Bukunmi watched as her dad's car screeched to a halt as his phone rung for the third consecutive time. He stared at the phone's screen, contemplating on whether to answer the call or not.
"What's wrong, daddy? Answer the call," She said, yawning.
He forced a smile, gave her a nod and picked up the call, pressing the phone to his ears with his fingers drumming on the steering wheel; an act that expressed how apprehensive he was.
She was tired and all she wanted to do was go home to sleep. She and her dad had gone to eat ice cream following the success of her examination and were just returning home by past 9pm because it had been raining and if there was one thing her dad, Mr Thomas Jibawo Ketu didn't fancy, it was driving in the rain.
She was her dad's favourite and he had promised to go out on a treat with her if she was at the top of her class as usual, and he never ever left a promise unfulfilled.
He heaved a deep sigh as the call ended, his heart thumping loudly with fear and his brain calculating on what to do. Something about Tade's voice was unusual and he had informed him of his location since he claimed to be worried about him.
"Is anything the matter?" Bukunmi asked, sensing the unusual tension in the atmosphere.
He blinked his eyes immediately, coming back to reality, far away from his thoughts.
"No, dear. Everything's just fine, okay?"
"You don't seem fine to me though," She argued.
He faked a chuckle. "And why does my angel think daddy isn't fine?" He asked.
"Cause you're drumming your fingers on the steering wheel. You do that when you're worried, I know," She responded.
He smiled, genuinely this time. "So, you do know when I'm worried, don't you? You're all grown up, baby girl," He said.
She blushed. "Of course. What do you take me for? I'm a teenager, dorrh."
He laughed, then as a call came in from another number, the smile on his face dried up.
"Ibukunoluwami," He called her.
She instantly sat up, wondering why her dad suddenly called her by her full name.
"Yes, daddy. What's the matter?"
He gave a small smile. "You're all grown up now, aren't you?"
She nodded in the affirmative.
"Good. I want to ask you for something," He said.
"Sure, shoot," She said, right before her dad could complete his statement.
He smiled, approving of her zeal to help.
"I'm having a terrible feeling. I may not have enough time left with you, but please, could you take care of your mum and baby brother?" He asked.
She looked really confused. "Why? Where are you going to?" She asked.
He grabbed her hands and squeezed them, lovingly; reassuringly.
"You see, daddy did something bad, and so, he may have to go to prison. I know you shouldn't hear this at a young age and I'm sorry for being a terrible father, but I want you to know that everything I've ever done was for my family. You may grow up to despise me and I totally understand..."
She decided it was time to cut in. "Dad, what exactly are you going on about? You're my father and I know you love me so much. I could never hate you," She countered.
He smiled and stroked her hair. "It's really pleasing to know that my baby girl will never hate me, but still, would you do as I have requested of you?" He asked; his eyes, pleading.
She rolled her eyes. "First of all, mum is older than I am, so you should be telling her to take care of Ben and I, and not the other way round. Secondly, Ben isn't a baby. He's three for crying out loud; he talks, walks and messes up the entire place!"
He chuckled. "Your mum worries a lot. Also, Benjamin still messing up the house is enough to show he's still a baby, don't you agree?" He asked.
She heaved a deep sigh and rolled her eyes, her arms crossed, her mind considering what her dad was saying to her.
"Dad," She called after a moment of total silence.
"Yes, my angel," He responded with a smile, staring into the eyes of his first and only female child, whom he adored in every way.
"I'll do as you've said and take care of mummy and Ben. However, you have to promise me that you'll see to it that my book gets published when you're back," She said, looking defiant.
"I totally forgot that you're one to bargain," He said.
She shrugged, not feeling bothered. "Of course, daddy. Nothing goes for nothing; that's how the world works," She said.
He put his hands up in the air. "Fine then, I promise."
"It's a deal then," She said with a smile and he smiled right back at her, not knowing it was the last time they were ever going to smile at each other.
Theirs was a lonely street and before they could say a word, sounds of gunshots filled the air as three vans sped roughly to where they were, jolting Bukunmi and almost sending her heart flying out of her chest as the vans stopped right in front of her dad's car.
He had known they were coming for him, but he hadn't known they were coming so soon.
He shot a glance at his terrified daughter, whose heart was pounding in fear; teeth chattering like she was about to have a nervous breakdown.
His eyes were teary, but he just couldn't cry. He had brought it upon himself. His daughter was too young to see what was about to happen to him, but he was surrounded and there was no way he could escape what was coming to him; unless he turned back the hands of time, which he clearly knew wasn't possible.
He couldn't bring himself to say anything to his daughter as he was utterly ashamed and disgusted with himself.
He grabbed the handle of the car, attempting to open it and alight.
Bukunmi immediately held her dad's hand, stopping him from going outside as tears slid down her eyes, too scared to speak, but her heart voicing out her feelings more than words possibly could.
Mr. Thomas swallowed hard, blinking back tears, not willing to embarrass himself further in front of his daughter.
He saw his former boss's goons with sticks, daggers and guns, laughing boisterously and making fun of him, urging him to come out and face them.
Flashes of the terrible incidents he had partook in, even worse than the situation he was in, shot through his mind. He had done bad things; evil things, acting like he didn't care about what the victims went through, torturing them in every way possible. Now, it was time for him to dance to his own tune, and he sure did deserve worse.
