Nicole was holding Joanne tightly next to her. The two-year-old was tooyoung to understand what was going on, and didn't really want to be held. Especially for so long.
The two of them sat together on one side of the booth. Across from them was Mary, a sixty-year-old woman who had come to the Burger Heaven with her husband and granddaughter to celebrate the girl's eighth birthday.
Eight, Nicole thought to herself, was exactly how old Thomas was. She remembered how Peter had gone out to the car, and how Thomas had inexplicably wanted to go. Did he know what was going to happen? She didn't think anything was impossible for Thomas, but that?
Though they were in the back of the restaurant, she could see the tall, open windows in the front from where she was sitting. Some where on the other side of those big windows were her husband and son. She hoped they were alright.
They were alright? She laughed at herself silently. They should be worried about her. She was in the same room as a mad man with a gun, and she was worried about them?
At that moment, the aforementioned mad man with a gun (mad teenager)? was on the phone; presumably with the police. He was arguing with them feverishly. She managed to catch a few snippets of the conversation and learned that the police were trying to convince him to let a few of the hostages go. She held Joanne close to her and prayed to whoever might be listening that she and Joanne would be released.
But Joanne didn't like to be squeezed so tight and managed to wriggle out of her arms. She climbed down from the seat before Nicole could move an inch to catch her and began to toddle across the floor with no particular destination in mind.
Dave had just angrily slammed down the phone and now looked down to see Joanne standing in front of him.
"What is this kid doing here?" he asked. No one answered. "Whose is she?" he asked. Nicole raised her hand timidly.
"Um, mine," she squeaked. Great, she thought. The last thing she'd wanted to do was to draw attention to herself from a madman with a gun.
Dave reached down and picked up Joanne. She didn't really appreciate being picked up, and began to squirm. "What is she doing over here?" he asked.
Nicole shrugged.
"Can't you keep an eye on your own kid?"
She shrugged again and looked at the floor.
"If you can't keep an eye on her than you shouldn't have her," Dave bellowed. He turned to the fat man sitting on the floor behind him. "Isn't that right, Mr. Phillips? Incompetent people shouldn't have responsibilities? That's what you always tell me." He carried the squirming two year old across the room to Nicole. "Take her," he commanded, and thrust her in Nicole's direction.
Nicole reached out and took the child from Dave and grabbed her tightly. Joanne still didn't want to be held, but this time, Nicole was sure to keep a firm grasp on her.
Dave strode back to the phone and picked it up.
"Yeah - Sergeant what's yer name?" he asked. "Okay, I'll give up the kids, okay?" he said. There was a pause. "Just the kids." He paused again. "Alright, and the old folks. But that's it. They're gettin' on my nerves."
A collective sigh of relief fell over the hostages, Nicole included. She wasn't getting out, but at least she'd know that Joanne was safe. Even if she never saw Peter again in her life, she'd feel better knowing that he and both of her children were alive and safe.
"Mr. Tork? Mr. Tork?"
Peter looked up from the card game he was playing with Thomas. "Over here," he called. He and Thomas were sitting on a brick wall out of the way of the policemen that were swarming the parking lot. The young officer who rushed up to meet him was lit up with excitement.
"Mr. Tork, sir, they sent me to tell you. He's agreed to release some of the hostages."
Peter stood up. "My wife?" he asked, anxiously. "Is she one of them?"
"No sir, but he is releasing your daughter," the officer continued with the same optimism as before. Peter heaved a sigh of relief. At least Joanne was safe, he reminded himself. He looked at Thomas, smiling. "She's okay, Tom," he said. Thomas grinned back.
"I know," he said simply.
