“Momma!”

Pam was startled from her art-induced reverie by the shriek of her young daughter Olivia as she came tearing into the garage, followed closely by the family’s labradoodle puppy, Boomer. Pam dropped the paintbrush and it clattered to the floor, sending droplets of violet paint across the tarp laid out beneath her. Pam looked annoyed momentarily, but it quickly melted away when Olivia jumped onto her lap with a huge grin on her face. Boomer barked at Pam’s feet, jumping up and putting his front paws on her lap. The Terrible Twosome were causing a ruckus as usual, and Pam knew if she didn’t get the situation under control quickly, she didn’t stand a chance against them.

“Livy, careful babe, you almost knocked over Mommy’s easel.” Pam shifted her weight on the stool and slipped her arms around her daughter’s waist to keep her from falling. Pam’s voice was not harsh with her daughter as she gently redirected her attention. “What’re you running from Boomer for?”

Olivia grinned devilishly, her green eyes twinkling. “Because of…” She reached into the front of her overalls and pulled out the pup’s favorite chew toy, causing him to bark incessantly once again as she purposely squeezed it and made it squeak. “…THIS!” Olivia waived the hamburger-shaped toy in Boomer’s face then flung it across the room, sending the puppy bounding after it. It hit the wall with a loud thwack, giving off one final squeak upon impact until Boomer sank his teeth into it and lay down right there to commence chewing.

“Oh dear…” Pam muttered under her breath. She knew that look very well, understood the mischief lurking behind those bright eyes and that smile. Olivia Jane Halpert was definitely her father’s daughter, no question about it. Today it may have been lovingly tormenting the dog, but who knew what tomorrow would bring; Pam was certain she would eventually be finding her art supplies encased in wiggling domes of Jell-O.

Before Pam could say anything else, Olivia was off her lap and lying on the floor beside Boomer, rubbing the soft fur behind his ears. She was whispering to him and though Pam could not make out what she was saying, she was sure it was something sweet; Olivia was smiling and dropping kisses on Boomer’s head. The puppy didn’t seem to mind Liv’s ministrations as he happily continued gnawing on the hamburger.

A soft cry from the baby monitor that Pam had propped up on the ledge of her easel distracted her before she could pick Olivia up from the messy floor. Liv heard it too and jumped to her feet, momentarily forgetting Boomer in order to rush as fast as her little legs could carry her toward the increasingly loud wails of her baby brother. Pam followed quickly behind, knowing if she didn’t get there first then Liv would practically be in the crib with Jackson, trying to soothe his cries.

“Olivia Jane, wait for Mommy!” Pam called, nearly being tripped up by Boomer, who also was suddenly caught up in the flurry of activity that had left him alone in Pam’s studio. He tore down the hall after Liv and Pam arrived in the nursery last, as usual. Olivia was at the crib, which was now painted beautiful shades of blue and green, much different than when Olivia had occupied it three and a half years earlier. Olivia’s face was pressed against the rails and one thin arm was snaked through, gently touching the crying infant’s soft hair.

“Hush widdle baby, hush widdle baby…” Liv sang, off-key but confidently none-the-less.

“Careful Liv, let Mommy pick Jack up.” Pam gently moved Olivia aside and picked her son up, cradling him against her and humming softly, swaying in place in an attempt to calm him. “Jackson, it’s okay, Mommy’s here…” She kissed his forehead softly and sat in the rocking chair, tucking in one of his baby blankets around him.

“Momma, when is Daddy coming home?” Olivia loved her little brother, but she grew bored of him quickly, especially when he occupied Pam’s attention. Liv knew her daddy would pay her all the attention she wanted, if only he were home from work.

Pam glanced at the clock on the wall, adorned with matching swirls of the dark shades that Jackson’s crib had been painted in. “He’ll be home in a few minutes. Why don’t you sit at the front window and watch for him?”

Olivia’s face broke into a grin. “YES! Come on, Boomer, we have to watch for Daddy!” She was off in a flash once again, thundering through the house with the dog at her heels.

Nestled securely in his mother’s arms, Jackson slowly opened his eyes and stared up at Pam. She rocked back and forth in the chair as he wrapped his tiny fingers around her index finger. Pam marveled at the differences between Jackson and his big sister. Just as she was now as a four year old, Olivia had been a noisy baby. A good baby, but a noisemaker – always cooing and babbling, then talking and singing. She’d been on the move from the time she’d learned to roll over, but Jackson was different. He was much quieter, unless he was unhappy – then he was a wailer. But for the most part, Jackson James Halpert was content to observe whatever happened to be going on around him. In his three short months in the household Jack had certainly seen a lot, mostly thanks to the Olivia and Boomer Show.

A loud crash from the living room startled Pam, though she was relieved that it was not followed by any crying from Liv. That was a good sign. Pam got to her feet, Jackson wide-awake now, and made her way to the living room to see what was going on.

“Momma, don’ get mad, I can es’plain…” Olivia sat on the living room floor, surrounded by piles of DVDs. The three-shelf bookcase was face down beside her and Boomer was nowhere to be seen.

“I’m sure you can, Liv. And I’m sure it’s a great story,” Pam replied, not at all surprised. “Were you climbing again?”

Olivia grinned sheepishly. “Yeah…But Boomer made me! He was chasin’ me!”

“Well what did you do, steal one of his toys again?” Pam grabbed the baby sling that was lying over the back of the recliner and maneuvered it around her shoulder until it was secure, then swiftly slipped Jackson into it so her hands were free to help Olivia pick up the mess.

Olivia nodded and began stacking the various movies that were strewn about. Pam still had a protective arm holding Jackson as she reached down and lifted the small bookcase back to its upright position. She sat down crossed legged on the floor beside Liv and taking the stacks she was creating, putting them back on the shelves in no particular order. The process was a slow one; it seemed as though every other movie was Olivia’s ‘favorite movie!’ and she wanted to watch it that very moment.

They sat there together for several minutes, looking over the numerous movies they’d collected since Olivia’s birth. Neither heard the front door open at first until Boomer started barking excitedly. Olivia tossed aside a copy of ‘Lilo and Stitch’ and jumped to her feet.

“Daddy!” Liv shrieked, flinging herself into Jim’s arms mere seconds after he’d dropped his coat and briefcase in the chair. “Look what Boomer did!” She pointed to the mess on the floor as Boomer sat at Jim’s feet, wagging his tail.

“Hmmm, he’s pretty talented I guess, huh?” Jim tossed Liv onto his shoulder as if she were a sack of potatoes and began tickling her feet with one hand as the other remained securely around her waist. She wiggled and shrieked and did her best to escape his grasp, but it was no use.

“Momma! Heeeeelp!” Liv pleaded, out of breath from the combination of laughing and squealing. Her arms were outstretched in Pam’s direction, but Mom remained out of reach.

“I don’t know kiddo, I think you’re on your own.” Pam winked at Jim, who let up for a moment.

“So, Boomer made that mess?” Jim removed Liv from his shoulder and held her out in front of him. “Because I’m pretty sure that you might just be fibbing a little bit.”

“Well, I might have helped him…” Olivia finally wriggled out of Jim’s hold and dropped herself to the floor, where she resumed helping Pam put them back on the shelves. Jim followed and sat down beside his wife, putting a hand on her back and leaning in to kiss Pam’s cheek.

“And how was your day?” Jim asked as he pulled away, put took a peek at Jackson who was still snugly fit into the baby sling, sucking on his fist and taking in everything going on around him. “Hey Little Man, you taking care of Mom and Sister today?”

“No!” Olivia piped up before Pam even had a chance to respond to her husband’s question. “All he did was cry and sleep! When is Ja’son gonna be fun?” She put her hands on her hips and stuck out her bottom lip in a pout.

Jim did his best to stifle a laugh, pulling Liv onto his lap. “Well, Mommy and I think he’s pretty fun. But it’ll still be a little while before he can do any of the things you want him to do. Just wait though, as soon as Jack starts crawling, you’re going to wish he was still this tiny.”

“Why? Is he gonna be naughty?” Liv’s eyes widened; this was not a possibility she had considered.

“Not naughty,” Pam explained. “But sometimes he might get into your toys, and you can’t get mad, he doesn’t know any better.”

Olivia was quiet for a few seconds, contemplating what this might mean to the existence of her markers, crayons, and Barbie dolls. “I guess Jack can play with my toys, but only when I say.”

“That sounds acceptable to me. As soon as Jack learns to talk, I’m sure he’ll agree.” It was Jim’s turn to wink at Pam, who laughed softly. Having come from a family with siblings, Jim knew there was no way that arrangement would last. He stood up as the last as the DVDs were finally in their home and helped Pam to her feet. Jim picked up Liv again and carried her on his hip into the kitchen. “So, what should we do about dinner, kiddo?”

“Spasketti!” Olivia shouted. “Momma already made the noodles, you jus’ have to make the ham-buger do the ‘ssssss’ noises.” For whatever reason, Liv was always fascinated by the sound of anything frying. It was her favorite part of helping cook dinner and she was always disappointed when their meal didn’t include something that went ‘ssssss’ when it was being prepared. Olivia pointed to the stove where sure enough, a large pot was filled with water and spaghetti noodles, just barely beginning to boil. The hamburger was in the pan, ready to be made into something edible.

Pam grabbed a spatula from the drawer and began stirring the hamburger meat, Jackson beginning to wiggle around more and more.

