Jim knows Ryan has arrived when he hears Andy bellow out, "Hey, Big Apple!"
Jim grins a bit. He bets Ryan thought he was kidding about that.
Jim knows this is going to be quite the day. There is nothing quite like an all-office meeting in the conference room. That this one will be run by Ryan just adds to the intrigue.
Jim almost wanted to do a little something extra to mess with Ryan for this meeting, but something about his tone in their conversation the day before kept him from doing so. Jim had figured Ryan would come in with a huge burst of bravado, but Jim could sense the undercurrent of isolation that Ryan's promotion had brought him, and Jim could relate.
When he had first arrived in Stamford, he realized that a functional, professional office could be a bit of a lonely place. Until he and Karen started hanging out more, the highlights of his days in Stamford had been messing with Dwight from afar, which he had realized was twice as pathetic as messing with Dwight in person. Of course, this had meant he had actually started to dedicate himself to his job more, given the lack of distractions. But, there was something pretty unsatisfying about becoming devoted to his job selling paper.
As far as this meeting went, Jim had a feeling it was going to get wacky without any help from him. Michael would likely see to that, not to mention everyone else.
Ryan walked past Andy after briefly shaking his hand, heading toward Pam at the reception desk. Jim wasn't sure how Andy had managed to be the first one to spot Ryan, but Jim knew Andy had a nose for opportunities to suck up to superiors.
Jim thought things might be immediately interesting, so he headed up to reception himself.
"Hello, Mr. Howard," Jim said, deadpan.
"Jim," Ryan said in response, and stuck his hand out to shake his, a bit formally.
"You guys are dorks," Pam said, giggling a bit.
"I'm just showing the new boss of my boss some respect, Pam. Who you just called a dork," Jim told her.
"I figured the new corporate regime would be pleased to have employees who call it like they see it. Am I right, Ryan?"
Ryan cleared his throat a bit, clearly trying to maintain some professionalism. "I'm actually glad you said that, Pam. Part of what I'm here for today is to try and reach out to the employees in the branches to get a gauge on what corporate can do to make their offices run most effectively."
Jim raised his hand a bit, not able to resist bringing Ryan down a notch. "Quick question: Will there be videos?"
Ryan chose to ignore him, and turned to Pam. "Can you just tell Michael I'm here?"
Pam called Michael through the speakerphone. "Michael, Ryan's here and ready to start the meeting. Should I tell people to head to the conference room?"
"No, Pamela. Not right now. Make Ryan wait 15 minutes. While our mediation smoothed a lot out, he still has to remember I am the boss here, even if at Corporate they say he is my boss. That doesn't change my place here and my role over my employees."
"Michael, Ryan is standing right here. And I'm on speakerphone."
"Pick up the receiver Pam. God!"
Pam picked up the receiver, shooting Ryan and Jim a grin.
"Okay, just me now." Pam listened a second, and then said, "Okay."
Pam put down the phone, and rolled her eyes. "He said we'll start the meeting in 15 minutes."
"So, Ryan, give us a preview. What his corporate going to do for us?" Pam asked. Jim couldn't quite read if she was being nice, was giving him a hard time, or was actually interested.
"Actually, Pam, I had wanted to speak to you personally. We are looking to give each branch a website, and with your interest in design, I was thinking you'd be a good candidate to design and run this branch's site," Ryan told her.
Now Ryan had both Jim and Pam's attention.
"Ryan, that would be awesome, really. But, I just like to draw and stuff. I know nothing about web design."
Jim could tell she was still intrigued by the idea.
"You do know computers though. I bet you could learn. Who knows, that might be the best way to make money through art. You'd told me before graphic design interested you. Why not web design to start?" Jim said encouragingly.
"Actually, Corporate is sponsoring a web design seminar for one member of each branch office. It's still way more cost effective to have someone within the office do the work than to hire someone. And we like the idea of each branch's site having someone local running it to keep it most up to date and true to that office."
"God, Ryan. Thanks for thinking of me. I just don't know..."
"C'mon, Pam. You're smart, and you have a great eye. It might cut into the Solitaire time, and keeping me entertained time....But it would be a great skill to learn and I can't imagine you'd fail at it," Jim told her.
