Thank you so much for all the reviews :)
I planned this drabble a long time ago, but now it fits what is happening currently on the show. I already had Tom and Sybbie go to Ireland in this universe, so I decided to be consistent within the story and not make them go to America. Besides, I really would like to see Tom return to Ireland.
It was strange at first not to live at Downton.
But Sybbie soon got accustomed to a new daily routine. She would always spend the first half of a day with their housekeeper Hannah, who soon became like a grandmother to her and like a mother to Daddy. Sybbie would often assist Hannah in doing daily chores or in the kitchen. Once a day they would go shopping for groceries and would also stop at playgrounds so that Sybbie could play with other children. Sybbie loved helping Hannah - she still had plenty of time to play with her toys, but assisting the housekeeper was also fun - and it made her feel useful. Sybbie loved to feel useful.
Later in the day Daddy would come home! Sybbie would always wait by the door and rush to greet him as soon as he would open the door. They would share a warm hug and then would go to the kitchen to eat dinner.
In the afternoons and evenings, Daddy and Sybbie would often go somewhere - whether for a walk or to visit Granny Moira or uncles, aunts and cousins or Daddy's friends and their children.
Sybbie also cherished the moments which she and Daddy spent only together, and Daddy read to her, told her stories, or they just talked on various topics. Daddy always found time which he devoted just to Sybbie - sometimes he went to a pub with his friends in the evening or to a political meeting in the afternoon, but in such cases he always managed to have time for his little girl before or after his outing.
One evening, Sybbie was already lying in bed, and Daddy just finished reading to her. Sybbie didn't want him to go yet, so she enquired, "Did you like the cake, Daddy? The one I helped Hannah to bake?"
Tom Branson smiled at the girl tenderly. "It was delicious. But… darling, there's also something else."
"Yes, Daddy?" Sybbie's eyes widened in curiosity.
"Today, when I came back from work and saw you helping Hannah finish the cake… You reminded me of your Mama, sweetheart. I remember the time when I still worked as a chauffeur at Downton and I saw your Mama once in the kitchen, baking a cake with Mrs. Patmore. How happy and satisfied she was when she looked at the finished cake! I saw the same smile on your face today, darling."
"I never met Mama, Daddy, but I love her very much."
"And she loves you very much too."
"And you and Mama also love each other very much."
"Indeed, we do," replied Tom with a wide grin on his face.
"And she's always with us, now in Dublin too," Sybbie whispered.
"Yes, because she's here," he pointed at his heart. "And here," he pointed at Sybbie's heart.
Sybbie smiled broadly and kissed her Daddy good night. "I really like living in Dublin," she stated in a happy tone before she drifted off to sleep.
"So do I," Tom told her.
Tom kissed Sybbie's hair and quietly tiptoed out of room. He needed to write a letter to the Crawleys. He was happy to be able to write to them that everything was totally all right with him and Sybbie.