“Jim, can you take him? He’s going to get fussy soon if he doesn’t get out of here.” Pam turned to Jim and lifted Jack from the sling, removing it altogether when their son was in Jim’s arms.

“Daddy, Daddy, Daddy!” Olivia was tugging at Jim’s paint leg the moment his attention was diverted to Jack. Boomer was barking again and Pam was doing all she could to keep from shouting above the noise.

“Liv, I’m right here, you don’t need to shout,” Jim told her, cradling Jackson carefully in one arm while taking the requisite cans of tomato soup from the cupboard for the meat sauce. “Can you do me a favor kiddo?” Asking for her help was the quickest way to get Olivia to stop begging for attention.

“Yes, Daddy,” she replied solemnly, letting go of his pant leg and awaiting instructions.

“I need you to get me the ketchup and mustard from the refrigerator, do you think you can do that for me?” Jim moved to the cupboard and grabbed the container of white sugar, setting it next to the stove, where Pam was busy stirring the meat into the soup.

“Uh huh!” Olivia gave the fridge door a hard tugged and staggered back as it swing open. She grabbed the bottles of condiments her father had requested and presented them proudly to him. “Here, Daddy! I got ‘dem for you!”

“Thank you Livy.” Jim tousled her hair and she beamed up at him as she closed the fridge door that was lovingly decorated with family photos and the artwork Olivia created at preschool. She loved spending time with Pam in the studio and did her best to emulate her momma’s work at school.

“Wha’ else do you need?” Olivia stood on her tip-toes and stared into the pan as the contents were mixed together and quickly began resembling the spaghetti that Liv loved so much. It was her favorite meal and one that they had once a week.

“I bet if you ask, Daddy will get the plates and you can carry them to the table,” Pam told her, adding the last of the ingredients and continuing to stir the sauce. She peered into the large pot where the noodles were boiling and bubbling, and turned down the heat so they wouldn’t stick to the bottom.

“Hey Daddy, can I have ‘da plates pweese?” she asked. Jim was a step ahead of her already, and two large plates and one small plate were already sitting on the counter. Olivia grinned again.

“One at a time though hon, we don’t want to drop them,” Jim reminded her. Though she wasn’t quite four yet, Olivia was being taught the value of helping around the house and doing the things her parents asked of her. She could be a pistol sometimes and didn’t always want to listen, but she was still eager to be important and help with the tasks she viewed as ‘grown-up’ – things Jack couldn’t do.

“I know, Daddy.” One at a time, Olivia took the plates from the stack. Jim followed her into the dining room and cleared away the table cloth to make way for her to do her ‘job’. Afterwards, Jim went back into the kitchen and set out three glasses, three spoons, and three forks. With Liv occupied for a few minutes, Jim slipped an arm around Pam’s waist to give her a more proper hello. Jack waived his tiny arms, fists balled tightly, as Jim pulled Pam to him and hugged her.

“She been giving you a lot of trouble today?” he murmured into her hair as Pam briefly closed her eyes, resting against Jim’s shoulder. Olivia continued her chore, taking each utensil one at a time, barely even aware that her parents were discussing her.

“No more than usual I guess,” Pam replied, watching their little girl with her pig tails bouncing on her shoulders. Her overalls were still streaked with dirt from earlier in the afternoon when she’d decided to dig around in the flower beds before the rain had come, and Liv had paint in her hair from an art project gone awry. “She’s just so stubborn, Jim. And she’s getting sneakier. It’s not so bad now when she’s in pre-school and only goes every other day for the morning, but when she goes to Kindergarten I am so terrified that she’s going to glue someone to their chair or let the class pet loose in the room.”

“Well, I guess we’ll just cross that bridge when we come to it.” Jim eyed Olivia, moving on to the glasses at last and setting them beside each plate, along with a napkin. Without being asked, she went into the living room and began dragging the mall rocker they used to keep Jackson in while they ate, since he wasn’t yet big or strong enough to hold himself up in a high chair. “I don’t think her behavior is any worse than any other kiddo her age. My nieces and nephews all went through their ‘naughty’ phases, and I’m sure that having Jack around isn’t easy on her; she had our undivided attention for over three years. We knew that having a new baby was going to be an adjustment for everyone.”

“I know, it was just a long day. I was literally chasing after her from one thing to another for a good three hours. I finally got her down for a nap around 3:15 but she didn’t sleep more than an hour. I don’t know if it’s just the weather making her all crazy today or what.” Pam glanced out the window as the rain continued coming down in sheets. “Liv got to play outside maybe fifteen minutes before it just started coming down and she’s been cooped up ever since.”

“Tomorrow will be better. Sunshine all day. Liv will be able to run herself ragged and she’ll fall asleep before dinner.” Jim leaned over the stove to glance at the meat and sauce that had started bubbling, and he turned it down as Jack started gurgling and wiggling in his arm again.

“True. And she always does better when she’s had school in the morning; that structure is good for her.” Pam took the pot of noodles and placed the lid on it, then tipped it over the sink and began emptying the water. Jim grabbed the spatula and once more stirred the hamburger and sauce.

“Right. See Beasly, you’ve got it all figured out.” Jim winked at her and turned his attention to Jackson once again as Pam smiled to herself. Even after all these years she loved it when Jim called ‘Beesly’; it was his nickname for her, always had been, always would be. She was more than content officially being a ‘Halpert’, but the use of her former name conjured up memories of jellybeans and pranks. She dumped the noodles into a bowl and carried them into the dining room as Jim conversed with their son.

“Little Man, you’re not going to cause as much trouble as your sister, are you?”

Jackson looked back up at Jim with his wide blue eyes, waving his arms at him and nearly punching himself in the nose. He cooed in response to his father’s soothing voice and Jim grinned. He loved both of his children dearly and would so anything for them, there was no question about it. But something about holding Jackson and knowing he was his son…it was a feeling Jim just could not explain.

Pam entered the kitchen just as a loud crash sounded once again from the living room. She and Jim exchanged a glance and looked in to see Olivia on the floor, surrounded by the movies that had just recently been put away. The bookshelf found itself in the familiar position of being facedown beside her. Liv grinned up at them, looking unapologetic with an arm around Boomer.

“Of course, Liv, of course.” Pam reached down and pulled Olivia to her feet. Leaving the movies for the time being, Pam carried Liv under her arm against her hip into the dining room, the little girl giggling the entire way. Joined by Jim and Jackson with Boomer trailing lazily behind, they finally sat down together to enjoy their dinner as a family.

The mess could wait.

Lazily Jim opened one eye and stared at the television. The bright blue screen stared back at him; apparently the movie had ended while they’d been asleep. Lying comfortably against the pillows propped between him and the headboard, Jim tried to move his left arm, but found it had sprouted two new growths during his slumber – growths by the name of Pam and Olivia. Pam shifts slightly in her sleep, one arm thrown around Olivia, hugging the toddler as closely as she could despite the baby bump that was growing steadily with each passing week. Liv was tucked snuggly between her parents and fast asleep, though both Jim and Pam were stirring. Finally Jim managed to extract his arm from beneath his girls and he swung his legs over the side of the bed onto the hardwood floor. Shuffling to the television, Jim hit the power button, eliciting a murmur from Pam who was yawning, still half asleep.

“What time is it?” she whispered, looking down at Olivia as her eyes adjusted to the darkness. The only light in the room now came from the hall and Pam could barely make out her daughter’s sleeping form at first.

“Almost 11:30. Want me to carry Liv to her room?” Jim moved back toward the bed slowly, maneuvering around the toys all over the floor and barely avoiding the sleeping labradoodle puppy sprawled out on the rug at the foot of the bed. He slipped under the covers without disturbing Olivia, readjusting the pillows.

“Nah, might as well just let her sleep here, it’s the weekend.” Pam’s face melted into a disappointed frown when she realized the television was off. “I can’t believe I missed the end again.” ‘Monster’s Inc.’ was by far one of Pam’s favorite movies and that love had been passed on to Olivia. Yet it never failed that Pam cried every time Sully had to say good-bye to Boo, even though she knew it wasn’t truly good-bye for good.

Jim chuckled in the darkness, stretching his arm out to the side and playing with a strand of Pam’s curly hair fanned out on her pillow. “You’ve seen it a hundred times and I bet tomorrow you’ll see it for the hundred and first. Sully and Boo will still be there for you.”

Pam opened her mouth to defend her waterworks performance that occurred every time Boo’s door was shredded, but a sudden flurry of movement from within her womb caught her attention. She moved away from Olivia and rolled onto her back, grabbing Jim’s hand excitedly and pulled her shirt up partially to expose her belly button. She placed his large hand there, covering it with her own.

“Jim! Jim, he’s kicking! Feel it!” Pam pressed his palm against her skin. Though the experience was not new, as they’d reacted the same way the first time they’d felt Olivia doing somersaults, it was still exciting.

Jim couldn’t respond at first. Feeling his son move for the first time was unlike anything he’d ever experienced before. Jim stared down at Pam’s stomach, at how her fingers were entwined with his as they lay there. Olivia snored softly between them, her soft curls falling over her cheeks, oblivious to the events going on around her.

“Pam, I…” Jim trailed off. He couldn’t get over it. His son, their son, continued his gymnastics show for another few minutes until settling down. Pam couldn’t help but giggle over the feeling, and the noise roused Liv from her sleep.

