Burnt Skies

Chapter 4: Crash

✆Season 1, Episode 4✆

Maria opens the door to Athena's police car and gets in, "Whatever your plan is for handling this situation with May, I'd like to know so if I have to back you up to the Captain, I know in advance."

"How'd you know I was going to be here?" Athena asks.

"Michael texted me. Is this a smart move? You two are so close to getting May back."

Athena doesn't answer, just opens the door and gets out, "Okay, I guess that's a plan."

As the two walk to the back of the house where music is playing, Maria watches as the girls panic and start hiding a few things, "Hello, Officers. Is there a problem or something?"

Maria says, "A neighbor called and complained."

"I'm sorry. Was the music too loud?" She doesn't meet Maria's eye and walks a little crooked.

"No, it's the smell they were objecting to," Athena says before Maria can.

"Officer, I promise you, no one here is smoking marijuana."

"Mm. Did I say marijuana?" Athena glances off, taking her sunglasses off, "No, I don't believe I did. No, see, they called to say some skanky teenage ho living up in here, bringing a real stank to the neighborhood. Bringing down the property values and such," The teens watching gasp.

The girl glares at Athena, "Excuse me?"

Athena doesn't even look to the side before calling out, "Georgina Turner, where the hell you think you're going?"

The girl who was trying to walk off turns back, "Uh, hi, Sergeant Grant. Officer Nash."

"Sergeant? Why so formal? You've spent the night at my house, eaten at my table. We go way back. Go on. Tell 'em, Georgina."

Georgina explains, "She's May Grant's mom."

Athena takes another step forward, getting real close to Laila, "My baby was in the hospital because of you. She nearly died. What do you have to say to that?"

Laila looks uncertain for a moment before smiling, "Good. She's a punk-ass slut."

Before anyone can move, Athena is cuffing Laila, "You're under arrest."

"You can't do that!" She scoffs.

Maria moves to look in Laila's bag, where she finds a small little baggy, "Try again. Party's over."

"You two are in so much trouble. My father's an attorney."

"Tax attorney. Trust me, sweetheart, he's not getting you out of this one. You've been swaying since the moment we walked in," Maria tells her, starting to walk away.

Georgina stops them, "Mrs. Grant? Could you tell May I'm sorry?"

Athena shakes her head, "You should tell her yourself."

✆✆✆✆

Maria walks into a tense situation as Athena is facing off against the Creedy's, "Was this about revenge? Is that it? You-you got it in your head that Laila is somehow to blame for your daughter trying to kill herself?"

Athena is quick to stand up, "Don't you talk about my daughter."

"All right, that's enough," Maria interferes, "Your daughter is going through the system. Everything was in order. 911 calls about your daughter and her friends, legal search and entry, clean arrest as well as the texts she sent to May Grant and others. This is not Laila's first time being at the center of a teenager's suicide attempt. We talked to the other parents who came to your with concerns. You two did nothing."