The aisles of the grocery store seemed long and very high. She was always afraid that if she stepped on the bottom shelf to push herself up to get the last box of Hamburger Helper that it might fall on her, crushing her to nothing. Pam hated shopping alone. She had always wanted Neil to help her get the shopping list made and have him get the ground chuck when she didn’t want to touch it. He had neglected to do those things for her and soon, she hadn’t put up with him anymore.

Neil had gotten up one day, decided that he needed booze more than his family, got drunk, and walked out the door. He left his wife of seven years and their four year old daughter Scarlet in a big empty house all by themselves.

Pam had known that when she married him that the passion wouldn’t last. She regretted saying her vows with him and sticking with him as long as she had. He had worked hard at the law firm and would always go out with his buddies, leaving Pam to make dinner, clean house, and tuck herself and their child into bed every night without saying so much as a ‘goodnight.’ Pam’s heart used to break when he came home wasted and fell into bed every night. Her dreams of the perfect marriage were shattered the first night that had happened. He had come in with rum and coke on his breath and had passed out without acknowledging her crying silently on the pillow.

Then it all changed in one second when he had walked out the door drunk, got into his BMW, ran a red light, and crashed into a family of three. He torn two family’s lives apart within one split second decision.

Pam cared for Neil because he was the father of her gorgeous daughter. When the police had knocked on their door, Scarlet ran to answer and then ran back at the sight of the uniformed officers. Pam made her way to the door and knew that something had happened. The police officer sat quietly in the living room until she took a seat of her own. The news had been hard for her to take in. At first, she glanced around to make sure that Scarlet was still coloring in the play room and she then had let her tears flow. Even though their relationship had ended long before his death, Pam felt guilt and sadness that she let him leave with alcohol in his system. She had let him drive away and let him ruin his child’s life.

At the funeral, she had tried to be strong, arranging everything and speaking with Scarlet about her father being far away now. Pam hadn’t known how to tell her only child that her father had killed himself and two others as well. She knew that she would never be able to fully explain it. Scarlet would have to make her own conclusions about her father. They soon started their new routine of play dates, bath time, bed time stories, and making their home a fun environment.

“Mom. Are we going to visit daddy today? Isn’t it Sunday?”

Pam wiped off the wet dish and set it down. “We will after I get the dishes done. We need to stop by the grocery store for flowers first.”

Scarlet went back to her puzzle and hummed a familiar tune from one of her sing-a-long tapes. Pam adored her daughter. She was strong and yet so shy and meek. She was just like her mother. When they sat in the cemetery every weekend, Pam would sometimes cry and Scarlet would embrace her and tell her that it was okay. She was going on five and knew how to comfort her mother in the right way. Pam loved that her child had the qualities that she had dreamed her daughter would have. Even though she had Scarlet with the wrong person, she was blessed that she had her. Pam’s life was all about Scarlet.

Leaving Scarlet to pick out the flowers in the market, Pam turned to look at the candy down the aisle. Scarlet needed some for her pre-kindergarten class party. She found some candy bars, checked the nutritional facts, then put them back on the shelf. She spotted a bag of Jelly Bellies and put two sacks in the cart without so much as a thought.

After a few moments of shopping alone, Pam turned back around towards the flower section to see that Scarlet wasn’t standing there. Pam went into panic mode and quickly turned the corner with her cart to see where she had ran off to. With every passing aisle, Pam caught her breath and clutched tighter to the cart. Her heart felt like it was going to jump out her throat if Scarlet wasn’t standing on the next aisle. After several minutes of searching, tears began to stream down her cheeks as she turned to do another run through of the store. Pam whispered to herself, “Scarlet. Please come to Mommy.”

Nothing.

Her knuckles were white and her back hunched over the cart like she was ready to race. She knew her daughter was smarter than to run out of the store or leave the area. Her voice got louder every time she pleaded with her daughter to return to her. “Scarlet. Where are you?” Mommy is ready to go.”

Pam stopped to slow her heartbeat then went back to racing through the store with her eyes peeled for the short, brownish-red headed, pigtailed, dress wearing, little girl she loved. Pam’s ears were keen for any little word or sob from her child and then she heard her. A whimper came from the direction of the fruit stand and Pam knew it was Scarlet.

Pam slowed her pace when her eyes fell upon a broken hearted little girl standing next to the apples with some daisies in her hand. She was intently listening to a man that was lowered to her level as he clutched a little basket of groceries. Pam abandoned her cart and ran over to her baby girl. She picked her up in one swift motion and held on for dear life. Pam’s first instinct was to scold Scarlet for running off. Pam never wanted to let her daughter down. She had already lost one parent, and Pam didn’t want Scarlet to ever feel like she was missing too. Today, Pam apologized and wiped her tears away from her little nose. “Mommy is sorry baby. I am so sorry.”

When Pam put her down and grabbed her hand, she thanked the man that had been comforting Scarlet. She glanced up at him, gave the man a heartfelt thanks, then ushered her child over to the cart. She instantly put Scarlet in the basket and pulled her little dress down in the front.

“Pam?”

Pam immediately looked up at the man standing next to the apples. He was holding his basket of groceries with his long fingers clutched around the handle and his other hand in his pocket. Pam stopped pushing the cart to intently look at a sight she hadn’t seen in nearly eight years.

“Jim?” she said as she squinted at him.

He took a step towards her, almost knocking over a display of oranges. Pam held tight to the cart again in disbelief.

“Wow. How are you?” He held out his arms.

“I’m better now,” Pam said as she looked at Scarlet who was picking at the flowers.

“Looks like it. You’re a mom,” he said as he pointed to the child in the cart.

“Yeah. I have been for almost five years.”

“I can’t believe it’s you. I thought you were gone all these years.”

“We moved back last year when Neil got another job offer at the Price and McGaugh Law Firm.”

“I didn’t know that.”

“Yeah, old news….How’ve you’ve been?”

“I’ve been fine. Just surviving.”

“Same here,” Pam said with a chuckle.

Scarlet twisted in her seat and spotted the jelly beans in the basket. She reached over, pulled them up to where she was and held them in Pam’s face so she would open them. Pam took the bag and threw it back into the basket. She looked into Scarlet’s eyes and said, “We have to pay for them first.”

----

Jim saw the candies and a smile came across his face. He looked down into his basket and saw a bag of his own sitting next to his fabric softener.

“Mom, let’s go see Dad now!” Scarlet yelled as she moved the basket with her wiggling movements.

Jim took a look at the cute girl he had just rescued. He had found her hunkered down under the fruit stand and knew that she was lost. He had bent down on his knee to look her in the face and asked her what was the matter. He had noticed how adorable she was and prayed that one day he had a daughter that was as gorgeous as she was.

“We will in a minute hun,” Pam said as she tucked a piece behind her ear.

“I will let you go. You’re husband is waiting.”

“It can wait Jim. So, what are you up to this afternoon? Besides getting jelly beans.”

“I just needed a few things around the house.”

“Yeah, us too.”

They let a few silent moments linger between them before Scarlet started singing ‘Mary had a little Lamb.’ Pam tore her gaze from Jim and adoringly smiled at Scarlet. Jim smiled and let out a little laugh to help break the awkward feeling in the produce section of the store. Pam bobbed her head to Scarlet’s tune and then she heard Jim sing along. Pam giggled and joined in as well. After the chorus was over, Scarlet affixed her attention back to sneaking the jelly beans to the front of the cart. Jim and Pam exchanged glances after the song and let out another smile.

“Well, I should let you get going,” Jim said as he moved around Pam’s cart.

“Hey Jim, we should catch up sometime soon.”

“Whenever. I’m usually available for a phone call,” he said as he made a fake phone with his hand.

“You should stop by sometime.”

“I could do that.”

“I’m sure Scarlet would love a visitor.”

“I would love to come over and visit with her someday.”

“She’d like that.”

“Great," he said, knowing that they weren't really talking about Scarlet.

Jim turned and walked down the aisle towards the registers. Pam was through with her shopping and made her way to the front of the store where she stood one lane over from Jim. He was waiting for the clerk to finish ringing up his things and saw Pam’s head over the shelf. Scarlet helped Pam move the items from the basket to the conveyor belt. He turned back around when the cashier gave the total amount. He could hear Pam and Scarlet’s conversation. As he picked up his bags and put them around his wrists, he heard Scarlet ask, “Mom, does Daddy hear us when we talk to him?”

Pam looked up from putting the items on the counter and blinked. “I’m sure he does. He probably looks over us too.”

At the sound of Pam’s answer, Jim realized what the flowers were for and why Pam wasn’t so hesitant to rush out of the grocery store to meet up with her husband. His heart ached for the broken heart of that little girl he had just rescued and the woman he used to love.

Jim walked into his house and sat his groceries on the counter. He rummaged through the sacks and put most the items away. For a brief moment, he rested his hands on the counter top and leaned over to take a few deep breaths.

His mind was racing. They hadn’t seen each other since she left Dunder Mifflin about eight years before. She had met some guy, moved away, got married, and apparently had had a child. Jim couldn’t believe that it had been that long since he had seen her. At the first sight of her today, his heart had quickened and his palm’s had become drenched in sweat. She had looked just as good as she did when she had sat behind the reception desk. Now she had a maternal quality to her and more curves to her figure. Her pregnancy had given her more than just a beautiful little girl--Pam now had assets.

Jim stood up and put the rest of his groceries away. He picked up his bag of jelly beans and smiled. He remembered Scarlet grabbing for the candies and trying hard to pry the bag open. Kid after my own heart, he thought.

Pam had invited him over and he seriously considered looking through the phone book and finding her phone number and address. He pondered whether it would be better to call first or just drop by. He couldn’t wait for another Sunday grocery run so he could see her. It had been way too long.

---

“Neil, here are some daisies that Scarlet picked out in the grocery store. She thought you might like them. She ran off today and I almost lost it. A very nice man found her.”

Pam sat next to the headstone as Scarlet was playing with a stray cat that always seemed to find her when she came to visit Neil. Scarlet would carry that cat around until they were finished in the cemetery and left.

Pam remembered back to their first visit to the cemetery after Neil’s death. She had carried Scarlet over to the headstone and told her that her daddy now lived where the headstone stood. Scarlet hadn’t understood all that well, but had become accustomed to their weekly visits.

Scarlet still talked about Neil like he was alive. She would even try to write him letters and sometimes would leave them at his headstone. Her teacher at school would call Pam when Scarlet would draw pictures of her father lying in a coffin. Pam didn’t know whether to talk to Scarlet about her drawing pictures that made other people uncomfortable, but she knew that Scarlet would soon forget about her father and move on. Pam feared that day.

Pam pulled the dead roses off the grave and plucked a few weeds from around the headstone. Scarlet soon skipped over and put her little hand on the stone.

“Hi Dad. I miss you.”

Scarlet would say that every time they came to visit. Pam knew she meant it but was surprised that Scarlet still remembered what life was with him around. He had been gone for almost a year and Scarlet had changed so much since then.

“Dad, do you think mom will ever let me bring this kitty home? She always tells me no but I really want a kitty,” Scarlet said as she petted the gray cat that was hanging in her hands.

Pam pulled two of the daises from the bouquet and walked a few yards from where Neil was buried. Every weekend when they would come and visit Neil, Pam always stopped by two other graves. One was a little boy and the other, a mother. When Neil died, had taken two other’s with him-- he had hit an unsuspecting family. Kathy, a new mother and her newborn, Kyle were both killed. Ted, Kathy’s husband, had survived the crash with minor injuries. Pam would always take some flowers and leave them on their graves and say her apologies. Many times, Pam would break down and pour her heart out. She felt like Kathy was a good listener and would enjoy talking to her. So, she talked and Kathy listened.

They said their goodbyes and pulled out of the cemetery until next weekend. On the drive home, Pam thought about Jim. He had looked great. He had looked like he did eight years ago except he had shorter hair now. He didn’t really look that different at all. Pam found herself thinking about what her life wold have been like if they had ended up together. She said a silent ‘thank you’ to the Lord that it wasn’t Jim that had run that red light.

----

“Scarlet! Why is the gray kitty in the car?” Pam asked as she pulled the grocery sacks from the backseat. The cat jumped out of the car and found Scarlet who was standing in the front yard holding an open bag of jelly beans.

“Mom, she wanted to be with me. She needs a place to live!”

Pam rolled her eyes and knew that she couldn’t get out of this one. She pulled the sacks out of the car and opened the front door. Scarlet ran into the house with the cat loyally following behind her. Pam knew that the cat would probably run away in a few days and it wouldn’t be her problem anymore.

After getting Scarlet in bed, Pam sat on her couch and watched the news. That was her time to be alone, even though she wished that she had someone there to cuddle with. Pam hadn’t been out with a man since one of her neighbors had set her up on a blind date. She hadn’t really liked the guy so she never had called him back. Pam knew that if a man was supposed to replace Neil, he had to be the best. She didn’t need someone that was just like him, because she hadn’t liked the way Neil was most of the time. He had been a drunk and inconsiderate to his family. Pam wanted a family man that adored Scarlet and her as well.

In the midst of the weather report, the phone rang.

“Hi Mom.”

“Hey Pam. How are you doing babe?”

“Good. I’m tired, but good.”

“You better get some sleep then. You know you have to be rested up to be a good single mom.”

“I’m trying my best Mom. I’m really trying…” Pam said as she felt her eyes wellwith tears. She sucked back her tears before her mother could hear her.

“How’s my grandbaby?”

“She’s fine. She scared me today. When we were in the grocery store, she ran off and I couldn’t find her at first. Then,” Pam’s heart fluttered when she remembered Jim saving her little girl, “when I found her, I ran into an old friend from Dunder Mifflin.”

“Was she okay?”

“Yeah, Jim had found her and did a good job of keeping her calm.”

“Jim found her?”

“Yeah, it was pretty cool Mom.”

“How’s he doing?”

“I think he is doing good. We didn’t talk for very long.”

“Why not?”

“We were on our way to the cemetery.”

“You need to keep in touch with him. He was so nice to you at Dunder Mifflin.”

“I know. He was my best friend back then.”

“I think this might be a sign Pam. Is he still single?”

Pam thought about his hand grasping the basket and she couldn’t remember if he had a ring on his finger or not. The last she had heard he was engaged. She wasn’t sure if that had worked out or not.

“I think he’s married, Mom.”

“Well, you should show him what divorce papers look like.”

“Mom! I will not break up a marriage so I don’t have to be lonely. There are more fish out in the sea.”

“I know babe, you just need to get out more and start looking. You don’t have much longer until you won’t want to date anymore.”

“That’s okay. I’m pretty busy with Scarlet these days. She’s all I need to be happy.”

“She is special.”

“Well sorry to rush but, I think I might hit the sack.”

“I love you Pam.”

“Mom, I love you too.”

Pam put the receiver down and then realized that she hadn’t heard those words from a man in years. She wanted to hear those three simple words whispered in her ear so that she was the only one to hear them and savor them. She missed those three precious little words. When she turned off the television the phone rang again and Pam picked it up.

“I said I love you too, Mom.”

“I didn’t know that I was your mother.”

Pam pulled the phone away from her ear and looked at the caller ID. James Halpert.

“Oh, sorry, I thought it was my mother. She usually calls me back when I don’t tell her I love her.”

“Well, I’ll have to inform her that you are giving away all her ‘I love you’s to other people.”

“She would be okay with that. She thinks I need to date again.”

“Oh really?”

“Well, since my husband passed, I haven’t…Well, you might of not known that.”

“I kind of assumed that today in the grocery store. I heard your daughter ask you a question about it and I realized that he was probably….”

“Yeah, it’s been hard but we're doing great. Sunday’s are our days to go visit him.”

“That’s a nice thing.”

“I think it’s a good thing for now.”

“So….I was just going to call and see if you wanted to catch up sometime.”

“Well, I don’t know. I can usually only have peace and quiet when Scarlet’s at pre-k.”

“Scarlet. That’s a beautiful name Pam. She’s a very pretty girl. She looks just like you.”

“She takes after me in a lot of ways,” Pam said as she heard Scarlet’s little voice from her bedroom. “Speak of the devil.”

Pam walked down the hallway and into her daughter’s room. Scarlet was sitting up in her bed, motioning for the cat to come lay down by her.

“Mom, Lindie won’t sleep with me.”

“Yeah, like grandma. I like that name.”

“Get some sleep baby.”

“Night Mom.”

“Night Scarlet.”

Pam watched Scarlet lay back down and the cat, now known as Lindie, crawl up next to her and snuggle up at her side.

“Sorry about that, we have a cat now.”

“You do?”

“Lindie.”

“Nice name.”

“Scarlet named her. She said she named it after her great grandmother.”

“That’s sweet.”

“Yeah. She’s a sweetie.”

“She really seems like it.”

“We don’t have to talk about kids or cats now. Sorry, tell me what’s been happening in your life these past eight years.”

“Nothing much.”

“Whoa. You have got to be kidding me. I mean, I haven’t spoke to you in almost a decade and you have nothing to tell me? I don’t believe that.”

“Well, nothing has changed really.”

“So, there isn’t a Mrs. Halpert?”

“Nope,” Jim said with a sigh.

“Why not? I thought you were engaged at one point.”

“I was. Then…I wasn’t.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s for the best.”

“So, do you want to come over tomorrow sometime? I can make lunch after I get Scarlet off to school.”

“I would really like that.”

“So, how about noon? I live in the Harbor Creek Edition on the north side of town. Are you familiar with it?”

“Yeah, I know it well. So, you are living in a nice place then huh?”

“Neil was a lawyer. He wanted a big house and so, he bought one. I love the house, don’t get me wrong, but all of it reminds me of him. Even when I get his inheritance check every month in the mail, I have to think about him and I don’t like to do that often.”

“I’m sorry. I know it must be tough for you.”

“It is some days. Not for me, but for Scarlet. She won’t know her dad when she grows up. It’s sad. I’m fine now. Things are much better.”

“Good to hear.”

“So, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow. When you get into the edition, call me up and I'll direct you to the house.”

“I can’t wait.”

“I’ve missed you.”

“Oh, you don’t even know.”

“I do know,” Pam said as she let out a girlish giggle.

“Have a nice night Pam.”

“You too, Jim.”

With that, Pam clicked the off button and sank back into the fluffy sofa.

Chapter 3-Fringes (It's just the beginning).

Jim stepped out of his car and looked up at the two story house that Pam owned. It was large and beautiful. He noticed that the lawn was manicured and well kept. There was a garden and flowers growing up a lattice on the second story balcony. Jim breathed in deep and made his way up the sidewalk to the front door. He knocked and Pam opened it quickly.

“Hi!” Pam said as she opened the door and pulled him into a hug.

“Hey.”

“You found me!”

“You have an amazing home.”

“It’s big. Too big.”

“I’m sure you can find things to fill it up with.”

Pam walked into the kitchen and Jim followed with his hands stuffed into his pockets. He looked around the hallway and then the kitchen. Pam had photos of Scarlet on the walls. His gaze met one of her, Scarlet and Neil. He lingered at the picture, trying to get to know the man that had captured Pam’s heart many years ago. He heard Pam step into the kitchen and unlocked his stare from the picture.

“So, what do you want for lunch? I didn’t really plan anything.”

“I’m fine with anything. I should have offered to bring something.”

Pam opened the refrigerator door and leaned low to look. She pulled out the pack of ham she had bought on Sunday. She held it in the air and then pulled out some slices of cheese. She gave a grin and kicked the fridge door with her foot.

“Ham and cheese!”

“You know where my heart lies.”

“Of course,” she said as she pulled out four pieces of bread.

“So, it’s really good to see you.”

“I never thought I would see you again.”

“Really? I had hope, but after a few years, I gave up I guess.”

Pam looked up at Jim. Her face had gone completely blank and pale. She then focused back on the sandwich she was making.

“You still working at Dunder Mifflin?”

“Sadly, yes.”

“Oh my. Is Michael still a freak?”

“He left a few years ago. Well, let me take that back, I think they forced him to leave.”

“Is Dwight in charge now or did they hire some nobody who doesn’t know what they’re doing?”

“Well, he is a great guy actually. He is smart, funny, handsome, endearing, and the best at what he does.”

“Sounds like you have a crush on him. Who is it?”

“His name is James Halpert.”

“You’re the manager?” Pam let out a little giggle as she handed Jim his sandwich on a paper plate.

“Yeah. It’s nothing much but I get more money. It’s fairly simple stuff.”

“Then I have one question for you. Why are you here when you should be at work?”

“Haven’t you ever heard of a four week vacation?”

Pam smiled and took a bite of her sandwich. “You’re abusing your authority Mr. Halpert.”

“Nah. Things have changed since you’ve been gone.”

“You’re telling me.”

“Yeah, it’s crazy how a few years can completely change things,” Jim said as he let his grin slip from his face. He hid his discontent by putting his head down and staring at his plate.

“I never thought that I would be a Mom. It’s the best thing in the world though.”

“You look like you enjoy it.”

“Do you see yourself having kids someday?”

“I guess. It’s just getting the wife that will have my babies,” he said as he chuckled.

“Oh, I doubt you have that problem. You’re a gentleman.”

At those words, Jim looked over to picture of Neil, Pam and Scarlet on the wall. Pam saw that his attention was on the picture and she looked at it too.

“You all look so happy there.”

Pam let out a harsh breath and put her sandwich down. She wiped off her hands and said, “We look happy. In all honesty, we weren’t. Well, I wasn’t.”

Jim turned to face Pam. He put his sandwich down and briskly dusted off his hands. “Oh.”

“I’m sorry that all our conversations tend to focus on Neil. It’s just that I don’t ever really talk about him with adults. Scarlet only has an attention span that lasts for about two minutes.”

“No, you can talk all you want.”

Pam reached her hand over and patted Jim’s. “You’re sweet.”

“What was that?” Jim shook his head and laughed. “You really are a mom. That’s so funny.”

Pam dropped her jaw and let it curl into a smile. “What? The most intelligent conversation I have is with my five year old. Sorry if I come across a little motherish.”

Jim laughed, “It’s okay Mom.”

Pam punched his shoulder and he winced and rubbed it. “Child abuse!” Jim screamed jokingly.

“You need to grow up,” Pam said as she stood up from the table and put the plates in the trash.

“Can you help me?”

“I don’t think anything will help you Halpert.”

“Oh, straight to the heartstrings on that one,” Jim said as he grabbed his chest.

“Man, you’re such a baby.”

“Actually, I’m not. I just like pretending I am.”

“Sure,” Pam said as she walked back to the table. They both laughed.

Jim finally broke his laughter and smiled up at Pam. “Just like old times huh?”

“I guess it is.” Pam looked at her the clock on the wall. “Oh shoot. I have to go get Scarlet.”

“Already?”

“Yeah. I’m sorry.”

“No.” Jim stood up from the table. “I guess I should go then.”

“I’m sorry. We should totally do this again.”

“Yeah,” he said as he scratched the back of his neck, disappointed.

“Wait, do you want to come with me?”

“Sounds like fun.”

Pam grabbed her keys and led the way to her vehicle.

----

Standing on the sidewalk of the school, Pam and Jim waited for Scarlet to come out the front doors. When she came down the steps she ran right towards Pam, giving her knees a hug.

“Mom! I made a picture with noodles today!”

“Wow. I can’t wait to see it.”

Scarlet looked up at Jim, who towered over her. She stepped back and snuggled herself up closer to Pam.

“Scarlet, do you remember Jim? He’s the one that you talked to in the store the other day.”

“Yeah. He looks taller today.”

Jim laughed, “I grew over night.”

“Did it hurt?”

“No. Growing up doesn’t hurt one bit.”

“Well, whenever my legs hurt, Mom says it’s because I’m growing.”

Jim lifted his brow and shrugged. Pam smiled at him and then walked Scarlet to her car. Pam buckled her into her seat as Jim stood holding the door open. When Pam was finished, she looked at him and gave a look of gratitude. She pulled the keys out of her pocket and jingled them at Jim.

“Would you like to be the man and escort us ladies home?”

Jim smiled and grabbed the keys. He pulled Pam’s door open and ran around the car to drive the two beautiful women home.

As Jim drove the car cautiously down the road, Pam looked over and knew that all of this felt right.

----

After dinner, Scarlet took it upon herself to entertain Jim. She did somersaults and tried to do cartwheels. Whenever she completed her act, Jim and Pam clapped and sang her praises.

As Jim sat on the couch, Scarlet came over to him, put her hands on his knees and looked into his eyes. “Do you have a daddy, Jim?”

“I do.”

“Really? Where does he live?”

“He lives with my mom.”

“Oh.”

She skipped off into her room. Pam looked over at Jim and gave him the ‘I have no clue’ look. They shrugged it off and continued talking in between Scarlet’s interruptions. She brought Lindie into the living room and tried to put a baby doll dress on her. Scarlet wrestled with the cat until Pam scolded Scarlet for being mean to Lindie. The cat let out a hiss and ran into another room.

Pam got up from the couch and grabbed Scarlet’s hand. She looked over at Jim.

“I have to put her to bed. If you need to go, you can, if not, I’ll be done in a minute.”

“Mom! No! I don’t want to go to bed. I want to play with Jim!”

“Baby, he probably…”

Jim stood and wiped his hands on his pants, “No. I can…”

“She needs to get into bed.”

“Jim!” Scarlet said as she pulled down on Pam’s arm and reached for Jim.

Pam yanked the dead weight of Scarlet off the floor, “Scarlet, it’s time for bed. Get your rear in there now.”

Scarlet let out a wail and squeezed out some big tears. Jim rested his hand on his chest and felt horrible at the scene unfolding in front of his eyes.

“Mom, I want to stay up with you and Jim!”

“Maybe another time. You have school tomorrow.”

“Hey, Pam….” Jim tried to get her attention. “I could read her a bedtime story.”

“Yeah Mom. Can we read a bedtime story together? Please?” Scarlet said as she yanked on Pam’s arm again.

Pam looked at Jim and then down at Scarlet. “Sure.”

Scarlet and Jim both smiled. Scarlet took off into her room and pulled out a set of pajamas. After she darted into the bathroom to attempt to put them on she quickly made her way to her bed and under the covers.

“Are you sure you want to do this? It could last a while.”

Jim smiled and held his arms out, “I am all Scarlet’s for tonight.”

“Well, you are brave.”

“I‘ll do my best.”

----

After three stories and four knock-knock jokes later, Jim glanced down at the silently sleeping Scarlet. She had her head on her pillow while her hand rested on Jim’s knee. He sat on the corner of her bed as he leaned against her headboard. Pam sat on the other side of Scarlet. When he looked over to get permission from Pam to stop reading, he noticed that Pam was silently sleeping as well. Jim smiled to himself and put the book on the nightstand.

As Jim walked out Scarlet’s door, he felt a hand grab a hold of his arm. He turned to see Pam standing there with sleep in her eyes.

“Hey,” she said.

Jim turned. “Oh, I thought you were asleep.”

“I guess I was. Thanks for reading to her.”

“No problem. I enjoyed it.”

Pam smiled and then flung her hands to her face. She began to let out sobs. Jim immediately was concerned for Pam and touched her arm to let her know that he was there.

“Are….are you okay?” Jim asked as he leaned over to look into her face.

She let out a few more heartbreaking sobs and rubbed her eyes with the back of hands. “It’s just….that…”

“What Pam?”

“….that….her Dad never did that for her…..and…”

Jim shook his head and rubbed Pam’s arm. “Hey, it’s okay.”

“It means a lot to me that you would do that for her.”

“My pleasure Pam,” Jim grabbed her by the arm and led her to the couch where he urged her to sit.

“You’re being so nice right now and…I…can’t…”

“What? You can’t what?”

“I can’t express how much it means to me.”

“Pam, you don’t need to do that. I know. Do you need to talk?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t really had a talk with anyone in a very….long time.”

“Well, spill it…”

Pam wiped her tears again and reached over and grabbed tight to Jim’s waist. She embraced him in a hug and let out a few more tears. He rubbed her back as she rested in his arms.

“I don’t know what you know about Neil but he wasn’t a good man.”

“Oh…” Jim hadn’t speculated that. All he knew was they she wasn’t happy with him before he died.

“He was a drunk. He never came home early, he didn’t even acknowledge that Scarlet existed. We didn’t really have a relationship after our wedding. I stuck with him because he was all I knew and then when Scarlet was born, there was no way I was leaving him.”

“I understand,” Jim said as she kept rubbing her back.

“After he killed himself and the others, I haven’t been able to sleep well. He left our marriage in shambles and it’s left me broken all to pieces. I can’t stand feeling this way Jim.”

“You deserve better.”

“That’s what I’ve always thought. He didn’t really love me or Scarlet at all and that’s what kills me. He was just fine without us. He didn’t need us. He only needed his booze.”

Jim responded to her sobs by pulling her in closer. He embraced her while they sat on her couch. When she continued talking about how Scarlet didn’t really know her father, Jim found himself getting emotional. He hated to see Pam torn up. Even though the night had gone well, he still felt like he and Pam didn’t know each other anymore. It was different now. But, when she clung to his side and buried her face in his shirt, he knew that she was the same Pam he had loved all those years. His eyes filled with his own tears and blinked them out of his eyes.

“I’m sorry Jim, I didn’t mean to cry all over you like this,” she said still resting her head on his chest.

“No, I’m glad I’m here. You needed someone to vent to. I’m glad it was me.”

“I’m glad it was you too.”

He wiped his own eyes and went back to rubbing Pam’s back gently. They sat in the silence for a few moments. Pam’s breathing calmed and slowed. Jim knew that she was slipping back to sleep. He didn’t move except his hand running over her shoulder blade and spine. He kept gently rubbing her back and breathing in and out with her rhythm. Soon, he fell asleep with Pam in his arms.

“Mom! Wake up. I need to potty.”

Pam lifted her head and looked into Scarlet’s eyes. She was standing there doing a little dance and had a concerned look written on her face. Pam rubbed her eyes and then noticed that she was sprawled out on the couch, lying on Jim. He was still sleeping with his hands on her back. Pam moved slowly as to not wake him.

“Mommy! Come on. I need help!”

Jim jumped and sat up at the sound of Scarlet’s squeal. Pam was still trying to move herself off of him when he jerked up and they bumped heads. As they let out a laugh and started rubbing their heads, Scarlet had taken off towards the bathroom.

“I’ll be right back. Nature calls,” Pam said as she regained her balance and followed after Scarlet.

Jim sat up and rubbed his eyes. He felt a little wet spot on his shirt and wondered if it was her tear stains or drool. He decided he should ask her when she came back into the room.

“Good morning Jim!” Scarlet said as she skipped back into the room.

“Good morning Scarlet,” Jim mocked with a smile.

“Did you stay the night?” Scarlet asked as she grabbed Lindie.

“Umm..”

Pam entered at the right time to reply. “We had a slumber party.”

“You did? I haven’t been to a… slumber party before,” Scarlet said stumbling over the words.

“We’ll have to throw you one,” Jim said as he tugged on her sleeve.

“Thanks Jim. Do you really think I can handle a bunch of little girls running around here for a whole night? I can barely handle her by myself,” Pam said as she set the table with plates and forks.

Jim stood up and walked into the kitchen. “I could always help.”

“Sure. You would be bald by the time the sun rose.”

“It’s inevitable. I will be bald in ten years anyways. Why not get it over with?”

“Oh, don’t say that. I love your hair.”

Jim dodged his eyes from his feet to Pam’s face. Pam was doing the same thing.

“So, what’s for breakfast?” Jim asked.

“I don’t know. I was going to see what everyone wanted.”

“I can make some killer pancakes.”

“Oh, I think that will do.”

Jim smiled and looked down to find Scarlet standing at his side.

“Would you like to help me make pancakes Scarlet?”

“Pancakes….I think I like those. Mom, do I like pancakes?”

“Yes, you do baby.”

“Well, if you do, then you will love mine. I put a secret ingredient in them.”

“What?” Scarlet asked.

“Well, if it’s a secret, I can’t tell you.”

Jim walked over to the counter where Pam was pulling out the mix and the pans for the pancakes.

“What’s your special ingredient?” Pam whispered.

“It’s a secret, Pam,” he said with a smile.

“Yeah, Mom. He won’t tell us,” Scarlet said as she pushed a step stool up to the counter.

-----

Pam sat at the table reading the paper as Jim and Scarlet mixed the pancakes. She would glance up every few minutes to see Scarlet sitting on the counter with her hands in the batter. Jim poured the mix into the hot pan where it made a sizzling noise. Scarlet would tease him and then they would both burst out in laughter. Scarlet had the powder mix on her nose and cheeks. Pam noticed that Jim had patted some on his own cheeks too and then let Scarlet put some on his nose. Pam’s thoughts reveled with him being in their lives. He was such a great father figure.

“Time for the secret ingredient!” Jim announced. “You can’t tell anyone, Scarlet.”

He poured a cup of chocolate chips into the batter and Scarlet made an excited noise. Jim laughed and then handed her some chocolate chips. She sat quietly eating the chocolate as Jim finished up the cooking. He lifted Scarlet off the counter and brought the pancakes to the table.

“Bon Appetite!”

Pam folded up the paper and the helped Scarlet into her booster seat.

“Wow! You and Jim did such a great job!”

“The secret ingredient is chocolate chips, Mom,” Scarlet said as she put another piece into her mouth.

“Scarlet, it’s a secret!”

“Oops!”

“I think I could have figured it out when I ate them. It’s okay. But, we need to wipe some of that secret ingredient off your face and hands,” Pam said as she wiped Scarlet down.

Jim sat and dished out pancakes onto the girl’s plates. Pam sat back up and held out the napkin. Jim looked up at her.

“Do I need to wipe you down too?” Pam said with a grin.

Jim leaned in and she patted his cheeks and nose to get the dry powder off. He smiled and went back to cutting Scarlet’s pancake into bites.

“This is very yummy you guys,” said Pam.

“Thank you. Scarlet did everything,” Jim joked.

----

After breakfast and a quick clean up, Pam ushered Scarlet to the bathtub. Jim lingered for a moment and knocked on the bathroom door to let Pam know he was stepping out.

“Hey, I think I’m going to go on home. Thanks for everything.”

“Wait! Just one second Jim.”

“Okay. I’ll be in the living room,” Jim said as he walked towards the couch where he slept last night.

“You better not leave!”

“I won’t, I promise.”

A few moments later, Pam carried a clean Scarlet out of the bathroom. Pam put Scarlet down next to Jim and pulled out the brush and started pulling Scarlet’s hair through the bristles. Jim laughed at Scarlet’s faces when Pam would catch a tangle.

“So, I have to take her to pre-k in about an hour. Would you want to stay around until then? Maybe we can get a decent adult conversation in afterwards,” Pam asked.

“That sounds great, but at some point I might need to put some clean clothes on and brush my teeth Pam.”

“That’s true. Well, how about you go get cleaned up and meet me at Cugino’s at noon?”

“Great.”

“Okay, that’s great. Scarlet, tell Jim bye.”

“Bye Jim,” Scarlet said as she stood on the couch to hug him.

Jim hesitated, not knowing what she wanted, then leaned over and hugged the tiny little girl.

“Bye Scarlet. Thanks for cooking with me today.”

Pam smiled. “See you soon, Jim.”

----

Sitting in Cugino’s waiting for Pam, Jim bounced his leg up and down. She walked in, looking refreshed and happy. He waved to her and stood to greet her. She gave him a hug and then sat down.

“Hey. I haven’t seen you in what? Almost an hour?”

Jim laughed and picked up his menu. “I know you can’t resist me.”

“Listen, I wanted to explain how embarrassed I was when I freaked out on you last night. I just broke down I guess.”

“Hey, don’t worry about that. I would too if I was a single mother.”

They both gave a chuckle.

“I’m glad that you aren’t a single mother.”

“Me too.”

“So, I just wanted to clear that up. I didn’t mean to. So, sorry for freaking you out.”

“I wasn’t freaked out. I was just concerned.”

“You know you are very good at comforting people. I don’t think I have slept that well in a long time.”

“Oh, really. I didn’t do anything.”

“I have to say that I love Scarlet. She is the cutest kid I know.”

“She seems to think the same about you. After you left, you were all she talked about.”

“Really?” Jim said with a smile.

“She asked when you were coming over again.”

“When am I coming over again?”

----

After lunch, they lingered by Pam’s car still chatting.

“So, are you not working anywhere?”

“I can’t with Scarlet. I would really like to be there for her since her father isn’t. So, I don’t have a job at the moment, but whenever she is older and the inheritance checks aren’t enough anymore, then I think I will have to find one.”

“What do you want to do?”

“I think I want to go back to the gallery here in town. I worked there before I had Scarlet. I would like to work just a few hours a day when she is in school full time. It would be great to get out of the house every now and then.”

“I see.”

“So, I need to run and get her. She will probably have some stories to tell when she gets home.”

“Yeah, well I guess I’ll see you around,” Jim said as he took a few steps back to leave.

“Hey, do you want to come over again tonight?”

“I don’t know. What’s going on?”

“I think the usual. Making dinner, bath time, cleaning up, putting her to bed…all that stuff.”

“Are you sure you want company another night?”

“I always want company Jim.”

He laughed at Pam’s expression. “Okay, I’ll definitely be there Bees….I mean, Pam.”

She smiled and then turned to unlock her car. “Beesly is fine.”

He nodded and winked. “Bye Beesly.”

Jim knocked on Pam’s door a little after seven. She didn’t answer right away and he knocked again. Pam came thundering through the house to open the door. Her face was flushed and she looked upset.

“Hey. Come on in. Sorry, I should have called you, but Scarlet’s sick.”

“What? Is she okay?” Jim asked as stepped in the door.

“I don’t know. She came home from school a little sick, and now she has a fever. I can’t seem to get it to come down,” she said as she put her hand to her forehead.

“Hey, we are going to make her feel better. Don’t worry.”

“Well, I’m just a little upset that she isn’t getting better and I can’t do anything for her,” Pam said as she paced between the kitchen and the hallway where Jim was standing.

“Can I see her?”

“She is probably sleeping by now.”

“Oh, well do you need me to do anything? I can run to the drugstore or pick up some stuff for her.”

“I think I’ve given her enough meds for now. I don’t know what to do Jim,” Pam said again as she wrung her hands.

Jim stepped over, put his hands on her shoulders and looked her in the eye.

“Listen Pam. She’ll be fine. She might just have the flu. This isn’t the first time she’s been sick and it sure won’t be the last. Relax.”

“I know. I’m just a worry wart.”

“Yes, yes you are.”

“I’m gonna go check on her. You want to come with?”

“Yeah.”

----

Scarlet was resting in her bed as Pam stroked her hair. Scarlet had an array of soups, glasses of water, tissues, stuffed animals, crackers, and a trashcan by her side. Lindie sat at the end of the bed curled up in a ball purring. Jim and Pam watched as Scarlet breathed in and out.

“Let’s let her rest. What do you want for dinner?” Pam said.

“You want to leave her alone?”

“She needs to sleep and plus, I’m starving and if I don’t get anything in my stomach, I might fall over. Come on, let’s raid the fridge,” Pam said as she pulled on his sleeve.

----

After some grilled cheese sandwiches and chips, Jim and Pam sat on the couch. They made conversation in between check ups with Scarlet.

“So, why did you and your fiancé break up?”

“Why did you have to ask that?”

Pam let her mouth curl up into a sly smile.

“Come on,” Pam said as she nudged him with her shoulder.

“She just wasn’t the right woman for me. That’s it.”

“Are you sure that’s it?”

“I don’t know. I guess we didn’t get along very well. We had different opinions about some things.”

“Did it hurt to break it off?”

“Yeah, but after it was done, I felt like a weight lifted off my shoulders.”

“That’s a good sign.”

“I hope so.”

Pam turned her head towards the stairs when she heard Scarlet. Scarlet was making some noise and Pam immediately jumped out of her seat and ran up the stairs. Jim waited on the couch for the update.

“Jim!”

He jumped up off the couch himself and leapt up the stairs. He made his way to Scarlet’s room where he found Pam holding the crying Scarlet.

Pam looked up at Jim with her eyes glistening with her own tears. “She had got out of her bed and said she couldn’t walk. She must be really sick.”

“Oh no,” was all that Jim could say.

“Can you get the thermometer for me?”

Jim handed her the thermometer and Pam stuck it into Scarlet’s mouth. They waited patiently for the beeper to sound. Pam took it out of her mouth.

“104.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yeah. What do I do Jim? She can’t even stand,” Pam said with the sound of panic on her voice.

“Let’s get her to the hospital.”

Pam nodded and pulled Scarlet’s blanket off the bed and wrapped it around her. Jim leaned over, grabbed Scarlet up in his arms and carefully went down the stairs. Pam took all the medication she had given Scarlet and followed Jim out to her car. When she got into the car, Jim was sitting in the backseat holding Scarlet and running his hand over her hair. Pam got in, flustered.

“Do you need me to drive Pam?”

“I can drive. You stay there.”

----

At the hospital, the nurse admitted Scarlet right away. During the car ride, Scarlet had went back to sleep and slept until they poked her with an IV. Pam sat watching nervously as Scarlet cried and reached for her. Jim rested his hands on Pam’s shoulders while he stood behind her.

“This is just a bad case of the flu. When she gets some fluids into her system, her temperature will fall and she will be fine. We’ve seen a lot of these cases this year,” said the nurse.

Pam let out a sigh of relief and Jim squeezed her shoulders. Pam looked up and smiled up at him. She was glad that he was there to help her.

After a few hours of waiting, signing papers, getting prescriptions, and worrying, they finally walked up to Pam’s door. Pam opened the door as Jim carried Scarlet back up to her room. He put her down, Pam pulled the covers back over her and they both stood there watching her again. Jim turned to look at Pam who was biting her nails.

“She’ll be fine. No more worrying.”

“She’s my baby girl. I can’t let anything happen to her.”

“Life is going to happen. Just relax. This wasn’t anything major. There will be worse things than this.”

“Don’t say that. I don’t think my heart can take it,” Pam said as he put her hand to her heart.

“Do you want me to stay up here for a little bit?”

“That would be great. Can I go get a quick shower?”

“Yeah, I’ll be right here.”

“Thank you.”

Pam rushed off to get a shower and Jim sat down in Scarlet’s bean bag chair. He slumped down to the floor and eventually ended up laying down on it. Scarlet turned over and made a little noise and Jim popped up off the floor to see what had happened. When he noticed that she was just sleeping, he made his way back to the floor. He felt his eye lids get heavy and tried his best to fight the temptation to fall asleep.

Pam entered the room with a t-shirt and pajama pants on. Her hair was in a towel and she stood in the doorway rubbing lotion over her arms. She looked and saw that Scarlet was still resting easy and then noticed that Jim was too. He had his hand resting on his forehead as his head lay on the sleeping bag. He had his feet crossed over one another and he had managed to not take off his coat. Pam took Scarlet’s temperature again and then walked over to where Jim rested on the floor. She nudged him with her foot.

“Hey, get up. You can go now,” she said with a giggle.

He moved a little and then his eyes fluttered open. He looked up at Pam then let his gaze fall on the sleeping Scarlet. He reached up and pulled Pam’s hand down until she knelt to the floor with him. Pam reluctantly settled next to him on the floor with a smile on her face.

“Is it okay if I stay?”

“Always,” Pam said as she felt his arms wrap around her and pull her in close.

“Okay…night.”

“Night Jim.”

----

When the sun came peeking through the blinds, Jim blinked the spots out of his vision. He pulled his head up to see Scarlet still sleeping. Pam was nestled up next to him with her hands tucked inside his coat. He sat up and let out a yawn and a stretch. Pam moved and sat up.

“Good morning again,” Jim said as he ran his hands through his hair.

“Morning.”

“She looks better,” he said looking over in Scarlet’s direction.

“She does. Thanks for staying.”

“Thanks for letting me stay. I guess I need to start paying rent now that I’ve stayed here two nights.”

“Nah, free of charge.”

Scarlet moved and then opened her eyes. Both Jim and Pam greeted her with a smile.

“How are you baby?” Pam said walking over to her.

“I feel okay.”

“Good. Let me get you some more medicine before you get sick again.”

Scarlet made a face then covered her mouth with her hands.

“Scarlet you have to take it or you won’t get better. Take it.”

She shook her head. Jim stood up, walked over to Pam, pretended to taste the medicine and then said, “Yum.”

“See Scarlet, Jim likes it.”

She shook her head again.

“It’s good. Lindie even likes it, Scarlet,” Jim said as he motioned to the cat sitting on the window sill. Scarlet lifted her eyebrows and then held out her hand for the cup of medicine. She swallowed hard then made a slurping noise with her mouth.

“See? Not so bad,” Pam said as she took the cup from Scarlet.

Jim and Pam exchanged glances and then laughed. Scarlet got up and Pam hugged her. She then proceeded towards the door, then turned back around, grabbed on to Jim’s leg and hugged him. Jim patted her back.

