I had to figure out if Stella's parents were trying to kill her or not. I have a terrified feeling in my gut that they hired the man. I snuck around the next night, that's where I came across a closet in the hallway marked Private. I knew this closet held secrets. I just needed a lock pick. Maybe Stella has something like that, I went to her room but she wasn't there. I went into the only room that was lit up. there she was painting away. "Woah" I said as my eyes grew wide with surprise and shock. Every where in the room was paintings of me! From corner to corner on the walls. "Just amazing, incredible!" I said as Stella turned around and blushed. "I don't know why I keep painting you! It's odd isn't it... oh god if this is too much I'll try and stop" she said as she bite her lip. "No! No... I like it. It will help you remember me hopefully. Do you know my name?" I asked her. "Evan." She said with a smile. "Good Job." Now I'm gonna tell you my favorite color. Okay it's Green. Can you remember that?" I asked her. "I'll try my hardest to remember." She said as a footstep made us still. Her mother stepped into the room and sighed. "What are you doing up at this time? It's midnight Annie... you should be in bed and oh my Evan." She said as looked at all the painting and gasped. "They're beautiful. You can work on them tomorrow. For now off to bed, the same goes for you young man." Her mother said as she wheeled her out the room. She parked her wheelchair near her bed and helped get Stella into her bed. "Now... no more sneaking around. Go. To. Sleep. I love you and I'll see you both tomorrow morning." Her mother said as she shut off the lights. I climbed into my bed and fell asleep. At 6am I was awakened to a male voice whispering my name. I opened my eyes and yawned. "Evan lad, it's time you contribute to the family. You'll be helping build a new barn. Now come quickly but quietly." He said as I got out of bed and led me out the front door. There's no quietly about it, the floor boards squeak every time you step on them. "Keep up lad." Her father said as I walked at a faster pace. "I never thought I'd be doing chores." I laughed softly. "You're a part of this family so now you will help this family keep everything in tip top shape. Hand me that wood plank over there." He said as I grabbed on a small piece of wood got stuck in my finger as it snapped off and buried itself under my fingers skin. "God Damn It!" I cried and handed him the board. "Watch your language dear boy it isn't allowed here to use the lords name in vain." Her father scolded me. "What happened?" He asked as he looked at my finger. "Splinter and a big one too." I said as he nodded. "Emily will take care of it for you. She an expert at that." Her father said as he began cutting the wood planks. "I like you Evan." Henry said as he smiled. "You treat my daughter like a queen. Even though her memory god have mercy, is missing you." He said as he did the sign of the cross. "Are you a god believer?" He asked me. I pulled my cross from under my shirt. "That's a good boy! Etta boy! God is a great being. Religion is very important to the Collins clan. That's
how it's always been and always will be." He said as I handed him another plank.

"The family is taking a trip to go blueberry picking, you are welcome to join us." He said as we finished for the day. "I'll stay back and watch over Stella. Somebody's gotta be here." I said as I wiped my forehead and walked back into the house. "Fresh lemonade for my two hard workers." Emily said as she greeted us at the front door. "Thank you dear." Henry said as he kissed his wife and went inside. "Thank you Emily." I said as I smiled and took the glass. "You're very welcome dear, Stella's in the spare room painting more. She's been at it for about two hours. Nancy and Fredrick are trying to get her to paint other things.. but she always paints you." She said as she blushed. "Our Stella is  quite talented, wouldn't you agree dear!" She looked at Henry and smiled. "Yes she is." He said as he looked up from the newspaper. "I don't know where we're gonna put all those paintings." Emily sighed as I took a drink of my lemonade. "Emily, this is delicious! What did you put into it?" I asked her and she smiled. "I'm glad you love it. It's a family secret." She said as she looked at the clock. "We should be going. We'll be back in 3 hours. Keep our daughter safe. Sheriff Dawson's number is on the fridge. And be a dear and check up on grandma rose." She said. "Okay. Have fun." I said as they all left and when they were out of sight I ran to find Stella. "Stella! Do you have any Bobby pins? Or maybe a credit card?" I asked as she laughed. "I don't have credit cards. But I do have Bobby Pins they're in my makeup kit, it's in the top drawer of my desk, help