The Missing Piece // Scarlett Johansson x Daughter

Take 20! Action!

Melanie always yearned to dedicate quality time to her grandchildren, and Fenan, too, found joy in encountering some of his nieces and nephews upon returning from school. In the kitchen, June sported a diminutive apron, her nose adorned with splatters of flour, and a radiant smile lighting up her lips. Together with her grandmother, she had been crafting their cherished cookies, and now, with bated breath, she watched the oven, eagerly anticipating their perfection. Seizing the moment when her grandmother's gaze shifted, she approached the mixing bowl, dipped her finger into the batter, and indulged in a morsel of chocolate.

Tempted for another taste, June was caught red-handed. "I just wanted to ensure they were perfect, nani. Imagine if they turned out bland after all this effort."

Melanie chuckled. "Indeed, what a detail, sacrificing for the common good."

June made a playful face and burst into laughter, approaching her grandmother for a warm embrace. Lifted into the air immediately, she received a tender kiss on the forehead from Melanie. "So joyful to have you back, dear," she said, rubbing their noses together, when suddenly they heard a cry. Cosmo had just woken up, visibly in a grumpy mood.

The grumpiness lingered until he could savor one of the cookies. Melanie offered her grandson a refreshing toy from the fridge to soothe the discomfort in his mouth. June was on her fourth cookie when Scarlett arrived. The first thing June did was offer her a cookie, which Scarlett accepted without hesitation.

"How was it, Mom?"

"Good. Fenan asked me to bring them another day. Today he had a school project with a friend and couldn't enjoy them."

Scarlett nodded and took the bag of cookies offered to her. She picked up Cosmo, who was still complaining but somewhat calmer with his fresh toy. June embraced her grandmother once again and planted a kiss on her cheek. In the car, Scarlett adjusted the mirror to see her two little ones.

"Did you have fun with grandma, my little love bug?"

"Yes! We played a lot, danced, and made cookies," June beamed, explaining, while Cosmo chattered, giving his own animated version, provoking laughter from both his sister and his mother.

"Teeth, Mom."

"Yes, Cosmo. My big boy is getting more teeth; they seem to bother too much, but my boy is brave, isn't he?" Scarlett responded, comforting him in a way that brought solace to her little one.

The mobile phone rang, and Scarlett ignored it. She had been receiving calls from an unknown number, even during a meeting, where fortunately, muting the voice, she could continue. The situation was starting to distress her, as she was unsure if it was a senseless prank or potentially dangerous.

Upon returning home, June walked through the door with Cosmo in tow, eager to reach the living room and immerse herself in the game. Meanwhile, Scarlett delved even deeper into her study, completely engrossed in crafting her new script. Time, especially with the pending trial, was running out, and the pressure of the delay on the recording set became palpable. Despite the understanding shown by the team, Scarlett had no choice but to expedite the process to meet the deadlines.

"Look, Cosmo, that toy looks amazing," June pointed out as the children reveled in the gadget featured in a holiday-themed TV ad. "Do you like it?"

"Yes, will you buy it for me?"

June made a wry face as the ad concluded and then glanced at her brother, who awaited a response. "Of course," she finally said, avoiding saddening Cosmo but lingering with the concern of how to procure the money. In their former home, she used to uncover coins beneath the sofa cushions—tiny treasures that slipped out when Carter and Marian settled in. She rifled through the sofa but found nothing; it was pristine, immaculate, not even a crumb remained from the previous day when Cosmo savored his cookies.