After Headlines

16: Court

" I'm not." Sky said firmly.

" Mother, I actually would've questioned this if I was surprised. You had tried to sabotage our relationship from the beginning." Cara crossed her arms.

" I..." Greta paused, unsure about how to continue.

" Greta, is it true?" Leon asked.

" Of course it's not!" Greta snapped.

" Mother, if there's one thing I know, its when Sky's lying, and he wasn't." Cara said.

" But, I would never-"

" You threatened to cut our daughter off if she married Sky? Even worse, you threatened Sky, not Cara?" Leon pressed. Greta ran out of excuses.

" If you really cared about her, you would've stay quiet. Instead, you're tearing apart a family. " Greta looked to Sky.

" I-"

" He did hide it from me, up until I asked him why he called off our engagement." Cara cut him off.

" He should've kept it to himself." Greta snapped.

" I can't believe you." Karl muttered.

" What?"

" Cara was happy. Really happy. But you decided Sky was not good enough simply because of his heritage." Anni said somewhat quietly.

" Cara, you must understand, you were supposed to be with Johnny. Not some actor you met while on tour." Greta sneered at Sky.

" Johnny? You mean Leanna's son? The one she was trying to set me up with at Albert's funeral? Yeah, no thanks Mother." Cara snapped.

" Cara-"

" Mother, what you did is forgivable. But my forgiveness will not be going out until you admit what you did is wrong." Cara stated. She hugged her family and mother goodbye before grabbing Sky's hand and leading him out of the house.

oOOo

" So, what are the chances we'll loose her?" Bexley asked as she and Josh talked to Penny's caseworker Shannon.

" Well, her mother was an addict. While Penny was never touched by her mother, her mother's boyfriend was a different story." Shannon stated.

" If her mother can prove to the court that she's gone clean and will stay that way, she might have a chance." She explained. Bexley sighed, leaning into her chair.

" What if Penny doesn't want to go?" Josh questioned.

" Unfortunately, they very well could just write it off as she's young and doesn't know what she wants. It'll all depend on who's there." Shannon replied.

" And there's nothing we can do?" Bexley asked.

" I'm afraid all you can do is be the best you can be, and hope for the best." Shannon replied.

" We wanted to adopt her eventually." Josh stated.

" I could tell." Shannon nodded.

" Momma?" Penny wandered out of her bedroom.

" Down here, Penny." Bexley called gently. Penny made her way down the hall, climbing into Bexley's lap.

" I think it'll all work out." Shannon assured Bexley.

oOOo

" Penny, my baby!" Talisa Kilns called as soon as she spotted Penny. Penny jumped behind Josh as they entered the courthouse, hiding from her biological mother.