The Missing Piece // Scarlett Johansson x Daughter

Behind The Silence

When June opened her eyes again, Scarlett was by her side, not leaving her for a single moment in the initial days. After a week, Lizzie kindly offered to stay with June for a few hours, allowing Scarlett to return to the set. The film production had once again come to a halt due to the actress's family matters, and although everyone understood the situation, Scarlett didn't want to take advantage of others' understanding.

However, on that day when June woke up, she didn't utter a word. She wasn't in a state of catatonia, as Scarlett feared. Though the girl listened when spoken to and even nodded, she didn't respond. Despite moving her to the pediatric floor hoping that a livelier environment would revive the old June, she remained subdued.

The psychologist failed to elicit a single word from her, not even a simple yes or no. Neither Lizzie nor Scarlett succeeded in breaking that silence. At the moment, no one was sure if it was due to elective or selective mutism.

Scarlett left work and ran errands before heading to the hospital with her little one. She stopped by Harold's office, who stayed in touch with the police for the latest updates. The police had respected Scarlett's semi-availability, handling responsibilities concerning her daughter, family, and delayed work, delegating those tasks to Harold.

"They've got him locked up already. The hearing is in three days; he doesn't stand a chance. Not only did he kidnap two minors, but he also shot one of them," Harold said. Mentioning the shooting caused Scarlett's expression to tighten. "I'm sorry, Scarlett, I was too abrupt."

Scarlett just shook her head and gestured for him to continue. 

"But not only did he kidnap two minors, he murdered law enforcement officers in front of several police witnesses. I don't think he'll be out anytime soon, Scarlett. In that sense, you can live peacefully and rebuild your lives without that fear..."

"The fear, Harold, I think it'll be a constant now. He took the girls from school dressed as a policeman, for God's sake. How do you overcome that fear? He hurt my baby; the bastard didn't even want my money. His plan from the start was to kill my little one."

Harold nodded with sorrow. —"You're right; this marks a before and after. But Scarlett, you have to move forward with your life. I can't tell you to erase this terrible experience, but you can take steps now that you know they are vulnerable. How is June?"

"How do you expect her to be after being shot? She doesn't speak; she's like a extinguished flame. It's tough, Harold, it's painful to see that they harmed my little ones, and I couldn't stop them, that I couldn't do it in time. It's painful to recall everything that happened, and it's precisely what happens when I sleep," she confessed with a weary voice.

Harold, with the confidence they had after so many years of working together, approached to give her a paternal hug that he thought she needed.

"Everything will get better. Kids bounce back quickly. When you see Rose cheerful again, when June recovers and becomes the girl she is and will continue to evolve into, all of this will be left behind as a torturous experience of the past. Because if this subjugates your life and family happiness, the villain, even if he's in prison, will have won. Don't let him win any victories, Scarlett."

Scarlett sighed, silently allowing each of Harold's words to penetrate her, regaining her strength. Her own body straightened, and only then did Harold break the hug.

"Thank you, Harold."

Harold cleared his throat. "Before you go, Scarlett, what happened before with Cosmo was just a distraction strategy to gain more time and go after the girls using that pretext as well. I had to tell you. We agreed that I would keep you informed of everything."