Sleepily the toddler rubbed her eyes and yawned. She blinked once, twice, then glanced back and forth from her mother to father. Still in that place between asleep and awake, Olivia snuggled up to Pam once again, her head resting against her stomach. Liv flung one thin arm across Pam’s waist and was quiet for all of two seconds before she bolted straight up in bed.

“Hey!” she shouted, glaring down at Pam’s baby belly, though her expression was lost on Jim and Pam in the dim light.

Pam stifled a laugh as Jim raised an eyebrow in concern, sitting up quickly. Olivia’s bottom lip jutted out into a pout with her hands on her hips.

“Momma! He kicked me!” The indignation in Olivia’s voice was evident and Jim covered his mouth to hide his smile. “He kicked me right in my head!” Liv pointed to her temple, just in case they weren’t sure where exactly it had happened.

“He didn’t kick you on purpose, Livy, he just…” Pam searched for the best way to turn this into something positive, seeing as how Olivia was already having some serious issues adjusting to the impending arrival of her baby brother. She’d first had a fit when the crib had been painted from beautiful pinks to dramatic blues and greens – despite the fact she hadn’t slept in it for a very long time. Her nursery was slowly but surely becoming her brother’s nursery as Liv had been moved into the former guest bedroom. Though Olivia had been so excited for her big-girl room and her big-girl bed, when she realized how different her own life was going to be she started acting out a little more than ‘occasionally’.

“…he just wanted to tell you he can’t wait to meet you,” Jim chimed in when Pam drew a blank.

“He hurted me!” Liv declared, though it was pretty obvious she was exaggerating.

“Oh Liv, don’t be silly, he didn’t hurt you. If he’s not hurting me, he’s couldn’t have hurt you. He’s inside my tummy, remember?” Pam patted the bump softly again. In the dim light she saw Jim shift and lay back down once again, this time on his side facing his girls.

“Liv, lay here by me, he won’t be able to reach you then.” Jim pulled Olivia to him and she seemed content with that, being out of reach for the time being. Even so, her three-year-old mind was racing now at the thought of all the things he would get into once he was here. In turn, Olivia thought of numerous baby-related questions for her parents. After a few minutes of lying in the near-darkness, she spoke.

“Momma, how did he get ‘dere?”

This time, Jim couldn’t even contain the laughter, though Olivia took her question very seriously and she didn’t waste a moment telling him so.

“Well…” Pam paused. Explaining that in an age-appropriate way was something she hadn’t yet thought about. She waited, knowing Jim was anticipating the answer just as highly as Liv, though for different reasons.

Reaching out across the pillow, Pam slipped her hand into Jim’s and gave him a squeeze. “Olivia…sometimes when a Mommy and a Daddy love each other very much, they close their eyes, and make a wish. If their wish comes true, then a baby starts growing in Mommy’s tummy.”

Olivia was quiet again, contemplating the response. She reached out and poked at her mother’s stomach, waiting to see if the baby would kick her again.

“So you wished for him?” The tone of Olivia’s voice made her opinion clear: maybe they should have wished for a baby that didn’t kick so much.

“Yep Liv, just like we wished for you…” Jim tightened his hold on his young daughter and pressed a kiss into her curly hair. It was quiet again and finally Olivia’s breathing became slow and steady; she’d fallen back into sleep just as quickly as she’d been awakened from it. It was then he noticed that Pam had slowly drifted off as well, as her breathing matched their daughter’s. Jim smiled to himself. “Just like we wished for you...”

“Jim! Kids! I picked up the proofs today, come look at them!” Pam shouted from the entryway as she entered the family home, kicking the door closed behind her. Two weeks earlier they’d sat down for family portraits, the last that would be taken when all the kids still lived at home. Olivia would be leaving for her freshman year at Duke University in a little under a month, and Pam was starting to worry.

The thundering noise above Pam told her all four kids were home, and heading towards and down the stairs at that moment. She heard shouts as they fought each other to be first down the stairs; perhaps they were too competitive but all four Halpert children arrived in the living room at roughly the same time, with Boomer bringing up the rear.

“Where’s your dad?” Pam asked as she sat on the couch, spreading the portfolio out on the coffee table. Liv plopped down next to her and Boomer jumped up in her lap. The old dog had lost a step or two over the years, but he was never left out of a single family function and despite the fact that Olivia had been followed by three more babies, he stick to her side like glue.

“He had to work late, but he called like, ten minutes ago and said he was on his way.” Gavin sat on the arm of the couch, something he knew he wasn’t supposed to do. Pam shot him a motherly glance and he immediately squeezed down onto the cushion next to Liv.

“Good, now take a look at these and tell me what you think.” Pam gestured to the two dozen or so pictures spread out before them. “I want one family one that has all six of us – ”

“Seven, Mom” Olivia corrected her, scratching Boomer between the ears.

“Okay, seven. I was thinking humans, you know? Anyway, a big family one, that’s going to be the main photo. Then I want different shots of just you kids together, those will be the 5X7s.” Pam leaned back, letting the kids pour over the pictures, deciding on their favorites.

“Not that one! My smile looks weird,” Liv declared.

From his place on the floor, Jackson snorted a laugh. “Yeah and the only thing that would fix that is a paper bag!”

“Hey, jerk!” Liv feigned irritation and threw a pillow at him; it was typical brother/sister behavior and nothing they weren’t used to.

“Jack, really?” Pam admonished her son, but she too was focused more on the pictures than the snotty comments the kids were making to each other. “Liv, try to keep the furniture in one piece.”

Maddie pointed out her favorite right away and Pam readily agreed; it was one of the four kids, sitting boy-girl-boy-girl. It was casual; all four were barefoot, in faded jeans and white t-shirts. They were on the floor, arms back for support, legs out-stretched before them, all crossed at the ankle to the right.

Liv didn’t disagree, and Pam took that as a good sign. Jackson preferred the silly one, the girls with their hands on their hips as Jack had Gavin in a headlock. This photo had not been staged; Gavin had hidden Jack’s shoes and Jack reacted by first putting Gavin in a headlock and then giving him a noogie. The whole scene had ended with both boys on the floor in a heap. The photographer thought it was too good to pass up, despite Pam being mortified at the behavior of her little monkeys. Jim had only laughed, because it really was that funny.

“I like that one, where you and Dad are holding hands,” Gavin finally contributed, after having fended off Liv’s pillow attack. The picture he spoke of was also Pam’s favorite; Jim and Pam were seated on the floor, knees bent beneath them in opposite directions so they were leaning in, their foreheads almost touching. Jim’s large hand rested tenderly on Pam’s smaller one, and the kids were kneeling behind them.

They continued looking over the photos for a few more minutes when finally the front door swung up and Jim entered, carrying three large pizza boxes.

“Hey, you got the pictures back, great!” Jim set the pizzas on the table in the entry way as he kicked off his shoes and loosened his tie. Leaning over the couch, he kissed the top of Pam’s head. Getting a better look at some of the prints, he laughed at Jack, Gavin, and the headlock until Pam shot him a look that said, ‘Don’t even encourage it.’ Jim rested his elbows on the back of the couch as he leaned forward, hands clasped together.

“Dad, we can’t all agree. Choose.” Olivia absently ran her hand over Boomer’s soft fur, her feet propped up on the one corner of the coffee table not covered in pictures. As college loomed in the distance, Liv was increasingly nervous about leaving home and Boomer was her security blanket. It broke her heart every time she thought about leaving him.

“Hmmm…” Jim surveyed the pictures carefully, though the pizza was getting going to start getting cold if they didn’t eat soon. “How about we talk about it over dinner and – ”

Before Jim could even finish his sentence, the kids were out of the living and into the kitchen – pizza and all. The sound of milk being poured and plates being set on the table followed the hasty departure. Pam shook her head as Jim walked around and sank down onto the couch beside her. He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her to his chest, pressing a kiss to her temple.

“I guess they’re hungry.”

Pam laughed. “I just want these done before Liv leaves, you know? She won’t say it, but I know she’s getting scared and I don’t want her to feel like once she’s away at school, she’s not part of the family anymore.”

“I know, I know. But sometimes you have to let them be scared. She’s going to be fine once she’s settled and has time to get used to school. And you know, if it doesn’t work out and she comes back here to go to school, that’s okay too. You can’t fix everything for them, they’ll never learn how to live their own lives.”

Pam sighed. “I know, I know. She’s just worked so hard to get in, I want her to give it a real chance. She’s been so quiet lately, and every time school is mentioned, she clams up. She asked me the other day if we would make her stay there, even if she didn’t like it.”

“She’s never been away from home, it’s going to be an adjustment for everyone not having her around every day,” Jim reasoned. Logically Pam knew he was right, despite her misgivings about their first baby finally going off to college.

Shouts from the kitchen, which sounded remarkably like an argument over the last slices of cheese pizza, interrupted their conversation. Jim got to his feet and Pam reached up her hands, allowing him to pull her to her feet.

“It’ll be okay Beesly,” Jim said with a wink. “I promise.”

“Pam, this is impossible.” Jim stared down at the test in his wife’s hand. They stood together in the spacious master bathroom of the home they’d shared for nearly a quarter of a century, where they’d raised four kids and a puppy together, and had shared many ups and downs. He couldn’t quite yet decide if this was an ‘up’ or a ‘down’. It was still too shocking.