“Can we make some more breakfast with your secret ingredient today?” Scarlet asked as she looked up towards Jim.

Jim looked at Scarlet with a huge smile across his face.

“As long as it’s okay with your Mom.” Jim winked.

“I think that’s a good idea,” Pam said taking Scarlet’s hand and leading her to the kitchen.

Jim followed them to the kitchen. He felt all his emotions and feelings for Pam creeping back into the front of his mind. He had forgotten how much he cared for her eight years ago. Now, he didn’t just get Pam, he got Scarlet too. He had been won over by two amazing girls.

For the next few weeks after their initial reunion, Jim and Pam spent time together each day. Jim had one week left in his vacation and dreaded having to return back to work. He wanted to be able to have lunch with Pam when Scarlet was in school. He enjoyed every moment with the two of them.

Jim and Pam hadn’t talked about their relationship yet. It wasn’t clear what they were. He technically didn’t know how to ask and what to say. Did he have to ask Pam if she wanted to date him or was it already known? He knew he would have to talk to her about it.

----

One day at lunch, Jim decided it was time to bring up his concerns. He was nervous and felt his brow start to bead with sweat. They sat down at a table and waited for their drink orders.

“So, how was Scarlet today?” Jim asked.

“She’s good. She asked if you were going to come over tonight. You haven’t been over for dinner in a few nights.”

“I know. I guess I could swing by tonight. Wait, or you all could come over to my place for dinner.”

“Oh well…I think we’ll have to do that,” Pam said as she raised her eyebrows.

“What’s your favorite meal? Spaghetti? Lasagna? Anything with pasta?”

“I doesn’t matter what we have. Scarlet will be fine with whatever you fix.”

“Who said I was fixing anything? I was going to order it!”

Pam laughed. “But you do so well in the kitchen.”

“No I don’t. I just pretend like I do,” Jim said as he sipped on his water.

“Well, you’re a very good actor.”

“I took some lessons.”

“Ah. Very impressive, Mr. Halpert.”

“My stage name isn’t Halpert though. And if I told you what it is, I would have to kill you. I don’t really want to have to do that, so don‘t ask.”

Pam giggled as she played with her straw floating in her drink.

As the conversation was dwindling, Jim decided that he wanted to talk to her about his feelings. He had stayed over a few nights (on her couch of course) with her snuggled up next to him. Jim liked the nights that he was able to hold her. He didn’t ever pressure her to sleep in the bed together, but she always slept next to him.

Jim cleared his throat and spoke, “Pam, can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“Well, I don’t really know….how to ask this…and it come out right…but…”

“What is it?”

“I was just wondering if you….” Jim wiped his hands on his pants and put his elbows on the table. “…were ready to date someone again?”

Pam smiled and then looked down at her hands in her lap. She looked at where he ring used to sit. She took in a deep breath and looked back up at Jim.

“I think I’m ready to date again.”

“Do you want to date…um, me?”

Pam smiled again and took her hand and placed it on Jim’s arm. “I think that’s a really good idea.”

“Really?”

“I’ve been waiting for you to say that for a while now.”

“Good to hear.”

“Yes, it is very good to hear.”

Jim took her hand and held it under the table. His nerves subsided and everyone else in the room vanished and suddenly it was just him and Pam.

-----

Jim rushed around his house to pick up and get prepared for Pam and Scarlet’s arrival. He had decided to make his mother’s special lasagna with garlic bread. He knew that Scarlet liked lasagna and Pam did too. He called up his mother and asked for the recipe.

“You need to put the cottage cheese in after the ricotta.”

“Got it,” Jim said with the phone pressed to his shoulder and his ear.

“Then you bake….wait, why are you making my special lasagna?”

“I’m having company over for dinner tonight, Ma.”

“Who? Coworkers? A boss?”

“No. It’s this girl….”

“A woman is coming over to your house?”

“Yeah, she is actually…well…now, she’s my girlfriend. She’s bringing her daughter too.”

“This woman has a kid? Jim, what are you getting yourself in to?”

Jim felt offended that his mother was prying into his newly christened relationship. “Mom, I know what I’m doing.”

“You’re dating a divorced woman? That’s not good Jim….”

“Hey, listen….it’s not like that. I knew Pam a long time ago. She didn’t have Scarlet when I first fell in love with her….”

“So, she just had a baby?”

“No Mom. This was years ago. She moved away, got married, had a kid, her husband died a year ago, and I ran into her at the grocery store. That’s all. I’m not breaking up a marriage or anything like that.”

“Oh.”

“She’s great and I really adore her daughter. We actually made our relationship official today.”

“She has a kid though, Jim. Isn’t that a little too much to take on since you and Karen just ended your relationship?”

“Mom, I don’t care whether Pam has a child or not. She is the same woman she was eight years ago and now she has an amazing daughter that I love. I can’t imagine this any other way. I love them Mom.”

Busy arguing with his mother, Jim didn’t see Pam and Scarlet walk into his house hand in hand. They stood in his living room looking directly at him as he leaned on the counter. He turned at the sound of Scarlet’s voice. His face fell when he saw Pam’s reaction to his words.

“Mom, I need to go. They just showed up,” Jim said as she dropped the phone from his shoulder.

Pam stood there staring at Jim. He wasn’t sure what part she heard of his conversation. Scarlet held on to Pam’s hand looking up at her mother. She looked confused at her mother’s reaction too.

“Hey, Pam…”

“What just happened there?”

“What are you talking about?” Jim said as he made his way around the counter to the living room. “I was talking to my mother.”

“It didn’t really sound like she approved of us.”

“She does. Trust me, she knows how I feel about you and Scarlet and she won’t say any more,” Jim said as he walked up to Pam and put his hands on her arms.

Pam’s eyes glistened with tears. She looked down at Scarlet who was looking up at her with a puzzled look on her face. Pam looked back up to Jim.

“You told her that you….loved us…”

Jim cocked his head to the side and held Pam’s gaze. He then looked down at Scarlet who was still trying to figure out what was going on. He bent down and picked her up off the floor.

“Of course I told her that.”

“Do you really mean that?”

Scarlet put her arms around his neck and Jim leaned over to Pam and placed a kiss on her lips. “Why would I say it if I didn’t mean it?”

When Jim pulled away, Pam still had her eyes closed from the kiss. It was their first kiss since they had officially started dating. When she let her eyes flutter open, Jim was carrying Scarlet to the counter where he set her down next to his recipe.

“Are you ready Scarlet? We are going to make lasagna!”

Pam stood in shock in the living room as she watched Scarlet clap her hands and Jim reach over for some noodles. He looked up to see Pam staring at him. He smiled and threw his head back indicating for her to move into the kitchen.

“You don’t have to stand there all night, you know.”

“Okay,” Pam said as she slid her coat off and set it on the back of a chair.

Jim let Scarlet touch some of the noodles. She made faces whenever she touched the slimy noodles and then handed them back to Jim. Pam watched as Jim made the meal. She stood next to him and ran her hand on his back as he put the cheese and other toppings on the lasagna. When he first felt her put her hand to his back, he glanced over at her with a smile. She returned with a smile of her own.

“Jim, can we put the special ingredient in this?” Scarlet said as she pointed to the ceramic dish.

Jim laughed. “I don’t know if the special ingredient will taste good in this.”

“Then it won’t be special.”

“Yes it will. Because you helped me make it.”

Pam stepped around Jim and grabbed Scarlet.

“Why don’t we go wait for Jim to finish up.”

Scarlet wiggled in Pam’s arms. “No!”

“Hey Scarlet, I got some colors and paper for you over there,” Jim said as he pointed to his coffee table. Scarlet looked over to the table and ran quickly into the living room.

“I guess she wants to do that,” Pam said as she shrugged her shoulders.

“I guess so.”

“You are good at this,” Pam said looking at Jim.

“Nah, it’s my mother’s recipe. She told me what to do over the phone.”

“Not just the cooking, the being a….”

“Dad?”

“I guess you could say that.”

“I shouldn’t have said that, sorry. I mean…I’m good with kids.”

“You are.”

“I’ll never replace anyone’s father,” Jim said pointing to himself.

“You’re doing great job though,” Pam whispered as she went into the living room. Jim smiled to himself as he placed the lasagna in the oven. He set the timer and heard Pam spelling out words for Scarlet who was apparently writing letters.

“J-I-M…”

“That spells Jim?”

“Yes it does. You did a very good job with your letters baby,” Pam said as he looked at Scarlet’s masterpiece.

Jim put the packaged salad in a bowl and tossed it. He watched as Pam sat next to Scarlet and doodled on her own paper. He loved the sight before him, even if it was distracting him from his cooking duties. Pam whispered into Scarlet’s ear and then Scarlet ran into the kitchen with her paper in hand. She tugged on Jim’s pants and he bent down to her level.

“What do you have there Miss Scarlet?”

“I made this for you, Jim,” Scarlet said as she held the picture up for him to take.

Jim wiped his hands and took the picture from Scarlet. When he looked at the picture he felt a smile creep up on his face.

“Scarlet this is beautiful. Thank you.”

“Do you know what it says?”

“Yes. It says ‘I love Jim.’”

“Yeah. You read good.”

“Why thank you.”

Pam stood and walked into the kitchen with her paper. She handed it to Jim. “Here’s another one you can read.”

Jim took Pam’s art and looked at it. He was hit by a huge emotional rush. Pam’s doodle was the icing on the cake for him. He read it silently, looked up at Pam, pulled her into a kiss, and then looked at the picture again.

“What does it say Jim?” Scarlet asked.

“It says, ‘I love Jim too,’” Jim read as he showed Scarlet the picture.

“Mommy copied me!”

Jim laughed. “Yes she did.”

He turned and moved some papers off his refrigerator. “I think I’ll hang these up right here so everyone can see them.”

“That’s a good spot, don’t you think Scarlet?” Pam asked as she played with Scarlet’s hair.

“Yup.”

-----

After their lasagna dinner, Jim and Pam sat on the couch talking and watching Scarlet color. Soon Scarlet climbed on the couch and snuggled up in between them and dozed. As soon as they noticed that she was sleeping, Pam reached over to Jim’s neck and played with the tiny hairs on his neck.

“Thank you so much for dinner,” she whispered lovingly.

“You’re welcome. Thanks for coming,” Jim said moving his hand to her knee.

“I think this has been the best date I’ve ever had.”

“Same here.”

“Even with a kid tagging along.”

Jim and Pam were trying to kiss with Scarlet sleeping peacefully in the middle. When they figured out that they couldn’t get comfortable that way, Jim stood and pulled Pam up. He put his hands around her waist and they kissed. Pam placed her hands on his cheeks and then pushed her hands into his hair. His hands made their way to her hair as well. He deepened the kiss and Pam giggled.

“What?”

“Nothing,” Pam said as he laughed.

“No seriously. Am I that bad?”

“No, no, no. It’s just funny…”

“Funny isn’t a good thing right about now.”

“Not you,” she said as she played with his shirt. “It’s just…right after Scarlet fell asleep we couldn’t keep our hands off each other.”

“Hey that’s not my fault. You’re the one who decided it was smart to start playing with my hair. That‘s my weakness.”

“I was being nice.”

“Sure. I knew what you wanted.”

“Whatever Jim,” she said as she pushed him back a little.

“So now you’re rejecting me?” he said with a smile.

“You don’t get to kiss me anymore tonight,” she said.

“Why not? I think we’ve waited long enough,” Jim said, grabbing her arm and pulling her closer. He finally pulled her close enough to get his lips on hers. She relaxed when he managed to kiss her again. When they realized they were backed up against the wall across the room, Scarlet was sitting up on the couch with a look of terror in her eyes. She looked like she was going to cry. Jim turned and released Pam from the wall and she looked up at him and laughed.

“Oops!” Pam said.

“Yeah, I’m sorry.”

She laughed again. “No. My fault.” Pam walked over to Scarlet and sat down. “I think we need to go now.”

“What were you doing Momma?”

“Nothing baby. Let’s get your coat on and go.”

“Were you hurt?”

Jim’s eyes widened and he walked into the kitchen. He wanted to avoid the awkward question and answer session going on in the living room.

“Jim, we’re leaving.”

Jim briskly stepped out of the kitchen. “Okay.”

“Scarlet, go tell Jim bye.”

Scarlet walked over to where Jim was standing, he picked her up, embraced her in a hug, and set her back down.

“Bye Jim!”

“Bye Scarlet. Thanks for cooking dinner tonight.”

Pam smiled and grabbed Scarlet’s hand. “Would you walk us out?”

“Of course.”

----

With Scarlet buckled into her seat and Jim holding Pam’s door open, they made conversation.

“When will I see my ladies next?”

“Whenever you want,” Pam said.

“Oh really. Well, I have to work next week so we better make the best of my last week of vacation.”

“We can do that.”

“Great. See you tomorrow?”

“Sure. Call me.”

“Will do.”

Jim looked in the window to see Scarlet looking out the other side of the car. He quickly kissed Pam and then ducked down to see if Scarlet had caught them. Pam and Jim laughed.

“Sorry about earlier.”

“No, that wasn’t just your fault.”

“I felt really bad for it getting out of hand like that. I’ll never forget her little eyes staring me down.”

Pam laughed. “She’s just never seen anything like that before.”

“She’ll have to get used to that then.”

She giggled again and tugged on his shirt. “Thank you for tonight. It was fabulous.”

“Yeah, thanks again for coming. Oh, and making me pictures for my fridge.”

“Our pleasure. See you tomorrow,” Pam said as she got into her car.

Jim made sure she was in the car and then shut her door. “Night.”

Pam and Scarlet waved as they were backing out of his driveway. He waved and then made his way back to his door. Once the door was shut and locked, he cleaned up the dishes in his sink. As he reached over to turn off the light to the kitchen, he noticed the two pieces of art hanging on his refrigerator door.

Jim sat at his desk on the first day back from his hiatus. He wanted to call Pam and see what she was doing every ten minutes. He kept his thoughts preoccupied on expense reports and employee evaluations. He couldn’t wait to get off work and go to Scarlet’s birthday party at Pam’s home. Pam had asked him to come during one of their lunch dates. He was happy that he was going to get the chance to visit with Pam’s family and some of Neil’s relatives. He felt nervous that he was the boyfriend and he didn’t want the relatives thoughts to be negative about him.

He arrived a little late. He still had his work clothes on and carried in a neatly wrapped package for Scarlet. When he knocked on the door, Pam’s mother opened the door.

“Hello. Are you Jim?”

“Yes I am. And you are Pam’s mother.”

“You’re good. Come on in.”

She ushered Jim through the door and into the kitchen where most the family sat around the table. Pam stood when he came in and walked over to him. He leaned over for a little kiss but she turned her head. Jim thought that it was weird that she didn’t want to show any affection in front of the family. She gently squeezed his elbow and motioned for him to meet the family.

“Everyone, this is Jim Halpert.”

Many of the visitors nodded and some even shouted a greeting in his direction. Scarlet ran around the table and clung to Jim’s legs. He looked down and then knelt to her level.

“Hi Scarlet. Are you having a good birthday?”

“Yeah. Nana got me a Barbie!”

“Are you serious?”

“Yup. It came with a kitty that pees.”

“Wow. You’re lucky.”

“What did you get me?” Scarlet asked as she picked at the package in Jim’s hands. Pam made a face and scolded Scarlet.

“Scarlet, don’t be greedy.”

“Mom!”

Jim held out the box and let Scarlet take it from him. “Here you go. Happy 5th birthday.”

He stood up as she ripped the paper off the box. Jim smiled as she dug into the contents of the box. She pulled out several books, a stuffed cat, a new set of crayons, some coloring books and a pad of sketch paper.

“Mom, look what Jim gave me!” Scarlet said as she held up the cat and the crayons.

“Wow. That’s a great gift. Tell Jim thanks.”

“Thank you, Jim,” she said as she hugged his legs again.

“You’re welcome Miss Scarlet,” Jim said with a satisfied grin on his lips.

Jim was happy that Scarlet loved the gift. He hadn’t ever bought a gift for a young girl before but for some reason, he had no trouble picking out gifts for Scarlet. In fact, any time he went out, he always seemed to find something that reminded him of Scarlet.

----

Most of the relatives had left early for their long drives home. Pam escorted most of them out of the house. Jim waited until he could get a chance to at least hug Pam that night. He played with Scarlet while Pam was still talking with family.

While Jim was coloring with Scarlet, one of Pam’s relatives came over to chat with him. Jim wasn’t sure how he was related to Pam or Neil but felt awkward in his presence.

“So, how do you know Pam?”

“I used to work with her at Dunder Mifflin. Of course, that was like eight years ago,” Jim said looking up from his picture.

“Really? Was she the same back then?”

Jim gave a puzzled look and then reluctantly answered, “Sort of. She has changed a lot. She’s a mother now.”

“Oh. She’s great.”

“Yes, she is. So is Scarlet.”

“Did Pam invite you tonight?”

“Yeah. I couldn’t miss Scarlet’s birthday.”

“Neither could the rest of the family,” said the short, dark headed man.

“How are you related to Pam?”

“I’m actually her late husband’s brother.”

“Oh,” was all Jim could say.

“Uncle Loren gave me money,” Scarlet said while she focused on her drawing.

“I like to spoil my niece,” Loren said.

“That’s very kind of you,” Jim said, his voice a little aggravated. He wasn’t sure why he was angry with Loren but he knew it had something to do with the other man trying to show off.

“So, are you and Pam a couple?” Loren asked in a hushed voice.

“Jim is a friend,” Pam said from behind Loren.

Jim’s heart sank at her reply. He was confused now. He and Pam had been dating for a week or so and now she was denying it. He felt angry and also hurt.

“Oh,” Loren said as he stood and walked to the door.

“Thanks for coming, Loren. We’ll see you soon,” Pam said as she turned to walk him out the door. After the door was shut Pam kept her back turned as to not look at Jim’s glare from behind her.

Pam’s mom entered the living room and seemed to immediately notice the tension emanating from the both of them. She looked over and saw Scarlet still coloring away.

“Come on Scarlet, let’s go take a bath,” she said as she pulled on her arm. Scarlet obeyed and followed her grandmother up the stairs. As soon as they were left alone, Pam walked over to where Jim was sitting on the floor with papers in his hands. He pushed them aside and looked up at her.

“I’m sorry,” she said as she placed her hands on the back of the couch.

Jim didn’t respond. He just looked up at her with a hurt in his eyes. Pam darted her eyes around the room and then focused back on Jim’s gaze.

“If I tell them I’m dating, they’ll make it a big deal and it could hurt the family.”

“I see,” he said as he nodded.

“It’s nothing against you. I just don’t feel comfortable telling anyone yet.”

“Okay,” he said with another hurt expression crossing his face.

“Do you hate me?” Pam asked.

“Nope,” he said as he shook his head.

Pam walked around the couch and then sat down where Jim was still sitting. She scooted over next to him and bumped her shoulder into his.

“You know that I deeply care for you...”

Jim nodded.

“Say something Jim.”

He turned and gazed into her eyes. His eyes glistened and in response, Pam’s eyes welled up with tears too. He placed his hand on her cheek and pulled her into a kiss. She responded by placing her hands on his neck. Their intimate moment was interrupted by Pam’s mother coming down the stairs. She cleared her throat and stopped at the bottom of the stairs until they pulled away from one another.

Pam’s cheeks were flushed and she stood up quickly to escape the scene. Jim stood, adjusted his tie and jacket, then made his way towards the door. Pam grabbed the door knob and opened the door for Jim.

----

At his car, he held her hand. They didn’t say much. He still felt hurt that she was avoiding explaining their relationship. She put her arms around him and held on tight. With her face nestled in his jacket, she spoke.

“I didn’t lose you, did I?”

“Never.”

“You’re not mad at me, are you?”

“No. Not mad. I’m just a little upset that you can’t tell people that you are seeing someone else now. How hard is that?”

Pam pulled away from their hug. “Jim, it’s not that I don’t want to shout it from the rooftops, it’s just that Neil’s family can be protective about what happens to Scarlet.”

“Well, where were they when Neil was a drunk and could have possibly hurt the both of you?”

“They didn’t really know about Neil’s addiction. They were blind to it….”

“And, because you’re trying to paint this good image of Neil, you can’t tell them you are happier than ever with a new man?”

“It’s a little difficult, Jim.”

“How?”

“They still think that I’m hung up on Neil.”

“Are you, Pam?”

“Heck no!”

“Then what’s the problem? You can’t blame it all on protecting their feelings.”

“You wouldn’t understand. It’s just something I’m not comfortable with admitting to them yet.”

“You’ve got to tell the truth at some point Pam.”

“I will. Now isn’t the right time to announce that I’m dating again.”

“Well, when you figure out when that time is, call me.”

Jim pulled his car door shut and backed out of her driveway. Pam stood there praying that he would turn his car around and come back. She wanted to tell him that she loved him more than she had ever loved Neil and that she would do anything to keep him in her life. Instead of screaming at the top of her lungs at his fleeting car, she turned on her heel and slowly walked into her home.

Jim sat in his kitchen staring at his refrigerator door and the letters that Scarlet and Pam had left him. He still cared for Pam and felt bad for the way he had left Scarlet’s party. He didn’t know why he was hurting so bad. He had waited eight years to be with Pam, and now that he was, she didn’t want to tell anyone.

Jim paced in his living room until he decided that he would reconcile this matter another day. It was too late in the evening to fix his problems now.

----

When Pam walked into the living room with tears in her eyes, her mother stood nonchalantly against the couch. She had her hands crossed over her chest and looked Pam dead in the eyes.

“What happened there Pam?”

“Nothing, Mom. Jim and I had a little disagreement.”

“Are you sure that’s all that was?”

“Yes, Mom.”

“What’s the problem?”

Pam went to the couch and fell into the fluffy cushions. She hid her face from her mother and the blinding light that was shining throughout the room.

“We’re dating now.”

“You are? Finally….”

“It’s not that easy, Mom. I told Loren that Jim and I were just friends.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m stupid.”

“Are you afraid that Neil’s family will disown you and Scarlet if they find out you‘ve moved on?”

“…Yes.”

“You can’t be miserable the rest of your life because you’re trying to tip toe around his family’s feelings. Think about yourself once in a while.”

“I want to, Mom….So bad.”

“Then do it. If you go and tell them that you’ve finally found someone that will fill that void in your life, then why wouldn’t they be happy for you and Scarlet?”

“Because I’m scared.”

“Of what?”

“To admit that I’m totally, completely, perfectly, and utterly in love with another man.”

“Who are you trying to fool Pam? Scarlet even knows…”

Pam let out a little laugh and pulled her face away from the cushion. “Mom, is it okay to be head over heels for a guy a year after my husband died?”

“Honey, I think that Jim is what you need. He is a breath of fresh air for you and Scarlet.”

“He is.”

“You need to fix this. You can’t let him go.”

“I couldn’t stand myself if I lost him again.”

“Well….”

“What?” Pam asked as she smiled at her mother.

“I think you have a few people you need to speak with.”

“I think I do too.”

-----

After dropping Scarlet off at school, Pam took a long drive to a place that she dreaded visiting by herself. She hated the feeling of being alone where he rested. It made her feel ill.

She stepped off the gravel and onto the grass. Pam kneeled over his grave and placed another bouquet of flowers on the green grass. She sniffled and then decided that she needed to get her feelings off of her chest.

“Neil, I have needed to tell you this since you walked out. I can’t remember back to when I was actually happy with you. You know that I wasn’t happy for a long time. But instead of trying to fix our relationship, you decided it was best to drown your thoughts in a bottle of liquor. Meanwhile, I was sitting at home holding our baby girl and filling her head with lies about you. I was telling her you were a good father and that you would be home soon, when in all actuality, you didn’t care to come home and spend time with her.”

Pam let tears pour from her eyes as she ran her hand along the engraved letters. She mustered up more words to speak.

“I’ve hidden my real feelings for long enough. You hurt me and Scarlet and I haven’t ever forgiven you for that. You cursed us, you neglected us and you ruined our lives.”

Pam sobs became more prominent to where she was having to stagger her breathing with her words. She closed her eyes tight as she imaged that Neil was standing there in front of her. It was either that, or she was shutting her eyes in a prayer. She prayed that he heard her.

“I didn’t have the courage to tell you I despised you. I was afraid you would hurt me or run away with Scarlet. Yes, it’s true. I did love you at one point. You were a good distraction from my normal life. You swept me off my feet at just the right time and rescued me from myself. But, when the fireworks were gone, I suddenly realized that you weren’t the one for me. By then, it was too late, we were married and had made that commitment.”

Pam glanced over to another couple visiting a grave. She noticed that they put flowers on Kathy and Kyle’s graves. She then realized that the tall older gentleman was Ted, the survivor from the crash. Pam’s eyelashes collected more tears as she gazed across the cemetery to the couple. He was gently holding her hand and rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand. With that display of affection, Pam stood and unknowingly walked over to them. Her heart raced when she realized that she had tapped on Ted’s shoulder. It was like she was having an out of body experience and had subconsciously walked over to them.

Ted turned around with a look of concern on his face. He had noticed Pam’s tear stained face.

“Are you okay ma’am?” he asked.

“How are you doing?”

“I’m fine, but you don’t look so good.”

“Do you know who I am?” Pam asked as she pointed to herself.

“I’m sorry. I don’t remember meeting you before.”

“We met one night at the hospital and once after to discuss legal matters.”

Ted turned towards the lady that was still attached to his side. He finally turned back to took Pam in the face and then grabbed a hold of her and embraced her.

She whispered into his shoulder, “I’m so sorry.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“Yes, I do.”

He pulled away to look her in the face again. “Things happen for a reason.”

“How can you say that when your wife and child died?” she asked as she wiped her face.

“I knew that Kathy wouldn’t want me to stop living. She always made me happy and I still miss her and Kyle more than ever. Some days are harder than others. You must know how that feels too. I don’t blame you for anything. It was one of those things where time and fate collide, you know? I know now that I need to move on and start life over again.”

Ted reached down and pulled the woman’s hand up so Pam could see. “When I let myself start living again, Melissa walked into my life. This is proof that you can move on now.”

Pam nodded and took a few steps back. “Thank you. And, I’m truly sorry for all the pain that was inflicted on you and your family.”

“It’s not your fault. Yet again, things happen for a reason. I’m not going to lie, I was angry and I miss them. But I had to learn how to move on. It looks like you do too.”

“I’m trying.”

“Good luck with that.”

“Thanks. Take care,” Pam said as they turned back around to pay their respects to Kathy and Kyle.

Pam marched back over to Neil’s grave and stood at his feet. With courage and boldness, Pam was finally able to do the thing that she had a hard time doing. The words exploded out of her mouth and as they did, a steady flow of tears followed.

“I forgive you.”

Pam quickly turned and got into her car. She only had thirty minutes until she had to pick up Scarlet.

----

“Mommy are you sad?”

“No baby. Mommy is just fine,” Pam said as she pulled the car up the driveway.

“You look sad.”

“I know. But, Mommy is much better now.”

Pam helped Scarlet out of the car. Instantly, Lindie greeted Scarlet and rubbed up against her legs. Scarlet picked her up and carried to the door. When they went into the house, Pam let out a sigh of relief. She was finally home. Now that her conscience was clear of any past mistakes, she could call her house a home.

While Scarlet was watching cartoons, Pam went throughout the house, pulled a few of Neil’s photos off the wall and placed them in the study. Pam left Neil’s books, paper, and some of his knickknacks sitting where he had left them. Soon she wanted to redecorate and rearrange the books and shelves. She didn’t know when she would allow herself to do that, but knew that she now had the strength to do it.

Later that night, Pam called Neil’s mother Susan.

“I just needed to tell you that I am in love with someone.”

“Pam, you don’t have to feel bad about life happening.”

“I know. I just didn’t want you all to think that I have completely forgotten about Neil.”

“We know you won’t let Neil fade away from Scarlet."

“I’ll try my best.”

“Thank you.”

“No, thank you for listening. I didn’t know how to tell you…”

“You have done all you can. I think you should find happiness. Lord knows how long it’s been since you've actually been happy.”

“It’s been way too long, Susan.”

“I know. I could tell. You two couldn’t ever hide your real feelings.”

“You saw right through us, huh?”

“Yeah,” Susan said as a sob caught in her throat.

“Thank you, Susan. I appreciate the support.”

“It’s time to start moving on.”

“Yeah. I’ve heard that a lot.”

“Let’s do it then.”

After their conversation, Pam crawled into her bed and snuggled up with her pillow. As she tossed and turned, she thought about Jim. Whenever he stayed over, she would rest so easy. Although they slept on the couch or on Scarlet’s floor, she felt safe and comfortable with him. Just when sleep was making her eyes heavy, a tiny figure stood in the doorway.

“Mom, I can’t sleep. Can I sleep with you?”

Pam held up her head and reached her hand out. “Sure baby.”

When Jim arrived home from work, he kicked off his shoes and loosened his tie. His routine included turning on the television, getting something to drink, eventually changing from his work clothes, then relaxing for the rest of the evening. Ever since Pam and Scarlet had entered the picture, he was happy to go straight to their house after work to visit. He didn’t miss his old routine whatsoever. Now, he was back to his old ways. He sulked for most of the evening.

----

Pam held off on calling Jim. She wanted to give him plenty of time to cool off, think about things, and then maybe she would be able to talk to him. Pam needed him to move forward and she didn’t want to rush anything. She wanted it to be perfect.

“Mom, where’s Jim?” Scarlet asked as she played with her macaroni.

“He’s probably at home.”

“Did he go away like Daddy did?”

“No. We will see him again,” Pam said as she played with her dinner. “Eat your dinner baby.”

------

As Jim watched a movie on HBO, he thought about his many years at Dunder Mifflin. He thought about Pam and her engagement with Roy, then when he brought Karen back to Scranton, then Pam going back to Roy, and his feelings about Pam. Finally, Pam had broken it off with Roy, taken a gallery job on the other side of town, and moved on. He felt responsible for their falling out. He had never intended to totally exclude her from his life and he hadn’t expected her to marry Neil. In fact, Jim had never met Neil. His heart ached as he thought about all the mistakes that he had made.

A knock at the door roused Jim from his trance.

“What are you doing here?” Jim asked.

“I need to talk to you,” she said as she stepped into his living room.

Jim hung his head and followed her over to the couch. She pulled off her coat and then glanced into the kitchen where her eyes fell upon the love notes on the refrigerator.

“What are those?” she said as she nodded towards the kitchen.

“Oh, nothing. Just a little present from someone…”

“Your nephew?”

“It’s from Pam and her little girl.”

Karen broke her focus on the pictures and stood from the couch. “I guess it’s pointless that I’m here then. You seemed to have already moved on.”

“I’m sorry. I just…”

Karen put her hand on the door knob and turned to look at Jim. “I miss you.”

“It’s been different lately…”

“Why did we spend all those years in a relationship and get engaged if you didn’t even want to be with me?”

“I’m sorry. I made a lot of mistakes back then.”

“I’m sorry that I had to be one of those mistakes, Jim.”

“Me too.”

Karen deflected her eyes from Jim again and turned the door knob. Before she stepped out of the door she said one last thing.

“Is she the one?”

“I think so.”

“Goodbye Jim.”

“Bye Karen.”

-----

Saturday morning came around and Jim decided he needed to call Pam or go visit her. He didn’t know what he was going to say because he had left her house in a huff a few days ago. He hated that he had acted like a fool in front of her.

A little after noon, he pulled into Pam’s driveway. He sat in his car for a few moments to collect his thoughts, then stepped out of his car and knocked on the large wooden door.

Scarlet pulled the door open and screamed, “Jim!”

“Hey you!” Jim said as he picked her up into a hug. He bounced her up and down in his arms as he made his way into the living room.

“Where’s your Momma?” Jim asked.

“She’s cleaning.”

“Can you show me where she’s at?” Jim said as he set her back on the floor.

Scarlet led him into the study where Pam was putting papers and old books into boxes. When their eyes met, Pam froze. Scarlet went over to a box of papers and dug through it. Jim looked into Pam’s eyes and stood in the doorway. Pam eventually made her way around the desk sitting in the middle of the study and walked over to Jim. She put her arms around him and he pulled her in closer.

“Thank you for coming back.”

“I’m sorry for being stupid. I shouldn’t have left like I did.”

“No, I understand why you did.”

“Still, I was being a jerk…”

“Hey, it’s okay. I fixed everything.”

“What?” Jim asked as he looked down at Pam.

“I called his mother. I told her.”

“You told her what?”

“That I’m in love with someone else.”

“You didn’t have to do that….”

“Yes I did. It’s time I move on.”

“Thank you.“ Jim said as he leaned in to kiss Pam.

She blushed and then turned to look at Scarlet still messing with old papers and books. Pam decided that Scarlet needed to leave her and Jim alone for a few moments. She came up with an idea to preoccupy Scarlet.

“Scarlet go find Lindie. I haven’t seen her all day.”

“Okay Mom.”

Scarlet bounded out of the room to search for the missing cat. As soon as Scarlet rounded the corner, Pam pulled Jim into another kiss. Pam kissed his cheeks and down his neck. Jim felt like doing the same to Pam but couldn’t manage to since Pam was already taking the initiative. Jim just rested his hands on her lower back and waited for his turn to explore.

Pam abruptly stopped and held her head up at the sound of Scarlet’s scream. With both of them breathing hard and flushed, they looked at each other and quickly went to find Scarlet. Jim ran to the stair case and leapt up the stairs. He walked past every door to check for Scarlet. She wasn’t anywhere on the second story.

When he made his way back down the stairs he heard Pam calling for him. He followed Pam’s voice and found the back door open and Scarlet and Pam sitting on the deck. They were hunched over Lindie.

“What’s wrong?” Jim asked as he noticed Scarlet’s tears.

Scarlet looked up. “Lindie is sick.”

“She found her laying out here. Jim, I think she’s dead.”

Jim knelt down next to Scarlet and Pam. He put his hand on Lindie and felt the limp body. His heart sank when he turned to see Pam rubbing Scarlet’s back. Jim felt Scarlet’s world crush. She had already lost her father and now her favorite pet. Jim never had to bury a pet before and didn’t want to tell Pam that he knew that Lindie was dead. Scarlet let some more sobs.

Jim mouthed to Pam while Scarlet’s head was nestled on Pam’s shoulder. “She’s gone.”

Pam mouthed back. “How?”

“No clue,” Jim mouthed again.

Pam looked down at Scarlet and patted her head. Pam then shrugged her shoulders as she looked over to Jim. Jim shrugged back. Neither one knew what to do next. Pam picked Scarlet up off the ground and took her inside. Jim stood and looked over the precious feline that was lying on the deck. He didn’t usually get attached to animal’s but for some reason he felt sympathy for this cat and for Scarlet. Pam came back to the door with a box and knelt back down to the cat’s side.

“Let me do this Pam,” Jim said as he took the box from her.

When he pulled the box out of her hands, he noticed Pam’s tears. He put one arm around her and pulled her to his side.

“My daughter’s heart is breaking.”

Jim pulled her in closer and ran his hands along her back to comfort her.

“I didn’t ever want her to experience it. She didn’t understand when Neil died but now it seems she understands better than anyone. How does that happen?”

“I don’t know, Pam. Remember she has to experience life just like you did. You can’t shield her from it.”

Pam looked up and placed a kiss gently on Jim’s cheek.

“You’re too good to me, you know that?”

“I would be here for anything, even if it was a splinter stuck in your finger.”

“I know. Thank you for everything.”

Pam held open the box and Jim placed Lindie inside. After they closed the box, Pam went to the shed, got a shovel and found a proper burial place. Scarlet came out holding on to the stuffed kitty that Jim had bought her for her birthday. Jim dug a box shaped hole in the ground. Pam held Scarlet as she cried. Jim set the box carefully into the ground and then covered the box with dirt.

“Pam do you want to say anything?” Jim asked.

“Lindie was the best cat we’ve ever had. She made Scarlet happy. She will be missed.”

Scarlet pulled her head off of Pam’s shoulder and looked down at the dirt pile. She wiggled out of Pam’s arms and walked over to Lindie’s resting spot.

“I miss you Lindie.”

Pam immediately burst into tears. That was the same thing she said to Neil when they visited him. Jim put his hand on her shoulder and ran it over her back. Scarlet eventually turned her gaze from the dirt and reached up for Jim to hold her. He dropped the shovel and held on tight to the crying child. His heart broke with hers.

Once they finally made their way back into the quiet house, Pam made dinner. Scarlet hardly ate and when she was through, she went to the couch and fell asleep while watching cartoons. Jim and Pam felt remorseful towards her and knew that her heart was breaking for losing her best friend.

“What should we do?” Jim asked.

“I don’t know. Even though it was a cat, she loved her and cared for her more than anything. I don’t know what to do.”

“I feel so bad.”

“I just don’t understand what happened. How did she die?”

“It could have been worms, or she hadn’t had her shots, or she could have had some disease you didn’t know about.”

“I was really stupid for bringing her into the house. I should’ve had her looked over before letting Scarlet touch her.”

“Hey, don’t say that. You provided momentary happiness for the kid. Bad things happen to good people.”

“You’re telling me,” Pam said with a slightly sarcastic laugh.

Jim took Pam’s hands and held them and said, “You’re a good mother Pam. Stop blaming yourself for all the bad things that happen to her.”

“I know,” she said sheepishly.

Pam laid her head on his shoulder. Jim took in Pam’s scent. Her shampoo aroma intoxicated him as he let it wrap him. He looked down and into her eyes and knew that she was thinking hard about something.

“What?” he asked.

“I have a great idea.”

“Really?”

“I don’t know if you want to, but would you want to go on a vacation with me?”

He hesitated then smiled. “Are you trying to get fresh with me?”

“It’s just we haven’t had the chance to have actual adult conversation when we’re with Scarlet. I want to spend time with you and plus, I need a break.”

“I would love that but what are you going to do with Scarlet?”

“My mom could always take her for a weekend.”

“Well, then I would love to join you.”

“Then we need to decide where and when we will go.”

“I honestly don’t care, as long as it’s just you and me…alone,” Jim said as he kissing her cheek.

“Ooohh. Anywhere huh? Let’s think. Can we make it to Paris and back before you have to work on Monday?”

“Maybe not this time.”

“Okay, well…scratch that,” Pam said, distracted by Jim’s light kisses on her cheek and neck.

“Let’s just get out of town. Maybe to a bed and breakfast somewhere.”

“Great. I will look up some places tomorrow.”

“You can pick the place but I’m buying.”

“Whatever, I can pay my own way.”

Jim pulled his head up from kissing Pam’s neck. “Let me do this. You can decide what we’ll do, and I will pay.”

“No Jim. I can pay for myself. It’s not that big of a deal.”

“Are you serious? I can afford to pay for this trip. I am a manager now, you know.”

“Oh yeah, I forgot. You have a lot of money now.”

“Not really, but I can splurge every now and then and I think this deserves a splurge.”

“So, I pick, you pay.”

“Yup,” he said as he went back to kissing on her neck.

“I can’t wait.”

“Neither can I.”

“Do you know what this means?”

“Um…I’m pretty sure it will involve a little wine, a couple games of desert island, and just you and me….”

“..Alone. No interruptions whatsoever.”

“Not that I don’t love Scarlet to death but it’s been a stretch for us to be…”

“Uh, intimate?”

“Bingo,” he said as he pulled her into a deep kiss.

Pam planned the weekend gateway within one week. She booked a room at a nice resort about three hours away from Scranton. If she was going to be getting out of Scranton, she wanted to get out and forget all about it. She made a list of activities that they could enjoy so they could do their own thing all weekend long. She didn’t care what they did together, as long as it was just the two of them having a good time.

Pam’s mother called to confirm her plans with Scarlet.

“So Friday, I will need to be there to take her to school?”

“Yes. I think Jim and I are leaving that morning sometime.”

“Okay. And you will be gone until Sunday?”

“Yup. Thanks for doing this, Mom.”

“Oh, I’m just happy that you’re getting out of the house and plus, it’s with a boy you really like.”

“It’s long overdue.”

“Yes it is. So, I guess I will talk to you Friday.”

“Yeah. Talk to you then Mom.”

-----

At work, Jim sat as his desk anticipating Pam’s plans. He had let her plan the trip as opposed of him planning a whole bunch of things that she didn’t want to do. She called later in the day to reveal the agenda.

“We can go to a spa, golf, bike, see some shows, and a whole bunch of stuff like that.”

“Wow. Well, you can totally pick what you want to do. I’m game for anything.”

“You have to help me pick some of the details. Like, do you want a suite or a regular room?”

“Definitely the suite,” Jim said with a chuckle.

“With mini-bar or without?”

“Definitely with the mini-bar.”

Pam giggled. “I haven’t had a drink in a few years.”

“Well, then you should get toasted pretty quickly.”

“I don’t think so Mr. Halpert.”

Jim tapped his pen on his desk. “So, what did your mother say about Scarlet?”

“She is really excited to get to watch her.”

“Great.”

“I am so ready for this Jim. You don’t know how long I’ve wanted a weekend off of being a mom.”

“And plus, you are going with a pretty good guy.”

“Nope. He wants to get me drunk. What kind of a gentlemen is that?” Pam joked.

“A smart one. The drunker the Pam, the more exciting.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Oh, I don’t know. I think it was a very long time ago at the Dundies…”

“Oh my gosh. You remember that?”

“Of course. That was like the best night of my life.”

“How so?”

“Come on Pam. Are you joking?”

“Are you talking about our little kiss?”

“What else would I be talking about? When you fell off the bar stool?”

“I cannot believe you remembered that. I barely remember that.”

“Well, I wrote it down in my journal and I read it every night before I go to sleep,” Jim said teasingly.

“Ooooohhh. You so need to bring that journal with you.”

“Trust me. I never leave home without it,” Jim said as Pam laughed.

“Do you use pink pens and glitter too?”

“Are you kidding me? I do overkill on the glitter. I get a fresh supply of it every weekend.”

“Well, I would love to chat about your femininity a little bit longer but I have to run. So, will I see you tonight?”

“I have major paperwork due to corporate tomorrow so I might be a little late. Do you and Scarlet want to meet me somewhere to eat?”

“Sure.”

“Let’s meet at Scarlet’s favorite dining spot at seven.”

“Gotcha.”

“Bye Jim.”

“See you then.”

-----

Jim poked his head into the stuffy tunnel to find Scarlet. She hadn’t made a peep since she entered the maze. He reached in, yelled her name, then wedged himself in the bright yellow tube.

“Scarlet. Where are you?”

Another child Scarlet’s size crawled by and went over a rope bridge. Jim looked at the bridge and dared not to take that route. Soon, Scarlet came crawling towards him.

“Were you lost?”

“No. I knew where I was the whole time.”

Jim laughed and pulled her down. “Let’s go finish our dinner before we play anymore.”

Scarlet ran over to the table where Pam sat guarding the happy meal. Pam lifted Scarlet into her booster seat and she began to munch on her chicken and French fries. Jim sat down, holding his tie to his chest so it wouldn’t end up in his ketchup. Pam giggled.

Jim looked up and asked, “What?”

Pam shook her head and smiled as she nibbled on a fry. “Nothing.”

“It must be something.”

“You just look so out of place in a McDonalds.”

“Why’s that?”

“You’re wearing your suit.”

“Well, what else was I supposed to do? Come naked?”

“That would be interesting,” Pam said raising her brows.

“Only you,” Jim said shaking his head.

“So are you excited about the trip?”

“Oh yeah. I’ve already asked off for that Friday and bought some new duds.”

“You’re buying new clothes for the trip?”

“I had to get some new shoes. I think I wore out my old pair.”

“Are you sure you weren’t supposed to be a girl?” Jim gave Pam a look as she continued. “I mean, you write in a pretty journal and go shopping before big trips.”

“I learned from the best girl I know. Momma.”

Pam laughed. “Well, you should totally go shopping for me then. I have no clue what I need.”

“Bring at least one nice outfit.”

“Oh great. The one thing that you ask me to bring, I don’t have.”

“Come on. You have a nice outfit somewhere.”

“It’s more fun buying it.”

“You’ve got a point there.”

Pam looked over to Scarlet who was playing with her happy meal toy.

“Are you going to have fun with Nana when she comes up to watch you?”

“Yes. She told me we could make cookies.”

“Oh, that sounds like a mess in my kitchen,” Pam said, exasperated.

Scarlet popped her head up and looked at Jim. “We are going to use your secret ingredient!”

“Wow! You can’t tell your Nana though. It’s a secret.”

“Okay.” After a short pause, Scarlet added a question. “What are you going to do on your trip?”

Pam looked over at Jim and then to Scarlet. She obviously didn’t know what to say. Jim smiled and winked to Pam.

“We are just going to have fun. Like you will with Nana.”

“Oh.”

