"I cannot believe this."

"You mentioned that."

"Don't get sarcastic with me, Jim Halpert."

"I'm not, Pam. Just...relax, OK? We'll get there." Jim's hands clutched the steering wheel too tightly, but otherwise he seemed calm. His wife, however, was bouncing in anxiety in the passenger seat, peering intently out the window at the passing street signs for some clue to where they were.

Pam looked at Jim in disbelief. "Relax? Relax? Our daughter's wedding starts in..." She glanced at her watch with a flourish, "oh, five minutes. We have no idea where we are, no idea how long it will take to get there once we figure it out, and I'm in jeans and a Maryfield University t-shirt!"

"I know, OK? But getting worked up doesn't get us there any faster." Jim's grip on the wheel tightened even further.

Pam slumped back into her seat, her foot still tapping nervously. "I know. I'm sorry. I know. This isn't your fault. I should have gotten better directions from Lucy."

"I still can't believe you rented us a car without a GPS." A tiny bit of irritation colored Jim's voice.

Pam's reply echoed his tension. "I told you, I didn't even think to ask. I haven't even seen a car without a GPS since...I don't know, 2007? I didn't know they still made them." Pam checked her lipgloss in the mirror for the eleventh time. "And those guys at the gas station really didn't know where the botanical gardens were?"

Jim shook his head. "Had never heard of them, or of 'Winslow Avenue.' Try calling her again."

"Jim, she's getting married in...oh, three minutes. She doesn't have her cell phone tucked into her bouquet."

"She's not getting married in three minutes because we're not there yet. She can't start without me- Thank goodness she at least consented to let me walk her down the aisle."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I had to practically beg her, and I had to promise not to call it 'giving her away.' But, at least she made that one small concession to tradition."

"Are you still hung up on the church thing? Honestly, give it a rest."

"Hey, I'm just saying that I'll bet the gas station guys would have known where St. Mark's or First Presbyterian were...but no, Lucy has to get married in a greenhouse."

"A greenhouse. For God's sake..."

"Not really, no."

Pam couldn't help but chuckle. "OK, granted. But she says the botanical gardens are beautiful and really speak to her. I guess she's just got an artist's temperment like me."

Jim's lips twitched but he quickly repressed the smile.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Don't 'nothing' me. What?"

"No, it's just...I mean, if she's really so much like you, maybe we're still in the clear. There's a good chance she's leaving Patrick at the altar as we speak." Jim glanced over at his wife, who was staring at him in equal parts outrage and amusement.

"You know, I'm starting to wish I'd made a habit of that," she said archly.

"Nice, Beesly. Of course, if you had, at least we wouldn't be late for our own daughter's wedding."

"And everyone's going to be sitting there waiting for us. Oh, my God, Jim, do you think they'll make an announcement. Like, 'Dearly beloved, we are sitting here twiddling our thumbs because the bride's parents are wandering around like idiots'?" Pam was fidgeting again, her voice a low wail.

"I guess it depends on how late we end up being."

"And everyone is going to be staring at us when we walk in. Maybe I should try to put my dress on now?"

"In the car?"

"Well? At least then we can dash in to the ceremony as soon as we get there, instead of me trying to find the changing room and all that."

"Yeah, you have a point. Just...please try not to flash anybody, OK?"

Pam started struggling to get the dress out of the back seat and free it from the garment bag. Jim continued to read street signs, looking for one that he recognized from their last visit to this small town, so far from Scranton, that their daughter now called home.

"Pam, you're in my mirror. Careful...why on earth didn't you just get changed at the hotel?"

"I wanted to get ready with Lucy and the other bridesmaids, I told you. I thought it would be fun. And then I could help her get ready, too- one last Mommy job. I can't believe I wasn't there to help her into her dress." Pam's voice turned sad at these last words, although they were muffled by the t-shirt she was pulling off over her head at the time.

"She'll understand. And I'm pretty sure you taught her to dress herself a long time ago," Jim said. He decided to make a left turn at the next intersection.

"I know. That's not what I am worried about. I guess...I wanted it for me. It's a milestone. Like, to prove that I did a good job and I've raised her completely. She's really, completely an adult now. Heck, I guess it means I am an adult now. "

"Um, Pam?"

"Don't say it. I am well aware of the fact that Lucy is now older than I was when I gave birth to her. I'm just talking about how it feels, that's all."

"Yeah, I know. But..."

Pam continued thoughtfully. "I mean, that's why we have ceremonies, right? To mark change. And why we get new clothes for special occasions- like a wedding dress or even the mother-of-the-bride dress."

"Yes, Pam, I understand. But, I was actually going to show you the sign up ahead."

"Winslow Park Botanical Gardens! Oh, thank God."

"Yeah. So do you want me to circle the block while you finish putting your dress on, or should I pull in to the parking lot with you in your bra?"

*************************************

Tall, slender, and radiant, Lucy Halpert and her handsome father made a striking pair walking down the aisle between the gorgeous flora at the botanical garden. The mother of the bride wept with love and pride as she watched them, reaching out to squeeze the hand of her son, who had saved her a seat. The wedding started only about ten minutes late, and if anyone noticed that Pam's lovely coral dress or curly hair were the least bit disheveled, no one was impolite enough to mention it.