When she came back for Penny. She DID look like she was trying to change........ Remember, after she almost slapped Penny, she had this "oh my god, what did I almost do?" and burst into tears and told Penny she was sorry... (She never used to have any remorse for attempting to hurt Penny before, except after the end of the third episode of Evans Get Involved, where she left and said Penny would be better off without her.) And seeing that Penny loved Willona and vice versa, she quietly left..................................

I think it still showed that Mrs. Gordon still had an abusive side to her.