We all went out together to eat breakfast. There was less tension now that I didn't have to worry about hiding how I felt from Olivia anymore.

After we had finished eating, we went to the storage building and picked out some of my mom's stuff to put up in the apartment. Those boxes had so many memories in them. I saw Olivia crying, but I didn't say anything.

We carried the stuff back to the house and sat it out where we thought it best belonged.

Olivia put my mom's picture back on the fireplace.

I sat there looking at the picture from the couch. Heather walked up and plopped down in the couch beside me.

She said," I hope you had fun today. I'm proud of you."

I looked at her fighting off tears and said," Thanks."

She wiped a tear that had managed to escape from my eye and said," Things will get better with time; it just takes time. Goodnight, I'll see you tomorrow after school."

I shook my head as she got up to leave.

I stayed there looking at the picture until Olivia appeared in front of me.

She said," It's time to get to bed."

I asked," Can't I stay up a little longer?"

She said," No, now, get to bed. You have school in the morning."

I huffed as I got up and walked to me room. I shut the door behind me and didn't wait for Olivia to pray with me. I slid under the covers and pulled them up tightly around me.

I prayed," watch over Olivia and me. Help Olivia to understand why I still need to talk to my mom. Thank you for sending me Heather to take care of me. Amen."

Then, I turned off the light and went to sleep. I heard my door open a few minutes later but I didn't move. I wanted her to think I had already fallen asleep.

She whispered," Good night, I love you."

Why couldn't she say that more when I was awake. I know everyone thinks she's really tough and thick skinned, and she is, but not as much as most people think. I could probably count on one hand the number of people who had ever seen her cry. Though lately I had seen her cry a lot.

I just want things to be like they used to be, and I want my mom.

I woke up the next morning to Olivia yelling," We're late get up!"

When she didn't hear me moving she opened my door and said," Sarah, let's go or you are going to be late for school, and I'm already running late for work."

I said," It's not my fault you oversleep all the time. I'll be ready when I'm ready."

I don't know why I always snapped at Olivia. She had never really deserved most of it, though some of it she did.

She shot me a look at told me I was in big trouble.

She said," Drop the attitude or you're going to be grounded."

I said," I don't have an attitude. It isn't my fault you're late! I didn't do anything to make you late!"

She started to walk away and I said," I'll be ready when I'm ready."

She turned back around and said," That's it. You're grounded! I don't have the time to dish out your punishment now, but you come home right after school, and Heather will know you're in trouble. I expect to find you sitting on this bed when I get home. Is that understood?"

I walked over to my door and shut it right in her face without ever answering.

Great, now I can't go to the cemetery. Not to mention Heather is not going to be happy with what I said to Olivia.

School was bad, as always, and I was in an even worse mood by the time I got home.

I walked in and Heather was sitting at the table reading a magazine.

She said," Olivia called me."

I knew what she was implying and that she was waiting for my reason as to why I had talked to Olivia that way.

I just turned and walked to my room and shut my door.

Olivia would have just left me alone for a while, but not Heather, she didn't even knock, but just walked right in.

I was sitting at the end of my bed facing the window.

She came in and sat down beside me and asked," Why did you talk to Olivia that way?"

I didn't answer her. She took hold of my chin and turned my head to where I was looking into her eyes and asked again," Why did you talk to her that way?"

I sat looking at her but I never answered.

She got up and walked to my door. She said," When you're ready to talk I'll be waiting."

She walked out and shut the door behind her. I hated being in trouble. Heather being mad at me just made me feel worse.

I had to talk to my mom. I just had to get from my room to Olivia's so I could get down the fire escape.

Right about then I heard Heather's phone ring the familiar tone, it was her husband. I knew she would be preoccupied enough that I could get out now.

I crept down the hall and into Olivia's room.

I opened her window and climbed onto the fire escape.

I was gone a little over an hour. I climbed back up the fire escape and stood up facing Olivia's window.

I jumped when I saw Heather standing there in front of the window.

She stepped out of the way and I climbed in. She looked at me and said," Living room, now."

I walked into the living room with her right behind me.