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 "And have yourself a merry little Christmas now," Elizabeth crooned along with Judy, who sadly sang to her younger sister onscreen.  Elizabeth never understood why this movie was considered a holiday film, but had merely shrugged when she scanned past it.  It was so infrequent that the television not be on Spike TV that she was taking what she could get.

She reached for the tape dispenser and pulled a small piece off.  With one hand, she held the paper together, covering the rectangular box completely save the ends.  The phone rang next to her on the couch and Elizabeth muted Ms. Garland before hitting the 'talk' button on the cordless extension.

"Hello," she said, cradling the phone on her shoulder as she tore another portion of tape off.

"Hi."  Her voice got smaller every time she called.  Elizabeth stopped wrapping the present for her sister and stood.

"Pam, honey.  Are you okay?"  The elder Beesley regretted it the moment it left her mouth, but it was an impulse she hadn't gotten control of yet.

"I'm fine, mom.  Just tired I guess."  Pam yawned.

"Did you work today?"  Elizabeth asked, concern still lacing her voice.

"Yeah, our last day until Tuesday," Pam answered absentmindedly.  "We had a party."  Elizabeth perked up, remembering how much Pam had enjoyed the party last year.  "Well, actually we had two parties.  Karen and I decided to get under Angela's skin a little." This was news.  Liz knew Karen was the girl Jim was dating, and wondered why Pam would be spending any time with the other woman.  But fortunately, her daughter knew her well enough that she didn't have to ask.  "I can't hate her forever because she's smarter than me, mom.  There's no good reason for me not to be friends with her."  She sounded so sensible.

"Actually, there's a pretty good reason, Pamela.  He sits about ten feet away from your desk every day."

Pam sighed loudly, and then was silent for several moments.

"Pam I don't want you to think that I think it's a bad idea for you to be making friends, but are you really going to be able to?  Considering..."

"Mom."

There was silence again, and then finally, Pam spoke.

"It was just nice to talk and laugh with someone.  I've just been so...alone lately..."

Liz felt her heart break for her daughter once more.  She'd lost track of how often it happened these days. 

"Pam, why don't you come up in the morning?  We can bake cookies and brave the crowds at the mall.  I think it would be good for you to get out of your house." 

"Mom, I.. I don't think so.  I'm twenty-eight years old; I think it's a little ridiculous to run away to mommy's every time something in my life goes wrong.  If that were the case, I would never leave your couch."  Pam chuckled, but it was rather humorless.  "That's setting a scary precedent."

Elizabeth knew that if her only child didn't spend the weekend in her old bedroom, she would spend it alone in her apartment, crying and drinking.  She hadn't said anything to her husband, or even Pam for that matter, but Liz could tell sometimes when Pam called that she was tipsy.

"Everyone will be her on Monday anyway, honey.  It would just be getting a head start on the festivities."

"I was actually thinking I would maybe...skip that too."  Liz opened her mouth to let loose a protest, but Pam was too quick.  "It's just that since last spring, everyone stare at me.  And it's always one of two expressions.  It's either 'Oh, you poor pathetic thing', or it's 'Great, now what am I going to do with that bread maker I bought you for a wedding gift?'"  Elizabeth laughed at the level of perception Pam had in these matters.  She had heard both of those phrases used first hand at Thanksgiving.  "I just think it would be better to wallow here by myself is all."

The elder Beesley sighed, but knew better than to continue needling her offspring.  They sat on the phone in silence for a minute or two, Elizabeth watching the end of the musical, still on mute.

"Mom?"

"Yeah, babe?"

"Is it stupid that deep down, I really thought he would get me a gift?" 

The sun was setting just as a light show started to fall outside.  Liz stood and approached the picture window in her living room.  When Pam had started talking about what she was going to do for him, she had wanted to warn her daughter that the likelihood of him returning the gesture was slim to none.  "I think despite what you think of him right now, he's in a difficult position if he's dating your new best friend.  Maybe you should cut him some slack." 

"Yeah," Pam answered flatly.  She yawned audibly.

"You should go to bed early tonight, Pam."

"I will.  I'm going to make myself some tea and get into bed and watch old movies."  She paused, and when she spoke again, Liz could hear the hesitation in her voice.  "I don't know why, but even water tastes when it comes out of my teapot."

"I love you.  I'll call you tomorrow."

"Love you too, mom."

And with that, Elizabeth was left with a dial tone in her ear. 

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