After Headlines

9: Penny

Bexley milled around the room that she and the others had set up for this young girl. Bexley hardly knew a thing about her.

" Bex." Josh leaned against the doorframe.  After a few more weeks of classes and getting the others background checks and whatnot, they were finally getting a young girl placed with them.

" Yeah?" She turned to Josh with a smile. Ben, Cara, and JoJo were out getting groceries for dinner. They were getting the old gang back together to welcome this young girl. Nobody else, just the original six.

" You okay?" Josh gave her a small smile.

" Yeah." She nodded, walking over to him. She winded her arms around his waist, laying her head against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, burying his nose in her blonde hair.

" I love you." He casually reminded her.

" I know. I love you too." She beamed at him.

" We're back!" JoJo shouted. The couple separated and made their way down the hall.

" Did you find a lost Sky on your way?" Bexley ruffled Sky's red hair.

" Doesn't that always happen?" Cara replied coyly. Ben hid his laugh behind a cough.

" Anyway, what's for dinner?" Josh began to help unpack.

" Spaghetti and garlic bread sound good?" JoJo asked over her shoulder as she stocked a cabinet.

" Sounds great." Bexley smiled.

" Oh guys, just so we're all aware. She's allergic to pineapple." Josh stated quickly.

" Just pineapple?" Cara made a face.

" That's what we were told." Bexley nodded.

" Wild." JoJo shrugged.

Knock knock

" And that would be them." Josh jumped up.

" I would say act natural but, we all know how far that'd go." Bexley called as she and Josh made their way to the door.

Bexley opened the door to reveal a young girl and a woman. The girl held a black garbage bag in her hands.

" You must be Josh and Bexley." The woman held out a hand.

" Yes, you must be Shannon." Bexley shook her hand, followed by Josh.

" I am. And this is Penelope." Shannon smiled down at the girl.

" Hey Penelope." Josh grinned. She gave him a shy smile in return.

" Shall we go in?" Bexley opened the walkway, leading them to the table.

" These are our roommates that are practically siblings. That's JoJo, Ben, Sky, and Cara." Bexley pointed to each individual who had been working around each other in the kitchen.

" These are the people who would occasionally be watching Penelope?" Shannon questioned.

" Yea, is that okay?" Josh asked somewhat fearfully.

" Yes, of course." Shannon grinned.

After a few minutes of talking to Shannon and finalizing everything they were seeing Shannon out the door.

" Bye, sweet girl. I'll see you in a few days to check in." Shannon waved to Penelope. Penelope gave a shy wave, hugging her bag to her chest.

Josh and Bexley turned back to Penelope.

" Do you wanna see your room?" Josh knelt down in front of her, making him a lot less intimidating. Penelope gave a small nod, reaching to take Josh's outstretched hand.

The others watched quietly as Josh lead the girl down the hall. Bexley paused to watch how cute it was before following.

" Do you like it?" Bexley leaned against the doorframe as Penelope looked around her room.

" Yeah." Penelope smiled.

" Want help unpacking?" Josh asked. Penelope froze before giving a timid nod.

Bexley sat down on the small bed while Josh carefully helped Penelope unpack her few belongings.

" Hey, Penelope, we're having spaghetti for dinner, does that sound good?" Bexley leaned forward. Penelope perked up before nodding enthusiastically.

" Great, because dinner's ready." JoJo appeared at the doorway.

" Wonderful." Bexley grinned.

They all sat around the table, each keeping Penelope as much in the conversation as she was comfortable with.

" Now, Penelope," Ben started," this is very important. Do you eat spaghetti with parmesan cheese or not?"

" Parmesan." Penelope said firmly.

" Yes." Sky high fived her.

After dinner, Penelope offered to help clean up. Which turned into her sitting on the counter watching Josh do dishes while she, Ben, and Sky shared a box of Oreos.

" What-how?" JoJo walked into the kitchen.

" Beats me." Josh laughed.

" Well, now's a good time to give you your gift then." Cara walked in with a gift bag. Bexley followed, hugging herself to Josh's side as he turned to face Penelope.

Penelope carefully took the bag Cara had handed her. She paused, looking to Bexley and Josh for confirmation.

" It's a gift to you from us all." Bexley nodded. Penelope slowly began pulling out tissue paper until she pulled out a stuffed elephant. It was light pink and incredibly soft. Her face broke into a wide grin.

" You like it?" Ben smiled. She nodded excitedly, her Thank you was muffled from it's synthetic fur as she hugged it.

" I've never gotten something like this." Penelope said casually as she hugged her elephant. What she didn't realize was that single statement just broke everyone's hearts.

" Well, be prepared to be spoiled." Cara smiled.

" Thank you." Penelope repeated.

" Come on, I thinks it's time to get you to bed." Josh lifted her off the counter.

" Okay. Night night." Penelope waved to the others. After a chorus of good nights they headed down to her hall.

Bexley went through her nearly empty drawers looking for a set of pajamas. The one pair she did come across was clearly too small.

" I think JoJo, Cara, and I wanted to take you shopping tomorrow. I know we all need to get stuff too." Bexley said after Penelope got changed.

" Okay." She nodded as she climbed into bed. One thing Bexley learned from being in the system was, 'We're gonna get you new clothes' comes off more demeaning than it's meant to.

" Josh and I will be right in there," Bexley pointed to their bedroom door, which happened to be right outside Penelope's, " And Cara, Ben, and JoJo will also be down the hall."

" Not Sky?" Penelope titled her head.

" Sky has his own apartment." Josh replied.

" Ooooh." Penelope nodded.

" Okay, you okay for tonight?" Bexley tucked her in.

" Yeah." Penelope smiled tiredly.

" Night Penelope." Josh smoothed her hair back.

" Penny." She said quickly.

" What?" Bexley knit her eyebrows.

" Call me Penny." She grinned.

" Good night Penny." Bexley pressed a kiss to her forehead before joining Josh at the door.

" Sweet dreams." Josh called, flicking off the lights.