“Honestly,” Jim said, shifting in his chair. “I don’t think I can do it at this time. I really appreciate the offer-”

David held up a hand, “Whoa. I’m not going to take no for an answer. We really want to promote you. What is it? Do you need more pay? Do you want a better office?”

“No, no, no. It’s not that…I just have some priorities that come first and this job isn’t really…at the top of my list at the moment. Not that…it’s not a great offer- because it is- I just can’t right now,” he said.

David leaned forward. “How long do you need?”

“I don’t know. That’s the thing…it could virtually be… years.”

David looked down at his desk then shuffled some papers in front of him, obviously not happy. “Well, thank you for coming, Jim.”

“No, thank you. I normally wouldn’t turn an offer like this down. I mean, it’s a great job and good pay. I’m crazy for not doing it, I’ve just got a family to consider,” he said, nodding.

“Understandable,” David said, solemnly, as he stood to walk Jim out.

“Thank you again,” Jim said, standing and shaking David’s hand.

“Good luck, Jim,” David said before opening the door for Jim. Jim gave a nod before walking out of the office. For some reason, he couldn’t help but think he left one of the best offers he’s ever had slip through his fingers.

-----

“Where are we?” Pam asked, looking side to side out of the windshield.

Pam’s mother pulled into a parking lot and parked the car. “Don’t you remember? This is Dr. Stauffer’s.”

Pam turned her head towards her mother. “Please don’t tell me that this is where you’re taking me.”

Pam’s mother smiled and turned off the car. She grabbed her purse and slung the strap over her shoulder. “I made an appointment for one thirty. You’re going to be late…”

“I’m going to be late? You made me an appointment?” Pam asked, looking shocked and confused.

“Come on. You said you weren’t going to tell anyone you were pregnant until you knew for sure. So…here we are.”

“Mom!” Pam yelped.

“What? You needed a little pushing,” her mother said, opening her car door and getting out. Pam sat in her seat, with thoughts reeling in her head.

“I think I can go to the doctor on my own time, Mother!” she nearly hollered. “Plus, I want Jim here.”

Pam’s mother walked around and opened the Pam’s door. “Don’t you want to be able to know for sure and tell people? Please, Pam. For me?”

Pam sighed. “Mom, I can wait. This just seems so…I don’t know…weird.”

“Hun, are you seriously not gonna go in? I mean, what else is Dr. Stauffer going to do during the one thirty appointment? Look at my bunions?” her mother said, a sly grin on her face.

Pam cracked a smile too. “Mom. I can take myself to the doctors. I don’t need my mommy holding my hand or making my appointments for that matter,” she said, unbuckling her seatbelt.

“Fine. Go in there by yourself and I’ll walk down to the coffee shop over there,” she said, pointing over her shoulder.

“Deal,” Pam said, getting out of the car. She walked a few paces towards the doctors office and then turned around. “You’re not mad at me, are you?”

“Not at all. You can go to the doctors by yourself,” she said, taking a step onto the sidewalk.

“Okay,” Pam nodded, as she turned and opened the office doors.

Pam walked into the stark office that she remembered from her childhood. It was white, plain, and often times, cold. She hadn’t been to Dr. Stauffer in years and the last time she had, it was to get birth control when she was dating Roy. Boy, how my life has changed since then, she thought, walking to the counter to check in.

She signed in and grabbed a chair near the magazine rack and the toys. She sat quietly for a few moments, realizing that in a few hours, she would know if she was going to have another child. the opposite. She knew that Jim would take care of them and be supportive. Her only concern was that if something ever happened to Jim, she would be left alone; again. Pam couldn’t fathom being alone with two children to raise.

Soon, a red-headed nurse called her name and escorted her back to an examination room. The nurse asked her the normal questions and then had her take a little plastic cup into the restroom. After Pam got over the fact that she thought it was demeaning, she did her business, and handed the cup to Dr. Stauffer, who was waiting in the room for her to finish.

“Thank you, Pam,” he said, taking the cup from her. “How have you been all these years?” the slightly overweight, balding physician asked her.

Pam found her place on the examination table again. “Good.”

“Are you living in town?” he asked, scribbling something on his notepad.

Pam shook her head. “No. I’m in town for a wedding. I live in Scranton now with my husband and daughter.”

“You have a family? Wow. I can’t believe you’ve grown up…” he said, shaking his head.

“Me either.”

“How old is your daughter?” he asked, labeling the cup in his hands.

“She’s five.”

“And, is she ready for a sibling?”

“I don’t know. She hasn’t really asked about any baby brothers or sisters. So, if I am pregnant, this might come as a shock to her,” Pam said, chuckling uncomfortably.

“And your husband…is he ready for another?”

“Definitely. Well, this will be his first. My second.”

