⚠️TW⚠️
(Lucy's POV)
I had a week until Tamara was released and I had to convince Tim to be nice I'd been at Angela's for the past four months because me and Tim were always arguing I hadn't told Tamara that tho she had enough running through her head if she knew we'd be fighting
she'd get even more stressed and I had to keep her calmer the nurses had her out on antidepressants and anti-anxiety meds so she wouldn't be stressing all day and she was doing a lot better she's 3 months clean now and she's always so proud of herself for staying clean even tho she didn't like her meds she always took them she seemed happier every time I saw her
I said bye to Angela and headed to mine and Tim's I knocked on the door he opened it and I went inside "Tim Tamara gets released in a week"I told him
"Okay and?"he said obviously not caring "Tim we have to get along please no more fighting or arguing or anything just happy family okay Tamara needs normal I told her you weren't that mad at her now that you'd forgiven her and I need you to act like it please"I begged him "fine I guess"he said "and I'm staying here this week so we can get her room clean for her and we can clean the house as-well"I told him and he just nodded I convinced him to help me clean the house and make Tamara a little basket of stuff she likes we set it up and everything was going okay we hadn't fought but we also hadn't talked much we started driving to go get Tamara "Tim when we get there please be nice to her she's going to be excited to see you she'll probably hug you and you need to just hug her back it's not that much too ask okay"I told him "yea fine whatever"he said we pulled up and got out the car u held his hand as we walked in Tamara was already in her normal clothes she ran to us she hugged me then hugged Tim tightly "I missed you so much dad!"she said as she hugged him tighter he hugged her back "missed you too kiddo"he said then we got in the car and went home Tamara was in her room asleep and I was cooking tea when Tim came out with a bag packed "Tim what are you doing?"i asked "I'm going now"he said "Tim no you can't do this to me and Tamara please"I begged him "I'm going whether you like it or not and I'm not coming back"he said about to open the door so I grabbed his arm "Tim just wait look I'll pay you £400 a month to stay here okay please and act like we were before"
I told him and he nodded I handed him £400 and then he kissed me I heard Tamara laughing and saying eww she ran over to us and Tim picked her up and spun her around guess he really did love money I told them I had to step out quick I went to Angela's and said "Angela can I ask you a question?"I asked "yea of course what's up?"she asked "hypothetically if you had a husband and a kid and you'd been fighting but you wanted everything to be normal for your kid but the husband wanted to leave would you pay him to stay or let him leave?"I asked "well hypothetically I'd let them leave so after a while they get lonely and come crawling back but I know this is obviously about you Tim and Tamara so idk it's your call"she said "I kinda payed him to stay"I told her "how much?"she asked "£400 a month"I told her and she gasped "Lucy you shouldn't give him that much how are you going to afford bills and food"Angela said
"Ill figure it out okay it's just Tamara sees me and Tim as her parents and if he leaves it'll ruin her progress and I don't want to see her like that again"I told Angela "i know you don't but is it really worth it to pay him to stay if your not even happy together honestly and if he does leave I'll help you Lucy I'll help you I can even help you with Tamara if you ever needed me too okay but please if you're not happy don't waste your money keeping him around because what happens when your out of money then what he'll just leave you in the middle of the night and then Tamara will be more affected by it"Angela told me
"So do I kick him out or what?"I asked "no just let him leave if he really wants to okay because trust me soon enough he'll come crawling back begging you to forgive him and you can tell him no and by that point you and Tamara would have been doing better"Angela said I thanked her and went home Tim was with Tamara on the sofa he saw me come in and skipped away from Tamara who was now sleeping we went into the bedroom "look Tim I just needed time to get my head around this but if you want to leave I'm not stopping you but I'm not paying you to stay either but let me make one thing clear if you leave us and you come back don't expect me to forgive you at all because I won't"I told him "good I'm going and take back your stupid £400"he said hi chucked the money in my face and packed his stuff up he packed his car with his stuff and drove off I went back inside and started to cry but I heard Tamara wake up so I quickly wiped my eyes "hey tam you okay baby?"I asked her
"where's dad gone he promised me he'd stay with me whilst I slept"she said rubbing her eyes "dads just had to whip out quick it's just a work thing take a couple days okay"I told her she nodded I dished dinner up and we ate it then I got in bed Tamara came in and turned on the light "mum are lying about dad?"she asked sad "what makes you ask that tam?"i said "dads stuff is all gone and you guys don't seem happy like you used to be"she told me and I didn't know whether to lie or say the truth but I decided the truth was the best "I'm not gonna lie to you baby dad left because the past few months we've been fighting a lot and I wanted everything to be normal for you but he didn't want to stay so he left"I told her "was it because of me?"she asked as she stared at her arms then the floor
I pulled her into a hug "baby it isn't you I promise and it's not your body or anything like that it's just some times couples fight and sometimes they fight over stuff that can't be changed okay but it wasn't you okay I promise"I said rubbing her back "is dad never coming back?"she asked sad "I don't know baby but if he did he wouldn't be aloud here again"I told her and she looked sad and broken I felt so bad "what if I rang him maybe he'll come back?"she asked "I don't think he will honey"I told her but she kept pleading for me to let her call him so I caved and gave her my phone
Call:
-dad?
-what do you want?
-are you coming back?
-no
-why not
-because me and your mum don't get along now
-are you ever coming back?
-probably not maybe in a few years or sm but not now
-did I do something?
-no it's just complicated
Tim said then hung up Tamara just snuggled into my arms and started crying "baby how about we go do something fun together to cheer you up"I asked
she nodded we got in the car and arrived at the park it was 7pm we played at the park and then on our way back to the car we got some pizza we went home and watched a film together after the film Tamara called out for Tim but then realised he'd left I comforted her
and got her tucked in bed.
