Erica Clifford - Completed

Twelve

"NO. ANOTHER ONE." 

"Sof. Babe. We've been parked up for 20 minutes." I chuckled and stopped the music, making her scream as I climbed out the car. I sighed, rolling my eyes at the drama. "Bring your sister in for the day. It'll be fine. You won't get bothered at all." I groaned and walked to the back of the car, opening the boot and pulling my bag out. 

"She's loud." I turned and smiled sweetly at Levi. 

"That's not even the start of it. Wait until I get her out the car."  He chuckled as I moved around to her side. 

"You look exhausted." 

"Okay firstly. Thanks." I stood still, crossing my arms as I faced him "Secondly. I had a really fucking shit night so don't even start with me right now." I pulled the door open and Sof stopped screaming to look at me. I unbuckled her and she started screaming louder, me and Levi wincing at her. "SOFIA." She stopped. "I can close the door and take you home if you carry this on." She looked at me, her face blank. "Do you want to go home?"  Her little head shook so her curls were flying everywhere. "Thought as much. Come on." I pulled her arms free from her straps and pulled her onto my hip, closing the door behind me. "Sof, this is Levi. Say hi." 

"Hi." Her little squeak was barely audible. 

"You're right, you two are identical. Hi Sof. How are you?" 

"Egg shouted." 

"Egg?" He looked at me as I started walking. 

"She struggled to say Erica when she was younger. It came out like eggica. So-" 

"Egg." I could see him snickering. 

"Tell anyone and I'll take that song off." He stopped immediately and just held a smile as he pressed the button for the lift. "What are you doing down here anyway?" 

"I came to grab something from my car." I nodded. "Why'd you have a bad night?" 

"Just personal stuff." I shrugged and stepped inside the lift, letting him join after me. 

"Egg didn't sleep at home. Brooke came and got her." I looked at her. 

"Have you been listening to mum and dad again?" I looked down and raised my eyebrows at her as she nodded, putting her thumb in her mouth. I pulled it out and Levi giggled. 

We didn't speak the rest of the way up, just us both staring at each other, then looking at Sof as she wriggled on me, humming Taylor songs as she did. God she was getting heavy.  Her wriggling got more intense as the lift got closer and she was counting the numbers leading up to the office floor. 

The doors opened and she moved so hard and so quick that she flew from my arms. Feet pounding down the hallway. 

"Sof." I sighed and put my hand on my head. "MARGOT. INCOMING 4 YEAR OLD." I shouted down the hallway and Marg flung from her desk, scooping Sofia up before she ran straight into the office. I could hear her giggling from here as Marg tickled her like crazy, taking her into the side office. 

"She comes often then?" We both stood in the hallway watching as Sof pulled paper from Margot's desk. 

"Yeah. She absolutely adores Mr. Clifford and he loves her, demands I bring her in if it's been a while." I nodded and turned to face him. "It's not as weird as it sounds I swear. She's like the office's kid." 

"You're sure she's not yours?" I raised both my eyebrows and scoffed. "You guys look way too similar and you bringing her to work so often-" 

"She's not mine Levi." I rolled my eyes and pulled my phone out. scrolling to find a photo of my mum, holding her in the hospital with me and Mia on either side of her. "See. Not mine. Do I look like I'm the one that just pushed an 8lb baby out in that picture?" He looked at the phot then back at me. 

"Sorry." 

"Yeah thought as much." I locked my phone and huffed. "Now if you're done judging I've got shit to do."  I took off down towards the side office where Sof was. It didn't feel right leaving her with Margot all day unless she offered. I needed to check a few things with her anyway.

"No wait. Erica." He quickly caught up and tugged on my bag to get me to stop. I turned and crossed my arms. "Do you want to go get a coffee? You look like you need a breather." I pulled my hands through my hair before crossing my arms again. "I'll pay, as an apology." 

"I don't need you to pay for me."

"Let me anyway."  He tilted his head slightly "Please? I feel really bad." I huffed and stuck my head in the office. 

"Margot, are you okay with her for a little bit? I really need a coffee." 

"Of course hun. She's fine with me until Mr. Clifford finishes his meeting in like 20 minutes. Does he know she was coming in today?" 

"I don't know. I told my mum to call him but if he's in meetings he might now have seen it. If he says anything tell him to take it up with her not me." She chuckled and turned back to Sof. 

"Sof. I'm popping out for a little bit. Do you want a muffin bringing back?" She nodded. "Okay. Best behaviour though or I'll take you home." 

"Promise I'll be good Egg." I looked at her and raised an eyebrow before blowing her a kiss and walking back out. 

The walk back through the office was silent. It stayed that way until we were in the lift and the doors were closed. 

"So. Bad night?" 

"Mhm." I nodded  and pressed my lips together tightly.

"Want to talk about it?" 

"Not particularly. I'm too tired to get myself that angry again." 

"Ooo. Anger? I can't imagine you angry." 

"Oh I don't get angry easily." I smiled slightly as the doors opened and I let him step out first. "I'm pretty good at holding and hiding my emotions from the world as it is. But last night I just." I sighed. "I went for a run and almost got lost so Brooke came to save me. I didn't get home until this morning and I'd spent 2 hours ranting at her until she passed out at 1am. Then I just spent the night pacing and writing." I crossed my arms and looked at him as we stood in the middle of the car park. "I'm exhausted." 

"Go home then." 

"Not a chance. I don't want to be there right now." 

"So it's something at home?" 

"Stop digging for information." 

"Stop giving it up so easy then." I stared at him and his light little smile propped on his lips. "So it's obviously not Sof. Can't be you're mum because you spoke about her calmly. So it's either your other sister or a father. Or other family I guess. I don't know who you live with." A very low chuckled came from his closed lips as I started walking towards the exit. 

"You think you're so smart right?" 

"No. I'm just trying to work you out. I feel like we've known each other for years but I still know so little about you it's kind of weird." 

"I don't exactly know a tonne about you either." He fell inline beside me as we came up onto the street. 

"Well what do you want to know?" I stood still and he turned, now in front of me a few steps. What did I want to know? That's such a weirdly specific and yet vague question. 

"Who do you write your songs about?" My arms were still crossed but I adjusted them slightly. I feel like people's songs are a good judge of character. Especially when they were very obviously about someone. Was it an ex lover? An absent parent? Childhood trauma? 

"Now who thinks they're being smart." He raised an eyebrow and I smiled as I started walking again, stepping beside him as I did.