“Oh, I see…” the doctor said, signing the bottom of a form.

Pam sighed. She found that telling her story to almost complete strangers was useless these days. They would never understand fully as to what happened to her, Scarlet, or Jim. It was something that couldn’t be learned unless it was by personal experience.

“Well, that about does it for now. We could have the results in as early as five o‘clock this evening or tomorrow morning,” he said, handing her a form and escorting her towards the door. “Thanks for coming in. I’ll contact you when I know.”

“Thanks,” Pam said, folding the paper.

“Take care, Pam.”

Pam passed through the empty waiting room and hurried out the door. For some reason, she felt relieved to leave there quickly and took in a deep breath as she found the sidewalk. Her mother was standing a few yards away, looking into a boutique with a cup of coffee in her hand.

“You’re all done?” her mother asked, sipping on her cup.

“Yeah. Can we go now?” she asked, seemingly in a hurry.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I’m just tired….and stressed…and I want to call Jim. So, let’s go.”

“Okay…” her mother said, digging her keys from her purse and heading towards the car.

-----

Back at the house, virtually everyone that was in the wedding party was standing in the Beesly’s living room. Jessica had them all spaced perfectly and practicing the run-down of tomorrows events. Jessica nervously bit her bottom lip as she instructed and thought about the mechanics of how each couple was supposed to exit the stage.

“…if you just move over…” she said, positioning a tiny blonde girl over to the right and knocking into someone she’d only seen a few times before. Jessica looked up and chuckled.

“Sorry…” he said, then snaking out a hand to shake hers. “I’m Jim. You must be the bride.” he said, smiling and looking around the room full of people.

Jessica smiled. “Yes. Jim….it’s nice to see you again. I’m…”

“Jessica…” he finished. “I met you at my wedding and I haven’t stopped hearing about you since your engagement. Nice to see you again,” Jim said, shifting on his feet and messing with his ties. He held his briefcase and his luggage sat on the floor next to the door. “Do you happen to know where Pam and Scarlet are?” he asked.

Jessica glanced around the room. “No…Pam and her mom went out a few hours ago. I think Scarlet is with Phil…”

“Oh,” Jim said, nodding dejectedly.

Dave walked over towards Jessica and placed a hand on her back. “Hey, where does Mitch stand?” he asked, interrupting her and Jim’s conversation.

“Uhhh…” Jessica said, glancing away from Jim only momentarily. “I don’t know yet…give me a sec.”

Jim took a few steps back. “I’ll get out of your way. But before I do, do you happen to know where I’ll be staying? Or at least where Pam’s stuff is?”

“Um, I think Scarlet was staying in Pam’s old room if you wanna put your stuff up there….” Jessica said and then grabbed a hold of Dave’s hand. “Wait….why don’t you help Jim put his stuff upstairs,” she said as Dave nodded. He introduced himself and then assisted Jim in lugging his suitcases up the wooden staircase.

“So, you’re Pam’s husband?” Dave asked, lifting the luggage from the floor.

Jim nodded. “Yeah. And you’re marrying Jessica?”

“Yeah,” Dave said, nodding and carrying the suitcase by the handle. They made their way up the stairs in almost complete silence.

“So…” Jim said, as he navigated his way into Pam’s old room. He had been in it before when they celebrated the fourth of July at the Beesly’s. He poked fun at Pam for all the pink and the photos strewn across the room. Back then, it gave him sense of who Pam was but now, it gave him a better sense of who Scarlet was going to become.

“How did you meet Pam?” Dave asked, placing the suitcase at the foot of the bed where Scarlet’s bag was sitting.

Jim broke from his trance of staring at Scarlet’s things and smiled. “Oh, ummm…we worked together a long time ago. Well, it was more than just working together. We were like…best friends then.”

“You were?” Dave asked, compelled by Jim and Pam’s relationship again.

Jim shifted across the room and sat down his briefcase. “Yeah…well, I left…then came back…and then she left and got married and then one day I found her kid….and that’s that,” he grinned as he though back to nearly a year and a half ago when he saw Scarlet crying in the produce aisle.

Dave nodded and started heading towards the door. Jim caught him before he left. “How did you meet Jessica?”

Dave smiled and glanced out the door to the hallway momentarily. “I bought her bleach.”

Jim chuckled. “How sentimental.”

“It was to her,” he said, smiling. “She used to teach a CPR class and one day I just so happened to help her. I bought her bleach to sterilize some stuff…that’s how it happened,” Dave said, smiling. “For the two bucks I spent…I think I got a lot more than just the bleach.”

Jim nodded as he smiled. “Thanks for the help, Dave.”

“Nice to meet you…” he said, as he waved and trotted down the stairs to where his bride stood impatiently waiting on him.