Adopted by Scarlett Johansson

72.

'Rose, I want you to listen carefully to Clara.' Said Colin. 'Yes, will do.' Impatiently, Rose jumped back and forth. 'Agreed. I'll be home around nine.' Said Colin. 'Okay. Good luck' Said Clara. Colin gave both girls a hug and he left towards work.

'Are we going to watch a movie now?' Asked Rose. 'Yes. If you put on your pajamas in advance I'll turn on the movie.' Replied Clara. 'Already? It's only 6:30.' Rose contradicted her. 'I know but then when the movie is over you can go straight to bed.' Explained Clara. Rose sighed. 'Okay.'

She ran out of the living room and meanwhile Clara turned on the movie. She had come up with a plan and she could only carry it out if Rose cooperated. Clara sat down on the couch and after a few minutes Rose walked into the living room in her pajamas. In her hands she had a teddy bear.

"Success? Asked Clara. Rose nodded and she sat down on the couch next to Clara. 'Good.' Clara turned on the movie. Rose watched the movie in admiration. She had already seen it once but she didn't care. It was still a fun movie. Clara liked the movie too. It was a real Disney movie with all the fun songs.

Time passed slowly and every time Clara looked at the clock. She was very worried about the date. What if the stalker wanted to do something to her? What if the stalker had a knife with him? A lot of thoughts were haunting her mind and it wasn't exactly calming her down.

After a while, Clara looked aside and she saw that Rose had fallen asleep. This was perfect! Now she could get away unseen. Clara quickly got up from the couch and she grabbed a blanket from the closet. She put the blanket over Rose and she paused the movie. Then she grabbed a pen and a piece of paper and she wrote a bill in case Rose woke up.

I'm off to Jack's for a school assignment. I'll be home as soon as I can. Love you.

She looked at the bill one more time and then she put it down on the table. Quickly she put on her coat and shoes and she walked to the back door. There were a number of security cameras in the garden and she had to avoid them. Slowly she opened the back door and she stepped outside.

At the gate there was a camera so she didn't have to pass that. Clara crept to the fence on the other side of the garden and clumsily climbed over. She still had twenty minutes to get to school on time. Clara began to run down the street. She wanted everything but to be late....

Meanwhile, Rose had been awakened by a noise from outside. "Clara? The girl looked around but her sister was nowhere to be seen. Rose saw a bill on the table. She knocked the covers off her and she walked over to the table. She read the bill. Clara was gone!

What was she to do now? Rose walked to the kitchen and from one of the drawers she grabbed a bowl. From another drawer she grabbed a bag of bell pepper chips and she poured the bell pepper chips into the bowl. Then she walked back to the living room and she turned on the movie again.

"I'm home. Sounded a voice from the hallway. Rose recognized that voice out of thousands. 'Mommy! Rose put the bowl of chips on the table and she paused the movie again. Then she ran happily over to Scarlett. 'Ha dear.' Scarlett lifted Rose up and immediately Rose wrapped her arms around Scarlett. Behind Scarlett were Chris, Ashley and Elizabeth who looked on smiling.

'I missed you so much.' Said Rose. 'I missed you to honey.' Replied Scarlett, 'I thought you weren't coming back until next week.' Said Rose. Scarlett put Rose down on the floor. 'Yeah, but I could leave earlier so I thought I'd come home earlier as a surprise. Where's Clara?

'Gone.' Answered Rose. 'What, she's gone? I'm gone for two weeks and immediately fifty percent of my kids are gone!' Scarlett walked into the living room followed by Chris, Ashley and Elizabeth. 'We need to go find der. I can drive around the neighborhood in my car.' Suggested Chris. 'I can go with you.' Offered Ashley. 'I'm going to call the police.' Said Scarlett, 'I'm going to see if there might be a letter in her room.' Said Elizabeth.

'Okay, then I'm going to go see Clara.' Said Rose. 'What? Immediately everyone looked at Rose. 'Rose dear, do you perhaps know where Clara is?' Asked Scarlett, 'Yup.' Answered Clara. 'Then why didn't you say so?' Asked Chris. 'Nobody asked me.' She said shrugging her shoulders. Everyone had to agree with her on that one. They had all played out the worst case scenarios in their heads which meant they hadn't taken into account that Rose could know more.

'Rose, where did Clara go?' Asked Scarlett, "To Jack. Answered Rose. 'How do you know? Asked Elizabeth. 'She left a letter.' Answered Rose. 'Let's see.' Said Ashley. Rose took the letter out of her pocket and she handed it to Ashley.