Catherine and Sara sat in Marshal's Diner as Sara began to explain in more
detail.
"My head was really messed up. I wasn't fitting in in my home community but most importantly I wasn't fitting in at school. At least in camp cuckoo they still interacted with me even though I didn't fit in!. I didn't have many friends at school and even the ones I had I knew didn't mean anything!. We were the science nerds! - We were nothings! - and I felt a failure at not only being a science nerd but also at being friends of nerds!. I started to get bullied by the popular kids!. My head just became such a mess!. I got really desperate for things to change!" Sara explained.
Sara sighed and rubbed her hands in her face in stress. Then Catherine rubbed Sara's arm in support and Sara carried on explaining,
"I figured maybe if I lost weight I'd be more popular! - So I started to make myself throw up. Then one day I was round a friend's house having dinner and her older brother caught me. He asked why I was doing this to myself and I explained that I wanted to become more popular and all the popular ones were thin!" Sara said.
Sara began to cry.
"He seemed so nice to me!. What I didn't realise was all he was after was sex!. He was seventeen - he was repeating ninth grade and so all the girls he knew were sixteen - and they were old enough to know they didn't want sex with him - they knew his reputation!. And he'd been through all the girls who'd be prepared to sleep with him. I was only thirteen at the time!. I was so gullible to his charms!" Sara sobbed.
Sara burst out into floods of tears and Catherine came round and comforted her.
"Did he rape you?. I knew you wouldn't do that, Sara!. Oh! It all makes sense!. He did didn't he?" Catherine probed.
"No! - He didn't!. I fully agreed!. I'm just so ashamed!. It was such a big mistake!" Sara exclaimed.
Sara calmed down and wiped away her tears.
"He told me that it had this really good idea! - of how to make me popular!. He was really popular at school. The high school and middle school were joined - they were next to each other - they were practically one school!. So everyone knew he was popular!. He got the popularity because of his reputation as a rebel and a rule breaker. It really boosted his rep to have to repeat ninth grade! - He had no shame! - He actually got street cred for not studying!. He had this plan where we should have sex and then he'd arrange it so that someone caught us at it. Then it would go round both our schools and then we'd pretend to be going out and everyone would think I was really cool cos I was dating him!. It would really contradict their idea of me being a prudish geek!. But it didn't quite turn out that way!" Sara confessed.
"Oh Sara!. You idiot!. What a pig!. Let me guess you got labelled a slut?. Or no one even found out?" Catherine commented.
"Thankfully the latter!. No one caught us! - and no one found out - and I later found out that was no accident. He said it was just sex! - he said he would never admit to it happening to anyone!. And I confronted him he didn't admit to it!. He used me and he meant to!. It never crossed my mind that he'd ditch me afterwards!. He so nice!. No! - in the lead up to this great event I didn't think he might be lying!. I was thinking - Gees! Am I ready for this?!?. And I thought sod it! - I was tired of playing it safe!. I figured it would make me really cool! - even cool to myself!. My parents had always subliminally suggested I was uptight and everyone else did - I didn't smoke when other kids did! - I didn't date or kiss boys! - I didn't drink or do cannabis! - I was convinced that ever 8th grader bar me and my friends were drinking, smoking and having sex 24/7 - and actually the boy told me confirmed that to me himself when I asked him!. I wanted to live a bit! - you know! - Prove everyone wrong!. I didn't give too much thought to the consequences - I knew you could get pregnant but I had also heard all the rumours about how you couldn't the first time! - or if you did it up against a wall - so that's what we did!" Sara confessed.
"Oh Sara!. Oh gees!" Catherine exclaimed stressed.
"It was horrible!. Everyone went on about sex like it was great! - Everyone went on about how wonderful your first time is and I just! - I just! - oh gees! - what a let down!. Then as soon as it happened he rejected me!. He told me I was rubbish! - and that he would never tell anyone what had happened because he was ashamed of me!. Then when I confronted him! - he publicly humiliated me in front of the whole male population of his locker room. He made my life absolute hell after that. He encouraged the teasing and bullied me personally. That went on for five months after that it died out. I was so glad it was over! - I just wanted to forget it and go back to being safe reliable me!. I never thought it would caught me up and bite me!. I never considered I might be pregnant!. I was told you couldn't get pregnant after your first time or up a wall! - so I was double protected. I just wanted to forget it had ever happened and move on!. It was just one mistake and now I've been paying for it for the rest of my life!. After she was born, I tried to forget her!. I was only pregnant for one day technically! - I was only a mother for one day!. But I held her and then I grew up with her - and I just couldn't forget that I made her!. And growing up - She was wondrous! - She just seemed like the most beautiful, most brilliant person in the world. No one else mattered or compared to her!" Sara admitted.
