Losing Jack

"He doesn't want to see you anymore!"

I was stunned and could hardly speak. “You're wicked - evil .....” I started, but she put the phone down.

I couldn't leave it there …. I had to speak to him! I called back but the phone was now switched-off. For three hours I tried to call him, dialling virtually every minute. Eventually, Judith answered and I demanded to speak to Jack. She told me that he wasn't there because he was downstairs in the hotel. I asked her to make sure he called me back. He didn't - so I called again and I eventually got to speak to him.

"Is it true son - what your Mam said? You don’t want to see me anymore?" (voices in the background - long pause).

"Well - maybe sometimes" he replied very sheepishly.

My world had fallen in. I was distraught.

"I love you son"

"Bye dad"

With that, the phone went dead. Those were the last words my son said to me. I wasn’t to see him again for another 5 years.

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