Surprise update! If you follow me on tumblr, you will have read this already. This is the same story but from Tom's point of view. All of these vignettes take place the same day as those in chapter 1, which were from Sybil's point of view. Some happen before the corresponding Sybil moments, and some happen after. Just thought it would be fun to explore the other side of this. I will post an epilogue soon. Thanks for reading!

(Also, Tom and his sisters are inspired by myself, my sisters and my brother, who is outnumbered 5 to 1. I am the Moira of the bunch.)

1 Day

"Oh, I forgot to say this earlier, but your neighbor was checking you out."

Tom looked up from the box he was unpacking in his new kitchen and frowned when he spotted his youngest sister Caitlin sitting on the sofa with her feet up on his coffee table. "The doing nothing is really helpful."

Caitlin rolled her eyes. "I'm taking a break."

"Taking a break implies that you've been working."

"Have you looked at your bookshelves?! They did not unpack themselves!"

Tom laughed. "Fair enough, but there's plenty more to do is all I'm saying."

Caitlin leaned back on the sofa again. "You need a girlfriend."

"So I don't have to ask my little sister to help me unpack?"

"So she can keep you from hoarding all this junk."

Tom huffed, offended. "I only have a lot of two things, books and tools, both of which happen to be related to how I make a living."

Caitlin laughed. "And they're both also very heavy."

Tom laughed. "Can't argue with that, I suppose."

"So have you met her?"

"Met who?"

"Your neighbor."

"Oh, uh … yeah. Briefly. That wasn't her at the window. She's a brunette, not a ginger."

"Both of them were at the window, and both were getting a good look. Was she nice?"

"We didn't talk long, but she seems so. She's English."

"Really?"

Tom nodded. "Posh, too, by the sound of her."

Caitlin pulled her mobile from her pocket. "What did you say her name was?"

"Sybil Crawley."

Tom continued to unpack for a few silent minutes while Caitlin looked at her phone, but almost dropped a plate when he heard her exclaim loudly, "Feck me! She's a royal!"

Tom looked up alarmed. "What?!"

"I've googled her. First link is an article referencing her father, some Lord Robert Crawley. He's the earl of grantham, whatever that is."

"It's probably someone else."

"Sybil Crawley—that's not that common a name."

"What would an upper class girl want to do with living in dumpy Dublin?"

"Why don't you ask her," Caitlin said playfully.

"I really doubt it's her."

"There's a picture with the article.

Tom came over to where Caitlin was sitting and took her phone. "Let me see that." What do you know, he thought looking at the picture.

Caitlin smiled as she watched her brother. She knew his looks well, and she could tell he was intrigued.

After a long moment of looking at the photo, he shrugged and handed it back to her.

Caitlin looked at the picture again. "She's pretty."

"Picture doesn't do her justice," Tom said quietly, almost to himself.

Caitlin laughed. "You do have eyes."

Tom smirked. "I don't think getting involved with my neighbor is a good idea, but I am not above admitting that she's gorgeous."

"You should offer her free car lessons."

"I don't think she has one as it happens. That's why I was allowed to take the whole garage."

"It says here that she—"

"Don't!"

"What?"

Tom sighed. "I don't want to know anything she wouldn't tell me herself or seem like I know things about her I shouldn't."

Caitlin rolled her eyes. "Fine."

Tom smiled. Despite the fact that she had just turned 21, there was still a measure of teenage petulance about her. But he also wouldn't have his stubborn, feisty little sister any other way.

As he continued to pack, Tom felt his phone vibrate from incoming texts in his back pocket. He smiled again.

Branson sibling group text

Caitlin: Tom's got a crush on his neighbor.
Caitlin: He'll deny of course
Caitlin: She's gorgeous
Caitlin: His word
Tom: I'm across the room from you.
Moira: She's not talking to you, obvs
Caitlin: Thx mo
Sarah: Scoop?
Caitlin: She's English and posh.
Caitlin: Read on (LINK)
Tom: Caitlin please stop
Caitlin: You don't have to bloody read it!

4 Days

Branson sibling group text

Tom: Sarah, where are you?

Tom: Saaarahhhh!