-----

Friday morning, Pam rushed around the house finding her shoes, packing her luggage, getting Scarlet ready for school, cleaning up the house before her mother arrived, and pulling the tags off her new little black dress. For some reason, Pam was nervous as she got ready. She didn’t know why she was nervous, but knew that once she saw Jim, she would feel alright.

Pam heard a knock at the door. She assumed it was her mother. Instead, Jim stood at the door looking at his watch. Her nerves didnt subside like she'd hoped, the sight of him made her even more nervous.

“Good morning.”

“You’re early,” Pam said as she blew a piece of hair out of her face.

“I know. I guess I’m a little excited.”

“Me too, but my Mom hasn’t shown up yet.”

“No problem. We don’t have a specific time we need to be there,” Jim said as he stepped in the door with his hands in his jean pockets.

“I still have some packing to do and Scarlet has to be at school in twenty minutes. Mom said she would be here to take her. I guess I should call her.” Pam picked up the phone and dialed.

“Hey. Where are you?”

“You’re running late?”

“How late?”

“I can take her to school. Will you be here to pick her up?”

“Okay. See you soon.”

Pam hung the phone up and sighed. She looked over at Jim and gave him a disappointed shrug.

“It’s okay, Pam. Calm down. We’ll get to the hotel tonight. No biggie.”

“How can you say that? I have waited for a whole week to do this and now the plans are ruined.”

“No they aren’t. We haven’t even gotten to the hotel yet and you think it’s all ruined. Just go pack,” Jim said as he turned her towards her bedroom door.

“Scarlet has to be at school. I need to take her.”

“I will. I know the drill. Go pack and stop freaking.”

“Fine,” Pam said as she gave Jim a kiss.

Jim turned and hollered for Scarlet.

“Scarlet, let’s go to school. I’m going to take you today,” Jim said as he jingled his keys in his pocket.

Scarlet barreled around the corner with her book bag in her hand. She stopped at Jim’s feet and he picked her up off the floor. He took her into Pam’s bedroom where she was packing her suitcase. He let Scarlet lean over and give Pam a kiss goodbye.

“I love you Scarlet. You be good for Nana.”

“Love you too.”

“I will call and check up on you.”

“Bye Mom,” Scarlet said as Jim carried her out of the room.

----

By the time Jim got back from dropping Scarlet off, Pam’s mother had arrived and was standing in the Pam’s bedroom. Jim overheard their conversation.

“Are you planning on…you know, sleeping together?”

“Mom! First off, I don’t know. And secondly, who’s mother asks their grown daughter if she is going to be having sex this weekend?”

“Pam, it’s just a question.”

“Well, that’s not up to me. Stop….I don’t want to talk about this with you," Pam said shaking her head and waving her hands in the air in surrender.

“Apparently you’re really nervous about this weekend. You look tired and distracted. I think you packed that tank top four times already.”

“Mom, you don’t know what’s going through my head right now.”

“Why don’t you tell me?”

“Mom, it’s just that I haven’t been this close to another man in a long time. I used to like Jim a lot and now we are going on a trip together. This is very different for me. I just don’t want this weekend to turn out bad.”

“It won’t.”

Jim decided he should make his presence known before the conversation got anymore juicy. He smiled to himself and then made heavy footsteps to Pam’s bedroom. He turned the corner and leaned against the door jamb. Pam and her mother turned around to look at him.

“Hello ladies,” he said with a smile.

Pam’s mother smiled over at Jim and then helped Pam shut her suitcase.

“Did Scarlet behave for you?” Pam asked.

“Pam, I took her to school. It wasn’t like I had to watch her for a weekend.”

“I know. I was just making sure…”

“I think I can handle dropping her off at school. Although, I couldn’t remember who was supposed to take her to her classroom. It was either the lady with the green sweater or the guy with his hood pulled tight to his head. I think he said his last name was Dahmer.”

They all laughed at Jim’s joke and then shuffled their way with suitcases in hand towards the living room. Pam grabbed all her contact information and placed it on the fridge. She made sure her mother knew what time to pick Scarlet up, when she got her snacks, and when her bed time was. Her mother nodded and then urged them to get on the road.

“I got it Pam. I think I can handle this for three days. Don’t worry. If you call, I will hang up on you. I will call if there is an emergency. Don’t call us!”

“But Mom, I need to check up on Scarlet once and a while,” Pam said with pleading eyes.

“You get one phone call. That’s it. So, make sure you use it wisely.”

“Mom…”

“Pam…”

Jim chimed in, “Jim…”

After the laughter died down, Jim grabbed Pam’s luggage and her arm and pulled her towards the door.

“Okay, I get one call, but you better call if Scarlet asks for me,” Pam said pointing her finger.

“Will do. Have a great weekend you two.”

“Thanks Mrs. Beesly,” Jim said opening the door.

Jim put the luggage in his trunk and then folded himself into the car. He sighed, slapped his thighs before turning on the car, then looked over at Pam. She was smiling from ear to ear back at him. He put the car in reverse and they left the comfy home in Scranton.

Jim leaned out the window and handed the toll collector fifty cents for the toll ticket. He pulled himself back into the car and rolled up his window.

“So, Pam, are you ready for a carefree weekend?”

“Oh yeah. Let’s just hope it turns out that way.”

“I think we can manage that,” he said as she smiled at her.

Pam looked over at him and intently studied his face. Then she spoke. “Since we have all this driving time, I thought we could talk about a few things.”

Jim lifted his eyebrows. “Oh yeah? Like what?”

“Well, I was kind of curious…about what happened eight years ago.”

“Me too.”

“I just want to kind of, you know, clear the air of what was past,” she said flailing her hands in the air.

“That sounds like a great idea,” Jim said glancing over at Pam then back to the road.

“Do you want me to start with my point of view?”

“You have my undivided attention,” he said, turning the radio off.

Pam cleared her throat, took in a deep breath, and then turned in her seat to face him.

“Well, let’s go back to when you came back from Stamford.” Jim nodded as Pam continued talking. “I have to say that I was not myself after your return with Karen.”

“I wasn’t myself either.”

“I noticed. So, first off, let me apologize for all the awkward conversations and weird things that happened then. I was being so stupid. I was extremely jealous of Karen.”

Jim gazed over with a look of disbelief. “You were?”

“Obviously. I mean, I couldn’t even bear to watch you two talk to each other.”

“Wait. When I came back from Stamford, you had a thing for me?”

“Duh! You didn’t pick up on that?”

“Well, I knew you were mad at me. But, I thought things were awkward because of the kiss.”

“That too but, I had a crush on you way before you returned.”

Jim let out a little laugh. “So, you’re telling me now that almost eight years ago I could’ve asked you out and you would’ve said yes?”

“Probably. Depending on if you were with Karen or not.”

“Wow.”

“I didn’t tell you my feelings because you were with Karen when you came back and I didn’t want to confuse you or possibly make myself look like a fool for drooling over you.”

“Then, why did you quit Dunder Mifflin?”

“I was tired of being stuck in the same rut for all those years. Honestly, it was mainly because of your relationship with Karen and my breaking off the wedding with Roy. I couldn’t take it anymore. I was living off of false hope and getting out of the office was supposed to help me move on and accept that fact that you weren’t into me anymore.”

“I was into you though. For a long time, Karen was just there for me. I fought off feelings for you because I thought you still felt the same way you did when I kissed you.”

“Wow, we should’ve really talked more. We could’ve saved a few long years.”

“Maybe it was supposed to happen this way,” Jim said as she shrugged. “So, what was so special about Neil that you ran off and married him?”

“Breaking out the big guns are we? Good question…” Pam said as she tapped her finger over her lips.

“When I left Dunder Mifflin, I got a job at the art gallery and he used to come in all the time. First of all, he had a great smile that could kill. I loved it when he smiled. Then, one day when he came in, he asked me out to dinner. So, I went and I guess that was the start of our relationship.”

“When did things start turning sour?”

“I noticed a few signs of his alcoholism before our wedding, but nothing that alarmed me. I think our marriage really pushed him into drinking more than he usually would. He had a great family that didn’t know how abusive he was with alcohol and I didn’t want to be the one to tell them. I think after a year after our wedding when, he got really bad and that’s when I knew that I shouldn’t have married him.”

“Then you got pregnant.”

“Yes. It was the most exciting and horrifying thing to ever happen. Pregnancies are supposed to be happy and joyful, but for me I was stunned and shocked because I had wanted to leave him. After Scarlet came along, I couldn’t just walk out with a newborn and have no where to go. I had planned leaving a few times, but couldn’t bring myself to do it. I wanted her to have her father in her life. I was stupid for sticking around, but in the end, he was the one that wanted to leave.”

Jim noticed Pam’s hands shaking. He reached over, grabbed one of them and held on tight. Pam looked down when she felt his grasp on her hand. She responded by squeezing back and lacing her fingers with his.

“So, that’s my story. What happened with you after I left?” Pam asked.

“Let me see,” Jim said as he sighed. “After you left, I actually took a vacation of my own. I told Karen that I needed some time away from Scranton and she said she understood. So, I went to visit family and friends that I hadn’t seen in a long time. I was gone for a few weeks, and when I came back, Karen was….so supportive and knew that I was having a hard time with some stuff.”

“Like what?” Pam interrupted. “If you don’t mind me asking?”

“Well, it was mainly because you quit. I guess that triggered my mid-life crisis, so to speak. I felt lost and angry about my life and decisions, and when you left, I felt like it was because of me, and now I know, that it really was.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. We just should’ve spoken about this then and we could’ve avoided screwing each other’s lives up.”

“Hear! Hear!” Pam said jokingly.

“So, when I got back from my trip, I guess I returned knowing that Karen was my second choice and that’s what I was going to have to live with. We got engaged a few months later and we waited forever before actually setting any dates. It’s kind of ironic actually.”

“Sounds like it.”

“When we started planning, I knew that I couldn’t go through with it. I felt guilty because I was just leading her on and so, one day I had a little talk with her. She wanted to work it out, but….I didn’t,” Jim said as he stumbled over his words.

“Did you love her?”

“To an extent I did. She is actually a really great person and we had a good time together. I don’t think that I ever saw us being together forever though.”

“I felt that way with Roy…and Neil too,” Pam said as she lightly giggled.

“So…”

They both sat quietly for a few moments. Jim looked down at their hands clasped and intertwined next to the gear shift.

“I think we have said enough about our pasts. Unless you have more to say,” Pam stated.

“Nope. I think I’m done rehashing the past.”

“Good. I hate talking about this junk.”

“It was good for us though,” Jim said pulling on her hand.

“I think so too.”

-----

When they pulled into the resort, they gasped at the beautiful backdrop. The mountains and forest that sat behind the hotel was breathtaking and luminous. The air was fresh and the countryside was in full bloom. Pam exited the car and Jim popped the trunk. They started collecting their luggage and hauling it to the front desk. The lobby was adorned with crystal, flowers, greenery, wandering couples, and the occasional bell hop.

“Wow. This place is amazing,” Pam said as she dropped her jaw.

“I know. You picked a pretty good place.”

After check in and the bell hop taking their luggage up to their room, Pam and Jim finally got on the elevator to see their suite. Pam nervously played with her hair on the elevator ride up to the sixth floor. Jim noticed and looked over and laughed at her.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“Whatever.”

“Nothing, Jim!”

“Don’t raise your voice at me. I was just wondering why you were fidgeting.”

“I’m not!”

“Apparently something is wrong because you’re acting like a teenage girl right now,” he said as he nudged her with his shoulder.

“Leave me alone.”

“Oh great, once we finally get to the hotel, you ask me to leave you alone. Well, sorry hun, I think we are sharing a room this weekend. Wait, I could always go get another room…” Jim jested as he pushed the down button on the elevator. Pam grabbed his arm and pulled it back.

“No! Don’t do that!”

“Why? You just asked me to leave you alone,” he said as he reached for the button again.

“I made a mistake. I’m sorry. I want to spend every minute with you!”

“Are you sure? I mean, that’s a pretty bad offense that I don’t think I’m liable to forgive so easily. I need some time to think about this,” he said as he leaned back against the wall.

The elevator doors opened and Pam started to make her way out but Jim didn’t follow. She turned to see him still leaning on the elevator wall.

“Please Jim,” she pleaded.

“You owe me. I’m hurt right now.”

“There isn’t anyone else in the world I would rather be here with.”

“Not good enough Pam.”

Pam walked back into the elevator, grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the elevator. After the elevator doors shut behind him, Pam turned around to face him. “You’re the best boyfriend ever.”

Jim smiled and said, “That’s much better.”

“Now, let’s go see what our room looks like,” she said raising her eyebrows and pulling Jim behind her.

----

Once they stepped into the room they walked around the suit in disbelief. The room was immaculate. The suite had a large living area, a balcony, a great view of the mountain side, a large bathroom, and a dining area with another great view over the pool.

“This is the best hotel I’ve ever stayed in,” Pam said in awe.

“Can you believe this?” Jim said, sitting down on the large bed. Pam sat down on the fluffy bed spread next to him and bounced up and down.

“This is amazing.” Pam leaned over and bumped shoulders with Jim. “Thank you.”

“It’s going to be a great weekend.”

Pam nodded and replied, “Yes it is.” She then smiled and looked at the huge bed before her.

Pam stood up directly in front of Jim. She held up her hand and said, “We have to do something before we do anything else.”

Jim looked up and asked, “What’s that?”

“Jump on the bed.”

“Are you kidding me?”

“Heck no! I’ve always jumped on every hotel bed I’ve ever slept on.”

“Go ahead, I’ll be right here when you get done.”

“That’s just it, if you are going to be sharing this bed with me this weekend, you have to jump on it with me. Get up.”

“Excuse me? I paid for this bed and I don’t have to jump on it if I don’t want to,” Jim said as Pam crawled onto the bed and stood in the center bouncing lightly.

“Then, I guess I might sleep on the couch.”

“Whatever,” Jim said as he shrugged his shoulders and turned away from Pam.

“Jim! You better get up here and jump on this bed with me.”

“Pam, I’m not ten years old anymore.”

“Who said you had to be ten to jump on beds? Come on, just this once. For me.”

“Pam…”

“Jim…”

“I’ll look like a fool.”

“Well, maybe you already look like a fool. Just get up here!”

Jim sighed, stood, pulled off his coat, kicked off his shoes, and crawled up on the bed and stood next to where Pam was still bouncing lightly in her spot. She smiled when he finally gave in.

“Okay, I’m here, but I will not jump.”

“You’re such a baby.”

“Look who’s talking,” Jim said.

“Ugh!” Pam choked out.

Pam grabbed Jim’s hands and began jumping on the bed, grinning ear to ear. Jim laughed at the sight of her. Her hair was flying around over her face and shoulders and she was having a hard time budging him from his position. On one of her attempted jumps she landed on Jim’s foot and pushed into him. He grabbed a hold of her and pulled her in closer to his chest. Pam was flushed and breathing hard from her exercise.

“Jim…”

“Huh?” he said as he looked down at her in his arms.

She leaned in closer, and put her hands on his chest. She opened her mouth to say something but no words formed.

“What?” Jim asked.

“Oh, nothing.”

“Not this again!” he said pulling away from her and jumping off the bed. She went back to jumping up and down and then finally landed on the bed in a sitting position.

“I can’t believe you!” she yelled.

Across the room, Jim was putting his clothes in the closet and drawers. He looked up to see her flushed and hot from her jumping. He laughed when she pushed all her hair out of her face.

“You look just like Scarlet.”

“Really?”

“That seems like something she would do.”

“I miss her,” Pam said slapping her legs.

“You know what? Me too,” Jim said, pushing the drawers closed. He walked back over to the bed and sat next to Pam who had flopped down on the bed. He lay next to her with his hands on his stomach.

“So, what do you want for dinner?” he asked.

“I don’t care. Do you want to order room service or go to one of the restaurants down stairs?”

“I don’t care either. You pick.”

“We are so indecisive,” Pam said with a giggle.

“We are,” Jim said as he rolled on his side to look at her.

“So what will it be?”

Jim ignored her question and pulled her close to his side. Pam smiled and then scooted her body next to his. He fingered one of her curls as she lovingly gazed in his direction. After a few moments of quiet Jim spoke.

“What are we doing for dinner?”

Pam smiled and inched up even more closer to Jim. “Do we have to go to dinner?”

“Not if you aren’t hungry. I can wait.”

“Let’s just stay like this for a while.”

“You’re being a girl again.”

“Well, I’m glad it’s a girl that’s lying on this bed with you right now. Otherwise, I might have some serious questions for you.”

Jim laughed and then rolled his eyes. “What’s the hold up?”

“What are you talking about?” Pam asked smiling.

“Why aren’t we all over each other right about now?”

Pam laughed and playfully put her feet on Jim’s feet. “I don’t know. But, this feels right.”

“That’s exactly what I was thinking.”

“You know what’s funny? My mother asked me if we would be…”

“Yeah, I kind of overheard that conversation, sadly.”

Pam’s eyes opened wide. “What? Why didn’t you rescue me from that torture?”

“I wasn’t just going to barge in there during the middle of it. Besides, I wanted to hear your reply.” Pam jokingly slapped Jim’s arm and he reached up and rubbed it. “Don’t make me yell ‘child abuse’ again.”

“No one can hear you in here.”

“That’s why we got the suite. So, you could abuse me and no one would hear my cries for help,“ he said, tracing circles on her bare arm.

“You’re a goofball. Now, how about that dinner?”

“What will you be having this evening?” asked the waiter.

Jim looked up at Pam and nodded for her to order. “I think I would like the chicken parmesan.”

“And I would like the spaghetti and meatballs,” Jim said, handing the waiter his menu.

“Okay, that will be out shortly,” the waiter said tapping his pen on his order pad.

After the waiter had walked away, Pam and Jim sat smiling at each other. Pam played with the napkin on her lap.

“So…” Jim finally mustered up.

“Why is this awkward?” Pam asked.

“I have no clue.”

“What’s our problems? I mean, we want to be here with each other and yet, we can’t even make simple conversation.”

“I’m sorry. I should have just stayed home and let you take a nice relaxing vacation on your own.”

Pam reached over and grabbed his arm. “Jim, I want to be here with you. Stop saying that.”

“Then why are we total strangers all of a sudden?”

Pam shook her head. “I think it’s probably because neither of us know what to expect.”

“That’s probably it. What do you expect this weekend?”

Pam smiled and then played with the straw in her glass. “Honestly, I don’t care what happens between us, I just want it to be the two of us getting to know each other, without a five year old in the middle of it all.”

“Exactly.”

“So, we both want to be here and we both want to be alone with each other, so let’s stop talking about it and just have a good time.”

“Great.”

-----

After their dinner was devoured, Jim and Pam made light conversation before the check was delivered.

“So, when we get upstairs, I have something to give you,” Jim said.

“What? Why?”

“Oh, I just saw this thing and picked it up,” Jim said, scratching his head right above his ear.

“Why did you do that?”

“Because I wanted to. It’s nothing big so don’t get too excited.”

“What is it?”

“Like I’m going to tell you. You are a mere five minutes away from opening it, so you’ll just have to wait.”

“Okay,” she said, rolling her eyes.

Jim paid for the meal and they took the elevator up to their room. Jim leaned against the back of the elevator and held onto Pam’s hand. She leaned up next to him and against the wall. When the doors shut, Jim turned and pulled Pam into a kiss. He placed his hands along her chin and cheeks. She kissed him back. Their elevator had stopped and the doors opened. They didn’t break their kiss until the doors closed and the elevator began to move again. Jim looked over to see that they were going up to the top floor.

“Oops. I guess we should have gotten off when we were supposed to.”

“No, I think that was a really good reason not to jump off right away,” Pam said as she tugged on his shirt for him to continue.

“Wait, is the top floor an observation deck?”

Pam sighed and let go off his shirt. “I don’t know.”

“We should check it out.”

“I really want to get back to the room, Jim.”

“We will be in the room shortly, come on,” he said as he pulled Pam’s arm and led her out of the elevator when the doors opened.

“Okay.”

The floor had several rooms and then some large windows that looked out over the landscape.

“Let’s take a peek,” Jim suggested.

“It’s night time, we aren’t going to be able to see anything.”

Jim looked out the window and muttered, “Wow.”

Pam reluctantly looked out and found the landscape breathtaking as well. She put her hands on the glass and pressed her face into the window. They stood there looking at the lights and the night life of the resort.

“This is a great view,” Pam said.

“Told you,” said Jim, turning towards her. “Let’s get going.”

----

After their little detour, they finally made it to the door to their room. Jim slid the card into the lock and the door unlocked with a click. Pam skipped into the room and fell on the fluffy bed with her arms spread like wings. Jim pulled his keys and wallet out of his pocket and set them on the desk. He smiled as he saw her lying on the bed humming a tune.

Jim sat down next to her and handed her a nicely wrapped gift. Pam remembered when he had given her the teapot for Christmas and all the meaningful things that had gone along with it. She took the package with a smile and sat up. She pulled the wrapping off the square gift and held it in front of her with both hands. Jim sat and smiled, waiting for her reaction.

Pam looked at the gift for several moments before moving or talking.

“Jim, this is perfect.”

“You like it?” he asked leaning into her shoulder.

“It’s the best,” she said pulling the leather bound journal to her chest. “Thank you.”

“I thought that since we are beginning new adventures together, you know, you should have a new journal to write it all down in.”

Pam looked into his eyes and placed a kiss on his lips. “I love it.”

“Well, I’m glad.”

“You’re amazing, you know that?” she said in awe.

“Nah.”

“You are,” Pam thumbed through the journal and found a page where he had written a note to her. She stopped and flipped the page back to where his writing had jumped out at her. Jim stopped her and pushed the journal shut.

“That you cannot read right now.”

“Why? It’s in my journal.”

“That is for when you make it to that page. So, you have to write in it and then you get to read that. No cheating.”

“Can do,” she said as she turned and inched closer to his side.

Jim wrapped his arms around her. She put the journal down and put her hands on his chest. She tilted her head up to initiate a kiss but before she even did, Jim had beaten her to the punch. His lips found hers and he pulled her tighter to his chest.

“Jim…” Pam said between kisses.

“Yeah?” he answered pulling back from their make out session.

“I love you,” she said staring into his eyes.

Jim looked back quietly with his arms around Pam. He blinked his eyes and moved his lips next to her ear. The whisper was quiet and just what Pam had always wanted. She wanted someone to whisper those words in her ear for only her to hear and savor.

“I love you so much.”

Pam’s heart quickened and she turned her face and began kissing his cheeks and running her hands over his chest. She knew where this would lead, but all the nervousness had vanished from her body. She felt herself giving into her innermost desires as she lay back on the bed and pulled Jim down with her. She felt his weight push her into the comforter. She wanted nothing more than this moment. It had been something that she desired for more than eight years.

He pulled away from their kiss and played with her hair which was fanned out on the bed. He didn’t speak but his eyes were saying everything he wasn't. She smiled up at him and brought her hands to his face.

“Jim?”

“Huh?”

“Is this moving too fast for you?”

“No, I just…I was just going to make sure you wanted to do this tonight.”

“I haven’t been so sure about anything in my life.”

“I mean I don’t want to pressure you….”

“Jim, did you just hear me? I just said I….”

Before she finished her sentence, his lips were covering hers and she was accepting his offering. She let out a little moan in the back of her throat and felt him move over her. Pam pulled at his shirt and ran her hands over the bare skin showing at his waist. Her hands tingled at the touch. Maybe it was because her hands were cold and his sides were warm, but she knew it was because now she could feel every wildest dream come true with that single touch.

---------

The next morning, Pam woke to the sun penetrating through the blinds and hitting her eyes. She dared not to move to wake Jim. She didn’t want their embrace to end. Her head and hand rested on his bare chest. She could feel the tiny hairs tickling her palm and loved the feeling. She had wondered for a long time what his chest looked like under his shirt.

She felt him take in a deep breath and move slightly. Pam sat still not trying to move from his embrace. He had his arm around her and his hand resting on her shoulder. He lightly moved his fingers where they rested on her shoulder and it made Pam’s hairs stand on end. She gave in and moved slightly to let him know that she was awake.

Jim looked down as she peeked up at him. They both smiled and then Pam pulled her chin up to reach for a good morning kiss. He placed a spine tingling kiss on her lips and tightened his grip around her.

“Good morning.”

“Good morning to you too,” she replied.

Jim sucked in another deep breath and rolled on his side to face Pam. He ran one of his fingers along her arm.

“Last night was…”

“Amazing.”

“Why thank you!” Jim said with a laugh.

“Oh, you think you did all that? I don’t get any credit?”

“You might get some credit.”

“Good.”

“So, what is on our agenda for today?”

“Anything you want. I could stay here for the rest of the day and be fine with it.”

“We have to get out of bed at some point.”

“Do we have to?” she asked.

“Yes, we have to.”

“We can basically do anything.”

“Well, why don’t we shower and get dressed, then decide.”

----

After Pam finished her shower, she grabbed the soft large towel hanging by the shower. She pulled it off the rod and tied it tight around herself. Even when she was with Neil she hadn’t ever left the bathroom with just a towel. It might have been the way he stared at her when she was in bed with him or just being made uncomfortable by his stares. Now that she was with Jim, she felt like she could walk around all day with a towel on and be perfectly fine with it. She laughed at herself for thinking that the only way she would go all day in just a towel was if Jim was doing the same.

She stepped out of the foggy bathroom and tip toed to the closet. Her wet hair coiled as she bounced up and down looking for her clothes. Jim came around the corner and stopped as he saw her clutching the towel to her chest and dancing in her place. He stood there until she noticed his presence.

He turned and put a hand up to his eyes. “Sorry Pam.”

She turned and tugged the towel tighter and quickly grabbed her clothes. “I just had to come out for some clothes.”

Pam didn’t know why they were both shy about seeing each other partially nude since they had basically seen everything the night before. It was just the fact that they were able to view each other in such a manner.

“Okay, well, I think I’m going to get in the shower now, so you can change in here. Sorry…” Jim said as he walked towards the bathroom door.

“Okay…”

“Sorry for walking in…”

“Stop apologizing. Maybe I wanted you to catch me,” she said with a giggle and a smile.

“Oh! I see how you are. You’re making me weak in the knees for when you attack me. I won’t be able to fight back with weak knees.”

Pam giggled. “That’s exactly what I was doing. You caught me!”

“I knew it. Okay, I’ll be out in a few,” he said.

“All right.”

When Jim shut the door behind her she dropped the towel and quickly pulled on her clothes. She pulled her hair into a ponytail and dabbed on some foundation before he could see her attempt at getting ready. She went through the dresser drawers to find her favorite top when she found Jim’s clothes sitting in the second drawer. As soon as she opened it she noticed the smell of the clothes. She could smell his fabric softener and his home on the clothes and took in a deep breath of the aroma. She loved his smell. It was so manly and yet, it was the most comforting smell ever.

She pulled her shirt out of her drawer, put it on, and sprayed on her favorite perfume. She looked in the mirror to make sure she looked decent. She wanted to be comfortable but still look like she had put effort into her look.

Just as she was slipping on her sandals, Jim came walking through the room with a towel around his waist. His hair was dripping and light beads of water clinging to his bare skin. When Pam saw him, she froze and then let her mouth drop. She smiled when he caught her reaction. He pulled a shirt and some jeans off the bed. He turned to head back into the bathroom and right before he shut the door, he shouted, “Two can play at that game, Pam!”

Jim and Pam walked the trail outside the resort. They had decided to take a walk along the trail since it seemed so beautiful from the view. They held hands as they made their way through the countryside. Pam felt especially giddy from the previous night and earlier in the morning.

“This is the perfect vacation,” she said as they walked over a small bridge.

“Wait, isn’t your honeymoon supposed to be the best vacation?”

“Um, I don’t think so. Well, let me take that back. It depends on who you spend it with.”

“You and Neil didn’t have a good honeymoon?”

“It was great, don’t get me wrong. But, this tops it,” she said, smiling.

“Are you serious?”

“No joke, Halpert.”

“Wow. So, our next vacation better be amazing because I won’t be able to live this one down.”

“Yes.”

“So, what's next on the list?”

“Whatever you want.”

“Well, I don’t really know what there is to do. You made the arrangements.”

“I don’t know.”

Jim smiled and then turned quickly to face Pam. “Here we go. I got an idea. You go to the spa, get all relaxed and spruced up, and I will go to the hot box, I mean, the sauna. Clean my fine pores, you know. Then we can meet up at six and go to dinner somewhere. I will make the reservations, you don’t have to worry about a thing except for being pampered. Is that a plan?”

“But, I thought we were going to be together the whole time. Now we're going our separate ways?”

“No, just think about it. We go and get ready for a wonderful evening, and when we meet up, we will be excited to see each other.”

“That sounds like a good idea.”

“So, let’s go get you an appointment at the spa, and me into some too small swimming trunks, and then part ways.”

“Okay. Let’s do it.”

-----

Pam lay on the massage chair with her eyes closed. She felt like she could fall asleep but she was too excited for the evenings plans. Jim was right; it would be exciting if they parted ways for a little bit and met up later that evening.

She breathed in deeply and allowed the masseuse to rub and massage deep into her tissue. Pam thought that it hurt when she would dig her hands in her back but after she moved on to another spot, the pain subsided and she felt wonderful.

Then massage was over and she was ushered to get a facial. During the facial, they did her nails and pampered her feet. She loved all the attention from the spa staff.

-----

Jim sat in the room and called around to different restaurants for reservations. He wasn’t sure where to go so he went down to the concierge to ask for some help.

“I’m planning the perfect evening and I was wondering which restaurant I should make take my girlfriend to.”

The concierge smiled and pulled out a book of restaurants. “There are several classy eateries around here. What are your plans including?”

“That’s what I need help with. What is there to offer?”

“Let me see, I can get you some reservations at this really nice restaurant here in the city called The Fountain. It’s beautiful, has amazing food, and live music. Very nice for the type of date you seem to be planning.”

“Great.”

“Then you could schedule another activity from this catalog,” the man said, pushing the book across the counter.

“What do you recommend?” Jim asked as his eyes widened at the thickness of the book.

“There are several things to do after dark. You could always see a show, visit a museum, see an art exhibit, walk through the botanical gardens here in our resort, or find another activity included in this book. There are many options.”

“That sounds like a great list. Um,” Jim paused and looked at the man’s nametag. “Larry, do you mind if I call down here and let you know my plans and you arrange them by six?”

“I can do that.”

“Alright, thanks Larry. I will be calling you shortly with my plans,” Jim said, pulling the large catalog off the counter and walking back to the elevator.

Jim made his arrangements, called Larry and then went down to the sauna to get a few relaxing moments before the big night ahead of him and Pam. As he sat in the steam room he missed Pam. He regretted sending her off to do her own thing, but knew that tonight would be worth it.

----

As the final touches were being applied to Pam’s make up, she thought she caught a glimpse of Jim in the mirror. His hair was tousled and damp and was wearing his swim trunks, a t-shirt, and a pair of flip flops.

When the hairstylist returned to add some more curl to her hair, Pam asked her what the man in the swim trunks was doing at the front desk a minute ago.

“Hey, I saw that you were at the desk when the man came up to the desk. Did you happen to hear what he was there for?” Pam asked.

The hairstylist kept her focus on the curling iron and looked at Pam through the mirror. “I’m not sure. Was he with you?”

“Yeah, I was just wondering if he spilled any of tonight’s plans.”

“So you are letting him plan the evening, huh?”

“Well, it was his idea. He’s so….great.”

The girl chuckled and went to another piece of hair. “Are you engaged?”

Pam froze then met the girl’s gaze in the mirror. “No. We've only been dating a few months now.”

“You seem head over heels for this guy.”

“I am.”

“Well, whatever he is up to seems to be getting you excited. You have been wringing your hands for the past ten minutes now,” the hairstylist said with a laugh.

Pam looked down at her hands and slapped them down on her legs. “I know. I’m really excited.”

“Does it feel like senior prom all over again?”

“Definitely. Even better than that.”

“He’s a keeper then.”

“He sure is.”

-----

Jim thought he saw Pam in the salon getting primped. From the back, she looked amazing already. He walked up to the desk discretely trying to keep his cover.

“Hi. I brought this for the woman in the far chair,” Jim said as he pointed in Pam’s direction and slid a box across the counter.

The woman with the wild red hair took the box and lifted an eyebrow. “What’s this?”

“A gift. Whenever they take her to get her dress on, would you mind giving that to her?”

“I’ll see that it gets done.”

“Excellent. Thank you.”

Jim left the salon and went back to the room to shower properly before jumping into his suit. He had to meet Pam in the lobby within the hour and had to get ready quickly.

----

Pam stepped into her black dress and zipped up the back. She slipped on her heels and then stepped out of the dressing room in the salon. The woman with the wild red hair gasped and walked over to her.

“I love it. You look so great.”

“Thank you.”

“You have a date tonight?”

“Yes.”

“What’s his name?”

“Jim,” Pam said as she nodded.

“Well, this is from Jim,” the woman said as she handed Pam the gold box.

Pam’s eyes widened as she took the box. She opened it slightly and put her free hand up to her chest. The ladies standing around her gasped at the sight of the pretty silver necklace.

“Oh…my…”

“Man, what did I say? He’s a keeper,” Pam’s hairstylist said, nudging Pam in the arm.

-----

Jim stood in the lobby with his black suit on. He checked to make sure his tie was perfect and his jacket was pressed nicely. He held a single red rose in his hand and nervously played with it until she arrived. When she walked into the lobby he straightened up and smiled at the sight of her.

“Wow!”

“Wow to you too!” she said.

“You look….so…”

“Lovely? Gorgeous? Amazing? Breathtaking?” Pam asked as she twirled around.

“All of those things,” Jim said handing her the flower.

“Thank you.”

“Hey, who gave you that amazing necklace?” Jim asked jokingly.

“Oh, it was just some amazing guy I met on the elevator.”

“Really?”

“Thank you. Everything is beautiful. It kind of feels like I’m in Pretty Woman all of a sudden.”

“Oh no. Not at all. I don’t buy hookers.”

Pam laughed and stepped in closer to kiss him. He put his arms at her waist and kissed her gently. When they pulled away, Jim grabbed her hand and led her out of the hotel. It was time for their evening to begin.

----

Sitting at The Fountain they listened to the piano tinkling in the background. Larry was right about the restaurant being beautiful. In the center of the room there were several water fountains spilling into a large pool. They water was a bright blue and glistened off the stone tile. The dance floor was strategically placed around the fountain with chandeliers hanging above. Pam and Jim sat next to a large window that had a great view of another large fountain outside.

“This is wonderful.”

“It is, isn’t it?”

“Definitely.”

“Have I told you how great you look?” Jim asked with a grin.

“I believe you mentioned it.”

“You know what’s weird? You haven’t called home to check on Scarlet yet.”

“Oh my gosh. I feel like such a bad mother now.”

Jim laughed and then pulled out his cell phone. “Let’s call before it gets too late.”

He handed Pam the phone. “Hi Mom.”

“We're good. We're actually at dinner right now,” Pam said as she played with her silverware.

“How’s my girl?”

“She did?”

“That’s too cute. Well, I guess I will have to see it when I get home,” Pam looked up at Jim with a smile across her face.

“Can I talk to her for a second? Great.”

“Hey Scarlet. How are you?”

“You are?”

“Good. I miss you too.”

“Yeah, Jim is right here. Okay,” Pam handed Jim the phone.

He took it and gave Pam a little smile. “Hey Scarlet!”

“How are you? We miss you too.”

“Yeah, you’re Mom looks really pretty tonight.”

“Okay. Talk to you soon Scarlet. Love you too.”

Jim handed the phone back to Pam. “Alright baby. I love you. Give the phone back to Nana. Night.”

“Well Mom, we will be home later tomorrow.”

“It’s been a blast. I went to a salon today and a spa. It was amazing.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t think I want to talk about that Mom,” Pam said rolling her eyes and avoiding eye contact with Jim.

“Okay then. I will see you tomorrow. Kiss my girl for me! Night.”

Pam shut the phone and handed slid it across the table while the waiter served them.

“What did your mother say?” Jim asked.

“Nothing. Apparently Scarlet made us pictures and cookies while we were away.”

“Cool,” Jim said cutting into his chicken.

“Yeah. I miss her.”

“You light up when you speak to her. It’s very cute.”

“I thought I was going to pass out when you were talking to Scarlet on the phone. You are so sweet when you talk to her. It drives me crazy,” Pam said whipping her fork through the air.

Jim laughed and then picked at his plate. “I really love you guys.”

“We love you too,” said with a smile.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better girlfriend and a half.”

Pam laughed. “Well, when you were on the phone with your mother it seemed like you had to defend us.”

Jim was shocked at her statement. “Well, she thought I was breaking up a marriage. So, I told her the circumstances. She’ll think differently when she actually gets to meet you.”

“I mean, I’m not Karen or anything…” Pam said.

Stunned, Jim responded, “Pam, let’s not talk about this right now. I want this to be perfect and talking about this isn’t really what I had in mind.”

Pam seemed jealous to Jim. She made a face and gently set her fork on her plate and put her hands in her lap. “Before we do anything else tonight, I would like to talk about it.”

“Why didn’t we settle this in the car then?”

“I don’t know. I just now thought about it.”

“Come on, Pam…”

“Jim, did your mother like Karen?”

Jim put his fork down and wiped his mouth. He wasn’t portraying the happy boyfriend he was two minutes ago. “Pam, that’s in the past and besides, what does it matter?”

“It does matter. I need to know how I stack up against her.”

“Fine. My mother liked Karen a lot. There,” he said then looked down at his plate.

“Thank you.”

“That’s really all you needed to hear?”

“Yes.”

“Well…how do I stack up against Roy and Neil?”

“Trust me, you are Mom’s favorite…besides Roy.”

“What? Roy was a total jerk.”

“I’m not saying that she still likes him, she just had a connection with Roy that I haven’t seen her have with any one else. Don’t worry, give her time to get to know you.”

“So, Roy wins because he was your first and you stayed with him the longest.”

“It’s not that at all. He was the one that I basically grew up with though. So, she might see that as an advantage. And, it’s not a competition. Let’s stop now.”

“Okay. Fine.”

“Jim, what’s the deal?”

“I just had an idea about what tonight was supposed to be like and arguing about exes and mother’s opinions wasn’t in the schedule. I’m sorry. I’m a jealous boyfriend.”

“Well, I’m a jealous girlfriend so, there. We agree on something.”

“Okay,” Jim said taking in a deep breath and picking his fork back up.

He reached over with his other hand, grabbed Pam’s hand and looked her in the eye. “I’m sorry for that.”

She shook her head. “Don’t be. It was my fault.”

“You will love my mother though and I know she will love you and Scarlet.”

“I hope so.”

Jim looked around the room. “Hey, I have another great idea. Would you like to dance?”

“I would love to.”

After dinner and three slow dances, Pam and Jim walked around the botanical gardens. There was an amazing outdoor display with plants and trees carefully groomed. Jim held on to Pam’s hand as they passed through the maze of bushes and flowers. Many other couples were roaming the path. There was music playing, the air was crisp and clear, the stars were out, and Jim and Pam were together.

“This has been a very good date,” Pam said swinging Jim’s hand back and forth with hers.

“Yeah, I thought so too.”

“Where did you find out about all these little places?”

“Larry.”

“Is that your imaginary friend or something?” she said with a chuckle.

“The concierge.”

“Oh. Well, thank you Larry.”

Jim laughed and stopped on the sidewalk. “Hey, would you take a picture with me?”

“Um, where are we going to get our picture taken?”

“I have this,” he said, pulling a camera out of his jacket. “But, there is also a photographer up the hill here,” Jim said, pointing.

“You have all sorts of things up your sleeve tonight,” Pam said as she lifted her eyebrows.

“I’m prepared. So, you stand here and I will take the picture.”

“Wait, you have to be in it too.”

“Oh yeah. Okay….we’ll stand here while I take it. I just have to hold the camera too.”

“There you go,” Pam said pulling him close.

Jim held out the camera and leaned closer to Pam. “Ready? One. Two. Three.”

When the camera flashed, Jim felt Pam’s lips on his cheek. He turned and smiled at her. “What was that for? Your ruined the picture.”

“No, I added something to the picture.”

“Okay, let’s do it again, but no kissing my cheek this time,” Jim said as she stuck out his hand and counted to three.

During the second picture, Pam pulled Jim’s face to hers and quickly kissed him on the lips. After she pulled away from the kiss, she giggled and fixed her lipstick.

“Again with ruining the picture. Are we ever going to get a good one?”

“I thought those were pretty good,” she said winking.

“Well, let’s do one without you smooching on me so we can show your mom and Scarlet.”

Jim sighed, held out the camera and leaned back into position.

“I promise I'll be good this time,” Pam said, giving a sly grin.

“Okay. Let’s do this one right.”

Once Jim counted to three, he turned quickly and pecked Pam on the cheek. She jumped back in shock and dropped her jaw.

“That was supposed to be a good one! No more pictures.”

“I think I have all I need,” Jim said slipping the camera back into his pocket.

Pam giggled and then ran her hand along his arm. “Jim?”

“Yeah?”

“Is there more to this night or can we get back to the hotel soon?”

“I was going to take you to an art exhibit, but if you wanted to leave now we could.”

“I think the art exhibit is a great idea, but I think I’m a little beat,” she said as she slipping her hands into his coat and around his waist.

“Whoa, are you being provocative, Miss Beesly?” Jim asked with a grin.

“You just now caught my drift?”

“Sure did, and I really like that idea,” Jim said as he pulled her hand towards the garden’s gate.

-----

Standing in the elevator, Pam gently leaned up against Jim, staring up at his face. She loved that she could touch him anytime she wanted and he didn’t mind. Ever since he had told her how he felt, she always thought about running her hands over his forearms. Now, she could do that and more.

Pam pressed her lips against his. He responded with kissing her back and quickly pulling her off the elevator once the door opened. They rushed towards their room and he fumbled with the key until he dropped it.

“Dang it.”

“What are you doing? Hurry!” she said as she stood there bouncing up and down.

“I’m trying. If you hadn’t gotten me all riled up on the elevator, this might not be happening right now.”

“Here,” Pam said as she took the key from his hands and slowly put the card in the slot.

The door clicked and they pushed it open. One foot inside the door, Pam grabbed Jim and kissed him and nearly knocked him over. Jim caught his balance by bracing himself against the wall behind him.

Between Pam’s kisses, Jim croaked out, “Pam, what are you doing?”

“I love you.”

“I love you too, but can’t we get in door before you attack me?”

“I don’t care…” she said helping him out of his jacket.

He pushed her slightly and rested his hands on her arms. “Listen, let’s slow down. We have all night…”

“I know, I know….”

“Well, cool it a second,” Jim said, walking towards the bed and adjusting his tie.

“Sorry, I didn’t know you were so….gentleman-like,” she said as she walked over to the couch.

“I just don’t want to ruin anything. Okay?” Jim said. Pam thought that his tone was a little harsh.

“Are you okay, Jim? Are you upset with me?” she said, hoping that he wasn’t upset.

Jim wiped his forehead and sat down on the bed. “No, I don’t what’s gotten into me. I just want this to be perfect and not purely based on emotions, you know.”

“Yeah, me too.”

“Sorry…”

“No, don’t be. I understand completely,” Pam said, pulling her shoes off.

As Pam leaned down to kick off her heels, she caught a glimpse of her journal lying on the coffee table. She eyed it and then grabbed it up. She wanted to joke with Jim to get him out of his mood so she flipped to the page he had written on. She turned around on the couch and leaned her elbows on the back of it. She smiled at Jim and held the journal page out to him.

“Oh Jim!” she said, waving it in the air.

“What?” Jim said as he turned to see her taunting him with the journal.

“I think I might just read this now.”

“No don’t do that.”

“Why?” she said, looking at the page, not really reading it, just teasing him.

“Pam, seriously. Don’t read that right now,” Jim demanded, standing up and walking over to her.

“Why not? I think I should…”

“No. It’s not the right time.”

“What’s not the right time?” she asked, skimming over his writing.

“Pam. Stop!” he said as he rushed over to the couch to stop her.

Pam quickly stood and moved the journal out of Jim’s grasp.

“It’s my journal, Jim!”

“Please Pam, don’t read that until you write to that page. Please?”

“Why?” she said, hurrying over to the corner and reading his words.

Jim walked over to where she was hunched over in the corner reading the page that he had asked her not to read. He stood behind her with his head down and his hands in his pockets. “Pam…fine. I‘m going to the lobby while you‘re preoccupied.”

Pam ignored him and kept reading his words.

Tears flowed out of Pam’s eyes and she turned around to find Jim was gone.

“Jim?”

Pam then remembered hearing the click of the door. She put on her flip flops and carried the journal to the lobby with her. She found Jim resting his head in his hand as he sat in a chair. She walked up behind him and put her arms around his neck with the journal clutched in her hand. He responded by putting his hand on hers and turning his head to hers.

“You read it,” Jim stated.

“Yeah.”

