Mavis was likely preparing to appear online. Things had grown quiet on her end. Calliope chatted with Portia, arranging for Portia to visit after dinner. During their conversation, Calliope noticed Archie Yoder had become silent in the group chat. She decided to contact him directly.
Calliope: "Hey Archie, what's up? You've been awfully quiet."
Calliope worried about Archie. He'd always struggled with his family. His stepmother was difficult, and his father was distant, often declaring Archie "not good enough" and favoring his younger half-brother. Archie had been the family underdog for as long as Calliope could remember. He worked at the family business, but consistently received unfair treatment, his father rarely taking him seriously. Archie, however, was not confrontational, leaving him perpetually under his family's thumb.
Every holiday season, Archie felt despondent. His father's influence prevented him from escaping the family festivities. Calliope vividly imagined the situation. His stepmother, a master of feigned kindness, would outwardly present as a loving mother while secretly plotting against Archie. Each Christmas, she'd deliberately provoke him. This usually culminated in Archie's outburst at Christmas dinner, with Gavin Yoder, the oblivious father, blaming Archie for "making a scene" and ignoring his wife's role in the conflict. This pattern repeated annually. Calliope considered suggesting Archie skip Christmas at home, but knew it would be difficult to persuade him.
Archie's silence only intensified Calliope's concern. Portia also sensed something was amiss.
Portia: "Do you think the wicked stepmother is at it again? Seriously, why can't she let anyone enjoy the holidays?"
Calliope considered this, then called Archie. He answered promptly.
"Hey, Callie. What's up?"
Calliope heard nothing unusual in his voice and relaxed slightly. "Archie, are you alright? Are you at home with your dad and everyone?"
"Everything's fine. I'm just watching some TV," Archie laughed, attempting to sound casual. "Don't worry about me; I'll come over after dinner. Really, I'm good!"
"Are you sure?" Calliope hesitated, still concerned. She knew Archie would never admit to problems, always shielding others from his worries.
"There's nothing going on. It's Christmas! What could possibly be wrong?" Archie chuckled. "Anyway, we're about to have dinner, so I gotta go. Talk to you later!"
Archie quickly hung up. Calliope remained uneasy. Something felt wrong, though she couldn't pinpoint it. Was his family causing him distress again? Ultimately, it was his family matter, and she couldn't interfere directly. She took a deep breath. While still worried, his plan to visit after dinner eased her anxiety somewhat. If he was coming over, things couldn't be too bad.