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Jane Williams had always loved weddings. They made her cry, they made her laugh; she loved the flowers, she loved the cake. When she was seven, she was the flower girl in her favorite aunt’s wedding. For a child, a wedding is magical. She danced on her father’s feet; she tasted champagne from her mother’s glass. When she graduated from college, she felt like every summer she went to a million weddings, but to her they still felt magical. She collected bridesmaid dresses and dodged the bouquet toss.

When she married Mark a few months ago, she didn’t cry when she said her vows – she giggled with excitement. She will point out that he cried, but he maintains he was mourning the loss of his bachelorhood. She knows better. She cried when she danced with her father, resting her feet on his like she did all those years ago. Jane didn’t want that night to end.

Standing in front of Pam, who was dressed in the most beautiful white gown she’d ever seen, she had to fight back tears. “Seriously Jane, again?” Pam asked with a smile on her face as she handed her a tissue, “You have to stop.”

“I know, I know, it’s just…so great that you and Jim are getting married after all this time.” Jane brought Pam in for a warm hug.

“We only dated a year.”

“Yes I know, but it seems a lot longer doesn’t it?” Jane tipped her head toward Pam knowingly.

“You’re right, it totally does.” Pam giggled and sat down on the stool in the church office where she and Jane had gotten dressed, “Thanks for helping with the planning Jane, especially since all my ideas were sort of old and, well, stolen by Phyllis.”

“Well, I would not have made it through my wedding without you, so fair is fair. I mean who knew Mark’s mother was a crazy person?” Jane pulled up a chair next to Pam.

“Speaking of crazy people, where is my mom?”

“She said she needed more Kleenex and wanted to talk to Jim’s mom for a minute.”

“She has like a box shoved in her purse!” Pam paused to think, “They’re planning a toast aren’t they?”

“Well….” Jane looked away, desperate for escape from the question. She was never good at lying, and she knew Pam would know the truth as soon as she looked at her face.

“Jane….”

Jane turned to her and tried for her best smile. “Just a teensy one.”

“Urgh, they promised.”

“They’re mothers….they are not sane today. Just go with it, smile at Jim, picture the honeymoon suite …after the wedding…” Jane crocked an eyebrow at Pam suggestively.

“Jane!”

“What? Everyone had to toast me and Mark: his mom, my mom, his dad, my dad, his first grade teacher… I had to distract myself.”

They both snickered and Jane patted Pam’s hand.

“Don’t worry, just enjoy your big day. Besides, this is going to be the most beautiful wedding ever. I think there’s something to planning weddings in twos don’t you think?”

“Well it’s very Pride and Prejudice.” Pam nodded seriously, a smile slightly tugging at the corners of her lips.

“It is.” Jane smiled widely remembering that they had watched Pride and Prejudice together so many times that they had it memorized.

“And we did get a deal ordering two wedding cakes at once.”

“True, that was awesome. Remember tasting all the kinds of cake and filling that day – I’ve never been so sick.” Jane stuck out her tongue, “We should have stopped after the vanilla, chocolate and strawberry.”

“Yet, it was totally worth it.” Pam smirked, smoothing her skirt as if she were trying to calm her nerves. “I know it is really cliché to be all mooney here, but I’m really glad you’re here. I’m glad we’re friends.”

“Me too. You know, I feel like I’ve known you forever, I mean Jim talked about you for years. And he’s loved you for so long… you guys are perfect for each other. You know?” Jane tried to stifle a sniffle, “I’m so happy for you both. And getting to be such close friends with you, that’s something I didn’t expect and I’m so thankful.”

“I, just…okay now I’m gonna cry.” Pam dabbed at her eyes.

“Join the club.” Jane grabbed a handful of Kleenexes. “I’m like a freaking Lifetime movie over here.”

Pam cleared her throat, “Alright, before we float down the aisle, what do you say you go make sure that Mark got Jim here in one piece?” Jane rolled her eyes and they both burst out laughing.

“Be back in a flash, don’t go all runaway bride on me while I’m gone.”

“No worries there, I can’t wait to marry him.”

Jane stopped at the door and turned back giving Pam a grin, “I know, I know.”

Pam playfully threw a wadded up Kleenex toward Jane as she shut the door.

Jane wandered through the sanctuary taking in the simple floral arrangements that Pam had chosen. The church was old and beautiful and needed no elaborate decoration. Pam had chosen lots of votive candles and loads of pink, yellow and white roses. Jane could not contain her excitement - in less than an hour the church would be full of family and friends and Jim and Pam would be married. She went to the back and down the stairs to the choir room where Mark and Jim were waiting for the ceremony to begin. She knocked gently and peeked her head in, eyes squeezed shut.

“Everyone decent?”

“Of course, Jane, get in here.” Mark’s voice boomed and she opened her eyes to find the two men seated on a plush couch.

