Michael hung up the phone and slowly stood up. After a few seconds he headed to the door and pulled it open quietly. He cleared his throat and crossed his arms protectively in front of his chest.

    "Um... Jim has decided he doesn't love us anymore and is transferring to Stamford." His voice was quiet and shaky.   

    Phyllis was the first to speak up. "What did you just say Michael?"

    Pam had heard him however.

    "I said," Michael raised his voice loudly, "Jim's gone! He's... not coming back. He doesn't like you Phyllis and that's that!" He threw his arms up in the air and turned around toward Pam. "Pam! Did you know this?" He stomped over to her desk with fervor.

    "What? No! No... I, oh god. Michael I have to go."

    She leaned down beneath her desk and grabbed her purse and pulled her coat off of the rack and ran out the door. She couldn't listen to Michael, she couldn't hear the rest of the story. It couldn't be true, he didn't just call Stamford this morning and ask to be transferred, that's not how it worked. She ran to the elevator and stepped inside. As it slowly made it's decline to the first floor she was trying to wrap her brain around the news, trying to piece it all together.

    "He can't leave," she whispered to herself.

    When the doors opened she walked out in a daze. She stepped into the small lobby of their building and quietly headed to the front door. She couldn't feel her feet. She couldn't tell that she was touching the ground. She couldn't even feel her heart beating beneath her chest. Her life was changing before her eyes and she had no control over it.

    The bright sun blinded her as her small shoes stepped out into the parking lot. This time she let herself glance around looking for his car, it wasn't there. He wasn't playing a trick on her. He wasn't joking around, and he wasn't hiding. He wasn't going to pop out of the bushes and yell surprise. He was gone. She placed her hand over her face and sat down on the cement hard. She let her face fall into her hands and released the tension, stress, and emotions she'd been holding all morning with warm salty tears.

    "Pam?"

    She looked up quickly and saw Roy coming around the corner.

    "Oh, Roy!" She stumbled up to her feet and started to wipe at her face.

    "Michael just called the warehouse." He reached out for her and put his hand on her shoulder. She instinctively pulled away from his touch and turned from him.

    "I'm okay, it's nothing, really. I guess I'm just sort of emotional today or something."

    Roy shoved his hands into his pockets and lowered his voice. "He said Jim's transferring."

    "Oh, yeah. I guess he just called."

    "Jim didn't tell you?"

    She silently shook her head.

    "I thought you guys were best friends."

    "Yeah." She huffed out a fake laugh and turned to face Roy. "I guess we aren't. Hey can I have the keys? I sort of need to get away for a little bit?"

    Roy fumbled in his pockets and pulled out the truck keys. "Yeah, sure, don't worry about it. If you don't come back I'll have Darryl drop me off."

    "That's good, I uh, I probably won't come back. I'll just see you at home." She smiled shyly and leaned in taking the keys and kissing him delicately on the cheek.

    "Okay, well call if you need anything. I love you."

    "I will, it's not a big deal or anything, I just need to get out of here. I'll probably be home when you get there." She looked down at the keys in her small hand and nodded. Then she turned and walked away briskly. She wanted to run, to feel her feet bounce off the ground. She wanted to let go, of everything, but she couldn't.

    Not yet.