The Missing Piece // Scarlett Johansson x Daughter

Breaking the Catatonia

The next morning, Scarlett woke up with her pajamas drenched, a sad sign that June, her almost 7-year-old daughter, had wet the bed again. Carefully, she got up, and as she noticed June's eyes flicker open, a glimmer of hope lit up in her heart. However, that hope faded as she saw June still had that distant look, as if the world around her held no meaning.

"How did my little one sleep?" Scarlett kissed June's tiny nose and cradled her in her arms with tenderness. "Mommy and her girl need a bath."

Scarlett carefully selected an outfit for June and entered her room with her daughter in her arms. There, she found Colin, her husband, already dressed but concerned at the sight of their daughter in this state. With a sweet kiss on her husband's lips, Scarlett voiced her worries.

"Colin, could you go out and buy some diapers? We don't know how long this will last, but June needs to stay dry, even if she can't request it," she sighed in relief as Colin readily agreed.

"Do you need anything else?"

"Pap and milk. I'm worried about giving her something she can't swallow," Scarlett said, holding her motionless daughter.

Colin gently caressed June's cheek and planted a tender kiss on her forehead. "Do you think she hears us?"

"I don't know, Colin," Scarlett responded with concern, sharing the same uncertainty. "Let's quickly shower, and then you can go buy everything we need."

Shortly after, as Colin headed to the supermarket, Scarlett eagerly searched the kitchen cabinets until she found the last bit of baby food left. Seeing that it wasn't expired and not knowing how long Colin would be, Scarlett decided to prepare a bottle similar to the ones they used to give to Cosmo when he was a baby. When it was ready, she offered the bottle's nipple to June, but the little girl's lips remained tightly closed.

"Sweetie, it's time to eat," Scarlett whispered, taking a seat and gently trying to part her daughter's lips to insert the bottle. Finally, she saw a few drops fall, and June coughed, causing a brief scare for Scarlett. However, soon the little girl began to sip and suck on the bottle on her own, without the need for any pressure.

"That's right, June," Scarlett smiled as she watched her daughter. She remembered the last time she had given her a bottle; it was the very day the girl had disappeared. In a strange way, she felt oddly moved by this moment, wishing her daughter could protest like before and reject the bottle, arguing that she was too old for it.

"Mom!" Rose shouted from the top of the stairs as she hurried down. "How's June?" Her eyes settled on the girl with the bottle, and she frowned. "I see not too good."

Rose kissed Cosmo, then June, and finally her mother. Then she went to the kitchen and emerged shortly with a wobbly tray on which sat two cereal bowls. "Mom, I brought your cereal," Rose informed her.

"Thank you, Rose, you're a gem."

Rose settled beside her mother, casting intermittent glances at her sister. "Can I read to her later?"

"Of course, darling," Scarlett kissed her older daughter's cheek.

The bottle wasn't empty yet when June released the nipple, clearly indicating she wanted no more. Scarlett didn't insist and gently stroked her hair. A little while later, she settled June on the sofa next to Rose, who began to read her a story while Scarlett worked, tending to urgent emails and checking on her children from time to time.

"So, the fish was left alone because it was different," Rose continued with her reading in her childlike voice, mimicking different tones, just as Scarlett used to do with her.

June touched the bright fish drawing, and Rose exclaimed in delight. "Look, June, it's beautiful and it glitters," she smiled at her sister.

Scarlett shifted her gaze away from her computer to watch her daughters again, noticing June's small movements. "Keep going, Rose," she encouraged her daughter.