so long - t.s.h [sequel to pinky promises]

[three]

[italics are flashbacks!]

"Let's get you changed, huh, princess? Get you in your jammies," Tom cooed to his six-month-old as soon as they walked through the door. You'd spent the evening with the two of them, along with Tom's family, and were getting home just in time for Maggie's bedtime.

"Do you know where Amber is?" you asked your best friend as you walked towards the kitchen with a bag of groceries in hand.

"Dunno, she hasn't said anything to me," he shrugged before walking down the hall to Maggie's nursery.

From the kitchen, you could hear the way Tom was talking to his daughter, making her giggle wildly. He was so incredibly good with her, and it was obvious he loved her with his entire heart. Watching him with his baby made you happy, even though the whole thing had been a surprise, and the woman he'd had Margaret with was a piece of work. Amber was barely around anyway, though. Case in point — she'd refused to go to dinner with Tom that night, but wouldn't give a reason why.

As you set the bag down on the kitchen counter, you noticed a scrap of paper laying there. Curiosity getting the best of you, you picked the piece of paper up and unfolded it, scanning over the note left on it.

"Tommy,

I know you don't understand, but I can't keep doing this. I'm not meant to be a mother. I'm sorry. Don't try to contact me, I won't reply.

Amber"

Immediately, a thousand emotions flooded you. Mostly, you were fucking furious. Of course this was something Amber would do. Just up and leave, as if she had no responsibility to her daughter. Or to Tom, for that matter. And that made you sad, too, because Tom deserved better. He always had. You'd tried to tell him, as soon as you'd seen the warning signs and dozens of red flags, but he was in too deep. His big heart was one of the reasons you loved your best friend, but it often led him to being hurt, and it broke your heart every time he was sad. And, as much as you hated to admit it, because you knew this would make things so much harder for Tom, a little part of you was glad that she was gone. If she hadn't left now, she'd do it at some point down the road, and could end up actually hurting Margaret, too. Amber didn't deserve Maggie or Tom, and it was probably for the best that she was gone.

Anyway, they had you. You'd promised Tom that you'd support him and be there for him no matter what, and this was one of those times. But now... you didn't know how to feel. You didn't know how you were going to support Tom, because you knew he'd be devastated, but you also knew this would be for the best.

"Hey, what's that?" Tom asked, coming into the kitchen with Maggie in his arms, nodding towards the note still in your grasp. Maggie was now dressed in her pajamas, clutching her tiny stuffed bunny in her hands as she rested against Tom's shoulder.

You were frozen, unsure of what to do, of what to say, "Tom, I—"

Handing you the infant after you paused again, he took the note from your hand, reading the few words scrawled there. You were sure he stopped breathing for a second as he stared at the paper in his hands, "She... she just left?"

"Tom, I'm so sorry, I... just let me put Maggie to bed, and then we can talk, okay? I'll be right back."

Without waiting for a response, you hurried down the hallway to the nursery, and got Maggie ready for bed as quickly as you could, while doing her typical routine. Luckily it was her bedtime and she was already tired, so it didn't take long until she was asleep in your arms. After setting her in her crib gently, and pressing a kiss to her head, you quietly shut the door behind you and went back out to find Tom.