Tom: Seriously, where are you?!
Moira: Guessing her phone is dead.
Caitlin: Sarah, not charging her mobile? No way! (/sarcasm)
Caitlin: Maybe you can text her landline. lmao
Tom: I just talked with Sean. She went to my house and I went to her office. Confusion all around. Da's birthday present shopping must wait to tomorrow.
Caitlin: I can come tomorrow!
Tom: yay
Moira: Me too!
Moira: That was a sarcastic yay
Tom: how do you know?
Caitlin: WE JUST KNOW
Caitlin: LOL
Tom: I just don't want to over think it. And the more of us are together, the less we get done. FACT
Caitlin: BUT WE HAVE MORE FUN
Moira: WHY ARE WE YELLING
Caitlin: Sorry. had to yell on another text and forgot caps were still on
Tom: ok, tomorrow at 3 pm. meeting at Mo's. no one is late!
Moira: Why mine?
Caitlin: You have food
Tom: what she said

...

Sarah: mobile charged
Sarah: finally
Caitlin: Congratulations
Sarah: ok, I'll just shut it off and you won't hear about my conversation with "gorgeous" neighbor Sybil.
Caitlin: AAAAAAAHHH!
Moira: what! share share share please!
Sarah: She's so lovely. I knocked on her door when I realized Tommy had left without me. I used her phone to call Sean.
Caitlin: decorating style–good, bad, ugly?
Sarah: I was only in her front room, of course, but good. Nothing fancy. Lots of books. LOTS. Rivals Tommy
Caitlin: Did you hear that Tom? She's your soulmate!
Sarah: and she had a landline. haha
Moira: so she's YOUR soulmate. lol
Caitlin: Sean will be sad. divorce over wife of two months' inability to cut cord
Sarah: haha
Sarah: but seriously. she's really nice.
Sarah: You should make friends, Tommy
Sarah: Hellooooo
Caitlin: He's probably ignoring us
Tom: I am ;)
Moira: It's OK, we'll fill you in when it's time to pick china patterns
Caitlin: haha

Tom laughed out loud at his older sisters' last text. Moira, Sarah and Caitlin often joked about the women they wanted him to marry. Sybil hadn't been the first, they'd expressed interest in, though he had to admit that she was the first—at least the first in a long time—in whom he was interested. He hadn't been lying when he told Caitlin that dating his neighbor was not a good idea. But since she'd shown him Sybil's picture in the Hello Magazine article she'd found about Sybil's family, he hadn't been able to shake the idea of getting to know her. Not that it mattered since, he also hadn't had much time to do anything but work lately. The appointments for car classes were coming on nonstop—to the point that his freelancing was taking a back-seat to all else.

So many clients were coming in and out of the garage that he wondered whether he should let Sybil know, in case the activity bothered her.

Sybil.

Tom shook his head at laughed at himself, deciding to change and go for a run to clear his head. Ten or so minutes later, he was locking his door when he saw Sybil coming up the walk to her own door.

Cosmic timing, he thought, smiling to himself. But as soon as he looked up with what he hoped was a genuine expression, she put her head down and practically ran through her entryway, almost slamming the door behind her.

Puzzled, he looked at her now closed door for a long minute before letting out a long sigh and going on his way.

Better luck next time.

10 Days

As she walked into her brother's house, Sarah laughed on seeing Tom splayed out, face down, on his couch. "That bad?"

Tom rolled over slowly, but couldn't stop himself from falling on the floor, which caused Sarah to laugh even louder.

Tom rolled his eyes as he pushed himself up to sitting, but stayed on the floor. "I appreciate the support."

Sarah walked over to help him up, and the two siblings sat down next to each other on the sofa. "So how many appointments did you have today?"

Tom sighed, leaning back and closing his eyes. "Six, and after staying up all night to finish a freelance assignment."

"At least you're getting paid, right?"

He sighed again. "I suppose."

"I thought you liked giving classes," Sarah said. "It helped you get this place."

"The extra money between assignments helps. I just wasn't expecting it to take over my life."

