Chapter Two

Jim closes his eyes as he waits for the elevator doors to open. If he could transport himself somewhere, anywhere else he would. It’s going to be a fun day, Halpert. You thought it was bad before you told her. Way to create the world’s most awkward situation for yourself.

He can tell before he opens the door that she isn’t there yet. There is no sign of her curly brown head peeking out from behind her desk as he walks into the office. He suddenly remembers the way he’d found her here last night. She looked so beautiful he lost his breath for a second. The scene plays over and over in his mind, just like it had all night. It was so incredible he’s almost convinced it didn’t really happen.

To find her not there has him half relieved and half disappointed. In a way, it was worse now that she knew. Things are so…uncertain.

Luckily it looked like he’d have a distraction. Jim drops his bag near his chair and stands and stares at Dwight, who it seems is scouring his desk for fingerprints.

“Hey…um, Dwight? Something I can help you with?” He says with a lopsided grin.

Dwight’s head shoots up. “Jim.” His voice drops a full octave as he leans close. “I'm sorry but you'll need to relocate. You can’t sit here today. This is a crime scene.”

Jim arches away from him and gives him a look. “No Dwight. This is my desk.”

Dwight scans the room from left to right to ensure they are alone. He straightens his glasses and whispers. “I have it on good authority that someone was here after hours last night. My guess? They came from Cumberland Mills, looking for your secret files.”

Jim sighs. “Dwight. Hate to break it to you but I have no secret files.”

“Not even in your bottom desk drawer? The one that you keep locked?” Dwight asks.

Jim nods as he pushes him out of the way and sits down. “Not even there.”

Dwight’s fascination with Jim’s locked drawer was a constant source of amusement. He really kept nothing of interest in there, except for some spare gym clothes and an old pair of sneakers. Although, now that he thought about it, tucked in the back was the only thing he really cared about. It was a little collection of things that reminded him of Pam.

He’d raided it at Christmas, to fill her teapot. Now all that was left was one of the doves she’d made for the Olympics, his gold medal, an amazing sketch she’d left on her steno pad after some inane meeting Michael had called. Oh, and the empty can of coke she’d made him buy for her the last time he’d been jinxed.

You’re a sap, plain and simple. He thinks with a shake of his head. Still he knows when he cleans out his desk those were the things he’d be taking with him.

He's aware Dwight is still hovering. As Jim stares at him he can almost hear his mind working.

“Someone was here and I’m determined to find out who.” He reaches over and snatches the receiver off of Jim’s phone, disconnecting it from the base. “I’m going to check the phone records and see if they made any long distance calls.” The phone cord dangles between his fingertips as he says. “I need to take this into evidence.”

Jim remembers that Pam was on the phone when he’d come in last night. He wouldn’t put it past Dwight to pour over months of records to find out who had really been in here. Not to mention the fact that he can’t be a hundred percent sure that the momentous occasion wasn’t actually recorded by the damn cameras.

He doesn’t want to think of that now. He doesn’t need a video to commemorate the moment. How he can even sit at this desk remembering the way she’d looked when he found her here is beyond him.

Shaking the image from his head he says quietly. “Dwight. You can relax. It was me. I was here last night.” He grabs his phone back and turns on his computer.

“Hold on. As Security Supervisor of the Scranton branch it is my duty inform you that being on the premises after hours is a serious offense.” He looks at Jim suspiciously. “What exactly were you doing?”

Jim grips the arms of his chair and leans back to stare at the ceiling. He’s aware of how ironic it sounds as he says. “I had some…unfinished business.”

Dwight narrows his eyes as he asks. “What kind of business?”

“None of yours.” He replies as he clicks an email open.

Dwight will not be swayed. “What are you doing? Are you working on a scheme of some sort?”

Jim racks his brain for a way to get Dwight to leave him alone. As amusing as he usually finds this sort of thing he’s just not in the mood today. He knows that the easiest tactic is to make him a co-conspirator.

“OK. Listen to me. You can’t share this with anyone.” Jim begins.

Dwight bends down and stares into his eyes. “You have no cause for worry. We Schrutes are excellent at keeping secrets.”

I’m sure you are. Jim says to himself. If there ever was a sure sign he should move on this is it. He’s getting too good at this. Dwight’s falling right into his hands. “You see. I’m working on a plan to expand our territory.”