Pam looked as equally shocked and even a little terrified. “Apparently not. The kids are going to freak out.” She put the test on a tissue next to the sink and sat down on the closed toilet seat, still shaking her head.

Jim leaned back against the counter, unable to hide a smile despite the predicament they were in. Here they were, enjoying having adolescents and young adults instead of babies and toddlers. Suddenly the eight short years in which they would have their empty nest had been extended to eighteen.

“Maddie has enjoyed being the baby for ten years. She’s not going to give that title up without a fight.” Jim knew that maybe they had spoiled all of their children a little too much and this would certainly be a wake-up call for the two younger Halpert children.

“Well maybe if you hadn’t spent the last ten years calling her Princess Maddie…” Pam joked, the tension in the bathroom slowly dissipating as it really sunk in that this was happening.

“Well I thought she was the last one,” Jim pointed out, his tone playful and joking. “I didn’t know I’d be lying to her for the first decade of her life. At least it’s summer, Liv will be home from school to help you out.”

“Maybe we should wait to tell them? At my age the likelihood is slim…” Pam trailed off. They’d experienced the pain of losing a pregnancy between Jack and Gavin and Pam knew without a doubt that it was something she did not want to go through again.

Jim shrugged, running a hand through the hair that was no longer the shaggy, solid brown of his 20s and 30s. It was now tinted with gray, but the style matched his age. “It’s up to you. I’ll be fine with either choice.”

“I think I’ll call Dr. Kern tomorrow and set up an appointment. That way we can make sure everything is okay first. If he thinks we’re good to go, we can tell them. If not, we won’t.” Pam slowly got to her feet and Jim pulled her in for a hug. Her face against his chest, Pam’s tired laughter was muffled by his dress shirt. He kissed the top of her head and was about to reply when a loud banging of fists on the closed door interrupted him.

“Mom! Dad! Maddie hid my math book and she won’t tell me where it is!” Gavin’s voice followed the incessant noise.

Almost immediately Maddie’s high-pitched shrieks sounded, her shrill voice hurting both her parents’ ears. “You deserved it you jerk! You tripped me!” The sound of scuffling on the other side of the door indicated that the situation was escalating quickly.

“I’ll do it again if you don’t give me my book back!”

“NOOO! Stop, Gavin! STOOOOOOP!”

Jim grabbed the knob and yanked the door open. In tumbled the two youngest Halpert children, a tangled mess of arms and legs. Gavin’s face was red with anger and Maddie’s tear-streaked cheeks told them she had definitely been crying. As Jim and Pam stood over their children, Olivia appeared in the doorway to their bedroom, Jack quick on her heels.

“What the heck is going on up here?” Liv asked as Jack pushed his way into his parents’ bedroom as well. “I can hear you guys from the studio!”

Pam helped Maddie to her feet and brought her into the bathroom to dry the tears. Olivia followed, trying to comfort her baby sister. Meanwhile Jim had a firm grasp on Gavin’s arm and sat him down on the bed.

“What’s going on with you two lately?!” Jim demanded of his son, who was sulking while Jack stood by, still out of the loop.

Pam leaned in the doorway between the bathroom and the bedroom, arms crossed in front of her. Maddie was sitting on the edge of the tub, a cold washcloth already in hand. “I can’t believe you two. If you can’t get along, leave each other alone. I – ”

“Mom?! Dad?! What’s this?!”

Pam turned quickly, just in time to see Olivia pointing to the test sitting on the counter. It had been forgotten in the chaos of fighting children. Jack and Gavin gravitated toward the bathroom immediately, standing on the tip-toes behind Pam trying to see around her.

Jack’s jaw dropped when he realized what his sister was pointing at. He took a step back, not quite able to speak at first. “Oh God you guys…Gross!”

“You’re both…so OLD! You’re practically fifty! That is gross…” Gavin concurred, wrinkling his nose at the idea of what would have happened in order for that test to be positive.

“Mom, are you…pregnant?” Olivia was cautious. She wasn’t sure she wanted a confirmation. After all, that would open a whole new can of worms regarding their parents that Liv didn’t want to know anything about.

Jim and Pam exchanged a glance. “Well I guess the cat’s out of the bag…” She nodded slowly.

Collectively, the response was a resounding, “Ewwwwwwwwww!”

Jim laughed. What a new adventure this would be.

“Bye-bye, Daddy!” Madeleine Halpert giggled gleefully from her crib, waving a chubby little hand at him. The glow from the nightlight caught her mischievous green eyes just so, and Jim could see they were practically sparkling.

“Bye-bye, Maddie,” Jim responded on command. It was a game they played every night at bedtime, the sound of the rhyming words dissolving Maddie into a fit of laughter each time. For some reason she did not like to say ‘good night’, it was always ‘bye-bye’.

“Bye-Bye, Daddy!” More giggling.

“Bye-Bye, Maddie.” Jim’s reply was softer the second time as he closed the door partially behind him, leaving just enough space for the warm glow of light from the hall to spill into Maddie’s room. Darkness frightened her and even the Disney Princess nightlight was not enough to keep the monsters away. He wondered how she could sleep through the ruckus her older siblings made, but somehow the youngest Halpert child managed to nearly every night.

Jim padded down the hall to check on the rest of the kiddos as Pam’s voice drifted from the kitchen. She was attempting to help Olivia with her math homework, but math had never been Pam’s strong suit. He could hear them becoming frustrated with another by their tones until finally there was an exasperated sigh and a textbook slamming closed.

“I don’t get it, Mom. I give up, math is stupid,” he heard Olivia declare. He could imagine her sitting at the kitchen table, arms crossed defiantly. Olivia was the most headstrong of their four children and stubborn as a mule.

Jim didn’t hear Pam’s reply as he ducked into the room Jack and Gavin shared to check on the boys. Seeing both his sons sound asleep, Jim exited the room just as quietly as he had entered and nearly collided with Pam in the hallway. The annoyance on her face was plain as day.

“Please explain to your daughter why she needs to know math,” Pam requested, gesturing back toward the kitchen.

“So she’s only mine now?” Jim teased. “Why is it that they belong only to me when they’ve done something to annoy you, broken something, or gotten into trouble at school?”

“Because that’s how it works, I guess I should have explained that to you before we started having them, sorry about that.” Pam winked at him. “Are the boys asleep? How did Jack sound?”

“Yeah, I just checked on them. He’s breathing a lot better tonight than last night, the stuffy nose has finally cleared up. I put Maddie back in bed for the second time already, but I don’t know how long that will last.”

“Is she still dressed?”

“She was five minutes ago. But she was also wide awake…”

Maddie had started a new game recently which involved stripping off every article of clothing, including her diaper, and running around the house completely naked. They’d begun the process of potty-training and for some reason that had triggered Maddie’s need for nudity. There were so many nights they’d put her down for bed and not half an hour later, she’d managed to climb out of her crib and be in the living room with not a stitch of clothing at all. Other nights she’d simply fall asleep after tossing her pajamas out of the crib – but because she wasn’t yet fully potty-trained, accidents were still common and she could make quiet a mess.

“I’ll check on her, you deal with the drama queen.” Pam gave Jim a playful shove toward the kitchen, then continued on her way to check on their little nudist.

**************

It was near ten by the time the house was finally quiet. Jack had woken up in that time, complaining of a stomach ache and promptly running for the bathroom to vomit. Pam had quickly made a make-shift bed for Gavin in her and Jim’s room, not wanting to risk him getting sick as well. Olivia had sulked her way through finishing the dreaded math assignment, despite her protest that math was, in fact, the “dumbest thing ever thought of by some dumb guys who wanted to torture kids.”

Pam sat on the couch, a cup of tea in one hand as she and Jim watched the evening news. He was stretched out the length of the couch, his head in her lap, using her leg for a pillow. Their conversations were slow, hushed, commenting on news stories here and there but mainly just enjoying the relaxation of it being just the two of them for a little while. Pam’s other hand rested lightly on Jim’s chest as he toyed with the ring on her finger when a loud thud sounded from somewhere down the hall. Jim got to his feet quickly and headed for Maddie’s room; her complete lack of fear when it came to heights often landed her literally upside down on the floor next to her crib many times. It was the logical first choice.

Sure enough, just as Jim pushed the door open a bit farther, Maddie came running from the room, as naked as the day she was born. She darted past Jim before he could catch her and ran as fast as her wobbly little legs could carry her. Luckily Pam was just rounding the corner and Maddie toddled right into her mother, falling back on her bottom.

“Madeleine Ellayna Halpert…” Pam sighed, but was unable to suppress the laugh. It was just too amusing to see her youngest child grinning happily, completely oblivious to the fact that running around naked was generally frowned upon in most places.

“Momma, potty.”

“You need to use the big girl potty?” Pam asked. They’d been doing well so far in getting the routine during the day, but nighttime was almost always a different story.

“Nooo, Momma. Maddie go potty.” She pointed to her room.

“Oh, crap…” Jim scooped up his youngest child and headed straight for the bathroom as Pam entered Maddie’s bedroom. Sure enough, her pajamas were on the floor, along with her bone-dry diaper. The sheets inside the crib were a different story however. Pam quickly set about the task of gathering the wet items to throw into the washing machine. Luckily they’d covered the mattress with a plastic mat so everything below said sheets was okay. Pam gingerly wadded up the sheets, blanket, and even Maddie’s favorite stuffed bear, all in sudden desperate need of a wash.