Sarah watched him for a moment. Writing meant so much to Tom, but he'd not yet had the success she knew he was still capable of. She'd suggested doing the classes on car maintenance on the side to make extra cash, but she also knew her brother better than anyone else. He didn't do things halfway. Of course, it took over his life, she thought. What he needs now is something that will keep him from being pulled in a single direction. Something that will balance him. Something or SOMEONE.

"I saw your neighbor Sybil on my way in," she said quietly. "How's that going?"

Tom chuckled. "How is what going?"

"You know … you getting to know her."

"It isn't."

"And why not?"

Tom opened his eyes again, turning to look at Sarah as he did so. "I get that you're a newlywed and happy, but it really doesn't mean you have to find a spouse for everyone else. Not all of us are lucky enough to have found our soulmate at 17."

Sarah smirked. "I just want you to be as happy as I am."

"I know." And he did. For all her teasing, Tom knew Sarah was sincere in her interest in his love life. Being the closest in age to him, Sarah had been her brother's keeper from the moment she'd been born. She'd idolized him as a child and made herself his guardian when it became clear (via the interest of her friends somewhere around age 15) that Tom attracted female attention.

"I see her outside sometimes, coming and going," he said offhandedly. "She never seems eager to chat."

Sarah laughed.

"What?"

"I know that with you, you turn your head and the girls are just there, but surely you can bother yourself with making a bit of an effort."

Tom scratched his head, and Sarah smiled, watching him. She found it amusing that for someone who was so fantastically confident, it was hard for most people to spot that he was actually something of an introvert.

"Just make some excuse," she said. "Knock on her door and say you had a question about where to hang a picture or something."

"Well, she's got some boxes in the garage."

"Perfect!"

"And that's it?"

Sarah rolled her eyes. "Well, no, but it's a start."

23 Days

"Uncle Tommy!"

As soon as the door to Moira's house opened, Tom was jumped by his two nephews who, after almost knocking him down in their exuberant greeting, dragged him into the sitting room, which they'd turned into a pillow fort.

"Hey, uncle Tommy, watch this!" Liam, the older of the two boys, exclaimed before climbing to the back of the pillow-free sofa and jumping onto the fort on the floor, which collapsed under him.

"My turn, my turn!" said Kellen, who was three years younger than 7-year-old Liam, but not so young that he didn't try everything his older brother did.

Just as he was getting to the top of the sofa, Moira came in. "What have you done to my sofa!"

"You said to go play!" Liam replied. "We're playing!"

"You can't argue with that logic, sis," Tom said with a laugh.

Moira sighed. "Fine, but you'll be putting it all back before da gets home."

"Yay!" both boys cried.

With a laugh, Moira motioned for Tom to follow her and the two went into her study in the back of the house, next to the kitchen. "Next couple of weeks are all booked up," she said, handing him a print out of the schedule of classes she had set up for him.

"Thanks," Tom said as he sat down on one of the chairs in front of Moira's desk.

Moira watched him for a moment. "Miss Bunting asked me about you today, when I was picking up Liam from school."

Tom scratched the back of his head. "Did she?"

Moira nodded. "Said you guys had drinks the other night. You never said anything about asking her out again."

Tom rolled his eyes. "Because I didn't. We happened to be at the same political event. There were drinks present. A coincidence, not a date."

Moira laughed. "Maybe she's trying that trick where if she wills something hard enough, it will happen."

"She's nice enough and we agree on a fair amount of things, but …" Tom shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. Maybe I should take her out. See if there's anything there."

"Please don't," Moira said.

"No?" Tom replied, surprised by her response.

"If you don't like her, it's not nice to lead her on, and I don't want any broken hearts to be taken out on my son's marks."

Tom smiled. "I don't think she'd do that, but your first point is well taken."

"Did anything ever happen with the neighboring doctor?"

Tom shook his head, the disappointment obvious.

"It'll happen when it happens," Moira said quietly.

Tom didn't answer, just looked back down at the paper in his hands.

"I know with Sarah having just married a boy she's been seeing since she was a teenager and known all her life, it feels as if you're behind schedule, but you're not. She's the exception, not the rule. A nice girl that turns you on upstairs and, um, downstairs, will come to rescue you one day. Just you wait."

Tom laughed. "Thanks for that."

