The single dad || phan

70

Lucy's POV

It was strange. The life I had wished for and had always worked so hard for was forever out of my grasp.

I had so much going for me, I had a path planned out: university, get a job, travel, get a house, then maybe find someone and start a family. But of course none of that happened. And I knew it was all my fault, a stupid drunk mistake.

Don't get me wrong I love my Ben and Jake but I've always felt there was something missing. A part of me I wasn't yet to find.

I had always been curious about my birth mum and her family. Sure my mum was dead but the rest of my family wasn't and I wanted to get in contact with them.

My dad said that he went to my mothers funeral, that meant he most likely had contacts to the rest of my family. Nothing better to do than to ask.

I looked around to look for some paper and a pen before I rang him.

I called him. The dialling tone rang.

"Hey Luce, how are you?" My dad asked.

"I'm fine dad, I was calling to ask something though"

"Okay dear, what is it?"

"I want to get in contact with my mothers family, and I was wondering if you had any contact"

"Oh okay, yeah I have her mums number, do you want me to send it to you?"

"Please, and dad, I'm not doing this because I don't love you and pa it's just I need to understand some things about myself that you can't answer"

"It's fine, I get it love, I'll send it over now"

And surely enough I got a message.

"Thanks dad, I love you, speak soon"

"I love you too"

Then we both exchanged an array of byes before he hung up.

I opened the message I got from my dad and I was evaluating it almost, afraid of what secrets it was hiding.

I called the number and every dial tone made me more and more anxious. Then someone answered.

"Hello, Mary speaking"

I cleared my throat. "Hi, this is Lucy, I'm Daniel Howell's daughter, and I've been told you are the mother of my mother..."

"Of course, I've not seen you since you were born my dear, how are you?"

"I'm fine, I just wanted to know more about my family and I was hoping I would be able to ask you a few things if that is okay"

"It's absolutely fine my dear"

"Well I just want to know who my family are, for starters, and how I'm related to them if possible"

"Okay then, well we have me of course, your grandmother, I had your mother, she was called cat if you didn't know, I had another daughter and a son who are your auntie and uncle. That's Shirley and Rodger. Then we have your sister Sarah, who lives with me, it's such a shame you both got split up at such a young age"

I couldn't breathe. "I have a sister?"

"Yes my dear, I assumed your father was told in the letter, though I may be wrong, she's your twin my dear"

"Why did we get split up?"

"I don't know I'm afraid, your mother just dropped Sarah off at my doorstep and you at your fathers, I was asked to look after her and take care of her, and she told me to not go looking for you, she said that the father couldn't manage with the both of you, which may have been wrong, dear, does your father know all of this?"

"No, I mean I don't think so, can I meet you, and her?"

"Yes, we should arrange that soon my dear"

"I hope you don't mind but I need to go, I need to talk to my father before I pick up my son from school"

"You have a son?"

"Yes, he's called Ben, he's 8 in a few months"

"I must meet him soon, but I will leave you to talk to your father, have a nice day my dear"

"You too, bye"

"Bye"

Then I hung up. What the hell? That was the craziest phone call of my life! I have a twin and no one ever told me, dad might not even know he has another kid.

I soon found myself pulling up to the house I grew up in. I walked to the door and knocked. Pa opened the door.

"Lucy! I didn't know you were coming, I would have gotten some biscuits in"

"Don't worry about it pa, is dad in, I need to tell him something, and you too I guess"

"Yeah he is, come in!" He said opening the door wider and I stepped inside.

"Dan! Your daughter is here get your butt out of bed" pa shouted up the stairs.

"I didn't know he was asleep, I'm sorry if you would have said I would have come back later"

"It's fine, I wasn't asleep anyway" dad said strolling into the room and engulfing me in a hug. Pa gave me one too.

"I'm actually here because I need to tell you something, both of you I guess, I rang Mary"

"Who?" Pa questioned.

"Her mothers mum" dad replied to Phil. "What did she say?"

"Well, you should probably sit down..."

The obliged and I sat down next to them.

"Okay so, Mary thought you knew, I don't know if you do or not but..."

"What is it Luce?" Dan asked and held my hand.

"I'm, I'm a twin..."

"What?"

"Dan, did you.."

"No! Luce, let me get this straight, you are one of a set of twins, that I conceived?"

Dad was shaking. I just nodded my head, unable to speak. He started to cry and pa held him.

"I'm such a bad father, I should have looked after them. Who took care of them? Who is them?"

"Dad, you didn't know, don't be so hard on yourself. Mary took care of her, she's called Sarah..."

"Does she know about me?" Dad cried.

"I don't know..."

"I need to talk to her" he said fumbling to find his phone. He took it out of his jean pocket shaking.

The room was silent other than dads sniffles. Pa came over and held me. Then the dialling tone came from dads  phone.

"Hey, Mary, it's Dan, Lucy's Dad, can I speak to my daughter please"

"Of course my dear, I've told her about you slightly but not much, just to let you know"

"Thank you"

I heard a shout down the phone calling for Sarah. A moment later a voice came from the phone. It sounded like my own. But slightly different.

"Hello? Who is this?"

"Hi, it's your father, my names Dan"

"My, What? Really?"

"Yeah, I'm sorry I've never contacted you before, I didn't know you existed until now"

"It's fine, it wasn't your fault. Is my sister there? Can I speak to her?"

"Of course"

"Hi Sarah, I'm Lucy..."