Sara reached into her handbag and got out this box. Inside it was some photographs. Sara got one out and showed Catherine.
"That's her when she was four years old. She's beautiful isn't she?" Sara commented.
Catherine looked at the photo of Alaney.
"She definitely is!. I can't believe how healthy she turned out after you had an eating disorder!. And she's so tall now!" Catherine commented.
"I know!. I couldn't believe it!. There's hardly any wrong with her! - she was a perfectly healthy bouncing baby girl. She wasn't very small but she wasn't that big either - and now! - she just suddenly had this growth spurt at puberty - she shot up!. Plus she eats so much! - she wasn't born big!" Sara commented.
"She isn't big now!" Catherine exclaimed.
"No, I know!. I just mean she's so tall now!. And I was so much fatter than her when I got an eating disorder!. I have a picture here actually. This is me when I was aged 10" Sara commented.
Sara showed Catherine the picture. Catherine couldn't believe how podgy Sara was then and how skinny she is now!. Catherine pushed the photograph away and sighed.
"Look Sara. I'm sorry to say this - but I need to check. You are telling me the truth aren't you?. It's just you lied to Grissom about her being your sister - and you've lied other times in the past. I just need to check!" Catherine asked.
Sara looked uncomfortable suddenly.
"Telling the truth about what?. I AM Laney's mother!. I'm not lying!. Look I have these pictures to prove it!. The dates are even on the back!. This is me eight months pregnant - this is me ten years old - see how there's not much difference!. Everyone was so relieved my arms, legs and face were getting skinner that they didn't care I still had a podgy stomach!. I was so fat no one could tell I was even pregnant!. Then this is me a fortnight after Laney was born. See the weight difference!. Then this is a photograph of me holding Laney a few weeks old. My parents don't know I have this. I went to see her at my Aunt Miranda's and she suggested she take a photograph" Sara said.
Catherine looked at the photographs over and over and commented,
"Your bump still wasn't very big! - I'm not saying I don't believe you! - I do believe you!. I'm just saying - I can understand how they just thought it was you being podgy!. No one ever suspected you could pregnant anyway! - you were so young!. Oh gees! - Look at you! - your just a baby!. Your right! - you poor thing! - you make one mistake when your too young to know any better and your life changes!" Catherine exclaimed.
"Exactly!. Such a little action! - such a big consequence!. I just didn't realise what I was letting myself in for at the time!" Sara exclaimed.
"You said you told the father right?" Catherine asked.
"Yeah! - you wanna know the best part?. Seven months after our little exchange of bodily fluids - he got put away in juvenile jail for stealing a car and crashing it into some old lady" Sara commented.
"No!. Darn!" Catherine exclaimed about the situation.
"The old lady died. If I thought he was a pig before prison then you should have seen him after he'd been in it eighteen years!. Prison made him such a bastard!. Heroin addict, violent thug and bully!. His sentence wasn't eighteen years but he committed so much inside!. Mainly it got extended because he assaulted this guy inside - He was bullying people into doing things for him and this guy he wouldn't!. He went in there a rascal and he came out a fully fledged criminal thug!. Anyway, he was released three weeks ago. I went and saw him and told him about Alaney and how I abandoned her but now she's part of my life again. But he just didn't want to know!. Hell! I don't even want her to know him!. He'll probably be back in prison in no time the way he's going!. But now it looks like she needs him! - And I don't think he's going to be tested for her!. Pig!. I've called up all the relatives from camp cuckoo who know about her and their coming. But my parents! - well, they haven't decided yet! - I don't think my dad will come - and so my mum won't!" Sara said.
"What?. Can't she decide herself?!?" Catherine exclaimed.
"Apparently not!. Oh don't get me started on them!. My mum just wants to keep my dad happy so she does everything to keep him happy!. And if he doesn't like something she quietly supports the protest against it!. It's complicated!. Just forget it!" Sara commented.
"But their her grandparents!" Catherine exclaimed.
"They don't see it that it that way!. My mom's really good at denial! - like if she denies Alaney exists then Alaney will simply go away like she doesn't exist!" Sara commented.
