Forever and ever 2. The adventure starts now.

Part 174.

Tom's pov~

The morning greeted me with 55% energy, which was 40% more than the past few days. A modest improvement from the days prior. I rustled up some scrambled eggs as Y/N and Parker remained in slumber, their doors still shut. The pan, a silent witness to past culinary adventures, had seen little action save for a couple of occasions.

Once to make pancakes on the day of the gender reveal, and once when Sam visited and thought it was a good idea to get me to cook. That's also why there was still some green pesto residue on the wall from the failed attempt to toss the pasta in the pan.

Parker burst into the kitchen around 9, clutching Pawty, the beloved stuffed toy I had tucked under his arm the night before after he had cried himself to sleep around 11:30 pm. His jubilant grin echoed through the room as he proudly displayed his newfound treasure.

"PAWTY!" he exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with delight as he cradled the plush companion. "He's back!"

"Wow! Is he going to eat with us?"
"He can't eat, dadday!" Parker laughed at me. The boy had the imagination of a unicorn, but as soon as you anthropomorphized his stuffed toy by asking such questions, he had more knowledge than a teenager.
I set up three plates in total, and Parker raised an eyebrow as I set the table.
"Why three plates? Are you that hungry?"
"No, but your mom is sleeping next door and I-" didn't want him to get up and rush into her room, but he did anyway, slamming the door open until there was no chance Y/N wasn't awake by now. But he remained unusually quiet for someone who was about to greet his mother so joyfully. I got up and followed him, finding him searching for Y/N in my closet.

"Mama?" But she wasn't behind my clothes either, and a pout formed visibly on his face. But it wasn't nearly as big as mine. She was long gone... the bed was empty, and I was starting to wonder if I had just imagined last night, but the covers were neatly made, something I never did.

"Where is she?" He shrugged, making me feel guilty for the bad joke that was never planned.
"I'm sorry, buddy... I thought- I thought she'd still be here." And as he slumped back to the breakfast table, our appetites had vanished. Seeing how much Parker missed both of his parents was one thing, but feeling how much I missed Y/N was another. My heart tried to rip itself out of my chest, and it didn't hold back from showing me pain. Was that how she was feeling when I moved out?
Nausea threatened me as my mood plummeted from 55% to a maximum of 3. But last night had unfortunately also confirmed that I couldn't drink in front of my son anymore, so I held back from having a glass in the morning...

~

The following Sunday, Harry drove my son back to Y/N's place. Since she left, she hadn't reached out to me, and I had no intention of reaching out to her either. Perhaps I no longer saw Clark standing beside her every time she was around me, but with each encounter, my heart crumbled a little more. Claiming that I would eventually be okay was a complete lie. Every single word. What did being okay even feel like? Because the way I felt, there was no difference from hell, and if I kept going like this, I was sure to end up there soon. Harry made sure to remind me of that when he showed up again in the evening.

"You miserable drunk piece of shit!" He snatched the freshly poured glass from my hand and poured the expensive scotch down the sink the second he stepped foot into my apartment. "You can't spend a second alone without reaching for alcohol?!" He knew it best, having been the one to take care of my drunken ass for the past few years.

"Leave me alone, Harry." I mumbled. It was the same every time he visited, and I was starting to get tired of it. His attempts were futile; I was a lost cause.

"No, you listen to me now, you stupid fuck!" I rested my elbows on the kitchen island, listening to his words as if I understood anything, burying my head in my hands, feeling my curls slowly beginning to take shape again. "We're leaving for vacation on Wednesday, and I sure as hell won't be babysitting your drunk ass if you decide to beat up one of our friends again, understood?!" Anger reverberated from deep within his throat, emerging after months of buildup.