LABYRINTH | Scarlett Johansson x Daughter

2 | all good things.

It was past mid-morning, bordering on lunch time when Scarlett and I made our way out of the café. The streets of New York of course had a lovely stench of urine and garbage, but the fresh Autumn air had managed to lessen the odour ever so slightly.

The sun is shining for the first time all week which sends a rush of dopamine through my body, especially since Marty and I have plans to meet up and spend the afternoon in Central Park. We do most Saturday afternoons, unless the weather is horrid.

The two of us are pretty much each others only friend and have been since he moved across the street in seventh grade.

As the squeaky door to the café closes behind us, I turn to Scarlett. Even after sitting together for approximately two hours, I still feel nervous to speak to her.

"Do you have any plans for the rest of your day?" She asks over the sound of cars beeping and sirens blaring in the distance.

"Yeah, I'm actually about to meet up with Marty and we're going to spend the afternoon together."

"Well, I hope you enjoy your time," she speaks genuinely. "Thanks. And uh...thank you for reaching out. I'm really glad I got to meet you."

"Thank you for giving me a chance, Kenzie. I'm really glad I got to meet you too."

"Do you think you'd like to catch up again?" She adds. The question is asked with uncertainty but her tone remains hopeful.

"Really?" I have to physically restrain myself from smiling like an idiot. She's the first adult figure who has shown any genuine interest in getting to know me in my sixteen years of living. Although truthfully, it did take her sixteen years to make the effort but I'm trying to remain optimistic.

"Only if you're up for it," she assures me.

It almost looks like she's holding her breath waiting for my response.
"I think I'd really like that," I admit. With a single nod, she grins and lets out that breath I'm now sure she was holding. "When suits you?"
"I'll work around you, Kenzie," she says. "Okay uh, I have school obviously during the week but we can meet up same time next Saturday?"
"Perfect."

I'm no longer able to hold back my smile, feeling impossibly more happy. I almost go to hug her which surprises me because physical touch isn't necessarily my love language. I'm glad I withheld myself though, because I don't want to allow myself to become too attached. She could change her mind and not want to see me again in the space of a week and I don't want it to hurt anymore than it would already.

"I'll see you then I suppose," I say. "See you then Kenzie."

With one last smile, I wave goodbye before making my down the street. Again, the grasp on my bag is firm as I feel the adrenaline rush through me. I can't believe I finally got to meet my biological mother.

And I can't believe she left me with the parents I have.

That might take some time to process.

__

"Oh, he lives," I tease Marty as he drops his bag to the ground, parking his butt on the grass across from me. It's been a very long forty minutes I've been waiting for him at our usual spot in the park.
I managed to keep myself busy though by working on a sketch I'm doing for Art class.

"Shut up. The traffic sucks."

"Sure, blame it on the city. Not the fact you only woke up an hour ago," I add, a smirk curling upon my lips.

"I'll make it up to you if you're planning on continuing to antagonise me," he says, emptying the contents of his backpack on the grass. There's an array of different things in there. Chewing gum wrappers, a phone charger, paint brushes, a sketchbook and a lot of other trash that has built up overtime.