I was just finishing the closet. I didn't like it. I don't know why. But I just didn't like it. I think I messed up. I mean I tried to make it look like Cole's. But I didn't like how everything was in order. I mean I liked the color code of the clothes, but I hated the fact that the shoe's had to be in order. But I guess that's just how everyone like's it. And I wasn't about to fuck that shit up. I was just admiring my work, when a knock sounded on the door.

"Come in." I shouted back. Not even bothering to see who it was.

"Hey sweetie. What are you doing?" Pat asked as she walked into my room. I loved that she knocked. It made me feel like this was really an area that I could control.

"Just finished with my closet. You want to see?" I asked as I pointed towards the closet door.

"Sure!" She said as she walked over to stand in the door way. After a couple minutes of silence she finally spook up. " I like it." I relaxed a little. " But it just doesn't seem like you." She said as she tilted her head.

"What do you mean?" I asked. Did she know that I copied off of Cole?

"I mean everything is organized. It almost looks like Cole's closet." She laughed at that.

Shit she knew. I tried to laugh along with her but she caught me.

"Max." She said putting her hands on my shoulder making me face her. " I know that you saw Cole's closet."

God I feel like its such a crime to look at someone's closet. Do other people feel like this?

"And I want you to know that I don't care what your room looks like, or what you wear, or what you like." I looked at her straight in the eye. But her brown eyes were only filled with love. No tricks, nothing. "I mean have you seen Travis's room?" I shook my head. " That boy's room is like a trash pile. I mean for real! It's gross. But you don't see me kicking him out."

I raised my eyebrows at her statement. Does she know that I fear her sending me back? Of course she does. She has known me since I was born practically. There isn't any doubt that she knows that I'm not acting like myself. I mean I told her I loved my pink room. And I do. Not cause it's pink. But because it's mine.

"I want you to know that I love you for you. Not the you that you are pretending to be. But the you that is the one that I have known for over 14 years." She didn't move her gaze from mine. " I want that Max back. I don't care if someone hates you Max. They can deal with that themselves. And if they do something to you, I know you can kick their ass right?" She smiled at me, and I couldn't help but smile the biggest smile back. This women knew me so well. " If someone hates you, I'll kick their ass. I don't care if your my blood daughter or not. I've always thought of you as mine. Even though your not my blood. I still love you. Hell I practically raised you." Her smile grew. " Don't change and act like you have to fit in with everyone here ok? I want you to be you. The only people who have the power to send you back, is myself, you, and Ben. And when I say you. I mean if you wanted to go back, I would let you. But aside from that there is no way in hell I would let you go back. And Ben loves you. I always told Ben stories about you, in fact it was his idea to adopt you. We asked the kids. But even if they said no. We were still going to adopt you. And you already know that there is no way I'm sending you away. Your stuck here no matter what! Ok? Your my daughter weather you like it or not!"

By the end of her speech I was crying. I swear ever since I came here that's all I do.

"No one hurts my daughter. Ok? Your here to stay no matter what! I've always treated you like I did Hannah and Kaylee. Though I never bought then Ben and Jerry. I always bought them the cheap stuff." She laughed. "Hannah and Kaylee always broke the rules, and though we yelled and grounded them, we never left them. And that's how we are going to treat you. I've grounded you before. Hell you went to jail and all I did was ground you from your phone for three months. And you never went back." She laughed. "Max even though you mess up, your going to get punished. But you are never going to leave this family. Even when you move out. just like Hannah and Kaylee, you better come back and visit me. And if you ever, ever need a place to stay, or anything, you can always move back in. No matter what. Hell I can't tell you how many time Kaylee needed to come back home. I think the longest she was gone was two months, then she came back. And you know what?"

"What?"

"Her bed room never changed when she left. She would always come back, and have her very own room. Just like you." She smiled. " Ok?"

I nodded, and smiled back at her. " Ok."

Her smile brightened. " Good! Now we need you to move rooms."

My face dropped. I had to move rooms? Who was I going to share with? I don't think anyone wanted to share with me. But I wasn't going to make her worry. " Ok. Who am I sharing with?" I asked hoping she would give me my own room again.

"Ok. Listen sweetie. We have over 32 rooms in this house. Mainly cause we have a lot of in-laws. But you never have to worry about sharing a room. The only thing you have to kiss goodbye is that pool side door. This and Travis's room is the only room with that. You can pick any other room you want in the house. Aside from this one. We need to redo something's on this side of the house, and the gas that comes with redoing this isn't good for you. So we are just going to have to move rooms for the school year. Ok. Then if you want you can move back to this one. But you don't have to if you don't want to. Just grab everything you want, and bring it to your new room ok." She let go of my face and gave me a hug.

"Ok." I can't tell you how happy I was to be able to still have my own room. So happy I hugged her back.

"Also one more thing."

"Ok." I said a little hesitantly.

"No more fake Max ok? I won't be having someone being fake under this roof ok?"

God I loved this women. " Ok." I agreed

"I love you Max." She said as she hugged me tighter.

I didn't say anything back. I've hear this word so many times from so many different people. But I never thought I would truly feel anything for the person who said them. Nor did I ever think that I would believe them. But this time I did. And I wasn't afraid.