When Phoenix was a kid, his mother told him that his father was a ghost.
Specifically, his father was the ghost of a cat. Even more specifically, the ghost of auntie Kamila's cat Sissel. She told him that he was a very special ghost, that he could rewind time to the moment four minutes before someone's death and then prevent it, that he could possess inanimate objects and make them move on their own, and that he'd met her after they'd both died.
When Phoenix was a kid, he believed everything that his mother told him about his father. After all, his mother was a very honest woman, so why would she lie to him?
When Phoenix got older though, he started to question his mother's tales. If his father was the ghost of a cat, how did he come to be? His mother told him that his father could take on human form, but you could always tell that he was a cat, because he kept his cat ears and his cat eyes. He'd forgotten who he was once, his mother had said, so he wanted to make sure that even when he was wearing a different face, he would still know what he really looked like.
If his father was a ghost at all, how did he come to be? His mother told him that she wasn't exactly sure. When she found out she was pregnant, it was a great surprise to both of them. But, she said as she kissed him on his forehead and told him to get some sleep, it was a surprise they both welcomed, and they loved him with all their hearts.
When Phoenix was a teenager, he knew his mother's tales were nothing more than make believe. After all, ghosts aren't real, and they certainly can't bring people back to life. The stories of his father were just a cover up for something that she didn't want to explain to him when he was younger. More than likely, his father was a one night stand that she never really got over.
He never confronted his mother about it though. If she knew his suspicions, she would be devastated. No truth was worth that, and besides, they'd always gotten along just fine with just the two of them. As far as Phoenix was concerned, he didn't have a father, and he didn't need one.
When Phoenix was an adult, he died.
He'd been looking for evidence to prove that his client was innocent of murdering their ex-husband. What he didn't count on was that the actual murderer wouldn't like his snooping. And so, when Phoenix was an adult, he was shot in the head in the hallway of a fancy hotel by his client's sister.
When Phoenix died, he awoke in a world of red, red, red. Red pooling everywhere and nowhere, rippling into itself. When Phoenix died, he awoke next to a man dressed in all black, save for the red neckerchief he wore around his neck. When Phoenix died, he awoke next to a man with black cat's ears and great big yellow cat's eyes and a face so much like his own.
When Phoenix died, the man next to him smiled the most loving smile and told him, son, you have no idea how long I've waited to finally meet you face to face.
Now let's see what we can do about that gunshot, eh?
