For the first time in months, the entire Boxman family sat down for a family dinner. Boxman and Venomous sat side-by-side,
occasionally holding hands. Raymond, Shannon, and Darrell silently picked at their food, not taking their eyes off Professor
Venomous for a moment. Ernesto watched this with intrigue, glancing at the five over his newspaper. Fink, Jethro, and Mikayla
were oblivious to all of this, devouring their chinese-takeout ravenously. "So… how've you kids been doing lately?" Boxman asked.
The three robotic teenagers stared at their father, shifting uncomfortably in their seats. "Uh… We've been doing great. How've you been?" Shannon replied.
"I've been just fine, but I sure did miss you kids. I saw what you did to the POW Cards Shannon, that was excellent! When did you learn to code like that?" Boxman
exclaimed. "I uh… took a few classes online. I guess it runs in the family." Shannon answered nervously, looking down at her food.
Boxman turned to Raymond, "I went to your football game Raymond, it was great! You were so close to crushing those POINT losers."
Raymond groaned, "How could I forget? You got drunk and tried to pick a fight with Chip Damage." "Eh heh, well, I uhh..." Boxman chuckled nervously, refusing to look his son in the eyes.
Shannon stared at the doorway, debating whether or not she should leave. "So how where have you been dad?" Darrell asked. Boxman fidgeted in his seat, unwilling to tell
his children about the month he spent on the streets. "Well, you know, I've been around." Darrell grinned, "That's nice, how long have you been with
Professor Venomous? Surely you two must be planning something evil together." Oh Cob. Boxman's face flushed red, he stared down at the table as sweat began to build on
his brow.This is even worse than I expected. The kids have changed so much since I left, where do I even begin…?
"He just showed up at our place yesterday!" Fink exclaimed. "This loser just showed up on our doorstep covered in garbage and Boss said he had no place to go! Then he
destroyed the lab!" The robots stared at their father in shock, "FINK!" Venomous scolded. "You mean to tell me that he showed up at you laboratory asking for a place to
stay?" Darrell glared at Venomous, then turned to Boxman. "You had no place to go huh? Tell me, if things were so bad, then why didn't you come back!? Heck,
why did you even leave in the first place!?Do you have any idea how worried I was about you!? I thought you were never going to come back! You were gone so long, there
were rumors going around that you were DEAD!" Boxman sat there in shock, like a deer in headlights. "Darrell, I-" Darrell cut him off, "I don't want to hear your excuses, I'm
going to bed." he snapped. The robot stormed out of the kitchen as his father watched helplessly. Raymond stood, and silently left the kitchen. Shannon was already gone.
Ernesto put down his newspaper, "Are you kids done eating?" he asked. "I am Jethro!" "Mikayla!" the two robots responded.
"Come on little ones, let's get you ready for bed. Professor, I can show Fink to her room If you'd like." Ernesto offered.
"Thank you Ernesto." Venomous replied. Jethro, Fink, and Mikayla stared at their parents as they got up from their seats, unsure about what just happened.
Ernesto gave his father a look of pity before he left as he led the children to their rooms.