a friend, a rumor—that I had something to do with this so-called Stanley, a married man, by the way.

I was in shock and disbelief. Then I felt the immediate fear of my dad finding out—my heart raced, and I felt sick. My dad had always warned us against hearing anything about his daughters concerning boys.

But it was obvious he didn't know because a rumor like that—a grown married man and me, who wasn't even up to 16 years old—would have got me disowned before the truth was even revealed. But it didn't reduce the fear at all.

My mom told me not to worry and to go and sleep. But fear kept me up all night.

The next morning, my mom told me to dress up and follow her. Nobody knew where we were going or what it was all about. She didn't tell anyone, not even me.

I went with her, and she took me straight to her friend's house. After some talk, my mom confirmed with her friend that she had heard the rumor, and we were on the road immediately to the next person.

Then I understood—she was going to find the source of the heinous rumor.

We went from one person to another. Some tried denying, and some tried avoiding answering, but my mom pressed till she got what she needed.

The journey went through six people, each leading to the next.

Then we finally got to Mama Chi Chi's shop. My mom asked her. At first, she tried playing a fool, but my mom kept her leg down and firm on the matter.

And finally, she confessed, saying it was her 14-year-old daughter that told her.

She called her daughter, and when the girl came out, she jerked in shock at seeing us.

I could see as she started shaking and automatically started sweating.

My mom began to question her, and she answered with a shaky, scared voice.

"Did you see my daughter talking to him?" – No.

"Did you see her near him?" – No.

"Did you see her enter his house?" – No.

"Did you hear her talk about him?" – No.

"Then why did you say she did?" – Silence.

She had nothing to say.

"That's a load of balderdash!" I screamed with frustration and anger in my head.

So she just made up a silly story about me for no reason and almost ruined my life and reputation.

My mom let out a long sigh. Her face had no expression. I guess the girl's foolishness made her speechless.

She then asked Mama Chi Chi for a pen. She wrote down all the people we went through and handed the paper to the girl.

“Go to everyone on this list and make sure you tell them the truth. Make sure I don't hear this rumor again. If not, the next time I come here will be with the police, and nobody will save you."

My mom made her threat very clear, then we left.

I was relieved, and there wasn't even ever a whisper of the rumor again.

I loved how my mom understood and stayed by my side. She didn't tag me a horrible person and jump to conclusions from what she heard in a gossip.

The trust, She took my word for it and was ready to fight for me to the end.

I realized how damaging rumors are.

They are like wildfire—starting with a little spark and destroying lives, no matter if the rumors are true or false.