After Three Months
I am at loss for how to react as I stand there in the middle of a dark alley looking down at the lifeless body of none other than my father. I could say that I had seen it coming but that would be a lie. His life choices would have eventually landed him in deep gutters but not like this. Never in my wildest dreams.
Stifled by my shock I start backing away from him as he lie there in a pool of his own blood. There is an ache in my heart but I am sure it’s because I have just witnessed a human life being taken away and it seemed so sudden. The emotion can’t be attached to any affection towards my father. It dawns on me how twisted the situation really is.
‘Where did he go?’ a voice barks making me jump. They haven’t found us yet. But it will just be a matter of time that they manage to put two and two together and find us. Him dead, and me another victim for them to torture. There is no way out of this alley besides the way in which we came, where those men are roaming at the moment. I don’t have my phone, it is in my bag which is in the car, probably burned or thrown, whatever they do with their victim’s asserts.
I continue backing away until my back hits the wall. It is so hopeless. I have no escape. I am going to die. My body slides against the dirty graffiti covered wall as I sink to the ground. Tears threaten to well out of my eyes and I hold them back. I refuse to fall apart again at the sight of unjustified death.
It seems to follow me everywhere. I feels like I have been cursed with being a witness to the world’s worst brutality. It always seem to come when I least expect it. Of course I had been surprised when Father came to pick me up at school. In my twenty three years of life on this earth, that has never happened so I immediately picked that something wasn’t right.
‘Heather you must leave.’ There was no mistaking the edge in his voice. And again in my twenty three years of life I have never seen the man so thoroughly freaked out like he was at that moment.
‘What do you mean?’ I asked trying to remain calm, maybe he had gone nuts over night. I did suspect him half balanced most of the time.
‘I can’t explain everything to you right now, but you must leave immediately, your mother, aunt and uncles have already left the country you are the only one that is left.’
I turn to stare at him, ‘what?’
He shook his head, ‘everything went wrong Heather—you and Taylor’s relationship can no longer hold the same meaning as it used to. That—that man is just pure evil’
The pot calls the kettle black.
‘Taylor and I have nothing to do with your contracts.’ I grated in shock more than anger, ‘surely you must know that.’
‘Don’t be stupid Heather—the only reason we were able to be let into such a powerful family was because of that damn excuse of a contract. I made a plan and it didn’t work out—the sooner we leave the safer we all are.’
‘No.’
‘This is not up for discussion Heather. Rolland Abiwu wants us gone from his family and business, your little faux marriage mean nothing to him. It was useful while it lasted.’
My eyes narrowed at him, ‘what did you do?’
He gave me a hard stare, ‘it didn’t work out,’ for once father looked lost, ‘we just have to leave the country.’
‘No, I am not leaving Taylor.’
‘Oh for Heaven’s sake girl get your head out of the clouds. The only reason Taylor married you was because it was commanded he take responsibility for his own actions. He had exposed you to danger and he was going to see to it that he did something about it.’
‘No-.’
‘Yes Heather—you have no idea how fast I formulated a plan to gain access to one of the most powerful clans in Africa when Taylor walked in with you that day. Man what a day that was—and the little twit was quick to get into the deal or maybe I was played because now it backfired.’
Logic and sense shake their heads- it can’t be true
‘Why do you do this? Why do you continue to ruin my life?’
‘Excuse me?’
‘First you made me a criminal for a crime I didn’t commit now this—what is wrong with you.’
‘Don’t believe me if you don’t want to but we are leaving—you will thank me later. Staying here means your death.’
My head began to spin with all the information and the dots I began to put together.
‘Did you ask Taylor to propose to me?’
‘What do you think?’
‘Why?’
‘I don’t know why he agreed to all the demands we gave him for your safety but the lunatic did it little did I know that he was planning to get rid of us like this. Everything is ruined. We can’t stay here anymore.’
I shook my head, ‘why didn’t you just leave me? If I am not that important to you other than an assert?’
‘why didn’t I just leave you with your relatives in Zimbabwe? Then I wouldn’t be dealing with all this.’
‘I agree with you on that one.’
‘well its too late—I was trying to at least settle your life after you winded up in jail and you had to go ahead and meet Taylor.’
‘you had the opportunity to keep him away from me.’
‘I am not going to admit making a mistake if that’s what you want, all that doesn’t matter anymore. Now we just have to fight for our lives.’
I was now breathing hard, ‘well I don’t want to go. Let me out now.’
‘and have Rolland use you against me?’
‘what?’
‘you just don’t know anything do you?’ he growled , his eyes narrowing at the road ahead of us.
‘care to enlightened me?’
