That was it, her breaking point. She would be heard, she who did not like to yell had grown a backbone because of the coldness of her mother. She moved to where the others could hear her and said, "I am sorry to have intruded upon your kitchen, but I have made tea. Now, I would make scones for the lot of you too, but it is late and the tea will more than sooth us. Joe, please apologize to your mother. I know you didn't mean what you said." And then she turned to the two upstairs, "And I apologize too... For all this mess. Now please..? Will you please just... come down and have some tea with Joe and me? And then we'll go... If that is what you truly want."