Daddy's Girl - Episode 21

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*** "Are you stupid Noldie?"

Alex hit Arnold's head for the third time that day as he narrated what had ensued between them two days ago when Helena had walked out on him after he'd denied liking her. It was a saturday and per Mark's suggestion, they had gone to a very popular club to clear their minds...

"Ouch Alexander, that hurts. Stop hitting me. I know I messed up"

Arnold groans holding his head

"Yeah you messed up big time. I mean who does that?"

"Honestly I don't know why I did that. I just don't. You don't know how much I regret my actions. All I want is to go to her, kiss her, hold her hands and tell her I'm sorry for being a jerk. I really do love her Alex. I do but I don't know whats stopping me"

he lamented

"You're a real jerk!!"

"Listen guys. Let's just forget and have fun. Look around you? So many pretty girls. Forget about Helena and focus on your daughter. You're a rich and renowned architect, you should be going after women your class not some school teacher"

Mark chipped in

"Are you for real Mark?!! You seem to have lost your sense of reasoning!"

Alex snapped but was answered with a hiss from Mark as he got up and walked to the stage where he grabbed two ladies and danced with them as they grinded into him.... Alex watched them shaking his head.. On a normal day, he would have gladly joined Mark after all heaven was in between a woman's legs but now, for the first time he felt committed to Sally and he wasn't ready to make her cry like he had made all those girls cry.... He sighed and sipped his drink...

"Oh no!"

Arnold muttered as he brought out his phone suddenly remembering he had left Fiona in the care of his neighbours and he needed to check up on her..

"I need to make a call Alex"

he said and walked out..

"Hey handsome, care for a dance?"

A tall Beautiful lady, dressed in a matching red lingerie, more than half of her body exposed,stops him before he could step out. He turned to stare at her and she was glancing at him seductively wiggling her breasts so he could see.. Arnold fought the urge to roll his eyes at her seducing antics.

"Errrm no thanks I....."

He trailed off when spotted her at a distance holding a bag and staring at him. The look in her eyes pierced him and he staggered.. He could see pain and sadness and anger as she stood there staring at him standing at the entrance of the club with a girl who wouldn't stop brushing her body against his, touching his protruding biceps and leaning in to him...

"Helena!"

He breathed staring at her as she turned to walked away.

"Baby!"

The girl whispered and he yanked her hand away from his body and run out following Helena.

****

EARLIER... AN HOUR AGO..

"Please sister. Just this once"

Emilia pleaded

"No. I said no"

she refused.

She wanted to remain indoors for as long as she could. It had been two days after that incident with Arnold and she felt heartbroken and dejected. Well.... It was not as if he had proposed love to her so she had no right to have been mad but still...nevertheless, he had led her on. He had asked her on a date twice, waited at her house just watching her for close to a week and they had shared a few passionate kisses.... She had thought their friendship could go beyond but well.. Sighing, Helena turned on the bed hugging the pillow to herself...

"Please sister... I really need to go for my lectures today else I would have been the one to go buy the groceries... Just today please!"

Emilia pleaded.

"I said no. Go for your classes and buy them on your way home"

"But what about dad. You know he needs to eat before any of us and take his drugs."

"Okay fine" she sighed dragging herself out of bed..

"Thank you. I love you"

Emilia kissed her on the cheek and rushed out..

*PRESENT*

And so here she was, after buying all she needed walking around just to buy the only thing left, cucumbers and much to her dissapointment, she chances upon Arnold coming out of a club with a half naked lady,touching and wiggling herself at him... Her heart catches in her chest when he spots her and their eyes meet.

They gaze at each other for a few seconds before she turns to walk away forgetting what she had to buy...

***

"Helena please wait!!"

He catches up with her and grabs her arms.. She turns and yanks his hand away forcefully

"What do you want?"

"Listen we need to talk. I can explain. Hear me out"

he pleaded

"I didn't ask you for any explanations Arnold. I don't own you so you owe me none"

she turned to leave.

"Please don't go yet. I'm really sorry about the last time. I'm sorry. Let me make it up to you please. I'm really sorry"

"You're the famous architect Arnold Bempong and i, am just Helena Sampson, a mere primary teacher. We are worlds apart Arnold. You know what, never mind. I've got things to do" she snapped and walked out on him leaving him to watch her walk away till she was out of sight.

****

Arnold hissed as the sun rays shone in his room, making his eyes hurt.... Pulling the duvet away from his body, he made to sit up when the pain pierced him..

"Damn!!"

He cursed as his head throbbed. Opening his eyes, he looked around and spotted the empty bottle of liquor.. Oh yes!! He remembers now.... After he left the club after getting rejected by Helena, he had gone to pick Fiona up from his neighbour's house and upon arriving home, he had dialed Helena's number a couple of times but she didn't answer. Feeling miserable he had poured himself just a glass of liquor and had ended up gulping down the whole bottle, got drunk and fell asleep.. And now, it was morning and his head was throbbing badly... He shut his eyes and winced in pain trying to stand on his feet.... He was having a terrible hangover after getting so drunk the previous night. Suddenly, the door burst open and Fiona run into his room and jumped on him, he was thrown off balance and fell with her on the bed. "Good morning daddy" she chiroed happily kissing his cheeks... He didn't reply..... Looking around, she spotted a picture by his bed, it was the photo of a beautiful fair woman whose eyes were as big as hers and nose as pointed as hers... She picked it up and looked at it closely...