As Pam was heading to laundry room, Jim emerged from the bathroom with Maddie swathed in a bright pink towel to keep her from getting cold after the impromptu bath.

“Daddy wash,” Maddie informed her mother.

“I know,” Pam replied. “Because Maddie wet her bed.”

“Maddie dry. Maddie go bye bye.” The toddler pointed to her room, tugging at Jim’s shirt with her other hand.

“You fix the bed, I’ll put these in the wash…” Pam turned with sheets in hand and disappeared around the corner as Jim pushed open Maddie’s door and deposited the toddler in the rocking chair as he pulled fresh bedding from one of her dresser drawers. Tucking the edges in under the small mattress, the crib was ready in mere seconds – Jim had become an expert at this after having gone through this with the three previous kids as well. However, with the older ones, they’d been potty-trained within a few weeks. Maddie was being stubborn; they were going on two months now and it was as though she was simply toying with her parents, purposely drawing out the process.

Next Jim retrieved fresh pajamas and a new diaper, re-clothing his daughter with little struggle. It was well past her bedtime and Maddie was obviously tired. She rubbed her eyes and she babbled to one of her dolls, inventing her own language as the conversation went along. A few moments later Pam appeared in the doorway, just in time to see Jim put Maddie back in the crib.

“Okay baby girl, sleepy time.” Jim tousled Maddie’s auburn curls as he tucked the covers in around her.

“Bye-bye Daddy…” Maddie yawned as the words left her mouth, and she clutched her doll close.

“Bye-bye Maddie.” Jim knew within moments she’d be asleep once again.

“Bye-bye…Daddy…” Another yawn. Her eyes were closed as Jim pulled the door behind him as he responded softly once again with their bedtime ritual.

Once out in the hall, Pam could only shrug her shoulders. “Do you think it’s considered child abuse to duct tape her diaper on at night?”

“God Beesly, I hope you’re joking…” Jim paused to consider it, thinking about the mess earlier. “But on second thought…”

Maybe it was something to keep in mind.

“He giving you trouble still?” Jim asked one evening as he entered their bedroom to find Pam sitting up in bed, reading. His eyes rested on the barely-there-bump of his four-months pregnant wife, a crooked smile on his face.

Pam shook her head, a hand resting atop her belly and setting the book on the nightstand. “She’s resting.”

The decision to have a third baby was not one Jim and Pam had reached lightly. Jim had always wanted a big family – for his basketball team of course – Pam was content with two. They’d eventually compromised at four; ideally hoping for two boys and two girls, but would be happy with healthy babies, period. They didn’t know the sex yet, hence the back and forth banter, but were ready to find out at the next appointment in just a few weeks.

“Good.” Jim leaned over and kissed Pam’s forehead as he turned off the lamp, casting the room into darkness. Lifting the covers on his side, Jim slipped into bed and Pam maneuvered herself so she was lying down with her back to her husband. Jim’s arm was around her then, his fingers splayed out over her stomach and his face buried in the crook of her neck, kissing her softly.

“Olivia was so excited when I told her I could feel her sister moving. She was pretty disappointed that she couldn’t feel it yet though.” Pam murmured, lacing her fingers through Jim’s.

“She’s also going to be pretty disappointed when she finds out she’s actually getting a little brother, not a little sister.” The low soothing tone of Jim’s voice was enough to slowly lull Pam into a fitful sleep. They talked quietly a few more minutes until Pam’s light snoring ended the conversation and within a few moments Jim followed her into slumber.

*************

Pam awoke with a start, breaking out into a cold sweat. The pain was unbearable and she took a few deep breathes, trying to relax. Jim stirred then, Pam’s movement jarring him from sleep.

“Pam, what is it? Are you okay?” He sat up beside her, a hand on her arm and she grimaced in pain, clutching her stomach.

“I don’t know, Jim, something….something’s wrong…” She winced again and threw back the covers to get up, only to find her tan pajama bottoms stained with blood. “Jim! Oh my God, Jim! Jim!”

Jim struggled to remain calm as he stared at Pam, unable to tear his eyes away. Finally her frantic cries brought him back to reality. He got up and grabbed his cell phone, dialing his parents’ quickly. As it rang, he helped Pam to the bathroom. Finally his mother’s groggy voice was on the other end, asking what was going on.

“Mom, something’s happened, I need to take Pam to the hospital right now…I don’t know, Mom, it’s…I don’t know. Please, just hurry, I need you or Dad to stay with Liv and Jack….Yeah, please…I don’t know…See you in a few minutes…” Jim hung up and tossed the phone on the bed. He went back into the bathroom to check on Pam as she was leaning over the sink, sweating despite the fact that she was also shivering. Seeing her panic-stricken face broke his heart and Jim never felt so helpless in his life as he did in that moment when there was absolutely nothing he could do to stop this.

**************

Pam lay in the hospital bed, hooked up to the IV as she slept. The bleeding had finally slowed but their doctor didn’t want her up and moving around just yet, until her vitals improved. Jim sat in the hard vinyl chair next to his wife’s bed, his eyes red-rimmed, hands clasped together.

Slowly Pam’s eyes slid open and she immediately focused on Jim. Seeing the look on his face, Pam teared up. “I’m so sorry Jim. I just thought…”

“Don’t Pam, don’t. This is NOT your fault.” He took her small hand in his own and kissed it softly.

“But I didn’t do anything, I knew she…he…the baby wasn’t moving, I didn’t do anything about it, I just thought…” Pam trailed off and turned away, unable to look Jim in the eye.

“Stop, Pam, please. Pam, hey, look at me, please…”

She turned back toward him, tears spilling down her pale cheeks. “What are we going to tell Olivia? She won’t understand, she’s too young…”

“We’ll figure it out, okay? Just like we’ve figured out everything else, we’ll get through this too. I promise, Pam.” Jim squeezed her hand tightly. “I promise.”

Jim held Jackson as they stood at the large bay window facing the street he’d grown up on, watching and waving as Pam and Olivia pulled out of the drive way. Or, at least, Jim waved Jack’s tiny hand for him, as the infant didn’t yet understand the concept of ‘waving goodbye’ at only nine months old. As the family car disappeared down the tree-lined street, Jim turned away from the window and looked around at the empty living room. It was weird how quiet the house suddenly was when one little girl was absent. Granted, without Olivia there to get Boomer all riled up, the pup had no reason to do anything but lay comfortably in a patch of sunlight on the living room floor. Though Boomer raised his head slightly as Jim passed, he found his place on the carpet too good to give up, and the dog went back to snoozing while Liv was gone.

“Well Little Man, it’s just you and me today,” Jim told his son as he made his way to the kitchen, holding him carefully in one arm as he rummaged in the cupboard with his free hand. “Mom and Liv are gone, so you and I are going to watch some basketball.”

Jack’s wide eyes followed Jim’s every movement from his perch in Dad’s arm - from finally finding the bag of Doritos pushed far back behind the cans of soup and veggies (carefully hidden out of reach from Liv, who had recently started climbing on the counters after giving up climbing the bookshelves), to grabbing a can of grape soda from the fridge. Jim was talented, that’s for sure, managing to balance all that and get back to living room just in time for tip-off.

Tossing the chips onto the coffee table, Jim cracked open the can with one hand and took a long sip, Jackson on his lap facing out so he could see. Logically Jim knew the idea of Jackson actually watching the game and focusing on it was impossible, but still he pointed out the players, the refs, and the general purpose of the game. Jim had decided very early on that while Pam had passed on her love of Disney movies to Olivia, he would do the same with his love of basketball and Jackson.

“Alright, those guys in the stripes, you have to watch out for them, they’re referees. They make sure everyone plays fair and no one gets hurt. Sometimes people get cracked in the mouth with an intentional elbow anyway but…that’s a whole different story.” Jim shook his head at the memory; it was pretty obvious why he and Roy had played with such intensity but now it seemed pretty ridiculous in retrospect.

The whistle sounded as the players moved into position for the jump ball. Boomer’s head jerked up at the high-pitched noise, but seeing nothing amiss from where he was, he yawned again. Slowly the pup that Olivia had begged for literally for two months got to his feet and jumped up onto the couch beside Jim, circling twice before settling at the far end. Boomer had generally stayed away from Jack, confused by this little lump that never did anything but sleep, poop, cry and eat. But now that Jack had gotten a little bigger – could hold his head up for more than three seconds at a time, sit up on his own, and even roll over – Boomer had become more interested. Not enough to get close yet though, and Boomer mostly stuck by Olivia’s side, but he watched the infant carefully whenever they were in the same room.

“Okay Jack, those two in the middle, they’re centers. They’re the tallest guys on the team and they get a chance at the ball first…” Jim reached for the Doritos and popped a few chips in his mouth. He shifted Jack so he could have a better view of his son’s face; Jim felt a little guilty for just plopping himself down in front of the television for a game, but this wasn’t just any game: it was Duke vs. North Carolina. His alma mater vs. the team he grew up cheering for. It was a love/hate relationship and Jim never missed these games.

