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Jim Halpert had many idiosyncrasies in his life. He had many things that just had to be a certain way. His coffee, for instance. It had to be with a pack of sugar and just a tiny splash of milk. And that’s just the way it had to be. No more, no less.
Jim adjusted the brush in his hand and took again to combing it through Pam’s hair. It protested when it came to a knot, but Jim just lightly brushed the knot, untangling it.
Jim had to admit it: he liked brushing her hair. It was so soft and full. Just like he expected it to be. He had imagined brushing her hair for years.
He had felt her hair once before. Well, only really once before. He had touched her hair many times. But only one more that stuck. When she was with Roy, he had brushed past it, and touched it. On accident, of course. Yet, at that time, her locks felt wiry and stiff. Lifeless and boring. And he had remembered that.
Jim Halpert also had an unusual and embarrassing fascination with hair. Not just anyones hair. But her hair. Pam’s hair. It smelled like fresh spring gardenias, his favorite flower. It was the sort of flower you could smell from far away and know exactly what it was. Her hair brought back the memories of his childhood days spent in his grandmother’s garden, picking sweet smelling gardenias.
It was his favorite smell.
Pam’s heart fluttered slightly and she let out a content sigh.
Pam’s was silky, shiny, and fragrant. Karen’s was straight, thin, and dull.
“Is something wrong?” Pam asked, turning around on her vanity seat to talk to Jim. He realized he had stopped running the brush through her hair.
“No,” he smiled his famous Jim Halpert grin and swept the brush through her hair once more. “Nothing at all.”
Karen’s hair was just not like Pam’s. And Pam’s hair just happened to be the certain way he liked it.
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Jim’s heart pounded in his chest, making it hard for him to hear what was going on. His hands were shaking and he was sweating bullets. But he didn’t notice any of that.
He didn’t notice the people standing up as she walked down the isle.
He didn’t notice his mother crying in the front pew.
He didn’t even notice his heart stop when he saw her.
He did, however, notice her.
And he watched her walk, as time stood still.
He noticed her white, satin dress, flowing to the floor. He noticed how it formed a halter on the back of her soft neck. He saw the flowers she was holding; gardenias.
And lastly, he noticed the way her chestnut curls spilled over her shoulders, framing her perfect face. He also saw her hair, which was up exactly like it was the day he first met her. Which was, coincidentally, the day he fell in love with her. Half up, half down, in a barrette. Except this time, her hair was in long, bold ringlets, contrasting from the usual frizzy work hair.
No one else was in the room but them. She glided down the isle, coming to a halt in front of him. He swallowed his heart in his throat and gave her a warm smile, which she returned.
As the ceremony was going on, Jim wasn’t looking anywhere but at her. His Pam. And she was staring straight back at him. Their eyes connected in the eerie way they sometimes do when you know someone is staring right into your soul.
A voice broke them out of their reverie and they had to come to the conclusion that this was really happening.
“Jim, it’s time for your vows.”
Jim cleared his throat and wiped his sticky hands on his pants, fumbling in his pocket for a piece of paper. When he finally got it out, his hands were shaking so much he couldn’t read it.
He gave a nervous laugh and dropped the paper, letting it float to the ground. All of his feelings towards Pam written down.
“I don’t need a piece of paper,” he mumbled, more to himself than anyone else. Pam looked up, a smile playing on her pink lips.
“I know you don’t,” she whispered, reaching for his hand.
He cleared his throat again and grasped tighter to her hand, ready to begin.
“Pamela Beesly- or soon to be Halpert- :” he let out another tense chuckle and continued, “I walked into the office on my first day, not expecting anything. You were the first thing I saw that day. And let me tell you, it wasn’t a bad sight. You were sitting there, in your blue striped button up shirt, typing away at your computer. You didn’t notice me at first. Until I tried to get a jellybean out of the jellybean box did you look my way. I saw you and it took my breath away.”
There were murmurs of “Awws’ from the watching crowd and Jim swallowed again, blinking back tears.
“Well,” he started again. “One cheeky comment led to another and here we are today. You took my heart, and I hope that I never get it back. I love you, Pam.” His last sentence made Pam’s breath catch in her throat and she rubbed Jim’s hand.
“Aw, you’re such a sentimental guy, Jim,” she laughed weakly, while wiping tears from her cheeks. She turned towards the audience and spotted Michael, sobbing next to Dwight and Angela. Angela put a loving hand on Dwight’s forearm, an engagement ring clearly visible.
“Pam, it’s your turn.”
“James Halpert: I’m going to start my speech the same as yours, because I loved the way you said it. I couldn’t have said it better myself. You have my heart, Jim. And I don’t want it back. Keep it, forever. There are no words to describe how I feel about you. Your sense of humor, heart, and friendship are just the beginning why I love you. True love doesn’t need reasons. I heard that once. But, I’m going to list them, anyway. You’re sweet, kind, easy to talk to, and just ... everything I ever dreamed of and more. I never liked working as a receptionist, until you came along. You are my best friend, Jim. And I can’t wait to be your wife. I love working with you, I love hanging with you, and I love living with you. I love you, Jim.”
She glanced at her family in the front row. Her mom was crying hysterically and her dad had a couple tears sliding down his face.
And the rest of the ceremony was a blur. Until the last two lines.
“I now pronounce you Mr. and Mrs. Jim Halpert. You may now kiss the bride.”
Time stopped once more. It was just a kiss, they both knew. They had done it many times before. But somehow, this time was different.
Jim softly brushed Pam’s moist face, wet from her happy tears. He put his hand on the back of her neck and nestled it into her thick, luscious hair to pull her closer to his face. Just close enough that he could start to smell the gardenias. And he kissed her.
Her hair somehow felt different when he kissed her this time. It wasn’t like it always was. Her hair was done in a more elegant, but similar way it was worn every day.
Then he remembered why it felt so different.
This time, he had brushed her hair. He had done her hair for the wedding. And that had made all the difference.
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Author's Chapter 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.
I don't know if I should say it but, just to be safe, this was cross-posted at Fanfiction.
I don't know if I should say it but, just to be safe, this was cross-posted at Fanfiction.
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