Artist’s comment:

Hooray for lazy shading!!

********************

Shinzo: Bye Doctor Lily!

Amber: Goodbye Shinzo. Great work today. If it were up to me, I’d give you a job here right now.

Shinzo: Really? Thank you so much!

Amber: Mmhm. Keep up the good work. I’ll see you tomorrow.

Shinzo: Have a good night! walks out of the hospital

Amber: smiles Sweet girl.

SecurityGuard: Excuse me sir, you can’t be here.

???: Please I need to see her…

SecurityGuard: A doctor? Are you hurt sir?

???: N-no but I really need to see her. Please

SecurityGuard: Who?

???: Doctor Amber Lily. I heard that she worked here.

SecurityGuard: She does and you can make an appointment, though I’m pretty sure she specializes obstetrics. I think you may be looking for a different doctor.

Amber: Is there a problem here?

???: W-wow…

SecurityGuard: Oh. Nothing. This stallion is just looking for you. What for, I’m not really sure.

Amber: It’s alright. I was about to leave anyways. Right this way.

???: nods and follows her out of the hospital

Amber: Alright. What did you need sir? An appointment? Are you and your wife expecting?

???: You…. you look even more like her now…..

Amber: Excuse me? Like who? Do I know you?

Lucky: Amber!

Amber: Oh, hi Lucky. Hi Hot Head.

Angel: Momma! runs up and gives Amber a hug

Amber: Hi baby.

Angel: stares at the stranger Who’s this?

Amber: Um…. I’m not sure. Future patient? I never did get your name.

???: I-I… ummm……

Hot Head: Hey, you ready to walk home?

Amber: Just a minute. I’m talking to a patient right now. Think you could give us a minute?

Hot Head: Sure. Come on Angel.

Angel: Okay…..

Amber: Sorry about that. Family chuckles So what was your name again?

???: It’s um…… Herb…………

Amber: …………………………….. Herb?

Herb: nods slowly

Amber: …………………. hair and eyes dull Why are you here?

Herb: To see you.

Amber: Why

Herb: I just…. I don’t know….. it felt like the right thing to do.

Amber: chuckles in disbelief The right thing to do? The right thing to do???

Herb: Amber, I

Amber: The right thing to do would have been to keep your promise!

Herb: Promise?

Amber: …………. Did you really forget?

Herb: I made a lot of promises I didn’t keep.

Amber: Well, I’m talking about the one where you decided to dump me at an orphanage and

Herb: Amber, I wouldn’t have been able to take care of you. I was unstable and depressed and

Amber: I know! I get it! And I don’t blame you at all for that. You did the right thing.

Herb: W-wha?

Amber: I’m angry because you didn’t just drop me off and leave or tell me the truth. I’m angry because you promised that you would be back for me after a couple weeks! Were you even planning to come back at all???

Herb: N-no, but Amber

Amber: Then why would you do that? Why would you give me that false hope? I sat at the window of that orphanage for MONTHS waiting for you to come back and take me home so we could be a family again! So I could learn how to be an amazing herbalist like you. So you could teach me good morals and life lessons and what kind of boys to love or avoid. So I could have a dad! Do you have any idea how crappy I felt when you never came back? After all that time? I felt WORTHLESS! tears start falling from her eyes

Herb: ………. Amber……………

Hot Head: Amber? Are you okay? What’s going on?

Amber: Nothing, Hot Head. I’m fine.

Hot Head: glares at Herb and walks back to Lucky and Angel

Amber: I’m sorry…

Herb: You shouldn’t be apologizing.

Amber: I just….. I really thought I did something wrong…. for you not to want me anymore.

Herb: I apologize for making you feel that way. I shouldn’t have lied to you. I couldn’t stand to see you sad that day I dropped you off. I wanted to see you smile before I left. And I foolishly thought that by giving you hope, you’d be happy. I didn’t think about how it’d affect you in the future……. I’m truly, truly sorry. Could you ever forgive me?

Amber: ………………………..

Herb: I fully understand if you can’t.

Amber: It’ll take time…..

Herb: That’s all I needed to hear gives her a sad smile

Amber: So is this all you came for? To apologize?

Herb: I was hoping that I could perhaps catch up with you. See how you were doing or if I could help you in any way. But, you seem to be doing amazing on your own, doctor. Your mother would be beyond proud.

Amber: smiles weakly Thank you.

Herb: …………………..

Amber: …………………. so what now?

Herb: That’s up to you, Amber.

Amber: Well, what do you want to do?

Herb: I just want to make things right and for you to have peace of mind.

Amber: Me too.

Herb: nods

Amber: I…. I have a family to get to. Will you be here long?

Herb: I’ll wait as long as you need.

Amber: I have the day off on Friday. We can talk while my daughter’s at school.

Herb: That would be great.

Amber: Alright then. Friday it is. Just meet me here I guess.

Herb: I will. I promise.

Amber: …….. Okay

********************

Many requests for Amber meeting her father. Thought I’d get it done before heading off to school next week DX

Oh! And Shinzo is kinda like an intern studying under Amber. I’ll draw her soon :D