LABYRINTH | Scarlett Johansson x Daughter

14 | love, scarlett.

Scarlett

After over a month of knowing Kenzie, I still have this constant voice nagging at me that I'm going to screw it up and the bond I desperately wanted for sixteen years, and am only now starting to form with my daughter will be gone. I'm scared that I'm going to say or do the wrong thing and that will be it.

I only want to be the best that I can for her, and I'm trying so hard to get it right.
But now I've been waiting for her to show up to our weekly breakfast for half an hour. I messaged her to double check if she was coming but I never got a response. I called her. She didn't pick up. So, I waited another fifteen minutes whilst I ordered myself a cup of coffee but when it reached ten o'clock I figured she wasn't going to show up.

The insecure part of me tells me I've done something wrong, that she doesn't want to see me anymore.

The mother in me tells me that something isn't right on her end. Maybe something happened as she was on her way, or maybe her phone died or ran out of data, or maybe she's at home freaking out because she took another pregnancy test and it came back positive. That seems like the most reasonable explanation, remembering the fact I did tell her to take another one if her period hadn't come by the time today rolled around.

Either way, I order a vanilla latte to go as it's become Kenzie's go-to coffee and as I do so, I make a mental note to tell her - if her wanting to see me is still the case - that Gracie asked after her before I get back to my car and make my way to Jersey City.

My mind raced throughout the entire thirty minutes it took for me to be parked outside her house, but without a second thought I walked up the stairs to the front door and knocked. Then again several seconds later, and just as I go to knock a third time I croaky voice is heard from the other side.

"Just a second!"

A pair of footsteps get closer until the door is swung open and I'm met with a very exhausted looking Kenzie.

She seems confused by my presence before turning her head to where I remember the wall clock sat above the fridge.

"Oh my gosh, I'm sorry. It took me ages to get to sleep last night and I must of missed my alarm. I mean, I only just woke up a minute again and then I heard a knock so I came downstairs," she rambles, her voice stiff as she pulls the blanket she's wrapped herself in further over her shoulders and sniffles. She's clearly not feeling well.

"That's alright, Kenz. Are you sick?" I ask in a gentle manner, concerned by how fragile she looks in this moment.

"No. I don't get sick," she mumbles, sniffling once again.

"Everybody gets sick from time to time, sweetheart, and you really don't look well."

"Oh, well thank you. That makes me feel really good about myself." Her tone is ever so slightly playful.

"You know what I mean," I respond, smirking lightly.

"I haven't been sick since I was...like ten. That's six whole years. I refuse to believe I'm not as invincible as I pretend I am."

This makes me giggle. "This might make you feel more alive," I offer her the coffee in my left hand. She manages a half-smile, clearly struggling to breathe normally as she takes the cup from me. "Thank you. I'm so sorry I didn't call or message you either. I really would have but I was knocked out. If you give me like...fifteen minutes, I'll be ready if you still want to go?"