Forget Yesterday

At the start of November, Jack got home from work to see the message button flashing on his telephone. With a frown, he kicked off his shoes and took off his suit jacket, before pressing the button to hear the message. No-one ever called him. Who could it be?

Jack? It’s Charlotte. Just thought I’d let you know that I had my first meeting with Emma’s kindergarten teacher today. Call me back, yeah?

Fuck. He’d missed hearing about his daughter’s kindergarten. Fuck. He dialled the familiar number without hesitation, waiting the 3 rings it took for the call to go through.

“Jack?”

“Hey Charlotte,” Jack said softly.

“You got my voicemail then?” Charlotte asked.

“Yeah, I did. You went to the first Kindergarten meeting? How was it? Is Emma doing okay?”

“Maybe if you talked to her more yourself, you would know,” Charlotte retorted.

Jack winced. Although he saw his daughter Emma every other weekend, their contact really wasn’t enough. Charlotte sighed.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that. Just…she misses you, Jack. Even just hearing your voice would help,” Charlotte said.

“I know, I’m sorry too. I promise to call at least twice a week,” Jack said softly.

“I think she’d like that,” Charlotte smiled.

Jack smiled too. He really did miss his daughter. Sometimes seeing her smile and hearing her laughter was all that kept him sane.

“So is she doing okay?” Jack asked.

“Yeah, she’s absolutely fine. She’s made loads of friends and loves finger painting and she’s doing well with the easy spelling, reading and maths. The only thing they had to say was that she sometimes drifts off into daydreams, but I think we both know where she got that from,”

Jack blushed. “I don’t do that anymore,”

“Maybe Emma will grow out of it soon too,” Charlotte laughed.

Jack couldn’t help but laugh too. He hadn’t heard Charlotte laugh in years.

“Is Emma there?”

“Oh, no, she’s at my mom and dad’s house for dinner. They say hi, by the way,”

“Oh, okay. Um, say hi back to them for me. Can you tell Emma that I’ll call her tomorrow?” Jack asked.

“Sure. She’s excited to see you at the weekend, by the way,” Charlotte said.

“I’m excited to see her too,” Jack said honestly.

“I know. I’d better go, I’ve got some work to do. I’ll see you later, yeah?” Charlotte said.

“Yeah, okay. Bye Char,” Jack replied.

“Bye JackJack,” Charlotte said softly.

Jack sighed as his ex-girlfriend ended the call, and put the phone down himself. Sometimes it scared him how his life had changed so dramatically. Just over 5 years ago his life had been perfect.

Just graduating college with a job waiting for him.

Supportive family who were always there for him.

Amazing girlfriend who loved him as much as he loved her.

And then came the conversation with Charlotte after the graduation ceremony, when she pulled him aside before their parents took them out for dinner.

“J-Jack, we need to talk,”

Jack frowned at the words, frowning even more at the tears in Charlotte’s eyes.

“Is something wrong? Are you okay?” Jack asked.

“Not exactly. Um, I can’t believe I’m saying this but…I can’t be with you anymore,”

Jack froze, his head spinning.

“W-What? What did I do? I can fix it, I swear!”

“Jack, it isn’t you, I swear. I just…I’ve been feeling strange about us for a little while and I think that now we’ve graduated we both deserve a clean break. I love you so much, but I’m sorry,”

With that, she turned and ran, leaving Jack standing there with tears running down his cheeks

Jack closed his eyes at the painful memories. That day was one of the worst days of his life. He honestly didn’t understand what he’d done to make her fall out of love with him. Two weeks later, he got a call from Charlotte and he thought his luck had turned around.

He couldn’t have been more wrong.

The moment she said the words ‘3 months pregnant’, Jack fainted. Half an hour later, he woke up to see him mom talking on the phone to Charlotte with a sad smile on her face. Jack had immediately manned up and promised to support Charlotte through everything. At the time he’d wanted to get back together with her, to make them a proper family, but he could see Charlotte’s reasoning now. Especially since he realised that he preferred men to women. Jack just considered himself lucky that his friendship with Charlotte stayed in tact, and he’d been right there by her side in the birthing room. The moment he held his tiny daughter in his arms, Jack knew he’d never love another female again. He knew he’d do anything for his daughter, and it’s still the same to this day.

Emma was the best thing that had ever happened to him. It didn’t matter to him that he didn’t have a partner or that Charlotte had dated from time to time or even that Emma cried every time she had to leave him. His daughter was his world, no-one else would ever come close.

And that’s how it was going to stay.