"So that kind of explains why they didn't raise her as her own!" Catherine commented.
"What?" Sara asked surprised.
"Well, it would be the logical solution. You get to see her and etcetera" Catherine said.
"No!. They couldn't pass her off as their own because my mum can't suddenly have a child out the blue!. And if we suddenly acquired a child out the blue in the family people would talk and question where it came from - and if they dug too deep they might find out it was mine!. If we put her in care then the authorities might ask questions. So when my Aunt Miranda offered to take her it seemed perfect!" Sara explained.
"What's wrong with people eventually finding out?. I thought your parents were laid back!" Catherine asked.
"I found out they have their own prudish tendencies!. Like I said - their laid back until their fourteen year old gets pregnant then their wracked with shame!. It was the fact that if my grandparents found out I got pregnant then they'd stop their money. My grandparents are Catholic and socialites and if it was found out that their granddaughter was a gymslip mother then they'd be ex-communicated from both their church and society!. So that would lead my grandparents to cut us off for shaming them and because my parents let me turn into a slut because of their laid back ways of bringing me up. So suddenly, my non-materialistic parents became quite concerned with having lots of money!. They were so used to having to do hardly anything and getting hundreds of thousands in return! - they were living very comfortably!. They had millions at their fingers at the drop of a hat!. My grandparents could never find out the truth!. Of course, there was my welfare too - they said they were worried about the shame for me, about whether I'd get into an ivy league university - the fact that if I didn't go to a private high school I might not get into an ivy league uni - and on top of that how would we pay for uni if I couldn't get a scholarship there?. I didn't want her either!. So Alaney was sent away and denied! - I didn't have much say in it even! - and we hardly spoke, about her being my child, ever again!" Sara explained.
Sara sighed.
"Can we go back to the hospital now?. I'm dying to see, Laney" Sara said.
"Sure. So am I!. Back then I've got to go home soon" Catherine replied.
"Sure" Sara replied.
When they got to the hospital they immediately went into Laney's room to check on her. Catherine observed how much Sara loved that girl now.
"I have to pinch myself everyday because I can't believe she's mine!. I thought she was an omen but now she makes me so happy!. She's so amazing!" Sara exclaimed.
"She definitely is. Have you seen how much she's changed Grissom? - she's got a gift!" Catherine said.
"You know that song my cousin released called Everything. That's about Laney!. I was so in love with her but I just couldn't have her!. So I used to write songs about her with my cousin Michelle" Sara said.
Sara sat down next to Laney on her bed. She started stroking Laney's face and singing Michelle's single to Laney,
"Turn it inside out so I can see / the part of you that's drifting over me / and when I wake up you're never there / but when I sleep your everywhere / Cos your everywhere to me / and when I close my eyes it's you I see / you're everything I know / that makes me believe / I'm not alone / And when I touch your hand / It's then I understand / the beauty that's within / it's now that we begin / you always light my way / I hope there never comes a day / no matter where I go / I always feel you so" Sara sang.
"It's getting late. Hey Sara, sorry but I better go check on my own daughter - before she forgets what I look like!" Catherine said.
Sara laughed
"I promise I'll be back later!" Catherine said as she was getting up.
"O.k." Sara said without looking at Catherine.
Catherine came over and gave Sara a hug and said,
"I'm so glad we talked!. Thank you for letting me into this!".
"No! - Thank you for listening!. Thank you!" Sara said.
"I'm so glad you guys are getting along now!. I'll be back later, o.k.?" Catherine said heartfully.
Sara nodded and as soon as Catherine left Sara looked back at Laney and started singing to her again.
"Cause I still love you like I did before / I know for sure that you still feel the same way I do / If only she knew!" Sara sang.
"That's 'If only she knew?' - Remember that song - that was about you!" Sara commented to an unconscious Laney.
"Love took me by the hand / Love took me by surprise / Love led me to you and love opened up my eyes" Sara sang a different song.
"That's 'drop in the ocean'. That was inspired by my love for you!. I wrote loads of songs about you!. Hey, guess what?. I wrote this letter to Shelly about a month ago. I wrote some song words for these two songs about you and our present situation. And she made them into proper songs and their going to be on her next album!. The first one is called 'Here with me'. I'll sing it to you!" Sara said to Laney.
