Bendy and Friends

Chapter 21: Olive Garden

Sammy, Alice, Joey and Audrey finally managed to get a table in the restaurant. The table was located in a nice area, next to a large stage that Sammy assumed the performers would go.

Sammy pulled out Alice's chair for her, which she gracefully sat down in. Joey tried to be polite and do the same for Audrey, but the prankster hiding inside of him made him pull out the chair from under her and laugh as hard as he could when she tumbled backwards into the people behind them.

"So," Sammy said when they were all seated. "Joey, how's . . . how's the 'resolving problems with a waitress' situation going? I mean, there haven't been any waiters or waitresses here yet . . ."

Joey started at him blankly. "It's going."

Sammy awkwardly looked away, glancing at Alice beside him. Sammy realized they both looked very odd, but there wasn't much they could do about it since they were already at the restaurant.

A tall waiter approached their table, clutching a plate with a mountain of Parmesan cheese that had Alfredo sauce drizzled all over it. "Hello ladies, may I take your orders?" The man said, pointedly staring at Joey who was staring back with dagger-eyes. "No." Joey said, holding eye contact. The waiter smiled, and placed the plate on his head. With his now-free hands, he pulled out a notepad and pen.

"What would you like to get started with? Some wine? Some good old OJ?" The waiter said, still smiling and staring at Joey.

"I would like to have a female waitress, since I am a feminist. You can probably tell, since all my companions here are of the female species." Joey said, maintaining eye contact. Sammy suddenly felt extremely offended.

The waiter's smile left his face, and he gripped the pen tightly. His knuckle turned white around the pen, as he gritted his teeth. "Ew, what are you doing?" Joey said, a disgusted look on his face. "Stop that, it's weird!"

The waiter spun around and ran out of the dining area, crashing through the window and rolling into the bushes. From there, he took off running down the street.

"That was weird," Sammy said after a moment.

Joey started at him, a fake smile on his face. "Yes." He said.

Through the now-broken window, Sammy spotted Mikey Scoot's busted limo speeding past, in the direction of the restaurant. He watched as the car took a sharp turn and landed on its side, and as the driver pulled out the passenger and drop-kicked him down the street. What a weird day, Sammy thought.

His thoughts were interrupted by the voice of a female waitress clearing her throat. "Um, sir? It's your turn to order?"

Sammy's head spun to look at the waitress who now stood in front of the table. His eyes widened as he took in all the details about her—the sparkling green eyes, her naturally-tanned skin, her silvery-platinum hair . . .

"I think he's having a seizure." Joey said.

The waitress's eyes widened as she met Sammy's gaze.

"Holy cow," she muttered. "Sammy, you're . . . you're alive?"

The tray she was holding clattered to the ground as she ran up to him and squeezed him tight. Tears streamed down her face as she continued to hug him for what seemed like forever.

"Olive?" Sammy choked, reaching his arms to hug her as well. "Oh my god, it's been years!" He said, a wide grin spreading on his face.

"Um, should I call the police, Sammy?" Audrey said from across the table.

Sammy ignored her, and finally released Olive, holding her hands as they took in each other's appearances.

"You look . . . interesting!" Olive said, grinning. Sammy nodded excitedly. "I know!" He practically squealed.

"Um, do you know this man?" Alice said, pointing at Olive.

"Do I!" Sammy exclaimed, covering his smile. "We were still dating when he went missing. Everyone thought he was dead!" Olive said, her hands clasped together.

Olive leaned forward, grabbing his face and kissing him.

Alice's expression was unreadable when they pulled away, but Sammy could tell it wasn't a happy look.

"Oh, wait. So you dated this filthy waitress? She threw me out of the restaurant! This is who I wanted to resolve the issues with!" Joey yelled, abruptly standing up out of his seat and accidentally tipping the whole table over. Plates and cutlery crashed to the floor as Joey stood there furiously holding a singular wine glass. "I would like some OJ!" He screamed.

"Oh, I remember you," Olive said, not noticing the broken plates and glasses now coating the floor. "You were the one who was swinging from the chandeliers wildly like an ape who had a bit too much to drink."

Sammy turned to stare at Joey. "You swung from the chandeliers?" He said in disbelief.

Joey nodded. "I had no choice! The goats were forcing me to!" He complained.

"He bought, like, seven bottles of our finest orange juice. There obviously were no goats." Olive explained to the others.

"What are we going to do about the table?" Audrey complained as a mouse poked its head out of her hair.

Olive lifted the table back up, whistling for the janitors to come clean up the mess.

After a moment of aggressive sweeping and bleaching, everything looked normal again. Except for Alice's expression, which was still unnervingly unreadable.

They all ordered their starter drinks and appetizers, and when it all arrived they dug in. Olive now sat with them between Alice and Sammy, clinging onto Sammy like a baby.

Joey grabbed three breadsticks, stuffing them all into his mouth at once. He smiled as he chewed in a disturbing manner, laughing and sending bread chunks spewing all over everyone.

"Um, so. Joey, why don't you apologize to Olive?" Sammy said, stirring his minestrone soup slowly as he watched Joey choke down the breadsticks.

"We'll see." Joey said between mouthfuls.

Sammy glanced at Alice, who was picking through her salad. He didn't really understand the cartoons' food situation, since they didn't need to eat but they occasionally did anyway. He wondered if they could even digest it properly.

"Sammy?" Olive said, breaking his focus. "Are . . . are you wearing makeup?" She asked, touching his cake-like face.

Sammy wasn't too sure how to respond, so he just answered as truthfully as he could. "Yeah, just a few bottles of foundation and some spray-on hair." He smiled thinly.

Olive gave him a weird glance. "But . . . you always said that men shouldn't wear makeup." She said.

"Yeah, well, I guess I've changed in the few years we haven't seen each other." He said, his smile dropping as he raised a spoonful of the soup to his mouth.

"That soup looks disgusting. It kind of looks like wet diarrhea." Joey said with a mouthful of food, pointing at Sammy's soup with a breadstick as he continued to chew loudly.

"Hey, do you have minced meat pie here? It's my favourite." Joey asked Olive, still chewing and gagging aggressively.

Olive looked at Joey disgustedly. "Um, no. This is an Italian restaurant." She said, taking a bite of her chicken and gnocchi soup.

Joey glared at Olive. "Of course this place doesn't have it. Nowhere has it! This is why the only place I can get my minced meat pies is at those gas stations!" Joey shouted angrily, furiously grabbing the rest of the breadsticks and shoving them into his mouth one by one.

"The Walmart down the street sells minced meat pies," Sammy offered, finishing the last of his soup. "Don't those gas station ones make you sick?"

Joey nodded, eyeing Audrey's chicken and cheese piadina.

They continued their conversation through the rest of the first wave of food.