Second Chances Don't Come Often | Scarlett Johansson x Daughter

Chapter One

Ella looked out the window of the plane. They were so close to the rooftops of skyscrapers she felt like she could almost touch them. Above her head, the seatbelt warning sign flared up.

As she wrapped her headphones around her phone and placed it in her pocket, the woman next to her woke up. She'd been asleep the whole flight, and Ella was grateful for that; she wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone. The woman fumbled for her seatbelt, and looked at Ella as if realising she was there for the first time.

"Is it your first time in New York?" The woman asked, her accent strong and clearly from the city below them.

"Yes." Ella lied, as politely as you could make a lie. The woman beamed at her and began telling her all about how she'd lived in New York all fifty years of her life-blah blah blah.

Ella nodded politely, and was grateful when the air stewardess came over and helped the woman with her seatbelt as it didn't click. The thirteen year old looked out at the city again. She had been here before, but she couldn't really remember it.

Well, in truth, she didn't want to, she didn't try to remember it. She had only been maybe six, and went to meet her new baby sister. Not that she could remember her at all, or was she just trying to pretend she didn't?

Ella sighed through her nose as the plane began its descent.

This time yesterday, she was in her English class, doodling in her exercise book when her head of year came into the room, asking to speak to her. The chorus of Oooooh typical of bored teenagers echoing as she left the classroom.

Mr. Waterman had taken her to his office on the other side of the school -she'd been there only twice before. One to receive a maths award, another time because they'd caught her skipping classes in first year. Mr. Waterman had gestured to her to sit in the faded padded seat in front of his desk, rings from his coffee mug and various post-it notes littered all over. He'd told her about the car accident, that had happened only a few hours previously. He'd explained everything, with the police that came and the teacher from Pastoral care whose name she never remembered.

Next thing, she was back home packing her suitcase, furious at where they were sending her. Her Aunt Sue was hiking in the Lake District somewhere and had terrible reception, so they couldn't get in touch with her. So they were making her get on a plane and stay with someone who she didn't recognise beyond movie posters and t-shirts.

Now she was landing at JFK in New York, her stomach doing somersaults. The seatbelt sign flickered off, and Ella heaved another sigh as she was forced to exit the plane.

X

Scarlett's eyes scanned every face that came through the gate. Why where there so many damn children on one flight? She peered at every face that passed, searching for those freckles and smile that she'd etched into her memory from the few pictures she had been sent over the years.

"Easy, babe. She'll be off in a minute, they confirmed she boarded." Scarlett nodded at Colin's words, but still looked around, anxious as before. It had been seven years. Seven long god damn years since she last saw her baby in the flesh. Of course, she wasn't a baby anymore. Thirteen now, all grown up. It both made her heart feel light and hurt at the same time. That she'd spent so long away from her first born. But she was here now. Soon Scarlett would cuddle that girl so tight, squeezing seven years' worth of cuddles into one.

Scarlett felt Colin's hand clasp round her own, stopping her from anxiously playing with her rings. She hadn't noticed she was doing it. Her nerves were frazzled within an inch of their life; she was just glad the paparazzi wasn't here to make the day harder.

The last few stragglers wandered through the gate, and Scarlett's heart leapt into her throat.

A short girl with shoulder length brown hair appeared at the gate; dressed in an oversized band tee, black leggings, denim jacket and white sneakers. Her face young and freckled, but the spitting image of Scarlett herself at that age. The girl had a nervous look on her face as she stood with the crowd, her eyes unsure of where to look.

"Oh my god, Colin. She's there!" Scarlett let go of Colin's hand as she began to run forward, her husband close by.

"Ella! Ella baby?" Scarlett came to a halt in front of the girl. The girl herself took a step back as these two people rushed up to her. Scarlett dropped to her knees and cupped her daughter's face. "Oh my god baby, look at you!" She didn't stop the tears spilling from her eyes, the smile taking over her face. "You got so big!' She began caressing her daughter's cheek with her thumb, her vision blurred by tears that she didn't take in the fearful and sour look the girl had on her face.

"God I'm a mess, I just...I..." Scarlett continued to smile, throwing a look up at Colin before back at her daughter. "Can I get a hug?" She looked at the girl who didn't smile back. But she nodded slowly and Scarlett wrapped her arms around the girl, doing her best to squeeze in seven years' worth. She may need a few more. She buried her face in her daughter's brown hair and smiled. "God I've missed you so much baby girl." She rubbed circles on the girls back, but soon realised that Ella wasn't hugging her back, but was standing rather stiffly in Scarlett's arms.

The woman leaned back on her knees and took her daughters face in her hands again, pushing back locks of brown hair behind her ear. The girl's face was rather blank, in a way that confused Scarlett. Perhaps she was tired? Yes, that was it, she'd flown for eight straight hours. Plus with her father being ill, perhaps she wasn't chatty. That was a reasonable explanation, but it didn't stop a dull ache in Scarlett's heart at her daughter not showing any happiness of being with her.

"I'm so happy you're here, baby." Scarlett moved forwards to place a kiss on the girl's brow, but was more confused when Ella took a step backwards away from her, a blank look still on her face.

"Maybe we should get going?" Colin stepped in, seeing the awkwardness. "You must be pretty tired, right kiddo?" He smiled down at the girl. The last he'd seen his step-daughter, she was a small five year old who was nervous, but still smiled and seemed happy. This girl just looked blankly up at them.

Scarlett nodded and stood fully up. She held out a hand for Ella to take, but the girl just stared at it. Scarlett felt her heart ache, and she let her hand fall back to her side. Ella shifted her backpack further up her shoulder, and clutched her suitcase tightly, looking anywhere but at the two people before her.

This was going to be a long trip.