26 Days

Sybil and Tom went into Tom's house so he could change into a clean shirt and find his wallet and keys. Sybil called for a taxi in the meantime, and by the time he was ready, the car was there. It was a short drive, as Sybil's hospital was only a few blocks away, and Tom and Sybil remained in a companionable silence until it came time to pay the fare.

Both reached for their wallets at the same time, and seeing this, Tom spoke up, "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to pay," Sybil replied.

Tom shook his head. "That's ridiculous," he said and closed his hand over both of hers, pushing them and the bills they held back into her bag, which was open on her lap.

"No, it isn't. I insist."

"Sybil, the only reason we even had to get into the taxi in the first place was because I injured myself. There's no way you're getting this."

"No, the reason we are coming to the hospital is that you injured yourself. The reason we're in the taxi is that I chose to call one."

"And you wouldn't have had to if it weren't for me!"

"Tom—"

"I hate to interrupt this lover's spat, but the meter's running here," the driver cut in, sensing that the quarrel was not going to end any time soon.

Sybil quickly pulled her hand out from under Tom's and threw several bills onto the front seat. "Here," she said, "keep the change."

Tom sighed loudly, which made Sybil laugh. He liked the way her eyes closed when she did so. He shook his head with a smile and said, "This isn't over," before getting out onto the curb and extending his hand so she could do the same.

Once inside the hospital Tom was checked in quickly, but had to wait to see a doctor on account of having arrived at nearly the same time as several people injured in a multiple-vehicle accident. When he saw that it was Sybil's intention to wait with him until he was finished, he said, "You don't have to stay."

She smiled and shrugged her shoulders. "I have nowhere to be, and anyway, you might need help getting home after."

"If by help, you mean I need you to pay for my taxi, then no, I most certainly will not."

Sybil laughed. "Do you make it a practice not to accept favors from friends?" she asked teasingly.

He opened his mouth to respond, but he registered what she said, and it gave him pause. "Are we friends?"

Sybil looked down at her hands. "I suppose not … we could be, if you like."

Tom looked at her for a long moment. It seemed to him as if that last had taken some effort for her to say. "Would you like?"

Sybil smiled a smile that he felt all over. "I would, previous behaviors suggesting the contrary notwithstanding. But honestly, it's not as if I paid the driver more than I would have for a small coffee. It was hardly a fortune."

"And I suppose you would know what that is," Tom said offhandedly.

"What?"

As soon as the words had come out, Tom put his hand over his mouth. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to … I didn't look you up or anything. It's only that … well, like I said about my sisters being busybodies. Nothing entertains them like the internet."

Sybil smiled. "It's all right. Stuff about my family isn't particularly hard to find, given who my father is."

Tom watched her for a moment as she played with the strap of her bag on her lap.

After a long quiet moment, she turned to him with a look of curiosity on her face. "This is usually when people ask who my father is," she said.

"I don't want to ask about anything you don't want to share."

"It's not that I don't want to share exactly … more like it doesn't matter. None of it is really me."

"Is that why you came here? To Ireland?"

Sybil sighed. "I guess you could say. But mostly I was chasing my best friend. She and her husband moved here, and after a year, I realized I could not live without them. But I do like it here, as odd as it is for an English girl to say."

"Odd or not," Tom said, "I'm glad you're here."

27 Days

A dull pain in his shoulder woke Tom the following morning. He blinked his eyes several times as he got used to the light, and as he got his wits about him realized that at some point during the night he'd rolled over onto his cut shoulder. He rolled back over onto his back and stared at the ceiling for a moment.

Then, he thought of Sybil and he smiled.

As the events of the afternoon and evening played over in his mind, he realized that he never asked her again why she'd come over. He was still curious, but it was not as if it mattered to him. He was just glad she had come. Not because she had been the one to take him to the hospital, but because she'd stayed with him there. And they'd talked. And talked. And talked.

It was a good two hours before a doctor saw him. But they could have stayed away all night so far as Tom was concerned, so enthralled he was by her intelligence, her wit, the way she looked down and furrowed her brow when she was thinking about how to respond to something. They'd talked about all sorts of things and none of it had done anything to quell Tom's interest in her. So when they finally made it home he was prepared to do all he could so she would allow him to remain in her presence. Being who she was, however, Sybil would not budge when insisting that Tom follow his doctor's orders, take his painkiller and take his rest.