‘why bother? That part of your life is over—I am taking you back to your relatives—you cant start a new life there and please don’t meet another Taylor.’
‘I am touched that you care.’
‘thank you.’
I pressed my lips together contemplating between arguing with him some more or trying to find a way out. I chose the second option. But who should I call? My hand felt the smooth screen of my phone in my bag
‘don’t even think about it.’ Father glanced at me then back at the road, ‘who would you call? Who are you going to trust? A man you’ve only been with for three months? You don’t want to involve the police or even your innocent friend Judith.’
I grated my teeth, ‘I don’t want to run with you—let me out.’
‘Heather the answer is no.’ he said harshly and I hung my head in order to control my rushing mind. This can’t be happening.
I was being kidnapped by the man I called father. How fitting. It felt as if the drama had just been parked somewhere waiting to unfold until that moment. Tears stung my eyes but I refused to cry, I cannot break down now. Not now.
As I raised my head to look at him I was met by a complete mask of shock on his face and curses rained from his mouth and the car came to an abrupt stop. That’s when I saw them—
Three of the four uncles I met at my wedding and Lawyer the cousin lined the dust road in front of us, blocking our way. They looked menacing and dark as they stared defiantly at the car which had my father and I. I knew then that they held no fantastic experiences for us.
It was pointless, hopeless but father managed to get us both out of the car and we began to run. The darkness blanketed the atmosphere as we ran for our lives. I heard the gun shots. It felt so unreal. It wasn’t every day you hear gun shots in Botswana. Maybe loud music from those annoying advanced speakers that people spent over three thousand pula to install into their cars and cause noise pollution all over the neighborhood. But never guns.
The banging sounds come over and over again I feel like I have just entered into a treacherous scene of a war movie. Because this can’t be real. My feet run on their own accord until father pulls into an alley between two three storey residential buildings. They are new and unoccupied which makes the situation worse. This is a new estate, just recently built and the apartments are the expensive kind that people usually never occupy overnight. Anyway the ultimate conclusion is that we are utterly alone in this nightmare without any witnesses to look and tell when it’s all over.
That is when Father suddenly slumps to the ground. Now it takes me a precious seconds to register what is happening. I am thinking that maybe he is tired and he needed to rest. But it just isn’t right for him to lie on his back on the dirty ground in his expensive immaculate suit.
I bend over him and touch his arm. Hurting slipping eyes stare back at me as his mouth tries to form words. What comes out is blood. It splutters onto my ivory blouse and he gives up trying to speak.
I am stilled with shock for a moment as I watch his life slip out of him, not knowing what to do, wanting to do something even though knowing that it would be futile. The blood seeping onto my fingers says it all. He is gone.
I rake bloody fingers into my braids as I hear the men approach. I have no way to run and a shudder thrashed through me as I try to imagine where they will shoot me with guns I never imagined I would see in a peaceful country like Botswana. I was right before—God had a drama in mind when he created me. I hope I am playing the role right.
My heart hammers against my ribs when two formidable figures loom at the mouth of the alley. Because there is a new moon the night is dark and brooding down at us as I try to make out who was who. They start coming towards me, one of them kicked father’s limp leg as he pass him.
‘He’s dead.’ I recognize Lawyer’s voice
‘We have to get out of here then.’ I recognize that as Luther. Somehow the four uncles that I met before and during the wedding all come into my memory like a slide. The one walking towards me is Luther no doubt, the younger brother in Mr. Abiwu’s family. There is Julian, second born after Mr. Abiwu, Charlie the third born and the second from last Alex who I never met. He seemed to not always be around.
Not that I cared, I only met the family at the wedding and never again after. Except now. I can’t believe I am thinking about Mr. Abiwu’s family tree when I am about to die. I should be thinking about more serious stuff.
What could be more serious than this? Logic appears. Recognizing who your killers are when the people who find your body the following day will never figure it out, sense says. Maybe my soul will take revenge on them, that’s emotion.
Lawyer is the first to approach me and I don’t so much as make any move. I don’t even blink as he squats in front of me and touches my face. His eyes roam all over me like I am not a living human being.
‘Is she fine?’
‘She’s fine, the blood is not hers.’
Light pierces my eyes as Luther flashed a light directly at my face. I don’t even blink as well.
‘Let’s get out of here then.’ Luther says and turns to go. Lawyer grabs my arm and lifts me to my feet. He starts to march after Luther while my shaky legs follow as he is pulling me with him. I glance around the empty dark street of the fancy complex. I have no idea where I am.
‘Don’t even think about running.’ Lawyer says to me, ‘we have access to the best medical facilities for bullet wounds but they do hurt like a bitch.’
