I was released the next day, with instructions to rest.  Dad and Virginia fussed around me till May came to my rescue and sent them off to give me some peace and quiet.  There was no sign of the boys in the house and that helped me relax, though I also felt a little guilty, was I driving them out of their home away from their mum, after all their reason for hating me was based on a lie, one that they now knew the truth of.   Dad had said they were off camping for a week.

I spent two further days resting in my room, before I was allowed to argue my way out, moving to the craft room or kitchen and spending time with May and Virginia during the day. There had been no contact from my mother and when I checked with Virginia she admitted they had not contacted her about what had happened, believing I wouldn't want her to know.  I had shocked Virginia by hugging her tight, when she told me, not realising how much it had bothered me the thought of her finding out what had happened.

I had checked my account and found that mother had already released the block on my access, at least she had kept that promise. When I mentioned it to Dad, he suggested I consider looking for another account, one that mother didn't have access to, I agreed to look but that I wouldn't change it till I was 18, Mother could block the account but not empty it without both our signatures.

Finally the furniture and supplies we had ordered arrived for my studio room and Virginia and May directed the delivery men up to the top floor, bribing them with food and drinks to help move everything into place for me, Tipping them well when they finished and left. May brought us up snacks as Virginia helped me set up the room, ready to use, Thomas removing the packaging for us and staying on hand to make sure we didn't over do it.  Finally by the time Dad came back from work, we were all done and I was excited to show him, and to thank them all.

I had snapped some photos on my phone during the day and added some more of Dad with us, as I had an idea for a surprise thank you gift for them.  Dad had popped into his study after dinner and returned with a record player for me to use in the room and a selection of his old albums, embarrassed at only having 80's Rock albums and his promise to get me something newer.  It had been the tipping point and I had burst into tears in his arms.  My babbling finally making sense to them and we ended up laughing, Thomas and May coming to check on us, shaking their heads and smiling fondly.

The next morning after breakfast I headed upstairs eager to get started on my painting. Spinning around, I grinned, opening the windows, singing along as I set a Guns and Roses Album playing, the music loud enough to shut out everything else as I worked.

By the end of the first album I had sketched the outline to a point I was happy with, and I  was stretching, just as May knocked on the door with a smile and a tray with a jug of juice for me, the ever present plate of biscuits to the side.

"You look happy" she noted and I smiled back at her, waving her into the room.

"I am, for the first time in a long time, I really am" I agreed, watching as she set down the tray.    "I could have come down for that, you didn't need to bring it all the way up here" I scolded her lightly but she waved me off, coming to see what I was working on.

"Oh Miss Anni, that's incredible, they will love it" she praised and I blushed, I was happy with it but to hear her approval made me feel more confident.

"Thank you May" I squeezed her hand "I'm going to do you and Thomas next, if that's okay?" I ask and she nods.

"That would be wonderful" she agrees, giving me a quick hug. "Now, don't get lost in it, you need to stretch and keep refreshed" she reminds me "Do you want your lunch up here or downstairs?" she adds with a chuckle.

"I will come down, I don't want you waiting on me up and down these stairs" I tell her and she shakes her head at me again before closing the door behind her, and I know this is an argument we will probable keep having.

I flip the record and start filling in the background base colours, working the oils to the colours I want, excitement fizzing through my blood at each stroke on the canvas.

I join Virginia for lunch and once again thanked her for my space, and promising not to over do it, laughing as May scolded Virginia about doing her own laundry when it was May's job.  It was the end of lunch when Thomas popped his head through the door and passed on a message from the boys.  They were coming home today.  I saw the worried glances they exchanged over my head and smiled softly. "Its okay" I assured them and i knew myself it was.  They had embarrassed me and whilst the fall was an accident, everything that had happened had showed me I was were I should be and that Dad and Virginia really wanted me here and that's all I needed to feel happy.  I could avoid the boys and still enjoy my life.

I spent the rest of the afternoon upstairs, enjoying the soft breeze through the windows that took away the pungent smell of new oil paint, Dad's records bringing back memories of hearing them when I was young. 

I had swapped to sketching the outline of May and Thomas as I needed the base layers to dry out a little on the first painting, and was lost in concentration when a startled "Wow" sounded from the doorway.

I spun, gasping in fear, as I saw Beau stood at the door, his gaze flicking over the room before coming back to me. He hesitated before taking a step forward, his gaze on mine.

"What do you want?" I ask, hating that my voice cracked nervously.

"I heard John's music, I was confused, I thought it was just storage up here" he replies looking around again. "They did this for you" he stated, his gaze back on mine.

I nodded but stayed silent. "How are you?" he asked looking away.

"Better" I replied my eyes not leaving him as he prowled around the room.  I turned as he moved, not wanting him behind me, I know he had noticed, by the red flush highlighting his cheekbones.  I tensed was it nerves, anger or something else.

"We went too far, we didn't mean for you to get hurt... physically" he stops and looks at the painting of Virginia and Dad, his gaze flicking to the other canvas in front of me. "You're an artist, I thought you were an academic prodigy" he questions added "These are good" almost as an afterthought.

"I am good in school, art was my hobby" I tell him softly and he nods to himself.

"I am sorry, we thought... well we thought we knew what was going on, Mum and John told us we were wrong and explained a little and I know we took it too far, shit, I think we realised that when they brought you out of that cupboard, so what do you say truce, can we start from fresh?" I looked at him, he was waiting for my answer, a hopeful look on his face and I wondered if I should let it go, just accept the truce but the words they said to me at the wedding came back across my mind.

"I think its best if we just keep out of each others way, for the sake of our parents I will accept a truce in their presence but if we are not around them I will stay away for you and ask that you all stay away from me.  You told me years ago you hated me, you made that clear when I arrived here, you weren't even willing to take a chance on me before the accident and I don't think I can risk trusting you again." I grit my teeth and turn away from him and I hear his breath hiss out. "Please go" I add softly and hear his quiet tread moving across the floor. 

He pauses at the door.  "You're wrong... We don't hate you" Beau said quietly before closing the door behind him. The sound of Bon Jovi's 'Bed of Roses' filling the silence.