“See the one with the ball right now? He’s the point guard. Those guys are usually the shorter ones, the quickest; they control the ball and the tempo of the game pretty much. Like the quarterback…if you knew what football was…”

Time passed quickly and soon it was nearly half-time. Jim had properly explained each position, the different fouls, free-throws, three-pointers, and so on. Jackson, of course, retained none of this information as he was more content trying to get Boomer’s attention and playing with the toys scattered on the couch beside his father.

Jim took a drink of his soda and Jackson watched him intently, reaching out his arms toward the can as Jim set it back down on the coffee table. “Oh I see how it is, you’re bored already, huh? Time for something to eat?” He got up from the couch and Boomer followed. Pam had prepared two bottles before she left, just in case, though Jim went for the cabinet where they kept the jars of baby food.

“So what do you think, Jack? Pears? Squash? Carrots?” Jim rummaged around and finally selected a jar of peas, then grabbed a tiny spoon before heading back into the living room. Half-time analysis was nearly as important as the game itself. Jim twisted the lid from the jar and already Jack’s tiny mouth was moving, anticipating his lunch. Boomer sat at Jim’s feet, tag wagging quickly, and tongue hanging out.

When the whistle blew a few minutes later to signal the start of the second half, Jim had completely lost interest in the game. He’d moved himself and Jack to the floor after his son was done eating and brought the baby toys along with. Jack was babbling away happily, clapping his hands as Jim threw a tennis ball and Boomer bounded after it into the kitchen. Jim couldn’t stop smiling; he was so in awe of this little person, his son, who was so in awe of everything going on around him. Sometimes Jim still couldn’t believe that they were so lucky to have two beautiful, healthy children.

As Boomer returned triumph, tennis ball in his mouth, Jack clapped again.

“Dadadadada!” In Jack’s overzealous attempt to take the ball that Boomer dropped at Jim’s feet, he nearly toppled over but Jim caught him before he face-planted in the soft plush carpet.

“Careful Little Man, you’re going to hurt yourself.” Jim helped Jack regain his balance right-side up, keeping a hand on his back to steady him. Boomer sat patiently, tail still wagging furiously, waiting for Jim to throw the ball again.

Jim took the ball and placed it in Jack’s hand, enclosing his own around the baby’s. Gently he drew Jack’s arm back, then moved it forward in a throwing motion and Jim flicked the ball from Jack’s hand. It didn’t go nearly as far as it had the first few times, but that didn’t stop Jack from shrieking in laughter, watching Boomer follow the ball again. Jim loved that sound almost more than anything else in the whole world.

**************

By the time Pam and Olivia returned from their expedition two hours later, the game had ended and all three boys were fast asleep on the couch after a hearty lunch of Doritos and strained peas. Boomer had been successful in licking the jar clean once Jackson had eaten his fill. Jim had set the jar down for not even five seconds, when Boomer knocked if off the coffee table and downed the remaining contents. Jim lay stretched out on his back, his large hands protectively securing his son in place. Jack was curled up on his chest with his arms and legs tucked beneath him, bottom up in the air. Boomer lay sprawled across Jim’s shins, tongue still hanging out, snoring loudly.

“Okay Livy, be very quiet, Daddy and Jack are sleeping…” Pam ushered Olivia into the kitchen and set their bags on the counter.

“I don’ havta take a nap do I Momma?” Olivia’s eyes were wide; she hated naptime almost more than bath-time.

“No baby, but let’s go out to the studio and draw for a while, does that sound like fun?” Pam reached out her hand and Olivia slipped hers into her mother’s.

“Yes Momma,” Olivia agreed in a whisper. “Daddy and Jackson are sleepy babies!” She giggled as Pam led her out to the studio.

“Yes…yes they are.” Pam returned the smile and cast once last glance at father and son, snoozing away on the lazy Saturday afternoon, before gently closing the studio door behind them.

Olivia was born on a Wednesday afternoon.

Jim went back to work the following Monday morning.

Pam was losing her mind by Monday night.

***************

Jim unlocked the front door and was instantly greeted with the sound of wailing. For being such a little thing, Olivia had an amazing set of lungs. She wasn’t even a week old, and yet she had already mastered the art of garnering attention.

Jim found his wife and daughter in the master bedroom; Pam’s face was stained with tears, matching Liv’s. Both were rosy-cheeked and looked absolutely miserable. At first Pam couldn’t even speak, her shoulders shuddering with each attempt at breathing through her sobs.

“Pam…” Jim gently lifted the screaming infant from his wife’s arms and she sank down on the bed, sighing in relief though the tears continued. Olivia’s wails were not quieted as Jim held her close, murmuring in her ear with that deep voice that Pam loved so dearly. Olivia was red-faced, screaming bloody-murder, until finally Jim’s ministrations began to work their magic. He rubbed her back, supporting her head and neck with the other hand, pacing slowly back and forth across the room as Pam dried her own tears, taking deep breaths to slow her racing heart.

“Jim, it was awful, I just…” Pam paused. There was no way she could finish that sentence without admitting what she’d been afraid of in the final months of her pregnancy. Jim would hate her for it; he would take Olivia and leave and that would the end of it, Pam was sure. She just couldn’t handle that.

With Olivia quieted for the time being, Jim moved toward the bed and sat down beside Pam, the infant still cradled securely in his arms. Her breath hitched as she too calmed down, but Liv still whimpered softly.

“It’s okay Pam, everything’s okay.” Jim kissed her temple as Pam leaned against him for support, her eyes welling up again with fresh tears. “It’s okay.”

Pam struggled to find the words, to make Jim understand that he was wrong and nothing was going to be okay ever again, but she couldn’t. “Jim, it’s…we just…this was a mistake!” Pam finally blurted out, her hand immediately covering her mouth.

Jim reacted exactly as Pam expected him to, with shock. “What’re you talking about? What’s a mistake?”

“I can’t do this,” she replied sadly, her eyes unable to meet his persistent stare. Instead Pam looked down at her hands as large tears splashed down her cheeks into her lap. “I don’t know why I thought I could…I’ve never been good with kids and…and my own baby hates me! She cried all day, Jim, and I was so scared…I didn’t know…”

“Olivia does not hate you, Pam. She doesn’t. Hey, look at me.” Jim shifted Liv into one arm so he could free up his other to comfort his wife, turning her chin so their eyes finally met. He hugged her tightly and kissed her again. “Pam, this is all going to take some getting-used-to, for both of us. And for her too.”

“I know…but I…I was scared…” Pam looked down again, new rivulets of tears leaking from her eyes.

“Of what?”

“Of Olivia…of myself…I couldn’t make her stop crying…I tried everything. Nothing worked…I tried feeding her, changing her, nothing…and the whole time I was thinking…” Pam paused, her breath catching in her throat.

“Thinking what?”

“I didn’t want her, Jim!” Pam began sobbing uncontrollably once again, burying her face in her hands, hunching over until her forehead rested against her knees. Though her voice was muffled, Jim could still understand every word. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry!”

“Pam…please…” Jim’s voice was soft, and he gently rubbed Pam’s back in much the same way he’d done with Liv to calm her down minutes earlier. “It’s okay that you felt that way. It’s okay, Pam…”

She sat up then, pushing the hair back from her face. “Stop saying that! It’s not okay! It’s not…” Pam trailed off when Olivia stirred and began crying again in Jim’s arms.

Jim was at a loss for one of the first times in his married life. Usually he had all the answers, he could make everything right again. But now between Pam’s meltdown and Olivia’s wails, Jim had no idea what to do.

“Make her stop Jim, please…make her stop…” Pam was pacing the floor then, her eyes pleading with him in tune with her voice.

“Stay here,” Jim ordered, his voice rough on Pam’s ears. She shrank back away from him as Jim took Olivia from their room and headed down the hall to the nursery. All while he was gone, Pam wrung her hands until they were nearly raw. She knew she should have kept her mouth shut because now he was gone and he didn’t love her anymore all because of this tiny little person that Pam had wanted more than anything. But then reality hit, the being home alone all day, figuring it out on her own and for a brief time Pam suddenly didn’t want Olivia anymore. The minutes ticked by slowly, and each moment he was gone, Pam was convinced life as she knew it was over. That is, until she felt a strong hand on her shoulder and suddenly there Jim was, concern written all over his face.

“I’m so sorry Jim, I just…” Pam didn’t know how she would explain her momentary lapse in sanity. She felt awful for saying and thinking the things she had expressed and she wished she could take it all back. “Is she sleeping?”

“You don’t have to apologize, but I’m worried about you. Olivia’s asleep, she’s okay, you’re going to be okay too.” Jim pulled Pam to his chest, holding her tightly against him and murmuring into her hair. “I love you, Pam, okay? And I’ll stay home tomorrow, stay home the rest of the week if I have to, and we’ll figure this out together, just like we always do.”

Pam nodded against him, the last of her tears drying in his shirt. Her voice was soft, so soft he almost didn’t hear her reply. “Yeah…yes, please…”

“You need to sleep, Pam. You’re tired, worn out…everything will look differently tomorrow, I promise.” Jim didn’t let go; he kept his arms wrapped tightly around his wife’s shivering body until she agreed.

“Sleep would be good, I feel like I haven’t slept in days…”

He let her go then, and Pam curled up on the bed, her eyes closed almost before her head even hit the pillow. “I love you too, Jim…and you’re right, everything will be better tomorrow…”

As Jim sat on the edge of the bed watching her sleep, he hoped that was true.

