Adesuwa

4

Adesuwa:
"I heard wrong right? Dad, this man didn't just say that, did he?." I laugh hysterically as I look at the faces of each and every single person in the room. Everyone's face shows confusion except the demon's. He's peering deep into my eyes with no emotion on his face.
"You're kidding. He's kidding right?" I look to my parents and raise my brows at them . My dad's head hang heavily while mom's face scrunches up like she's chewing something really bitter.
"Calm down, Ade." Mom finally says.
"Calm down?! Calm down?! This man hurt Daddy and he's standing there talking gibberish! Someone should call the police on this scammer!" I spit bitterly.
"The police? You're really just a child." Mr Femi's voice cuts into my ranting and I turn angry eyes at him. He starts to stalk towards me and I don't move an inch.
"A child who would marry you over her dead body!"
"Ade, what are you doing? Don't anger him!" Kola scolds but I just tilt my chin higher.
"The fire in those eyes." Mr Femi says with amusement in his eyes as his hand comes up to cup my chin.
"Don't touch me!" I slap his hand away and shove him hard. His lips turn into a stern and vile frown and the long tribal mark on his face contorts, making him look scary.
"I'm going to break that defiance inside you!" He suddenly grabs my arm and twist it behind my back.
"Dad!" I squeal as our faces nearly touch.
"That's enough! Femi, let go of my daughter." Dad grabs unto my arm from behind and I turn to find him glaring at Mr Femi.
"Don't be stupid. Take the deal." He tells my father who shakes his head as his eyes drop to my scared eyes.
"You'll marry her over my dead body." Dad says and I nearly weep with joy. For a second there, I thought my father would sell me to pay our debt.
"Stupid fool!" The incensed man bellows as he drops my hard harshly. I quickly pull my hurting hand to my chest and step back from him.
"I'll have to ask you to leave, please. My father might owe you money but this is too much." Kola surprises me as he puts a hand on Mr Femi's shoulder.
"Kola! What are you doing?!" Mother yells at him before his hand is pulled forward and Mr Femi's knee connects with his stomach.
"Kola!" Mother and I yell at the same time as we stare open mouthed at my brother on the floor.
"You dirty cruel man!" Kola springs up from the floor quickly before Mr Femi step on him but his blow is blocked by one of Mr Femi's goon who just stepped into the room.
"Please don't hurt him. He's just a boy. He doesn't know what he's doing. Please." Mother sobs as she holds on to Gideon.
"Femi please. I beg you with anything you hold sacred, let the kid go. He doesn't know anything about the world. He'll apologize." Father says weakly and I clench my fist. Looking at my father begging someone he's most likely older than leaves a bitter taste in my mouth and I can't do anything for him.
"Kola apologize."
"But dad__"
"Apologize!" Father bellows shocking all of us. Kola grumbles a few incoherent words but does as asked. He bows his head to the tyrant in the room.
"I'm sorry. Sir." Mr Femi bursts into laughter at this but he motions to his goon who lets Kola go.
"You'll come begging for my deal Thomas. Your wife and children will starve otherwise." Mr Femi says as a parting shot and with that, he turns around and walks out of the room with his goon.
"We're finished!" Mother exclaims and breaks into sobs no sooner and I slump against the wall as I watch father sit himself weakly on the bed and bury his head in his palms.
****
"There you are." I look over my shoulder and smile weakly as Dara waves shortly to me. She makes it to my side then place a textbook on the short fence of the school before sitting on it.
She doesn't say a word after this and I let the silence hang for a while before I release a long breath.
"Are we going to be ok?" She asks me. She had been running an errand for motherwhen Mr Femi came over to declare his marriage deal two days ago but it wasn't news to her now. In fact, a lot of people in our town are already talking about it. No one thinks we are going to be able to resist Mr Femi. It's common knowledge that he always got what he wants or ends up destroying that thing if he can't get it. A chill goes up my spine at the thought. How did I catch the eyes of such a man?
"We just have to trust father. He and favour have been running around the town for solutions." Dara tells me but I can't help the uneasiness settled in my gut.