"It's been a long long time since I looked into the mirror / I guess that I was blind now my reflection's getting clearer / Now that you're gone things will never be the same again! / There's not a minute that goes by every hour of every ay / your such a part of me but I just pulled away / Well, I'm not the same girl you used to know / I wish I said the words I never showed / I know you had to go away I died just a little / and I feel it now / you're the one I need" Sara sang.
"Then there's a song called 'I'd rather be in love'. It goes - I cannot help it / I couldn't stop it if I tried / the same old heartbeat / fills the emptiness I have inside /and I've heard you can't fight love so I won't complain / cause why would I stop the fire that keeps me going? / Cause when there's you I feel whole / and there's no better feeling in the world / but without you I'm alone / and I'd rather be in love with you / Turn out the lights now / To see is to believe / I just want you near me / I just want you here with me / and I'd give up everything for you / it's the least that I can do!/ Why are we afraid to be in love?" Sara sung.
Sara was interrupted by a nurse entering.
"Excuse Ma'm. I need you to step outside - I need to check on her and update her chart".
"Oh right. O.k." Sara replied.
Sara stepped outside and sat outside on a bench.
After a few minutes, Sara noticed Lenny and his family coming down the corridor. They were followed by Daven. But what actually surprised her was her parents were behind them. She was over the moon.
"Mom! Dad! - you came!. Oh thank you!. Thank you so much!" Sara said.
"Wait! We haven't decided if we'll be tested yet. We're just here to support you" her dad said.
"Well you shouldn't have bothered coming then!" Sara said.
"Hi gorgeous!" Daven said.
Sara was delighted to see Daven and hugged him. Then she hugged all the rest of her family except her dad.
"I'll talk to him" Libby whispered to her daughter.
The nurse exited Laney's room and Sara went in.
"You guys wait here for a few minutes. We're going to go in and discuss this with, Sara" Libby said.
She went into the room pulling Boby with her.
"I guess it's been made easy for you to kill her now, hey dad?. This is what you want isn't it!. You won't even get charged with murder!" Sara commented, almost sarcastically.
"He doesn't want her dead!" Libby exclaimed.
"I'm just scared, Sara!. What if they find out?" Boby admitted.
"They know I'm the mother. And my colleagues think I'm her sister" Sara admitted.
"You idiot!" Boby exclaimed.
Boby lunged for Sara but Libby stopped him and shouted,
"Watch it!".
Plus there a knock at the window and Lenny and Daven were giving Boby evil looks.
"And to be honest - the doctor knows about her and he said nothing will be done about it!" Sara said.
"And just because she's dead doesn't make it go away!. She can still be of use dead!" Sara said.
"I know!. This kind of dead is no use!. I need dead and never find her body!" Boby commented casually.
"Boby!" Libby exclaimed shocked.
"Now you listen up!. If you don't go and get yourself tested then I will toddle down to that police station myself!. And you know what the sentence is in Nevada! - it's worse than California!" Libby exclaimed.
"You wouldn't!" Boby exclaimed.
"I would!" Libby replied.
Boby stormed out.
"He'll come around" Libby commented
"Thanks mom!. What you just did - it means a lot to me!" Sara said.
Libby and Sara hugged.
An hour passed and Boby was no where to be found. No one really cared though. Everyone got in to see Alaney. Finally an hour later, Sara was left alone with Alaney while Libby sat outside and the others had gone to the canteen for something to eat. Boby approached up the corridor. Libby saw him and acknowledged him. He looked through the glass to Laney's room and watched Sara with Laney. He could tell she really loved that kid.
"She really loves her doesn't she?" Boby commented.
"It doesn't matter how much we dislike or ignore it - it doesn't stop the fact that she really loves her!" Libby commented.
"Oh! Why did she have to get pregnant?!?" Boby sighed frustrated.
"Because actions have consequences, Boby! - it's the universe!" Libby said.
"We'll both make trouble if you don't - and you know it!. This is the most safe option for you, Boby!" Libby said.
Boby sighed.
"Come on" he said.
He went into Laney's room followed by Libby. Sara looked up.
"Look!. Pumpkin!. I couldn't give two hoots for that thing - BUT! - you love her for some strange reason!. And I love you!" Boby said.
"What!?!. You don't love me!" Sara laughed.
"I do!. So here's the deal. You love her but I don't. But because I love you and you love her - I'm going be tested!. Because I love you and because you want her to live!" Boby said.
"Really?!?" Sara screamed excitedly.
"Thank you!. Thank you!. Thank you!" Sara exclaimed as she ran over and hugged Boby.