They made sure the bathroom door was locked before they began admiring their new artwork. The last thing Jack and Liv needed was Gavin or Maddie busting in, then running off to Mom and Dad and spilling the beans.

“I can’t believe we did it.” Jack stared at his older sister in awe as she gingerly touched the thick white bandage taped securely to her back, between her shoulder blades. Jack lifted his t-shirt slightly and looked down at his own ribcage covered in a matching bandage under his right arm. “Mom and Dad are going to flip.”

Olivia rolled her eyes. Her tank top didn’t reach high enough up her back to hide the bandage and she knew she’d have to change before their parents got home from work. “False. I’m Dad’s favorite, and Mom will look at it as artwork. At least, she will after I explain it to her as such.”

“Stop talking like Dwight, it’s creeping me out,” Jack replied. The Halpert children were well-aware of the existence of Dwight K. Schrute, not only because of company picnics and family Christmas parties over the years, but because of the documentary footage as well. Jack and Liv had stumbled upon copies of the discs a few years earlier and begged their parents for more stories when they’d seen the pranks pulled on Dwight. There had been plenty the camera crews hadn’t captured, and Jim was more than happy to share those stories too.

“Then stop being a doofus. Besides, I’m 18. Legally an adult.” Despite her words, Olivia was more than a little nervous about her parents seeing the tattoo. “Besides, if they’re going to flip about either tattoo, it’s going to be yours.”

“You’re the one who took me along for the ride.” Jack winked at his sister in the bathroom mirror; both knew that they had to stick together on this one. Even though the two youngest Halpert children seemed to argue all the time, Olivia and Jack were the exact opposite of Gavin and Maddie. Jack and Liv picked on each other from time to time, but they were as close as any two siblings could be.

“Fair enough. Maybe just keep it hidden until you’re 18? I don’t want Mack to get in trouble for doing us a favor."

Mack was the older brother of Olivia’s best friend, Sarah, and owned his own tattoo parlor in downtown Scranton. He also knew of Olivia’s incredibly low tolerance for pain – Sarah used to come home with stories of how clumsy Liv was, how simple bumps and bruises typical of childhood would bring the oldest Halpert child to tears. Needless to say, he’d been surprised when Liv and Jack had shown up, designs in hand. He’d also taken a big risk tattooing Jack, who was still 16. Olivia and Jack had been very convincing in that their parents knew exactly where they were and what they were up to, though Mack knew they were lying. He’d given in anyway, closing up the shop early after swearing them to secrecy.

“Yeah, until we go swimming, right? How much longer til we can take the bandages off?” Jack was never the patient one.

“We should be okay now. Here.” Olivia grabbed two washcloths from the cabinet and handed one to her brother. She then slowly began peeling off the bandage, wincing in pain. After running the cloth under the warm water, Olivia gently rinsed away the crusting of blood still remaining and grinned. The words ‘Liv.Laugh.Love.’ were uncovered, surrounded by pink cherry blossoms. Olivia had purposely designed the tattoo to incorporate her own name into the popular saying. “It’s amazing, look at that.”

Jack, though, was too busy admiring his own tattoo. Slowly he pulled at the tape first, then the bandage. Letter by letter, the ink was revealed to say ‘Halpert’ in old-English lettering down Jack’s side. He touched the letters gingerly, then followed Liv’s lead and washed the remaining blood away with the washcloth.

“Looks good. I wish I could show everyone right now. It looks sick!” Jack lowered his t-shirt again and tossed the washcloth in the hamper. “Hey, you missed some.” Jack took Liv’s cloth and wiped the remaining spot of blood from the flesh over his sister’s spine.

“Thanks.” Liv threw the bandages in the trash beside the sink, then took out her hair tie, allowing her dark curls to fall loosely around her shoulders so the tattoo was covered. She grabbed her sweatshirt hanging on the back of the bathroom door and pulled it over her head. Jack reached for the doorknob as they heard their mother’s voice from the kitchen. Olivia grinned. “This is going to be fun…”

*****************

Pam was in the kitchen when Olivia and Jackson slinked around the corner from hall, and she immediately knew they were up to something. Though they attempted to act like ‘normal’, Pam simply knew; call it motherly instinct. She raised an eyebrow, a hand on her hip.

“What?” she asked.

Liv and Jack exchanged glances, shrugging their shoulders simultaneously.

“Nothing. What?” Jack pulled a barstool from the counter and sat down, grabbing an apple from the fruit bowl.

“You did something.” Pam was not accusatory, just stating a fact. She knew her children well.

“What are you talking about?” Olivia pulled open the refrigerator door and took out the gallon of milk. She gestured to the cupboard and Jack grabbed a glass without even being asked.

“See, right there! What did you guys do?” Pam was a patient person, but not when it came to her children. Especially when she knew something was amiss.

“Mom, you’re losing it,” Jackson told her, handing over the glass to his sister. “Why are you home so early? Where’s Dad?”

“Don’t try to distract me, I know you’re up to something.” Pam conceded for the time being, knowing that if she didn’t get it out of them now, Jim would later. Instead she began making dinner and Liv fell in step beside her, helping pull the various ingredients from the cupboards while Jack grabbed the dishes and utensils. “Dad will be home soon, he had to drop off a couple contracts downtown.”

As dinner was slowly but surely prepared, eventually Maddie and Gavin joined the kitchen crew. It had become a tradition over time, though all the kids maintained they hated to help make dinner; in reality they didn’t mind spending the time together and it was more fun when one person didn’t have to do all the work. Sometimes though, the ‘helping’ also led to ‘horsing around’ and it wasn’t long before Gavin and Jack were in a tussling match on the kitchen floor. As Gavin barreled his shoulder into Jack’s side, the older boy let out a yelp and immediately Gavin backed off.

“Sorry Jack, I didn’t…” Gavin’s eyes were wide and he looked concerned that he’d actually hurt his brother; they’d just been messing around, like the million other times they’d done the same thing in the kitchen, the living room, the backyard, and so on.

Jack leaned against the counter, clutching his ribs and breathing heavily. “No, you didn’t…it’s not…”

“What’s the matter?” Pam dropped the masher she was using on the potatoes and was at Jack’s side instantly. Olivia was standing up then, looking more than a little mortified that their secret was so close to being discovered. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I just…” Jack and Olivia exchanged glances, an act not unnoticed by their mother.

“Okay you two, spill. What is going on? Jackson James Halpert, did you get into a fight at school today?” Pam crossed her arms and stared directly at her oldest son. “Am I going to be getting a call soon from Dr. Henry?”

“No, Mom, relax. Nothing like that…” Olivia shrugged her shoulders. “It’s just…we…”

When Liv trailed off, leaving their mother to get more angry over the fact that they were not coming clean, Jack finally gave in. “It hurt because Liv and I got tattoos today. It’s still fresh, it hurts, and when Gavin bumped me, it hurt even more.”

“What?!” Pam exclaimed, hands on her hips. “No way! First of all, you, young man, are not old enough to even get one. And Olivia, oh Olivia, I don’t know how you conned someone into tattooing your brother too but so help me God, I will – ”

“Mack did them earlier, Mom. It…we…I’m 18!” Olivia finally blurted when at a loss for anything else she could possibly say.

“You might be 18, but Jackson, you are 16. And in BIG trouble.” Pam was furious and it was clear. Maddie and Gavin quickly made themselves scarce as Pam continued yelling. “I can’t believe you two. Let me see them, right now.”

Jack lifted his shirt for what seemed like the millionth time that day, revealing the very subject of Pam’s inquisition. She stared at it for a long time, methodically tapping her nails on the Formica countertop.

“Alright, Jackson. Your turn Olivia.” Pam’s voice was much harsher when speaking to Liv, and the eldest Halpert knew exactly why. She was supposed to be the responsible one who kept Jack and the others on the straight and narrow. Sighing loudly, Olivia pulled her sweatshirt back over her head. Turning her back to her mom, Liv ran her hands through her hair and bunched her long locks into a loose mass so Pam could take a look. After ample time for an inspection, Olivia let her hair back down and turned around to face the firing squad. She wasn’t feeling so smug and adult-like now.

Pam remained silent for a long time, eyes darting back and forth between Livy and Jack. She honestly didn’t know what to say – Olivia was 18, legally an adult and free to make her own decisions by law, even though she was nearly out of high school and clearly not yet out of her parents’ home. Jack, however, was an entirely different story.

“I can’t believe you two, this is absurd! Olivia, you know better than this!”

“Mom that’s not fair! Jack wanted to go along and – ”

“Hey! Don’t just put this all on me, you wanted me to go with you!”

The situation rapidly turned into a three-way shouting match as they each attempted to talk over the other in order to get their own points across. Finally Pam won out with the tried and true, “You just wait until your father gets home!”

Liv and Jack were silenced almost immediately, and as if on cue, Jim strolled into the kitchen, loosening his tie. The tension in the kitchen was thick and as Jim entered, he was completely oblivious to the meltdown that had just occurred. Maddie and Gavin jockeyed for position just around the corner in the living room, ready to watch more fireworks explode. Jim stopped short when he saw the looks on the faces of his wife and children.

“What?” he asked, trying to read their faces. “What’s going on?”

“Why don’t you ask your children to show what they did after school today?” Pam pursed her lips, the anger practically radiating from every inch of her.

