Awaiting their conversation, the ringing of the mobile phones pop ringtone was clearly unwelcome on the males' part as he rolled his eyes at the interruption.

Jenny however eagerly answered her cell.

"Hey Dad" she slowly to the device, said then she looked towards the man in the room with a smirk, she then moved the phone's face away from her line of vision in order to have the man see.

"Hey Jenny, and hello Jeremiah" he greeted with a tone and disposition matching his daughters.

"Jerry dad, just like I'm not christened Jennifer" she replied in a friendly yet matter-of-fact way.

"My apologies, hello Jerry" Jenny's dad greeted.

"Hello James" Jerry replied blankly.

"It's been so long, when was it we last spoke?" James asked.

"The wedding" Jerry replied abruptly.

"That'll be it! I remember our convocation, do you?" James asked.

"Yeah, I do!" Jerry replied impatiently.

"Me and Dad were just discussing that chat" Jenny intercepted.

"I guessed" Jerry added with annoyance.

"We think it's time you took up that offer" James said.

"The pro's outweigh the cons and you know that" Jenny stated.

"The beaches here are beautiful" James added.

"Lovely weather over there you know, and you know this climate aint doing neither of us any good" Jenny chimed in.

"Brilliant health care" her dad continued.

"Which I for one could do with, my joints are knackered and getting worst" she added.

"Plus you'd have work" James continued to list.

"WE, would have work" Jenny stated.

"Working for your dad" Jerry interrupted the duo.

"What's better than family?" James replied.

"Exactly" Jenny agreed "Plus, I miss my dad and the kids could do with some stability.

"Yeah, I wasn't too impressed to hear about little Jayden having..." James started but was interrupted by Jerry.

"What, What's happened to him" he asked with urgency as he made his move out f the doorway and closer to the pair.

"Girlfriend Jerry" Jenny said as her happiness dropped "I asked about and it looks like he's dropped all his little geeky mates and he's been wondering out of our Jon's to go to this 'Harmony's' house".

"What!" Jerry stated in displeased surprise.

"One of those single mum brats who drags themselves up and does what she wants" James added.

"Yeah, house to herself until her mar gets back, he could have been going round there weeks" Jenny stated with clear displeasure.

"I don't believe him! Hang on wait! They both go round to Jonathan's, so how could, nobody know?" Jerry managed to state whilst apparently confusing himself.

"Well Jordan's been keeping his gob shut for Jayden, even though they're getting along worst that ever, and Jordan's another problem, I don't want any kid of mine in the army" she ranted as her brow knitted and buckled whilst she looked towards the blanket before her "and Jonathan! I haven't spoken to him in over a month! You'd think we'd fell out" she finished whilst looking almost dazed.

"I spoke to him last week and even he's knocked" James threw in.

"You speak to him more than I do and you live on the other half of the world" Jenny said as she pushed her fingers through her fair hair "and Joey too, he seemed to grow overnight.

"You see Jerry" James stated "She practically raised these boys for me and yet they barely, or never see each other"

"He only lives an hour away and I just don't have the time or energy" Jenny contributed "AND, we're both unemployed".

"I was miserable over there too hun, depression plays havoc on your energy levels" James stated.

"Ya tellin' me" Jenny almost yelled as she unconsciously waved her mobile about "I got this place to myself but I'm still fed up AND worn out, yet HE won't take any notice" she said as she pointed the phone towards Jerry's direction.

"You know what Jenny, I think I ought to have a heart-to-heart with Jerry" James said.

"What, why?" se shifted as she looked towards warily Jerry, who sat at the tip of the bed with an uncomfortable look written across his face.

"Just, just a man-to-man, hand me over" James pleasantly ordered.

Without a word, Jenny held the phone towards Jerry.

"In private" James' order was heard between their hands as Jerry grasped the mobile from Jenny.

"She out the way?" James asked

"Yeah, I've come downstairs" Jerry replied.

"Good" James said with a raised eyebrow and a sight smile, his features clear on the screen close up. He was tanned with a thick head of grey hair, bright blue eyes and a broad jaw.

"So what's this all about, this man-to-man?" Jerry asked in an exhale.

"Don't you worry your stressed out head, all's fine, just fine, you know..." James trailed off.

"Is this a question?" Jerry hesitantly asked.

"What do you think?" James asked.

"I think you still speak like a salesman, all these years later" Jerry answered with a nod.

"Well, every good entrepreneur's a salesman to the bone" he quibbled.

