Chapter 32, enjoy!
*Don't forget to read Ch 31!*
"Sir, can we get our check please?" Eric asked the server at Tami's favorite Italian food place.
"Thank you for bringing me," Tami told him.
"You're welcome," He responded with a smile. "We've had so much going on I thought you could use a dinner out."
The server handed him the check and Eric thanked him. He payed for their meal and they left the restaurant. The drive home was quiet and quick, it was late enough that the traffic in Philly wasn't too heavy.
Eric parked the car in the garage and he and Tami walked into the house. They were greeted by the sound of laughter and a movie playing loudly on the TV.
"Oh, you're back," Julie stated when she realized her mom and dad had walked in the house.
"Where is your sister?" Tami asked when she only saw Jason and Julie in the living room.
"She went to bed, said she was tired," Julie answered.
"I'm going to go check on her," Tami stated. She turned and walked down the hallway towards Gracie's room. The door to her room was shut, so Tami pushed it open.
"Gracie," Tami whispered into the pitch black room, not wanting to startle her if she was asleep. Tami turned on the lamp on the night stand next to Gracie's bed and was shocked to see the bed empty. "Eric!" She yelled.
"What is it?" Eric asked as he made his way down the hallway.
"She's gone!" Tami shouted.
Jason and Julie could hear Tami's shouts from the living room.
"How did we not hear her?" Julie quietly asked.
"The bushes!" They both whispered in unison.
"Shit," Jason mumbled.
"Why didn't we realize that?" Julie asked.
"Did you guys not hear her sneak out?" Tami re-entered the living room and asked.
"We heard bushes rustling but thought it was just the wind," Julie confessed.
"Someone call her," Tami commanded. Julie nodded and pulled out her phone. She was supposed to be watching her sister, so she took responsibility and tried to call Gracie.
The phone rang and rang and rang, then went to voicemail.
"She didn't answer," Julie stated.
"So try again!" Tami shouted in a flustered voice.
"Tami, calm down, it will be alright," Eric stated in an attempt to calm her down.
"I won't calm down until she is safe in her bed like she is supposed to be!" Tami replied.
Julie dialed her sister's number and waited for her to answer, but she never did, it once again went to voicemail.
"Eric, try to call her," Tami instructed. Eric did as he was told and dialed his daughter's number. He held the phone to his ear and listened to it ring before eventually going to voicemail.
"She's ignoring us!" Tami stated. "Just when she had started to straighten up and behave better. I really thought the punishment from that last stunt she pulled would have made her think more about the consequences of her actions." Everyone say in silence after Tami's words. They didn't know what else to do, surely she would eventually come back.
Then Eric's phone rang.
"Is it her?" Tami asked, hurrying to his side. She looked over his should her too see who was calling him and was disappointed to see that Buddy Garrity was calling him, not Gracie. "Why is buddy Garrity calling you?" She asked in a confused tone.
"I have no idea," He replied. He pressed the button to decline the call, but a few short moments later his phone was ringing again. This time, he answered it.
"Eric Taylor!" Buddy enthusiastically greeted.
"Sorry Buddy, this isn't really a good time. Can you call me back in a little bit?" Eric told him iver the phone before hanging up.
Suddenly, the front door creaked open and Gracie cautiously walked in.
"Where have you been?" Tami demanded.
"With my friends," Gracie answered. "When you all started calling me I realized I should probably come back."
"You never should have left in the first place!" Tami scolded. Julie and Jason started to feel awkward, so they dismissed themselves to their rooms.
"Gracie, why don't you go to your room. We will talk about this in the morning.
So, let me know what you think! Once again, I appreciate all of your support! If you read One Beer, the sequel (One Year) is up!