Rubato - Scarlett Johansson

Part 35

Scarlett's POV

Watching the kids, yes they are all kids, play around on the beach fills me with more joy than I could ever describe. Ignoring her sibling's nagging for her to play beach volleyball with them, Theo insisted that she helped the girls with their sandcastle village, much to their delight. She even has Cosmo with her as she lets him 'help' by encouraging him to bag on the bucket with a spade, which was working surprisingly well until he figured out he could do the same thing when the bucket wasn't there and crush the castles. 

That is how they went from building a sandcastle village to playing Avengers on the beach, much to my embarrassment. Apparently, Cosmo was Hulk, naturally, after destroying their little town. Meanwhile, Millie wanted to be Captain America, wearing a bucket on her head and holding another as a shield, while Rose and Theo argued over who could be Black Widow. Unsurprisingly Rose won, leaving Theo sulking as she played Thor, waving around a spade claiming it was her hammer as she chased the girls claiming she was the strongest, especially since she had the Hulk on her side.

This has been going on for over ten minutes, and it looks like the volleyball game has been forgotten as the others join their game. "She acts more like a child now than when she was one," a voice to my left says, startling me. I had almost forgotten that her Nan, Mom and Aunts were all sitting with me, her Dad and Uncle choosing to hike up a nearby cliff apparently both keen bird watchers. "Really? From the way she acts, I would have thought she would have been a handful as a child. I mean sometimes I wonder who is the child, her or Rose" I reply, having to force myself to look away from my favourite people to face her Mom who had been the one to speak. She just shook her head at my words, a content smile on her face as she glanced at Theo and the others before looking at me also. 

"She grew up far too fast. Her Dad was always working while she was little, he only really dialled back on his workload in the last ten years. When he was around they were so similar they would just scream at each other all the time. When she was ten and Kat was born she got worse with it all. I didn't have time to coddle her anymore and I think she knew that because it feels like she grew up that day. That's about the time we noticed her talent with music too. She started busking when she was thirteen and then she met Ray. If she was mature before, she was an adult after meeting him. I don't know what happened with them but despite what Theo may think I am not blind, nor am I an idiot. Billy may think the guy is some sort of angel, but I know my little girl, or at least I used to think I do, and the way she was around Ray, I could only imagine what he could have done to her to make her the shell of a person she has been for the last fourteen years. But now look at her. She is finally being herself again, and I feel like I have you to thank for that. You and those fantastic children you are raising. So thank you, Scarlett. For bringing home my little girl" Ritta says, a warm smile on her face as she looks at me with so much sincerity that I almost want to cry.

I clear my throat slightly before I reply, not wanting her to know how much her words affected me. "I haven't done anything, it's all her. She is the most amazing woman I have ever met, all I do is love her and hope that I am someday worthy of her because that over there" I pause, nodding at Theo who has somehow ended up laughing on the sand with Rose and Cosmo sitting on her "that is my whole world and I would do anything for them. She is so incredibly strong and so loving, I should be thanking you for raising such an amazing daughter" I manage to get out before I stood, making my way over to my family, intending to free Theo from the little gremlins. As cute as it is watching them play together I am not happy that they are sitting on her right now. 

Eventually, after a lot of whining from all three of them, I got them off the floor. Unsurprisingly Theo whined the most as I wouldn't let her carry Cosmo, insisting she rests. I know she is amazing, but she acts like she isn't five months pregnant and that it isn't high-risk. I had to pretty much force her into one of the folding chairs we had brought, only getting her to agree because I said if she sat she could have Cosmo back, good to know who she prefers, not me. The whole thing seemed to entertain the women I had been sitting with as they teased Theo for her pouting and for listening to me "that isn't little T listening to someone else for a change is it?" Polly mocked as Theo just grumbled, downing the water I had passed her. Getting Theo to drink water is like getting Cosmo to eat broccoli, impossible. Half the time I wonder if I didn't put a drink in her hand would she even drink anything in the day?