So I'm way, way waaaaaaay behind on reviews and writing. And pretty much everything. It appears I get more done when I have more stuff to do. Oops. Anyway, this is kind of quick for which I'm sorry but I hope you know I do love this story. I've made no secret of the fact I love early day Jim/Pam so hearing them shy about calling each other boyfriend and girlfriend and accidentally letting slip the 'L' word is crazy cute. And since we still know little about Jim's parents, I choose your version of Jim's mother as the version in my head, it's that good. And the smuff ain't too bad either ;)

Hope to see something new from you soon..and from me. Eeep!

10

This is SO just what I needed. Early JAM is my weakness, and you outdid yourself with this one. I smiled throughout the whole thing. I am a sucker for Jim's parents. I just have them pictured in my head a certain way, and you wrote them exactly how I see them. His mom thinking he was on drugs made me lol, because you just know she didn't believe it, but she was like, wtf else could it be? And I could totes imagine Pam looking at the pics of Jim with his new nephew, and getting ideas for the future, and them both going to sleep thinking of their future together, but without saying anything LOL. I SO CANNOT WAIT to read the dinner. I am a sucker for early fics, so feed my addiction.

Fic - I'M TRYING TO WRITE, OKAY? I suck lol

10

Danielle, I am so happy you followed up on this idea.  I love this story, and I’m so very happy that you’re going to expand on dinner with the parents <3<3<3  He ignored the fact that the tears in his mother's eyes as they said goodbye reminded him of the tears that lined hers as they hugged, standing on the edge of the water that night. Oh, this is just heartbreaking.  And this:  He ignored the fact that his mother's voice wavered in the same way hers did when she said, "I wish you would."

"Oh, you mean my girlfriend?" he said before he could stop himself. "That… I mean," he stammered. "I'm not…it's…" He covered his face with his hand and rubbed his eye.

"Jim?"

"Huh?"

"Tell me more about your girlfriend," she gave, her voice quivering ever so slightly. That little exchange?  Perfect perfect perfect!!!  The shift between the sadness of the past and the joy of the present (and future) is palpable.

“Jimmy, you were so sad for so long and … now, it’s just such a drastic change. Are you… you’re not doing drugs, are you?” She eyed him with an expression mixed of both sheepishness and pointed accusation.  Ha!  Of course his mom would ask him that lol :D

“Did you bring your camera?” “No, I left it at Pam’s. But I have a camera on my cell.”  Which will eventually be thrown out the window!  Awesome little detail there, missy.

He drifted to thoughts about the future, this time without the punch to his heart that usually accompanied such thoughts. What a relief that must have been for our boy.

“Sounds good. Luh, um, I’ll - I’ll see you.” Squeeeee!

It had been that first occurrence of them huddling together so close, of finally being where he stopped imagining he would ever be, mixed with all the other reasons why her lips would be the only lips he would ever kiss for the rest of his days until the last breath of his life, that led him to the jewelers that first week, giving a large sum of money to a beady eyed clerk in exchange for a solitary diamond that would forever signify the promise he had already made to her in his heart. As I was reading this, sharing in the happiness of this new relationship, I felt like I was in on a secret knowing that Jim already had the ring : )  And knowing that he had the ring already made this so old-Hollywood romantic:  It was the need within him to take things slow that led him to the door each night against his will, leaving her with a lingering kiss and the promise of tomorrow.

For three weeks, he held it in, held back, kept himself from saying it again. Guh.The pacing here is just so wonderful.  It fits that their first time wasn’t perfect and the fact that you didn’t go into details works so well with the tone of this story.Waiting seemed to be a running theme in his life. Images of the wedding toast : )He wouldn’t tell her that she reminded him of his mother until years later, while they doted over their own children--the ultimate compliment from a man with a close relationship with his mother.   Beautiful job, Danielle.  Can’t wait to read your next work of art!