I fell asleep happy that night.

I finally had the one thing that had been missing, the love of a family.

Olivia and I were a family.

She woke me up the next morning and we ate before heading out to spend the day together.

I hadn't had that much fun with her in a long time.
I felt like I was as important to her as her job was.

We shopped and went to eat lunch at a restaurant and then headed home around three.

We put all of our stuff away and I walked into the kitchen to get a snack and Olivia was putting on her coat.

She handed me mine and said," Come on, Elliot called…he said it was urgent. Grab your books."

I went with her. I wasn't very happy, but it was her job, and I was finally accepting that what she was doing was sometimes more important than I was.

Not to say that was an easy lesson to learn, but I was growing up…we both were.

I sat at her desk and did homework while she talked to Elliot.

She walked over and grabbed some stuff from her desk and said," I have to go now, Heather is on her way to get you. I'll see you later."

I sat there until Heather got there. She took my back to the apartment and we played cards until I finally went to bed.

When I woke up Heather was still there.

She said as I walked into the kitchen," Good morning, Olivia called… she had to work all night last night…she'll be home around lunch. Come on, what do you want to do?"

I asked," Can we go to church?"

She said," Sure we can…I was hoping that's what you would want to do. Go get ready." We went to church and then out to lunch.

Olivia got back to the apartment the same time we did. Heather just let me out and she went home. I walked up with Olivia.

She was exhausted, I could tell.

She sat down on the couch and asked," What do you want to do today?"

I said," Go to bed…I can entertain myself for one afternoon."

She kissed the top of my head and said," Thanks. I'll see you later."

I watched tv and doodled on some paper…it was kind of boring, but I know she really needed to sleep.

I had just started making dinner when she came out of her room.

She made coffee and sat down at the table.
I finished and sat our dinner down.

We ate and then I cleaned up and went to bed.

One Year Later:

My Life

By: Sarah Benson

Things have changed a lot in the last year, not just because I'm growing up, but because my life is so different than it was a year and a half ago. A year and a half ago I was living with my mom, Annie, in a little two-bedroom house in a cozy neighborhood in the suburbs. My name was Sarah Camden, not Sarah Benson, and I was happy. Over last year, my mom died in a car accident, I moved in with my mom's best friend, I was attacked by my step dad, and I was adopted. To any other person this may seem over whelming and crazy, but I love my life now. It wasn't always like that, but I learned that sometimes things change. My mom told me she would be with me forever…and if you had asked me last year, I probably would have told you that I guessed forever didn't last as long as it used too. But not anymore…because my mom is still here…no I can't touch her, but I can still talk to her, I see her in Olivia, and she will forever live in my heart. The accident was the worst and best thing that ever happened to me and Olivia. Two people who hadn't seen much of each other, and who had just lost an important person. Olivia and my mom had known each other for longer than I've been alive; they were best friends. As a child Olivia had been my "Aunt Olivia" now she is the only mother I have. We had to learn a lot about how to be mother and daughter and I had to learn that Olivia's job with the SVU squad was sometimes more important than my whining about a paper I had to write. We've grown to love each other like we did when I was little, and she's learning how to be a mother. Last Christmas she gave me the greatest gift ever; the papers that named her my legal guardian, my adoption papers. Along with a fresh start I got a new name… Sarah Elizabeth Annie Benson…so I guess my mom will live on forever…in me.

I hung my paper on the fridge when I got home. The red A at the top made me proud.

Olivia was working until six.

I had chores to do, but first I wanted to call Heather.

It had become a weekly ritual since she had moved to Kentucky with her husband, and the big news? They're going to have a baby!

I always ask about the baby and she asks about school.

She said she had a question to ask me.

I said," Shoot."

Her reply was not one I was expecting," Can we use your mom's name if it's a girl?"

A smile spread across my face as a tear fell from my eye," Yeah, of course. I know my mom meant a lot to you too. Well…I had better do my chores and my homework. I'll talk to you next week. Bye Heather."

She said," Bye Sarah…I love you."

I said," I love you too," and then hung up.