“That’s not supposed to be the way you do it.”

“Why Jim? Why didn’t we talk about this sooner?”

“I didn’t think you were ready and I had it all planned out differently.”

“Really? First off, I’m way ready. Secondly, I’m sorry for ruining your plans but I’m glad I read it now.”

“You are?” he said, sitting up and looking deep into her eyes.

“Yeah.”

“Everything you said….I…”

“You don’t have to answer right now.”

“I want to…. I love you and yes, I want to…

Jim leaned closer to her ear and whispered like he did the night before, “Marry me.”

It wasn’t a question. It was the statement of the lifetime. Pam nodded and tears streamed her cheeks. She walked around from behind his chair and he stood. He kissed her and placed his hands along her waist. She still clutched to the journal as he kissed her passionately in the lobby. Once they both realized where they were, Jim smiled and pulled back.

“See. This isn’t how I planned it.”

“I’m sorry. I was just joking but when I saw the first sentence, it pulled me in.”

“I don’t have a ring right now.”

“No, that’s okay. This was perfect.”

“No it wasn’t. I got upset and left the room. How’s that for perfect?”

“Trust me, it was.”

“You need to listen to me more often.”

“Okay, I will from now on.”

“So, go get in our room.”

“Yes sir,” she said lightly skipping towards the elevator door.

Jim rolled over in the bed early in the morning. He looked at Pam, who was hugging tight to her pillow next to him. He looked over at the clock. It read 3:34 am. He was having a hard time sleeping. Was it the flopped proposal, the dinner, the conversation at the dinner table, the activities after his meager attempt at a proposal? He wasn’t sure, but nothing had seemed to go as planned.

Jim inched closer to Pam to feel her against his body. She moved slightly as he cuddled up next to her. Her eyes opened and looked into his.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah. Can’t sleep.”

“I’m sorry. Is there something on your mind?”

“Kind of. Nothing really turned out as planned.”

“Don’t worry about that. Everything was great.”

“I mean, do you feel like the proposal was a little too soon?”

“Are you taking it back?” Pam said, defensively.

“No, no, no. I just had pictured it differently. That’s all. And, it might be too soon, you know.”

“So, are you saying that you didn’t want to propose?”

“I had intentions to. Not right away though.”

“Well, if I had a ring on my finger I guess that means that I should be giving it back right about now.”

“No, Pam. That’s not what I’m trying to do here. I just want to make sure that you're ready for this.”

“Why would I have said yes if I wasn’t, Jim?”

“I’m just making sure.”

“Yes, Jim. I’m ready. I love you. Don’t you feel the same way?”

“Of course. I guess I’m just nervous about everything.”

Pam rolled over and put her arms around Jim. She squeezed him tightly. “Are you nervous because of Scarlet?”

“I guess that might be it. I’ve never had to be the stepdad before.”

“Just remember, you get along with her better than anyone else I know. She loves you and is crazy about you. You’ll do a fine job.”

“Thanks,” Jim said as he pulled her closer.

“Are you going to be able to sleep now?”

“I don’t know,” he said with a yawn.

“I think so.”

Pam reached up and kissed Jim. He instinctively grabbed her face in his hands and deepened the kiss.

“Jim…we have a long drive ahead of us tomorrow. Let’s get some sleep.”

He pulled away from kissing her lips and down her neck. “Okay…fine.”

“I would love to stay up all night kissing you, but who’s going to drive us home safely if we both stay up?”

“Larry…”

“The concierge isn’t going to drive us back to Scranton,” she said with a giggle.

“Night,” Jim said, rolling over.

“Goodnight.”

-----

Jim and Pam slept into almost eleven and they had to check out by noon. Once they were out of bed they scrambled to get their things together and get out of the room. Standing in the lobby with their luggage, they waited in line to check out.

“This was a good weekend,” Pam said staring up at Jim.

“It was.”

Pam noticed his demeanor. “Hey, are you tired?”

“I guess. I was up most of the night.”

“Why are you still freaking?”

“I’m not. I was up most of the night because I was trying to figure out the best way to tell my parents that I’m engaged.”

“Really?” Pam said with a little smile.

“How are we going to tell your parents?”

“I don’t know. Should we invite them all to a dinner?”

“That could work.”

“When do you want to break the news to everyone?”

“Give me a few weeks.”

“Can do.”

-----

Pulling into Pam’s driveway, they saw Scarlet bolt out the front door to greet them. Pam’s mother followed as well.

“Mom! Jim!”

Pam scooped up Scarlet off the ground and hugged her tightly.

“I missed you baby!”

“I missed you too.”

“How was it? Did you and Nana have fun?” Pam asked, putting Scarlet down.

“We played everyday!” Scarlet said, running over to Jim who was pulling Pam’s luggage from the car. He picked up Scarlet and gave her a hug as well. Pam’s mother gave Pam a hug and kiss on the cheek.

“So Pam, how was your vacation?” her mother inquired.

“Mom, it was great.”

“What did you do?”

“Lot’s of stuff, Ma. Lot’s of stuff,” Pam said with her eyebrows raised.

Jim looked over in Pam’s direction and lightly bounced Scarlet in his arms. He couldn’t help smile at Pam’s reaction to her mother’s interrogation.

“Oh, in a few weeks Jim and I were thinking about having a dinner. Would you be able to come?”

“Sure. What’s it all about? Is there something I should know?”

“No. We would just like to get the two families together. So, we thought a dinner somewhere would be a good idea.”

“I see. Well, I guess your father and I could do that.”

“Great.”

Jim put Scarlet down and closed his trunk and took Pam’s suitcases to the front door. He walked back over to his car and opened the door.

“Well, ladies, I must get going. I have work in the morning.”

“Oh, too bad,” Pam’s mother said.

“Are you sure you can’t stay longer?” Pam asked.

“Yeah, I need to get some stuff done before the week starts and I think you all have a lot of things to talk about,” he said with a grin.

Pam smiled and walked over to say goodbye to Jim before he left. She put her arms around his waist and lifted her chin up for a kiss. Jim hesitated, knowing that they had an audience. He leaned down and pecked Pam on the lips and smiled at her.

“Is that all you got?” she asked.

“Uh, I don’t think your mom and your daughter want to see us making out.”

“I don’t care,” she said, pulling his face to hers.

After their kiss finally broke, Pam turned to see her mother’s reaction. Her mother stood with her hands crossed over her chest.

“I guess I don’t need to ask what you two did this weekend,” Pam’s mother spouted.

Jim quickly ducked into the car. “I’m outta here.”

Pam laughed and waved as he shut the door. “Bye Jim. Talk to you later.” Pam walked over to where her mother was standing. “I’m crazy about that guy.”

“I can tell.”

----

After Jim got home and started cleaning out his luggage, he decided to call his mother.

“Yeah, I just got back from a vacation with Pam.”

“Really? How was it?”

“It was great. The hotel was amazing.”

“That’s nice son.”

“Oh, Pam and I are planning this dinner in a few weeks. Can you make it?”

“Sure. What’s this dinner thing for?”

“I think you should meet Pam and her family.”

“Oh.”

“Is that okay?”

“Yeah," Larissa said and then paused. "Are you proposing to her, Jim?”

“What? Why would a simple little dinner mean that we are getting engaged?”

“Jim. You’re going to ask this girl to marry you aren’t you?”

“Too late, Mom.”

“What? You already did it?”

“Yeah. It sort of just happened.”

“Jim. Do you know what you just got yourself into?”

“Mom, can you please just be happy for me? I need some support here.”

“She has a kid.”

“Yeah, a kid that I sincerely love.”

“Okay Jim. It’s your life.”

“Yes it is. Despite what you think Mom, I know what I’m doing.”

“Okay.”

“I really need you and Dad there. Please. Mom, I love her.”

“I can tell. So, I won’t say anymore.”

“Thank you.”

“I love you. Talk to you soon.”

“Bye Mom.”

Jim took in a sigh of relief and threw some of his laundry in the washer. He put the soap in and went over to his couch and flopped down. He rested there until he felt his phone go off in his pocket.

“Hello.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too, Pam.”

“I miss you already.”

“Same here. What’s going on?”

“Nothing. Scarlet is already in bed and I was bored.”

“I see.”

“Jim, I’m so glad we took that trip.”

“Me too. I’m exhausted though and I still have a butt-load of paper work to do,” Jim said, rubbing his eyes.

“I’m sorry. Hey, Scarlet drew this really cute picture of you and she saved some cookies for you too.”

“That’s so sweet.”

“See, you don’t have to worry about being a parent. She will make it easy on you.”

“I highly doubt that. You’ll be regretting that statement when she turns sixteen.”

“Probably. When will we see you again?”

“Tomorrow I hope. I have some things I need to do after work, but after that I might stop by.”

“Great.”

“I need to get to finishing up this work, so I will talk to you then.”

“Okay. I love you, Jim.”

“Pam, I love you more than you know."

A few weeks after their trip, Jim and Pam set a date for their big dinner. Pam had decided to have it at her home and Jim would come over and help prepare the meal. He got off work and rushed to her house to help.

“Are you ready for tonight?” Jim asked.

“I think. Are you?” Pam replied as she wiped a dish dry.

“Yeah. This is going to be a piece of cake.”

“Good to know that you’re so confident.”

“Don’t worry about anything. My parents will love you and Scarlet. I guarantee it,” he said, pulling her into an embrace.

“I hope you’re right. Now, I need to get Scarlet around before they show up. I’ll be back down to finish up.”

“Okay.”

As Pam rushed off to get Scarlet dressed, Jim leaned against the kitchen counter and stared at the artwork hanging on Pam’s refrigerator. Just like the pictures on his fridge, Scarlet had decorated Pam’s too. There was a picture of Lindie, the poor departed cat, and then several pictures of Scarlet’s take on Jim. He laughed when he noticed how tall she had portrayed him. He was the length of the page and her and Pam were very little compared to him.

Jim tidied up the kitchen and finished cooking most of the meal. While he waited for the oven timer to go off, he looked through his briefcase and placed a manila folder on top. He had originally planned on giving Pam the papers after they married, but since he got news that the process takes longer than he thought, he had decided to give them to her tonight. It would give her plenty of time to consider the proposition in the folder.

Pam came down the stairs with Scarlet trailing behind her. Scarlet had her hair in curls and was wearing a pink dress. Pam had put on a simple skirt and top. Jim could smell her perfume when she stepped into the kitchen.

“It smells delicious in here!” she said in a sing song voice.

Jim laughed and turned pull the rolls out of the oven. Pam leaned over him to examine the bread.

“What?” he asked.

“I was just making sure you didn’t ruin the dinner.”

“How dare you. Are you insulting my cooking?”

“No. Just seeing if you are as good as cook as you made yourself out to be,” she said with a giggle. The doorbell rang and Pam jumped at the noise. Her face suddenly fell and she went into panic mode.

“They’re here, Jim. What do I do?”

Jim grabbed her arms. “Don’t freak. That’s the first thing you need to do. Then, go answer the door.”

“You have to come with me.”

“Okay. Let’s do this,” he said as he grabbed her hand.

“Come here, Scarlet,” Pam said as she pulled her towards the door. Jim reached out and grabbed the doorknob. They opened it to find Pam’s parents standing there smiling.

“Hi Mom. Hi Dad,” Pam said, kissing them each on the cheek.

“Nice to meet you Mr. Beesly,” Jim said as they shook hands.

“Nice to meet you, Jim. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“Come on in.”

Pam’s parents automatically turned their attention to Scarlet and took their time giving her adoration. As they focused on her, Jim and Pam held on tight to each others hand and waited for them to move into the living room. Once they were seated and still making Scarlet giggle over tickling, the door bell rang again and Jim jumped up to answer it. Pam followed him to the door.

“Hey, good to see you!” Jim said with his arms wide open.

“Hey Jimmy!” his mother squealed as she hugged him.

Jim’s father gave him a handshake and then pulled him into an embrace. “Son, it’s good to see you.”

“You too, Dad. Hey, I would like you to meet Pam,” Jim said as he pulled Pam over to his folks.

“Nice to meet you Mr. and Mrs. Halpert,” she said, shaking their hands.

“Please, Larissa and David. So you are the girl that my son is head over heels for.” Larissa said.

“I guess that’s me.”

Jim walked over to where Scarlet was staring in their direction and motioned her over to meet his parents. He picked her up in his arms before introducing her. “Now, this is Scarlet. She is Pam’s daughter and the cutest kid on the earth.”

“Nice to meet you, Scarlet,” Larissa said, shaking her little hand.

“Let’s get to eating and then we can make some more introductions,” Jim insisted.

----

During dinner, The Beesly’s and the Halpert’s made conversation that seemed to be a good sign for Jim and Pam. Jim’s parents were infatuated with Scarlet and her antics and the Beesly’s seemed to get along with Jim’s family.

Finally, Jim squeezed tight onto Pam’s hand and cleared his throat.

“It’s so good to have you all together tonight. The reason we asked you all to come was because Pam and I wanted to announce that we have decided to get married. We would like your blessing as we continue to pursue this journey.”

There was a gasp from Pam’s mother and David let out an excited chuckle. Pam smiled and looked around the room for more reactions. Jim’s mother smiled and Scarlet sat playing with her food.

“If you didn’t know, Pam and I have known each other for a long time and just recently reunited and started dating. We decided that marriage is a possibility and think that we are ready for it.”

Jim’s mother was wiping away a few tears and Pam’s mother was blatantly crying as her husband rubbed her shoulder.

“I think that’s a great idea,” Pam’s mother said.

Pam started in on the water works and let out a joyous giggle.

Larissa reached over the table and took a hold of Jim’s hand. “Jim, I think this is a good thing. I was wrong to say that you were rushing things. Please forgive me for making judgments because Pam and Scarlet are amazing women.”

Jim nodded and smiled at his mother. “Thanks, Ma.”

“So, I knew when I came down here that you would prove me wrong and I brought this,” Jim’s mother said as she slid a velvet ring case towards Jim. “It’s Grandma Norma‘s. She would want you to have it.”

Pam put a hand over her mouth and Jim looked at his mother in disbelief. The ring had been in the family for years and Larissa just had cleaned and reset it a year ago. He never thought his mother would ever part with it because it’s such a valuable piece to their family’s history.

“Mom, you don’t have to…” Jim said as she shook his head.

“No. I talked with all of Norma’s family and they said that they would like you two to have it. Please take it,” she said pushing it into his hand.

Jim stared down at the little box and an overwhelming emotion swept over him. He stood, walked around the table, grabbed his mother up into a hug, received a manly hug from his father and wiped a small tear from his eye. Pam sat at the table still letting out little sobs.

“Mom, this means so much to me. Thank you,” he said as he hugged her again. Larissa wiped her cheeks and put the ring box in his hand.

“It means so much to us that you are happy. Now, go give it to her.”

Jim opened the box and his eyes widened as he did. The ring was beautiful and glowing more than usual. He shut the case and stepped over to where Pam was sitting. Pam’s mother let out a little squeal as Jim grabbed her hand and helped her out of her chair. Jim took a few deep breaths and stood in silence as his emotions racked his body. Pam cried too and rubbed her hands over his arm.

He looked into her eyes and grabbed her hands. “Wow. Pam, I know I kind of already proposed but I’m going to do it right this time.” Jim shifted on his feet. “Um, I’ve known you for years and when I saw you after all those years, standing in a grocery store with your beautiful daughter, I knew you were the one. I never stopped loving you. I’m so blessed to have you in my life.”

He bent down on one knee and popped the case open again. He wiped away another tear. Scarlet crawled out of her chair and kneeled down next to Jim. The room exploded in laughter as Jim broke the tender moment laughing at Scarlet, who sat next to him on the floor. Jim looked over and smiled at the curious Scarlet.

“No, I think you need to stand here Miss Scarlet,” Jim said pulling her up and standing her next to Pam.

The mother’s were sobbing tears of joy in between their laughter. Scarlet obeyed Jim and moved next to Pam’s knees. She stood quietly as Jim spoke.

“Both of you need to be standing before me,” he said as he grabbed Pam’s hand. “Pam, will you marry me?” Jim asked, holding the ring up. Scarlet looked up to see into the box.

Pam nodded and grabbed onto Scarlet’s hand (partially to keep her from touching the ring and partially to hold onto something before she passed out).

“Yes, Jim. I will marry you,” she said as he stood.

Jim slipped the shiny ring onto her finger and pulled her into a kiss. The dinner guests clapped and cheered. Once they broke their kiss, Jim went over to his briefcase and pulled the manila folder. He walked back over to Pam as the eyes of the guests followed him. He held out the folder and took in another breath.

“Now, this is something that I had hoped to talk to you about in private, but since this has been such a good night, I don't think I can wait.”

Pam furrowed her brows in a puzzled expression and sighed. Jim kept looking between Pam and Scarlet.

“I don’t know what your reaction will be to my offer, but here goes…” Jim said, handing Pam the open folder. Pam looked at the documents and her face crinkled with emotion. Jim felt his heart skip a few beats as she read over the paper.

Pam’s mother whispered to her husband. “What is it?”

Jim kept his eyes locked on Pam, not moving a muscle.

“Pam, what is it?” her mother asked again. Pam wiped a tear and knelt down to Scarlet.

“Scarlet, would you be happy if Jim lived with us?” Pam asked. Scarlet nodded.

“And, would you be happy if Jim was your daddy?” Pam asked as she choked out a sob. Jim crossed his arms over his chest and placed his head in his hand. Scarlet nodded. The Halpert’s leaned over the table to see the little girls reactions. Everyone in the room was overcome with emotion and joy.

Pam stood and looked at the older adults. She sighed, grabbed Jim at the waist and looked down at the papers again.

“These are….papers….to apply for an adoption,” Pam said, crying. Jim was crying thoroughly as well.

Pam’s mother reached over and laid her head on her husband’s shoulder while Jim’s mother openly sobbed.

Jim looked down at Pam. Through his tears and smile he asked, “Is it okay that I become Scarlet’s father?”

Pam nodded. “Yes, Jim. That would be the best thing to ever happen to her.”

Jim leaned down to kiss her. The family clapped and Scarlet pulled on Pam’s skirt. Pam grabbed her child and placed a kiss on her rosy red cheek.

The dinner guests had left and Jim and Pam were cleaning up in the kitchen. Pam’s face glowed a hue of red and Jim whistled a joyful tune as he wiped the dinner plates clean. Scarlet sat in the living room with her crayon’s and sketch pads.

“Scarlet let’s go get ready for bed.”

“Nooooo!” Scarlet cried out.

“Come on, let’s go. You need to get your sleep.”

Scarlet crossed her arms over her chest and pouted. Pam couldn’t help herself from laughing. She picked Scarlet up and took her up the stairs. Scarlet let out yelps and cries for help all the way up the stairs.

Jim pulled off his suit jacket now that the parents weren’t there anymore. He loosened his tie and finished up with the kitchen. Pam came down with her hair in a ponytail and her shoes off. She snuck up behind Jim and wrapped her arms around his waist as he faced the sink. He stopped at her touch.

“What are you doing Pam?” he asked, smiling.

“Nothing,” she said, taking in his scent.

Jim put down the pan and turned around towards her. He pulled her close to him.

“A ponytail. Very nice,” Jim said, flipping her hair with his finger.

“It is. You should try it some time.”

“I guess I should grow out my hair then. Like it isn’t already long enough.”

“No, it’s perfect. I have always loved your hair.”

“You know, you’ve told me that twice.”

“It’s the truth.”

“So, that’s the only thing you like about me then, huh?”

“No, that’s just the beginning.”

“Oh really?” he said, grinning.

“Your eyes. Oh my…I love them,” she said, rolling her eyes.

“Keep going.”

“And, your smile.” With her statement, he smiled to please her.

“That’s the one. Your lips are very nice too. Oh, and your teeth. You have great teeth. I’m just lucky to have a guy with a nice mouth,” she said with a giggle.

“Yes you are,” he said, pulling her closer to his chest.

“What about me? What drives you crazy about me?” she asked with a grin.

“Where to start. First off, your laugh is infectious. The best laugh in the world, by far.”

“That’s one. I need more than that.”

“Nope, that’s it,” he said as he laughed.

“Hey!” she said, pulling away from him.

Jim grabbed her arm and tugged her back into position. She fell into his arms as he grasped her closer.

“The way you smile when you’re really excited about something. Then there is the smile when your being sneaky, and the one when you’re laughing and you can’t keep yourself from smiling. I love all of those.”

“I have that many? I didn’t know that. You’re good.”

“I’m that type of boyfr…I mean, fiancé. So weird.”

Pam laughed. “Is there anything else?”

“I know there is plenty more. But, my new favorite is your hair when you’re jumping on the bed.”

Pam laughed again. “You don’t like my hair any other time?” she said, playing with her curls.

“Oh no. I love your hair. Especially the way it smells.”

Pam looked up and smiled. “You know what?”

“Huh?”

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“Now that we have established that, let’s go jump test my bed,” she said, pulling on Jim’s tie.

“Pam…”

“Let’s go while we have ample time to get the….testing done.”

“I have a feeling you aren’t talking about jumping on the bed anymore.”

“Correct.”

-----

The morning light broke through the blinds and hit Jim in the eyes. Pam was curled up next to him with her arm wrapped around his. He rubbed his eyes and sunk down closer to her. He didn’t speak and tried to stagger his breathing so he wouldn’t wake her. His eyes lingered over her features, taking in her beauty. Her hair was in disarray but he still thought she looked gorgeous.

She moved and squinted her eyes from the blinding light. She moved her head out of the sun’s line and found Jim’s face with her hands.

“Hello.”

“Hi.”

“Did you sleep okay?”

“Great,” Jim said, stretching.

“You know what I just realized? I love waking up next to you,” Pam said as she slid her hands down his arms.

“Well, you gotta get used to that since we’re getting married and all.”

“I think I could get used to that. I just hate it when you’re not here.”

“We will be living together soon enough.”

“I know. Speaking of that, are we going to wait to move into together or do you want to do that before the wedding?”

“I don’t know. How far away is this wedding?”

“Oh yeah, I guess we need to set a date.”

“You get to pick the date.”

“Um, I don’t care when…it just better be soon.”

“We can decide on that later.”

“Another thing we need to discuss. Do we want to live here, your place, or find a new home?”

“I haven’t really thought about any of this stuff. Geeze,” Jim said, scratching his head. “What do you want to do?”

“Living here might not be the best thing.”

“Really?”

“There are a lot of bad memories that I want to leave behind.”

“Okay. We can see about moving you two out of here and either into my place or a new house.”

“That sounds great,” she said with a smile.

Scarlet came in the door and crawled up on the bed. She sat down in between Jim and Pam. Pam patted Scarlet’s head and greeted her.

“Good morning baby.”

“Morning Mom. Good morning Jim.” Scarlet said, snuggling under the covers.

“What do you want to do today?” Jim asked.

“Did you have a slumber party again?” Scarlet asked, ignoring Jim’s question.

Pam bounced her eyes between Jim and Scarlet. “Yes we did.”

“When will I get to have one?”

“Soon. We promise we will have a slumber party for you.”

“Good, because it’s not fair that you get to have one and I don’t.”

Jim laughed and Pam let out a snort. “So, do you all want to go do something today?” Jim asked again.

“Let’s get out of the house. What do you want to do Scarlet?” Pam asked, playing with Scarlet’s hair.

“Can we play in the park?”

“We could do that.” Pam said, lifting her eyes.

“Sounds good to me.”

“Okay, Scarlet, go get some clothes and bring them back in here.”

Scarlet leapt out of the bed and ran into her room next door. Jim and Pam watched until she was out the door and then glanced back over to each other. Jim grabbed Pam’s face and pulled her into a kiss. She rested her hands on his face too and pulled away when she heard Scarlet.

“Eww!”

“Oopsy again.” Pam, said getting out of bed.

“She really needs to learn that we are going to do that from now on.”

“She’ll get used to it. Now, do I need to tell you to get your clothes on too?”

“No ma’am,” Jim replied as he pulled himself off the bed.

-----

In the park, Jim pushed Scarlet in the swing. Pam stood at the opposite side and tickled her feet as she swung up to Pam. Most of their time in the park was spent that way. Jim would push, Scarlet would say ‘wee!’ and Pam would tickle. The classic Saturday in the park. Jim loved his time out with them. It was almost as if he was proud to show them off.

Before they loaded the car to go get some lunch, Jim had an idea. He drove them directly to the pet shop in Scranton.

“What are we doing?” Pam asked.

“We are going to get Scarlet a new kitty,” Jim whispered.

“What?”

“Yes. She deserves a new cat since you got that nice, new, shiny ring on your finger.”

“I guess that’s only fair. Okay.”

Jim smiled and jumped out of the car and unbuckled Scarlet. She gasped when she saw the front window of the shop. Jim grabbed her hand and led her to the door.

“Let’s go get you a new kitty,” he said, whispering in her ear.

“YEA!” she exclaimed.

In the store, they played with the new puppies, whistled with the birds, tapped on the fish tanks, and picked out the cutest kitten. The new cat was a calico with a beautiful array of colors. Scarlet locked on to the cat once she first spotted it.

“I guess that’s the one,” Jim said, leaning over to Pam.

“I think it is,” Pam said as she turned to Jim. “Thank you for this.”

“It’s well deserved. She needs a new friend and besides, it will keep her off our backs about the slumber party.”

“I’m having a slumber party?” Scarlet asked, as she turned quickly.

“That didn’t last long,” Pam said to Jim.

“Nope. So, I got the cat, you get the party.”

“No way. You said you would help.”

“That was before…this is now.”

“I see how you are. You buy her off so I get stuck with the party planning.”

“Exactly,” he said with a grin.

“I think I can handle the planning. You just get stuck with the girls running around all night long.”

“It’s not going to be as bad as being up with you all night long,” he said, teasing.

Pam gave him a look and then ushered Scarlet to the counter with the kitten. “I think we’re ready to go, Jim.”

After Jim paid for the calico, they walked back to the car and buckled Scarlet up. As Jim folded himself up behind the steering wheel he asked Scarlet, “What are you going to name her?”

“Um…”

“She’s a calico. You should name her Callie,” Pam suggested.

“No,” Scarlet said, shaking her head in disgust. “I will call her….um, Allie.”

Jim and Pam laughed at her how much she changed Pam’s suggestion. One little letter made all the difference for Scarlet.

“That’s a great name. Allie Halpert,” Pam said.

“Oh, so now the cat’s going to take my last name.”

“Yeah. The rest of us are, so why not the cat too?”

“You’re right. Why not?” Jim said, shrugging his shoulders.

Jim smiled to himself as they drove home. He already felt like he had the family he had always wanted. He had all he needed now. Pam, Scarlet, and even, Allie.

One month later-

Neil’s family always made a special trip to visit his grave on his birthday. They usually met at the cemetery and then had a nice lunch somewhere. Today, Pam had made plans to ask his family about Scarlet’s adoption. She was nervous but hoped that they understood. She had already told them about her engagement and they were happy for her.

Pam, Jim and Scarlet arrived at the cemetery and found that Neil’s family had already arrived. They were standing over his headstone. Pam got out of the car and Jim unbuckled Scarlet and carried her until she wiggled down from his grasp.

“Hi Susan. Hi Richard.” Pam said to Neil’s parents.

They greeted her and Jim as well. They got a hold of Scarlet and squeezed her tight. Once Scarlet was free from their arms, she did her ritual of telling Neil she missed him.

“Hi, Dad. I miss you.”

Susan and Richard smiled down at her and then looked over to Pam. She was holding Jim’s hand and immediately felt conscious about being affectionate over her dead husband’s grave. She didn’t know why, she just felt awkward. Despite her feelings, she held tight to Jim’s grasp.

After they all visited about Neil and his past birthday’s, Pam knew she needed to get to the restaurant quickly so she could tell them about the adoption. She wanted to blurt it out right away but knew it would be best to wait until they were sitting.

---

“So, when is the wedding?” Susan asked.

“Jim and I would like it to be in May,” Pam answered.

“That’s lovely.”

“We’re really excited,” Jim said, pulling his tie close to his chest.

“We are excited for you two as well,” Susan said.

“Um, speaking of our wedding…” Pam said.

“Yeah?” Susan asked.

“I know that with our marriage, we would really like to start fresh and whole. We don’t want any gaps in our relationship. That includes issues with Scarlet.”

Susan and Richard nodded.

“Well, Jim…”

“I can tell them, Pam,” Jim said, interrupting her. “When I asked Pam to marry me, I offered her a set of adoption papers as well. I’d like to take legal guardianship over Scarlet.”

Richard’s face fell and he turned to face Susan who was still staring at Jim. Susan spoke first.

“You mean, you want Scarlet to take your name?”

“Not just my name. I want to be her guardian. I don’t just want to be the step-dad. I want to be her father and care for her just like she was my own.”

“Susan. Richard. This is something that we’d really like to do. It has nothing to do with Neil or you.”

Susan let a tear fall from her eye. “I’m so happy for the both of you but so sad for Neil. He died and left a child behind and now she is being given to someone else.”

“No, not at all. We will always remember that Neil was her father but, doesn’t Scarlet deserve to still have a father? Doesn’t she deserve someone to love her in a paternal way?” Pam asked.

Richard looked over at Susan and put his hand on hers. “Susan, Pam is sincere about letting Jim become her guardian. He is more than capable and I fully believe it’s a good thing. Let’s allow them to do this.”

“You’re still her grandparents and we’ll still see each other. That will never go away. We just really want what’s best for Scarlet.”

“But, Jim can be her mentor and father figure without the papers being signed. I don’t understand why Neil’s last name needs to be taken away from Scarlet. That’s all she has left of Neil.”

Pam looked down and then over at Jim. She wanted this to go smoothly but it seemed like they were getting into more of a mess than planned.

Jim cleared his throat. “If I take Pam as my wife, I want to take Scarlet as my child. That’s how I want this to work. I don’t care about last names; I only care about accepting this child into my life. When I marry Pam, Scarlet is mine. We would just like this to be in legal writing. I want to be her father.”

Susan wiped a few more tears from her eyes. “I understand.” Richard rubbed her back. “I guess it would be fine with us for you to adopt Scarlet.”

Jim and Pam smiled at each other. “Thank you.”

----

Over the course of the next two months, Jim and Pam were busy planning and preparing for their new life together. They looked at new homes, planned their wedding and reception, and even had time to give Scarlet her sleep-over.

Pam decided to take most of the wedding preparations so Jim could focus on locating a new home. Most nights were spent on the phone, online, or going out at the last minute to shop. Neither Jim nor Pam had any real time to slow down and relax.

“How are you doing with the realtor?” Pam asked, cleaning up the dinner plates.

“Good. She thinks she has found two houses nearby that are relatively in our price range.”

“Great. When can we see them?”

“This week if you want. I know that you are swamped as it is.”

“Yeah, just let me know when. I don’t have to do much more for the wedding. All I need is to get one more fitting on the dress, find the right shoes, pick up our rings that have been resized, and confirm with the bakery.”

“Wow. You’re amazing,” Jim said, pulling her into a hug.

“Why thank you,” Pam said, smiling.

“You know, we hadn’t really talked about a honeymoon yet.”

“I know. I was going to see….”

“But, I have it all covered,” Jim said, grinning.

“You do?”

“Yup. So, you will find out where we’ll be going closer to packing time.”

“Oh no. Tell me you didn’t make a list of things that I need to pack?”

“Oh that will be coming soon.”

“You’ve turned into Michael.”

“Eh. How bad could that be?”

“Bad. Really, really bad.”

“I promise I will refrain from putting the list in a memo titled, “Annual Camaraderie Event.”

“That’s better.”

“So, in a few weeks, we are going to be married.”

“Can you believe it? It’s exciting.”

“It is. I’m just ready to finally get to move in with you. We’ll have a new home, a new marriage, a new life…everything basically new.”

“That’s exciting too.”

“Well, I got to get going. I have another hard day at work tomorrow.”

Pam rolled her eyes. “Oh yeah, monitoring an office of salesmen is tough work.”

“You wouldn’t know how tough it is.”

“I bet you sleep in your office all day long.”

“I do. And, in between naps, I read the paper, color, and play games on the internet.”

“See. That’s not tough.”

“Oh, but it is. I can’t seem to beat Bejeweled.”

Pam laughed. “You poor thing,” she said as she pulled on his lapels.

Jim leaned in for a kiss. “Night Babe.”

“Night. See you tomorrow.”

----

The realtor had set up an appointment for Jim and Pam to view a two story home on the east side of Scranton. Jim made plans to pick up Scarlet from school, meet Pam and the realtor, and walk through the house. Jim left the office early to get Scarlet from school and decided to head to the house and wait for their appointment.

Pam was at the jewelry store picking up their newly sized rings and was running behind. Jim had no problem picking Scarlet up from school. They waited in his car until Scarlet started getting antsy. Jim decided to take Scarlet out to the park behind the housing edition. Instead of driving, they walked down the street to the park. He held her hand and they talked about her day at school.

“Matthew told me that I was ugly,” Scarlet said, rubbing her nose.

Jim felt angry at the little boy in her class. “You’re not ugly. You’re so beautiful, Scarlet.”

“That’s not what Matthew said.”

“Well, sometimes little boys like to pick on girls just because they like them. Maybe Matthew likes you.”

“No. I think he doesn’t like me. He told me that he didn’t like my hair and that I was ugly.”

Jim glanced down at Scarlet’s reddish brown hair. It was in pigtails again and it was adorable. He loved her hair and couldn’t believe some five year old was torturing her at school.

“Eh. Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”

“What?” Scarlet asked with a puzzled look.

Jim laughed. “Never mind. It’s just something that my mom taught me when I was little.”

As soon as they got to the park, Scarlet ran off toward the slide. She ran up and down the ladder as many times as her little body could carry her. Soon, Jim could see that she was exhausted. The sky was getting fairly dark with clouds and Jim thought that it would be best to head back before it rained.

“Hey Scarlet. Let’s get going before it rains,” he hollered out.

“One more time Jim!” she said, climbing the ladder to the slide again.

“Hurry up.”

Thunder clapped and Scarlet jumped. Jim noticed her horrified face and let out a squeal that echoed through the park. She came down the slide flailing her legs and jumped off it. She ran towards Jim and grabbed him around the legs.

“What’s wrong? It’s just thunder.”

“I’m scared, Jim. Let’s go,” she said, starting to cry.

“Don’t cry. It’s okay. All that will happen is that we get a little wet from the rain. We’ll be okay.”

“No! I don’t like storms. Let’s go Jim,” Scarlet said, holding her hands up.

Jim picked her up off the ground and started carrying her back to his car. He checked his watch and noticed that they had twenty minutes before Pam or the realtor would arrive. As soon as they exited the park, rain drops starting falling heavily. With every drip drop of rain, Scarlet would squeal and sob. Jim’s heart broke.

He covered her head with his suit jacket and quickened his pace. She clung to his chest and Jim could feel her little hands grasp at his shirt. She was hanging on for dear life. Thunder echoed in the background again and Scarlet made another terrifying scream as she shook. Jim pulled her in tighter and whispered into her ear.

“I love you Scarlet… We’re gonna make it.”

Scarlet kept her grasp on Jim as they trotted down the street. He could see his car and the house about a block away. He started at a jogging pace when the ran fell harder against his face and back. All the while, Jim kept repeating, “I love you Scarlet…We’re gonna make it.”

He held her tight to his beating heart as he whispered those words in her ears. He felt her shoulders stop shuddering and her cries subside at his comforting words. As the rain hit his face, he felt a smile surl up on his lips.

Jim opened his car door and climbed in with Scarlet still clinging to his chest. She kept her head under his coat. Even though they were out of the rain, she was still frightened by the noise the rain made on the car. A streak of lightening hit nearby and she jumped, nearly knocking Jim in the chin.

“Are you okay, Scarlet?”

She nodded in his chest.

“Everything’s alright. You’re okay. We’re safe,” Jim said, rubbing her soaked back.

“Are you sure?”

“Would I lie to you?”

“Nope.”

“Well, then…what does that tell you?”

“That I’m going to be okay?” she asked, pulling her head from his coat. She rubbed the wet hair from her face. Jim pushed it behind her ears.

“Exactly,” Jim said, smiling at her.

Pam pulled in the driveway soon after their escape from the storm. She looked over into Jim’s car and saw that they were soaked. She held her hands up as if to ask what had happened. Pam braved the elements and ran over to Jim’s passenger side and jumped in.

“What happened to you two?”

“We went to the park,” Scarlet answered.

“Oh.”

“We walked down there while we waited and then it started storming. Why didn’t you tell me that she was scared of storms?”

Pam laughed. “Oops. Hey Jim. Scarlet’s scared of storms.”

“Thanks for the heads up,” he said, still rubbing Scarlet’s wet shirt.

“Are you okay?” Pam asked, leaning in to where Scarlet rested her head on Jim’s chest.

“Yeah. Jim picked me up and ran back to the car. He told me the whole way that we were gonna make it and we did!”

“Looks like you did, huh?” Scarlet nodded as Jim smiled. Pam leaned over to place a kiss on Jim’s lips before sitting back up in the seat.

“I love you,” she said, smiling.

“Love you too.”

Pam looked out the window. “So, when’s this realtor supposed to be here?”

“Any minute now.”

---

As they looked through the house, Jim knew this was the place that he wanted to start a family in. When he saw the fire place and the den, he knew it was where they could make memories. Pam’s face portrayed those same feelings.

Jim and Scarlet walked hand and hand through the house. Jim realized that the storm had brought them closer together. It was the most intimate he had ever felt with his future daughter. It was as if he was really her dad, telling her that he loved her and cared for her. For some reason, he knew that Scarlet had realized that too. She was holding his hand tight and swinging it playfully; something she had never done before.

Standing in the large living room, holding on to Scarlet’s hand, and looking into Pam’s eyes, Jim told the realtor that he wanted to purchase the home. Pam’s eyes lit up and the realtor whipped out her file folder of papers. He signed on the dotted line without any hesitation.

The week of the wedding was hectic. Jim was making the final plans for their honeymoon, Pam was confirming times and dates with the caterers and the church, and Scarlet was finishing her last week of school.

After work, Jim would head over to Pam’s house, wedding headquarters, and eat a quick dinner and get back on the phone to confirm with guests if they were attending. Their relaxing time was sparse and their free time was becoming less and less free. A hug and kiss was sometimes all the interaction they might have in a night.

Pam was on the phone with the tailor when Jim had decided to leave for the night. He had one more day of work before his leave from the office began. As he started to slip out the door, Pam caught his arm and pulled him back into the house. He shut the door behind him and leaned back against it. She held up her finger for him to wait a minute until she finished her phone conversation.

“That sounds like a great idea Carrie. Okay, see you then. Bye,” Pam said, then hitting the button on the phone. As she set the phone down on the table she pulled Jim into a hug.

“I’ve missed you so much,” she said as she ran her hands up and down his back.

Jim smiled and then gave her a puzzled look. “We’ve seen each other every night this week.”

“I know but it’s been spent on the telephone and on the computer. I haven’t had my hearty does of Jim in a long time,” she said, resting her chin on his chest.

He smiled again. “I’ve missed you too.”

“So, are you ready for the big event?”

“Oh yeah. I’m just ready to have a break from all this planning and looking forward to spending time with you in…”

“Where?” she said as her eyebrows shot up.

“Oops. I can’t let the cat out of the bag yet.”

“Come on, it’s my honeymoon too.”

“Oh yeah, it is,” he teased, cocking his head to the side.

“So…”

“What?”

“Are you ever going to tell me?”

“Maybe I want to keep it a secret.”

“I think I’ve had enough surprises over the past few months. Just tell me.”

“Nope. You must wait.”

“Fine,” she said, pulling away from his embrace.

Jim pulled her back in and held her tight. She smiled up at him and he leaned low for a kiss. He placed his hands on her face and kissed her deeply. Pam’s hands found their way to the back of his neck and played with the little hairs there. Jim could feel himself being pulled away from the front door by his loose tie. Pam was leading him over to the couch where she flopped down and pulled him down with her. She kept her hand securely wrapped around his tie and found his lips again. Shocked, Jim found himself trying to catch his breath.

“Whoa Pam. Slow down. What’s the rush?” he said, slightly pulling away.

“I don’t know. You’re just…”

“Irresistible?” he asked with a sly smile.

“Well…” Pam teased.

“I see how you are,” he said as he pretended to get off the couch. As she tugged back on his arm and sat down next to her, she snuggled up tight to his side.

“I don’t want you to leave,” she said.

“I don’t want to either but I have work in the morning and I don’t have any clothes here.”

“I know. I just don’t want you to go.”

“I can stay a little bit longer, but I need to go at some point.”

“Understandable,” she said grabbing his face in her hands.

“What?” he asked, looking into her eyes for the answer.

“I’m so happy that I’m going to be Mrs. Halpert in a few days.”

“I’m glad that you are too.”

She kissed his lips gently and rested her head on his chest. Scarlet came down the stairs in her pajamas and crawled up in Jim’s lap. She too, found a spot to rest her head. All Jim could do was smile.

---

The day of the wedding, Jim stood in the Sunday School room getting his boutonniere pinned to his lapel by his mother. She was red eyed and sniffling the whole time she fiddled with the pin.

“Mom, why are you upset?” he finally asked her.

“I’m not upset, just happy and emotional. It’s a big day.”

“I know, but why the tears? If anyone else cries, I’m liable to do it too.”

“You’re allowed to you know.”

“I will try my best not to but I’m sure I will before the day is done.”

Larissa finished pinning the rose and looked up at Jim. “I’m so proud of you.”

“Aw, thanks Ma.”

“So, when do you leave for your honeymoon?”

“We are leaving early from the reception to make the flight.”

“Okay. Do I need to do anything to help with that?”

“Yeah. Pam has her luggage somewhere and I need to put it in my trunk. Can you go tell Pam to set it outside her door for me to take out?”

“Can do,” Larissa said, turning towards the door.

“Thanks.”

“Congrats son.” Larissa said, pulling the door shut.

Jim breathed in deep and nervously walked around the small classroom. He knew Pam was only three doors down from him and it took everything he hand to not run into that room and kiss her. As he stood in the middle of the room, Scarlet came bounding in.

“Hi Jim!” she said, running into his arms.

“Hi Scarlet. How are you doing? Are you getting excited?”

“I’m excited. Mommy was crying.”

“What? Why was Mommy crying?”

“She said she was nervous and happy at the same time.”

“Oh. Well, I feel the same way.”

Scarlet held her fist up to show Jim the tightly folded piece of paper. “When I was coloring Mom told me that I should give this to you. She wrote on it.”

Jim took the paper from her hand and started unfolding it. He saw Scarlet’s bright red scribbled letters and then his eyes lingered at the bottom of the page where Pam had jotted something down.

Reading the letter, Jim’s eyes welled up with tears. Scarlet stared at Jim and then down at the paper.

“You like it?”

“Yes, Scarlet. It’s amazing.”

“Read it!”

Jim pulled the paper tight and wiped the tear that trickled down his cheek. “It says: Jim, I love you and thank you for being in my life. Love, Scarlet. Then your Mom wrote: Today’s the day! I cannot wait to walk out of this church being Mrs. James Halpert. It’s all my wildest dreams come true! Scarlet wanted to write you a letter and I decided to write something too. But, I will see you soon, I love you and want to spend eternity with you. Love you, Pam. P.S.-When do I get to know about our big trip?”

“What’s your big trip?”

“Um….I can’t tell.”

“Is it like a secret ingredient?”

“Kind of. But, you know what? I think I’ll let you tell your Mom where we’re going. Tell me something Scarlet. Can you draw the Eiffel Tower?”

----

Pam was standing by the window that looks out to the parking lot. She caught her breath when she saw Jim take her luggage to his car. She stared at him the whole time watching his movements. He had a nice slimming black suit on with his hair slightly parted and slicked back. She broke her gaze when Scarlet scurried into the room with a paper rolled into a scroll in her hand.

“What’s this baby?”

“Jim wants you to have this,” she said, unrolling the paper.

“Oh, let me see.”

Pam looked down at Scarlet’s sketch of a triangle with a bunch of lines horizontally across the page. Below Jim had left a little note.

“Scarlet convinced me to reveal the big secret. If you can guess what this is, then you’ll know where we are going. I’m counting down the minutes until I can put that ring on your finger. Love you more than you know, Jim.”

Pam avoided rubbing her eyes due to her makeup. Curious, Pam asked Scarlet what the drawing was of. “What’s this Scarlet? What did Jim have you draw?”

Focused on her new coloring paper, Scarlet said over her shoulder, “The Iffel Tower.”

“The Eiffel Tower?”

“Yup.”

“He’s taking me to Paris? I cannot believe it,” she said, fanning herself. She had her gown on and her hair already in place and it was making her warm. She felt the sweat trickle down her back.

Pam’s mother came over and gave Pam her garter. Pam slipped it on as she continued freaking out. “He’s taking me to Paris, Mom!”