"Well, think about it. I'm going to go get set up," Ryan said.
Ryan went into the conference room, with Andy close on his heels.
Jim turned back to Pam, who was beaming. She seemed really flattered that Ryan had thought of her, that she had stood out to someone else in the office and wasn't completely invisible sitting back there behind the receptionist's desk.
There was a small part of Jim that wished that he had put that smile there, but he tamped it down.
"I think I will do it. You're right," she said.
"Of course I am. You can't keep turning down opportunities to get out of here, which learning web design might do. They might stop popping up," Jim said, without thinking.
He immediately realized his mistake, as Pam looked a little hurt, clearly thinking about the opportunity he himself had passed up.
"Are you sorry you passed up your chance to get out of here?" Pam asked.
Jim sighed. They had had this conversation before, with Pam worrying about him having regrets and someday resenting her for staying. He was good at alleviating her worries, as he didn't regret his decision to be with her.
He did kind of wish sometimes that it hadn't left him right back here, with no end in sight.
"Hey, we're talking about you here. I know you don't want to remain a receptionist forever, even if you told me before you were fine with your choices, which you clearly weren't," he said more curtly than he'd intended, the old wound from the past smarting a bit.
"And you were right. I was lying. I wasn't completely happy with my choices, and I am so much happier now that I moved on from Roy. I just worry sometimes that I'm your excuse for being in a rut career wise, and someday you'll hate me for it."
Jim sighed, and took a breath. He really didn't want to get angry. He also didn't want to admit that there was just a bit of truth to what she was saying. He didn't resent her, but he knew that it might be a possibility down the road if he were still working here five years from now, with her moved on to some fabulous design job, which he really hoped she would be doing.
"Look, we can't resolve everything at once. I am happy to be with you, and don't regret that I took a road that led us to be together. You should take the opportunity and hope it leads you somewhere. You can be my inspiration when you find your fancy new future job, and hopefully don't forget me when you become famous," he smiled at her.
She got up and came around and kissed him lightly, which was still more than they generally displayed in front of the office.
"I'll take the seminar and the new responsibility, which I am definitely excited about. This doesn't mean that this conversation is over, though. Your charm doesn't make me fail to notice that you never once said that you are happy to be still working here."
Jim just shrugged, knowing he'd been caught. "Six weeks together, and my charm is already failing. That is not a good sign," he said half-heartedly.
Pam gave him a weak smile in return, showing that the attempt at humor was also not going to make her forget the issues they still had to work out.
"You do know I just want you to be happy, and that I don't think this job does that, right? You get that I just want the same thing for you that you want for me..."
He ran his hand along her cheek, and looked into her eyes affectionately. "I do, I really do. I just wish I knew the answers right now. We've got time to figure out where my many talents can take me."
"Well, let's just let some of those only be used on a personal basis, okay?" She grinned, clearly ready to lighten the mood.
"I suppose some talents aren't very translatable to the workplace," he smiled back.
"Nope. But seriously, I feel like there is a great situation out there for you. And for me."
Michael stepped out of his office, and Jim and Pam took a step back from each other, having momentarily lost track of where they were.
"Okay, Scranton employees. Let's go to the conference room where one of our own will tell us about what corporate can do for us. And Ryan will always remain one of our own, and so on some level I will always be his boss," Michael said.
Everyone got up to head into the conference room.
As Jim walked in, he contemplated again some form of making the meeting worse on Ryan just for kicks. And maybe for a little payback for unintentionally instigating the tension filled talk he and Pam had just had.
He was really happy for Pam to have the opportunity to learn a new skill, but he really had not been ready to look even closer at the issue of what the future held for him outside of Pam. And Ryan seemed to have no exciting new opportunities lined up for him. Probably because he didn't really want any.
He did sort of envy Pam. She had a real talent, something clear and definable to pursue.
He, on the other hand, was charming and could sell paper. He wasn't sure where that could get him in life, other than higher up at this company.
And he was still pretty sure that he did not want that, especially as he watched Ryan head somewhat nervously to the easel to begin his speech.
Jim didn't envy Ryan his position at all. He did, however, envy his ambition.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Ryan returns for an all-office meeting and party, told through Jim's POV.
Chapter End Notes:
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
