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SHE HAD NEVER THOUGHT THAT SHE'D BE SITTING AT HOAGIE PALACE WITH HER MOTHER AND JIM.In all honesty, she had never thought her mother would ever see Hoagie Palace at all, or Scranton. But there she was with a scowl on her face, picking the vegetables out of her sandwich like they had been touched by Satan. "So," Evelyn hummed, turning her attention to her boyfriend and his ham and cheese hoagie, his usual order that she had basically memorized for as long as they had known one another.
He looked just as nervous sitting there, cheeks a flushed red. "Do you not have an Olive Garden here? Or, I don't know... Anywhere else?" She flinched at the slight hostility in her tone. She had thought that Hoagie Palace would be a nice medium. It had become a regular spot for her over the years. She was even sure she had talked about it a few times with both of her parents. "It's the closest thing to Dunder Mifflin," Evelyn fibbed. A white lie won't kill her now.
Nicole hummed, grabbing the fork she had snatched out of Evelyn's hand just minutes prior. An uncomfortable silence befell the trio. Jim took a large bite of his sandwich, eyes dropping to the table. This was a lot different than his own family. Sure, it was awkward with them too, but for a different reason. The Halperts don't know when to be quiet. Apparently all Nicole Takahashi knows how to do is sit quietly. "You seemed to hit it off with Pam," Evelyn commented, picking at the cheese on her sandwich.
Steak, mozzarella cheese, mayonnaise, and mushrooms. Her new usual. "She's a cute girl," Nicole said. The stone like exterior of her face crumbled a bit. "Her fiancé is a handsome man, too. Very strong, unlike your father." Evelyn's eyes rolled. "And an idiot, unlike Chichi," she slipped in, earning a smile from the man beside her. He continued to go silent, afraid to hop into the conversation. Nicole had yet to address him, or ask about him. Even in the car, she acted as if he wasn't there.
"They make a very cute couple," Nicole said with finality. Finally, her eyes lifted to meet Jim's. He struggled to swallow the remaining food in his cheeks. "Speaking of couples," she began, stabbing a pepper aggressively. Both Jim and Evelyn jumped at the thud. "Are you taking care of my little girl? Properly?"
Evelyn wanted to bury her head in her hands. Her heart began to drum in her ears nervously. "You take her on dates and make her feel special? Do you open the door for her? Defend her honor?" There was a pointedness in her stare. In that moment, Evelyn regretted allowing her mother to speak to Dwight. "Of course," Jim replied instantly. "Evelyn is very precious to me. I do whatever I can to make her feel appreciated and special."
