James is fiftytwo. Hes not old, really hes still in the prime of his life. He works long hours as a regional manager for a logistics firm in London and has a decent salary, earning about £55,000 a year. He keeps a few close mates, one of whom hes known since they were kids in the council estate of Barking. He never settled down, though.
When he was younger he dated constantly. He liked being seen as attractive and popular, and the flings kept coming.
By the time he hits forty, the thrill starts to fade and he thinks about what hes missed. He meets a wonderful woman, and they spend two years together, even talking about marriage. Suddenly she leaves him for someone else. James tells himself its karma after all the women hes broken hearts with, now hes paying the price.
He never finds a lasting relationship after that. Occasionally a woman pops up, but theyre either onenight stands or shortterm romances. By fifty he resigns himself to staying single and never having children. He hopes that, in his old age, a lonely lady might want to share evenings with him, but if not, hell be on his own.
His family is almost nonexistent. His parents have passed, he never had siblings, and the only relatives left are a thirdcousin and a nephew his cousins son. He sees them only sporadically.
All his old friends are married, with families and even grandchildren. They now prefer quiet evenings with their wives and kids rather than the old ladsnight out. They still invite James over, but he feels a bit isolated. Its his age catching up; before it never bothered him, now he thinks more about the years ahead.
He doesnt want to become that grumpy old bloke who talks to the telly, walks his dog in the park and whines about the youngsters. Yet the more he thinks about it, the more that future seems inevitable.
He makes peace with it, still meeting women now and then, hoping to find the one. He keeps seeing his mates, treating their families as his own, occasional catchups with his cousin, visits to the nephew. Nothing seems set to change dramatically.
One Saturday, while hes packing a bag for a countryside outing with the lads, his phone rings. He thinks its one of the crew and grabs the handset without even looking at the screen.
Hello, he says, trying to shuffle gear into his backpack, the phone wedged between his shoulder and ear.
Good afternoon, James? a woman’s voice says.
He assumes its another telemarketing call and is about to hang up. Hes always late, always busy making excuses that his friends wives need help and that hes the lone one, but this isnt about that.
The phone rings again. This time James glances at the screen and sees an unfamiliar number.
I’m not interested in any loans or what youre selling! he snaps.
James, Im not calling about ads, a calm female voice replies.
James slumps onto the sofa, bewildered. What? Who are you?
My name is Ivy, Im twentytwo, and I think Im your daughter, she says.
He thinks it must be a scam, but the story sounds oddly specific.
He checks his watch and sees he still has a few minutes before the friends arrive, so he decides to play along.
Seriously? What makes you think that? he asks.
My mothers name is Claire. Claire Parker, Ivy answers, a hint of nerves in her tone.
A smile flickers across Jamess face as memories of his carefree younger days flash through his mind. He was about thirty then, lively, goodlooking, and often sent on work trips to nearby towns like Guildford. When his schedule was packed with meetings, the evenings were his own.
After a long day, James heads to a local pub. Two women sit at the bar, chattering away. Theyre younger than him, but he doesnt mind he still feels youthful at heart.
He joins them, and soon theyre laughing together. One of the ladies leaves to meet her boyfriend, while the other, Claire, a graduate of a nearby college, stays. They wander the streets of Guildford later that night, feeling as though theyve known each other forever, sharing jokes and stories.
James loses track of time and finds himself at Claires flat, a modest onebedroom she shares with her friend. The friend has gone out, leaving the place quiet.
He spends three days in that town, and three evenings with Claire. When his work assignment ends, she sees him off at the train station. He wants to give her his number, but she refuses.
Theres no future for us, she says.
James agrees, yet he tells her his surname in case she ever wants to find him. A month later, Ivy reappears in his inbox, and his mind drifts to his new romance with another woman James has always been a bit of a flirt.
James, are you there? a voice asks on the phone, pulling him back to reality.
Yes, Im here. Why did you say you were my daughter? he asks.
My mum told me. She died a month ago, Ivy replies. Cancer. It was only a few weeks before she passed that she finally told me who my father was. She said your name, gave me a photo you took years ago, and showed me a picture of you. Shed found you on Facebook, then got your number.
James is silent. The revelation hits hard.
Why didnt she tell me about you? he asks quietly.
She said you werent ready for a family, that she didnt want to tie you down, Ivy says. Now Im on my own. I know you probably have a life, a partner I dont want to impose. I just
Ivy, James interrupts, lets meet. I really want to get to know you.
Okay, she exhales.
James cancels the countryside trip. The news is a lot to take in; he cant even name the feeling. Still, he wants to meet his daughter.
They arrange to meet at a café. Ivy is nervous, clutching a photo of her with her mother and a copy of her birth certificate.
I dont want you to think Im a scam, she says.
Im not a millionaire, so Im not a typical fraudster, James jokes, smiling. I believe you. I remember your mum.
They talk for hours. Ivy tells him about her childhood, her mothers short marriage, a stepdad she never saw, and how her mother never had any other children. Desperate, she set out to find her father.
Im sorry I never knew about you, James says, shaking his head. I would have liked to watch you grow up. My own marriage never worked out; I never had kids. Turns out I do have a daughter. I just never knew.
They spend about three hours together and promise to see each other again.
That night James cant sleep. He feels sorry for Ivy, who had to raise a child alone, yet hes angry that he never asked about a possible daughter. Hes angry at himself for missing out, but also grateful she found him. He resolves to be part of her life from now on.
When they meet again, Ivy shows him the flat she inherited from her mother. Shes moved to London, where James lives, because property prices are skyhigh. She rents out the old flat and now lives in a small rented room.
James offers her a place to stay while she saves up, suggesting she could sell the inherited property later and buy something decent here.
He dotes on Ivy, buying her little gifts, organising birthdays, introducing her to his mates, even mentioning a distant fourth cousin he once had. Six months later, Ivy calls him Dad for the first time. He steps onto his balcony, pretends to be on a call, and quietly weeps.
Two years later Ivy gets married. When she has a baby, James goes off his rocker, trying to make up for the lost years with his daughter.
Now James no longer feels alone. Hes met a woman he plans to grow old with, and, most importantly, he has a daughter, a soninlaw and a grandchild. Only now does he truly realise how close he came to missing out on a family called home.