I get the threat loud and clear. At least they didn’t shoot me right away and leave my body in the dark alley. We come to a black SUV, Julian opens the door and Lawyer enters before dragging me inside and pulling me on his lap. Luther enters and sits beside us while Julian and Charlie enter at the front.
‘Put the lady down on the seat Law—Taylor will kill you if he learns that you made his woman sit on your lap.’ Charlie says as he starts the engine.
‘Just shut up and drive us out of here.’ Lawyer growls at him.
Luther takes out his phone and start poking at the screen as the car eases into the road.
‘What are you going to do with Eric over there?’ Julian asks easily as if he is talking about a living person.
‘I already sent a message to the Jesuits they will take care of him.’ Luther says and sits back on his seat.
This has to be a dream. I am not currently in a car with four murderers who are talking about my father’s dead body somewhere in an alley and associating it with a religious group. I close my eyes and when I open them it’s all still there. Charlie has joined other traffic of people who are coming from their normal days of hustle and work unaware that the car close to them has armed men.
Charlie and Julian are bickering with low voices in the front. Luther is still on his phone poking furiously. Lawyer tightens his arm across my stomach and I think he nuzzles my neck.
‘You are awfully quiet.’ He whispers, ‘you are no fun to kidnap are you?’
A snort suddenly escapes my mouth, ‘I used to be more fun.’ I whisper back.
‘Do tell.’
‘What are you two whispering about?’ that comes from Julian who twists his neck to look at us.
‘Mind your own business.’ Lawyer says.
‘We never mind our own business,’ Charlie says with a laugh.
‘No wonder you are all so screwed up.’ Lawyer says.
And I still can’t believe the very men who had been firing bullets at me minutes ago are actually normal. I mean really. Maybe if I close my eyes again I may realize that I am dreaming.
‘Look serious we are here.’ Charlie says. And a large brick wall loomed over us. I still can’t believe this is happening. Is this the part that I am locked up under a dark dungeon for years while the criminals ask for my ransom? No that is being kidnapped by broke freaks who want to exploit the rich. So maybe I can just go along with father’s theory. A dark feeling nestles within my chest—I can’t believe that he is dead. Will someone please wake me up from this nightmare?
The gate is opened as he SUV eases into the yard. It looks like a normal house. Garage, pavement, a garden and nothing that signifies a dungeon is kept underneath it. But I have watched too many thrillers to know that things are not always as they seem.
Fear of the unknown grips me hard as Lawyer pushes me out from the car and he follows. The rest do the same and soon we are walking towards the front door. I almost ask Lawyer what to expect inside as Charlie steps forward and knocks on the door.
They wait and wait before the door is opened by a man who I can qualify to be a part of the group at just a glance.
‘What do you want?’
‘Let us in Danny, this is code red right here.’
Danny eyes the men before his eyes settle on me. He recognizes me though I have never seen him from Adam and nods curtly before he pulls the door open. The three uncles step inside before Lawyer pulls me inside with him. On a normal day I would have been flattered by the magnificent décor of the living room and the homely feeling that seem to cover every surface but dread engulfs me as no one sit but stand in the room – obviously waiting for someone.
An eerie silence lands down into the room before I register the sound of feet coming from the passage at the far left of the room. I think the men register it as well because their heads simultaneously turn to that direction. For the first time I start to ease my arm from Lawyer’s grip but he tightens his hold before pinning me with a stern look I never imagined would ever grace his features since the day I met him.
My gaze travels back to the entrance where a figure in the form of a very annoyed, barefooted, robed Mr. Abiwu appears and pin the men with murderous glares.
‘What is the meaning of this ungodly visit at my house during this time of the night?’ he hisses casting accusing glares at each one of them and I am delusional enough to hope that he doesn’t notice my presence.
‘This is an emergency.’ Charlie speaks, ‘we thought we should inform you that the rebel Eric is dead.’
Mr. Abiwu’s eyebrows shoot to his hair line, ‘well that’s news indeed.’ He grates, ‘Jesus, Mary and Joseph couldn’t you loons do a simple thing as catch him and postpone his death until he pays my money back?’
Silence falls among them.
‘Looks like I always have to do everything on my own.’ His eyes finally lands on me, I recoil, ‘and what in the name of the living heavens is she doing here?’
‘Eric attempted to run with her during his escape—she was caught up in the mess.’ That’s an explanation from Julian as Luther nod in agreement.
Mr. Abiwu curses under his breath before he says, ‘is there any other bad news I should just kill you over for?’ silence, ‘you brainless loons—look at her—you shouldn’t have involved her in this yet—this tramp is the only reason Taylor is coming back to me.’
