Pam looked down at the beer bottle before her, slowly peeling back the label. All around her there was chatter and laughter, but Pam wasn’t much in the celebratory mood. She wasn’t sure why she’d even come to Poor Richard’s with the rest of her officemates; she certainly didn’t feel like rejoicing. That morning Jim and Karen had come into work, giggling like schoolchildren. Pam had noticed immediately and it took her all of two seconds to see the large princess cut diamond adorning Karen’s ring finger. It didn’t take long for everyone else in the office to notice as well and the congratulations started pouring in. Michael insisted on Poor Richard’s at lunch, and three hours later here they still were.

At the middle of the group, Karen and Jim were all smiles. They were happily chatting with various co-workers as Oscar returned from the bar with a round of shots. Phyllis noticed Pam sitting alone and moved toward her, placing a hand gently on her back.

“Something wrong?” she asked softly.

Pam shook her head, forcing a smile. “Oh, yeah, fine. Just tired. Rough week.”

“I can imagine. This can’t be easy for you.”

“What do you mean? It’s a happy day, my friend is engaged.”

Phyllis was quiet, contemplating her answer. Thinking better of it, the older woman simply smiled sadly at Pam and returned to the group’s table, passing on her shot. She slid it over to Kelly instead, who was clutching Ryan’s arm and hadn’t taken her eyes from Karen’s engagement ring since she’d seen it that morning. She’d been babbling non-stop to Ryan since then about the ring she wanted, the cut, the size, everything. Ryan’s response was to consume as much alcohol as possible, despite the fact that it was the middle of the day.

Pam turned on the stool, watching her co-workers, when she noticed Jim looking at her. His smile faded as they held one another’s gaze for what seemed like hours. Phyllis glanced back and forth between them, but said nothing. Finally Pam joined the group and Jim looked away, back down at the smiling face of his fiancé.

He was mine, Pam thought miserably to herself. He was mine and I let him get away.

And just when Pam thought the day couldn’t get any worse, her attention was drawn to the door when a familiar face entered.

Roy.

He was smiling, looking over his shoulder at the person entering the bar behind him.

Pam strained to see and she stared in disbelief as a petite brunette grinned up at him, her hand clasped tightly in his. Pam sighed, muttering to herself, “You’ve got to be kidding me…”