Looking at the clock now, nearly 11 o'clock in the morning, Tom laughed. He hadn't slept this late in years and quietly conceded that perhaps he really had needed it. Still, now that he was awake, he wasn't going to waste any more time.

He jumped out of bed, showered and dressed quickly, and was at his door, ready to step out, when it occurred to him that he should bring Sybil some sort of thank you gift. So instead of going out the front door, he went to the back and the garage and headed to a flower shop near his parents' house.

Once there, he felt a bit overwhelmed by the selection. Roses didn't seem appropriate. They were beautiful, but looking at them now, Tom thought they felt oddly impersonal. He circled the store four times, to the point that the clerk at the register wondered if she should ask Tom if he was lost. She watched him for another minute and decided to offer some help.

"What would she buy for herself?"

Tom turned to see the woman, who looked to him to be in her 70s, amble over to him.

"When a lad your age wanders in here, he usually goes straight for the red roses."

"Not really right for the occasion," Tom answered.

"But I take it, these wouldn't be for mam?"

Tom laughed and shook his head. "Definitely not."

"Well, then, what would she choose for herself?"

"I don't know her very well."

The woman, whose head barely came to the middle of Tom's chest, looked up to him with skepticism in his eyes. "You've just me a girl and already you want to buy her flowers?"

"She did me a favor."

"And you want to say something that says a little bit more than just 'thanks,' do ya?"

Tom laughed. "That's about right."

"So what would you buy for yourself then, then?"

"I don't usually buy flowers for myself."

"Entirely beside the point."

Tom smiled and with a scratch of his head, looked around again. Finally, his eyes landed on an arrangement of yellow tulips in a small vase. "I like that one."

"It's yours," the woman said, going over to get it and handing it to Tom.

"How much?" he asked.

"I said it's yours," she replied.

"I can't just take this."

"You're not. I'm giving it to you."

"Why?"

"Because you look like you want to say a great deal more than thanks, so I reckon you'll be back soon and often."

Tom looked down at the flowers. "I hope so."

xxx

Later, when he got back home. He walked over to Sybil's side of the porch and raised his fist to knock. It occurred to him, though, that despite what he might want to say, maybe "thanks" and nothing more was all she was after.

He set the flowers down at her door step, ran back into his own house to write a note and then left it next to the flowers.

If there was to be more between them, it would be up to her.

30 Days

Branson sibling group text

Moira: So when is Sybil coming over today?
Sarah: I've asked twice offline. He's not answering! :(
Sarah: Tooooooooooommmmyyyyyyy!
Sarah: Your loving sisters are desperate for details about your burgeoning romance
Moira: Pretty please!
Tom: You two are incorrigible
Moira: We just want you to be happy! And also know everything and help you strategize and also live vicariously
Moira: Not too much to ask I think ;)
Sarah: Just tell us or we'll be forced to write fanfic
Tom: Do you even know what that is?
Moira: Not exactly, but Caitlin suggested it was very entertaining
Tom: *sigh*
Sarah: OMG, he's sighing. It's serious.
Tom: lol
Sarah: We're just excited that this maybe possibly could be something
Caitlin: All thanks to me!
Tom: …
Caitlin: Do you honestly wish I'd have shooed her away and taken you to the hospital myself?
Tom: …
Tom: no
Caitlin: lol. EXACTLY
Tom: If you must know, yes, we made plans for today.
Moira: *screams internally*
Sarah: What are you doing? Dinner? Drinks?
Tom: Not quite. I'm teaching her how to change a tire.
Caitlin: GROAN
Tom: Hey, I'm doing this MY WAY. anyway, he said she wanted to learn.
Moira: Well, have fun :) (and report back)
Sarah: I can't say the greaser mechanic thing doesn't work for you–I have unfortunately been a party (unwillingly) to too many conversations with my friends about how well it works for you
Caitlin: lol
Caitlin: just remember to bloody KISS her this time
Tom: Cait, nobody wants us to kiss more than me
Moira: Aw! He's besotted, poor dear
Tom: leaving now
Sarah: lmao