By the time Chen Mo finally sorted out the question of "what do you call your dad's dad," his phone had vibrated in his pocket for the third time.
Chen Mo finally pulled out his beloved phone for a look, planning to decide his attitude based on what kind of message it was.
If it was a person, he would mute them. If it was an app, he would uninstall it.
So damn annoying, day in, day out.
Barbara had sent seven messages in their three-person group chat.
Chen Mo pursed his lips. All right, no muting her.
The first message was fairly normal.
Dick had been called away by his parents.
The next few started to look wrong.
He wasn't answering his phone.
The people at the Community Center said he hadn't come back after his parents picked him up.
The last message was just one sentence.
Chen Mo, reply when you see this.
Chen Mo stared at the screen.
"Fuck."
The next second, he stuffed his phone back into his pocket.
"Dick."
He turned, raised his hand, and shot a web.
An hour earlier, Dick had still been at the Community Center.
After the last batch of blankets had been handed out, the children had started building a fort out of cardboard boxes. Dick helped straighten the box on top, and just as he was about to slip around the side, his phone rang.
It was Mom.
Mary's voice came through the receiver, lower than usual.
"Dick, come to the back door."
Dick glanced down at the time.
"Now?"
"Now."
The call ended.
Dick stood beside the cardboard castle, still holding a roll of tape.
Barbara came over from the table with the register in her arms.
"What's wrong?"
"My parents are here." Dick handed the tape