"My head was really messed up. I wasn't fitting in in my home community but most importantly I wasn't fitting in at school. At least in camp cuckoo they still interacted with me even though I didn't fit in!. I didn't have many friends at school and even the ones I had I knew didn't mean anything!. We were the science nerds! - We were nothings! - and I felt a failure at not only being a science nerd but also at being friends of nerds!. I started to get bullied by the popular kids!. My head just became such a mess!. I got really desperate for things to change!" Sara explained.
Sara sighed and rubbed her hands in her face in stress. Then Catherine rubbed Sara's arm in support and Sara carried on explaining,
"I figured maybe if I lost weight I'd be more popular! - So I started to make myself throw up. Then one day I was round a friend's house having dinner and her older brother caught me. He asked why I was doing this to myself and I explained that I wanted to become more popular and all the popular ones were thin!" Sara said.
Sara began to cry.
"He seemed so nice to me!. What I didn't realise was all he was after was sex!. He was seventeen - he was repeating ninth grade and so all the girls he knew were sixteen - and they were old enough to know they didn't want sex with him - they knew his reputation!. And he'd been through all the girls who'd be prepared to sleep with him. I was only thirteen at the time!. I was so gullible to his charms!" Sara sobbed.
Sara burst out into floods of tears and Catherine came round and comforted her.
"Did he rape you?. I knew you wouldn't do that, Sara!. Oh! It all makes sense!. He did didn't he?" Catherine probed.
"No! - He didn't!. I fully agreed!. I'm just so ashamed!. It was such a big mistake!" Sara exclaimed.
Sara calmed down and wiped away her tears.
"He told me that it had this really good idea! - of how to make me popular!. He was really popular at school. The high school and middle school were joined - they were next to each other - they were practically one school!. So everyone knew he was popular!. He got the popularity because of his reputation as a rebel and a rule breaker. It really boosted his rep to have to repeat ninth grade! - He had no shame! - He actually got street cred for not studying!. He had this plan where we should have sex and then he'd arrange it so that someone caught us at it. Then it would go round both our schools and then we'd pretend to be going out and everyone would think I was really cool cos I was dating him!. It would really contradict their idea of me being a prudish geek!. But it didn't quite turn out that way!" Sara confessed.
"Oh Sara!. You idiot!. What a pig!. Let me guess you got labelled a slut?. Or no one even found out?" Catherine commented.
"Thankfully the latter!. No one caught us! - and no one found out - and I later found out that was no accident. He said it was just sex! - he said he would never admit to it happening to anyone!. And I confronted him he didn't admit to it!. He used me and he meant to!. It never crossed my mind that he'd ditch me afterwards!. He so nice!. No! - in the lead up to this great event I didn't think he might be lying!. I was thinking - Gees! Am I ready for this?!?. And I thought sod it! - I was tired of playing it safe!. I figured it would make me really cool! - even cool to myself!. My parents had always subliminally suggested I was uptight and everyone else did - I didn't smoke when other kids did! - I didn't date or kiss boys! - I didn't drink or do cannabis! - I was convinced that ever 8th grader bar me and my friends were drinking, smoking and having sex 24/7 - and actually the boy told me confirmed that to me himself when I asked him!. I wanted to live a bit! - you know! - Prove everyone wrong!. I didn't give too much thought to the consequences - I knew you could get pregnant but I had also heard all the rumours about how you couldn't the first time! - or if you did it up against a wall - so that's what we did!" Sara confessed.
"Oh Sara!. Oh gees!" Catherine exclaimed stressed.
"It was horrible!. Everyone went on about sex like it was great! - Everyone went on about how wonderful your first time is and I just! - I just! - oh gees! - what a let down!. Then as soon as it happened he rejected me!. He told me I was rubbish! - and that he would never tell anyone what had happened because he was ashamed of me!. Then when I confronted him! - he publicly humiliated me in front of the whole male population of his locker room. He made my life absolute hell after that. He encouraged the teasing and bullied me personally. That went on for five months after that it died out. I was so glad it was over! - I just wanted to forget it and go back to being safe reliable me!. I never thought it would caught me up and bite me!. I never considered I might be pregnant!. I was told you couldn't get pregnant after your first time or up a wall! - so I was double protected. I just wanted to forget it had ever happened and move on!. It was just one mistake and now I've been paying for it for the rest of my life!. After she was born, I tried to forget her!. I was only pregnant for one day technically! - I was only a mother for one day!. But I held her and then I grew up with her - and I just couldn't forget that I made her!. And growing up - She was wondrous! - She just seemed like the most beautiful, most brilliant person in the world. No one else mattered or compared to her!" Sara admitted.
