I walked down the stairs and made my way to the dining table. Emerald was already at the table applying Nutella to her bread. "Good morning young lady" I said.

(The owls are out to hoot tonight)

She looked up and the smiled beamed across her pretty face. "The old man didn't call me baby today. Good morning sir". She said, mischief spread all over her face.
"You are still my baby, young lady" I replied.

"Well, as long as you still call me young lady, I don't mind dad" she said dramatically. I walked over to her and kissed her head before taking a seat.
"Dad, Jeans and turtle neck for your meeting today? Because mum is not around yea?"

"And who is going to tell her?" I looked at her conjuring a stern look.
"Surely not me dad. But there are always some flies on the wall"
"And I assume those flies have started making their own money to afford the things they need right?" I replied.

"Wow... The old man is a bully too" Emerald said.
"I love you too baby" I replied.
I looked at her, love welling my heart. Her beauty was astounding. Her wit and intelligence was immense already for her 12years.

I had a meet with my friend, Frank who asked me for designs for his new house. My wife was away on an international conference and wouldn't have allowed me wear a Jean and turtle neck to any meeting. So, Emerald was stuck with me and my freedom to take liberties.

I dropped Emerald off at the ICT training center she had insisted on attending and made my way to Frank's office.
Frank and I had been friends for almost 25years. Going to as far back as our secondary school days.

His secretary ushered me into his office. Frank and I shook hands and threw some healthy banter that we were used to over the years.
I brought out my laptop and proceeded to show him the various concepts I have designed already. I had 4 ready for him.

"Brother they are all wonderful" he said.
"But...?" I replied.
"None of them has an attic or a penthouse". He replied.
I felt goosebumps wash over my skin and my heart quicken at the mention of that.

I folded my hands and felt my fingers dig into my palm.
"Are those still a thing?" I asked him.
"uhmmm.. Yea I would want one. It's has always been in Gennie's plans for our house". He answered.
"Alright. Choose one design and I will modify it to add an attic".

My hands were slightly shaking as I held the laptop to see the design he had chosen. It was the exact one I felt he would prefer.
Later in the day, I picked Emerald up, got some items at the mall and we made our way home.

After dinner, I had to literally compel Emerald to turn in for the night. She got her love for video games from me and I wasn't allowing that keep her up late.
I wanted to complete Frank's work before going to bed.

I turned on my laptop and flipped my notepad to where I had already made a sketch of the necessary adjustments. As I was doing the needful, my mind wandered. I felt the goosebumps crawl all over my skin again as I thought about attics and penthouses.

Some years back, I had lived in a house that had one. Emerald was 5 and loved playing in the attic where I worked and also kept some of her play things.
Some mornings I would wake up to see Emerald's play things and some of my work tools scattered.

I was a bit worried but fear crept in when Emerald told me that she always played at night in the attic. At first I couldn't comprehend how she woke up to play in the middle of the night after we had gone to bed.

The mystery was that it was just Emerald and I. I was a single father then. After giving birth to Emerald, her mother had died as she left the hospital. She was homeless. I found both of them with Emerald's cry piercing through the dead of the night.

Her mother had been buried in a cemetery and I had raised Emerald as my own after adopting her.

"Daddy, mummy said that I shouldn't tell you that she plays with me some nights". Emerald had said that fateful evening as I made her dinner.

I could still remember the chill that spread through my spine and the dizziness that enveloped me.
"Mummy?" I had asked in absolute trepidation.
"Yes. She said she is my mummy but she went away for some time. She also said she will come take me to visit her soon".

I took her dinner to her, my insides trembling but I had assured her that she was imagining things. I also told her that she was going to sleep in my room that night.

I woke up that night to find that Emerald wasn't on the bed. I had rushed out of the room calling out to her. She had walked out of the sitting room cradling her little teddy bear. I was a bit loud in rebuking her for leaving the bedroom without telling me. She apologized.

She told me that she couldn't sleep and so I settled with her in the sitting room, with her cuddled up on my laps. I was reaching for the remote when I heard the sound of laughter coming from above. I was startled and Emerald's look told me she heard it too.

The bead of perspiration that trickled down my temple wasn't just the laughter but the fact that the laughter was exactly Emerald's voice. I tried to get up but Emerald protested and asked me not to leave her.

"Baby I am not leaving you. I just want to check something up in the attic". I said.
"No don't go. You will disturb them" she replied something in her voice had changed.
"Disturb who baby?" I asked standing up.
"Mummy!!!" She said. Her voice rising.

The atmosphere felt chilly as I backed away from her. I turned and ran straight to the attic. As I opened the door, I was stopped in my tracks by what I saw. Before me was Emerald on the floor with a woman. She turned and saw me.

"Daddy come and meet mummy" she had said walking up and taking my hand.
I felt someone tug my hand from the door.
"Daddy no that's not me" The Emerald I had left in the sitting room said behind me.
The woman on the floor stood and turned towards me.

It was Emerald's biological mum.
"You are dead" I said, backing away. I had stumbled and fell down the stairs.
When I sat up, the two Emeralds were coming towards me.
"Daddy are you okay?" They both asked.

I stumbled backwards unsure who was my daughter. The woman floated downstairs. "It's time to come visit me now baby". She said taking the hands of the two Emeralds.
"Can Dad come too" the Emerald in the left said.

"Please don't take her please" I pleaded. "You have to give her a chance to live".
"She is my daughter!!!" She screamed. My brain collided with my skull at her voice.
"I know. But you are dead and she is alive. please Let her live!" I stuttered.

"Mummy you are hurting me" the Emerald on the left said. I noticed that it was only one Emerald left now. The ruse was over.
"She belongs with me and not anyone else!!!" She screamed at me.

"But you are dead and she has a chance to be alive. Please I will protect her. Don't take her"
"Mummy I don't wanna go again. I am scared. I wanna be with daddy" Emerald said with tears rolling down her eyes now.

I could see her resolve falter as she freed Emerald's hands. Emerald ran to me crying.
"You will protect her with your life" The woman had said to me before vanishing.
I had loved Emerald since then and upon getting married, my wife had loved her as hers too.

The alarm on my phone jolted me back to the present. I turned off the alarm and looked at my computer screen.
Frank wanted an attic right? I would design one for him and pray none of his child plays in the attic at midnight.

The end.

I hope you guys enjoyed the story. Do check out my pinned tweet for more .

And lemme use this to say a happy birthday to Dr. @__nhyira__ Happy birthday dear. Live long and strong.