Gavin was deep in conversation with Willow about Archie''s uing marriage.


    Chester, half-distracted by his video game, looked up and chimed in, "Dad, you''re totally right. Just go with your n. Tie him down if you have to. What''s he gonna do, run away? The Yaltons don''t even care if Archie''s on board. That Yalton girl... not the brightest bulb in the box, and she''s got some mental issues, honestly. The fact anyone would marry her has the Yaltons over the moon!"


    Willow frowned. "Isn''t that a bit harsh for Archie? He''ll fight back if he''s forced."


    Chester shrugged. "Let the Yaltons deal with their own mess. Our job''s just to hand Archie over, that''s all. Once we get what we want, Archie''s their problem. If they want him to have kids, keep him locked up, whatever, that''s up to them. We''re basically selling him off."


    He nced at his father. "Right, Dad?"


    Gavin nodded, "You''ve got it. That''s what we''ll do, then."


    "Do what? Seriously?"


    A furious voice cut through the room as Calliope practically kicked in the door.


    "Archie doesn''t want to get married, and you''re just going to sell your own son off like he''s cattle?"


    She stormed over to the dining table, her eyes sweeping across the spread. The table was piled high with food-roast turkey, zed ham, mashed potatoes, pecan pie-all the ssic holiday dishes. Three tes were neatly set for Gavin, Willow, and Chester. But there was no te for Archie.


    Seeing that, Calliope nearly exploded.


    "This is your Christmas dinner? And there''s not even a ce set for Archie? You don''t treat him like family, but you think you can sell him off?"


    With that, she swept her arm across the table, sending dishes crashing to the floor, gravy and stuffing sttering everywhere.


    The three of them stared at her in shock, totally blindsided by this sudden hurricane of a woman.


    "Who the hell are you?" Gavin sputtered, incredulous. "What gives you the right to wreck our dinner? Are you nuts?"


    het


    "Yeah, who are you? What''s your problem? Chester added, ring then nced uneasily at the group of people who''d followed Calliope in.


    "Who I am doesn''t matter," Calliope shot back, her eyes zing, "What matters is you can''t treat Archie like this!"


    "Where is he?" She scanned the room, then spotted Archie''s shattered phone on the sideboard.


    She recognized it instantly, it was a rare prototype she''d given him, not even out on the market yet. She picked up the broken pieces,cher suspicions confirmed.


    "This is Archie''s phone. What did you do to him?" She turned, voice icy.


    "You must be Archie''s wicked stepmom!" Portia snarled, rolling up her sleeves, "You''re always stirring sleeves."You''re


    Then &


    making Archie''s life hell!"


    Willow''s face turned a deep shade of green. "What did you just call me?"


    Chester''s brows furrowed as he red at Portia. "Who the hell are you to talk about my mom like that?"


    "Who we are doesn''t matter. Where''s Archie?" Mavis demanded.


    "Where''s he at?" Ss took a step forward, his presence filling the room with tension.


    Gavin recognized Ss instantly, shock registering on his face. "Mr. Myers... is that really you?"