Alpha Zach

I had gone to pick Francesca in school, hoping to receive the usual hugs and kisses from my princess. I found her sitting on the steps that led to her classroom.

While other kids were shouting, making excited noises and running up and about, Francesca was sitted. One hand clutching her bag, and the other propped under her tiny her chin. Like she was lost in thoughts.

I smiled, wondering what was going on in her little mind. She seemed not to have noticed I was standing in front of her.

"Francesca." I called.

Instantly, her head tilted up to my gaze.

I smiled, expecting her to advance towards me, to give me a hug.

But she just bowed her head, without making any attempt to come closer. The smile disappeared from my face.

I walked to the spot she was sitted, and touched her by the arm. Still, she was avoiding my gaze. Even letting out a troubled pout.

"What's wrong, baby?" I asked lifting her chin up so she could look at me.

"Just moody." She managed to reply, refusing to meet my eyes. Her soft facial features eloquent with sadness.

Despite I was unhappy with the way the way she was acting, a smile formed on my lips.

"Was that the new word you learned at school today?" I asked attempting to make her look at me, but she refused. She didn't even respond to my tease-question.

"Baby?" I implored, getting worried with her newly found attitude. And the silent treatment she was giving me.

"We are having a party/meeting on Saturday and only our mothers are invited." She announced in obvious agony. Not only that, it was in a cracked voice.

"Is that why you're moody?" I bop on her tiny nose. "Okay, that's nothing to worry about. I'll be there for you, okay?"I assured her, hunkering down to her level, to hold her soft hands.

"No! You're not my mommy!"

She screamed, swatting my hands away from her. "You're not a woman, Paapa. You always do things, a mom should do. But that doesn't make you any less of a man." Talking a deep breath, she gulped. And then came the tears, as she released what she had held up in her heart for so long.

This mature statement, coming from my six year old daughter, hurt me a great deal. It brought back the painful memories of Alicia.

I shoved away those thoughts quickly,not wanting to hurt my feelings. Now was definitely not the time to get emotional.

What I wanted to know was what caused the sudden change of Francesca's behavior.

"My friends are mocking me at school, because...cause I don't have a mom. They nicknamed me 'Daddy's little girl'. That's what...I'm called in class." She said in between sobs, closed her eyes and allowed the tears flow. Her tiny hand was still clutching her backpack, protectively.

No wonder she reacted that way earlier. So this was what Francesca was facing at school.

The sting of guilt stung me. I was hurt by her remark and actions earlier but she was hurt too. My little baby was hurt.

At six,she was now being mocked because of Alicia..

If only the damn woman had stayed!

I grind my teeth together then tried not to think about her.

The image of little Francesca inside the refrigerator when she was two months old kept flashing in my head whenever I thought about Alicia. She was a witch. A monster. She ruined my life. She made me not to trust women.

My hatred grew for her, when I thought about little Francesca being mocked at school that she had no mother.

The bitch was the reason why my Francesca was hurt.

Turning to Francesca, I held her close to me.

"Listen to me, baby." I held her face, wiping away her tears with my hand. Fighting the urge not to tear up as well. "I absolutely don't know what you're facing at school. I'm sorry I didn't know. I'm sorry you have to go through all that. There's one thing I need you to know. You're the most beautiful, wonderful and smart little girl. I might not be your mommy, but I love you. And I'm here for you okay, always."

She nodded, then hugged me."I'll never leave you. I won't leave you just like the way your mum left..."

Those words flew out of my mouth without me being aware.

Francesca broke the hug quickly, then stared at my face.

"What?" She asked, her curious intensive eyes searching for answers.

"I'm...I.."I stammered, then gulped because I was lost for words. I had told Francesca her mom died after giving birth to her. I had lied because I didn't want Francesca to have it at the back of her mind, that Alicia was alive. She was dead to me..the day she left.

I let out a defeated sigh.

"It's nothing." I told her, looking away. When I returned my gaze back to her's, she was staring at me with suspicion in her eyes. I knew she heard what I'd said.

Goddammit!

She was too smart to be six.

Guilt stung me deeply, when I realized I had been lying to my daughter about her mom.

How long would I keep lying to Francesca?

I didn't want her to grow up with the lie that her mom was dead. Still, I didn't want her to know her mom left her when she was barely two months old. It would hurt her a great deal.

"Always have it in mind that I love you, okay?" I said, picking her up.

"I love you too, daddy." She said. I was relieved the suspicion had died down, in her eyes. But I could tell, something was still ongoing in her mind.

I was afraid she wouldn't let me kiss her. She could be stubborn when she choose to. But she did let me kiss her.

"Let's go baby, I'm not returning to the office today. We'll spend time together, just me and you." I annouced, afraid she'd get moody again if I leave for the office. I exhaled a deep breath.