Sara reached into her handbag and got out this box. Inside it was some photographs. Sara got one out and showed Catherine.
"That's her when she was four years old. She's beautiful isn't she?" Sara commented.
Catherine looked at the photo of Alaney.
"She definitely is!. I can't believe how healthy she turned out after you had an eating disorder!. And she's so tall now!" Catherine commented.
"I know!. I couldn't believe it!. There's hardly any wrong with her! - she was a perfectly healthy bouncing baby girl. She wasn't very small but she wasn't that big either - and now! - she just suddenly had this growth spurt at puberty - she shot up!. Plus she eats so much! - she wasn't born big!" Sara commented.
"She isn't big now!" Catherine exclaimed.
"No, I know!. I just mean she's so tall now!. And I was so much fatter than her when I got an eating disorder!. I have a picture here actually. This is me when I was aged 10" Sara commented.
Sara showed Catherine the picture. Catherine couldn't believe how podgy Sara was then and how skinny she is now!. Catherine pushed the photograph away and sighed.
"Look Sara. I'm sorry to say this - but I need to check. You are telling me the truth aren't you?. It's just you lied to Grissom about her being your sister - and you've lied other times in the past. I just need to check!" Catherine asked.
Sara looked uncomfortable suddenly.
"Telling the truth about what?. I AM Laney's mother!. I'm not lying!. Look I have these pictures to prove it!. The dates are even on the back!. This is me eight months pregnant - this is me ten years old - see how there's not much difference!. Everyone was so relieved my arms, legs and face were getting skinner that they didn't care I still had a podgy stomach!. I was so fat no one could tell I was even pregnant!. Then this is me a fortnight after Laney was born. See the weight difference!. Then this is a photograph of me holding Laney a few weeks old. My parents don't know I have this. I went to see her at my Aunt Miranda's and she suggested she take a photograph" Sara said.
Catherine looked at the photographs over and over and commented,
"Your bump still wasn't very big! - I'm not saying I don't believe you! - I do believe you!. I'm just saying - I can understand how they just thought it was you being podgy!. No one ever suspected you could pregnant anyway! - you were so young!. Oh gees! - Look at you! - your just a baby!. Your right! - you poor thing! - you make one mistake when your too young to know any better and your life changes!" Catherine exclaimed.
"Exactly!. Such a little action! - such a big consequence!. I just didn't realise what I was letting myself in for at the time!" Sara exclaimed.
"You said you told the father right?" Catherine asked.
"Yeah! - you wanna know the best part?. Seven months after our little exchange of bodily fluids - he got put away in juvenile jail for stealing a car and crashing it into some old lady" Sara commented.
"No!. Darn!" Catherine exclaimed about the situation.
"The old lady died. If I thought he was a pig before prison then you should have seen him after he'd been in it eighteen years!. Prison made him such a bastard!. Heroin addict, violent thug and bully!. His sentence wasn't eighteen years but he committed so much inside!. Mainly it got extended because he assaulted this guy inside - He was bullying people into doing things for him and this guy he wouldn't!. He went in there a rascal and he came out a fully fledged criminal thug!. Anyway, he was released three weeks ago. I went and saw him and told him about Alaney and how I abandoned her but now she's part of my life again. But he just didn't want to know!. Hell! I don't even want her to know him!. He'll probably be back in prison in no time the way he's going!. But now it looks like she needs him! - And I don't think he's going to be tested for her!. Pig!. I've called up all the relatives from camp cuckoo who know about her and their coming. But my parents! - well, they haven't decided yet! - I don't think my dad will come - and so my mum won't!" Sara said.
"What?. Can't she decide herself?!?" Catherine exclaimed.
"Apparently not!. Oh don't get me started on them!. My mum just wants to keep my dad happy so she does everything to keep him happy!. And if he doesn't like something she quietly supports the protest against it!. It's complicated!. Just forget it!" Sara commented.
"But their her grandparents!" Catherine exclaimed.
"They don't see it that it that way!. My mom's really good at denial! - like if she denies Alaney exists then Alaney will simply go away like she doesn't exist!" Sara commented.