"I feel uneasy." I mutter.
"Don't say that. We can't lose hope. I was able to speak with pastor Uche at the church the other day and he said he'll try to raise something for us from the church fund."
"I can't marry that man." A sob catches in my throat and I hug my knees to my chest.
"You won't." Dara's hand comes around me but I still feel cold creeping up my spine.
"How do you know that? This__this__"
"Stop. Don't think about it." She presses me closer to her chest and rock me gently. This is the first time, I've felt like the younger twin. I release the tears I've been holding for the past few days and let Dara console me.
****
"Oh there are my girls!" Father's voice booms as soon as Dara and I walk through our compound's gate. My eyes just move to Dara's in confusion and we both look to our father as he waves us on.
"Sister Dara! Sister Ade!" Gideon jumps up and down then starts running towards us. I look to Dara again and frown. This is so not how I left my family this morning.
"This one you're calling me sister today." I pinch his chin and he giggles like the young boy that he is as I let him hug my legs.
"Daddy bought suya! Daddy bought suya!" He chants as soon as I let him go.
"What??" Dara and I say in unison.
"Are you guys going to stand there all day?" Mother comes out of the house and she's smiling as well. Kola is no where to be found though.
"Good evening sir. Good evening ma." I greet and make my way into our corridor.
The scent of roasted meat greets my nostrils and salivate at the aroma. I don't remember the last time father brought suya home. And for it to be at a time like this, I wonder if my father has lost it due to our problems.
"Ehn, suya? Are we celebrating anything?" I ask sceptically while my greedy hand dives into the wrapped suya.
"Don't use your left hand on food!" Mother berate but surprisingly, she doesn't hit me or anything. I throw a piece of meat into my mouth but cut a little piece out and hand it to Gideon when he opens his hand out to me.
"What's going on? Everyone seem to be in a good mood and dad brought home treats." Dara speaks before I have the chance to.
"Well, our enemies have been put to shame!" Mother clap her hands theatrically as she says this.
"Our enemies? You mean Mr Femi?!" I turn to my father who's smiling.
"Did you find a solution?" Dara asks excitedly.
"The church called. I've been put in charge of delivering all the wood for the district building project." Dad announces.
"Really?! Isn't that a big project?" I ask.
"It is my daughter. That is why your brother and I went with the pastor as surety to get a loan from the bank yesterday. We purchased enough materials today that filled up a huge warehouse. In a few weeks, we'll be able to pay Mr Femi off and even the landlord!"
"Eh God! Say truth" I squeal.
"But dad, another loan?" Dara puts in before they can answer my question.
"Yes, don't worry. This project is a sure deal. We'll be able to pay the bank as soon as I get the money from the church in a week's time." Dad explains.
"If you're sure." Dara beams at my father who smiles.
"Of course I'm sure. I told you guys to trust your father didn't I?" Dad beats his chest proudly.
My heart which had been racing for days now, slows down at the prospect of not having to marry someone like Mr Femi to save my family.
"Eat meat my children. God has answered his children." Dad motions to the suya and I don't waste time in diving in with my siblings.
I feel like the heavy stone on my shoulders has been let off with this new turn of events and munching on juicy meat is the perfect way to celebrate. A piece of meat is halfway to my mouth when our compound's gate bursts open with a noisy crash.
"Daddy! Daddy! Mogbe o!" Kola comes running into the compound wailing. The meat drops from my fingers as I stare at my wailing brother. I've never seen my brother cry for years now which tells me that something is terribly wrong.
"What's going on?! Why are you screaming down the whole compound?!" This coming from mother before Kola slumps on the front step of our house.
"The warehouse!" He exclaims.
"The warehouse?!" Father flies from his seat at this and rushes to Kola to grab his shoulders
"What's going on?!"
"Fire! The warehouse burnt to ashes with all the wood inside!"
"What?! Fi__fire?! The woods! The bank loan! Mogbe! Ah! Ah! My chest!" My father suddenly clutches his chest with a tortured yell before he slumps to the ground