I'd give Lucas a call that something came up.

"No going to granny's today?" She questioned, eyeing me.

"No, baby."

I replied, and she gave me a grin, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

* * *

"Antonio De Luca escaped from prison?" I scoffed, pouring the remains of my beer into the glass cup. "That's impossible."

"He did, man. He probably escaped through one of those bloody cops. I'll bet he bribed them." Lucas persisted, gulping the last of his beer.

That same evening ,Lucas showed up at my house, suggesting we go grab some drinks since he had news for me. I had no option but to go with him. Since he was my best friend.

I dropped Francesca at my mom's before I left with Lucas. She didn't mind I was going out. She was even glad to go to her granny's.

We had had enough fun together, we went to an amusement park, I took her shopping. And on our way home, we branched a restaurant where I spoiled her a little.

"That's fake information, Lucas. Whoever told you that is a bloody liar. Antonio De Luca is still in prison." I said, my tone a little bit irritated.

Lucas chuckled, causing the beer in his mouth to spill into the glass, that he was refilling with his fourth bottle of beer. "It was Mr Geoffrey, who informed us."

"Oh." I said, realizing it was my boss that I just insulted. If the information was from him, then apparently it wasn't false.

"So what are we going to do, now that he's escaped from prison? People are not safe anymore."

"I don't know man. Remember that little reporter? The one we went with to carry out our task, concerning unveiling Antonio De Luca's secrets. So the government could get hold of him and his men?" The look on his face was like he was going to break a bad news. Again.

"Yeah, I remember." I never saw her again, after Lucas and I drove her to the hospital when she fainted outside the swamp of Antonio De Luca's house. She was tall, light skinned, very pretty, but skinny.

She was a very brave girl to have risked her life for the government. And I admired her a whole lot, for that.

"She's gone missing." Lucas informed, shoving me out of my thoughts.

"What?" I stilled.

"She's missing. No one has any idea or clues about her whereabouts."

My eyes widened "Are you insinuating that she got abducted by Antonio De Luca?"

He seemed confused, then remembered something. And then his eyes widened, like mine did few moments ago.

"No. How the hell did I not think about that before." Lucas spoke to himself, slapping a palm on his forehead, with his voice tailing away. But suddenly it returned, and it was laced with fear this time. "I'm saying she must have been killed by him..."

"I hope not." I said, and then decided not to drink the beer I was holding. Suddely, images flashed through my head, of the pretty reporter being killed. And her body being dumped at the morgue, with her ten fingers chopped off.

The beer I had drank earlier left my stomach, and traveled to my mouth. I gulped it down, not wanting to puke on Lucas.

"You okay?"Lucas, inqured watching me. His eyes lingered on my face. He had noticed the change of my facial expression.

I gave him a firm nod. Nugde the glass of beer a little bit away from my side.

Lucas resumed talking. "I'm serious, Antonio De Luca suddenly returns and she goes missing. I'm sure he has something to do with it." He heaved deeply then added "I guess we have to be more security conscious."

"Why did you say that?" I questioned, uselessly. Still recovering from the images my nasty brain just flashed through my head.

My mind was really twisted.

"Because we're not damn safe anymore!" Lucas pounded his fist on the bartender's tabletop. Making the bartender to throw a warning glare at our way.

"Sorry." He mouthed to the bartender who was wiping the beer spills on the tabletop, with a dirty rag. A slightly irritated Lucas lowered his eyes at this, wrinkled his nose in disgust, before returning his attention to me.

"Tunde him has got the girl. Maybe she gave him some information about us. Before he wasted her. And now, he'll come looking for us." He said clearly in distress, brows knotted in worry. Then surprised me and himself, by belching.

"Stop being ridiculous, man." I rolled my eyes, biting back a snicker. Because the grown man could be a baby at times.

"I'm not. I perceive volatile danger. What if I wake up one morning and get to face Antonio De Luca and his men pointing a gun at me on my bed? What if-"

"Stop it Lucas. Stop acting like a frightened kid. You're a police officer for Pete's sake." I interrupted him. But infact, he was right.

"Being a police officer doesn't mean I'm not human. I've got feelings." He blew out a big puff of breath. "Psychic abilities." He empathized, with his hand on his chest. Then he feigned fainting.

I smirked, then gave him a soft jab at the back.

"Yes. But I assure you, no harm will come near us. The government would get hold of Antonio De Luca again, if he truly did escaped from prison. And I have a feeling, the girl is alive somewhere. She possibly ran away with a boyfriend or something."

He let out a breath of relief, opened his eyes and raised a mocking brow at me. But I was glad the tension had left his face.

"So, why didn't you show up at work?" He questioned, sipping his almost drained beer. Finally breaking the silent that hung around between us.