The Opportunity of a Lifetime

Chapter 69 (Andy's POV)

I've been having an uneasy feeling ever since we walked in the door of the IHOP. Joe's been oddly rigid and guarded, not uttering a word, making Gracie confused. I am too, honestly, but I'm afraid to bring it up.

"Um, Joe?" I timidly ask.

"Hm?" he grunts, not looking up from the straw he keeps shoving in and out of his cup.

"Is something wrong-"

"No," he interrupts, and I drop the subject. Gracie looks at me worriedly, but I just smile reassuringly at her. Joe's eyes stay down, like he's trying not to bring attention towards himself.

"So," I start after a while, trying to put him in a better mood. "How do you think Pete and Patrick are doing?"

Joe cracks a grin at that, making my heart jump. "Who knows... maybe they haven't died yet."

Gracie's eyes widen in fright. "What do you mean, Uncle Joe? Why would they die?"

"I'm only joking, kiddo. When a boyfriend meets his girlfriend's parents it is never fun."

"Why?" Gracie tilts her head curiously.

"I don't know, Grace. Maybe the parents just don't want their daughter to grow up."

She looks at him thoughtfully. "Will Da- will Patrick be like that?"

Joe looks at her sympathetically. "I really don't know. He sure is attached to you. Just promise me you won't get a boyfriend til you're in highschool, kay?"

"Okay, deal." Gracie giggles, putting the laminated menu on her head and laughing at herself.

She sure is a weird kid; sometimes I don't know if she's a teenager or a child.

I make small conversation about random things with Gracie for a while, my worry increasing for Joe. He just keeps stabbing his straw into his cup forcefully, never saying anything. When he suddenly looks up at me, my head snaps in his direction.

"Andy, I need to tell you something," Joe whispers to me urgently, his eyes flickering around him.

"Okay, tell me."

"If I get violent in a couple minutes, take Gracie out of the building. I don't want her to see."

I look up at him, expecting him to be joking. He's staring at me hard, lips pressed into a straight line, completely serious. My stomach drops in fear.

"What? Why-"

"Just promise me you'll take Gracie outside."

"O-okay..."

I glance at Gracie, who fortunately hadn't heard us. I feel the atmosphere turn cold, and I look at Joe, who is tense and averting his eyes from the room.

I glance around, seeing a man walking straight toward us.

"Uh, Gracie, let's go outside," I say nervously, sliding out of the booth and picking Gracie up, walking quickly to the door.

"Why? Don't leave Uncle Joe behind! Bye Uncle Joe!"

"Shhh!" I keep walking, trying to get outside before anything happens. Trying to make it out of sight, but too many people are in my way. I grab the door handle finally, but I'm too late; I hear a big slam, several screams following after it. Gracie cranes her neck over my shoulder to see what happened, and her eyes widen in terror.

"No! Let me go! Let me go back to Uncle Joe! No!" Gracie starts hitting me, begging me to let her go. I just grip her body tighter, rushing out the door.