"True" Jerry replied. His mood appeared to lighten and he began to adjust in the beaten up recliner.

"And your still doing switchboard" James asked.

"Moved about a bit but yeah, same old..."

"You're looking old mate" Jerry interrupted with as a laugh followed "Sorry mate, just..."

"Yeah, I get it, I said old, gift of the gab, all that..."

"But seriously mate, you and Jen' are looking knocked, and this isn't what I want for my daughter" James interrupted sternly, his humour disappearing.

Jerry's face shifted back towards its earlier unease, he then answered...

"I'm, trying my best"

"I know that boy, I was once you so I know how hard it is" James said "It's hard isn't it?"

"Yes, it's tricky, but we get by" Jerry replied.

"Why just get by, why not live? In fact, scrap what I said earlier, I wasn't you 20 years back, I was worst" James began "Minimum wage, shift work, stinkin' and packed busses, come home to a family I had no energy and patience for, eat, sleep, and repeat".

"Sounds like a well rehearsed speech; how many times have you repeated it?"

"So many times, mainly to new recruits" James answered casually "but seriously, you know me..."

"I really don't" Jerry interrupted.

"Well you could get to know me, and I could get to know my grandsons, and I could provide you with work and a place to live, in the sun - it's raining where you are now, isn't it? I'm watching a street stream" James claimed.

"You're spying on us" Jerry asked.

"Just curious, seeing what I'm missing out on" James stated.

Jerry looked towards the net covered window, through the large circle print, the sky was dark, yet the appearing and seemingly disappearing speckles or rain were visible. He sighed at the sight, before looking back towards the screen.

"Have a look at this" James requested as he moved the phone away from his face and towards the view surrounding him "Beautiful hey? It's 7 in the morning and I'm up relaxing and chatting on the phone, in a bit, I'll make breakfast and go to work - this aint possible on your end, is it Jerry?"

Jerry looked towards the scenery through the screen, a burnt orange to golden hue painted the sky, below it sat a reflective sea, a plain of apparent clear sand and a small road harbouring little traffic.

"Very nice" Jerry huffed.

"You're kids don't even have passports do they? Obviously you can't see a change happening, but this is reality and this could be your reality" James claimed as he reappeared in the screen.

"Yeah, it's nice" Jerry said uncomfortably.

"My little Joseph's working wonders here and he came to me with no skills or drive, you've worked call centre many years, so I know you'd make a great addition to my team" James claimed.

Jerry gazed towards his side as he whilst his face slowly relaxed.

"I worried Joey would turn out like his no-good mother, but no, I didn't even need to whip him into shape, he only needed a chance and now, he's doing ace on his own, he must have been Jayden's age when I set him to part time work AND enlisted him in a great school; he's bilingual ya know" James said.

Jenny descended from the carpeted stairs to the laminate floor with a slight thump, she winced.

She made her short journey towards the living room, supporting herself a little with one hand against the wall. She headed towards the tepid voices of her partner and father.

"All OK" Jenny asked as she stopped and leaned in the door frame.

"Yeah Jen, all's fine" Jerry said warmly.

"He's commin' round hun" her father boasted from the dim screen.

"Really?" Jenny quizzed as she moved towards the one-seater's armrest.

"Yeah hun, our intervention worked, we were just about..."

Then...

The phone vibrated and turned dark, a logo stating 'RoboCandy S9' appeared before the device died.

"Thank goodness for that!" Jerry yelled as he dropped the phone onto his knees and put both his hands at to the back of his head.

"I just charged that" Jenny claimed.

"He's been gabbing nearly..." he looked towards the wall basic clock "Two hour".

"And..." Jenny trailed off

"I have a headache!" Jerry replied.

"Well it didn't need to take that long did it?" Jenny stated.

"This didn't need to happen" Jerry argued back with his eyes closed as he reclined in the seat.

Jenny leaned on the armrest and responded "Yes, it did! What's stopping us? We barely see either side of the family, we're busy but broke and now, the kids".

"What about the kids?" Jerry slowly quizzed.

"Erm, hello! One may end up a deadbeat dad soon and the other dead! Who wants this for their children? And honestly, I don't think they stand much chance on the work front in this country" she said.

"You got a point" he offered lethargically.

"So you're on board then?" Jenny enquired enthusiastically as she moved toward then into Jerry's lap, landing harshly "Or did you just nod along to appease my dad".

Jerry gave his answer "No".