my phone rang at about 2am. i was burnt out from a hard week and sluggishly scrolling on various social media’s to avoid sleeping. it was a number i didn’t recognise, it was shorter too. it was only about 5 numbers. i hadn’t seen a number that short unless it was an emergency service or important government number so immediately i was intrigued. i answered the call and a young woman picked up
“ hi who is this?”
she answered. confused, i double checked the number and responded
“you called me?”
she sighed
“i know i called you. this was my dads number i think, he died recently. i found it in his old cell phone. i didn’t know people still used these things!”
oh? that made slightly more sense, she must’ve gotten her dads number wrong.
“sorry to hear about you’re father, but i’m not him. my names brent.”
she paused for a second
“weird, that was my dads name.”
“what a strange coincidence!” i responded.
“just quickly, what’s your last name?”
this girl was nuts. i’m 19, i’m not a father.
“cooper. Brent Marshall cooper.”
the girl on the other end gasped and clapped her hand over her mouth. i rolled my eyes. this was obviously some prank. i’ve heard about people receiving calls from their dead relatives but never from their future ones. i started thinking back to all the girls i knew who would do something like this before she said something
“what year is it for you?”
what a stupid question “it’s 2023. if you don’t stop with your bullshit right now i will hang up this phone and block this numb-”
“wait WAIT- your name is Brent Marshall cooper, you were born in 2004 umm you’re.. 19 right now? you live in La and you went.. you go to Pasadena college and study mechanical engineering. your dream is to move east and settle in new york, um.. right now you’re developing a software with your buddy Samuel..”
terrified i listend eagerly as she listed fact after fact telling me everything about myself. wow these spam call agencies are really getting creative these days. how did she know all this? was she really my daughter? that’s so stupid what the fuck, no she isn’t.
“you’re probably having second thoughts about the software right now but keep pushing i swear it’s worth it-“
“what’s you’re name?”
she went silent for a moment
“Nora. Nora Phoebe cooper. ”
“Nora. i always liked that name. it means-“
“ “shining light” in latin. i know you told me everyday.”
suddenly, little jolts of static pierced through my ear. Nora’s tone changed
“listen i can feel you cutting out. i know that our calls going to have to be cut short. i love you dad and i don’t know what fate led you to receive this call but i miss you.”
“i don’t know who you are nora, but i hope i get to meet you in my life time.”
“Bye dad i-“
budoop “your call has been disconnected, if you’d like to-“
a million thoughts raced through my mind. i don’t know what that was but god damn i hope it was real. if you’re reading this nora, i will name my future baby girl after you. i hope you understand how much that call meant to me.