I already knew that Mr. Abiwu didn’t hold any high regard for me but outch!
I think I am in shock or whatever it is that seem to make everything go in a blur. Mr. Abiwu rain more curses on the men before I am given a new shirt to wear and pulled out from the house to the SUV again. Mr. Abiwu said a lot of other things back there and my brain is still trying to process it all during the blur of time car ride all the way to my apartment.
Beautiful highly secured Khali View apartment blocks loom as the SUV eases into the parking in front of where I live as though it is every day business. The other men leave but Lawyer stays with me, maybe to make sure I don’t pack up and run. Which I don’t have the energy for as I sink into the couch and watch him as he sits comfortably in the other one opposite me.
He asks me whether I want something to drink—I don’t respond. I think I may not even be blinking. The shock and horror of what I have just witnesses hours ago finally dawns on me.
Father is dead. He is still lying there in a dark alley of a place I still can’t tell where. We were never close and never had any relationship but the thought still tags at my heart.
I guess you can’t completely hate a person who you share blood with. I have no childhood memories or even small sweet memories to recall as I sit there in shocked silence reminiscing my father’s death. Still I fight the tears that are threatening to come up.
And then there is the issue of Taylor and I. I knew I was diving into unknown waters marrying a man I only knew for two months. I knew what I was getting into. I saw it before I even got here. I love him. But the reality of what he is and what he is born to seem to dawn over my head with a graceful smooth landing of light upon a dark place. That twists my heart too but I refuse to cry. I refuse to break down.
‘Heather you don’t look good.’ Lawyer suddenly hold my shoulders and I flinch at the contact. He doesn’t let go as I finally still my shaking body and meet his worried gaze. How could he look so worried? He is a murderer. Ruthless people simply have no compassion and if he keeps looking at me like that I may end up crying.
‘Everything will be okay.’
I manage to glare at him through the turmoil of my emotions, ‘my father is dead.’ I even manage to say angrily, ‘Mr. Abiwu is behaving like a mad man—all the four uncles I met at my wedding where firing bullets at me—I didn’t even know there could be guns here—don’t get me wrong but this is the most laid back country in the whole of Southern Africa and I just find out that Taylor proposed to me out of obligation and if I was ever in deep shit it is now—so don’t pull the everyday will be fine crap on me right now.’ I am breathing hard by the time I finish and Lawyer has the nerve to snort and laugh.
‘you didn’t think there could be guns here?’
‘No,’ I snap.
‘You should get one. It may help you finally grasp the reality.’
‘I don’t want to kill someone.’ I reply. And I will start with him right now.
‘You are in the Abiwu family—its everyday business.’
I narrow my eyes at him, ‘shooting people and reporting it like you just stamped on grasshoppers is not every day business.’ I say through my teeth, ‘and please get your hands off me.’
He tilts his head to one side, ‘I don’t know how you were raised by a mob prince and still managed to not know this life Heather—I should give Eric credit for keeping you away from it all these years.’
What the hell is he talking about now? I feel my head begin to ache in sequence with my chest. I close my eyes as some of the ache seem to start subsiding. Why didn’t I figure this out? How can I be so dense? My father was a freaking mob prince. It all makes sense now. Maybe a little but maybe I can figure out why he kept away from me all my childhood. Maybe he was trying to protect me. Did the rest of the family know?
Mr. Abiwu in his robed insanity had said that father tried to leave the mob years ago and wanted to live a straight life. But he had many debts. He tried to clear them all but they only seemed to accumulate. That is when he got a loan contract from Charles’ family and that blew up as well. And then Taylor came.
‘Do you really know what your father does for a living?’ Taylor had asked me then. Why didn’t he just tell me everything? All these people have shocking secrets and I have a feeling I am just finding out a small amount of them.
My eyes snap open when I feel gentle fingers travelling the contours of my face. I freeze at the gentle way he is touching my face and the way he is looking at me. Maybe this really is a dream.
‘So beautiful.’ He mutters. Shock lands hard on me and I practically jump from the couch and I stand by the window staring at him. His only reaction is to stand up straight and flash an easy smile.
My brain companions only nod speechlessly and dare not say this out loud.
‘I would have kept you if I had met you first.’ He says
What in the loving hell?
‘What is wrong with you?’
‘I am only stating the truth—Taylor is the heir of the empire, it was dangerous for him to pick out a wife on his own. Marriage of a mob prince is supposed to forge alliances with stronger clans. Mr. Abiwu may not get rid of you now but he will, your family is a disgrace to his circles, it makes the clan weak and vulnerable—your father was a rebel once powerful mob prince—that’s the biggest embarrassment in our world.’
