"If I'm going to do what, exactly? Be visibly upset within the confines of my own home?" Melody fumed. She was fully capable of suppressing her frustration and pretending as though everything was fine. It wasn't as though Aldous and Roman were great fans of her, anyway, so they likely wouldn't even realize anything was amiss if some of it did seep out.

Then, much more calmly than the statement she'd said nust moments ago, she added, "I am attending Christmas. You do not have to fear me being the morose soul in the room."