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Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Future fic, AU after the Return. Title from "No Right Angles" by Ben Lee, which was my inspiration for the story. Enjoy.

Pam tapped the card against her palm, slipping it under a stack of papers when the phone rang.

"Dunder Mifflin this is Pam...I’ll transfer you." She let out a breath and rubbed at her forehead.

It was the Monday after Valentine’s Day and she’d spent the entire weekend convincing herself it wasn’t too late to give a valentine until it had been up to a week after the holiday. She’d gone to the Hallmark store a few blocks from her house the first week in February because they were having a sale on her favorite red currant scented candles. She always liked looking at cards and found herself roaming the aisles for well over an hour. She’d bought the card on a whim, not really thinking she’d do anything with it. After writing a brief message in it she tucked it away in her underwear drawer citing therapeutic reasons. The weekend before February 14 she wrote his name in pretty cursive script on the creme colored envelope and placed it on the kitchen table pretending she had plans. On Wednesday she slipped the card into her purse before coming to work peering into her bag every half hour to make sure it was still there–and there it had stayed until today. Today it was on her desktop. Turned over of course, so no passers by would see the scripted name.

She stared at his tensed shoulders, moving slightly as he filled out an invoice. His head craned exaggeratedly to one side and she could hear the crack from the few feet away where she sat. They hadn’t really interacted much since Oscar’s party. Karen was promoted to corporate the next week, and he’d been very quiet since she left. Since his recent mood change she had taken up packing a bottle of Rolaids in her purse. Watching Jim mope over his recently departed girlfriend was doing nothing for her acid reflux. Well, ex-girlfriend now–she’d heard him tell Toby last Tuesday that they ended it.

She pressed her lips together and looked at the clock. 5:42. She started to do her end of the day duties and when she got back to her desk people were starting to leave. He was still hunched over his desk, though. He’d been staying late the past couple of weeks. Her stomach started to roll over and her teeth started to chatter as she sat waiting for Michael to leave.

If he could tell her he was in love with her when she was engaged and about to be married, surely she could do it when he was unattached. She wasn’t even saying it out loud.

"Dunder-Mifflin doesn’t pay you to sleep over y’know!" Pam was startled out of her thoughts by Michael’s hand slapping the reception counter. She smiled as he turned to leave. 6:19.

She wiped her damp palms on her skirt and stood, gathering her things for a quick escape. After pulling on her coat and gloves she walked slowly toward his desk.

"Jim,"

He jumped a little at her voice, turning with raised eyebrows, "Headed out?"

"Yeah, um..this. I got you this. I found it. I just, I wanted you to have it–to give it to you." She smiled, sealing her lips against her teeth so as not to say anything else because she feared she would ramble on forever.

"Oh, I..thank you," He took the card with a close-mouth smiled, "Thanks, Pam."

She nodded, turning toward the door, "See you tomorrow then." She practically ran down the hallway to the elevator, punching the button as her heart nearly beat out of her chest. She was sure she could hear him opening it right now.

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He squinted at the outside, a geometric patterned heart on the front before opening it. Inside the card read: From every angle, my heart is yours. Happy Valentine’s Day. His breath caught, his heart rate increasing tenfold. Underneath in blue ink it was signed: I can, Jim. I will. I do.

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As she was pulling in to her apartment she heard her cell phone vibrating in her purse and took it out.

1 new text message

She sat in her car for a full half hour staring at the screen and pressing the number 3 button every time it would dim, before it buzzed again.

2 new text messages

She opened her inbox and held her breath before opening the first italicized new message:

Late vday card for late vday lunch? Tomorrow?

Her heart leapt. She gathered her things and ran inside her apartment nearly slipping on a leftover slick patch while trying to channel some adrenaline.

"Oh!" She said out loud, grabbing for her phone once inside to check the forgotten second message.

Pam?

She hit the call back button deciding text had taken them far enough.



beruco is the author of 13 other stories.
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