Josephine had a good stare-down with Max and then went back to her own room. She closed the door and waited, listening intently. She heard Max shut the back door and went back to the office that was now Max's "bedroom" Josephine had set up for her. Josephine felt a weight lift from her chest. She really took a liking to Max, even though she'd been in her house for only a short time. Most nine year olds she knew gave lip, namely her niece, even though she was eight. What a mouth that girl had! But Max was more serene. She barely spoke but anyone with half a brain could tell by the girl's eyes that something worthy of intelligence was going on inside that shaved head of hers.

The next morning brought rain. Good thing it was Saturday or Josephine would have a bone to pick with someone, namely her boss. She woke up at ten-thirty and went into the kitchen, her red hair mussed around her face and shuffling in her ancient pink fuzzy slippers. She nearly forgot about Max until she spotted the little imp already sitting at the kitchen table where they had enjoyed milk and cookies the night before. Josephine poured herself a cup of coffee and took a long drink before speaking.

"Good morning," Josephine greeted. "How'd you sleep."

"Warm," was all Max would say and didn't care to elaborate.

"That's good," Josephine yawned. "Are you hungry? Would you like for me to make you breakfast?"

Max nodded. She hugged her knees close to her chest and tucked her toes underneath the long T-shirt she had slept in.

"Hmm," Josephine opened her refrigerator and peered inside. Good, eggs were present. She took two out of the carton and placed them carefully on the counter. She got a cooking pan out of the pantry and turned on the stove. Max became interested and wandered over to see what Josephine was doing.

"I'm guessing you've never seen a stove before?"

Max shook her head.

"Do you have a telephone at your house? I think your Momma and Daddy will miss you if you stay away for so long…you should call them."

Max pursed her lips.

"No telephone either. When are you getting home?"

Max shrugged. "No home."

Oh boy, Josephine thought. "No home? Are you running away, Max?"

Slowly but surely, Max nodded.

Holy shit I have a runaway fugitive in my house! "Where are you running from?"

"Home."

"What did your momma and daddy do that was so bad?"

"No momma or daddy."

Josephine stopped what she was doing and looked straight into Max's eyes. "Max…what are you saying?"

"I have to go," Max turned to leave but Josephine was quicker. She grabbed the girl's arm and whirled her around.

"I know you don't know me very well and I don't know you, but I know you well enough to know that you are not making any sense. Tell me what you're talking about—please. I can help you." Josephine turned off the stove with her free hand. With the other, she took Max by the hand and lead her to the living room. "You're going to sit down on the couch and tell me everything before I keep you in this house for a moment more. I want to hear everything, Max—the barcode, the shaved head, the 'no home, no parents' thing…let's go, spit it out." Josephine sat Max on the couch and pulled up an ottoman from her favorite armchair and sat on it so she and Max could be eye-level.

"I don't take orders anymore," Max said defiantly. "From anyone."

"Oh? Oh, yeah? Well, we'll see about that, missy. I can pick up my telephone right now and call Social Services and they'll come get you and put you in some orphanage. Now I can either do that and you'll be shipped off to foster care, or you can tell me the truth and if you do that you can stay with me for as long as you'd like."

"Truth is not the issue," Max narrowed her eyes. "It is trust."

"Well, aren't you the little diplomat, huh? Yeah trust is involved here and I trust that you will give me the truth about you and your past and your future. Now c'mon, let's go. Spit it out."

"If you keep prodding me," Max glared at Josephine. "I will never tell you and I do not care where I end up now." She crossed her arms over her chest.

"Yes you do. You don't want to go back where you came from, right?"

Max uncrossed her arms and sat on her hands. Josephine blew her bangs out of her face. "Okay, fine. We don't have to talk. We can sit right here all day and just stare at each other okay? Sound like fun?"

They sat in silence for five minutes until Max saw Josephine wasn't kidding.

"I will talk," Max said reluctantly. "But you have to believe everything I say."

Josephine almost laughed. "Honey, after what's happened so far, you don't have to persuade me to believe anything."