“Yeah, I know.”

“You knew?”

“He had to tell me. I made him tell me since I’m watching Scarlet all week,” she said with a smile.

“You were holding out on me!”

“He told me not to tell. I couldn’t break a promise,” Pam’s mom said, sticking her head out of the door. She turned back towards Pam. “Jim is about to go to the front of the church. Scarlet, you need to get ready.”

Pam’s face went red and she pulled Scarlet up into a hug. “I’m so happy you’re my daughter.”

Scarlet smiled and hugged Pam tight. “Now, make sure you walk with me. Don’t rush.”

“Okay,” Scarlet nodded.

A knock at the door made Pam and her mother jump. Pam’s mom slightly opened the door and peeked her nose out.

“Yes?”

“Hi. I just wanted to talk to Pam.”

“You can’t right now.”

“I need to. Please?”

“Pam, do you want to speak to your future husband?”

Pam trotted over to the door holding her dress. She cracked the door about an inch and stood away from his view.

Jim wiggled a finger through the crack and Pam immediately laced her pinky with his. “I just wanted to tell you not to run off like in “Runaway Bride.”

Pam giggled. “I won’t. I promise.”

“’Cause if you do, I’m taking Scarlet and leaving the country.”

“Oh. I can’t have that. So, I guess this means I have to marry you now.”

“Yup. No backing out.”

“I wouldn’t since you are taking me to The ’Iffel’ tower.”

“Scarlet told you? She was supposed to let you guess. I’m going to have to get that little girl.”

Pam giggled. “So, are you totally nervous?”

“Kind of. Let’s just get out there and get this over with. You ready?”

“Yes,” Pam said, dropping her pinky from the crack in the door.

“I love you, Pam,” Jim said pulling his finger away.

“I love you too.”

“See you in a few.”

“You too.”

Pam shut the door behind her and took a deep breath. Scarlet stood behind her and held out her hand. “Nana says it’s time to go. Let’s go do this…”

Jim stood at the front of the church with the reverend. They chatted briefly before the wedding began. When the music started, Jim felt himself tense up and felt beads of sweat form on his brow. He wiped them away quickly before Pam entered the room.

After the bridesmaids and the groomsmen were standing in their positions, the music changed from a soft lull to a beautiful rendition of the Wedding March. Jim straightened his stance and focused at the entrance to the sanctuary. He caught his breath when he saw Pam walk around the corner towards the door.

She stepped forward and stopped to grab Scarlet’s hand. Pam’s father linked arms with Pam before they stepped into the auditorium. Pam looked down at Scarlet, who was grasping her sweaty hand, and smiled.

With each of Pam’s life changing steps, Jim’s reality began to close in. After all those years of pining, waiting, guessing, hiding, and wondering, this was the end of it. No more waiting to find out how Pam feels or guessing about the future. This was it. He was getting married to the woman of his dreams and adopting the daughter he had always wanted.

Pam stepped up to the altar, dropped her father’s arm and Scarlet’s hand, and positioned herself across from Jim. Jim took her hands in his and could feel the dampness of her own hands. He smiled to ease the tension between them.

As the reverend read the vows, Jim lightly held on to Pam’s hand. Half way through the ceremony, he felt Pam squeeze his hand tighter and tighter. He gave her a smile and a questioning look. She just smiled.

“Are there any objections?” the reverend asked the congregation.

Under his breath Jim jokingly said, “There better not be.” Pam laughed at his attempt to break the silence.

“Then, I pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride,” the reverend said with a cheerful smile.

Pam sighed as Jim pulled her in close. With his hands on her cheeks, touching her damp skin where her tears had fallen, he placed a passionate kiss on her lips. She wrapped her arms around him and made sure to keep their embrace until they had to break apart. As they stood joined together, Jim could feel Pam’s heart beating rapidly against his chest. He wondered if it was just his, but once the clapping died down and they pulled apart, he knew her heart was racing too.

They turned toward the audience and Jim knelt down to pick Scarlet up. She jumped into his arms and he grasped Pam’s hand with his free hand and they made their way down the aisle. Outside the sanctuary Jim placed a kiss on Scarlet’s cheek before putting her down. He pulled Pam in close and placed another kiss on her lips. She pulled away, slightly stunned.

“What was that for?”

“I didn’t get enough when we were up there,” Jim said, smiling and nodding towards the platform.

“Oh. Me either,” Pam said, pulling on his tie for him to lean down. She pulled him in close and rested her hands in his hair behind his ears. They stood like that until Scarlet’s voice penetrated their ears.

“Stop! I want to go eat some cake now. Hurry!”

Jim and Pam laughed. “Oh yeah. Let’s go eat some cake now,” Jim said, grabbing her hand and leading her towards the reception hall doors.

-----

During the reception, Jim and Pam sat at the head table awaiting further instructions from the photographer and Pam’s mother. Sitting in the dining hall, Jim held on to Pam’s hand that was gently resting on his knee. Once the band began to play, Jim quickly pulled Pam onto the dance floor and wooed her. Not knowing more than a few steps he learned at his high school prom, he made due with what he had. Pam smiled and went along with his steps and playfully spun him a time or two. In between songs, the lead singer of the band came out to the dance floor with his microphone in hand.

“So, the newly weds need to give a toast before this night is over,” the man said, sticking the microphone in Jim’s palm.

“Oh, I don’t know…” Jim said, pushing the mike away.

“Come on. Tell everyone here how much you love her.”

Jim looked over to Pam and smiled. He sighed and then took the mike. The crowd clapped and cheered at his response.

“Um…I didn’t really plan anything,” Jim said, looking down at his shiny shoes. “ But, I think we all know how much I love this woman. She’s the best person I know,” he said, getting slightly emotional.

Pam looked over to him as she played with lace around her waist.

“I’ve wondered for years who could be the one for me and when I found her…again…I knew. She loves me like no one else I know,” he said and then turned to face Pam. “You’re my best friend.”

Pam wiped her eyes and stepped over to Jim, hugging him and placing a kiss on his cheek. He placed the microphone in Pam’s hand. She turned to face the majority of the crowd.

“I didn’t prepare anything either, so I’m going to do my best without crying. Oh, too late,” she said, wiping her cheek and laughing with the crowd. “Um…Jim and I go way back. Back then, we both knew that we loved each other but something just didn’t work out. And then, one day my daughter ran off in the grocery store and when I found her, I found him too,” Pam said, grabbing on to the piece of lace around her waist. Her face crumbled as tears begin to pour out of her eyes. “Scarlet took a liking to him so I thought I would keep him,” Pam said, laughing and crying at the same time. “But…seriously, Jim is the only person that knows the real me. He can read my thoughts from afar and he knows when I walk into a room. Something about that lets me know that we were meant to be together,” Pam said as she looked over at Jim.

“Ladies, you had your chance, but I got him,” Pam said, smiling and stepping closer to Jim. She handed the microphone to the singer and grabbed Jim’s face in her hands. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Jim said, smiling.

“I just needed you to know.”

“Once.”

“No. More than once,” Pam said and then pulled his lips to hers. The crowd clapped loudly and the music started back up.

With Jim’s arms encircling Pam, he swayed back and forth with his face nuzzled in her neck. As he gently kissed her neck, he whispered into her skin. “I love you. I love you. I love you.”

Pam rested her hands at the base of his neck and closed her eyes tight. Scarlet came running onto the dance floor and wiggled her way in between the two of them. Jim pulled away from Pam and looked down at Scarlet. He then dropped Pam’s hands and took Scarlet’s and knelt down to her level. “May I have this dance?”

Scarlet smiled. “Yes.”

“Sorry Pam. It looks like the other woman in my life gets my full attention,” he siad, looking up at Pam with a smile.

Pam smiled back. “Fine. I guess I’m stuck with my father,” she said, walking off and grabbing her dads hand and pulling him to the dance floor. Jim swayed with Scarlet and when she got restless of that, he taught her how to put her feet on his feet. Jim stepped around the dance floor with Scarlet giggling. She had Jim cracking up as well.

After a few dances, Jim grabbed Pam and reminded her it was time for them to go. She gave a look of disappointment then her expression turned into a smile. Apparently she was ready to get away from everyone else too.

-----

“I’m so glad that I changed out of that dress,” Pam said exasperated.

“You are? You looked great.”

“Looking great has it’s downfalls. You’re feet hurt, you’re uncomfortable and all constricted. Breaking free is a good thing at the end of a day like this,” Pam said, turning to face Jim, who was driving.

“Well, you look wonderful,” Jim said, smiling.

Pam kept her eyes locked on the side of his face. She stared at him until he turned his head to see her gazing affectionately at him.

“What?” he asked.

“Nothing.”

“It’s not nothing. What?”

“Can I just adore my husband while he’s driving?”

“Yeah, but you’re creeping me out,” he said with a laugh.

“I don’t care. I’m going to look at you all I want.”

“Okay. Well, I get my turn later then.”

“You have all week to look at me.”

“No. I was talking about staring at myself…in the mirror,” Jim said, glancing in the rear view mirror.

Pam dropped her mouth and playfully slapped Jim in the arm.

“Here we go again. More abuse. I think I might have to turn you in to the authorities Mrs. Halpert.”

Pam laughed. “Wow. I’m Mrs. Halpert.”

“Yes, yes you are.”

“That’s…just…crazy.”

“No it’s not.”

“It is when I never expected to see you again.”

“Eh. I knew things would turn out.”

“You did?”

“I guess I always had it in the back of my mind.”

“Really? Even when you were engaged to someone else?”

“Uh, Pam. Do you notice that I’m not engaged anymore? I’m married….to you.”

“So, is that why you ended it with Karen? Because you had me in mind?”

“I guess so. It was risky because I didn’t know where you were or if you were married. We just kind of found each other, huh?”

“We did. If it wasn’t for Scarlet, we wouldn’t be here.”

“I know. She’s our little angel.”

Pam smiled and then focused on where Jim was leading them. “Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.”

“I mean, the airport isn’t in this direction. What do you have up your sleeve?”

“It isn’t much but, I wanted to take you to our place before getting on the plane. They called me the other day and told me that the repairs were done. The carpet had been changed and the painting is done. So, I wanted us to stop by and see it before we left.”

“Are you serious?” Pam asked excited.

“Nope. I’m completely lying right now.”

“Stop it,” she said.

After a few miles, they pulled up into the driveway. Jim unlocked the door and swung the door open. He stopped Pam from bolting through the door with his arm. She looked up in confusion.

“What?”

Jim held out his arms. “It’s tradition.”

“You want to carry me over the threshold?”

“Yes. Now jump up here before I sling you over my shoulder.”

“I think I might prefer the shoulder better,” Pam said, teasing.

“Come on,” Jim said, cocking his head to the side.

Jim lowered his arms and Pam pushed off the ground with her feet and landed in Jim’s arms. She tightened her hold around his neck and placed a kiss on his cheek. Jim turned his head and brushed his lips against Pam’s. He squeezed tight to her as he held her in his arms outside their front door. In the midst of their kissing, Pam mumbled into his mouth, “Let’s go inside.”

“Okay,” Jim said, walking through the door with his mouth still pressed to hers.

“Hurry,” Pam said, kissing her way down his neck. Jim flicked the light switch and carried Pam into the living room and set her feet on the newly carpeted floor. Pam still had her arms wrapped around his neck and teased him with kisses.

“Aren’t we here to see the house?” Jim asked, pulling her closer to his chest.

“Not anymore.”

“Pam, we are going to miss our flight. Let’s take a peek and then go.”

“I don’t care about the house right now,” she said, rubbing her hands over his chest and placing kiss on his exposed collarbone.

“Hey. Despite how much I want to do that too, I think we should check out the house and then get to the airport. Save something for when we actually get to Paris.”

Pam pulled away and then went in for another kiss. “Fine,” she said on his lips. Pam turned and looked at the newly painted and carpeted house.

“It looks so good.”

“I know. It’s the exact color that you wanted it to be,” Jim said, running his hand over the wall.

“Man, this looks great. I cannot wait to move in.”

“Oh, and guess what else came in the other day?”

“What?”

“Go into the kitchen and look on the counter,” Jim said, flicking on the light to the kitchen as he leaned against the wall.

Pam obeyed and walked into the kitchen to where some papers set on the counter. She picked up the stack and glanced over the document. After a few moments, she looked up at Jim, who was still leaning against the wall.

“It’s finalized?”

“Apparently,” he said, holding out his hands. “All that’s left is our signatures.”

“Oh my gosh,” Pam said, holding her hand to mouth. Jim walked over and wrapped his arms around Pam as she stood facing the counter. “You’re Scarlet’s dad.”

“Well, not until we sign it,” he said, sliding a pen across the counter.

Pam picked up the pen and slowly took off the cap. “Here we go,” she said, signing on the dotted line. In mid-signing Jim reminded her. “Remember that you’re a Halpert now.”

“Of course,” she said, handing Jim the pen. He took it, sighed and then signed on the line next to Pam’s signature.

“It’s official,” he said, putting the cap back on the pen and embracing Pam again. She placed a kiss on his lips and let her hands linger in his hair. He pulled back and pulled her towards the front door. “We definitely need to go now. Our plane leaves in two hours and we still havent checked in yet.”

“Then in how many hours will we be in Paris?”

“I think twelve.”

“Wow. I don’t know if I can last that long, Mr. Halpert.”

“Oh, don’t worry; you can sleep on the plane.”

“I’m not talking about sleep…” she said, winking.

Jim made a face at her and then darted his eyes around the room. “It will be worth it when we get there Pam. Let’s go,” he said, pulling her to the door and shutting the light off.”

“You know, there’s always the mile high club.”

“I’m already a member,” he said, teasing her as he shut the door.

“Oh really?”

“Yup. I have my membership card and everything.”

Pam’s eyebrows shot up. “Well, we might just have to re-register this time.”

Jim placed a kiss on her nose as he locked the front door. “Who are you?” he asked, shaking his head as he stepped off the porch.

Sitting in the too tiny airline seat, Jim grabbed his backpack from under his seat. “I brought some snacks for the ride,” Jim said, unzipping his backpack.

“Really? Whatcha got?” Pam asked, peeking into the pocket of his bag.

“Um, let me see. I brought some trail mix, Rice Crispy Treats, gummy worms, and Snickers.”

Pam’s eyes widened. “Wow. Are you trying to fatten me up?” she asked as she took a Snickers from the bag.

“Oh yeah. We have to store fat for our trip. I hear it’s going to be pretty chilly there.”

“Dang.”

“Sorry. I still think Paris will be beautiful. Maybe we can come back during the summer in a few years,” Jim said, biting down on the end of a Rice Crispy.

Reading in a magazine, Pam looked up quickly. “Did you know that you burn 150 calories during sex?”

Jim nearly spit out the rice crispy that was in his mouth. Choking a little, he grasped the side of the tray table in front of him. Pam giggled while she lightly patted him on the back. “Are you okay?”

“Uh….wow. Do you realize that we are on a loaded plane with a bunch of people we don’t know and you just told me that I could burn 150 calories by having sex?”

“It’s a neat fact. I just read it.”

“And what magazine is offering those kinds of tips?”

Pam flipped the cover of the magazine for Jim to see. “Cosmo. They have great articles.”

“Uh huh. Most of their stuff is smut,” Jim said flicking the cover.

“Whatever. You’re not a woman so you wouldn’t know.”

“You’re correct on that one,” Jim said as he adjusted in his chair.

Pam noticed his uncomfortable position and stated, “Maybe we should’ve gotten first class seats.”

“Oh yeah, and paid nearly two grand for it. I’m not made out of money, honey.”

“No. But, you are made out of six foot and three inches of flesh. That’s why we need first class seats.”

“I’ll remember that,” he said, readjusting.

Pam folded her magazine shut and turned to look at Jim. “So, what’s on our agenda while we are in Paris?”

“Um, well first off, we find the hotel room so we can shower, because you are stinking up the whole plane,” Jim said, smiling at Pam.

Pam dropped her jaw. “I’m not the only one, Jim!”

“You keep thinking that, Pam. Maybe someone else will believe you, but I’m not buying it.”

“You’re mean.”

“I’m mean but at least I’m not a horn-dog like you. Ever since we got out of the church all you’ve mentioned to me is that you’re in the mood,’” Jim said, stuffing the snacks back in his bag.

“Have not!”

“I think so, Pam. At the house you were all over me, told me that you wanted to join the mile high club, and then just now you filled me in on how to burn some calories.”

“Okay, fine.”

“We don’t have to have sex on our honeymoon, that’s fine with me.”

“You won’t last ten minutes once we step into that hotel room. Just you wait…”

“Well, I’m sorry. I love my husband and our…activities that we have together. It’s too bad he doesn’t feel the same way about me,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest.

Jim laughed. “Honestly, I cannot believe that you’re such a sex fiend,” he said, slightly shrugging.

“I’m not! Stop saying that.”

Jim reached over and put his arm around Pam. “I’m kidding. You know I like our….activities too,” he said with a chuckle.

Jim leaned over and placed a kiss on Pam’s lips just as an older woman in front of them turned around. “Newlyweds?”

Surprised that their conversation was being overheard, Jim jumped. Sitting upright in his seat, he smiled at Pam. Pam answered the curious eavesdropper. “Yes.”

“Congratulations.”

“Thanks,” Jim said.

“Where are you headed?”

“Um, after this flight, we hop on another plane to Paris,” Jim replied.

“Very nice. I’ve never been,” the older lady said as she turned to look at Pam. “You’ve got a good one,” she said with a wink.

“I know,” Pam said, and nuzzled her head on Jim’s arm.

As the lady turned to sit back in her seat she made one last comment. “If you do it right, you can burn 200 calories,” she said with a smile.

Jim and Pam looked at each other and struggled to keep from laughing.

----

Unlocking the dark mahogany door of their hotel room, Pam stopped in the threshold to take in the view. The room was immaculate and charming. She had her jaw open and was entranced by the sight. Jim nudged her right leg to jar her out of her fixation. She slowly stumbled into the room and threw her bag on the floor.

“Oh my….” Pam said, still taking in the room.

“Wow. I think this beats our first vacation at that resort,” Jim said, shutting the door.

“I’m in heaven,” Pam said as she flopped down on the bed.

“You’re telling me. Am I good or what?” he said, flopping down next to her.

“Um…you’re amazing.”

Jim laughed and then sat upright. He glanced around the room to find a clock. He glanced down at his watch and twisted the little knob to adjust the time.

“So, it’s like almost six in the morning here. Do you want to sleep or go to breakfast or what?”

Pam looked up. “Um, I thought the first order of business was a shower.”

“Right you are, Mrs. Stinky,” he said, lying back down with his arms under his head.

Pam rolled on her side and inched close to Jim’s side. “Well, you can just deal with me for now.”

“Oh. I see. Foregoing the shower for other activities?” he said, with a smile spread across his face.

“Ugh!”

“What? You’re the one getting all cuddly and it hasn’t even been five minutes since we entered the room! I told you, you couldn’t make it ten minutes!”

“Wanna bet?” Pam asked, sitting up.

“I think I’ve already made the bet and you lost.”

“I can go without forever. Pretty soon, you’re going to be the one begging me. You have to remember that I was for single about a year before you came along mister.”

“Oh, so you’re going to play that card now? Just face it, you like sex…a lot.”

Pam laughed at Jim and laid back down next to him. She snuggled her head between his chest and his arm. “Well, I like it with you, okay?”

“So the truth comes out.”

“It’s not my fault that my previous suitors weren’t that good.”

“So, you likey?” Jim asked in a funny voice and pointing at himself.

Pam giggled. “Okay, let’s stop talking about this subject before you get cocky.”

Jim laughed. “Fine. What do you want to do?”

“Well, I could use a shower but I would really like to see some sights before I fall asleep.”

“Okay. Let’s go see what the neighborhood looks like, get some breakfast and come back for a quick nap,” Jim said, noticing Pam staring off in the distance. “What?” he asked.

“I wonder what Scarlet’s doing.”

“She is probably sleeping. Wait, what time is it over there? I just changed my watch and I have no clue.”

“I don’t know. I suppose I should call mom and let her know we made it.”

“What if she’s sleeping?”

“Oh well. It will tell us if it’s night time over there or not,” Pam said, jumping off the bed to grab her phone.

She dialed and waited for an answer. After a few rings, Pam hung up the phone and walked slowly back the bed.

“I miss my girl,” Pam said, standing in front of Jim’s bent knees.

“I miss her too. But hey, pretty soon we’ll be back and we’ll have her all to ourselves.”

Pam smiled. “Why do you love her so much? I mean, the first time you met her, you were comforting her and caring for her right away. Why?”

“There was this very wise man that once said…something like, ‘Father’s be good to your daughters. Daughters will love like you do. Girls become lovers, who turn into mothers, so mothers be good to your daughters too,’” Jim said, smiling as Pam kicked his foot.

“I believe that was John Mayer that said that…or sang that.”

“Well, it was very powerful. Changed my life,” Jim said matter-of-factly.

Pam giggled again. “Next time you should just sing it.”

“Nah. I‘ll let John Mayer sing it. I‘m not good with his style...”

“But Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton suit you well,” she said, remembering back to his barbeque years ago.

“Oh gosh. Don’t remind me.”

“I don’t think I ever told you but, you were so nice to Michael after he crashed your party. That just tells me what a good guy you really are.”

“I try,” he said with a smirk.

“Now you’re getting cocky…so, let’s get out of this room before I rip your clothes off.”

“See! Bringing it back to the sex talk again…” he said, as Pam helped him off the bed.

“You know it!” she said, winking.

After a quick breakfast in the hotel dining room, Pam and Jim went out to see the neighborhood before they took a nap. The street was adorned in cozy pastry shops and gelato vendors. As soon as their quick tour was over, they headed back to the room.

“I’m pooped,” Pam said, slipping off her shoes. “I think the plane ride is what killed me. What time is it anyways?”

“Um, my watch says it’s eight.”

“Okay. Let’s get a nap in before we go see anymore sights.”

“I concur.”

“Good,” Pam said, pulling off her jacket and crawling under the covers.

Jim unzipped his jacket and untied his shoes at the foot of the bed. His phone rang and he fumbled to get it. He looked at the number and then hit a button to quiet the ring.

“Who was that?”

“No one.”

“Um…someone was calling you. Who was it?”

“Uh,” Jim said, sliding his phone back into his pocket. “It was…Karen.”

Pam’s eyes narrowed. “What?”

“It was Karen.”

“Why is she calling you on our honeymoon?” Pam said, crossing her arms over her chest.

Jim stood and pulled his shirt over his head. “I don’t know. I haven’t talked to her in months.”

“You still talk to her?”

“Not in months, Pam.”

“So, have you talked to her since we’ve been together?”

“Um, once. That’s all.”

“What was it? Did she call to get you back or something? Or was it more than that?”

Jim shook his head. “Listen to yourself. Do you understand that right now…you’re telling me that you don’t trust me. Thanks a lot Pam,” he said, slipping his shirt back on.

“That’s not it, Jim,” Pam said, sitting up in the bed.

“That’s exactly what you’re saying, Pam. I’m telling you the truth right now so listen. She stopped by when we first started dating and I told her that we were seeing each other. She left as soon as I told her.”

“She stopped by one night and you didn’t tell me?”

“Yeah. It’s not a big deal.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Pam asked, kicking her feet off the side of the bed as Jim moved towards the door.

“I didn’t because I knew this is how you’d react,” he said, with his hand on the doorknob.

“Are you just going to leave?”

“I…I need to get out of here before I make a fool out of myself,” he said, opening the door.

“Wait, Jim,” Pam said, walking over to where he stood.

“No. Just let me go cool off.”

“No, I want to talk about this,” she said, putting her hand on his arm.

“Don’t touch me.”

“No. I want you to stay here…with me.”

“I can’t right now. This is just how I handle frustration. I leave. Sorry…”

Holding on to his arm tighter. “I don’t want you to leave. Stay with me.”

“Please stop touching me,” Jim said, looking at her hand on his arm.

“Why?”

“Because I can’t be mad at you when we’re touching.”

Pam looked at him in the eyes. She could tell he was frustrated and knew that if she wanted to let him go blow off some steam, she should just let him go. Instead, she stepped closer and placed her lips firmly on his. She let her hands wander over her chest and back until she felt his hands on her back. Pam then whispered on his lips, “I trust you, Jim.”

She pulled back and grabbed his hand. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you Pam. I was just trying to avoid this and I didn’t think about it….” Jim said, as Pam pulled his lips toward hers.

“Don’t worry about it. I’m the one that’s sorry. I’m sorry, Jim. I overreacted,” Pam said, pulling his shirt over his head.

“I wouldn’t have just married you if I wasn’t a hundred and ten percent dedicated to you,” Jim said, accepting Pam’s kisses.

“I know. So….let’s forget about it,” she said, reaching for his jean buttons.

“I’m sorry. Really. I am“.

“Shh,“ Pam said, placing kisses on his Adam’s apple.

“Oh, and I think I win the bet,” he said, wrapping his arms around her.

“Oh well.”

“Do you realize this is our first bout of make up sex?”

“I don’t care what it is, let’s just get with it. We can burn some of those calories off, ” Pam said, pushing him towards the bed.

“Feisty…” Jim said, lifting his brows and then pulling Pam onto the bed with him.

“You know it,” she said, placing kisses along his jaw.

Jim pulled back. “Wait, you forgot something.”

Slightly irritated, Pam asked, “What?”

“You didn’t do your bed test. I can’t believe you forgot.”

“I can’t believe you reminded me. You know what this means now? You have to jump on it with me.”

“No way. Just hurry up. We have make-up sex to commence.”

Pam giggled and stood on the bed and jumped up and down a few times. She plopped down next to Jim and laughed at his expression.

“What’s that look for?”

“You’re a kid. You really are a little girl,” Jim teased.

“At heart. But, not in any of the other aspects. Now, come here,” she said, pulling Jim closer to her.

Pam grabbed his face with her hands and placed a kiss on his lips. She deepened the kiss. Jim mumbled into her lips, “Are you going to let me do something or have you become a dominatrix?”

Pam smiled against his lips. Her hands wandered along his chest as his lightly traced paths down her back.

“Okay, my turn,” Jim said, pushing her back into the bed.

“It’s about time,” Pam said, smiling as Jim’s lips came crashing down on hers.

--------

Lying in bed, with his arms wrapped around her, Jim watched Pam’s chest rise and fall. He thought about how lucky he was to hold her in his arms and doing so in Paris, of all places. Pam stirred, blinking the sleep out of her eyes and turning see Jim lovingly gazing at her.

“What?” she asked.

“Nothing.”

“Oh no. You do it too,” Pam said with a smile.

Jim’s eyes widened. “Oh crap. I do the same thing that you do. Forget I said it.”

“You can’t take it back.”

Pulling her closer to his side, “You caught me at the wrong time.”

“No sir. I asked you a question and you answered ‘nothing.’ That’s serious stuff since you hate when I give you that reply.”

“I know. Forgive me,” Jim whispered into Pam’s neck.

“I’ll let it slip this time. Next time, it will cost you.”

“Deal.”

Pam turned her head and brushed her lips against Jims. “You know how much I love you?”

“I think…,” Jim started, looking down at Pam in his arms, “…this means that you love me a lot,” he said with a laugh.

“Well, I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“I cannot wait to get back home and actually get to start living our new life…and all that great stuff that comes along with it,” Pam said, gazing up at the ceiling.

“What’s ‘all that great stuff that comes along with it‘?”

“Well, I don’t know. Getting to kiss you goodnight, sleeping in our bed together, tucking Scarlet in at night with you there, and….I don’t know. Just all that American dream stuff.”

Jim smiled. “I can’t wait for that either.”

Pam looked up at Jim. She pushed her hair out of her face and looked deep into his eyes. Jim smiled when he saw the sincerity in her eyes.

“What is it?” Jim asked.

“Um, we haven’t really talked about this…but, I just wanted to know what you thought…about..”

“What?”

Pam darted her eyes from Jim’s and sighed. “Um, never mind.”

“Oh, you better tell me now. You started, you have to finish.”

“It’s not the right time to talk about it.”

“What?”

“I’ll bring it up later.”

“Come on, Pam. You already have me in suspense. Don’t make me more anxious than you already have me.”

Pam shook her head. “Not now. Later.”

Jim grabbed Pam by the arm. “Tell me. You aren’t getting away with that.”

Pam smiled. “Okay, but you promise me you won’t freak when I tell you?”

“Depends on what it is.”

“That doesn’t help, Jim. I’m trying to be serious here.”

“Okay. I will try my best not to freak. Scouts honor,” Jim said, saluting.

Pam giggled. “You weren’t a Scout.”

“I pretended I was once. Let’s get back on subject.”

Pam took a deep breath. “Um, I was wondering what you thought about…you know…kids.”

Jim raised his brow and smiled. “Are you saying that you want more kids? With me?”

“No. With the milkman. Yes, with you.”

Jim laughed. “Wow. I guess I haven’t really put any thought into that yet.”

“I mean, if you don’t want anymore children, it’s perfectly okay…we already have Scarlet and I know that it’s going to take some time getting used to that.”

“Stop,” Jim said. Pam pulled her head back slightly at his statement. “I think when the time is right, another child would be….amazing.”

Pam smiled and asked, “Really?”

“Of course.”

“I know that it might be too soon to plan on it, I was just wondering if you ever saw more kids in our future, that’s all.”

“Like I said, when the time is right,” he said, nodding.

Pam leaned in and gave Jim a kiss. “Wow,” she said, pulling away from the kiss.

“’Wow’ what?”

“I’m going to be having your babies in the near future.”

Jim laughed at Pam’s statement. “You have no idea how weird that sounds.”

“I know but isn’t that insane? We could be having children…together.”

“Well, I hope we have children together. Unless you really plan on getting the milkman involved.”

Pam laughed and then leaned in for another kiss. “It’s just a crazy realization, you know? I’m married, have an amazing husband and an amazing daughter, a new home, I’m in Paris right now, and my husband just told me that it was okay to add to our family. Life is great right now.”

“I know.”

“Can I just bask in this moment?” Pam asked as she spread her arms across the bed.

“Please. By all means, take it all in,” Jim said sarcastically as he nearly got hit in the face by Pam’s hand.

Pam sighed and then burst into a laughter that made Jim make a questioning face. “Are you okay?” he asked.

“Perfect,” Pam said, pulling Jim into another kiss.

“What’s wrong Jim?” Pam asked as she pulled one of their bags off the rotating belt.

Jim picked up another suitcase. “Just tired. That’s all.”

“Okay. Well, you need to let me know when something is wrong. I’m still getting used to you,” she said with a sly smile on her face.

“Yup.”

“Okay, now that wasn’t just from being tired. What’s wrong?” Pam asked, pulling her sleeves up to her elbows.

“Pam, I just got off a fourteen hour flight. I’m not myself right now.”

“Fine,” she said, rolling her luggage away from the rotating belt.

“Are you ready to go home?” he asked.

“Oh God, yes.”

“Good, because when we get there, we have to unpack all our junk at the new place.”

“I forgot all about unpacking. Why did you remind me?”

“Sorry. But guess what?”

“What?”

“I conned your mother into keeping Scarlet for a few more days so we could get the house ready before she comes home.”

“Really?”

“Serious as a heart attack.”

Pam didn’t look happy at his news. She smiled and nodded. “Cool.”

“Wait. You don’t look happy about that.”

“Well…it’s just…I haven’t been away from Scarlet for this long before. I’ve missed her,” Pam said quietly.

“Oh, Pam. I’m sorry. I just assumed that you would like to get some of the house stuff done without having to keep tabs on Scarlet. That’s all. I can call your mother if you want.”

“No. It’s probably wise that we get it done before she returns. You’re right.”

Jim looked down at Pam whose face was flushed. “I should've talked to you about it first. I was hoping that it would be a surprise but as I can tell, you aren’t really enjoying this surprise.”

Pam slowed her walking pace to a stop. “Hey. Don’t worry. I can call her and talk to her more now that we’re home. No biggie.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah,” Pam said, continuing her walking pace.

“Okay.”

----

Sitting in their driveway, Jim shut the car off and didn’t move. Pam didn’t move from her position either. She had her head resting in her palm as she leaned against the car door. Their car ride home had been silent due to both of them being exhausted from the flights and the time change.

Jim reached across Pam and opened her door for her. She blinked and yawned, got out of the car and staggered towards the trunk. Jim popped the trunk and made his way to where she stood. As Pam lifted the lid and began pulling on a heavy suitcase, Jim grabbed her arm, pulled it away from the luggage and pushed the trunk shut.

Pam looked up through her sleepy eyes. “What was that for?”

“Let’s do this in the morning.”

“That sounds like a good plan,” Pam said, grabbing Jim’s hand and pulling him towards the front door.

Jim fumbled with the key and struggled with getting the key in the door. Pam watched on and giggled slightly.

“Are you drunk?” she asked.

“No. Just insanely tired. Can you help me out here,” he said, holding the keys out towards Pam.

She took the keys and found the right one and stuck it in the doorknob. She popped the door open and when it swung open into their new house, they found stacks of boxes covering the living room.

“Great,” Jim said sarcastically.

“Hey, it was your idea to have our stuff moved when we were out of town,” she said, shutting the door behind her.

“My mistake,” Jim said, sauntering into the kitchen and flicking on the light. Pam watched on as he slowly made his way around the island and stopped and rested against the counter. She laughed at his attempt to keep his eyes open.

“What?”

“Let’s go to bed. It’s like one in the morning and we’re not used to the time change. So, pull off your clothes and let’s hop into bed.”

Jim smiled and raised his brow. “I’m too tired for any funny business tonight, Pam.”

“That’s not what I’m implying,” she said, grabbing Jim by the shirt, hitting the light switch and leading him up the stairs. When they stepped into the master bedroom their mattress was leaning against the wall with boxes covering the floor.

“Looks like we have to move a few things before we can lie down,” Pam said letting go of Jim’s wrinkled shirt and kicking boxes out of the way. Pam turned to see Jim leaning against the doorjamb with his eyes shut.

“HEY!” Pam shouted, getting his attention. Jim jumped and nearly fell forward. “If we move this together we can get into bed quicker. Come on.”

“Correct,” he said, kicking and moving boxes.

“I’m going to go find some sheets. Can you put the mattresses on the floor by yourself?” she asked.

“Can do.”

“Okay, be right back.”

Pam located her sheets in a box in the living room. She pulled the crisp white sheets out of the box and darted up the stairs. She heard the thump of the mattresses hitting the floor and hoped that he wasn’t trapped beneath them. When she entered the room, Jim was lying on the mattress with his hand resting over his eyes.

Pam couldn’t help but smile. He still had his sneakers on and hadn’t bothered with taking any article of clothing off. Pam turned out the light and walked over to Jim’s side. She opened up the folded sheet and covered him. As she walked around the mattress, she pulled off his shoes and noticed his breathing was already slow and steady. Pam pulled off her shoes and jeans and crawled on the mattress next to him. She opened the other sheet and covered herself. After she settled into the cold mattress, she snuggled up close to Jim’s side. When she got close enough, his arm come down and wrapped gently around her.

“Goodnight Jim,” she whispered.

Jim turned slightly and brought his mouth close to her ear. “Night, Pam.”

Pam smiled and got comfortable. Before she drifted into sleep, Jim whispered in her ear. “I love you.”

“Love you too,” she replied, closing her eyelids tight.

-----

Jim sat bolt upright from his dead sleep. Pam was sleeping next to him still. Something had awaken him from his sleep and he didn’t know what it was. All he knew now was that he was wide awake. He glanced down at Pam. She hadn’t budged at whatever had woken him or his jolt from the mattress. He rubbed his eyes and decided to just lay back and try to fall asleep. When he looked down at his watch it read: 4:23 a.m.

Closing his eyes again and putting his arm back around Pam, Jim heard a sound. His first instinct was to wake Pam and tell her about it. Talking himself out of it, he waited for another confirmation that someone or something was downstairs or outside.

Jim’s eyes flew open when the sound got louder. Jim slowly pulled his arm from underneath Pam and went out into the hallway. He stopped to listen to the sound that was continuing it’s racket. Jim stepped closer to the top of the staircase and looked over the banister for any movement.

The sound was constant and then stopped suddenly, as if they knew Jim was approaching the stairs. Jim’s heart raced as he stepped down the steps and into the living room. He looked around boxes before walking through the living room. The sound echoed through the kitchen and Jim decided that it was time he just face the problem head on.

He inched his way into the kitchen against the wall. Trying not to laugh at the thought that he kept thinking he was in a bad horror film, he focused on Pam sleeping upstairs. If someone was in their house, he didn’t want them to get to Pam. Jim mustered up his confidence and stepped into the kitchen with boldness. When he flicked the light on, everything was exactly like it was when they arrived.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Jim tried to follow the sound again. It sounded something like a thumping. He walked towards the back door that lead into the garage. Opening the door, Jim held his hand out in front of him for protection (just in case there was someone trying to break in). He wanted to laugh again, thinking how pathetic he felt for bracing himself for something that probably wasn’t there.

Finding the light switch by the door, Jim shielded his eyes from the light. When the light flashed it’s ugly little head, Jim got a shock. No matter how much time it would have taken him to retreat from the garage, it was too late. He was trapped and he knew there was no escaping. He grabbed the door handle and pulled it closed as fast as he could. Taking in several deep breaths and leaning against the back door, Jim slid down to the floor.

With his head resting against the door, the sound of the skunk trying to break into the deep freeze, Jim could smell the skunk’s scent emitting from his clothes and the garage.

----

Pam woke up at nine on the mattress by herself. She rolled off the bed and slipped her pants on. She made her way down the stairs.

“Jim?” she called out.

When she made it to the bottom step, she found Jim sleeping on the couch in his boxers. His hair was slightly damp and messy. She smiled to herself and then knelt down next to Jim on the couch. She leaned to wake him up with a kiss then she smelled it. Pam pulled back in disgust and then slapped a hand over her mouth to stifle her laughter.

Making a heavy noise in the back of his throat, Jim flickered his eyes open. “Beware,” Jim said, putting his hands in front of him.

“What happened?” she asked with a grin on her face.

Jim rubbed his face. “Um, last night I woke up to a noise from the garage. Guess what it was?”

“Is that a hint of skunk I smell?”

“You are correct, my friend,” Jim said with a smile creeping up on his face.

Pam laughed. She sat down on the floor next to the couch. “When did this happen?”

“At four this morning. I thought someone was breaking in. I guess the skunk really wanted in that old deep freeze out there. Somehow it pushed it’s way through the old doggy door and was making a lot of racket. I was the lucky one to find him.”

Pam laughed again. “I cannot believe it. You get sprayed by a skunk in our own garage. It’s too good to be true.”

“Excuse me? I got sprayed by a skunk. That’s not very fun, you know,” he said, laughing.

“At least it didn’t happen to me,” Pam said, slapping Jim in the chest.

“You have to deal with me all day though. HA!”

“Well, first things first. Go get in the shower.”

“Um, I’ve already taken two showers,” Jim said, running a hand through his hair.

“Nuh uh.”

“Yes, I did. I had to go out to the car, get our bags, find my soap, find a towel that was packet away, get in the shower at four thirty, and wash the stink off of me. When I noticed the stench was still present, well…I jumped back in to try again. Nothing helps.”

Pam laughed so hard she snorted. “What’s so funny, Pam?”

“You smell.”

“Well, I’m so glad that you told me. I had no idea,” he said, pulling her closer to him.

“No. I don’t want to smell you right now. You are far from charming at the moment,” Pam said, standing and walking towards the kitchen.

Jim sat up off the couch. “I didn’t get a good morning kiss, Pam.”

“Sorry. Not when I have to hold my breath to even sit next to you.”

“I would kiss you if you had skunk all over you! Come on. Don’t deprive me of the one thing that can make me happy right now.”

Pam smiled and made her way back to the couch where Jim sat propped up on his elbows. “Fine,” she said, leaning over to give him a quick kiss on the lips. As she pressed her lips against his, he grabbed her arms and pulled her on top of him.

She struggled to get away. He had his arms encircling her and tightened his grip as she tried to wiggle out of his grasp.

“Stop Jim!” She tried to yell as her lips still rested on Jim’s. Pam kicked her feet up in the air and flailed her arms against Jim’s chest.

“Stop!” she yelled again. Jim released as she slapped his chest. He pulled back with shock on his face.

“You hurt me, woman!” he said, rubbing the pink mark on his chest. Pam jumped off of the couch and held her nose.

“You were suffocating me.”

“It’s not that bad.”

“Yes it is!”

Jim smiled. “Well, you have to deal with me.”

“I know. Why don’t I go get you some stronger soap. Maybe some tomato juice too. Something to take that fowl odor off of you.”

“Wow. I never thought that someone would tell me I smell bad like ten times in one day. I feel loved right now.”

“Well, I’m sorry Jim. You stink.”

“I can’t help it.”

“What did you do? Hold the skunk by the tail?” she said, flashing a sarcastic smile.

“Yes. I picked it up, petted it, and then it turned on me. You think I enjoy this?”

“Oh yeah.”

“You’re cruel, you know that?” he said, standing.

“Don’t come near me,” she said, holding her hand out.

“I wasn’t…geeze. I’m just going to go find some clothes.”

“Good. You should do that. Walking around in your boxers is a little distracting when I can’t get near you. You have to smell nice to walk around the house in your skivvies.”

An evil smile crept across Jim’s face. “Really? I think this look suits me. I might just wear these all day,” he said, looking down at his light blue boxers.

“Go put on your clothes. Now,” Pam said, pointing to the top of the stairs.

“Fine,” Jim said, walking up the stairs slowly and shaking his hips seductively. Pam laughed as he made his way up the staircase. Jim stopped at the top. “That’s what you’re missing today. None of this because of your stupid rule, Pam,” Jim said, shaking his hips again.

“I think I can hold out for a few days.”

“A few days? How long do you think I’m going to smell like this?”

“Oh, a couple of days.”

“Great. I’m never leaving the house,” he said, marching into the bedroom.

Pam stood in the living room holding her nose. Once Jim was out of sight, she dropped her hand from her nose and then instantly brought it back as she caught another whiff of skunk musk.

Their first few days in the new house was spent cleaning, finding all their things, unpacking, washing all their clothes from their trip, setting up Scarlet’s room, and moving furniture around.

Pam picked on Jim for the past few days about his musk. He wore his strongest cologne to cover the scent that the body wash and the skunk smell had created. He almost smelt like a Dillard’s cologne counter.

Jim stopped by his place to grab the last of his belongings and made sure to get the pictures hanging on his fridge. As she closed the door behind him, a familiar car pulled into his drive.

Karen stepped out of the car and made her way up the sidewalk to where Jim was standing still.

“Hey. What’s up?” he asked.

“I tried to get a hold of you this past week. What’s going on?”

“Oh, I got your call but I was kind of on my honeymoon.”

“Oh really? Oh my…I didn’t mean to…” Karen said, trailing off.

“Don’t worry about it. I explained to Pam that we talked every now and then…but, I’m going to have to ask that you not call anymore.”

Karen nodded. “I understand.”

“I’m sorry. It’s just…I’ve started a family and it looks really bad if I’m still talking to my ex.”

“Yeah. Totally,” Karen said as she made a face.

“Well, I need to get back.”

“Okay. Hey, do you smell that?”

-----

Pam was cleaning the living room when her mother pulled up in the driveway. Pam ran out the front door to greet Scarlet, who had Allie hanging in her hands.

“MOM!” Scarlet hollered.

“Scarlet! I’ve missed you!” Pam said, picking her up and holding her tight to her chest.

“Me too! Where’s Jim?”

“He went to get some stuff from his old house.”

“Oh. Is the house ready?”

“Yeah. Why don’t you go check out your new room,” Pam said, letting Scarlet down from her embrace.

Scarlet ran in and Pam’s mother pulled her into a hug. “How was Paris, hun?”

“Great. It was fantastic.”

“You look good,” he mother said, looking over Pam.

“Really? I haven’t done anything different.”

“It must be him.”

“What?”

“Oh yeah. A good man can change a woman.”

“Whatever, Ma.”

“No seriously. Your cheeks are rosier, your smile brighter, and your eyes are sparkling.”

“Okay, Mom. Stop reading all those romance novels,” Pam said, leading her mother into the house.

-----

Jim walked through the door shortly after Scarlet had arrived. When he walked in, Pam and her mother were sitting at the kitchen table talking.

“Hello Mrs. Beesly,” Jim said, hugging her.

“Jim, you don’t have to call me Mrs. Beesly.”

“I know. It just rolls off the tongue.”

Pam giggled. Pam’s mother winked at Pam.

“What’s that smell, Pam?” her mother asked.

Pam burst into laughter. Jim shook his head in disgust. “Why does everyone have to ask that?”

“Someone else asked you today?”

Jim caught himself before he told Pam that he had seen Karen. He decided he would tell her when her mother left.