“Interesting.” Dwight says softly, completely intrigued. “Go on…”

“And I started to think outside the box. We should be contacting some overseas markets. So I came up here last night to do some research. And come to think of it, you can help me out here. Why don’t you…” Jim leans forward and his voice lowers. “…start to compile a list of all the countries that are currently not serviced by a Staples or…Office Depot. And don’t forget the more obscure ones. That’s where we can find our niche. Once you do that, we can narrow it down and pick our target.”

“Excellent idea Jim.” Dwight straightens and gives him a nod. “There’s a whole world outside these doors.”

“That there is.” Jim agrees, thankful that he fell for it so quickly. His eyebrows rise as he adds. “And the world needs paper.”

He watches as Dwight scurries off, mumbling about where he can find a world atlas.

Alone at last, involuntarily Jim’s eyes wander over to Pam’s desk, marking the first of the thousand times he glances there a day. She’s usually in way before him but now it’s already 9:15. His heart fills with dread at what that must mean. He guesses she won’t be coming in today after all.

xoxoxoxoxoxox

Pam walks to the door for the fifteenth time. She still can’t make herself open it and leave. She’s contemplating just what to do when the phone rings. She panics as she checks the caller id and then sighs with relief before she answers.

“Hey Mom.” She whispers sadly.

Her mother’s voice is full of concern. “Honey? I tried you at work but you weren’t there. You never called me back last night. Are you OK?”

“I’m not sure…” Pam replies and her voice breaks. Unsteady on her feet she sinks into a chair.

“Pammy? Sweetheart? What happened?”

“J-Jim s-s-said he loves me.” She stammers.

Her heart breaks as only a mother’s can as she hears the despair in her voice. “I know. You told me that last night.”

“And – and – and I didn’t know what to do. I told him I just can’t…and I can’t…can I?” Pam asks her voice choked with tears.

“You can do whatever you want.” She replies, treading carefully. Finally planning this wedding has been such a treat. They’d been waiting for this moment forever. But she can’t just sit by and let her daughter make a huge mistake. If Pam’s having second thoughts, it’s up to her to help her through it. It could be just a case of cold feet, but she’s not quite sure. When Pam called her last night it was not surprising in the least to hear what had happened. From the way she’s talked about Jim all these years, she’d always had a sneaking suspicion there was more to their friendship.

“Pam, if this making you so upset there must something to it.”

“I’m upset because I love Roy.” Pam says, but even she can hear how unsure she sounds. “I’m going to marry Roy.”

Not surprisingly, her mother is unconvinced. Over then ten years they’d been dating she’s come to care about Roy, but she cares about her daughter’s happiness much more.

“Are you sure that’s still what you want to do?”

“Of-of course.” Pam replies, almost by reflex.

“Pamela Beesly.” Her voice scolds. “I’ve raised you better than that. Don’t just do what you think everyone expects you to do. Think for a minute. Last night you said…”

“I know what I said.” Pam’s voice is suddenly defensive.

“And?”

“And – now it’s worse. I mean, after he kissed me…”

She can hear her mother gasp. “Jim kissed you.” It's said as a statement, not a question.

“Yes.”

“Where?”

Pam sounds like a twelve year old when she answers, “On the lips.”

There’s a heavy sigh on the other end of the line. “I assumed that much, Pam. When was this?”

Pam sniffles a bit and reaches for a paper napkin to wipe at her nose. “Right after I hung up with you.”

She wants to ask if Pam kissed him back, but she’s pretty sure she already knows the answer to that.

They both sit in silence for a moment. Pam’s trying to find the words to describe what’s she’s feeling. Instead she says what’s most simple. “Mom. I’m so confused. I don't know what to do.”

Her mother is nothing but sympathetic. She has an image of Pam in the kitchen, leaning against the counter with her eyes brimming with tears. She’s suddenly wishing she wasn’t so far away. “I know, honey.”

“I can’t do this. God. Why did he do this? It was fine. We were fine.” Pam says frantically as she stands and starts to pace the length of the kitchen.

It seems trite, but appropriate to say, “Things always happen for a reason.”

The age old adage does nothing to calm her daughter. Pam’s voice becomes angrier by the second. “It’s just not fair. And now - I have to make a choice. And he pretty much told me flat out if I don’t choose him he’s going to leave me and then what will I do? I don’t…I can’t lose him, Mom. I just can’t…”

“Wait. What do you mean?” Her mother is suddenly confused herself. Who exactly is she referring to? Has Roy found out what has happened? She needs to know more. “What are you saying? Who’s going to leave you?”

“JIM.” Pam wails, completely exasperated and inconsolable.

Realization washes over her when she hears Pam say his name. Her voice softens as she replies. “Honey. If he’s the one you’re worried about I think you might have your answer.”