Ricky checked the chalkboard where they left messages for each other. It was blank. Where was everyone? Had they gone out to dinner without him? A volleyball game without telling him? His dad said no cell phone until he was twelve, but he needed a cell phone. So his parents could call him and tell him what was going on and where they were.

He checked the answering machine. There was a message from Mrs. Young that he was on his way home, but that was it. He deleted it. No one really called the house phone anymore, they usually called his dad’s cell or his mom’s cell. Both his sisters had cell phones, but he didn’t, which he didn’t think was fair. Joe and Ginny were getting cell phones for their tenth birthday, but his mom said just because his friends get something doesn’t mean he gets it. The girls had to wait until they were twelve, he could wait, too.

Whatever.

His mom often worked late meeting with clients and stuff. Maybe his dad went to the store. His mom hated to be interrupted when she was in a meeting, so he tried his dad’s cell. No answer.

Ricky grabbed a banana and went upstairs to his room and played some Mario on his DS but was bored and hungry and it was already after seven. Where was everyone?

He started to get a little weirded out. He bit his lip and thought about calling Mr. Young. Joe’s dad was scary in a good way. He used to be in the Army and now he was a mechanic. He looked scary, but he wasn’t mean and he liked Ricky, he was pretty sure. At least, he never said Joe and Ginny couldn’t come over and play and he always asked if Ricky wanted to stay for dinner or spend the night.

But Ricky didn’t want to act like a baby. He was almost ten. Right after Christmas was his birthday (which wasn’t really fair because it was Christmas and then two days later he got a birthday present, but they didn’t really have parties because it was so close to Christmas).

He walked through the house again and it felt so empty and he did get a little scared, so he called his mom’s cell phone. She didn’t answer, so he called his dad’s phone again. No answer. He was about to leave a message when he heard a car coming up the long driveway. Finally!

He hung up and looked out the window.