His daughter's grip tightened as tears slid down her eyes. His eyes met hers and she shook her head sadly.
"Don't go," She managed to say, in a hoarse whisper.
He smiled and patted her arm, shook his head sadly then broke free from her grip, the suddenness of his actions making her flinch in utmost shock.
'Welling Fam Heights is behind this, don't tell anyone or act like you know about this till you're all grown up, but the truth, Bukunmi, is that Daddy deserves what's going to happen to him in just a few minutes from now. Don't come out till they leave, and always remember that Daddy loves you," He said, and casting one final glance at his daughter, stepped out of the car, slamming the door behind him.
"No, daddy. You don't deserve anything bad. Come back here!" Bukunmi screamed, banging her fists against the front door's glass as tears blurred her vision, her heart beating as a result of the fear of the unknown.
Her father walked with his hands put up in surrender as he eyed each and everyone who had seemingly been his colleagues and friends, but had betrayed him in the end.
Drago, one of the thugs, clapped his hands, giving a thunderous cackle. "How the mighty has fallen," He said, going on with his laughter which spoke of nothing but mockery.
Bukunmi's dad clenched his fists, eyeing him defiantly.
"What's with that look? Why are you acting like a king all over again? Thought your hands were up and you were gradually becoming a good boy. You can't change, can you? Oh! And did you actually think you could outsmart us by going to the police to rat us all out before we could get to you? Do we look like fools to you? What ever happened to loyalty?" Drago yelled out loud.
"It's no use being loyal to fools like you," He said, unrepentantly.
Drago burst into another one of his cackles, then puffed out smoke from his pipe.
"What's that saying again? Aha! Do unto others what you want them to do to you," He said, grinning.
"And what's that supposed to mean?" Mr Thomas asked.
"Tade!" Drago called.
A thug opened one of the vans and out came eighteen-year old Tade Wellington, dressed in a black hoodie and ripped jean trousers, a good number of silver rings embracing his fingers, and a huge gold chain with a heavy diamond pendant around his neck.
Mr Thomas was taken aback as he saw the very boy he had tried to mould into a fine young man in on the plan to kill him.
"Did your father put you up to this?" He asked, unable to believe his eyes.
Tade chewed his gum with hostility, blowing bubbles fiercely. "I'm an adult and I can make my own decisions," He replied.
"How many times have I told you, Tade? You're not like your father!" He said, nearly screaming on top of his voice.
"Mind the way you speak to me, old man. I don't know why they've even kept you alive for this long," He said, eyeing him menacingly.
"Oh! It was to teach him a lesson on not giving just anyone his location," Drago responded.
Tade scoffed. "For what reason exactly? He's going to be dead soon anyways. Kill him already. My dad needs to hear the good news of his death. However, it must be a quick painless death, he shouldn't be made to suffer much," He said, a tinge of sadness laced in his voice.
"But Chief said..."
"I am Chief's son, not so? Who's going to be giving you orders when Chief is no more? Make his death quick. After all, he used to be my lesson teacher and he taught me so many things, so, I'm returning the favour," Tade said.
"Fine then," Drago said, unhappy.
He took out his pistol and pointed it at his forehead, enjoying the way his heart beat fast. He had tormented a lot of people, but he seemed like a scaredy-cat now that it was his turn to get a taste of his own poison.
"Always remember, Tade. You are different from your father, I'd forever hold you dear to my heart," He said.
Tade swallowed hard, then nodded his head, a signal to Drago that it was high time he ended Mr Thomas's life.
Bukunmi watched what was going on from the car and her lips quaked while her hands quivered, watching unknowingly to the men how her father was going to be killed.
She couldn't take it; she knew she had to do something about it. Wasn't she a little girl with a heart of gold? She could just plead with them and they'd release her father and let them go; no one ever refused a little child.
She stepped out of the vehicle, but the men were rather too focused on her father to even pay the slightest attention to her.
Tade, on the other hand couldn't bear to see his once-upon-a-time teacher get killed and swung his head towards the direction of the car where his eyes locked with Bukunmi's eyes, and for a moment, time seemed to stop.
After that intense moment of their first meeting, he looked around and saw there was no one else who had noticed her. If they did, he knew she was going to join her father in the abyss of death.
"Go," He mouthed.
She shook her head, stubbornly.
He took slow steps without being noticed by his father's men, grabbed her hand against her will and ran with her into a very dark street, as she tried to wriggle out of his grasp with all her might.
He finally stopped under a tree, panting hard.
"I want to go back, I want to save my dad," She said, sobbing hard.
"If you go, you'll be killed as well. I'm sure your dad wouldn't want that..."
He had hardly finished his statement, when they heard a gunshot and a groan from Mr Thomas afar off.
Bukunmi attempted to go, but he held her back then pulled her into his arms, patting her back and trying to console her.
"I'm sorry, but your dad has already left us," Tade announced.
Bukunmi didn't know him that day, but she sobbed in his arms. She knew he was not a good person, but she felt completely safe in his arms and accepted the handkerchief he used to wipe her face, swearing in her heart to get back at the people who had murdered her father, made her mother a widow, and left she and her brother without a father figure.
Her dad didn't stay long enough to fulfill his promise to her, but she was still alive and she was going to fulfill not only her promise of taking care of her mum and brother, but also getting justice for him.