When he is done with his speech I only stare at him with my mouth agape. Maybe he is waiting for me to say something and when I don’t he continues;
‘When he leaves you I will keep you Heather. You will be safe with me, they won’t touch you.’ He declares—and he is serious. I want to sink my fingers into my braided hair and just sink to the floor. Right now I admire the cowardice of a male ostrich who can just burry his head in the sand and hope the trouble will disappear. Not that I really know but I have heard.
Lawyer starts towards me then stops when the front door opens. I think crashed would be a justifying description followed by his voice;
‘Heather!’ a disheveled Taylor dashes into the living room. His face is almost red, his eyes are darker and dilated. His hair testifies to have been abused by frustrated fingers many a times.
I stare at him not sure what to do and Lawyer steps in his way to stop him. Taylor stops and gives him a strange look.
Lawyer mutters something in hurried hushed tones and I see Taylor’s rigid stance ease a little before he turns to me again. We share a long look. Me confused, him a variety of emotions crossing his face.
‘Heather.’ He says slowly, ‘please?’
I only shake my head and step away from him even though there is a considerable distance between us. Oh the hurt that flashes in his eyes almost make me dash across the room and wrap my arms around him.
But I am still berating myself right now. I had seen all the signs and I still plunged into these waters. Now I have drowned and hit the bottom. Reality knocks me to the ground in the most painful way. I don’t know him. I don’t know anything. I am the dumpiest human that has ever existed. Somebody should just slap me silly.
I suddenly have the strangest urge to laugh as my mind start that weird thing a mind does of going down the memory lane when you are trying to figure out how the hell you ended up where you are. First time meeting him. Our marriage, our vacation and the blissful three months we have lived until this horrible day came.
Lawyer starts towards me, ‘you need to rest and relax its been a dramatic day.’
He doesn’t make it two steps before Taylor seizes his arm and gives him the if-looks-can-kill stare, Lawyer stares back at him adamantly while I try to figure out exactly when I ended up on Lawyer’s love interest radar. I was always worried that he liked Judith.
‘You should leave.’ Taylor said.
There is nothing on Lawyer’s expression that shows that he is afraid when he says, ‘I will. You two have a good night.’
I watch him as he strides away from us and he is out the door. What is wrong with these people? My eyes go back to Taylor who is already marching towards me determinately. I only manage two backward steps before he seizes my arm and pushes me down on the couch. While I am still gasping he holds my other arm such that he has both my arms pinned at either side of my body on the couch while he crouches until we are eye level.
‘Now you listen to me Heather, you don’t start crawling away from me like that when I have spent torturous hours worried about you. I almost lost my mind when I heard that those bastards shot at you. Don’t back away from me like that.’
I mirror his angry expression, ‘well what do you expect?’ my voice rises.
‘I expect you to know that I won’t ever hurt you—I don’t want you to be afraid of me like that.’
‘I cant just dwell on that word after what I went through. After what I heard—you have to prove it not just say it.’ I say softly.
I can’t describe the look he gives me, he doesn’t seem to say anything but I know the thoughts running through his mind. He lets go of my arm but doesn’t leave. ‘I’m sorry.’ he says. ‘I’m sorry it hurts—but you can’t try to distrust me now. Not right now Heather.’
Damn it if I didn’t understand clearly what he is really saying. It’s only because of him or whatever they want from him that they haven’t ended my unfitting existence in his life. I haven’t had a flashback for months now but I can feel it coming. I close my eyes and take a deep shuddering breath.
‘Nothing has changed.’ He says as he brings his hand to cup my face.
‘He is dead.’ I whisper, un able to hold the tears anymore, ‘I watched him die.’
Tears fall freely. The memory of hearing my friends cry in horror as death ripped their lives from them flashes in my mind. Taylor pulls me and holds me against him. I sob loudly. One- from fear. My life has suddenly become a bait for someone, my father was in the mob or whatever those high level criminals are really called. A lot of small things start to make sense now. Somehow that scares the crap out of me. Two—when will this horror end? Why am I subjected to witnessing so much cruelty? Why didn’t I get a warning or an explanation before my innocent normal life was snatched from me? Three—why am I hopelessly in love with a man like Taylor? That says a lot of things. I love him so much it hurts. But it’s clear he is not for me. For how long is Mr. Abiwu going to keep up with the show? The man has no problem getting whatever he wants. He somehow seem to walk on egg shells around Taylor. Maybe it’s a father son thing—but he will tire soon. He got rid of his own wife, he got rid of Zelda—he gets rid of anything that seems to stand in the way of what he wants Taylor to become. He will get rid of me.