“What’s the smell?” Pam’s mother asked.

“Um, Jim got sprayed by a skunk a few mornings ago. There was one in the garage.”

“It was a nice welcome to the neighborhood,” Jim said, shrugging. “Where’s Scarlet?”

“She’s up in her room.”

“I’ll be back in a few,” Jim said, taking the stairs two at a time.

He knocked on her door and opened it up to see Scarlet playing with some Barbies.

“JIM!” Scarlet screamed as she ran into his arms.

“Hey, little one! How was your week with Nana?”

“Good. I missed you!”

“I missed you too, Scarlet.”

“Really?”

“Of course.”

“Good,” she said, resembling Pam a little. Jim laughed and then let her down.

“Do you like your room?” he asked.

“Yeah. I got a doll house now.”

“I know. It’s big, huh?”

“Yeah. Just like our new house.”

“Yup,” Jim said, sitting next to Scarlet and picking up a doll.

----

“So, how are you all doing?” Pam’s mom asked.

“Good. But, I haven’t told Jim about the check yet.”

“About the insurance check from Neil?”

“Yeah. Once we turn in those adoption papers, we don’t get that money anymore. I don’t know what we are going to do. That money kept me afloat for months.”

“Don’t worry. Just tell Jim and you guys can come up with a solution.”

“I know. I just hate to bring it up so soon. We’ve only been married a week and a half and we already have financial problems.”

“Get used to it, babe.”

Pam hung her head slightly. “I hate to burden him with it. He’s trying his best.”

“Well, just let him now before his ‘best’ is taken away by the repo people.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” Pam said, chuckling nervously. “I could always go back to work.”

“You want to do that?”

“Yeah. I want to. I was hoping to wait until Scarlet was in school and until after we had another…”

“What?” Pam’s mother asked, leaning in.

“What?”

“You just said, ‘until we have another‘…”

“No I didn’t,” Pam said, lying.

“Yes you did.”

Pam rolled her eyes. “Okay. We talked about having another kid. But, not right now. Later.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yeah.”

Pam’s mother’s smiled and grabbed Pam’s hand. “That’s great. I’m so glad that you want another kid.”

“I think it’s going to be different actually raising a child with their father. That will be a major change from when Scarlet was a baby. It’s going to be weird though. Jim’s first, my second. Kind of weird.”

“He’ll do great as a father. You already know that.”

“Yes, I do,” Pam said with a smile.

-----

After Pam’s mother left, they played in Scarlet’s room with her for about an hour before bedtime. Allie romped around the room until Pam escorted her into the laundry room where the cat bed was.

Jim tucked Scarlet in and turned off the light. Scarlet turned quickly in her bed. “Night Jim. I love you,” Scarlet said.

Jim caught himself smiling. “ I love you too. Now get some rest,” he said, shutting the door behind him.

Jim quietly descended the stairs and found Pam standing in the kitchen looking over the last of the adoption papers. She looked up when he entered the kitchen.

“She in bed?”

“Yup. I tucked her in and everything.”

Pam smiled and dropped her head. Jim gave a look of concern as he rubbed her back.

“What’s up, babe?”

Pam sniffled. “I know I already told you that Neil never did anything like that for Scarlet. It means a lot to me that you want to do it. You know, be there for her, tuck her in, read her stories, and all that good stuff. Thank you.”

Jim pulled Pam into a hug. “Hey, I told you that I’m here a hundred and ten percent. If I’m ever not up to par, let me know. I want to do my best.”

“I know you do,” she said, placing a gentle kiss on his lips. As she pulled away, she remembered she had to tell Jim about the insurance check.

“Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. Um, you know that I was getting money from the insurance company after Neil died. Since you are adopting Scarlet we won’t get that money anymore.”

“Okay,” Jim said, carelessly.

“Well, it’s really important because I lived off those checks for almost a year. Now, it seems like we are going to be in debt if we don’t save up or cut back, you know?”

“Hey, listen. I have a better salary than when I was a salesman. So, don’t worry about it. I make enough for right now.”

“Are you sure?”

“Uh, yeah.”

“Well, I could always start a job while Scarlet’s in school.”

“Do you want to do that?”

“Honestly, I would really like to get out of the house more often than I used to.”

“I mean, you won’t have to work if you don’t want to. But, if you really want to, then I say go for it.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. But since we aren’t going to be hurting for the money, find a job you like instead of one that pays the best.”

“Before I got married to Neil there was this gallery that I worked for. I might call them up and see what I can do.”

“That sounds great.”

“It does,” Pam said, leaning into Jim’s side.

“Hey, I just remembered something I needed to tell you.”

“What‘s that?”

“I saw…Karen today,” Jim said, looking down at Pam.

“Really? Where?”

“When I was leaving my old house, she pulled up in the driveway.”

“Wow. What for?”

“No clue. Before we got into any major conversation, I told her I just got married and that I would like it if she wouldn’t call anymore.”

“What did she say?”

“That she understood. But anyways, I just wanted to tell you before I forgot and made the mistake about not telling you.”

“Thanks Jim. I‘m glad you told me,“ she said with a smile. “Okay, I’m going to go to bed. I’m tired.”

“I guess that means that I’m going to bed too.”

“You don’t have to.”

“When I was growing up, my parents always went to bed together. They said there were very few nights when they didn’t go to sleep together. I would like to carry that tradition on.”

Pam smiled again. “Jim Halpert, are you an old softy?”

“No. Just want to please my woman,” Jim said, teasing.

“Well, that sounds like a great idea. You’re too good to be true,” Pam said, ascending the stairs.

“That’s the effect I was going for.”

“Good. Now, let us retire…” Pam said, laughing and pulling Jim up the stairs to their room.

In the backyard, Jim pushed Scarlet on the swing set that he had set up. It had taken him four hours just to figure out what pieces went where and what the instructions said. Once it was all put together, they spent a good portion of their summer evenings pushing Scarlet back and forth until she was tired. One night, she actually fell asleep in the swing and Jim had to carry her in. Since it was Jim and Scarlet’s time to play, Jim came up with a song to entertain Scarlet while she swung.

“Just a swingin’….swingin’.”

Scarlet laughed and sang along when she got the words down. It surprised Jim how fast she picked up on the words and bobbed her head to the beat. Even though she was five, she picked up on things quickly. That was something he was sure he was going to have to be cautious about.

“Now, this time when we sing it, let’s put your name in there. So…Little Scarlet, she’s as pretty as the angel’s when they sing. I can't believe I'm out here on the front porch swing just a swingin‘…swingin‘,” Jim and Scarlet sang.

Pam came out on the back porch and leaned against the railing as they sang. Pam’s smile widened as Jim sang and then Scarlet would chime in with, ‘swingin.’”

“What are you teaching our child?” Pam said, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Um…just a little John Anderson. It never hurt anyone,” Jim said, pushing Scarlet.

“I see. Well, I guess it’s an appropriate swinging song. Very catchy.”

“Oh, definitely. I can’t believe I even know that song.”

“That’s exactly what I was thinking,” Pam said with a smile.

-----

Sitting in the lawyer’s office, Jim held tight to Pam’s hand.

“The documents have been processed and it’s official. Jim, you are now Scarlet’s father. Congratulations,” the lawyer said, smiling and reaching out to shake Jim’s hand.

“Thanks,” Jim said, shaking hands with the lawyer.

“You’ll get your copy in the mail in a few weeks.”

“Thank you. We appreciate everything,” Pam said, shaking hands with the lawyer as well.

“Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Halpert. Take care.”

Jim and Pam slipped out of the office and found Scarlet coloring in the waiting room. The secretary at the firm was sitting beside her and keeping her entertained. When she saw Jim and Pam enter the lobby, she told Scarlet they were done in the office.

“Hey, Scarlet. Did you have fun out here?”

“It was okay,” Scarlet said, putting her crayons into her box.

“Did you tell this nice lady thank you for keeping you company?”

Scarlet turned to the blonde girl. “Thanks. You can have this picture,” Scarlet said, handing a drawing to the woman.

“Thank you, Scarlet. You’re very good.”

“So is my mom. She can draw really good.”

“Really? Well, you must get it from her,” the young woman said, standing and stepping behind her desk. “Thanks for hanging out with me today.”

“Thank you,” Scarlet said as she waved.

Jim grabbed Scarlet’s coloring supplies and held open the door for the two girls following him. As they approached the car, Jim turned to ask Pam a question.

“Did you want to go see Neil today?”

Pam looked down at Scarlet. “Yeah, I guess we could do that.”

“We haven’t been to visit Dad in a long time.”

Pam looked over at Jim and then down at Scarlet. “We’ve been really busy, baby. That’s why we are going today.”

They drove to the cemetery in almost complete silence. For some reason, Jim looked like he did the night they came home from Paris. His eyes looked heavy and his face pale. Pam grabbed his hand that rested near the gear shift.

“Are you feeling okay, Jim?”

Jim almost seemed like he snapped out of deep thought when Pam spoke. “Yeah.”

“You look tired. Do you want me to drive?”

“Nah. We’re almost there. Thank you though,” he said with a classic smile.

“Okay. Let me know if you want to switch places.”

“Will do,” he said, staring at the road.

Pam wasn’t convinced that Jim was okay. She knew she wasn’t going to keep prying until after they were alone where Scarlet could be distracted from their conversation. Pam waited until they were parked at the cemetery to chat with Jim. As Scarlet ran over to the headstone, Pam grabbed Jim’s hand.

“Hey, are you sure you’re feeling all right?”

Jim looked at Pam. “Yeah. I’m sure.”

“I’m not buying it, Jim Halpert,” Pam said, facing him completely.

“I’m Scarlet’s father now.”

“And?”

“There’s a big responsibility on my shoulders now, you know?”

Pam smiled. “You’re going to be great.”

“I hope. It’s just…I didn’t get nine months to prepare and all the sudden, I’m a father. It’s crazy.”

“Are you upset about that?”

“No. Not at all. I wouldn’t trade you or Scarlet for anything. I guess it all just dawned on me at once.”

“Don’t fret about it, Jim. I’m going to be here too. You don’t have to do this on your own.”

Jim nodded. “I know. Thanks,” Jim said, pulling Pam into a hug and looking over at Scarlet.

“Oh, and another thing,” Jim said, resting his chin on Pam’s head. “Don’t let me interfere with your time with Neil. I completely understand.”

Pam looked up at Jim. “I’ve been doing some thinking about it. I think we need to have a talk with Scarlet. You know, explain to her that since Neil’s gone, you’re her father now. It’s going to be hard, but I think we can manage.”

“Do you think she will understand?”

“We just have to try. One day she’ll understand,” Pam said, stepping closer to hear Scarlet.

Scarlet was talking as she sat next to Neil’s grave. Pam held up her finger to Jim as she inched in closer to hear what she was saying.

“Jim got me a cat. We named her Allie. She’s pretty. Oh, and I start real kindergarten soon…..”

Pam smiled. She motioned Jim to join her where she stood behind Scarlet.

“Mom and Jim got married. After they got married, we ate cake and danced. Jim let me stand on his shoes and I danced with him. And, when they got back from their trip, Jim got sprayed with a skunk in the garage. Oh yeah Dad, we moved….”

Pam looked back at Jim. “She’s really got a lot to say.”

“…the house is big and has more stairs than the other one. It’s pretty. You’d probably like it. I have a doll house that looks almost like it too,” Scarlet said, turning her head to catch Pam and Jim standing behind her.

“Hey!” she cried.

“Oops! She caught us,” Pam said, laughing.

“I was telling Dad about all the new stuff.”

“We heard.”

Scarlet stood and went over to Pam and grabbed her hand. “Mom…”

“What’s wrong baby?” Pam asked. Scarlet had her head nuzzled on Pam’s leg, sheepishly. Jim stepped back, knowing that he probably didn’t need to hear their conversation. Once he backed away and turned, he saw Pam kneel down to meet Scarlet’s eye line. After a few moments, Pam hugged Scarlet and grabbed her hand and led her to the car. Jim opened her car door and looked at Pam questioningly.

“We’ll talk about it later,” Pam said, shutting the door and getting in on the passenger side.

----

Once they were home, Jim wandered into the living room, pulling on his tie and flopping down on the couch. Scarlet had scrambled into her room to play, and Pam was standing in the kitchen looking through the fridge.

Curious about Scarlet’s awkward scene at the cemetery, Jim called out to Pam.

“Pam, what happened at the cemetery?”

Pam came around the corner. “Um, Scarlet was just asking me why Neil doesn’t answer her when she talks. She was really upset about it.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. And….then I tried to explain that today you became her new daddy because Neil was gone. She just nodded when I told her. I don’t really know if she understood or not.”

Jim sat up to look at Pam leaning against the hallway wall. “Oh.”

“I mean, someday she’ll get it. So, don’t worry.”

“I know. It just seems hard to tell a little kid that the only dad they’ve ever known isn’t their father anymore. It seems kinda…sad.”

“Scarlet didn’t understand when Neil died. Heck, I don’t think she even remembers any good moments with him so, I think she’ll have fond memories with you.”

“I hope so,” Jim said, half smiling. Pam walked over to where he sat and sat next to him.

“What’s wrong, Jim? You‘ve been a little down all day.” Pam asked, brushing the slightly unruly hairs from his forehead.

“I’m fine. I think I’m worn out from all this new stuff. It’s tiring and somewhat…emotional. I feel like I’m turning into a girl all of a sudden.”

“That’s what you get living with two girls,” Pam said, leaning in and kissing Jim.

“Oh, God. I have to live with two girls.”

“Yup. Get used to it.”

“When I start wearing your high heels you better stop me.”

“I promise. I think I’ll say something when you start putting on my lipstick.”

“Good,” Jim said, grabbing Pam‘s face in his hands and kissing her. “Is it bedtime yet?” he asked, running his hands up and down her arms.

“Um, we have to make dinner,” Pam said still placing kisses on his face and neck.

“Do we have to?”

“Scarlet might starve if we don’t.”

“Shoot,” Jim said, snapping his fingers.

“I can make it a quick meal. Ham and cheese sound good?”

“Perfect.”

“Okay, let me get it ready. Go get Scarlet,” Pam said, placing another kiss on his lips and getting up from the couch.

Jim jogged up the stairs to her room. He opened the door and found the room empty.

“Huh,” Jim said as turned to find her. When he made it to Pam and his bedroom, he found Scarlet putting a drawing on his nightstand. He watched from outside the room as she placed it by his bed and came around the corner and saw him.

“Whatcha doing Scarlet?” Jim asked.

“I made you a picture.”

“Can I see?”

“Yeah,” she said as she went back around the bed to grab it.

Jim entered the room and sat on the bed. Scarlet brought the drawing to Jim and placed it in his hands. Jim took the picture as Scarlet settled into Jim’s side.

“Who’s this?” Jim asked, pointing at the people in the drawing.

Pointing to a girl in a pink dress, she answered, “Me. See?” Scarlet said as she pointed out the word ‘me’ under the stick figure.

“I see that now. And, apparently this one labeled Mom is Pam.”

“Yup. And, you’re right here,” Scarlet said, pointing at the figure labeled ‘Jim.’

Jim’s heart sank just a little at the sight of his name. He was hoping maybe she would have put ‘dad’ but knew that she would have to grow into it. For the time being, Jim dealt with it and smiled.

“This is very nice Scarlet. Thank you.”

“I was going to put it by your bed so you could look at it every night.”

“I will do that. We should get a frame for it, too.”

“Yeah! Mom has a lot of frames.”

“Well, I’ll ask her for one so I can display it,” Jim said, putting the picture down on his nightstand.

“Do you like it?”

“I love it.,” Jim said, tightening his arm around Scarlet’s shoulder and then releasing.

“Good. It took me forever to make,” Scarlet said, slightly rolling her eyes as she skipped out of the room. Jim chuckled at her attempt at being older. She was already growing up way too fast.

After the house was settled in to, life started back up in full swing. Jim returned to work with a heavier work load than ever, Pam got the position at the local art gallery and Scarlet started kindergarten. Their summer had been filled with cookouts with the family, outings, and the blessed lazy Sunday.

Scarlet grew closer to Jim over the summer months. She would wait for him to come home from work, beg him to read her bedtime stories and share her swinging time with him in the backyard after dinner. Pam was happy that she was adapting really well to the change and hoped that it lasted. Although Pam was thoroughly excited for their bond, Pam missed all the time she used to get to spend with Jim.

One night, after they had tucked Scarlet in and gave goodnight kisses, Pam and Jim sat on the couch. They felt like it was their only real time to relax with each other, and they enjoyed every moment away from the chaos of the day and the parenting of Scarlet.

Pam rested her head on Jim’s chest while they watched the late night news. She didn’t care about the weather reports or the crime rate in Scranton, she was just happy to be in Jim’s arms. She glanced up at him as he blinked his heavy eyes.

“You’re sleepy,” Pam said, gazing up at him.

“How did you guess?” Jim said, teasing as he let out a yawn.

“Well, I’m ready for bed if you are.”

“Yeah, let’s get to bed before I pass out right here,” Jim said, pulling Pam off the couch as he stood.

Jim did one last check on Scarlet before he slipped under the covers. Pam was already in bed with a novel perched on her lap.

“Are you going to read me a bedtime story?”

Pam smiled and looked at the cover of her book. “Not unless you want to read this harlequin novel with me.”

“No thanks. I think I’ll stick with Winnie the Pooh,” Jim said, leaning over to kiss Pam goodnight. “Night, Pam.”

“Night,” Pam said, reaching over and turning off the lamp. Pam rolled over to get comfortable and found her normal nestling spot. As she found her position, she placed another kiss on his lips. Before she could pull away, he had his hands on her back and was kissing her. Pam started giggling.

“What?” Jim asked, slightly amused.

Still giggling, Pam replied, “I don’t know.”

Leaning in for another kiss, Jim was cut off by Pam’s laughter. “I just brushed. What’s the deal?”

“Nothing! I’m just happy all of a sudden. Can’t a girl giggle while kissing her husband?”

Smiling, Jim pulled her face towards his. “Giggle all you want; just let me get some lip action in before you burst into fits of laughter.”

“Done,” Pam said, leaning in an inch and pressing her lips to his.

Jim broke apart with his brows furrowed. “For some reason, we haven’t done this in awhile,” he said, smiling.

“We’re busy people now. You work, I work, Scarlet is a handful…so, we aren’t going to be able to make out every day like we want,” Pam said, kissing his cheek.

“Then I hereby declare everyday a make out day,” Jim said, placing another kiss on her lips. She pulled back slightly chuckling again.

“I thought you were tired.”

“I was. Now, not so much.”

“You’re something else, you know that?”

Jim nodded and kept attacking Pam with light kisses as she flinched as if they were tickling her. In mid-kiss, their bedroom door swung open with Scarlet standing in the doorway. Slightly shocked that they had been caught, Pam gasped and rolled off of Jim.

“What’s wrong Scarlet?”

“I had a bad dream again,” Scarlet said, with a weakness to her voice.

Jim sat up and reached out his hands, “Come here.”

She came across the room and crawled into Jim’s arms. He placed her between him and Pam and she snuggled up under the blanket’s. Pam wiped Scarlet’s hair out of her face and placed a kiss on her cheek.

“You’re safe. We’re right here, baby,” Pam said, softly.

Jim smiled at Pam and then looked down at Scarlet, who already had her eyes shut. He leaned over her, kissed Pam on the lips one last time, and sunk back under the covers next to Scarlet. Pam relaxed her body and cuddled up next to Scarlet before shutting her eyes and falling into a deep sleep.

-----

Mornings in the Halpert house were more than chaotic. Scarlet was normally the first to wake up and essentially led to her shaking Jim and Pam awake in the mornings. Pam would normally get Scarlet dressed and ready and start breakfast as Jim showered. After they ate their breakfast, Jim would take Scarlet to school and Pam would get ready for her shift at the gallery.

One day as Jim was on a conference call with corporate, the receptionist buzzed in.

“Jim, Pam is on the line.”

“Can it wait?”

“It has something to with Scarlet.”

“Oh…umm, tell her to wait a few minutes.”

Jim switched over to the other line to finish up the call with corporate. As soon as he got done with them he hurriedly hit the button to talk to Pam.

“Hey, what’s up?”

“Hey. Are you free to go to Scarlet’s school?”

“Why?”

“I won’t be able to pick her up today. Connie left for the day because she was sick and I’m here all alone. So, can you make it to her school?”

“I have a few calls to make. How much time do I have?”

“She gets out in thirty minutes.”

“Okay. Well, I’ll take off the rest of the day.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay. It’s always nice to get to leave early,” Jim said, tapping his pencil on his desk.

“Yeah, I hear ya. Well, I need to get going. So, you’re okay to pick her up?”

“I can handle this.”

“Okay. Thanks. Bye.”

“Bye.”

Jim hung up the phone and finished up his calls before he left. He pulled up at Scarlet’s school and parked. He had to go inside to sign her out. He made his way to the office and asked the secretary what he needed to do to get Scarlet from school.

“Who are you picking up?” the blond asked.

“Scarlet Halpert,” Jim said as an older gray haired lady turned around.

“Are you Scarlet’s father?”

“Yeah. Adoptive father, actually.”

“Can I have a word with you for a minute?”

“Sure,” Jim said, stepping aside with the lady.

“Hi. I’m Mrs. Landers, the elementary principal. Nice to meet you…,” she said, reaching to shake his hand.

“Jim,” he said, shaking her hand.

“Jim. I was hoping to talk to you or her mother. Scarlet had an issue in class today.”

“An issue?”

“Yes. She apparently bit another classmate during their play time. Mrs. Hunt sent her to me after the incident.”

“She bit someone?”

“Matthew Morrison.”

“Oh, the little boy that picks on her….”

“We didn’t have any clue what started the fight, but she bit him. We had to discipline her no matter what the offense.”

“I understand. What’s her discipline?”

“She doesn’t get recess for the rest of the week. And, we were hoping that you would have a talk with her about her actions.”

“Yes, we definitely will.”

“Well, we really love Scarlet and hope that she doesn’t have to have her recess taken away again. She’s such a good kid.”

“She is. I just don’t know what got into her,” Jim said, scratching the back of his neck.

“Thank you for your time, Jim.”

“No, thank you,” Jim said, turning to sign Scarlet out.

Jim waited for Scarlet’s class to come down the hallway. As soon as she saw him, she came running towards him. He picked her up into a hug.

“Hi Jim!”

“Hey! How was school?”

“Okay.”

“Okay? That’s all?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, let’s get home.”

“Where’s mommy?”

“She had to work late today. So, it’s just me and you for now.”

“Okay,” Scarlet said, skipping towards the car.

Jim was confused on what to do. He had an uneasy feeling about disciplining Scarlet. Jim had never had to discipline her except for the time she kept trying to stick Allie in the bath tub. It not only led to Scarlet and Allie getting soaking wet, but scratches up and down Jim’s arms. Jim thought about how to approach Scarlet and just decided to ask her about it while they drove home.

“Hey, I talked to your principle today,” Jim said, looking into his rear view mirror to see Scarlet.

“Mrs. Landers is nice.”

“Yeah, she is. But, she told me that you had to go to her office today. What happened?”

Scarlet’s face went red and her smile drooped. “I got in trouble.”

“I know that. What started the fight?” Jim asked, trying to be as nice as possible.

“Matthew told me that I wasn’t pretty again. And, he said he didn’t want to play with me because I was weird.”

“So, you bit him?”

Scarlet nodded. Jim looked back in the mirror again to see her sad face. By the look on her face, Jim could tell that she knew she was in trouble.

“Scarlet, talk to me. What’s wrong with this picture?”

“I didn’t mean to! He made me mad.”

“But, you hurt Matthew. Now he isn’t going to want to be friends at all. And, you got your recess taken away.”

“He started it, Jim!” Scarlet said, almost screaming in her defense.

Jim glanced back again. “Don’t yell at me. Now tell me Scarlet, did you think it was okay to bite another person?”

“He was being mean!”

“I know he was but, you don’t just go biting people because they’re mean. You can’t take out your anger on little boys like him. He’s just trying to make you mad so don’t give in.”

Jim looked back to see Scarlet holding her hands over her face. He could hear her little sobs.

“Scarlet, I’m sorry but you know that you’re in trouble for this. When your mom gets home we are going to have a talk about violence.”

“Jim! I didn’t mean to! Don’t tell mom!”

“Scarlet, you bit some kid. That’s not very nice. And, I have to tell your mom. She needs to know that you’re in trouble,” Jim said, hearing Scarlet’s cries picking up.

“NO!” She yelled as she sobbed more.

It nearly broke Jim’s heart as he heard her crying and begging him to not make it worse. He wanted to be the good guy but knew that if she was ever going to respect him in the future, he had to be the authority figure.

“Scarlet, do not yell at me.”

“No! I don’t want mommy to know! You can’t tell her!”

“Scarlet, there’s no getting out of this one. So, stop screaming at me,” Jim said as he put the car in park.

Scarlet was sobbing uncontrollably as she pushed her car door open as soon as Jim shut the car off. She jumped out and ran towards the door with Jim close behind her. She ran up the stairs in a fit of anger.

Jim hollered at her, “Stop running and calm down.”

“I don’t like you anymore!” she screamed as she climbed the stairs and slammed an upstairs door.

Slightly shocked, Jim’s heart sank at her statement. He never wanted her to be that angry with him and hoped that it never happened again. He knew that it was the first of many fights to come but hated that it had to start so soon. Jim hung his head and made his way to the kitchen. He assumed she would be down for her after school snack once she cooled down.

He set out the peanut butter and sliced up an apple and put the on a plate for her. After fifteen minutes of waiting for her to come down the stairs calm and collected, he decided she wasn’t giving up that easy. Jim waited a little bit longer and started to munch on some of the apples. Before the last slice was finished, Pam walked in through the garage.

“Hey babe,” Pam said, shutting the door behind her.

“Hey,” Jim said, wiping the dish off.

“How was your day?” she said, accepting a kiss from Jim.

“Good. Yours?”

“Boring. Without Connie there it seemed mundane. No one came in today.”

“Really? Well, it is an art gallery. In Scranton,” Jim said, rolling his eyes.

“I know,” Pam said, looking around. “Where’s Scarlet?”

“Um…she’s mad at me,” Jim said, lifting his eyebrows.

“Why?” Pam said, putting her purse on the counter.

“She got in trouble at school today and she didn’t want me to tell you. So, when we got home, she stormed up the stairs and slammed her door.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Oh, and now she…quote/unquote ‘doesn’t like me anymore.’”

“No way. She told you that?”

“Serious as a heart attack. I thought I was going to die when she stuck the knife through my chest.”

“Have you talked to her since?”

“I was just about to go up and talk to her but I ate all her apples that I cut for her. I was going to cut some more and take them as a peace offering.”

Pam giggled. “I’ll let you handle this one for now. Wait, what did she get in trouble for?”

“She bit Matthew Morrison at school today.”

“What?!” Pam said, flabbergasted.

“Yeah. When I picked her up the principle talked to me about it and asked us to have a chat with her. She doesn’t get recess at school for the rest of the week.”

“I cannot believe her. She hasn’t ever bitten anyone before. Not that I know of.”

“It seemed a little odd to me too. But, we chatted about it in the car and she got upset with me for telling her she was wrong to bite Matthew.”

Pam pulled an apple out of the fridge and handed it to Jim. “Go make amends.”

After the apple was cut and a nice lump of peanut butter was next to the slices, Jim treaded the stairs to Scarlet’s room. He opened the door saying her name.

“Scarlet,” he said, finding that she wasn’t in her room. Confused, Jim went over to the spare room at the end of the hall. He peeked in there and couldn’t find her. He walked over to his door and opened the door a crack. He peered in to find a lump in the center of his bed. She was hiding under his covers.

He stepped in the door and could hear her still whimpering. He sat on the side of the bed and placed the apples on the nightstand.

“Hey, Scarlet. I brought you some apples and peanut butter,” he said, hoping she would come out from under the covers. When she didn’t he thought about what the proper thing to say at that moment.

“Scarlet, please talk me.”

When she didn’t answer or move an inch, he knew it was all on him. He pulled back the covers to find Scarlet drenched in sweat and her hair slightly damp. He had been under the covers crying for more than thirty minutes and knew it must have been hot under there.

When the light hit her head she didn’t budge. She stayed perfectly still. At least now he could see her.

“Scarlet, what’s wrong?”

Through her cries he heard a faint voice say into his sheets, “You don’t love me anymore.”

For some reason, that phrase struck Jim’s grief bone. He wanted to pull her into his arms and tell her she was wrong. Instead, he placed his hand on her back and rubbed it.

“Scarlet, I love you so much. Why would you say that?”

“Because I got in trouble in school.”

“Scarlet, there isn’t anything that you could possibly do that would make me love you any less. I love you so much,” he said, hoping to find a little hint of something from her.

Her cries subsided slightly. She looked up at Jim with red, puffy eyes and sniffled back from more tears. “You do?”

“I would love you no matter what,” he said, brushing the sticky hair from her neck.

“I love you like that too,” she said, sitting up.

“Hi, Mom,” Pam said into the phone.

“Hi, Pam. How’s things?”

“Oh, good. Work is good. Scarlet’s doing better in school. She bit a kid a while back and got into some trouble. Jim handled the situation pretty well,” Pam said, taking a sip from her glass.

“Really?”

“Yeah. Other than that, things are good. How about you?”

“Oh, we’re good. Your father and I were wondering if you all would come visit us soon?”

“We‘d love to” Pam said, her voice rising in excitement.

“Your cousin Jessica’s wedding is in about a month and you could stay here during the wedding.”

“Oh yeah. I haven’t replied to her invite yet but, that would save us some money on a hotel room. Plus, we could hang out with you.”

“That’s where I was going with this,” her mother said with a chuckle.

“Definitely. I’ll talk with Jim and see if he can get off work for a few days. I know he would like to get know the family more.”

“From what I’ve heard from the rest of the family, they adore him.”

“Good,” Pam said, fingering the pad of paper in front of her.

After a brief pause Pam’s mother asked, “So, are we going to be getting any good news from you soon?”

Pam chuckled. “Ma! We haven‘t had the time of day to even think about another kid.”

“Well, I wish you would hurry up!”

“Ma!” Pam exclaimed.

“Hey, I just want some more grandbabies. Have you at least brought it up to Jim since the honeymoon?”

“Um, not really.”

“Come on, Pam. You aren’t getting any younger and neither am I.”

“I know. It’s just not the right time. We are still figuring things out, you know.”

“Well, I would like another kid by the end of the year!” her mother said with a laugh.

Pam laughed as well. “We’ll see, Ma. Now, I need to go get Scarlet from school. So, talk to you soon?”

“Oh, you’ll be hearing from me. Unless you call me first with an announcement.”

“I’ll call you when I figure out the plans for Jessica’s wedding. Okay?”

“Sure thing. Bye Pam.”

After saying goodbye to her mother, Pam clicked the phone off and grabbed her keys to get Scarlet from school. Jim was coming up the porch steps as she pulled the door shut. He had his head slightly hung and he trudged up the stairs slowly. Pam smiled and then realized he wasn’t aware that she was coming in his direction.

She stopped in front of him and he picked up his head when he saw her feet directly in front of his. Pam smiled up at him when he finally made eye contact with her.

“What are you doing home early?” Pam asked.

“I hate my job,” Jim answered, shrugging his shoulders.

Pam laughed. “So, you quit?”

“I wish I had.”

“So, we aren’t going broke?”

“Not anytime soon,” he said, pulling his tie knot loose.

“Then why are you in such a mood?” she asked, still smiling.

“Corporate wants me to come up there for a weekend to have a training seminar for the managers. I don’t want to do anything but sleep on the weekends and they expect me to….” Jim said before he was interrupted by Pam reaching forward, pulling Jim’s face to hers and locking lips with him.

As they pulled away, Jim gave Pam a questionable look. “What in the world was that?”

She smiled again, dangling her keys in her hands. “You just looked like you needed a kiss.”

“I did. Thanks,” he said, stepping towards the front door. He finally let a smile creep up on his lips when he noticed that Pam was slightly flushed.

“I have to go get Scarlet. Do you want to come with?” she asked, knowing he probably would want to relax before Scarlet got home.

Jim pushed the front door open and set his briefcase inside the house. He looked up at Pam as she slowly backed down the steps. “Um, yeah. Why not?”

He shut the door behind him and briskly stepped down the steps where Pam stood. He placed his hands on her arms and placed a kiss on her lips. As he pulled back, she stepped in for another kiss. Jim smiled against her lips before they broke apart.

“We need to pick up the child,” Jim said, motioning towards the car door.

Pam smiled as she blushed. “I wish we had more time to be alone.”

“Me too.”

“I actually miss you when you’re not here,” she admitted, jingling her keys in her hand again.

“Trust me, I wish I was home so we could kiss like that all day long. Now, let’s get Scarlet before the janitors lock the place up,” he said, taking the keys from Pam’s hand and turning towards the car. Pam stood in her spot staring off into the distance. Once Jim had opened the car door he noticed Pam still standing away from the car.

“Uh, are you coming?” he asked, leaning on the opened car door.

Pam jumped a little at Jim’s words. “Oh. Um, yeah,” she said, turning to walk around the car.

“What was that?” Jim asked as she opened the car door.

She settled into the vehicle and shut her door. Jim did the same with his eyes resting on Pam in wonderment.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“Yeah,” she said, brushing a piece of hair behind her ear.

“What are you thinking about?”

“Nothing,” she said with a shake of her head.

“You don’t just stare off into space without thinking about something,” Jim said, starting the car and looking behind him to reverse.

Pam stared out the windshield as Jim backed the car out of the driveway. She was in deep thought again. Jim noticed and said, “Earth to Pam!”

She looked over at him with a smile across her face. “What?”

“What are you doing?”

“Just thinking.”

“I know. About what?”

“Just stuff.”

“Okay. You need to get out more, Pam,” Jim said, laughing.

“Well, my parents want us to stay with them when we go to Jessica’s wedding.”

“That’s what you were thinking so deeply about?” Jim asked, checking his mirror and turning towards Scarlet’s school.

“No. I was thinking about a few other things my mom said, but anyways….she wants us to come down and stay with her. The weddings during Scarlet’s spring break so we can go up there early.”

“Wait, when is this wedding?”

“Spring Break week. Um, last week in March, I think.”

Jim let out an angry sigh. “That thing with corporate is that weekend.”

“Oh,” Pam said, her face falling.

“Don’t worry, we’ll work it out.”

“Are you sure?” Pam asked, unbuckling her seatbelt.

“Definitely. I can get out of it early, I’m sure.”

Pam smiled and reached over behind Jim’s head as he leaned it back against the headrest. She pulled his face closer to hers. His eyes fluttered shut, knowing that she was pulling him in for a kiss. Pam noticed how tender his face looked when his eyes were shut. She stopped before placing her lips on his to take him in. Pam smiled and then pulled him closer until their lips met.

“Did you know you are cute?” Pam asked, pulling away from their lip lock.

Taken back, Jim made a face. “I’m sorry?”

“You’re just….gorgeous.” Pam said, getting out of the car with a huge smile on her face.

Jim followed her as they walked towards the school. “Where is this all coming from?”

“I just love you. That’s all.”

“You’ve been thinking again haven’t you?” he said, pulling the school door open for her.

“I have. And, I love thinking about you,” Pam said, grabbing his hand and swinging it between the two of them.

“I can see that. You’ve been all hot and bothered since you saw me on the steps,” Jim said, laughing.

Pam’s face fell when she realized they were standing in the middle of the elementary school. “Shh! We’re in a school. You can’t talk like that in here!” Pam said, laughing a little at Jim’s reaction.

Jim had slapped a hand over his mouth when a group of kids in a line passed by him. “Oops,” he said, lurking behind Pam as she led the way to Scarlet’s classroom. Scarlet came running out the classroom into Pam’s arms.

“Now, let’s get home and get her to bed.”

“But, Mom! What about dinner?” Scarlet asked, looking confused.

“Oh. I suppose I have to feed you too,” Pam said, looking back and forth between Jim and Scarlet.

“Pam, are you seriously going to put her to bed before five?” he said, taking Scarlet from Pam.

“I was hopeful until she mentioned eating,” Pam said, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Mommy was just kidding,” Jim said to Scarlet as they walked towards the door. “She’s just really excited to get into bed tonight.”

Pam dropped her jaw. “Jim!”

“She’s really tired,” Jim said to Scarlet as he made eyes at Pam.

“She’s tired? Why?” Scarlet asked.

“She worked really hard today. She had a very long conversation on the phone with Nana and it tuckered her out,” Jim said, playfully shaking his head.

Pam followed behind him as he teased Scarlet. She smiled the whole way home.

-----

Jim put Scarlet to bed after dinner while Pam showered in the master bathroom. As soon as Scarlet was fast asleep Jim went into the temporary office they had set up in the guest bedroom. He got on his computer to e-mail Jan about the training weekend. Before he logged off for the night he checked on a few work related reports. Pam came in with a towel clutched around her. Jim broke his gaze off the computer screen when she came in.

“There you are,” she said, rubbing a towel over her hair.

Jim smiled as he shut the laptop. “What are you doing?”

“Looking for you,” Pam said, leaning against the door jamb.

Jim stood and walked over to her. “What did your mom say that has gotten you into this mood?”

Pam smiled. “I’m not in a mood.”

“Yes you are. You’re being a…..temptress all of a sudden,” he said, running his hands up and down her arms.

“What? No, I’m not.”

“Uh huh. All day long,” he said, slowly leaning in to kiss her.

“Do you have a problem with the way I’ve been acting?” Pam asked, interrupting the kiss and looking into his eyes.

“No. I really like this side of you. It’s just very…new…and different.”

“Well, we haven’t…in…awhile,” she said, with his mouth mere inches from hers.

“I know. Trust me, I know,” Jim said, pressing his mouth to hers. Pam dropped her hair towel to the ground as she wrapped her arms around Jim’s neck.

He deepened the kiss and pulled back a few inches from her face. “Let’s go,” he said, pulling her towards their room and shutting the rest of world out.

-----

The next morning Jim woke to the smell of breakfast being made in the kitchen. He pulled himself out of bed and staggered downstairs to find Pam and Scarlet sitting at the counter.

“Morning, Jim!” Scarlet said, turning in her seat. Jim walked over to her and placed a kiss on her head.

“Hey, babe,” he said, placing his hands on her shoulders.

Pam idly dried some cups in the dish strainer before acknowledging Jim. When she looked up at him he was smiling at her.

“Good morning, Jim,” she said, smiling.

“Morning,” he said, walking around the counter and putting his arms around her. Jim placed a kiss atop her head as well.

“Aren’t you going to be late for work if you don’t get in the shower?” Pam asked.

“I smelled breakfast and decided to hop on down here to get some,” Jim said, grabbing a plate and forking some eggs on it.

“Come on Scarlet, let’s go get dressed,” Pam said, helping her off the stool. Scarlet ran around the corner and up the stairs. As soon as the coast was clear, Pam hurriedly made her way back to Jim’s side and yanked him down into a kiss.

Surprised at her actions, Jim nearly choked on the eggs in his mouth. He pulled away, coughing. Pam giggled as he tried to wash the eggs down with some orange juice.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

Pam smiled and pulled him closer. “Last night was great,” she said, playing with the hem of his blue t-shirt.

“I know,” he said, lifting an eyebrow.

“Thank you,” she said, winking and turning to walk away. Jim caught her hand before she got out of reach.

“Thank you, Pam? We’re married. We don’t need to say thank you after a night like that night,” he said, chuckling.

“I’m just being polite,” she replied, playfully swaying as she walked out of the kitchen.

----

After Jim had gotten ready, he trotted down the stairs.

“Scarlet! Let’s go!” Jim hollered. Scarlet came running through the house and grabbed her bag. Pam followed behind her with her lunch bag.

“Have a nice day,” Pam said, handing Scarlet her lunch and kissing her cheek.

“Bye, Mommy.”

Jim grabbed Scarlet’s hand and kissed Pam one more time before leaving for the morning. As they got into the car, Jim’s cell phone rang.

“Hello?”

“Hey, man!”

“Mark?”

“Yeah. What’s going on?”

“Nothing much,” Jim answered, as he looked back at Scarlet in her seat.

“There’s gotta be more than nothing,” Mark said over the line.

“Well, actually, I’m taking my daughter to school.”

“You have a kid?”

Jim smiled and said, “Yeah, she’s great.”

“When did this happen?”

“Uh, almost six months ago.”

“And your taking her to school?” Mark asked, sounding a little sarcastic.

Jim pulled into the parking lot of the school. “No. I adopted her. I married Pam.”

“Pam? Wow.”

“Yeah,” Jim said, getting out the car and opening Scarlet’s door.

“She had a kid?”

“Yeah. She was widowed.”

“And you adopted her daughter?”

“Sure did,” Jim said, grabbing Scarlet’s hand and her lunch bag and lead her into the school. He looked down at Scarlet and smiled.

“Well, we should totally catch up tonight. What do you say?”

Jim hesitated. “Let me talk to Pam and give you a call back. Is that cool?”

“Definitely. Talk to you then.”

“Alright. Bye,” Jim said, clicking his phone off.

Jim knelt and received a hug and a kiss from Scarlet. He hugged her a little bit longer than normal, feeling a strange emotion overtake him. He didn’t want to let go. When he finally broke their embrace, Scarlet smiled, said goodbye and skipped off.

Jim walked towards the door and then noticed that he still had Scarlet’s sack lunch in his hand. He turned quickly and made his way towards her classroom and knocked quietly on the door. He stepped him and Scarlet immediately jumped up to greet him.

“Hey, you forgot your lunch,” Jim whispered.

“Thanks!” she said, taking the bag from his hand.

“See you later,” Jim said, smiling and exiting the classroom. In the hallway, Jim heard Scarlet’s sweet voice as the door swung shut.

“That’s my dad.”

“Yeah, she told someone in her class that I was her dad,” Jim said into his cell phone. He turned the steering wheel as he looked over his shoulder and held the phone between the other shoulder and his ear.

“Really?” Pam asked on the other end of the line.

“I couldn’t believe it, Pam.”

“We knew she would come around sometime soon.”

Jim put the car in park and sat in the parking lot at Dunder Mifflin on the phone with Pam. “I know. It’s just a great feeling, you know?”

“It is. Congrats, Jim,” Pam said, being slightly sarcastic.

“Hey, be nice. No ones ever called me dad before.”

Pam giggled. “I know. It’s exciting. That just means that now that Scarlet’s accepted the fact, maybe another…..uh…”

“What are you saying here, Pam?” Jim asked, opening his car door and then pausing.

“Just…that maybe another kid might be….I don’t know. We could start…” Pam said, hesitating.

Jim got out of his car and shut the door. “Hey, listen, let’s talk about this later. I’m at work and we should talk in person about bringing another child into this world.”

“Yeah, you’re right. So, did I just completely freak you out?”

Jim reached the Dunder Mifflin doors. “Not at all. I would like to see you when I’m talking about having lots of sex with you. That’s all,” he said with a laugh.

“Oh. I see how you are.”

“Yup,” Jim said and then remembered the other reason he called Pam. “Oh, Mark called me this morning.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, and he was wondering if I could catch up with him tonight after work. I just wanted to check in with you. Is it cool if I go?”

“Um, yeah. Where are you going?”

“No clue. I have to call him back later today,” Jim said, passing by the reception counter.

“I guess that’s fine. Will you be back late?”

“Don’t know.”

“Let me know, okay?”

“Will do,” Jim said, sitting at his computer now.

“Okay, bye.”

“Bye, babe.”

Jim hung up the phone and called Mark back to confirm plans. They planned to meet at Poor Richards for a drink. Jim was genuinely excited to be able to kick back with his old room mate. He wondered what new things had happened to Mark since the last time they had spoken.

Midday, Jim called Pam back to tell her their plans. Pam didn’t seem too happy that Jim wouldn’t be coming home after work. She shrugged the feeling off and accepted the fact that Jim needed to get out once in a while.

“So, we are meeting at Poor Richards after I get off work,” Jim said, tapping his pencil on his desk.

“Um, are you going to be home for dinner?”

“Probably not.”

Pam replied flatly, “Okay.”

Jim picked up on her hinting. “Do you not want me to go?”

“No, it’s cool that you want to see Mark. Go, have fun. It‘s a Friday night.”

“Are you sure? I can make it a quick meet and greet and get home if you like,” Jim said, hoping to appease Pam.

“I don’t want to be that type of wife, Jim. Just go out, have a good time, and come home safe.”

“Thanks,” Jim said, earnestly.

“Okay, see you later,” Pam said with a sigh.

“Yeah, see you tonight.”