“Well…since they’re ‘mine’ I’m assuming it can’t be good…” Jim turned his attention toward the two very guilty-looking teenagers and braced himself for the worst. Jack was expelled, Liv was pregnant, all sorts of thoughts ran through Jim’s head. “Okay guys, let me have it…”

“Jessica?”

“Too boring. Harper?”

“I like it…Lucy?”

“Yeah. Jayden?”

“Maybe. Nicholas?”

“Nicholas Reinardt always used to pull my hair in first grade, so no. Lila?”

“That’s pretty. Meagan?”

“That’s as boring as Jessica. Brock?”

“Ew. Heath?”

Olivia, Jackson, Gavin, and Madeleine Halpert were sprawled about the family room, bored out of their minds on the blazing summer day that was so scorching, even venturing to the pool was out of the question. Liv was stretched on one of the black leather couches with Boomer curled up on her stomach as Maddie lay on the floor, a notebook in front of her as she furiously scribbled down possible baby names. The Halpert girls were set on finding the perfect name for the new baby; the baby that had kind of grossed them out but more or less they secretly couldn’t wait to meet.

Meanwhile, Jack flipped through the channels, disappointed in the Wednesday afternoon line-up. Listening to his sisters go over possible names for the new baby was not on his list of top-ten summer activities, but it was better than anything that was on. Gavin eyed the television sleepily from his spot on the love seat adjacent to the couch, half listening to the nonsense his sisters were coming up with.

“Guys, seriously, stop picking stupid names.” Jack rolled his eyes. “Harper? Heath? Brock?” Think about how they would sound with ‘Halpert’. Heath Halpert is the dumbest name I’ve ever heard. And Mom and Dad would never go for it.”

“Yeah, it would be such a Kelly move,” Liv concluded. Kelly Kapoor no longer worked at Dunder Mifflin, though she too was well-known in the Halpert household. She’d married a few years after Jim and Pam and was busy raising her own brood of celebrity-named children, something that never ceased to be funny.

“Dane?”

“Yeah. Micah?”

“Good one. Ian?”

“Not so much…Ethan?”

“Better. Emma?”

“That’s pretty. Felicity?”

“Well…Talia?”

The game went on for a while longer, some names eliciting groans while others were met with immediate approval by even the boys. There were plenty of names they agreed on, and some that weren’t even recorded. Jim and Pam had told the four that they could have a hand in naming the new baby, but they would still have final veto-power. Hence, the kids were set on finding the perfect name that their parents wouldn’t want to pass up.

*********

Later that evening, long after the kids had gone to bed, Jim and Pam were relaxing on the same couches their children had occupied hours earlier. Jim sat upright, one long arm stretched along the back of the couch. Pam leaned into him, her legs curled beneath her and her head on his shoulder. The long list of names that Maddie and Liv had spent the afternoon writing lay on Pam’s lap. There were a few crossed out, some even blacked out completely – Gavin and Jack had vetoed more than a couple. They’d also added a few of their own, just for kicks. Jim pointed to the one of those, grinning.

“I like that one.”

“Are you kidding?” Pam stared up at him incredulously, wondering where her husband had gone and who this new person was. “Herbert Halpert? No. On so many levels, no, no, no.”

“Aw come on Beesly, we can call him Herbie.”

“And if he turns out to be a she?” Pam raised an eyebrow.

“Herbert..a? Yeah, Herberta. It’s a real name.”

Ignoring the last comment, Pam made a genuine suggestion, pointing to one of the first names on the list. “This works for a girl or a boy.”

“I like it, but all our other monsters have gender-specific names. I kind of want this one to be the same.” Jim kissed Pam’s temple, his arm sliding off the length of the couch and tightening around her shoulders. “How about that one for a boy, or this one if we have a girl?”

Pam contemplated his legitimate offerings, glad that neither Herbert nor Herberta were actually among his top picks. “Well…this one yes, but I’m not a big fan of the second one. How about this instead?”

“I could live with either one. So it’s settled then?”

Pam tilted her head, beaming up at Jim. Five children had never been part of their plan, not even close. Even Maddie had been a little bit of a surprise, but this fifth one – the absolute last one – was the biggest surprise of all.

“Yeah, it’s settled. Our baby has a name.”

“Technically two, you know, since we don’t know if it’s a boy or a girl yet.”

Pam rolled her eyes. “Technicalities. Whatever.”

He winked at Pam, this time brushing his lips again hers. “Just sayin’…”

“Daaaad! You’re doing it wrong!”

Jim paused in mid-swing with the hammer and glanced over his shoulder. Olivia was standing behind him, hands on her hips and bottom lip jutting out in a pout. Her overalls were streaked with grass stains and to her left Jackson sat near the bushes lining the patio, plucking the larger blades to use as whistles. Boomer lay in the shade nearby, panting away in the heat but still wanting to be near the action.

“Liv, what are you talking about?” Jim dragged the back of his arm across his forehead, wiping the beads of sweat away. Summer had arrived early in Scranton it seemed, and though it was only mid-May, the temps were reaching record highs. Yet, Jim had promised his children a tree house as soon as the weather was nice enough to start building one, so that was that. Olivia hadn’t let him forget for a moment, and Jack was content to mimic anything his older sister said or did.

“The door is too small! I won’t even be able to fit!” Liv was near stomping her feet in protest, ready to pitch a fit. Boomer’s ears perked at the rise in Liv’s voice, but seeing no immediate danger, he lay his head back down with a sigh.

“First of all Olivia Jane Halpert, I am building you a tree house, so this hissy fit you’re trying to throw needs to stop. And honey, this is one of the windows.” Jim raised an eyebrow, as if to challenge his eldest child to continue. Most of the time, Jim Halpert was as big a pushover as any father who loved his children dearly, but it was hot and he was tired. His patience was wearing thin and he was by no means a perfect parent.

Olivia chewed her bottom lip momentarily, contemplating her options while digging a hole in the dirt with the toe of her sneaker. “Sorry Daddy,” she finally muttered. Olivia flopped down into one of the lounge chairs and Boomer jumped up into her lap.

Jim didn’t respond; instead he kept hammering away at the nails as the house slowly began to take shape. This caused Olivia’s scowl to grow until her eyes were so narrowed, she could hardly see. Liv was used to being Daddy’s Little Girl and being snapped at did little for her disposition.

Just then the patio door slid open and all four Halperts instantly had their attention drawn to Pam, holding a pitcher of lemonade in one hand and four cups stacked tightly together in the other. She grinned at Jim, enjoying the look of his mop of unruly brown hair matted to his forehead in the afternoon sun – not to mention the way his t-shirt clung to his back with every movement he made.

“Gavin is finally asleep, so I thought all my hard workers needed a break.” Pam sat down at the patio table and began setting out the glasses as she spoke. Gavin, meanwhile, would miss out on the family moment, as newborn infants have little need for tree houses or lemonade.

“God, I love you,” he told her as soon as he got to his feet, dropping the hammer into the grass. Jim moved toward the patio and scooped Liv up in his arms, tossing her over his shoulder as she giggled and squirmed. Neither could stay upset with the other for long and it was clear that the tiff was all but forgotten already. Jim set her back down after a few moments and tussled Liv’s hair as she beamed up at him.

Pam winked. “You love me because I bring you lemonade? Geez Halpert, if I would have known how easy it would be to get you, I would have done this a long time ago.” She began filling the cups. “Jack honey, come get something to drink. You’ve been out in the sun for too long.”

The four year old obliged very quickly, scampering over to the patio and sliding into the seat Olivia was aiming for, just before his sister could sit down. He made a face at her as she began to protest, grinning wildly.

“Jackson, MOVE!” Liv demanded shrilly. “I was gonna sit there!”

“But ya didn’t,” Jack replied in a sing-song, mocking tone. He stuck his tongue out at Olivia, eliciting quick responses from both parents at once for the behavior of both children.

“Look here guys,” Jim started, taking a sip from his glass before continuing. “I don’t know what’s going on with you two today but if this doesn’t stop I’m going to take that tree house and give it to a kid who is nice to his or her brothers and sisters.”

“Nooooooo!” Naturally, this was the only thing they’d agreed on all day.

“Then stop being so nasty to each other; both of you need to say you’re sorry and to mean it,” Pam added. “Olivia, if you want someone to do something, you ask nicely – you don’t scream at them. And Jackson, you know your sister was going to sit there. It wasn’t nice to take her seat.”

Neither child made a move. Instead, Jack sat and Liv stood, both glowering at the other with their small arms crossed defiantly in front of them. Jim set his glass back on the table and shrugged.

“I guess that’s it then. I’ll have to give this tree house to some kids who listen to their parents.” Jim began walking toward the structure he’d spent the last four hours assembling, toiling in the afternoon heat.

“I’m sorry!” Jack and Liv shouted at the same time, hoping their quick apologies might appease their parents and save their new toy from being given away. They both watched their father with wide-eyed anticipation, waiting to see if he would accept.

Jim and Pam exchanged glances, Jack and Liv looking back and forth from one to the other. “What do you think, Mom?”

“I don’t know, Dad.” Pam poured another glass of lemonade. “I’m not sure they meant it.”

“But I did!” Liv exclaimed, voice still shrill. “I did! Jack, I am sorry I yelled at you!”

“Yeah, I’m sowwy I took yo’w seat, Wiv.” To prove it, Jackson scooted over in the chair, making room for his sister. The older Halpert sat down quickly and both looked expectantly at their father…