It’s after lunch on Monday and the Stamford branch still hasn’t showed up. Pam sits at her desk playing a game of solitaire. She frowns at the computer screen. She’s nearing one thousand seconds and she’s still not close to being done.
She closes the window. She’s sick of solitaire. Besides, it’s not half as fun when there’s no one there to help you.
Michael anxiously exits his office for the twelfth time that day.
“They’re not here yet,” she says without looking up, and he all but stomps his foot and returns to his office.
“Yes, I’m excited for Stamford to come here,” he sits facing the camera in his office. “We will welcome them with open arms,” he pauses for a minute, and Steve-the-camera-guy looks at his watch. “Besides, that Josh guy was all smart and…good-looking and I just want to rub it in his face that we won. Guess what, Josh? Guess who’s even more smarter and good-looking? Me.”
The camera pans in on Pam leaving a post-it note on the computer screen at Jim’s old desk. It reads, “Welcome back!—Pam.”
She’s in the kitchen heating up some tea when Michael walks in.
“Just need to use the little boy’s room,” he says, waving his hand at the door. She nods, then rolls her eyes when his back is turned.
She grabs her teapot and sighs as she leaves the kitchen. She can feel a headache coming on.
“Ah,” she hears a voice say, and she stops dead in her tracks. “So you do use that.”
Jim’s standing just inside the door, his bag slung over his shoulder, and for a minute it’s like he was never gone.
She has the urge to run to him and jump in his arms, but she suppresses it when she notices the group of people assembled around him.
The next few minutes are a blur as everyone stands to greet the new workers. Michael comes running out of the bathroom, distraught that he missed their grand entrance.
Michael shakes hands with Josh and says, “Everyone, this is Josh Porter, former manager of the Stamford branch, and this is…everyone else.” He waves his hand in the direction of Jim and the other Stamford employees.
Josh clears his throat and says, “Right. I’m Josh, and obviously you all know Jim…” Jim grins sheepishly at them all. He steps back as the other three Stamford employees step forward. “…This is Richard…” A short, balding man squints indifferently at them. “…Evelyn…” An older woman with gray hair smiles warmly. “…And Melissa.”
The last girl steps forward. She’s younger than the other employees are. Pam guesses around her own age. She’s pretty, but not showy, and Pam gets a little excited at the thought of a new friend. She doesn’t have enough of those these days.
Pam watches Melissa as she steps back next to Jim. She nudges him and he stoops down a little as she whispers something in his ear. He laughs and beams at her and Pam’s stomach does a sickening flop.
The camera pans in on her, then follows her gaze to Jim and Melissa, who are standing so that their arms are subtly touching.
Pam thinks she might be sick.
Creed is standing next to Ryan and whispers, “Who are they?” Ryan rolls his eyes and ignores him.
After Michael shows the new group around the office, Steve pulls Jim into the conference room.
“Yeah, it’s good to be back,” he says and then pauses. “Okay that’s a lie. I honestly thought I’d never see these people again.”
They ask him about Melissa and he smiles for half a second. “I worked with her in Stamford. She sells paper, just like me so you know…we have that in common.”
He’s back at his old desk, sitting in his chair and surveying the room. Pam watches him carefully from reception.
“Oh look,” Melissa says as she leans against the edge of his desk. “Someone left you a note.” She grabs Pam’s post-it off the screen. “Welcome back pan. Pan? Is that some kind of nickname?” Jim quickly glances to reception, where Pam is staring stony-faced at her computer.
“Jim lied,” Kevin says. “I don’t see any hot chicks. That one lady could be my grandmother. Although…” he pauses thoughtfully. “…My grandmother is a very attractive lady.”
“Generally I like the new people. Except Richard seems like he’d be a messy eater. And we already have one of those,” the camera follows Angela’s glare to Kevin who is wiping jelly off his chin.
“I haven’t had a chance to get to know them yet,” Pam says coolly. “But they all seem really nice and…I’m sorry, but I have some faxes to get out.”
The cameras peer through the window into Michael’s office. He’s sitting at his desk, Josh opposite him, talking and waving his arms a lot.
Josh nods his head and says, “I’m sorry you were misinformed.”
Michael shakes his head and says, “It’s just that I was under the impression you would be my inferior, not my equal. You know because this is my office. I’m the daddy of this family, and you can’t have two daddys.” He pauses and loosens his tie, “I mean you can…if you choose that kind of lifestyle. But we are a traditional family. Just one daddy…and a mommy that comes down from New York every now and then.”
Josh stares at him in disbelief. He shakes his head before continuing. “Be that as it may…we are equals. I’m manager, you’re manager. We’re co-managers.”
Michael pouts angrily, then suddenly brightens. “Now go make me a sandwich, bitch!” Josh says nothing and Michael coughs awkwardly. “Oh, is it too early for that?”
Creed is standing talking to Evelyn by his desk. “…And this is my stapler.”
Ryan stares at him.
Jim’s at his desk, pretending to work intently when Dwight sits down. He looks up at Dwight, leans back in his chair and smiles mischievously.
“Hey Dwight,” he says casually, and Dwight doesn’t look away from his computer screen. The camera comes over and Jim raises his eyebrows at it. “How’s it going?”
“Listen, Jim. I don’t want to be working with you, you don’t want to be working with me—”
“Not true,” Jim says with a taunting smile, “I do want to be working with you.”
“Whatever. Just leave me alone.”
Jim nods and is silent. The camera is about to leave.
“I missed you Dwight. Did you miss me?”
“No,” Dwight says sternly. “I did not.”
Jim pauses again. “The nights were the hardest for me. Those long, cold nights without you…”
“Shut-up Jim. I am not gay.”
“Oh. Right,” Jim says with a wink. “Neither am I.”
Dwight ignores him and turns back to his computer screen.
“Those nights that never seemed to end…and I missed your trembling, sweaty—okay, I’m sorry, I can’t do it. It’s just too—ick.” He shudders.
“I’m reporting you.”
“Okay.”
“I am.”
“Fine.”
Dwight scrunches up his face in anger and bolts from his desk.
Out of habit, Jim swivels his chair and looks over at reception. Pam is giggling behind her hand, but she sobers quickly when she sees him watching her.
She turns back to her work and the camera zooms in on Jim, who’s staring dumbfounded at her. He shakes his head before turning back to his own work.
Richard is in the kitchen eating a sandwich. He has mayonnaise on his cheek and crumbs on his shirt. Angela shakes her head angrily.
Creed is standing by the watercolor and watching Ryan take the stapler back from his desk. He sips his water and grins happily.
“I love this game! That Ricky is such a hoot.”
The camera focuses on Jim and follows his gaze to reception, where Pam is talking on the phone. He notices the camera watching him, and he blushes, clears his throat and walks over to Pam’s desk.
“Hey!” he says excitedly, when she hangs up the phone.
“Hey!” she replies, trying to match his tone. She wonders if it’s convincing.
“Sure I’m glad Jim’s back.”
Jim is telling a story. Something about seeing the female version of Dwight in New York. He’s waving his arms a lot, and Pam is laughing despite herself.
“He’s a really great guy.”
Jim hands Pam her jacket as they prepare to leave.
“It’ll definitely be a lot more interesting around here.”
Pam walks out the door and turns to say something else to Jim, but he’s still at the coat rack, handing Melissa her jacket. She smiles at him and Pam’s face falls. She steps into the elevator alone. The door closes as Jim holds out his hand and Melissa takes it with a smile.
“And I mean, we used to be really great friends.”
Author's Chapter Notes:
Sorry this update is so short!
