Tomorrow Will Come- A Hatchetfield Story

Chapter Two: Food, Glorious Food

Paul parked the car outside of Pizza Pete's sighing. He took Emma's hand gently, giving it a squeeze. Emma gave him a reassuring look, squeezing back. She hated seeing him so insecure. He was such a gift to her, and she could never see him as anything less than that. She didn't deserve a good guy like him after all the shit things she'd done in her life. But somehow, he didn't see it that way- yet. She was working on it.

"Babe. You're gonna be great." Emma soothed him.

"Okay." Paul nodded nervously. He sighed. "Okay... okay. Okay! Okay okay okay... yeah. Okay."

"It is okay." Emma nodded. "Because you're cool uncle Paul."

"Yeah." Paul scoffed, trying to convince himself more than anything.

"Come on. Let's go in." Emma chuckled softly, opening the door and getting out of the car. Paul followed, following her hesitantly to the door. He furrowed his brows when he saw the sign.

"Nibbly's PizzaQuest? Did Pete sell out?" Paul asked.

"It looks like the same place inside." Emma shrugged. "What's in a name?"

"I don't know. Nibbly just... sits wrong with me." Paul cringed.

"Yeah, it's a little off putting." Emma admitted. "Maybe they just tried to make it a cuter name for the kids? I don't know, man..."

"It looks all... pink." Paul shuddered as he walked in. "I don't like this place."

"Yeah, the new decoration is a little tacky." Emma agreed. "Stop trying to get out of this, Paul. Try to enjoy yourself."

"Hullo, and welcome to Nibbly's!" What appeared to be a large, furry walking smile greeted enthusiastically in one of those overdone kids voices that made any grown person cringe. The suit was unnerving- it was kind of like a pink version of that freaky Elmo Time's Square costume, but instead of a normal face it was just a mouth. Emma audibly cringed and shuddered, taking a step back.

"Holy sh... frack, that's creepy!" Emma yelped, censoring her language as her eyes fell on a group of kids.

"That makes Nibbly sad." The big fuzzy thing enthused, taking a hand and flipping the mouth on the costume- which only made it look more deranged. Both Emma and Paul looked away, wincing.

"Look, we're just here with the CCRP group." Paul chuckled nervously.

"That's table 14! The big long one!" The furball that was, allegedly, Nibbly told them, extending the word 'big' for the goofy effect of it. "One of my sniggles can show you! Sniggles!"

"Oh, that's really not necessary..." Paul bit his lip. He waved to Ted, who waved back enthusiastically. "I can see them. See?"

"Hi there! I'm Snigglette, and I'm here to help!" A perky brunette in magenta overalls with a little set of wings and antennae on a headband with fluffy purple pom poms on top greeted, popping up behind Emma.

"Je... Jeez Louise!" Emma stopped herself again.

"These people work at CCRP Technical!" 'Nibbly' told her enthusiastically.

"That's such a cool job!" Snigglette giggled. "I'll show you where all of your friends are. Two big people menus, right?"

"Yeah..." Paul sighed as 'Snigglette' grabbed two menus and led them to the table. Ted was already on his feet and ready to greet them.

"Paul, my man!" Ted greeted, taking the handshake Paul was tentatively offering him and turning it into a hug. Paul tensed, not at all comfortable with that. Ted pulled away and whistled at Emma. "Hot damn..."