"Well that's the kitchen obviously," said Alexandra, indicating the door she'd just closed.

She pointed at another.
"Untility room. Where clothes are washed and the big dogs sleep at night."

The next room they came to was open, a television blaring inside.

"Living room. Usually occupied by Calvin and Austin during the day and then the adults kick them out after dinner so they can sit."

Theodora stuck her head around the door.
"Turn the bloody television down!" she called cheerfully.

"Fuck off Theo," a voice responded, barely audible over the noise of a football match.

Theodora rolled her eyes, gesturing to a door tucked in the wall by the staircase.

"Dad's study, or "room of shit" as Mum calls it. He's probably in there now. Then that's what used to be the drawing room but is used as somewhere for the Stones to meet, play, talk and songwrite. It's referred to as the "Stones room" now."

"And that's the bathroom," Alexandra added.
"With us so far?"

Alyssa nodded.
"Is Keith the only one with a study?" she asked curiously as Theodora
pointed out the library.

"Mick uses the attic," Theodora said as they climbed the stairs.
"This floor is just bedrooms and  bathrooms."

"Do you two share a bedroom?" Alyssa asked.

"No. Calvin and Austin do but we have a room each," Alexandra answered, "and I'm guessing you'll be sharing with one of us."

Alyssa bit her lip.
"You don't mind sharing a room with me?"

"Of course not!" both sisters exclaimed.

"I'd be happy to share with you. We're technically sisters if you're being adopted," Theodora said with a smile.

They swiftly told Alyssa who slept where and pointed out the bathroom.

"Oh, almost forgot," said Theodora, pausing on the top step.
"Dad's guitar room is through his and Mum's room. We're not allowed into it."

"The other instruments are kept in the Stones room. Dad's the only one with his own storage," added Alexandra as they descended the stairs.

"What do you think of the house Alyssa?" Shirley asked, looking up from a newspaper as they returned to the kitchen.

"I think it's lovely," she replied with a shy smile.

"Did you see your dad?" Patti asked her daughters, who shook thier heads.

"He's probably in the study. We didn't check," said Alexandra as she opened a cupboard.

"Oi. No snacking, I'm cooking," said Krissy, swatting her hands away.

"Who's cooking?" Sally asked, entering the room.

"Me," Krissy told her.

Sally nodded.
"Have you seen dad?"

"He went to watch football with your brothers in the living room," said Charlie.

"Thanks."
Sally turned, her auburn ponytail swinging as she left the kitchen, sidestepping her mother in the doorway.

Jasmine lifted a coat off a chair and sat down, glancing at Krissy.
"What's for dinner?"

"Spaghetti and meatballs. Had planned to do garlic bread too but somebody ate it."
Her green eyes narrowed in Patti's direction.

Patti raised her hands.
"I didn't touch it! Go blame Keith!"

Krissy snorted.
"No. I'm not stupid enough to annoy him further."

Soon the dogs were closed in the utility room and the table was set.

"Alyssa, would you ask Keith if he's eating please?"

Nervously, Alyssa approached the study.
After seeing Keith throw the knife earlier, she felt rather afraid of the quick-tempered guitarist.
She knocked lightly on the door, hearing a guitar being played.

"Come in," Keith's voice called and Alyssa slowly opened the study.

It was untidy, lacking any clear organisation with a mahogany bookshelf occupying most of one wall.

Keith was sitting with his back against the arm of a dark blue velvet upholstered sofa, bare feet propped on the other.
A black acoustic guitar rested across his legs, fingers paused on the strings.

"Hello Alyssa," he said, "is something wrong?"

"No, I've been sent to ask if you're eating," she told him.

Keith chuckled.
"I'm guessing the wife sent you?"

When she nodded, he swung his legs off the sofa's arm to sit upright, setting the guitar behind himself.

His hand strayed towards the socks on the floor, then he shrugged and stood up.
"I'm coming."

"What do you think of Evercreek?" he asked as Alyssa followed him out of the study.

"It's beautiful. I love it," she answered.

Keith smiled.
"And what do you think of us?"

"Patti and your daughters are lovely," Alyssa said, "and everyone else is nice so far, though I don't think Mick's children like me very much."

Keith snorted.
"I wouldn't worry about them. They're snobs, like thier father," he muttered, entering the kitchen.

He lifted two bowls from the end of the table, filling both with spaghetti and meatballs before giving one to Alyssa.

She thanked him as he sat, drawing out the chair next to him, which she took at his invitation.

Patti sat on Keith's other side and he kissed her temple in greeting.

"Perhaps you'd like to inform everyone why there's no garlic bread?" Krissy asked the guitarist dryly.

"Cause I fucking ate it," he answered casually, twirling spaghetti around his fork and transferring it to his mouth.

"The whole thing?" Calvin asked.

Keith nodded, his mouth full.

"You ate a whole loaf of garlic bread yourself?" asked Mick in disbelief.

