SCARLET MEETS MILA

1

8 years later | Mila James-Ramirez

"Mila, can you please tell Teddy to stop taking my things?" Maisie grunts, slamming her phone down onto the kitchen island. "I charged my phone less than half way before he took my charger."

I roll my eyes and shove River's lunch box into his Spider-Man back pack. "TEDDY." I yell, waiting for the rumbling sound of footsteps to come flying down the stairs. "HERE, NOW!"

"What?" He grumbles, his legs bare and his shirt on backwards.

"Jesus." Maisie tuts. "You can't even dress yourself properly."

"Enough." I scold before pointing Teddy to my side with a sigh. "Did you take your sister's charger again?"

Guilt rips into his expression. "What? No." He defends, hiding his phone behind his back. "She's the one that misplaces everything. It's not my fault she's too invested in Snapchat to notice."

"Shut up, dummy."

"No, you!" Teddy growls.

"Guys!" I yell. "Maisie, you're almost fifteen years old, will you grow up a little? And Teddy, your sister is a fashion designer, why is it that you can't put a shirt on the right way?"

He looks down and grunts. "Damn it?"

"Honestly. You're so lame."

I shoot a look to Maisie and fold my arms. "You wanna lose your phone too? What are you even doing on Snapchat, you know Scarlet told you to delete it."

"She said I couldn't have it until I was mature enough?" She shrugs. "I think I've grown a lot since that conversation."

"It was last week?" I chuckle sarcastically. "That's not how this works. Scarlet said no, and that's final."

"Loser."

"Teddy!" I turn to him and correct. "Oh my god. Just take it off." I grab the shirt from his palms and finally turn it the right way before shoving it over his styled hair."

"Hey, watch the gel?" He grumbles.

Maisie laughs. "So you can fix your hair but not your shirt? At least you can get something right."

"Ok, Maisie, get ready for school. I have to go to work and you're giving me a headache." She rolls her eyes and walks toward the hall while Teddy peers at himself in the glass doors to re-style his hair. "You look fine, baby."

"I don't." He sighs. "I don't want go. I feel sick."

I swallow, walking toward him with a soft smile. "I get it. Thirteen is hard, but it will get better? Skipping school won't make any of this go away."

He shakes his head and leans into the door. "You don't understand."

"I don't." I admit. "But when I was your age, I got bullied too. Not for the same reasons, but you have to realise they're just jealous?"

"Of what?" He looks up at me with his sister's eyes and frowns. "Scarlet? You? What has that got to do with me?"

I look down and sigh before reaching to finish styling the few loose strands of hair. "They're jealous because you're kind and funny and handsome. They must go home wishing they were Teddy James-Ramirez. I would if I were them?"

"I'm a loser."

"Ignore your sister." I laugh. "She's sassy just like Scarlet. She didn't just take after her, she caught her!"

A small smile cracks Teddy's lips, and he shakes his head with a new found confidence. "They're like twins."

I nod passionately. "That they are." I confirm. "Go, get some pants on and send your brother down here."

A little while passes before River enters the kitchen with his backpack secured tightly onto his back. "I packed all of my things already." He smirks. "You didn't even need to help me."

"Is that right?" I laugh under my breath. "Let me
Take a look here, sir." He hands me the bag and I take a deep breath as soon as I unzip the red zipper. "Ok, so, first of all?" I hold up the stuffed lama and laugh. "I don't think Mr Smelly can go to school with you."

"Why not?" He climbs up onto the counter and furrows his brow. "He needs to go and learn like me?"

I lean in and fish for another item. "River, what is this?" I pull out Maisie's charger. "Your sister is going to kill you?"

"I was using it as a dog leash for Kevin?"

I roll my eyes playfully. "Kevin is a fish, and you better hope he's still in his tank?"

He nods confidently. "I was pretending. I know that he needs water, I'm not silly like Teddy."

"Leave him alone." I chuckle awkwardly. "Not everyone can be as smart as you." I reach in and shuffle around in the bag. "Yep, just as I thought. You're going to need a lesson in bag packing."

"Sissy you're silly." He giggles. "I did good."

I empty the bag and grab the Spider-Man one from beside me. "You're right. It was a good try. I think this one would be better for today though."

I pull him from the counter and kiss his cheek before placing him on the ground. "Kids, come on!" I yell, and quickly, the lobby fills with feet. "Have a good day I love you both." Teddy walks out and toward the car that awaits him. I pull Maisie back briefly and whisper in her ear. "Please look out for him today. I don't want another phone call that Hunter stole his lunch money."

"I will." She smiles. "I'll hit that kid where it hurts."

"In the knee caps!" River giggles.

I cover his mouth and sigh. "How many times? He's not allowed to watch those documentary's with you!"

"He likes them?"

"He's seven!" I grab her cheek and kiss her on the temple, watching as she too walks the path toward the private car. "Behave, please."

"Bye!" River yells, jumping up and down as the car rolls into the distance. "See you later."

"Let's go." I reach for my keys and grab River's hand, the short drive to his school only a small way from the new Ramirez Head Office.

Moving to Dubai was the best thing we ever did. Shortly after River was adopted, Harlow landed the deal of a life time. We've been here for almost seven years now, and honestly, life could not get any better.

When me and Scarlet got married, we decided that duel names was the only way forward. As much as I'd have loved to rid the James past, I'm certain now that keeping it close to my chest has cured more than a few of my pent up trauma's.

Admittedly, it's not been the easiest of transitions. Relocating over a hundred members of staff took some work, but it all worked out in the end. Harlow continues to cover the logistics while Willow now works under her wing. I too made my dream of being a designer come true, and work part time as head of fabrication alongside Fox.

Life is good.

Scarlet benefitted the most from the move. She regained her fiery nature and to this day has me swooning when yelling at her young models. She skyrocketed when releasing her partnership with Gloria, the honorary grandparents to our kids, and since then has made a name for herself that Maisie loves to brag about.

Teddy isn't so confident, but we always knew he'd be the shy guy of the family. He struggles to make friends and has a hard time keeping focus in class. Unlike River, academia is less than a weak point. I blame Scarlet for the high IQ River seems to have claimed. She would read to him and play number games until the cows came home. Raising a tech free child really has had its benefits.

Maisie, on the other hand, took the other side of Scarlet's personality, and since the age of ten, has developed an outstanding tongue that Teddy falls victim too much of the time. She's confident and knows exactly what she wants, her sassy nature enough to have her expelled twice in two years.

In the name of family, however, we manage well, and love has no end when it comes to the James-Ramirez household. With business deals and a mixed bag of kids, there's no shortage of drama either.

God really did bless us with chaos.

But I'd have it no other way.