When we got to the house, Aunt Alex climbed out of the car, but I didn't move. She leaned back in and asked," Aren't you going to get out?"

I shook my head no and didn't move.

She walked around and opened my car door. She knelled down beside the door and looked up at me.

I sat perfectly still staring out the windshield down at the beach as tears slowly streamed down my face.

She said," I'm sorry you aren't getting along with your dad yet, but Sarah, you have to give it some time. It will work out. They are you're family."

I said," No they aren't. But I thought I at least had three aunts who loved me and wanted me to be happy, but I guess I really am all alone now."

She said," Sarah, we do love you, and we do want you to be happy."

I asked," Then why can't I stay with you? Why do I have to live with people who never wanted me?"

She pulled me into her arms and said," Because he is your dad and he loves you. You have to give him another chance. It will be okay I promise."

I begged," Please, Aunt Alex, please, let me stay here with you."

She said," You know I love you with all my heart, and I will always love you. SO I need you to do me a favor. Can you do that for me?"

I shook my head yes.

She said," I need you to give him six months. If in six months you still feel the same, Aunt Susan said you can live with her. Okay?"

I finally shook my head yes as tears continued to stream down my face.

The next morning Aunt Alex and I boarded the plane on the cross country flight back to Glen Oak.

When the plane landed, my dad met us at the gate along with Danielle, Kevin, and Lucy.

Danielle hugged me and looked me straight in the eyes and said," Don't ever do that to me again. I woke up and you were gone. I was afraid I had lost you again."

I took a step back towards Aunt Alex when my dad came up. He knelled down on the floor and pulled me into his arms.

I wanted to love him, but he had hurt me so much and I was still hurting so much. I couldn't handle any more hurt.

He said," Let's get you home. Mary is there with Annie making you a cake."

I tried to be happy. I wanted to be happy, but I had built such a big wall around my heart. I didn't want to be hurt anymore. I just wanted to be alone with my aunts because I trusted them.

When we got to the house Annie hugged me when I walked in the door, but I didn't hug back. She was trying to fill my mother's place and that was something I absolutely refused to accept.

Aunt Alex carried her stuff up to my room. Then we all ate cake and I went up to get ready for bed. Mary came into my room and sat down on the bed beside me.

She said," I'm happy your home. I know you're scared and you really don't want to be here, But I love you."

I asked," Then why did you leave me?"

She said," I was so confused then, but can I tell you a secret?"

I shook my head yes, and I saw Aunt Alex appear in the doorway.

She said," Never did a day go by that I didn't regret leaving you and going with dad."

I said," But you call Annie mom."

She said," I know I do, but she's my step mom, and she will never really take mom's place. Don't you ever worry that Annie is taking mom's place because each and every one of us considers only our mom to be our mom. Okay?"

I said," Okay. Good night Mary."

She said as she hugged me," Good night Sarah."