Keith swallowed.
"Don't be stupid," he scoffed.
"When do we only have one loaf of garlic bread here? I ate two loaves of garlic bread myself."

This announcement silenced the table briefly. Charlie was staring at Keith like he'd grown an extra head.

"Quit fucking staring," snapped Keith, loading his fork with spaghetti again.

Alyssa finished eating and lifted her bowl.

"Leave it. Calvin, Austin, dishes," Mick said as he stood up.

He glanced at Jasmine and she stood too, taking his hand as she nipped his neck.

Ronnie caught Keith's eye and they both shook thier heads.

"Lock your door and play something loud. I'd prefer to hear 'Dogshit in the Doorway' over that."

Mick glared at Keith as he left the room, arm wrapped around Jasmine's waist.

Charlie rose to his feet, heading into the living room with Shirley while Krissy let the dogs out of the utility room.

Patti stepped out of the kitchen, beckoning Theodora and Alyssa.

"Theo, you're probably the same size as Alyssa so will you lend her some clothes until we take her shopping?"

"Of course," said Theodora.

Alyssa smiled gratefully at her.
"Thank you," she whispered.

She turned to return to the kitchen, then yelped as her bruised ribs hurt with movement.

"What's wrong?" Patti asked, concerned.

Slowly, Alyssa raised her t-shirt to expose her ribs, which were bruised purple.

"Theo, get Shirley."

Theodora nodded, disappearing to the living room and returning with Shirley.

Her gaze fell on the bruising.
"Take the t-shirt off please."

Slowly, she obeyed, biting her lip as Shirley lightly pressed on her ribcage.

"Just bruised," Shirley said. "I'll get you painkillers."

She stepped into the kitchen, returning with tablets and water.

Alyssa took them, humming under her breath.

"You're humming "Satisfaction"." Patti said with a smile.

"I didn't even realise."

"Everyone in the house is often singing or humming. It happens when you live with four musicians and there's music playing ninety percent of the time. Mick woke me last night playing his own music in his study and Keith's room of shit is directly below our bedroom so he wakes me from there quite often."

She turned.
"Alex, careful upstairs. Mick and Jaz are up there and I don't know if they'll remember to lock the door."

Alexandra pulled a face.
"Thanks for that warning Mum."

Theodora smiled at Alyssa.
"Want to check out where you'll be sleeping and get some clothes sorted?"

Alyssa smiled back, nodding.

They went upstairs and Theodora threw open her wardrobe.
"Borrow whatever you like."

Alyssa looked but didn't take anything. She didn't need a change of clothes.

"I'm fine," she murmured quietly.

Theodora scoffed.
"Your jeans don't fit," she pointed out bluntly, gaze flickering to Alyssa's ankles, where several inches of sock was visible.

She grabbed a pair of black jeans and a plain grey t-shirt.

"You'll be sick of the tongue and lips before long."
She passed the clothes to Alyssa, who frowned in confusion at her statement.

"The Stones logo. Trust me, you'll get sick of it. Calvin is. He won't play the Stones at all. The only thing he listens to is Dogshit in the Doorway."

Theodora's tone and expression made it clear that she shared her father's disdain for Mick's solo album.

"Will you step out so I can change please?"

"Of course," said Theodora, smiling as she left the room.

Alyssa slipped into Theodora's clothes, finding them a perfect fit.

"Come in," she called.

Theodora looked her over and smiled.
"They're perfect on you."

"Thank you," Alyssa said.

Theodora gestured at the bed.
"It's a double so we can share or I'll get Dad to put a mattress on the floor for me and you can have the bed if you'd prefer."

"I'm already invading your space and wearing your clothes. I don't want to take your bed too."

Theodora snorted.
"Right, screw the mattress idea. We're sharing."
Her tone was firm and Alyssa didn't argue.

Instead she started to look around the bedroom.

The walls were light blue and a fluffy navy rug lay by the bed, which had covers that matched the walls.

A desk, which seemed to double as a dressing table, stood beside a bookshelf, the wardrobe across from it.
A record player sat beside the desk, a pile of vinyls beneath it.

"Put "Dirty Work" on if you like."
Theodora nodded towards the record player.

Alyssa did, watching as Theodora gathered clothes from the floor, tossing them into a laundry basket.

"Sorry, I'm not a very tidy person."

Alyssa shrugged.
"I don't mind," she said.

Theodora swayed along to "Harlem Shuffle" as she finished lifting clothes.

"Feck it, that'll do," she muttered as she surveyed the room before throwing herself onto her bed.

Alyssa tentatively turned up the volume on the record player, glancing at Theodora to make sure she didn't mind.

Theodora grinned.
"Louder. 'Dogshit in the Doorway' is playing somewhere and we don't wanna hear that, or what it's covering up."

Alyssa obeyed, smiling.

She felt so comfortable with Theodora and the Stones, truly happy for the first time since her mother had left.

Dedicated to Ghidorah for your feedback on the last chapter!
Hope you continue to enjoy the story!!
Storm Xx