"It this mummy?"

She asked

"Yes Fi, it's your mother"

Arnold replied without looking at the picture.

"Can I keep it? Please?"

She begged, sitting on his stomach.

"Yes, yes"

he answered impatiently, the pain in his head increasing with each question she asked.. Fiona looked around the room, hoping to find another picture of her mother when she spotted a frame on a wall. It was the picture of her father, he looked much younger then with a few others. She stared at the faces closely one after the other and then she gasped when she recognized the killer. He was standing behind her father in the photo, smiling

"Daddy look!! It's him!!! Daddy!!"

She shrieked, tapping him as the images of the night of her nanny's death played in her mind "Get off me Fi, sit on the bed" he instructed ignoring her. The more she spoke, the more his head throbbed.

"Daddy look at him... The man... Nanny Grace... Him!!"

She said much louder pointing to the picture, fear gripping her..

"I said get off me Fiona. My head aches. And stop shouting, you're making it worse"

he grimaced, grabbing the sides of his head.

"Daddy look at him.. Please!!! The man!!!! Knife....blood!!!"

She stammered still pointing at the picture. Arnold who wasn't listening was getting impatient cursed under his breath. He needed some lime juice, his head was aching and Fiona's shouting was making it worse.

"Daddy!!!! Look!!!"

She yelled again.

"Shut up!!!! Shut up Fiona!!! Shut the hell up!!!!! Just f*cking shut up! Can't you keep your mouth shut?!! Don't you know when to shut up? Arghhh Christ!!! Get off me and get out!!! Now!!!!"

He shouted and she shrieked, jumping down, ghe photo falling from her hand and breaking into pieces....

"Daddy"

she whispered in a broken voice, choking on the tears threatening to spill.

"Shut up and leave!!! Now!! F*cking leave! Go damn it!"

He shouted again as the throbbing in his head increased..... Fiona run out of the room,climbed down the stairs and out on to the compound... When she got to the gate, she looked around, the new security guard was nowhere to be found.... Wiping the tears that clouded her vision, she pulls the gate open and runs out onto the street.. She wanted to be anywhere but here, in a house where her mother and nanny were in heaven and her father didn't love her.

**** TWO HOURS LATER

Arnold feeling much better now, he sat by the dinning table to eat the breakfast he had prepared...

"Fiona!!! Come down for breakfast"

he called out but there was no answer... Taking out his phone, he dials a number and places it to his ear.

"What do you want?"

The sharp voice came.

"Please Helena just hear me out. I just need an hour to talk to you. I promise you after this, I would never bother you again. I promise"

"Listen..." "Just this last time. Please" He heard her sigh.

"Okay. Where do we meet"

"Crosby's restaurant. In an hour"

"Okay"

"Thank you.... I.."

He was saying when she hung up.... He smiled, at least she had accepted.

He was going to tell her the truth, of his fear of losing another loved one, it started with his parents, then his first girlfriend, then Amanda, Grace, his gateman, and now he didn't want her to be the next. He sighed and started to eat when he remembered...

"Oh no...Fiona"

he muttered... He had yelled at her earlier that morning,maybe that's why she hadn't come down for breakfast.... He needed to apologise and buy her lots of chocolates... He reckoned she loved them and he used them to appease her ... Chuckling, he gets up and heads upstairs towards her room.. He knocks, once, twice, thrice,.....no answer..

"Fiona princess? Breakfast is ready"

he still got no reply.

"Listen honey, daddy is sorry.. I shouldn't have scolded you like that. Come out now, daddy is sorry. I will buy you lots of chocolates and take you anywhere you want.. You know you're daddy's only girl."

He waited for an answer but got none. He sighed.

"Fi? Fiona dear? I'm sorry. I promise never to scold you again"..

He knocked again, twice... No response. He turned the knob and pushed the door open

"You know you can't stay angry with daddy for too long and..."

he pauses when he sees the room empty...

"Fi? Where are you?"

He walked into the room,checked the bathroom, she wasn't there.... He stepped out and checked the other rooms including his study, she still was nowhere.... He checked the whole house and run out of the house, checking the garden, summer hut and backyard but there was no sight of her...

"Fiona my dear.. Where are you. Please come back"

he whispered. He didnt want to think of the worst happening to his child. He could feel fear creeping into his heart which had already began racing wildly...

****

Tired of trying to find her way home, Fiona sat under a tree, hugging herself and crying. She was hungry, thirsty and tired from the scorching sun....

"Daddy. He doesn't love me. Daddy doesn't love me"

She sobbed resting her head on her thighs....

***

Whistling and walking around with an earpiece in his ears, he stops when he spots her.. He moves closer and recognises the little girl who was crying..... He smiles

"bingo!!"

Of course he'd remember Arnold's bastard child anywhere Finally the prey had walked into his waiting trap. How nice!! He walked closer

"Hello princess, fancy seeimg you here hmm?"

He smirks Fiona lifts her head and when she sees him, fear grips her and she begins to scream..