“You have couches down here? No fair.”

“You don’t?”

“No.” She spun around taking in the room and stopped to looks at her boys, as she liked to call them, dressed in elegant black tuxedos with black vests. “You two look nice.”

They both smiled widely. It felt a little like déjà vu seeing them both in tuxes again, it had been much the same scene at her wedding, except this time Jim wore the slightly nervous smile and fidgety fingers, while Mark sat back listening to the afternoon game, relaxing before the festivities began.

“Jane, you look beautiful” Jim said softly as he got up to walk toward her.

“Thanks.” Jane twirled in the black strapless dress that Pam let her pick out. They had agreed when they both got engaged so close together to allow the other to pick out their own bridesmaid dress. She nudged him with a soft punch to the shoulder, “You don’t look so bad either.”

Mark playfully called out, "Hey Halpert, get your own girl."

Jane turned to Mark with a smile, "Shush you - he already did."

Jim smirked down at her, his voice a little unsteady as he asked, “So everything okay up there?”

“Actually Jim, that’s why I’m here,” she took a deep breath, “Pam’s having second thoughts.”

“What!” Jim almost choked on the word as he glanced at the door, seemingly planning his route up to where Pam was. He looked at her sincerely, “Really?”

Jane felt a little guilty playing such a joke on him, but after all the years she couldn’t resist it. She tried to hold a serious expression, but couldn’t hold in the laughter, “No, of course not. In fact, the last thing she said to me before I left her was that she couldn’t wait to marry you.”

Jim took a deep breath and then looked at Jane very seriously, “You are so paying for that.”

“Big talk, big guy.”

“Small words, short girl.” Jim crocked a eyebrow at Jane and they both smiled.

Jane stood on her tip toes to give Jim a little kiss on the cheek and he pulled her into a hug. “Seriously, have a good time today.”

“Oh, I intend to.” Jim rocked on his toes and blinked a bit.

“Please don’t cry. If you cry, I will cry. …How I am the girl in this friendship?” Jane shook her head. Mark stood up and cleared his throat as he piped in.

“Seriously, Jane, we all know Halpert’s a woman, he’s gonna cry.”

Jane leaned in to whisper, “Are you really a woman?”

“Yeah, don’t tell anyone.” They both snickered.

“Just the same, here are tissues, don’t snot on the bride.”

“That would be bad, I can see that.” Jim nodding knowingly.

Jane turned with a wave of her hand to go back upstairs, “See you later fellas.”

“See ya, honey; meet you at the end of the aisle.” Mark called after her.

“Yeah yeah, that’s what they all say.” Jane playfully called back.

“Hey Jane?” Jim followed her out to the hall, “I just wanted to say thanks. I think I owe you for a lot of this.”

“No you don’t. You did it yourself.”

“You pushed.”

“James Halpert, I never pushed.” She looked at him feigning offense before breaking down in laughter at her obvious lie, “Okay, I totally pushed, but I’m southern, we push for sport. Ask my mother.”

“You’re southern? I thought that accent was French?”

They both smiled, and Jane could feel eyes start to sting again. Jim was like her brother and she loved him dearly. She could not have been happier to see this all work out for him; his happiness seemed to mix with hers and she felt like they couldn’t be more fortunate.

“Listen stretch,” Jane started, watching Jim chuckle at the nickname, “You know that I love you right?”

“Yeah, me too Jane.” She patted down his tie.

“Alright,” she wiped at her eyes, “Jim, it’s about time for you marry Pam.” She leaned in a whispered her name like it was a secret.

“I know, what about that? His eyes gleamed back at her, partially from unshed tears but mostly from excitement.

She turned again to take the stairs up to the sanctuary, “I think it’s pretty awesome.”

“Me too.” Jim whispered.

Jane tucked her head back down the stairwell, “Hey by the way, your parents are heading your way. I think they’re gonna give you the birds and the bees discussion, should I bring down a flip chart?”

“Oh, shut it.”

Jane sat at a table in the small ballroom of the Woodlands Inn watching Jim and Pam cut the cake, silently praying the Jim might take the high road and refrain from smashing the cake on his new wife’s face. Jim smirked as he obviously pondered what to do in this situation, but his smirk turned into a warm smile as he carefully fed Pam the small bite of cake. Pam absolutely beamed up at him and then stood up on her tiptoes to gently press her sugary lips to his.

Looking at them laughing and smiling, Jane thought back over the ceremony as she drank her champagne. Pam was the most beautiful bride as she walked down the aisle on her father’s arm toward Jim, who stood at the front of the church eagerly awaiting her arrival by his side. Their vows were traditional, and they both fought back tears. Their first kiss was sweet, chaste almost, but not quite. It clearly reflected a strong and passionate love that everyone hoped would last a lifetime.

