SCARLET MEETS MILA

33

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One day I'll wake up free from anxiety. Today is not that day.

I stare out of Scarlet's window as if I own the place. It calms me to watch the city below. People rush in and out of stores, cab drivers swerve the red lights, and various dogs look back at their owners with wagging tails. It's the kind of normal that keeps the world going. Not like this place, it's different, charged with power and high expectations.

For once, I'm here before Scarlet. She had a meeting with Teddy's school about some unruly behaviour, and while I miss her presence, I can't help but enjoy being here alone. It still smells of her in here. Sweet, warming scents fly around the room, and the desk I lean against is left tidy with a large list of my daily tasks.

Today, I have well over thirty handwritten requests from Scarlet that will keep me busy until my feet fall off. Not that I mind. I like to keep active, and anything that pleases Scarlet, will in hand, please me too.

"Morning." Harlow's velvety voice hums. "I have a gift for you." I turn to face the blue eyed coparent and smile. "Don't get too excited, though. It's only a wedge of paperwork Scarlet wants you to file."

"My favourite." I roll my eyes and laugh. "And apparently hers too."

"She does love to send an email."

I place the pile of documents beside me and sigh, watching as the gorgeous woman rummages through a drawer across the room. "I hope the meeting goes well." I mutter, still slightly uneasy in her presence. "Teddy seems too sweet to get himself into trouble."

Harlow chuckles. "You have a little one of your own. I'm sure she had a rebellious phase."

"Maisie didn't have a phase." Harlow looks up at me curiously. "She came out of the womb causing trouble."

"Nice." Her eyes return to the drawer. "Not Teddy. He's just frustrated at the moment. It's that weird age of dependency that has him wanting Scar's attention, even if it's negative."

"Is he ok?"

Harlow sighs. "He misses her." I crinkle my brow. "He likes to tell her that she works too much, and that's why he's acting out."

"Ah." I tighten my lips. "I've heard that one more times than I can count."

"Yeah?" Harlow passes her search. "How did you deal with it?"

I shrug. "She understood eventually that if she wanted to eat, I needed to work."

Harlow nods. "Fair." Her voice is quiet. "Hopefully he'll get that soon. He's not sleeping good right now either. Last night, he was up almost every hour."

"You stayed over?" I ask. A wave of jealousy hitting me in the stomach.

"I do sometimes." She admits. "It's easier then going home, and Scarlet likes the company."

I swallow the coffee in my cheek and nod. "She's good company."

A subtle smirk pulls at Harlow's lips. It enrages me internally, but I'd be stupid to call it out. "Very good company." Part of me wonders if they did something last night. She really does have a glow today.

"So." I reach for my list of jobs and run my finger over Scarlet's handwriting. "Did you get up to much?"

"Watched a little TV." Her laugh is awkward and uncomfortable. "Talked about work. You know, the usual."

The usual.

"Did you guys manage to have any alone time?"

She looks up at me with a narrowed gaze. "Where are you going with this, Mila?" I blush, forgetting who I'm talking to. "Seems to me like you're digging?"