yourself, wait... are you gonna picklock something?" She said as she wheeled over. "Listen Stella, I found this secret closet! I have a strange feeling something important is behind that door!" I said as she wheeled along side me and I showed her the door. She peeled into the key hole. "What do you see? Shoe boxes, stacked up. Looks like a bunch mail.. junk probably." She said as she shrugged. "You heard your parents!" I defended. "Yeah I know. I'd love to help you play Sherlock Holmes, but what if we're wrong! What if it was an actual intruder! Maybe I'm losing it." She said as she turnt her wheelchair around. "You're not going crazy... you heard what you heard. There's something going on in this family!" I cried. "ENOUGH!" I shouted. "I won't turn against my family..." she said as her voice cracked. "So you're gonna let this all slide? Unbelievable! Honestly! That man was hired.." I said as she turned her wheelchair around and slapped me across the face. "Just shut up." She said as she rolled away. "Stella I'm trying to help you, not hurt you!" I called back, she gave me the finger and left the area. I pounded the door angrily and cried. Remember! Just remember me already! God why have you done this to her! Please bring her back to me." I cried. "If you give her memory back, I'll never ask for anything ever again." I said as I heard footsteps. "Stand up Dear." I heard a female voice. "Grandma Rose." I said as I stood up. "What happened to little Stella is terrible... come with me there's something I'd like to show you." She said as we walked to her side of the house and she opened a door. " I was going through Stella's bag, when I found this! This is sure to help.." grandma Rose held up a video camera. "First shame on you, going through others stuff." I scolded playfully. "This is perfect thank you grandma rose!" I said as I hugged her happily and ran into the art room. "Stella? I'm sorry about earlier. I found this and I want to show you these videos to see if any of it triggers your memory." I said as I pressed play and showed her our vacation tapes and her eyes darted back and forth. "That's us? Isn't it. We seem in love, happy. The visions!" She said as she grabbed a sketch pad and she compared the places in the video to the drawings on the papers and it matched perfectly. "Evan, Are you really my fiancé as you claim?" She asked me. "Yes for one whole year, until the accident." I said as she looked me into the eyes and touched my cheek. "Your favorite color is green!" She said happily. She put her hand on mine and her eyes lit up. "I now remember.. parts... all these places.. us.. I mean you and me, this place. Hawaii." She said as she smiled. "We were in Hawaii." I said happily. "I think we should contact a doctor." I said as I dialed sheriff Dawson's number and told him to send a doctor, the doctor came over and examined Stella. "Good News is your brain swelling is entirely gone. I'd give it two months, and check up with me again." The doctor said as he shook my hand. "Will do doctor." I said as grandma rose walked into the room. "Two months and then we'll have our Annie back! How splendid!" Grandma Rose said as she clapped her hands happily.

The others returned when they said they would and walked into the house. "Mom! Dad! I saw the doctor and he said my memory of Evan should come back in two months! Isn't that wonderful!" She said as her mother smiled. "That's wonderful sweetie." She said. "You had a Doctor in this house! Without me present!" Stella's dad said as his face turned red and he had me pinned up against the wall. "Daddy! Stop this! He was only trying to help me! He's helping you with the barn! So you're even!" Her father relaxed and stepped away. "I apologize, excuse me." He said as he walked into the kitchen. "The swelling is down a significant rate!" Stella said as she wheeled over to her siblings. "All right Annie!" Her brother said as Nancy and him hugged her. "You always gave bear hugs Fredrick. I always thought it would.. but now.. I shouldn't be making that comment..." She said as she trailed off in her wheelchair. Four hours later me and Stella were called to dinner. "Lasagna and Garlic Bread. Looks delicious!" I said as I sat down and Stella was helped into a chair. "There's our beautiful angel. Good to see you sitting here." Her dad said as he smiled. "Who wants to say grace?" Emily asked. "I will.. I guess." I said as we all took hands, we bowed our heads and closed our eyes. "Dear God, Thank you for providing us with this delicious meal, and for giving me such a wonderful family. Also thank you for restoring Stel- I mean Annie's memories. Amen." I said as we all opened our eyes and lifted our heads. "Amen. That was lovely dear thank you." Emily said as she put her hand on mine and smiled. "You're welcome. I'm