“Earth to Jane, calling Jane…” Mark whispered in her ear.

“Hmmmm?” She turned to face him as he sat down and offered her piece of cake, “Sorry, I was just thinking.”

“Well, pay attention because Dwight, from Jim’s office, appears to be getting up to make a toast. This should be good.”

Jane straightened up and noticed that while her mind had wandered the mothers had given a toast and, as they headed to their seats, Dwight and Jim’s boss Michael were heading towards the DJ to grab the microphone.

“Oh…Pam is not going to like this.” Jane searched for Pam and could see the look of horror even from across the room.

“Attention, Attention. Michael and I would like to say something.” Dwight’s voice bellowed seriously over the room.

“Give me that, you have no idea how to charm a crowd,” Michael smiled widely and it seemed to Jane like he had started to channel his inner used car salesman. “Jim and Pam, Jimbo and Pamalama Ding Dong, like Bennifer and Brangelina, JAM if you will, or PB & J….”

Jane stifled a giggle as she kept her eyes on the happy couple: Pam was clearly frightened as to what embarrassing statement would come out of Michael’s mouth next and Jim had his fist over his mouth trying to hide his amusement.

“These two…have been,” Michael dramatically tried to control a sob, “these two are an inspiration to lovers everywhere, or at least to lovers in our office, of which we’ve had quite a few, despite our deputy downer HR representative over there, Toby Flenderson. Anyway, I always knew that these two were meant to be together, MFEO as they say, and I was happy to help them get together…really you guys it was my pleasure.” Michael put his hand to his chest dramatically and again chocked back tears.

“People cry a lot in that office don’t they?” Mark whispered into Jane’s ear and she snickered.

“Wouldn’t you cry if you worked there?”

“Absolutely.”

Dwight took the mike solemnly from Michael as he cried, “I think what Michael is trying to say is that office flirtations are dangerous, because they distract people from performing the very important duties that we have at Dunder Mifflin. Furthermore, we are all hopeful that now that this wedding is over, Jim’s sales figures will increase from their pathetic level, although they will never be as high as mine because he lacks a certain necessary killer instinct. On a personal note, Pam, you’ve always been good to me, except when you and your now betrothed are wasting precious company time engaged in juvenile antics unbecoming the name Dunder Mifflin. But, I think you are a marginally decent person, and I wish you fertile loins and masculine children.” Dwight’s voice dropped as he muttered, “Just please don’t let them grow up to be like Jim.” Dwight paused to speak more forcefully as he continued, shifting his weight, subtly communicating his frustration, “Jim, really, it’s all about respect, something every Jedi must learn from his master…”

The DJ finally took the opportunity to wrestle the microphone from Dwight, although Dwight did put up a good fight. Finally defeated, he led a tearful Michael off the dance floor back to their table in the back. Angela looked on proudly as Dwight returned and gently touched his arm to show her approval.

“That was….” Jane burst out laughing, “by far the worst set of toasts ever heard at a wedding.”

“I don’t know, I still think my first grade teacher explaining how I used to wet my pants when little girls talked to me was way worse.” Mark tried to keep a straight face, but ended up blushing with embarrassment.

“Yeah, that was not good.” Jane reached for his hand and kissed his cheek gently. “Is it safe to dance with you or are you gonna pee on me?”

“Well that’s a risk you take lady.” Mark led Jane out to the crowd on the dance floor.

Mark pulled Jane close into his arms for the next slow dance. Jane melted into his embrace, stealing glances over his shoulder at Jim and Pam dancing in the corner, the candlelight casting a warm yellow color over them both and causing Pam’s diamond ring and wedding band to sparkle.

“So, after this is over, what next?” Mark spoke in her ear and she relished the tingling feeling that ran down her spine.

Pulling back to look him solidly in the eyes, “What do you mean?”

“I mean Jim and Pam are married…what will you do with all your meddling time?”

“Why do you make me sound like Velma on Scooby Doo?”

Mark’s voice took on a low serious tone, “Oh honey, now if you’re anyone you are definitely Daphne.”

Jane smiled as she rested her forehead on his shoulder, “You say that to all the girls.”

Mark spun her around with the music. “What do you say, we head out of here, go home and plot your next big match. That Dwight guy clearly needs help.”

Jane shuddered at the thought, “Yeah, I’m not a miracle worker.” Jane scanned the room enjoying the flowers and candlelight and the sight of her two best friends nuzzled close together swaying to the music. She pulled Mark close, “I love you.”

“Love you too, Dear Abby.”

“You know though, now that you mention it, did you meet that guy Toby? Because he seemed really nice. I was thinking that maybe your sister would like –“

Mark moved in to silence Jane with a long sweet kiss and she responded by pulling him close and running her fingers through his short hair. When they pulled apart he said softly, “You were saying?”

Jane smiled and pulled him back into her, “Never mind.”