-----------

After being at the gallery for three hours, Pam picked Scarlet up from school. Pam decided since they had the evening to themselves that they should have a little mother/daughter time. Pam helped Scarlet get her homework done and took her to dinner. They ate at Scarlet’s favorite restaurant; McDonalds. After their quick dinner, they went shopping for a few things. Scarlet needed a new dress for the upcoming wedding and Pam was hoping to find one as well.

Scarlet held up a black mini dress. “Mom! You would look good in this!”

Pam stopped rifling through the rack and looked down at Scarlet. She chuckled at the barely there dress that Scarlet had selected.

“No way. I can’t wear black to Jessica’s wedding. Plus, it’s eight sizes too short,” Pam said, taking the dress from her and stuffing it on the rack.

“Why can’t you wear black?”

“When you go to a wedding, you’re not really supposed to wear black. It’s just a rule.”

“Oh,” Scarlet said, finding her way under the clothing rack. After a few short minutes of silence, Scarlet chirped beneath the layer of clothing over her. “Mom, where’s Jim at?”

“He’s out with a friend,” Pam answered, looking around her to find Scarlet. She twisted her head around looking for Scarlet and panicked when she couldn’t find her.

“Scarlet, where are you?” Pam asked, nervously.

“I’m in here!” Scarlet yelled, jumping out of the clothing rack.

Pam jumped when Scarlet came bolting from underneath the clothes. “Oh. You scared me.” Scarlet laughed at Pam’s reaction. Pam grabbed Scarlet’s hand and walked around the rack of discount clothes and saw a dress hanging on a mannequin.

“Wow. Mom, get that dress,” Scarlet said, pointing to beautiful sundress with pink and red accents on it.

Pam stared at the gorgeous dress with lustful eyes. “It’s probably way too expensive,” Pam said, squeezing Scarlet’s hand.

“Try it on, Mom!” Scarlet said, jumping in delight.

Pam hesitated. She then walked over to the rack where the dresses hung and found her size. Pam immediately grabbed the tag and looked at the price. She winced at the sight and slowly put the dress back on the rack.

Scarlet pulled on her hand, “Go try it on, Mom.”

“It’s way too much for me to buy, baby.”

“I want to see you in it,” Scarlet said, batting her big hazel eyes. Pam smiled and then pulled the dress back off the rack.

“Come on, let’s go see how this looks,” Pam said, pulling Scarlet behind her and taking her into the changing room.

-------

Jim and Mark had met up at Poor Richards around six. Jim was the first to arrive. He sat at the bar and waited for Mark to show up.

“Hey!” Mark said, taking the seat next to Jim.

“Hey, man,” Jim said, giving Mark a hug.

“So…Poor Richards?” Mark asked with a smile.

“It’s tradition,” Jim replied, shrugging.

“You’re telling me,” Mark said, and then caught the bartenders eye. “Get us….two tequilas,” Mark said, shooting up an eyebrow. Jim shook his head.

“I can’t drink like that anymore, man.”

“For good time’s sake…come on,” Mark said, as the bartender slid the shot glass across the bar.

Jim looked over at Mark and rolled his eyes. “I can’t have anymore hard liquor than this, though. I have to drive home.”

“Done,” Mark said, putting the shot glass up to his lips. Jim reluctantly picked his shot up and sucked it down.

“So, how’s the married life?” Mark asked, grabbing a beer and taking a swig.

“Good,” Jim said, nodding. “No major issues yet.”

“And you’ve been married how long?”

“We’re coming up on our six month anniversary,” Jim said, taking a drink from his beer.

“You mentioned a kid?”

“Yeah. Her name is Scarlet. She’s five, and she’s the best,” Jim said, shifting on the stool and pulling his wallet from his pocket. “Here she is,” he said, showing off Scarlet’s picture.

“She’s cute. Pam makes good babies.”

“Oh, yeah. Pam wants more actually,” he said, nodding.

Mark made a face as he sipped on his beer. “More?”

“Yeah. She was talking about it today.”

“Wow,” Mark said, nodding.

“What?” Jim asked.

“Do you want another kid?”

“Yeah. If Pam does, then yeah, I do.”

“So, you could care less,” Mark said.

“I care. I would like a kid of my own…I mean, Scarlet’s mine now but, I guess it’s going to be different when I’m actually the father. You know, I was there for the conception…and all that.”

Mark smiled. “Yeah. That‘s the best part,” Mark said as Jim laughed.

“What about you? What’s up with your love life?”

“Got a girl. Probably will marry this one.”

Jim smiled. “Really?”

“Oh yeah. She’s great. Great body, great personality, makes good money…you know, perfect ten,” Mark said as Jim nodded in approval.

“Where did you meet her?” Jim asked, waving for the bartender to bring two more beers.

“I met her at a bar, actually. She moved to Pennsylvania a few years back. Oh yeah, she used to work at Dunder Mifflin.”

Jim’s eyebrows shot up. “Really? What’s her name?”

Mark swallowed, “Karen.”

-----------

Scarlet sat on the tiny seat in the fitting room as Pam pulled the dress on. Scarlet ‘ooh-ed and awed’ at the dress once Pam had it zipped up. Pam turned, looked in the mirror and sighed. The dress was flattering and hugged all the right places. Pam wasn’t going to pretend that she didn’t like the dress.

“Mom, you should get that for Jessie’s wedding.”

“I know. It’s too much though.”

“So, call Jim. He’ll let you have it.”

“Nah. It’s okay. There are more dresses out there,” Pam said, reaching behind her and pulling the zipper down.

Once she was changed and Scarlet was following close behind her, Pam took the dress back to its rack. When they left the store with Scarlet’s little pink dress, Scarlet noticed the store’s ad sitting by the exit. She grabbed the paper and ran up behind Pam as they made their way out the door.

“Look! It’s got the dress on the front!” Scarlet said, looking down at the model on the front of the catalog.

“I know. It’s very nice but I couldn’t spend that much on a dress.”

After arriving home, Pam and Scarlet took a bubble bath in the master bathroom’s tub. Despite not having Jim around, the evening was a very pleasant and peaceful night. Pam got to have some nice bonding time with Scarlet and let the weeks pressures melt off as she rested in the tub. Once the bubbles disappeared, Pam suggested that it was time to get out of the bath.

“No!” Scarlet cried.

“Come on, you’re a prune!” Pam said, wrapping a towel around her body.

Scarlet sank down in the tub. “What’s a prune?”

“Look at your finger,” Pam said as Scarlet held her index finger up to her eyes. “Now, that’s what a prune looks like. So, if you don’t hurry out of the tub, you’re going to turn into one.”

Scarlet’s eyes widened and she hopped out of the water. Pam wrapped a towel around Scarlet.

“You want lotion?” Pam asked, walking over to her counter.

“Sure,” Scarlet said, finding a seat on the toilet. Pam came back over and rubbed some lotion over Scarlet’s arms. Scarlet took in the smell and smiled.

“There you go. Now you smell good.”

“Like you,” Scarlet said, jumping off the toilet seat. Pam followed Scarlet out of the bathroom and into Scarlet’s room. Pam looked at the clock as she helped Scarlet into her pajamas. As soon as Scarlet was tucked in, read to, and kissed goodnight, Pam went back into her room to pull her hair up into a ponytail and put on her nightgown. As she was looking through the drawer she decided to put on one of Jim’s t-shirts along with a pair of her pajama pants.

Pam wasn’t going to deny the fact that she was missing Jim’s presence. She hated that he didn’t show up after work like normal and give her their usual after-work kiss. The past few days were wonderful between the two of them. They had flirtatiously played around the day before and that night they spent a little extra time taking care of one another. She was on a high and yet, he wasn’t there to experience it with her.

Pam took in the scent of Jim’s shirt. Even though she used the same soap and fabric softener on everyone’s clothes, his smelled different. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but she really felt at home when that smell tingled her senses.

Pam tidied up their room, changed their sheets, and cleaned the bathroom. She looked over at the clock one more time before heading down the stairs to find something else to do while she waited for Jim to arrive. She cleaned up Scarlet’s toys in the living room, put away the dry dishes, and cleaned Allie’s litter box. After Pam had finished all that she could think of, she looked at the clock ticking on the wall and sat down on the couch.

------

“Filipelli?” Jim asked.

“Yeah. She said she knew you.”

“Yeah. That’s all she said about me?”

Mark looked over at Jim. “I think so. Why?”

“No reason,” Jim said, gulping down his beer.

Mark put his beer on the bar with a loud thud. “Wait. You dated her didn’t you?” he said, a smile creeping up on his face.

“Uh, for a few years. Well….we were actually engaged for a short period of time, too.”

“What?” Mark said, taken back.

“Hey, it ended almost two years ago. I’m just surprised that she didn’t mention it,” Jim said, taking a huge gulp of his beer.

“My Karen is the Karen that you dumped?”

“I guess so,” Jim said, shrugging.

“Wow. What is this? I mean, we share a house for a few years and now we’re sharing women,” Mark said with a laugh.

“Yeah. I just can’t believe that all those times that we met up you didn’t happen to meet her. That’s what’s strange.”

“So, why did you end it with her?”

Jim hesitated. “I don’t know, man. I guess she wasn’t the one. We had a different take on things. It just didn’t work out.”

“So, she isn’t a freak or anything?”

“Not that I know of. She’s actually really cool. She might be perfect for you,” Jim said, smiling and looking over at the dart board. “Want to play a game?”

Mark looked over at the abandoned dart board. “Let’s make it interesting.”

-----

Pam turned on the television and found an infomercial to watch. The man on the television was trying to sell a vacuum that could pick up a bowling ball. Pam turned the channel and skipped past Little House on the Prairie reruns, Cops, a late night news show, and finally settled on reruns of Friends. It was the only thing that would probably keep her awake as she waited for Jim to come home.

----

“Drink up, man,” Mark said, taking the darts from Jim’s hand.

“No way. I’m already over my limit,” he said, pushing the shot away from him.

“It’s the rules,” Mark slurred.

“I can’t. It looks like you shouldn’t be drinking anymore either,” Jim said, looking at Mark sway as he stood a few feet away from dart board.

“Nah. I’m cool,” Mark said, throwing a dart. It ricocheted off the board and bounced onto the floor. Mark forewent picking it up and turned to sit down next to Jim. “Maybe not,” Mark mumbled under his breath.

“So, since you’ve been with Karen, tell me something.”

“What’s that?”

“Was the sex good?” Mark said, taking a sip of his warm beer.

Jim shook his head. “That’s not really something….”

“I just want to know…come on.”

“I can’t talk about that. Wait, honestly, I don’t want to even think about it,” Jim said, finishing off his beer.

“I mean, she must have at least given…”

“Hey, let’s not, Mark,” Jim suggested, waving his hands in the air.

“Why not? She’s hot. You gotta agree with me on that.”

“I’m married.”

“So? Doesn’t mean you can’t reminisce about your ex.”

“Yeah, it does,” Jim said, looking at his watch.

“What? You want to get home to the ball and chain?” Mark said, laughing.

Jim’s head was slightly spinning. “No. I just promised I’d be home fairly early and plus, I’m pretty hammered as it is.”

“So, I guess our night is over,” Mark said standing and stretching.

“Yeah. Sorry. Duty calls,” Jim said, shaking Marks hand.

“Hey, I’ll tell Karen I ran into ya,” Mark said, slapping Jim on the back.

“You don’t have to do that,” Jim mumbled as he pushed his shirt sleeves up on his forearms.

“Well, it was nice talking to ya. Take care of the family.”

“Yeah. You too,” Jim said, walking towards the door.

“Night!” Mark hollered out from the bar.

“Bye,” Jim said, as he pushed past the door and out into the crisp, night air.

-----

Pam dozed on the couch when she heard Jim come in through the door. She felt his hand grab hers and give her a nudge. She opened her eyes to see him standing over her. His eyes were heavy and his face flush.

“Hey,” she said, sitting up.

“Hi,” Jim replied, sitting down on the couch.

Pam leaned into his side for an embrace and then quickly pulled away.

“What?” he asked with a look of confusion.

Pam got off the couch. “You smell like booze.”

“I was at a bar, Pam,” Jim said, jokingly.

From Pam’s expression, he could tell she wasn’t in a good mood to play around with.

“I know,” she said, turning off the television and throwing the pillows back on the couch.

“Well, I’m sorry I don’t smell like roses. I just had a few drinks,” Jim said, trying to lighten the mood.

“A few?” Pam asked.

“Yeah,” Jim replied, nodding. “Come on, let’s go to bed,” Jim said, standing and retreating towards the stairs.

“Where are you going?” Pam asked, with her hands placed on her hips.

“To bed,” he slurred out.

“I don’t think so,” she said with an eyebrow raised.

“Are you kidding me? Not tonight, Pam. I’m beat,” Jim said, rubbing the back of his neck.

“I’m not talking about sex, Jim! I waited up for you to come home so we could go to bed together, like you promised me. What happened to ’always going to bed together’ Jim?”

Jim stood in silence. He knew this wasn’t going to turn out well.

Seeing Jim hesitate with his reply, Pam continued speaking. “I’m going up to our room and you can sleep down here.”

“What?” he said, slightly shocked.

“There’s no way you’re sleeping in our bed drunk. You can pass out down here on the couch.”

“Where in the world did this come from?” Jim asked, leaning against the banister.

“I’m not doing this again,” Pam said, shaking her head and looking to the floor.

“Pam, this hasn’t ever happened before. What are you talking about?”

Pam’s breathing became heavier. Tears formed on her lashes. Pam walked past Jim and marched up the stairs. He could hear her sniffles as she walked down the hallway and into their room. The last noise he heard from Pam was the slam of their bedroom door.

“Oh,” escaped from Jim’s lips when it dawned on him what Pam’s problem was.

Neil.

Jim woke early the next morning. The sun hadn’t fully peeked it’s head out when he stretched on the couch. Jim rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands and began to feel the effects of the liquor he had downed the previous night. He yawned as his head pounded and his body ached. His lack of sleep resulted from his conscious keeping him up and the size of the couch not accommodating his height.

Instead of waiting for his hangover to subside, Jim decided to retreat back to his old traditions of taking care of a hangover. He grabbed his tennis shoes by the door, found a pair of his basketball shorts in the laundry room, changed, and headed out for an early morning jog after gulping some aspirin.

As Jim ran throughout the peaceful neighborhood, he couldn’t stop thinking about how much he had screwed up. He knew that Pam was sensitive about drinking since Neil’s death. All the times she told him about how violent and inattentive Neil became with a few beers in his system echoed through Jim’s head. Pam had every right to be angry with him. Jim berated himself as he jogged past the park where Scarlet had been frightened by the thunderstorm. He hated that he had hurt Pam and hoped that she was receptive to his apology when he had the chance to talk to her.

After walking and jogging for almost an hour, Jim decided to head back to the house. The sun had been up for quite awhile now and he hoped that Pam was already up. He trudged through the dewy lawn with his hands on his hips and his head down. His breathing was heavy as he pushed the front door open. As soon as he entered the house he noticed that it was still as silent as it was when he left. Jim bee-lined to the kitchen to grab a cold bottle of water and then topped the stairs to take a shower.

Jim cracked the bedroom door open and peeked in. His eyes flickered over to their bed. The comforter and sheets were in disarray and Pam was lying on his side of the bed. She had her face buried in Jim’s pillow with her arms tightly wrapped around it. Jim slowly entered the room and quickly found the bathroom door and shut it. He breathed a sigh of relief and proceeded to get cleaned up from his jog.

Showers were the best thinking time Jim had. He planned out his days, reminisced about things he had forgotten, whistled at least four different tunes, remembered tasks he needed to take care of and now, he was thinking about the conversation he needed to have with Pam. He never intended to hurt her. He had promised her a hundred and ten percent and he knew that last night wasn’t even up to par. Before dwelling too long on the subject, he rinsed off and snuck a hand out and grabbed the white fluffy towel hanging beside the tub.

He dried his hair and his torso then wrapped the towel around his waist. Stepping out of the tub, he caught a glimpse of Pam standing in the bathroom doorway. He stopped suddenly at the sight of her. Her hair was going every which way and he instantly recognized his shirt engorging her small frame.

With a small smile on his lips, Jim said, “Hey.”

Pam moved uncomfortably out of the doorway. “Hey,” she replied.

Jim walked over to the sink and grabbed his razor and shaving cream. Jim could see her in the mirror behind him. He didn’t know where to start the conversation but he did know how to lighten the mood.

“So, have you become a peeping tom now?” he asked shaking the cream. He smiled in the mirror at her. When he looked up, she was already at his side and nudging her way between him and the counter. Pam instinctively placed her hands on his bare sides and looked up at him. Her eyes were red and her face tired. He could see that she didn’t sleep well either.

“I didn’t mean to wake you,” Jim said, still holding the razor and shaving cream in his hands.

Pam shook her head. “I couldn’t sleep anyway.”

“I’m sorry,” Jim said, not only apologizing for waking her but also for last nights events.

“No, I’m sorry. I just overreacted,” she said, darting her eyes from Jim’s several times.

Jim freed his hands and placed them on her shoulders. Looking into her eyes he spoke, “Not your fault. I was wrong. You had every……”

“Jim, I don’t want to be that type of person that carries baggage. I guess mine and Neil’s marriage really weighed on me and I’m sorry for comparing to it ours. But, I just don’t want things to go sour again.”

“I’m really, really sorry.”

“I know. And, I want you to be able to have a good time and see your friends and….I don’t to be the one controlling your life. I think you’re a pretty big enough boy to make your own decisions.”

Jim nodded. “But, I should have considered your feelings about it before I went to the bar with Mark. It was stupid to assume that coming home sauced would be okay. And, I promised you that we would always go to bed together and I let you down. I’m sorry for….”

Before he could finish apologizing Pam had placed her lips gently on his. Jim deepened the kiss as Pam wrapped her arms around him.

“…everything…” Jim sighed, as they broke the kiss.

“Stop apologizing. It’s done with. Our first big baffle is over with,” Pam said, flailing her hands in the air.

“Thank God,” Jim said, rolling his eyes.

“I missed you last night,” she said, putting her hands on his chest.

“Oh, trust me, I missed you. I missed my big, comfy bed too.”

Pam grinned. “Once I got in bed last night, I just cried. I actually got up in the middle of the night and went downstairs to get you but, you were sound asleep.”

“I’m so sorry,” he said again, pressing his lips to her neck. As Jim kissed the hollow of her neck, Pam moved her mouth towards his ear. She whispered shyly, “I had a long time to think about it while I was alone last night and….I think I want another kid, Jim.”

Jim stopped as her breath tickled his neck. Her words were so quiet and peaceful in his ear. She almost sounded uncertain, like it was a proposition for him. He moved his mouth next to her ear like she had and whispered his response.

“I’ve thought about it and, I think I want another, too.”

Pam caught her breath and smiled. When she pulled away to look at him, his eyes were big, a vibrant green, and held a certain ferocity she hadn’t seen since their very first passionate kiss at Dunder Mifflin. He had an intense expression on his face. She closed her eyes and pressed her lips to his again. This time, Pam felt as if she was losing her balance and grasped onto Jim. Her knees grew weak as he brushed his lips against hers and deepened the kiss gently.

As their breathing picked up, Pam pulled away and put all her weight against the counter behind her. Snapping back into reality, she smiled shyly at him as she took in her surroundings.

“I didn’t mean we had to start now,” she said, rolling her eyes playfully.

“Then where’s the fun in that?” he said, smiling coyly. Pam laughed and then embraced Jim, tucking her head under his chin.

“No seriously, where’s the fun if we can’t start right now?” he asked, making Pam jerk her head upward. Instead of doing it gracefully, she knocked Jim in the chin. He pulled back and grabbed his jaw. Pam immediately grabbed his face in her hands and gasped.

“I’m so sorry!” she screamed, as a look of concern struck her face. Jim rubbed his jaw as Pam held his face in her hands. “I didn’t mean to hurt you!” she said, starting to giggle.

“No, it’s cool. I see your abusive side has returned,” Jim said, teasing.

“I feel so bad right now.”

Pam kept her hands on his cheeks and examined his chin, jaw, and lips. “I didn’t bust anything did I?”

“Nope. I’m all good,” he said, with an evil smile curling up on his lips. “But….you’re going to have to make it up to me.”

Pam dropped her jaw. “Make it up to you? This sounds fishy to me,” she said, placing her hands on her hips.

Jim shrugged his shoulders. “Fine. Since you don’t want to be nice and care for your husband, you’re going to have to give me my shirt back,” he demanded, holding out his hand.

“Come on!”

“Nope. It’s mine and I demand that you return it to me pronto,” Jim stated, still holding his hand out.

“I’ll give it back to you when I change. I’m not just going to give it to you off my back! What do you need it for anyways?”

“What’s mine is mine, Pam. Show a little respect for my things,” he said, sarcastically.

“Oh, I see. So, the whole marriage thing doesn’t apply here?”

“Not one lick. Come on, I’m waiting,” he said.

“No way. I’ll give it you later. How about that?” she said, raising her eyebrows and crossing her arms over her chest.

“Ummm…let me think about that one,” Jim said, placing a finger to his mouth and looking up. “No.”

“No? Jim, I haven’t got anything on under this. You’re going to make me take off this shirt and go nude just because you’re being selfish?”

“That’s exactly the reason, Pam. Now…” Jim said, then clearing his throat.

“You’re being ridiculous!” she said, throwing her hands up in the air.

“Am I? I’m not the one running around in someone else’s clothes.”

“I missed you! It just so happens that the smell of your shirt makes me feel comfortable when you’re not around. So, sue me!”

“Now that I think of it, I might just have to do that if you don’t comply.”

Pam rolled her eyes. “Well, then I guess you’re going to have to give me that towel,” Pam said, nodding towards the towel tightly wrapped around his waist.

“Nuh uh. This is not your towel,” Jim said, shaking his head and grinning.

“Well, if I remember correctly, I brought that from the old house so technically, it is, mister,” Pam said, teasingly reaching her hand out to rip the towel off of his waist. Jim jumped back as her hands came close to pulling it off his waist. Pam reached towards him and Jim grabbed her wrists. She giggled as he caught her arms and tried to deflect her reach.

“The towel is all I have on, so it’s not fair that way,” Jim said, smiling as he held onto her wrists.

Pushing Jim backwards in the struggle Pam smiled. “You’re just trying to get me naked. And, I can play that game too, Jim.”

“Can you?” Jim asked, smiling playfully as Pam’s fight slowly dwindled to her just twisting her wrists in Jim’s hands.

“Oh, so you doubt my abilities?” Pam asked, writhing again in Jim’s grasp.

In one fluid motion, Jim jerked Pam forward and she landed against his chest. Still holding onto her hands, he nudged her mouth towards his and kissed her again. Pam smiled against his lips.

“Okay, I give,” Pam said, pulling her face away from Jim’s.

“Are you forfeiting?” Jim questioned.

“I decided that I should comply to avoid the whole lawsuit thing,” she said, wrinkling her nose.

“Okay, I guess I can let you go now….as long as I can get my shirt back,” he said, cocking his head to the side.

“Done.”

“Fine,” Jim said, letting her hands fall to her sides. Jim crossed his arms over his chest and stared at Pam. “Shirt. Now.”

Pam smiled. She grabbed the bottom of the grey t-shirt and quickly pulled it over her head. She pushed it into Jim’s hands as she smirked at him. Jim tossed the shirt to the side and pulled Pam close to his chest and placed his lips firmly on hers again. Before he knew it, Pam had a fist full of white fluffy towel and it fell to the floor.

-----

After Jim and Pam finished their reconciliation, he dressed and decided to wake Scarlet up. When he entered her room, he found her about to roll off the bed. He gently lifted her back to a more comfortable position and placed a kiss on her head.

Pam stepped into the doorway tying her robe closed. “Whatcha doing?”

“I was going to wake Scarlet up but she looks too cute when she’s sleeping,” he said, smiling at Scarlet.

“They all look cute when they’re sleeping. Then, they wake up,” Pam said, smirking.

“I don’t know how you did it all by yourself,” he said, shaking his head.

Pam leaned against the door jamb. She crossed her arms over her chest before speaking. “I guess what got me through was the hope that there would be another chance to do it right the next time.”

Jim smiled from across the room. Scarlet stirred in her sleep. Both of them watched as she tossed in her sleep and then stopped when she found a comfortable position.

“She’s going to be a good big sister, isn’t she?” Jim asked, whispering.

Pam nodded. “Let’s hope.”

Jim turned and walked towards Pam. As he passed by Scarlet’s dresser he noticed a slip of paper on the edge. He back tracked and looked at the paper. Jim picked it up and held it out to Pam.

“What’s this?”

Pam looked at the colorful paper and shrugged. “She got that at the store last night. I tried on that dress,” Pam said, pointing to the model wearing a sundress.

“You did?” he asked, looking at the advertisement more closely. “Did you get it?”

“Nope. It was more than fifty bucks.”

“So?”

“Jim, it’s too much for a dress I will only wear once.”

Jim placed the paper back down on the desk and wrapped her arms around Pam. They swayed in the doorway. “I can think of more than one place you can wear that dress.”

“Where?”

“Well first off, there’s Jessica’s wedding,” Jim said as Pam nodded. “Then, there is always a date or two,” he suggested with Pam lifting her eyebrows. “Then, you could always just wear it around the house to clean in.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Or…there is another option.”

“What’s that?” she asked.

“Role playing,” Jim said, lifting his brow. “I can see it now,” Jim said, looking off into the distance playfully.

Pam turned and walked away waving her hand in the air. “I don’t want to even know…”

The day before Jim had to leave for the meetings at corporate, he walked into the house to find Scarlet standing in front of the television dancing with her cartoons. Scarlet swayed and jumped when the little owl on the screen began to sing and dance. Jim smiled as he shut the door and caught her off guard.

“Hey, Jim! Look at this!” Scarlet said, waving for him to look at the television.

Jim placed his brief case by the door and pulled off his coat before walking over to Scarlet. He placed his suit jacket on the back of the couch and stood in front of the television with Scarlet. She smiled when the little brown owl began to sing his jazzy tune again. Jim laughed as she mocked the cartoon character’s dance and song. Scarlet began to sing at the top of her lungs.

“I love to sing-a! Of the moon-a and the June-a and the spring-a! I love to sing-a!” Scarlet said, laughing throughout the entire line.

Jim laughed. “Wow. You are too good at that. What are you watching?”

Scarlet spoke through her fit of giggles. “I don’t know. It looks old.”

“I think this was something that I watched back in the day,” Jim said, squinting at the television. He had to admit, that little owl singing “I love to sing-a” was pretty amusing. Cracking another smile at Scarlet as she danced with the music, he turned to greet Pam, who wasn’t anywhere in sight.

Jim began to whistle the tune that was being blasted throughout the living room and that was now permanently etched in his memory. Jim found Pam packing for the wedding in their bedroom. He greeted her with a kiss and a hug.

“How was your day?” Pam asked, folding a nightgown and placing it in her suitcase.

Jim watched as she neatly tucked the nightgown in the luggage. “It was good. You?”

“Fine. The gallery was slow today. Then, Scarlet decided to fill me in on how Matthew Morrison flicked boogers at her all day,” Pam said, shutting the suitcase.

“Wow. That must be better than my story then.”

“What happened?” she asked, with her brow furrowed.

Loosening his tie, he replied, “I flicked my boogers all day too.”

Pam rolled her eyes and swatted at Jim’s arm. “When do you leave out tomorrow?” Pam asked as Jim sat down on the end of the bed and pulled off his shoes. “Um, I need to be out of the house by six.”

Pam pulled some socks and other garments out of her drawer, placed them in her suitcase and zipped it up. “And, you will be meeting us at my parents house on Saturday before the wedding?”

“Yep,” Jim said, making his way into the bathroom, untucking his shirt and unbuttoning it as well. Pam placed a few items into Jim’s suitcase and then turned quickly towards the bathroom door. She caught the bathroom door before he shut it all the way.

Puzzled, Jim asked, “What?”

“Can you let me clean up a few things in there real quick?” she asked, nodding into the bathroom.

“Why? I’m just gonna use the bathroom and change.” Jim said, looking even more confused.

Pam pushed past the door and started picking up a few towels and placing them in the hamper. “Just let me clean it a bit. Give me a second.”

“What’s the big deal? I can stand the mess. It’s not like I can’t pick it up after I’m done,” Jim said, standing in the doorway with his arms open.

Waving her hand towards the door, Pam said, “Please let me clean up the bathroom.”

“What’s going on, Pam?” Jim asked, placing his hand on the doorknob.

Pam continued picking up stray washcloths, clothes, and rubber bands. “Nothing. It’s a mess.”

Still completely befuddled by Pam’s actions, he nodded and went to the bathroom down the hall.

----

After Jim left the bathroom, Pam threw the dirty clothes on the floor and grabbed the trash sack from the wastebasket and tied it quickly. She grabbed the stick on the back of the toilet, read it, and then placed it at the back of her vanity drawer. She slowly shut the drawer and as Jim came back in, she jumped and pushed the drawer inward quickly, slamming her finger.

Pam pulled away quickly and immediately grabbed her finger and squeezed it tight. Jim’s look of confusion melted away as he came up and grabbed her hand and looked at it.

“What’s up with you, Pam?” Jim asked, looking into her eyes. With her face crumpled in anguish, she shook her head.

“I don’t believe you. Something’s up,” he said, lifting his eyebrow.

Slightly grimacing in pain, she shook her head again and looked at her throbbing finger in Jim’s hand. He blew on the little cut above her fingernail. Pam jerked back as the air hit the cut. A little tear trickled down her face as she bit her lip to stop from whimpering.

Jim looked up at her and saw that she was really in pain. “Are you okay?” Pam nodded, still biting on her lip.

Jim placed Pam’s finger under some running water and watched as she adjusted to the temperature change of the water. She immediately knew that he was going to ask again about what was wrong with her.

“That feels better,” she finally breathed out. She wiped the small tear off her cheek with the back of her other hand. Jim was leaned up against the counter with his arms crossed over his chest and a look on his face that only Pam knew was his ‘the jig is up” face.

“What?” she asked, looking down at the water running over her blue fingernail.

“What?” Jim asked back.

“Nothing.”

“Okay,” Jim said, turning and shutting the bathroom door before taking his place at the counter again.

“What?” she asked again, her voice getting higher.

“What’s up with you?”

“I’m fine. This is just a sore finger. I’m okay. I promise,” Pam said, turning off the water and wrapping her finger in a washcloth.

“No, I mean…what’s up with you today? It’s like you don’t want me around you or something.”

Pam looked up from examining her finger. “That’s not it. It’s just been one of those days, you know? No big deal.”

“No big deal? You sure?”

Pam nodded. “Yeah. I think I’m just stressed because of the trip and seeing all the family again. It’s just been an odd day.”

“I don’t….” Jim started, but was interrupted by the sound of Scarlet singing as she opened the bathroom door.

“I love to sing-a, of the moon-a and the….Hey Mom, can I have a snack?” Scarlet asked, with her hand still hanging on the doorknob.

Jim stepped away from the counter. “I’ll get it for you kiddo,” he said, patting her on the head. Before he walked out of the bathroom, he turned to look at Pam. “I need to head to the store in a few. I’m gonna take Scarlet along. Is that okay?”

Pam nodded. “Sure.”

“See you in a little while,” he said, closing the bathroom door shut behind him.

-----

Pam had dinner ready by the time Jim and Scarlet returned. Jim carried in a few bags and set them on the table.

“How was it?” Pam asked, stepping around the kitchen counter and into the dining area. Scarlet smiled and held up a sucker. “Good,” she said with a giggle.

“You gave her candy before dinner, Jim?” Pam said, turning towards him.

Jim looked up and nodded. “Uh…. yeah.”

Pam shook her head and went back into the kitchen to pull the casserole out of the oven. Pam slammed the dish on the stovetop and shut the oven door with a thud. Jim peeked past the hair in his eyes as Pam angrily marched around the kitchen.

Scarlet stood stock still in her place as she watched Pam.

Jim spoke. “Pam, what’s the problem?”

“Nothing Jim!” she said, her voice loud and strong.

“Stop with that! There is something wrong. Look at you!” he said, standing from his seat at the table.

Pam was cutting into the casserole with force. She looked over at Jim with her lips pursed. “I’m fine! You’re the problem.”

Shocked, Jim’s head cocked back. “Me? What in the world did I do?”

“You came home today and decided to be the good cop for Scarlet, I guess. Bribing her with snacks, shopping and suckers. That’s not how you should win her heart Jim!”

Pam kept cutting into the casserole, every now and then slamming her utensil against the dish. Jim looked at Pam with his green eyes burning into the side of her face. She knew he was upset.

“That’s not what I’m doing Pam and you know it.” he said, almost hollering.

“Well, you don’t have to make me look bad because you want to be the good guy.”

“Who made you the bad cop?”

“You did when I married you!” she screamed, pulling off her apron and throwing it on the counter.

“You’re acting ridiculous,” he said, exasperated.

“I am? I don’t think I’m the one acting ridiculous. You’re being an….”

“A what, Pam?” Jim asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

Pam looked at him and then noticed the brownish-red hair behind the counter. As Pam’s eyes widened, Jim looked to his right to see Scarlet slurping on her sucker with a look of fright on her face.

“…asinine,” Pam mumbled.

Jim whipped his head back around to look at Pam. As soon as Pam sees Jim’s reaction to her statement, she almost wanted to smile. Jim’s face portrayed a scared or disbelieving look. His face registered more than one emotion at a time. Scarlet looked back and forth between the both of them before Jim cleared his throat to speak.

“Scarlet, why don’t you go watch your cartoons again.”

“Okay,” she said, skipping off.

When Jim looked back to Pam, she wasn’t facing in his direction and was slumped over the counter.

“What in the world was that?” he asked, stepping over to her.

“I don’t know…” she said, shaking her head, still looking at the rapidly cooling casserole.

“No, Pam. What’s going on? We’ve never snapped at each other over Scarlet before. Let alone, snapped at each other in front of her.”

“I honestly don’t know,” she said.

“Well, I would like you to figure out because you have me believing that you don’t like the way I’m a father to Scarlet,” he said, placing a hand on his chest.

“It’s not that. I just got….I don’t know, Jim. I’m sorry for….starting anything,” she said, turning to face him.

“Are you feeling okay?”

“Why? Do I have to be seriously ill to be cranky?” she said, starting to get an attitude again.

Jim grabbed her hand. “No. You’re just not your self. You provoked an argument in front of Scarlet. That never happens.”

“I just need to go to bed,” she said, rubbing her temple with her free hand. “I’m sorry.”

“Where is this all coming from?”

“Jim, not right now. I’m gonna go up to bed. Is that okay?” Jim nodded as their hands slowly slipped apart. He stood in the kitchen by himself before Scarlet came back in humming that little tune that she had learned earlier.

“You hungry?” he asked, remembering the mutilated casserole on the counter.

“Nope,” she said, skipping away with the sucker bulging in her cheek.

-----

After Jim said his goodnight to Scarlet and told her he would see her in a few days, he headed towards his bedroom exhausted. He rubbed his eyes as he sat down on the edge of the bed. Before laying down next to Pam he looked over at her tangled in the sheets with her head buried under her pillow. He let out a bemused chuckle before turning the laugh off and leaning back against his pillow. As he pulled the covers up to his chin, Pam rustled and he heard her faint voice.

“Jim?”

“Yeah?” he asked, looking up at the ceiling.

“I’m sorry for today.”

Jim nodded and closed his eyes shut. “I know.”

“I didn’t mean to snap. I’ve just been in a mood lately. Forgive me?” she said, rolling over to look at him.

“Of course.”

“You know I hate arguing. Especially about stupid stuff.”

He nodded as the pillow case made a sound beneath his head. “I know.”

“I don’t understand how you just don’t explode sometimes,” she said, giving a little laugh. When he didn’t respond she kept rambling on. “Every now and then I have a period where I get cranky and ridiculous. Maybe that’s why all my relationships don‘t end well,” she said, quietly.

Jim rolled onto his side to meet her gaze. “Hey, couples argue all the time. I think we can handle a few arguments here and there. Don’t think our relationship is going to head down the same path yours and Neil’s did.”

“I know. I just can’t help thinking of all the wrong turns we took.”

“But if you didn’t take those wrong turns, would you be here right now? With me?” he said, pushing a stray piece of hair behind her ear.

Pam leaned forward and placed a kiss on his mouth. “I love you.”

“You too,” he said, whispering into her hair.

“I’m sorry I called you asinine,” she said with a chuckle.

“You did call me asinine. Where did that come from?” he asked, amused.

“Scarlet was in the room. I had to come up with a word she didn’t know was a bad word.”

“That was a good pick but, I don’t think I was being asinine.”

“You have to give me credit. It’s a pretty fancy word.”

“You’re right. Bonus points for you,” he said, putting his arm behind her head.

“Okay, let’s get some sleep. You have to be up in six hours,” she said, glancing over at the clock. She gave Jim a peck on the cheek.

“See you in the morning,” he said, pulling her closer to his side.

----

Pam woke up and rolled over. Her arm flopped over to hit the mattress where Jim was sleeping a mere hour or so ago. She looked around the room through blurry eyes and noticed his suitcase was missing. He had already left without waking her. Pam laid her head back down and pulled Jim’s pillow over to rest her cheek on it.

Pam and Scarlet pulled up to Pam’s childhood home approximately two hours since they started their trip from Scranton. Pam jumped out of the car and quickly unbuckled Scarlet and ran towards the front porch. Before she could ring the door bell, half of her family was out the door to greet her and Scarlet.

Pam’s mother immediately hugged Pam and then pulled Scarlet into a hug full of giggles and tickles. Soon, Pam was reunited with her brother, Phillip, his lovely wife, Samantha and their two children, Nicole and Abby. Then, her father came out to the porch and enveloped her into a hug and also found his way to Scarlet armed with a wet-willie.

"How are you, my dear?" her father asked, bending on one knee with Scarlet and looking up at Pam.

Pam sighed. "Good, dad. It seems like the last few miles get longer and longer when I’m coming home. But, we’re here," Pam said, patting the top of Scarlet’s head.

"And, you say that your man will be arriving later this week?" he father asked, with a squint in his eye.

Pam nodded. "Yup. He’s got this meeting in NYC this week. He’s coming as soon as he can."

Pam’s mother chimed in. "Good. I can’t wait to see that Jim," she said, taking her daughters hand and pulling her inside the house where the bride to be came hustling down the stairs.

----

Meanwhile, in New York, Jim sat in a large conference room full of the other Dunder Mifflin managers, corporate big wigs and one monotone instructor that just so happened to be long winded, too. Jim couldn’t help but try and stifle his yawns.

He knew he didn’t rest well the night before. Pam’s outburst in the kitchen about Scarlet and suckers made him uneasy. He had no clue why Pam was acting awkward all the sudden. He soon dropped his suspicions and listened to the speaker ramble on.

----

Pam hugged tightly to her cousin. "How are you? Ready for the big day?" she asked.

Jessica, a dainty, sweet, and gorgeous young woman blushed. "I’m good. I’m so ready."

"I can’t believe you’re getting married," Pam exclaimed. "Let alone to someone that I haven’t met yet."

Jessica and Pam walked towards the kitchen were the rest of the family was congregating. Scarlet already had a cookie in her hand and was being held by Pam’s father. Her uncle Phil reached his hand around every now and then to tickle her under her arm as his two toe-headed little girls looked on.

"He’s as good as any guy, Pam. Well, the best, actually…" Jessica said, placing a piece of cookie in her mouth and smirking.

Pam giggled. "Every woman thinks that their husbands that best until the new wears off," Pam said, taking a seat next to Jessica at the counter. Pam’s mother joined them and soon shooed the men out of the room to watch a game on television. Samantha entertained the girls with a set of crayons from the kitchen drawer as the ladies chatted.

"Oh, come on, Pam. Don’t you think that your hubby is the best?" Samantha added.

Pam rolled her eyes. "Of course I think he’s the best…but, I’ve come to realize that he isn’t all glamour and ‘knight in shining armor’ all the time." Samantha nodded in agreement.

Jessica grabbed another cookie from the plate in front of her. "Explain," she inquired, with a mouth full of cookie.

Samantha held a hand up to stop Pam. "Wait. I’ve met Jim. He’s charming. Since when has it not been the ‘knight in shining armor’ fairytale? I mean he did try and sweep you off your feet with Roy and then once you were freed from Neil- God rest his soul- he swept you off your feet again. It’s just like a movie," Samantha said, as Pam shook her head with her mother staring on.

Jessica smiled. "See. You don’t have it bad. We’ve all met Jim at the wedding and he’s great."

Pam pulled the cookie plate over towards her and then looked behind her to check on Scarlet still coloring away. "You all say that now. But, you don’t know him like I do."

"What’s so bad about him?" Samantha scoffed. "At least he isn’t anything like your brother," she said, rolling her eyes.

Pam broke her cookie in two. "Jim is the type of guy that follows the ‘five second rule’ like it’s a commandment, leaves his towels on the bathroom floor, would rather give Scarlet sweets instead of a healthy meal, and still loves getting up and watching Saturday morning cartoons with a bowl of fruit loops resting on his stomach. There's more than that, but you know..I'll stop there."

The girls all chuckled. "You’re lucky," Samantha added. "Phil is the type that clips his toe nails and doesn’t pick up the clippings. Talk about a turn off," she said, looking at Mrs. Beesly. "Sorry," she said to her mother in law. Pam then spoke under her breath, "At least you get him to actually clip his toe nails. When we were kids, we’d have to pin him down."

Mrs. Beesly laughed. "Okay, young girls, listen. I’ve been married for almost forty years and it’s never going to be perfect. So…just suck it up," she said, smiling.

Jessica piped back into the conversation. "Well, my Davie is perfect. No comparison. Just wait ‘til you meet him, Pam."

Mrs. Beesly chuckled. "Honey, when I talk your mother next year to check up on you, she’ll probably fill me in on how many times she had to bail you out over the phone. Just don’t expect too much from the poor fellow," she said to Jessica, who looked a little shell shocked. "You’re gonna give him a heart attack," Mrs. Beesly said with a chuckle.

Jessica then stood from the counter and pulled her phone from her pocket. "Speaking of Dave, I should probably find out when he’s gonna show up. He’s always running late," she said, pulling the phone up to her ear and stepping out of the kitchen.

Samantha turned to Pam once Jessica cleared the room and whispered, "Dave is a nice guy. She’s really lucky. You’ll love him."

Pam nodded. "Good. I was hoping she would find someone worth keeping," she said, stuffing the rest of her cookie into her mouth.

----

After dinner, Jessica ran in to Pam’s old bedroom where Pam was tucking Scarlet in for the night.

"Hey, Dave’s here. You want to meet him?" Jessica asked, quietly.

Pam nodded and then looked down at Scarlet and back to where Jessica stood in the doorway. "Yeah, I’ll be there in a minute. I need to give goodnight kisses," she said with a smile.

Jessica smiled. "Okay. We’ll be downstairs."

Once Jessica had left the room, Pam pushed the covers under Scarlet’s chin and pressed her lips to her forehead. Scarlet looked up through her eyelashes and asked, "Mom, is Jim gonna be here tonight?"

Pam shook her head. "Nope. He’s all by his lonesome in New York."

"So, he’s not going to give me good night kisses, too?" Scarlet asked, looking saddened.

"I’m afraid not. But, I’m sure he’ll make it up to you," Pam replied, her heart breaking just a little bit. "How 'bout I give you extra kisses tonight since he's not here?" Pam asked.

Scarlet smiled and nodded and Pam leaned down and laid a few more kisses on Scarlet's face. She then closed her eyes tight as Pam got up to leave. "Good night, Mom. If you talk to Jim, tell him I said good night too," she stated, her voice getting softer.

"Okay, baby. Love you," Pam said, walking towards the door. She turned and looked at her daughter snuggled up tight in her old room, in her old bed, and probably her old sheets too. She smiled to herself and closed the door slowly.

Once she made her way down the stairs, Jessica was standing in the living room with a tall, dark-haired, man in a brown suit jacket and jeans. Pam’s heart skipped a beat as she almost thought it was Jim standing there. Although, Dave’s shoulders weren’t as broad as Jims and his hair was fairly darker, Pam still felt like it could have been Jim standing in the living room.

"Pam, this is Davie," Jessica said, pulling on his arm.

Pam stood and smiled. She held out her hand to shake his. "Nice to meet you, Davie-"

"You don’t have to call me Davie," he said, looking at Jessica. "That’s Jessica’s nickname for me. It’s Dave. Or David. Or Dah-veed, if your of Spanish speaking descent," he said with a chuckle.

"Oh okay," Pam said, giggling. He even had a sense of humor just like Jims. "Dave it is. I’ve heard so much about you. It’s nice to finally see who she’s talking about."

He glanced over at Jessica. "She’s ashamed of me. That’s why I’m just now meeting her extended family-" he joked as Jessica slapped him on the arm with a grin spread across her face.

"Sure," Jessica said, rolling her eyes.