just glad to be here with you all and this wonderful dinner. I'm sorry I haven't been the best guest, I was skeptical at first, but I see now we all have the same idea. To Stella getting her memories back!" I said raising my glass. "To Stella!" The rest of the family said as they raised their glasses. " To me." Stella said as she drank some sort of yellow liquid kinda looked like pee. "What are you drinking tonight Stella?" I asked her with a smile. "Apple Juice, no alcohol rule. My parents care about me a lot." She said as she smiled as we all ate dinner, later we were greeted with a homemade cake. "To Stella!" Emily said as she placed the cake on the table. "I'll show you more of the video tonight if you'd like." I said as I smiled. "Video? What video?" Henry asked. "Grandma Rose found our video camera from our trip.. I was hoping it would get her memory to come back strong." I said as her father nodded. "Daddy, we were together and I was happy. We went to Hawaii. It felt like a dream I've had before." I said as he smiled. "That's wonderful sweetie." He said as I helped Annie back into her wheel chair and she rolled back into the art studio. " All this time you've remembered my face..." I said as looked at each one. "Your face isn't hard to forget. Apparently from all these paintings they're proof of it." She said as we both laughed. "What I wouldn't give to have your artistic talent." A voice said as I turned around In my wheelchair and saw Nancy and Fredrick stood there. " if only she would paint something new. This collection is getting tiresome. Wouldn't you agree sister?" Fredrick said with a smirk. " it's quite sad really, she remembers your face but forgets everything a whole years worth of memories gone." She said as she walked to one of the paintings and poured her water onto the painting and smooshed up the paint into a big smear. "That looks much better." She said as she laughed. "Now I remember why I left home, it was because of you two! You bullied me through out my childhood! And now you're ruining my art! I should've known that whole thing was just an act. You never were nice to me." Stella said as she turned her wheelchair away from them. "If only mom and dad knew the truth! How rotten you two are. I'm not afraid! I stared death in its ugly face so don't think for two seconds I'm afraid of you two! You will never ever scare me. Mom and Dad should've sent you to that boarding school. God forbid you'd be with people like yourselves!" She screamed. "Annie, honey what's going on!" Her mom said as she walked into the room. I picked up the painting and showed her it. "You two did this! Shame on you! Bullying your flesh and blood, destroying her beautiful artwork! You go pray to god and hope he forgives you for your sins." She said as she slapped them both and they walked away. "Stella how long have they been treating you this way?" She asked. "Since we were old enough to walk and talk." Stella said as she bursted into tears and her mom held her close.

"They won't harm you and if they do... they'll lose their privileges until they learn to treat their middle sister the kindness and compassion she deserves, isn't that right Evan darling." Emily said as I smiled. "Right, absolutely right. Stella should be treated like a princess, because she's my queen." I said as I put my hand on hers. "Do you feel that!" She exclaimed, letting go and touching my hand again. "Sparks! Energy! Mom, do you know what this means..." Stella said a big smile grew over her face. "No honey what does it mean." Emily said as she sat down in an arm chair next to her. "It means I'm remembering! I feel love, Evan's love." My mom smiled and nodded. "She's coming back to us! Dear lord thank you!" My mom said as she did the sign of the cross. "Amen." I said with a smile. "Amen." Stella said as she smiled. "The doctor should be coming later this afternoon to check on you Annie, it's been over a month and you've made wonderful progress with your memory." Emily said as she tear up with happiness. "Look at me, I'm a mess." She said as she and Stella both laughed. "So that closet upstairs.. what's that for?" Stella asked her mom. My face grew white and I became anxious. You promised you wouldn't ask about that... I told myself. "Just Bills, we keep them for taxes." She said as she looked Stella in the eyes. "Mom are you and Dad in Fin..." was all I could get the rest out Evan covered my mouth. "She must be tired, I should get her to bed. Let's go Stella." I said in a nice voice as I wheeled her into her room and shut the door, I locked it . "Are you going insane? Because you almost slipped out something that only you and I know. They can't know we know. Got it?" I asked her as I ran my fingers through my hair.

And things were about to go in the wrong direction...