SCARLET MEETS MILA

4

Mila

A smile passes over my lips when I finish cleaning the kitchen counter. I know it sounds medial and stupid, but cleaning heals a part of me I never realised to be broken. When I was living in Miami, I could never afford a home that looked clean due to the cheap fittings and broken fixtures.

Now, in a home I can call my own, I feel proud to stand back and admire the space surrounding me. Scarlet tells me I do too much, but I enjoy it. Making things look nice offers a sense of achievement that sitting back and watching doesn't.

The warmth soon fades, however, when the trio of kids rock up with their half open backpacks and kicked off shoes. River bounces through the hall and offers me a hug before rummaging in his toy box for a case of tiny toy cars. Teddy too, he picks up his basket ball and dumps his shirt on the floor while Maisie trails behind, her backpack scrapped beside the door.

"Would it kill you to put things away?" I scoff, opening my arms as Teddy walks toward me. "We have so many cupboards?"

He chuckles. "It's easier to throw it."

"For that, you can go and pick it all up." I wink, snatching his basket ball from his palms. "I just got done cleaning in here."

"What about Bruce Lee over there?"

"Bruce Lee?" I question. "What are you talking about?"

He points at Maisie now slumped into the couch in the distance. "She got in trouble for fighting today. Some girl in tenth grade."

I widen my eyes. "Fighting?"

He nods. "It's all over snap-chat." His eyes sparkle in delight, snitching on his sister is his favourite pass time. "She lost, though. That girl gave her a beat down. Mila, she was cooked-

"Ok, Teddy." I interject. "I get it. Go pick up your things."

He scurries away, well aware that Maisie will bite his head off when finding out about his loose lips. I decide to leave it for a minute to see if she'll tell me herself. Lately, she's been distant. Scarlet tells me it's puberty, but my mind can't help but wonder if something else is going on behind the scenes.

An hour passes, and still, nothing. The sound of Scarlet unlocking the door peaks my attention. I haven't seen her for most of the day, and now more than ever am I grateful that she's home. She pounds the hall with a bleak expression, her body language radiating anger.

"You ok?" I ask cautiously, reaching to cup her cheek gently. "You look stressed."

She slams her bag down against the counter and cocks her sharp brow. "I got a call from the school today." She announces. "I was going to text you, but I got caught up."

I nod knowingly. "Teddy leaked that track already." I sigh. "What did they tell you?"

I can feel the rage oozing from her mind as she flares her nostrils and hands me her phone. "I asked the teacher to put it in writing." She smirks coldly. "MAISIE!" She yells as I read, and soon enough, a pair of feet walk hesitantly into the kitchen.

"What?" Maisie hums, her phone distracting her from Scarlet's vengeful expression. "I was watching a movie."

Scarlet clicks her fingers, drawing Maisie's eyes into her gaze. "You wanna put your phone down, baby girl?"

She slides it onto the counter and folds her arms. "Am I in trouble?"

"You tell me?" Her eyes dart toward me, and I'm sure she notices the disappointment in my stare. "I had a call from Mrs Maverick today. Care to explain?"