Dave shifted on his feet. "So, you’re the mother of the adorable Scarlet," he said, pointing at Pam with a grin. "I’ve seen her picture many times. It‘s hanging on our fridge."

Pam blushed a little. "Yeah, that’s me. I’m the one that brought her into this world," she said, smiling.

"Well, she’s gorgeous. I can’t wait to meet her," he said.

"She’ll be excited to meet you too. You look and act a lot like her dad," Pam said, with another smile.

Jessica furrowed her brow. "Neil? No way. Neil was….Neil. No way is Davie anything like Neil was-" Jessica stated before being interrupted by Pam.

"No, I mean Jim."

Dave looked confused. "You don’t know who Scarlet’s dad is?" he asked, looking slightly shocked.

Pam flushed again and cracked a smile. "No! I know who her father is!" she said, almost laughing at their lost faces looking back at her. "I was widowed. I married my best friend about six months ago and he adopted her. So…."

"So, you didn’t mean Neil. Good." Jessica said, touching Dave’s arm lightly.

Pam looked to the floor. She may have had a bad relationship with Neil, but she didn’t need anyone to remind her. She had enough reminders everyday.

"So, how is Scarlet dealing with the whole change?" Dave asked, looking intrigued.

Jessica looked over at him and smirked. She then looked back at Pam. "He’s a family counselor. He’s a little nosey."

Dave smiled. "Sorry. I’m always interested in split families and these types of situations. That’s my job."

Pam played with her ring on her finger. "Good. She uh…she seemed to take to Jim well. I think he’s best for her. He’s a great dad. I mean, she just asked me upstairs if he was coming home tonight to give her a bedtime kiss. They’re like…two peas in a pod," Pam rambled, as she found herself getting teary-eyed.

Dave nodded. "You’ve been married how long?"

"Like…six months," she said, looking towards the ceiling, as if it helped her to remember.

"Are you planning on more children?" he asked, then waved his hands in front of him. "Sorry, I’m probably getting too personal. I’ll just stop now…" Dave said.

Pam smiled. "No, you’re fine. More kids? Yeah, we’re workin’ on that," she said, a smile spreading across her face. Jessica jumped and squealed as the words left Pam’s mouth.

Jessica grabbed Pam and hugged her. Pam just stood still looking shocked.

"Wow! A baby? I cannot wait for you to have another baby!" she yelped.

Pam’s eyes were wide. "I mean, I’m not gonna go into detail about anything right now, but we both really want another…and it's a possibility..." Pam said, trailing off and wringing her hands. Jessica’s eyes got wider and she gasped. "What?" Pam asked, looking guilty.

Jessica slapped a hand over her mouth. Pam asked ‘what’ again as she took a step back.

"You’re pregnant now aren’t you?" she asked, taking a step back of her own. Dave put a hand on Jessica’s shoulder.

He said quietly, "You’re just assuming things. Stop overanalyzing everything, Jess."

Jessica stepped away from his touch, still looking intently at Pam. "You’re gonna have another kid, aren’t you?" she asked again, this time in lower tone.

Pam flushed. She twirled her ring on her finger again, willing it to take her away from the conversation. When that didn’t happen, she opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. .

Jessica squealed again. "Oh. My. Gosh!" she screamed, as she ran towards Pam and held her in a hug again.

Pam was flustered. What just happened, she thought. She started rambling. "It’s not for sure. I haven’t told anyone. Not even Jim. I haven’t even been to the doctor yet…I’m not sure…it‘s all so new…."

Jessica was giddily holding onto Pam’s hand and making noises of excitement. Her face was so lit up, Pam thought it might explode.

Pam’s mother came into the room as she heard all the excitement. "What’s going on?" her mother asked, looking confused.

Pam squeezed tight to Jessica’s hand, hoping she wouldn’t blurt it out before she knew for sure or even, before she told Jim. But, Pam’s attempt to keep her from spilling the beans was foiled by Jessica’s over-excitement.

"Pam’s pregnant!" she screamed at Mrs. Beesly.

Pam’s mother’s jaw dropped and she stood still in her place. Pam waved her hands in front of her to try and keep her mother from yelling as well.

"Mom! It’s not for sure and Jim doesn’t know!"

Her mother’s eyes welled up with tears. Pam walked towards her and took her hands in her own. She looked her in the eyes. "Mom, I haven’t told anyone yet and I haven’t even been to the doctor. Promise me you won’t tell a soul. I need your word," Pam said, seriously.

Pam’s mother nodded then gave Pam a hug. "Why haven’t you told Jim?" she asked, as the pulled away from their embrace.

"I just…couldn’t. I wanted to. I thought about it but it just didn’t seem like the right time. I’ll tell him when I know for sure," Pam answered, still holding on to her mother’s warm hands.

Her mother smiled. Jessica and Dave stood behind Pam, smiling as well. Her mother spoke again, "Well, I’m really happy for you. But, you need to tell him. He would want to be included in this moment too, Pam," her mother said, before turning and heading back into the kitchen.

Pam then yelled after her, "Not a soul, Mom!"

----

Jim laid in his bed in his hotel room across from the corporate offices. He had no interest in the television or logging on to the web. He just laid there, looking up at the ceiling, thinking about all the things that happened at the meetings today.

When David Wallace pulled him aside and requested a private meeting with him, he felt a weight being put on his shoulders. And once the meeting was over, Jim felt a heavier weight forcing him into the ground.

Jim’s mind reeled as he thought about the possibilities with Dunder Mifflin. Soon, his thought process was interrupted by the ringing of his cell phone in his pocket. He lazily grabbed at it, pulling it from the confines of his pants.

With his voice tired and gravelly, he answered, "Hello, Pam."

"Were you sleeping?" she asked, sounding exhausted herself.

"Nope. Just laying here….thinking," he said, loosening his tie as he stared back up at the white ceiling.

Jim could hear her smile over the other line. "So, you must be exhausted. All that…thinking…" she said sarcastically.

Her words brought a smile to his lips. "It’s tough work," he said, playing along. He loved that.

"Uh, huh," she said.

"Hey. At least when I think I don’t smell wood burning. I can always tell when you’re in deep thought. It smells like a fireplace at Christmas time," he joked as he pulled his tie over his head.

"Hey!" she said, sounding insulted.

Jim chuckled. "I’m just kidding, babe. You’re thoughts smell like…roses," he said, chuckling.

Pam giggled too. "Wow. Are you drunk or high? Because…I’ve never heard that phrase before. ‘You’re thoughts smell like roses,’" she mocked.

"You’re right, I should really lay off the crack."

Pam was amused. "Yes, you should."

"So, how’s my kid doin’?" Jim asked, shaking his coat off of his shoulders. He heard Pam sigh over the phone before answering.

"She’s good. She asked where you were. You missed goodnight kisses."

"I know. I wish I could get some goodnight kisses of my own right about now," he said, sitting up slightly.

"I’d be more than happy to oblige when I see you…"

Jim sarcastically answered, "No…from Scarlet. Not you."

"I see," she answered, obviously thrown by his sarcastic comeback.

"Yet again, I’m just joking. You know I would rather be there instead of this boring hotel room," he said, looking around and noticing all the stark and bland wall art and furniture.

"Oh, please. You were dying to get out of the house. I haven’t exactly been Mrs. Cleaver the past few days."

"So…true. Maybe I’ll just stay here," he joked, as his eyes lazily shut.

Jim could hear Pam’s voice take a more serious tone. "I’m really sorry. I’ve just got some things on my mind and I haven’t had a great week. Please, just…ignore my behavior."

Jim furrowed his brow. "What’s the matter, Pam?" He needed to know what her problem was. If she can’t tell me, then what good am I as a husband, he thought.

"Oh, nothing. I mean…I guess I’m just stressed."

"About what?" he asked, rubbing his eyes with his free hand. Pam was silent for a few moments. He asked again, "What’s wrong, Pam?"

"Uh, nothing."

Jim felt himself getting upset. He tried his best to control his temper but it seemed to be a combination of frustration and pure exhaustion that caused him to snap. "Okay, Pam. When you want to include me in your life, you know my number," he said, shocking himself.

He heard her sigh again. He thought she was probably frustrated too. "Jim."

"Pam," he said, mocking her tone.

"I’m…just…I don’t know…"

"Seriously. I don’t understand why you can’t tell me what’s wrong. What’s the big deal? It’s probably nothing major…unless you’re cheating on me and you’re moving out, then I don’t really want to know the details…" he started, only being about thirty percent serious.

"Jim. I’m not cheating on you," she said, stifling a giggle. "There is no way I would leave you."

"Good. If that’s not the problem, then what is?" he asked again, hoping she would fess up.

"Uh, okay...um, I have some...uh, how was your meeting?" she asked, trying to obviously change the subject.

"Nice try. I guess our conversation is over. Night, Pam."

"Jim," she said, almost begging him to stay on the line.

"I’ll talk to you in the morning. How about that? You think you’ll be ready to share then?"

"Come on…" she whined.

Jim rubbed a hand over his face. "I don’t think I can take this secrecy thing much longer. This is just frustrating. We kept things from each other for how long? And, look how that ended up."

"Hey, we’re together. That’s all that matters."

"Yeah, but we were about ten years late. So, really, I’ll let you go. When you’re ready to share why we’ve been at each others throats, then give me a call. If not, then I’ll see you in two days."

"I love you, Jim," she said, accepting that he wasn’t going to give up.

"Love you too. Tell Scarlet I love her. Night," he said, before she said goodnight and slapped the phone shut.

Pam shut her phone and sat in the living room in silence. Her phone conversation with Jim didn’t seem to lighten her spirits about being an hour and a half away from him and missing him dearly. She knew that Jim had every right to be upset with her for being so secretive lately. Pam wasn’t exactly being talkative about her problems, which became clear to Pam as, their problems.

She’d seen him upset before but not like this. Either something was nagging at him or he was concerned. That was the only reason for his frustration and Pam knew it.

Her mother came in while Pam was in deep thought. Mrs. Beesly placed her mug on the table and pulled her robe tightly around her as she sat across from Pam. Pam smiled and shifted on the couch to make herself more comfortable.

“How’s Jim?” her mother asked, crossing her legs and pulling her robe down to her knees.

Pam placed her chin in her hands as she leaned against the arm of the couch. “Good, I guess.”

“You guess?” Mrs. Beesly inquired, grabbing her mug off the table.

“I think we just got into an argument,” Pam said, her face not registering any emotion whatsoever.

Mrs. Beesly slowly took a sip from her mug and nodded.

Pam then went on to explain. “Why do all the other women find it easy to tell their husbands that they might be pregnant? I just don’t understand,” Pam said, shaking her head.

Her mother smiled. “Why is it hard? I mean, you want a baby. Just tell him. He’s only going to be excited.”

Pam knew that. She knew that he was going to be thrilled at the prospect of having a child. Maybe that was the thing that scared her the most.

“I know, Ma.”

“Well?”

Pam sat in silence for a few more moments. She then spoke softly. “I remember when Scarlet was really little and one time she asked me and Neil this question about a crying girl she’d seen on television. She said something like, ‘Why is that girl crying? Did her dad die?’ and we both looked at each other and kind of grinned. We thought it was entertaining at the time because…she was like, three. I mean, how does a three year old understand death? Let alone specifically asking if it was the girl’s father?” Pam rhetorically asked, then pausing and looking up at her mom.

She continued as she looked down to where her fingers lightly lingered over the upholstery on the couch. “Instead of telling her what was happening with the girl, Neil asked her, ‘Where do people go when they die?’ and she so sweetly sat there and thought about it. It was like all the sudden she had aged ten years and was digging for the answer. You know what her answer was? She just blankly stared at us, then back at the girl on the television screen and asked, ‘Wal-mart?’” Pam finished, with a smile on her lips and quickly deflecting it as she looked down at her lap.

Mrs. Beesly chuckled with a grin. She then furrowed her brow at the sight of Pam’s demeanor. “Why did you just remember that?”

Pam looked up quickly. “That’s what I think of when I think of having another child.”

“You think of Scarlet asking if people go to Wal-mart when they die?” he mother said, slightly chuckling.

“No. That moment specifically. I mean, it was Neil and me, fielding questions about death to our little girl, who had no idea that one day, her own father would be gone. It just eats at me.”

“So, you’re afraid to tell Jim you might be pregnant because you’re afraid to lose him? Is that what it is?” Mrs. Beesly asked, leaning forward in her seat just a little bit.

Pam’s eyes welled up with tears and they lingered there briefly before spilling over onto her cheeks. Her mother moved over to where Pam sat and rested her arm over her shoulder and squeezed her tight. She spoke softly next to her ear. “Jim’s not like Neil. Or Roy. Or anyone else. You’ve had something tragic happen to you. You didn‘t have the best relationship, you lost a husband, raised a child by yourself, and now, you’re happily married and you‘re pregnant again. This isn’t going to be like last time Pam,” her mother said, as Pam’s sobs filled the living room.

“I keep telling myself that if I hadn’t got married again, I wouldn’t be worrying about this,” she said, trying to suppress her sobs.

“You don’t need to worry about this. You’ll be fine. Jim’s fine and so is Scarlet. Worry just weighs you down three times more than your body. Don’t let this ruin this happy moment,” her mother stated, rubbing Pam’s back gently.

Pam wiped her face. She then pulled her mother into a hug and sighed. Before they broke their embrace, her mother whispered into her ear, “Find a way to tell him. Now.”

Pam smiled and nodded as her mother picked up her mug and walked out of the living room and up the stairs to her room.

----

Jim finally broke his trance with the ceiling, showered and got ready for bed. It was early but today had rendered him an exhausted mess and he was more than happy to put himself to bed before ten. He flicked on the television and mindlessly watched an interesting Unsolved Mysteries. Soon, his eyes became heavy and he quickly fell into a deep sleep.

He had been sleeping almost an hour when he heard a noise that jostled him out of his slumber. Jim didn’t budge, hoping that it was just his imagination or that it was the people in the room next door. As he shut his eyes again, he heard the noise again, at his hotel room door.

He remembered the last time her got up in the middle of the night to check on a suspicious noise. They had just got in from their honeymoon and when he ventured to find the noisemaker, he was sprayed by a black and white foe.

He tipped toed to the door in his boxers and prayed silently that he wouldn’t have to leave his room for any reason. He wasn’t dressed for the adventure. As he squinted into the peep hole, he found Pam, peering in the other side. He quickly grabbed the door handle and pulled it open.

She smiled out the side of her mouth as he inched the door open slightly. He peeked his head around the corner and grinned back.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, his voice heavy with sleep.

Pam shrugged. “I missed you.”

He smiled again and pulled the door open for her to come in. Pam pecked him on the lips as she came through the threshold and passed him. Jim turned as he shut the door and walked back over to where he was resting before.

“How was your meetings?” she asked, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. He sat down next to her with a yawn. “Good,” he replied, stretching.

Pam quietly stated, “Good,” as she fiddled with her wedding ring on her finger.

Jim looked at her and shook his head. “No, really. What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be at your mothers. With Scarlet,” he said.

“I just…I didn’t like the way we ended our conversation and you’re right, I haven’t been fair to you the past few days. If I’m smart, I’ll tell you what’s been going on with me…”

Jim didn’t respond. He just sat there, intently looking on as she tried to find the words. He noticed that she struggled with whatever she was trying to say. Instead of saying anything, she reached over, pulled his face to hers and kissed him. Although he was shocked and slightly confused, he went with it. He couldn’t refuse a kiss from Pam. It was his weakness.

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to his side. Finally, she released his face with her hands and sighed.

“First off, you have no idea how bad I’ve wanted to just sit and talk with you. It seems like all our time is used for other things these days…”

Jim nodded, taking her hand in his and blinking heavily to keep his eyes open. Before Pam could fully explain Jim decided he needed to fill her in on why his mind was else where.

“I feel the same way,” he said. “I need to tell you about a few things too,” he said, as Pam’s smiled.

“Okay, well…go,” she said, turning to face him all the way.

Jim smiled. “Hey, that’s not fair. You came here wanting to talk to me….so, spill.”

Pam shook her head. “Trust me, you’ll wish you waited for what I’ve got to tell you. You go first.”

Jim crossed his arms over his chest. “Are we going to do this all night, Pam? I have meetings to go to in the morning. Make it snappy.”

“Let’s do it at the same time then,” Pam suggested.

Jim shot her a look of confusion. “What?”

“You know, let’s both blurt out what we’ve got to say at the same time so it will be fair.”

Jim shifted on the bed and sighed. “What are we, twelve?”

“Come on,” she insisted, placing a hand on his exposed knee.

He sighed again. “Okay.”

“Count down,” she said with a smile.

They both counted down from three. “Three. Two. One.”

Then, at the same time, both Jim and Pam said what they’ve been dealing with and bottling up inside.

Once each other words echoed in the others ears, they both shot each other looks and gasps. Pam’s mouth was opened wide and Jim had cocked his head back with his eyebrows hitting the ceiling.

“They offered you a position?” Pam asked, looking intently at Jim, who seemed to be having a hard time breathing. His face was red and his mouth was cracked open just a smidgen.

Jim didn’t know how to respond. He was shocked. He was scared. He was happy. He was feeling everything a person could feel at the moment that they find out they’re going to have a baby. He was feeling it, all right. He felt himself become light headed, so he stood and placed his hands on his hips as he walked toward the sink near the bathroom.

When he glanced in the mirror at his bright red face, he caught a glimpse of Pam sitting on the bed behind him. He hadn’t responded yet to her announcement and he could see on her face she was concerned about the news. He took a deep breath and turned around, walked towards her and snatched her up in his arms.

His lips found hers and she gasped at his touch. His arms pulled her closer to his bare chest and he soon came back to reality. Jim could feel Pam’s hand resting over his heart and he just knew that she could feel it about to pound out of his chest.

Once they broke their kiss to get some air, Jim took Pam’s face in his hands. “That’s what you’ve wanted to tell me? Why didn’t you tell me the second you found out, Pam?” he asked, a smile playing on his lips.

Pam backed away slightly and sighed. “It’s not for sure. I haven’t been to the doctor yet,” she said. He pulled her back towards him and kissed her again.

“But, you think you might be?” he asked, with excitement in his voice.

Pam nodded. “That’s why I’ve been acting weird. I wanted to tell you but I didn’t want it to be a false alarm and disappoint you,” she said, biting on her lip.

Jim stood there, holding Pam’s hands between the two of them and just beamed. He didn’t know what else to say. He opened his mouth to speak but no words formed. He knew he did it more than once and quickly shut his mouth when he realized it. He couldn’t even think of things to say at this point. Pam smiled as she watched him ponder their future in his head.

All he could do was kiss her. She accepted every kiss and he could feel her smiling against his lips. She slightly pushed her hands against his chest and chuckled.

“Okay, now. You don’t have to maul me,” she said, pushing her hair behind her ear and sitting down on the bed. “Possible baby on board here, Jim,” she said, laughing.

Jims held his hands out. “I can’t believe you didn’t want to tell me,” he said, sitting down beside Pam again.

“I was just…” she started, looking up into his fierce green eyes starting back at her. “…scared.”

“What? Why?”

“A baby is a big deal. We’ve only been married for like, six months. I didn’t expect it to happen so soon,” she said, laughing slightly to ease the tension.

Jim shook his head. “I can’t believe it.”

“I know,” Pam said, smiling and looking up at him.

“So, you’re excited?” he asked, reaching for her hand again.

Pam moved closer to him. “Yes,” she said, leaning in to kiss him.

“Congratulations,” Jim said, with Pam a mere two inches away from his face. She smiled and sighed, “You too,” and then placed her lips on his.

As they sat there on the edge of the hotel bed, Pam’s purse began to ring. Rather, her phone rang in her purse. She pushed away from Jim’s tender lips. She smiled as she reached over and grabbed her purse from the table. Jim’s hand still clutched Pam’s free hand as she dug through her purse. She managed to find the phone and answer it before it stopped ringing.

“Mom?” Pam asked, concern filling her voice. Jim furrowed his brow and looked on. He mouthed ‘what?’ to Pam before leaning in and placing kisses down her cheek, neck and exposed collar bone.

“Pam, we have a situation here,” her mother said, groggily.

Jim had his face nuzzled in Pam’s neck as she sucked in a breath. “What’s wrong?” she asked, trying to escape Jim’s distracting game.

Her mother sighed and then a loud cry came over the phone. Pam clicked the cell into speakerphone mode for Jim to hear Scarlet’s sobs. He quickly retracted his mouth away from that perfect spot on Pam’s flushed neck.

They heard Pam’s mother try and coax Scarlet to be quiet but didn’t succeed. “She had a bad dream.”

“Oh,” Jim said, taking in a deep breath and looking sadly at Pam. “What can we do from here?”

Pam shook her head and then put her mouth close to the phone. “Mom, put Scarlet on. Tell her it’s us.”

Mrs. Beesly could be heard in the background prepping Scarlet for the call. “It’s your mom and dad. They want to talk to you, babe.” Then there was a rustling and Scarlet’s hiccupping cries could be heard loud and clear.

Pam tried to hush Scarlet. “Scar…please calm down. You’re okay. Nana and Papa are there with you and you’re fine. Okay..”

When Scarlet didn’t stop blubbering, Jim took the phone from Pam’s hands and spoke softly. “Scarlet. Hey, listen, it’s me. What’s the problem?”

“I had a bad dream. The dinosaur was coming after me and it was dark. I ran and ran and it still followed me,” she cried, only breaking Jim and Pam’s hearts more.

Jim looked over at Pam. Pam was obviously upset that she wasn’t there to comfort her. “Babe, can you think of good things?”

“Like what?” she asked, hiccupping again.

Pam smiled as Jim was hunched over resting his elbows on his knees. He held the phone close to his lips. “Like…your toys. Or your kitty, Allie. Or….” Jim started, then looking to Pam for another idea.

“Playing in the backyard…” Pam chimed in.

“Yeah. Can you find some happy thoughts?” Jim asked, hoping to calm his child over the phone.

“I think. Nana says I can sleep with her,” she said, already sounding relaxed.

“Good,” Pam said. “Then, tell Nana to take you back to bed. Make sure you snuggle with her and Papa.”

“I will,” she said to Jim and Pam. Then they heard her tell Mrs. Beesly to take her to bed. “Mom says to take me to bed, Nana!” she hollered as the line sounded cloudy and Mrs. Beesly picked up.

“Thank you!” her mother said in a sing song voice.

Pam smiled and rolled her eyes. “Sorry ‘bout that. I’ll see you in the morning, Mom!”

“No problem. Have a nice evening you two…” she replied before clicking the phone shut.

Pam snapped her phone shut and tossed it back into her purse. She turned to face Jim, who already had his hand wandering over her back.

“Now…where were we?” he asked, dipping his head low to find that spot under her jaw again.

Pam woke to the sound of Jim breathing shallowly next to her. She stirred and rolled over on her side to snuggle up next to him. His face was peaceful and content as he rested. Pam loved how innocent he looked as he slept. Thoughts about their new arrival flashed in her head. Finally, she nudged him enough times to wake him. His eyes fluttered open and he let a smile curl on his lips.

Pam nestled against him even further as she waited for his arm to wrap around her. “Whatcha thinking about?” she asked, running in finger down his arm.

Jim let out a yawn. “Everything,” his said, his eyes widening.

“It’s a lot to take in, isn’t it?” she asked, stretching the kinks out of her legs and arms.

Jim pulled her tight to his side. “Oh yeah. Just think about how many phone calls I’ve got to make,” he laughed.

Pam giggled too. “You know, you should probably hold off on that until we know for sure.”

Jim smiled. “Oh, I’m not worrying. If you weren’t pregnant before, you are after last night.”

Pam’s face flushed. “Jim Halpert!”

“What?” he asked, taken aback. “I was at the top of my game last night. It’s a shoo-in.”

“Literally,” Pam coughed.

“Oh my God. You did not just say that. That’s worse than ‘that’s what she said,’” Jim said, sitting up in bed and pulling the covers up with him. Pam pulled back on them to cover her bare skin.

“Give them back,” she said, tugging on the end of the floral printed comforter.

“I don’t think I can,” he said, teasingly. “You came here last night and seduced me.”

Pam pulled hard on the covers again. “Yeah, that was my intention,” she said as she rolled her eyes.

“It was,” he stated, leaning over and catching her lips with his. After their kiss, they both leaned back against the headboard in silence. Pam successfully grabbed a sufficient amount of sheets to cover her flushed skin.

Pam then remembered Jim’s news. He had been offered a job at corporate. In his excitement about a baby, they had completely forgotten about his offer.

“You got offered a job here in New York?” she asked, looking up at the side of his face.

He sighed and then looked over to where she was staring up at him. “It’s no big deal,” he said, carelessly as he tossed the covers off his body and got off the bed.

Pam watched as he went into the restroom and shut the door. She couldn’t help notice his indefinable expression. She grabbed her shirt and threw it over her head and found the rest of her clothes in a pile next to the bed. She put each piece back on and went to the bathroom door and knocked.

She heard him start running water for the shower. She knocked again and cracked the door open. “Jim?”

From the other side of the door he spoke. “I’m just gonna hop in the shower real quick. You don’t mind, do you?”

“No. Go ahead,” she said, a little concerned they hadn’t been able to share excitement in his job offer.

Pam paced the hotel room while she waited for him to emerge from the bathroom. Tired of waiting, she grabbed the bathroom door handle and barged in to the foggy bathroom.

“Hey, Jim…”

He peeked his head from behind the shower curtain. “What’s up?”

“Do you want the job?” she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

Jim smiled. “It’s not priority, Pam. We have more important things to worry about,” he said, slightly shaking his head and pushing the curtain back to keep the water in.

Pam sat down next on the closed toilet situated beside the bathtub. She looked straight at the wall on the other side of the bathroom. She couldn’t help from wanting him to be able to have this opportunity.

“We could work it out,” she said, hoping for an answer.

There was silence until Jim spoke. “Pam, seriously. It was just an offer. I’m passing on it.”

“Why?” she asked.

Jim sighed from deep within the bathtub. “We can’t move just because of a job offer. There’s no guarantee that I’ll get paid enough to live in the city and be able to support the family.”

“At least consider it before you shut it down, Jim.”

Jim shut off the running water. “Towel,” he stated, holding a hand out. Pam placed an oversized towel in his hand. He poked his head out of the curtain, “Let’s not talk about this now. How ‘bout that?” he said, sounding stiff and irritated.

“M’kay,” was all Pam could say before she got up and walked out the bathroom door.

Pam waited in the chair on the other side of the room. Jim finally came out of the bathroom with the towel tightly wrapped around his waist. It reminded her of their first vacation together at the resort. They both had went scantily clad in nothing but a towel that weekend on one occasion. She smiled to herself as Jim shuffled through the closet and pulled out a suit and shirt. .

“So, what‘s on your agenda today?” Jim asked, hanging his clothes on a hook located on the bathroom door.

“I’ve got to head back to Mom’s. I told her last night I would be there this morning. So, I need to leave soon,” she said, standing.

“Okay,” he nodded, making his way back into the bathroom. He emerged a few minutes later with his clothes on. He was buttoning up his long sleeved shirt as he walked over to her.

“So, what are you going to tell David Wallace?”

Jim looked down at his feet. “Pam, I’ve told you. I’m not taking the job.”

“Why? I don’t understand Jim. We can figure this out.”

“No. That’s it. No,” he said holding out his hands. He sat down on the bed and proceeded to put his shoes on.

“Why? Because now that we might be having another baby you need to be Provider Jim all the sudden? Throw your dreams into the trashcan? Can’t go after your career now?” she patronized. She knew she was egging him on.

“What career?“ he asked, sarcastically. “Look, it’s for the best. We can stay in Scranton, stay out of debt, have the same old routine for a few more years, and live happy, normal lives. I’m fine with that.”

“Don’t give up so easily, Jim.”

“We’re not even six months into our mortgage, Pam. We’re there for thirty years. We can’t just uproot now. There’ll be other opportunities for me. Coming to NYC isn’t the last offer I’ll get. Well, I hope not at least,” he said, standing.

“We can work around the mortgage. There are ways,” she said, hoping to convince him to consider the offer before turning it down.

He placed his hands on her arms and pecked her lightly on the lips. “Thank you for being so supportive but, I think I’m going to have to pass.”

Pam nodded. “Fine.”

Jim smiled. “That’s it? Fine? You’re not going to put up a fight?”

Pam lifted an eyebrow. “You want a fight? Because I have a lot of fight in me,” she said, smiling.

“I know you do,” he said, hugging her close to his chest. He released her and she stepped back, looking him over before grabbing her purse and her keys.

She pecked him on the lips as she walked towards the door. “So, you’re headed back to tell everyone you know that you’re birthing my child, right?” he asked, jokingly.

Pam smiled. “Very funny.”

Jim turned as he remembered something. “You haven‘t told Scarlet yet, have you?”

She shook her head. “No.”

“Are you gonna wait?” he asked, pulling his tie around his collar.

“I thought it would be nice for both of us to be there…for that,” she said. “As bad as I might want to right now, I think when I get home, I’m going to take a hundred hour nap instead.”

“A hundred hours? That’s not a nap, Pam. I’m pretty sure that’s a coma,” he said, sarcastically. He playfully pretended to think hard about it. “Yup…a coma,” he said, looking up towards the ceiling.

Pam swatted his arm and leaned in for another kiss. “I’ll see you tomorrow night, right?”

“Yup,” he said, lingering next to her lips.

“Good,” she said, opening the door and walking out of the room.

Jim waved casually as she smiled and headed towards the door. Before he shut the door, he heard Pam offer one last bit of advice.

“Tell David you’re going to think about it!” she hollered down the hall.

Jim rolled his eyes as he shut the door, “Goodbye, Pam!”

-----

Pam opened the front door to her parent’s home to find no one occupying the living room. The house seemed too quiet and still. Pam walked around the corner towards the kitchen and yet again, no one was there. She panicked briefly before hearing Scarlet’s laughter in the backyard. Pam went to the kitchen window and peered out to see her family gathered around a table and some lawn chairs.

She went to the screen door and stood there, taking in her beautiful family. Her parents were sharing a laugh and looking each other deeply in the eyes. Pam loved that her parents were still very much in love. Her focus then turned to her daughter sitting on a swing in the backyard giggling as she sang the tune that Jim had taught her.

“Just a swingin’…swingin!” she sang at the top of her lungs. Mrs. Beesly chortled as Scarlet kept them entertained.

Her brother Phil was sitting at the picnic table sipping his drink and casually talking to his wife. He held her hand gently as they spoke and Pam smiled to herself at the sight. She remembers when Phil told her he knew the girl he was going to marry. He was so sure and so positive about the future. She only wished she had that type of courage with things of the unknown.

Pam finally pushed passed the screen door and was greeted by her family. Of course, Scarlet jumped off the swing in mid-song and hugged her knees. Pam placed kisses on the top of her head and made sure to see how she was since she had nightmares the night before. Pam knelt on her knee to look Scarlet in the eyes.

“How was your night?” Pam asked.

Scarlet rested her hand on Pam’s shoulder. “Fine. Papa snores and Nana talks in her sleep. Papa doesn’t cuddle like Jim does…I missed you…”

Pam laughed. “We missed you too. We’ll definitely be snuggling tonight,” Pam said, pushing Scarlet’s hair out of her face.

Scarlet’s eye lit up. “Jim’s gonna be here tonight?” she asked, eagerly.

“No. Sorry, hun. He’ll be here in time for bedtime tomorrow night.”

“Oh,” Scarlet said before Pam grabbed her hand and lead her to the chairs where her parents greeted her with warm smiles.

“How was Jim?” her mother asked, getting a glimmer in her eye.

Pam sat down next to her mother in the lawn chair. “Good. He‘s good.”

Her mother smiled. “Good,” she said, taking a sip of her tea. Her father looked on, slightly confused by their conversation. Her mother quickly pulled her tea cup away from her lips and happily looked at Pam. “You got something in the mail today.”

Pam shot her a look of confusion, just like her father did a moment before. “Huh?”

Her mother sat up. “Yeah. The mailman left it on the doorstep. It’s in the kitchen,” she said.

“Oh,” Pam said, standing and walking back into the house. Once inside, she found the white box with UPS markings all over it. There was no return address except Pam found the tracking code that told her it had been sent from Scranton. Pam pulled a knife out of the drawer and cut into the tape over the box.

When she opened the box, there was a note and an array of tissue paper before her. She picked up the little note and read it before plunging her hand in to dig into the contents. The scrawl on the paper was Jims. There was no doubt about it. It read:

Pam pushed the white tissue paper out of the way and her hand came in contact with the lush soft fabric. With one hand over her mouth, she pulled the dress out of the box and brought it close to her chest. It was the dress she wanted and decided she couldn’t afford. She remembers both Scarlet and Jim urging her to get it and instead of listening to them, she had decided to bring an old sundress she disliked. But now, she was holding something that she didn’t really need, but something that she really wanted.

Pam turned when she heard someone enter through the kitchen door. Her mother and Scarlet came in and when they saw the dress, both smiled. “Pam! Where did this come from?” he mother asked, taking the dress and holding up against Pam’s body.

“Oh, Jim and Scarlet gave it to me,” she said, looking down at her daughter, who was swaying back and forth.

“For what?”

Pam took the dress and looked at it. “I tried it on and thought it was too much to buy for the wedding. I guess Scarlet kept the ad from the store with the dress on it and Jim found it….Man, this…is the sweetest thing…”

Scarlet reached out a hand and grabbed hold to the fabric. “Jim liked it. He took me to go get it from the store. We found it and got it. Then, he said he was going to mail it to you…and, here it is!” she said.

“It’s gorgeous, Scarlet. Thank you so much!” Pam said, kneeling and hugging Scarlet warmly.

As Pam stood, she looked up to find her cousin Jessica putting her wedding planner on the counter and sighing.

“What’s goin’ on?” she asked, her eyes focusing on the dress in Pam’s hands. “Oooo! Is that the dress you’re going to wear to the wedding?”

Pam nodded. “Yeah. Is it too much?” she asked, holding up again.

“Not at all! You’re gonna look hot!” Jessica said, taking the dress from Pam and examining the tags. She handed it back with a smile. “Not a bad price for that type of material. It’s very pretty,” she said, taking a seat at the counter and opening her planner.

Pam smiled as she ran the fingers over the fabric. “It is. I guess I need to call Jim and thank him,” she said, looking around for her purse with a glow to her face. Once she found it, she fished her phone out and dialed Jim. Scarlet had already headed back outside and could be heard singing again.

“Scarlet is as pretty as….” she sang, sweetly.

Pam couldn’t get an answer from Jim. She figured it was because he was in meetings again all day. She forewent leaving a message and just decided she would talk to him in the evening. If not, he would be arriving tomorrow night anyways.

Her mother poured herself another cup of tea as she leaned against the counter. “So, Pam…what are your plans for today?” she asked, sounding a little mischievous.

Pam folder the dress lightly as she spoke to her mother. “Well, I don’t know. I guess just hang around here…”

“Why don’t you and I go out for a little while? What do you say?” Mrs. Beesly asked, raising an eyebrow.

Pam grabbed the white box up and rested it on her hip. “Um..okay. What are we doing?”

“Just gonna go…you know, hang out…mother-daughter stuff.”

“That sounds nice Mom, but what about Scarlet?” Pam asked, leaning against the counter herself. Her mother swallowed her drink, “Dad will watch her. Phil and Samantha will be here and the girls will be here as soon as schools out. She’ll be fine.”

“You sure?” she asked.

“Absolutely. Now, go get cleaned up…we have to be there by 1:30,” her mother said, pushing Pam towards the stairs.

“Be where by 1:30?” Pam asked, looking over her shoulder at her mother.

Her mother turned quickly and quietly mumbled, “Nowhere, dear…” Pam could only wonder what was in store for her the afternoon.

“Honestly,” Jim said, shifting in his chair. “I don’t think I can do it at this time. I really appreciate the offer-”

David held up a hand, “Whoa. I’m not going to take no for an answer. We really want to promote you. What is it? Do you need more pay? Do you want a better office?”

“No, no, no. It’s not that…I just have some priorities that come first and this job isn’t really…at the top of my list at the moment. Not that…it’s not a great offer- because it is- I just can’t right now,” he said.

David leaned forward. “How long do you need?”

“I don’t know. That’s the thing…it could virtually be… years.”

David looked down at his desk then shuffled some papers in front of him, obviously not happy. “Well, thank you for coming, Jim.”

“No, thank you. I normally wouldn’t turn an offer like this down. I mean, it’s a great job and good pay. I’m crazy for not doing it, I’ve just got a family to consider,” he said, nodding.

“Understandable,” David said, solemnly, as he stood to walk Jim out.

“Thank you again,” Jim said, standing and shaking David’s hand.

“Good luck, Jim,” David said before opening the door for Jim. Jim gave a nod before walking out of the office. For some reason, he couldn’t help but think he left one of the best offers he’s ever had slip through his fingers.

-----

“Where are we?” Pam asked, looking side to side out of the windshield.

Pam’s mother pulled into a parking lot and parked the car. “Don’t you remember? This is Dr. Stauffer’s.”

Pam turned her head towards her mother. “Please don’t tell me that this is where you’re taking me.”

Pam’s mother smiled and turned off the car. She grabbed her purse and slung the strap over her shoulder. “I made an appointment for one thirty. You’re going to be late…”

“I’m going to be late? You made me an appointment?” Pam asked, looking shocked and confused.

“Come on. You said you weren’t going to tell anyone you were pregnant until you knew for sure. So…here we are.”

“Mom!” Pam yelped.

“What? You needed a little pushing,” her mother said, opening her car door and getting out. Pam sat in her seat, with thoughts reeling in her head.

“I think I can go to the doctor on my own time, Mother!” she nearly hollered. “Plus, I want Jim here.”

Pam’s mother walked around and opened the Pam’s door. “Don’t you want to be able to know for sure and tell people? Please, Pam. For me?”

Pam sighed. “Mom, I can wait. This just seems so…I don’t know…weird.”

“Hun, are you seriously not gonna go in? I mean, what else is Dr. Stauffer going to do during the one thirty appointment? Look at my bunions?” her mother said, a sly grin on her face.

Pam cracked a smile too. “Mom. I can take myself to the doctors. I don’t need my mommy holding my hand or making my appointments for that matter,” she said, unbuckling her seatbelt.

“Fine. Go in there by yourself and I’ll walk down to the coffee shop over there,” she said, pointing over her shoulder.

“Deal,” Pam said, getting out of the car. She walked a few paces towards the doctors office and then turned around. “You’re not mad at me, are you?”

“Not at all. You can go to the doctors by yourself,” she said, taking a step onto the sidewalk.

“Okay,” Pam nodded, as she turned and opened the office doors.

Pam walked into the stark office that she remembered from her childhood. It was white, plain, and often times, cold. She hadn’t been to Dr. Stauffer in years and the last time she had, it was to get birth control when she was dating Roy. Boy, how my life has changed since then, she thought, walking to the counter to check in.

She signed in and grabbed a chair near the magazine rack and the toys. She sat quietly for a few moments, realizing that in a few hours, she would know if she was going to have another child. the opposite. She knew that Jim would take care of them and be supportive. Her only concern was that if something ever happened to Jim, she would be left alone; again. Pam couldn’t fathom being alone with two children to raise.

Soon, a red-headed nurse called her name and escorted her back to an examination room. The nurse asked her the normal questions and then had her take a little plastic cup into the restroom. After Pam got over the fact that she thought it was demeaning, she did her business, and handed the cup to Dr. Stauffer, who was waiting in the room for her to finish.

“Thank you, Pam,” he said, taking the cup from her. “How have you been all these years?” the slightly overweight, balding physician asked her.

Pam found her place on the examination table again. “Good.”

“Are you living in town?” he asked, scribbling something on his notepad.

Pam shook her head. “No. I’m in town for a wedding. I live in Scranton now with my husband and daughter.”

“You have a family? Wow. I can’t believe you’ve grown up…” he said, shaking his head.

“Me either.”

“How old is your daughter?” he asked, labeling the cup in his hands.

“She’s five.”

“And, is she ready for a sibling?”

“I don’t know. She hasn’t really asked about any baby brothers or sisters. So, if I am pregnant, this might come as a shock to her,” Pam said, chuckling uncomfortably.

“And your husband…is he ready for another?”

“Definitely. Well, this will be his first. My second.”

“Oh, I see…” the doctor said, signing the bottom of a form.

Pam sighed. She found that telling her story to almost complete strangers was useless these days. They would never understand fully as to what happened to her, Scarlet, or Jim. It was something that couldn’t be learned unless it was by personal experience.

“Well, that about does it for now. We could have the results in as early as five o‘clock this evening or tomorrow morning,” he said, handing her a form and escorting her towards the door. “Thanks for coming in. I’ll contact you when I know.”

“Thanks,” Pam said, folding the paper.

“Take care, Pam.”

Pam passed through the empty waiting room and hurried out the door. For some reason, she felt relieved to leave there quickly and took in a deep breath as she found the sidewalk. Her mother was standing a few yards away, looking into a boutique with a cup of coffee in her hand.

“You’re all done?” her mother asked, sipping on her cup.

“Yeah. Can we go now?” she asked, seemingly in a hurry.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I’m just tired….and stressed…and I want to call Jim. So, let’s go.”

“Okay…” her mother said, digging her keys from her purse and heading towards the car.

-----

Back at the house, virtually everyone that was in the wedding party was standing in the Beesly’s living room. Jessica had them all spaced perfectly and practicing the run-down of tomorrows events. Jessica nervously bit her bottom lip as she instructed and thought about the mechanics of how each couple was supposed to exit the stage.

“…if you just move over…” she said, positioning a tiny blonde girl over to the right and knocking into someone she’d only seen a few times before. Jessica looked up and chuckled.

“Sorry…” he said, then snaking out a hand to shake hers. “I’m Jim. You must be the bride.” he said, smiling and looking around the room full of people.

Jessica smiled. “Yes. Jim….it’s nice to see you again. I’m…”

“Jessica…” he finished. “I met you at my wedding and I haven’t stopped hearing about you since your engagement. Nice to see you again,” Jim said, shifting on his feet and messing with his ties. He held his briefcase and his luggage sat on the floor next to the door. “Do you happen to know where Pam and Scarlet are?” he asked.

Jessica glanced around the room. “No…Pam and her mom went out a few hours ago. I think Scarlet is with Phil…”

“Oh,” Jim said, nodding dejectedly.

Dave walked over towards Jessica and placed a hand on her back. “Hey, where does Mitch stand?” he asked, interrupting her and Jim’s conversation.

“Uhhh…” Jessica said, glancing away from Jim only momentarily. “I don’t know yet…give me a sec.”

Jim took a few steps back. “I’ll get out of your way. But before I do, do you happen to know where I’ll be staying? Or at least where Pam’s stuff is?”

“Um, I think Scarlet was staying in Pam’s old room if you wanna put your stuff up there….” Jessica said and then grabbed a hold of Dave’s hand. “Wait….why don’t you help Jim put his stuff upstairs,” she said as Dave nodded. He introduced himself and then assisted Jim in lugging his suitcases up the wooden staircase.

“So, you’re Pam’s husband?” Dave asked, lifting the luggage from the floor.

Jim nodded. “Yeah. And you’re marrying Jessica?”

“Yeah,” Dave said, nodding and carrying the suitcase by the handle. They made their way up the stairs in almost complete silence.

“So…” Jim said, as he navigated his way into Pam’s old room. He had been in it before when they celebrated the fourth of July at the Beesly’s. He poked fun at Pam for all the pink and the photos strewn across the room. Back then, it gave him sense of who Pam was but now, it gave him a better sense of who Scarlet was going to become.

“How did you meet Pam?” Dave asked, placing the suitcase at the foot of the bed where Scarlet’s bag was sitting.

Jim broke from his trance of staring at Scarlet’s things and smiled. “Oh, ummm…we worked together a long time ago. Well, it was more than just working together. We were like…best friends then.”

“You were?” Dave asked, compelled by Jim and Pam’s relationship again.

Jim shifted across the room and sat down his briefcase. “Yeah…well, I left…then came back…and then she left and got married and then one day I found her kid….and that’s that,” he grinned as he though back to nearly a year and a half ago when he saw Scarlet crying in the produce aisle.

Dave nodded and started heading towards the door. Jim caught him before he left. “How did you meet Jessica?”

Dave smiled and glanced out the door to the hallway momentarily. “I bought her bleach.”

Jim chuckled. “How sentimental.”

“It was to her,” he said, smiling. “She used to teach a CPR class and one day I just so happened to help her. I bought her bleach to sterilize some stuff…that’s how it happened,” Dave said, smiling. “For the two bucks I spent…I think I got a lot more than just the bleach.”

Jim nodded as he smiled. “Thanks for the help, Dave.”

“Nice to meet you…” he said, as he waved and trotted down the stairs to where his bride stood impatiently waiting on him.