They leave the maternity ward together, just the two of them. No one comes to greet them, no cameras clicking, no bouquets in hand. And really, it would be rather oddfor a man to be handed flowers, wouldnt it?
No, his mother is alive and well. Shes just not interested in the child. Not even a little. She tells her husband straight away, hiding nothing. But he insists, pleads with her, even letting slip a few desperate threats.
Hes nearly forty now, no children to his name. What if this is his only shot at fatherhood and a legacy of his own? In the end, they strike a bargain. His wife gives birth, they divorce straight after, and she agrees without a second thought to pay child support.
David had wanted to turn her down at firsthis pride wouldnt let him accept. But his ex-wife says plainly:
Life is long. Anything can happen. Youre not a young lad anymore, and Im quite a bit younger than you. I may not want the child now, but he is mine too, and at least youll have some sort of safety net. For later
So begin the anxious days, but David refuses to mope. There are plenty of single mums aboutwhy should he be any worse at this? Loads of children are raised by dads, after all. David refuses to see a problemwhat, as if a baby wouldnt thrive in a dads hands? Nonsense. Young James David is growing well, putting on weight, a truly happy child.
But as little Jamie gets older, the questions startquestions about his mother. How do you tell a child that his mother has no interest in him at all? David tries to sidestep it:
I found you in the cellar, he says.
What cellar? Jamie asks.
That one in the next building over, David replies.
From then on, the cellar calls to Jamie like a beacon. Whenever theyre out on a walk, slipping away from his distracted father, Jamie peers into the dark, calls softly for his mum. All that ever answers is silence…
But one day, while hes searching, Jamie hears a sound. His heart stops, then thunders so loudly he can barely hear anything else.
The door to the stairwell is swung open, and Jamie dashes down into the cellar. At first its pitch black, but his eyes soon adjust. He creeps further in, trying to call out, but his throat tightens with a painful lump, and all he can do is whisper, hoarse and tearful:
Mum? Mummy, are you there? Its meJamie Ive come to find you!
But theres no reply. Jamie halts, sniffles again, straining to listen. A faint rustle comes from the corner. Wiping his tears away with a grubby fist, Jamie follows the noise.
His thoughts spin: maybe his mum is ill, maybe thats why she hasnt come for him. But never mind, hell find her now and shell be so happy, so very happy!
He edges towards the sound, crying and smiling all at once. Everyone he knows has a mumnow he will too! But curled up in an old heap of rags, in the corner, he finds a cat. The cat watches him warily, shielding a tiny kitten with her body.
Mum?
The disappointment nearly splits him in half; his legs buckle, and he slumps to the floor. Then he looks up at the cat again
At five years old, your mind works in mysterious ways. Logic means something different, and sometimes its far more honest than an adults reasoning.
Jamie stares at the cat, thinking. He remembers Lily from his group, proudly claiming her dad is a knight. And Oliver swears his father is an astronaut (and even has photos to prove it). So why cant he have a cat for a mum?
The cat senses that this boy means her no harm, that he wont touch her or the kitten. She pads closer and gently bumps his little hand with her head.
So youre really my mum? Jamie asks, hope sparkling in his eyes. He wants so dearly to believe it, and so he does. He would defend this belief against anyone. He scoops the cat up and hugs her tight, and she in turn curls around him.
Meanwhile, David doesnt notice his son is missing right away. When he does, he immediately calls out for him, panicked, running around the playground and peering under bushes.
Jamie! Jamie, come out now! Jamie, where are you?
Agonising minutes pass, adding streaks of grey to Davids hair, until finally Jamie emerges from the cellar.
He walks slowly, holding the cat and her kitten tightly to his chest. To his relieved father he announces, Ive found my mum. And I think this is my little sister They were in the cellar, just where you found me.
David is dumbstruck, lost for words. Should he spill the truth now? How could he ever explain? He decides to nod along for now.
How did you know she was your mum? David asks.
Jamie shrugs. Just knew… She looked at me a certain way! Dad, lets go home. I think Mums tired.
Jamie is beaming. Hes found his mum! And if his sister turns out to be a brother, even betterthey can play proper games together, and at night, Mum will purr them both a bedtime story.
The children at nursery are perfectly supportive. So what if his mums a cat? Freddies dad is a plane, or so he says, and even has pictures to prove it.
David worries for ages, not knowing how to start the conversation with his son, how to explain that mums aren’t really cats. But looking at happy Jamie, he just lets it be. Everything will sort itself out
Now, home is a chaos of laughter and paws. Jamie leaps about, wrestling with both cat and kitten, overturning the whole flat. The cat, still young herself, is delighted to join in the mischief.
You lot are a nightmare! David grumbles, putting things back in their places.
Jamie, clutching a shoe lace, the kitten, and the catits almost as if they share a look with David. Then, with a collective shrug, they dash off to cause trouble together. Because why? Because Mum said so, of course!
