Stay Together For The Kids - Michael Clifford Fanfiction

A fresh start.

I run past mum, who is just finishing cooking Ruby's breakfast. Ruby is sitting half dressed on the couch, looking as grumpy as ever.

It hadn't been one of the most pleasant mornings ever, with Ruby waking up bright and early to a nice chorus of screaming.

My nerves and patience already on the edge, I hurried through a half cold shower and slopped down food, with a good three hours sleep under my belt. No, this morning was not one of my favourites.

Waking up to an unhappy Ruby was not the start I wanted to the day. And not to mention flashbacks and dreaded imagines of what might of happened. Probably not the way to start off the first day back at work.

I crouch down next to Ruby, who looks at me like I just have told her that she couldn't have cake. (Which I had already told her several times this morning.) I love my daughter more then anything else in the world, but I'm glad I didn't have to deal with her attitude today. She couldn't be anymore like her father if she tried.

Mum walks up to the other side of Ruby, handing her a plate of toast with Vegemite, her favourite. She seems a lot more happier, but still tries to push me off as I attempt to dress her.

"Promise me, you won't leave her out of your sight." I say, not looking at mum while I help Ruby put her shirt on.

"I promise, will you relax?" Mum pesters, moving me out of the way and picking Ruby up.

Ruby, acting like a totally different child now she has food, lies down happily in mums arms.

I give Ruby a quick kiss, which she happily accepts while munching away.

"I can't believe I have to do this." I say, watching my content daughter. I'm a lot less happy to leave her now.

Mum purses her lips together, but looks at sympathetic to me.

"You don't have to do this if you don't want." She says softly.

"I do!" I snap. " I have to get some type of income again, I have to focus on a new life for Ruby and myself, I don't get a choice!"

I'm shaking heavily, the stress of the past 24 hours breaking me, Ruby's antics this morning breaking me, the worry of whether I would get my job back breaking me. And that stupid voice in the back of my head telling me to call Michael and asking if he is ok is breaking me.

Mum barely hesitates to pull me into a tight hug. I let my pressures fall off my shoulders, only for a second, as I hug my daughter and mum.

"We'll figure this out, ok?" She breathes confidently. Ruby just keeps eating.

I nod into her shoulder. I let go of the hug, and tell Ruby to be good. I know she won't be, but at least I try. She smiles cheekily back at me, Vegemite smeared on her cheeks. In the stupidest way possible, she looks so much like Michael.

I had forgotten how horrible the morning commute to work had been. People screeching through suburban streets to get to work on time. As a horrible driver with no sense of direction or hand eye coordination, it was a life or death experience for everyone involved.

I don't have time to check my phone until I'm stuck in a traffic jam, and I quickly look down to see a message flashing up at me.

"I need her back."

I don't need to even have a second glance at my phone, I know exactly who it's from.

I turn off my phone. I don't have time for this. I can't keep feeding him by replying. I need to forget about him.

But as I pull into the work car park, Michael's all I can think about.

Which, as time goes by, I'm slightly grateful for.

From the rushed morning with Ruby, and all the problems with Michael, I hadn't even taken into consideration how absolutely terrified I am of having this conversation.

I walk up to a familiar face at the reception. "Lily!" Patricia, the receptionist, and also the first person I had ever met at this place, exclaims happily at my appearance.

"Hi Patricia." I manage to grin. See, this wasn't so different to what you were used to.

"Robert told me you were coming, you look great." She looks me up and down and I know she is adding 'for a woman that had a baby' in her head. Patricia was nice, but there was no avoiding the gossip and bitchiness here. Something I hadn't missed.

"I'll let him know you're here, you still remember where Robert's office is, don't you?"

I nod. Vaguely, but I don't want to tell her that. I head down a small office hallway, my heart racing. I was so nervous, I had forgotten how nervous going for interviews had been.

I knock on the door of his office, my hand shaking so much that even my knock sounds terrified.

"Come in." I hear a muffled voice on the other side of the door.

I open it, just in time to see Robert put down the phone.

"Lily." He greets me, walking over to shake my hand. His office has barely changed since my first interview with him all those years ago. Maybe a few more awards hanging on the walls. Nothing was different in this place, except me.

"Hi Robert." I gush, shaking his hand. I can feel my cheeks heating up, but I try to firmly ignore them.

"Have a seat." He offers, gesturing to the seat on the other side of his mahogany desk.

I sit, and Robert follows. I get a wild flashback from when I had first met him. How scared and intimidated I was. Maybe I hadn't changed so much.

"I'm really glad Caroline gave you a call." Robert starts. "You were a valuable asset to us, and it was sad to see you leave."

I try to put on a sympathetic face but I have a feeling it's coming across more as a grimace.

"And I did tell you when you left that the door would be open anytime you saw fit to return. That offer still stands."

Thank god.

"But," he continues. I start panicking heavily now. What is he asking for me? Does he want to demote me so I have to start all over again? Am I not going to come back to work at all? "I just have to be sure that you won't be running off again for anymore family needs."

I think back to this morning and last night, and swallow hard.

"No, I won't be. You can count on it."

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Wow, what a crazy week it has been, so many views and amazing comments from everyone, you're all too sweet and too kind ❤️ thank you to everyone following this story, 3k views is nothing to some people but literally makes me so happy, can't believe people actually like what I write, haha. Even the people that comment in Italian on hemmoemma's translation of this, I read all of them and they all make me so happy. Feel free to message me any time to go check out your story or anything, it might take me a while but I'll get around to it eventually, thank you so much for all the views and votes I love you all ❤️ xxx