"So that kind of explains why they didn't raise her as her own!" Catherine commented.
"What?" Sara asked surprised.
"Well, it would be the logical solution. You get to see her and etcetera" Catherine said.
"No!. They couldn't pass her off as their own because my mum can't suddenly have a child out the blue!. And if we suddenly acquired a child out the blue in the family people would talk and question where it came from - and if they dug too deep they might find out it was mine!. If we put her in care then the authorities might ask questions. So when my Aunt Miranda offered to take her it seemed perfect!" Sara explained.
"What's wrong with people eventually finding out?. I thought your parents were laid back!" Catherine asked.
"I found out they have their own prudish tendencies!. Like I said - their laid back until their fourteen year old gets pregnant then their wracked with shame!. It was the fact that if my grandparents found out I got pregnant then they'd stop their money. My grandparents are Catholic and socialites and if it was found out that their granddaughter was a gymslip mother then they'd be ex-communicated from both their church and society!. So that would lead my grandparents to cut us off for shaming them and because my parents let me turn into a slut because of their laid back ways of bringing me up. So suddenly, my non-materialistic parents became quite concerned with having lots of money!. They were so used to having to do hardly anything and getting hundreds of thousands in return! - they were living very comfortably!. They had millions at their fingers at the drop of a hat!. My grandparents could never find out the truth!. Of course, there was my welfare too - they said they were worried about the shame for me, about whether I'd get into an ivy league university - the fact that if I didn't go to a private high school I might not get into an ivy league uni - and on top of that how would we pay for uni if I couldn't get a scholarship there?. I didn't want her either!. So Alaney was sent away and denied! - I didn't have much say in it even! - and we hardly spoke, about her being my child, ever again!" Sara explained.
Sara sighed.
"Can we go back to the hospital now?. I'm dying to see, Laney" Sara said.
"Sure. So am I!. Back then I've got to go home soon" Catherine replied.
"Sure" Sara replied.
When they got to the hospital they immediately went into Laney's room to check on her. Catherine observed how much Sara loved that girl now.
"I have to pinch myself everyday because I can't believe she's mine!. I thought she was an omen but now she makes me so happy!. She's so amazing!" Sara exclaimed.
"She definitely is. Have you seen how much she's changed Grissom? - she's got a gift!" Catherine said.
"You know that song my cousin released called Everything. That's about Laney!. I was so in love with her but I just couldn't have her!. So I used to write songs about her with my cousin Michelle" Sara said.
Sara sat down next to Laney on her bed. She started stroking Laney's face and singing Michelle's single to Laney,
"Turn it inside out so I can see / the part of you that's drifting over me / and when I wake up you're never there / but when I sleep your everywhere / Cos your everywhere to me / and when I close my eyes it's you I see / you're everything I know / that makes me believe / I'm not alone / And when I touch your hand / It's then I understand / the beauty that's within / it's now that we begin / you always light my way / I hope there never comes a day / no matter where I go / I always feel you so" Sara sang.
"It's getting late. Hey Sara, sorry but I better go check on my own daughter - before she forgets what I look like!" Catherine said.
Sara laughed
"I promise I'll be back later!" Catherine said as she was getting up.
"O.k." Sara said without looking at Catherine.
Catherine came over and gave Sara a hug and said,
"I'm so glad we talked!. Thank you for letting me into this!".
"No! - Thank you for listening!. Thank you!" Sara said.
"I'm so glad you guys are getting along now!. I'll be back later, o.k.?" Catherine said heartfully.
Sara nodded and as soon as Catherine left Sara looked back at Laney and started singing to her again.
"Cause I still love you like I did before / I know for sure that you still feel the same way I do / If only she knew!" Sara sang.
"That's 'If only she knew?' - Remember that song - that was about you!" Sara commented to an unconscious Laney.
"Love took me by the hand / Love took me by surprise / Love led me to you and love opened up my eyes" Sara sang a different song.
"That's 'drop in the ocean'. That was inspired by my love for you!. I wrote loads of songs about you!. Hey, guess what?. I wrote this letter to Shelly about a month ago. I wrote some song words for these two songs about you and our present situation. And she made them into proper songs and their going to be on her next album!. The first one is called 'Here with me'. I'll sing it to you!" Sara said to Laney.
"It's been a long long time since I looked into the mirror / I guess that I was blind now my reflection's getting clearer / Now that you're gone things will never be the same again! / There's not a minute that goes by every hour of every ay / your such a part of me but I just pulled away / Well, I'm not the same girl you used to know / I wish I said the words I never showed / I know you had to go away I died just a little / and I feel it now / you're the one I need" Sara sang.
"Then there's a song called 'I'd rather be in love'. It goes - I cannot help it / I couldn't stop it if I tried / the same old heartbeat / fills the emptiness I have inside /and I've heard you can't fight love so I won't complain / cause why would I stop the fire that keeps me going? / Cause when there's you I feel whole / and there's no better feeling in the world / but without you I'm alone / and I'd rather be in love with you / Turn out the lights now / To see is to believe / I just want you near me / I just want you here with me / and I'd give up everything for you / it's the least that I can do!/ Why are we afraid to be in love?" Sara sung.
Sara was interrupted by a nurse entering.
"Excuse Ma'm. I need you to step outside - I need to check on her and update her chart".
"Oh right. O.k." Sara replied.
Sara stepped outside and sat outside on a bench.
After a few minutes, Sara noticed Lenny and his family coming down the corridor. They were followed by Daven. But what actually surprised her was her parents were behind them. She was over the moon.
"Mom! Dad! - you came!. Oh thank you!. Thank you so much!" Sara said.
"Wait! We haven't decided if we'll be tested yet. We're just here to support you" her dad said.
"Well you shouldn't have bothered coming then!" Sara said.
"Hi gorgeous!" Daven said.
Sara was delighted to see Daven and hugged him. Then she hugged all the rest of her family except her dad.
"I'll talk to him" Libby whispered to her daughter.
The nurse exited Laney's room and Sara went in.
"You guys wait here for a few minutes. We're going to go in and discuss this with, Sara" Libby said.
She went into the room pulling Boby with her.
"I guess it's been made easy for you to kill her now, hey dad?. This is what you want isn't it!. You won't even get charged with murder!" Sara commented, almost sarcastically.
"He doesn't want her dead!" Libby exclaimed.
"I'm just scared, Sara!. What if they find out?" Boby admitted.
"They know I'm the mother. And my colleagues think I'm her sister" Sara admitted.
"You idiot!" Boby exclaimed.
Boby lunged for Sara but Libby stopped him and shouted,
"Watch it!".
Plus there a knock at the window and Lenny and Daven were giving Boby evil looks.
"And to be honest - the doctor knows about her and he said nothing will be done about it!" Sara said.
"And just because she's dead doesn't make it go away!. She can still be of use dead!" Sara said.
"I know!. This kind of dead is no use!. I need dead and never find her body!" Boby commented casually.
"Boby!" Libby exclaimed shocked.
"Now you listen up!. If you don't go and get yourself tested then I will toddle down to that police station myself!. And you know what the sentence is in Nevada! - it's worse than California!" Libby exclaimed.
"You wouldn't!" Boby exclaimed.
"I would!" Libby replied.
Boby stormed out.
"He'll come around" Libby commented
"Thanks mom!. What you just did - it means a lot to me!" Sara said.
Libby and Sara hugged.
An hour passed and Boby was no where to be found. No one really cared though. Everyone got in to see Alaney. Finally an hour later, Sara was left alone with Alaney while Libby sat outside and the others had gone to the canteen for something to eat. Boby approached up the corridor. Libby saw him and acknowledged him. He looked through the glass to Laney's room and watched Sara with Laney. He could tell she really loved that kid.
"She really loves her doesn't she?" Boby commented.
"It doesn't matter how much we dislike or ignore it - it doesn't stop the fact that she really loves her!" Libby commented.
"Oh! Why did she have to get pregnant?!?" Boby sighed frustrated.
"Because actions have consequences, Boby! - it's the universe!" Libby said.
"We'll both make trouble if you don't - and you know it!. This is the most safe option for you, Boby!" Libby said.
Boby sighed.
"Come on" he said.
He went into Laney's room followed by Libby. Sara looked up.
"Look!. Pumpkin!. I couldn't give two hoots for that thing - BUT! - you love her for some strange reason!. And I love you!" Boby said.
"What!?!. You don't love me!" Sara laughed.
"I do!. So here's the deal. You love her but I don't. But because I love you and you love her - I'm going be tested!. Because I love you and because you want her to live!" Boby said.
"Really?!?" Sara screamed excitedly.
"Thank you!. Thank you!. Thank you!" Sara exclaimed as she ran over and hugged Boby.