They set off for the lake soon after. Pam was being very quiet. Roy attributed it to the headache.
His plan was to keep her out of work for the rest of the week until Jim transferred officially to Stamford. Roy hoped the lack of contact from Pam would make Jim think that Pam hated him.
Soon she started acting strangely. Every time he changed the radio station, she changed it again. She kept telling him to slow down despite the fact that she knew he absolutely hated it when she criticized his driving. Then when he stopped for gas, she told him he should've gone to the station across the street.
Roy was preoccupied with worry about visiting Pam's parents. What if her mom mentioned Jim? Roy was too arrogant to think Pam might have mentioned Jim in a romantic sense, but he was her good friend at work and Roy knew Pam shared everything with her mom.
The longer they drove, the more ornery Pam became. She argued with him about the wedding details, the route he chose, told him the lake was too cold this time of year. Roy was getting so exasperated that when she told him to drive straight to her parents, he complied.
As soon as they got there, Pam bolted from the car and ran to her mother's arms crying.
Her mother was shocked. "Pam, honey, what's wrong?"
She sounded like a child as she sobbed, "Roy is so mean! I don't like him anymore!"
"Pam, what on earth did he do?"
Roy ran in the house behind her and Pam's mother glared at him. "What did you do to my daughter?"
Roy stepped back. "Nothing! She's been in a bad mood all day. I don't know what's wrong with her!"
Pam's mom comforted her. "There, there, Pam. Come upstairs and tell your mother all about it."
Roy panicked. He knew Pam wasn't supposed to remember Jim, but what if her mother asked? It might go all wrong.
He tiptoed up the stairs to listen at the door.
"Pam, you haven't called me back since that night at work. What happened with Jim?"
"Who?"
"Very funny, Pam. Jim told you he was in love with you, remember?"
Roy winced outsde the door. He had only heard about the kiss - he didn't know about Jim's declaration of love.
"Mom, I seriously don't know what the hell you're talking about!"
"It's okay, Pam. You can tell me."
"No, mom, I really can't!"
"Fine, Pam. If it's too painful I understand. I'll let you rest."
"And don't let Roy in, I don't want to talk to him."
"Pam, you're marrying Roy in 4 weeks!"
"No, I'm not. I don't like him and I won't marry him. We're over."
"Fine. We'll talk about this after you rest."
She didn't change her mind when she awoke. She was so insistent that finally Pam's father asked him to just leave.
"Son, maybe she'll change her mind. But for now, she's my daughter and I have to respect her wishes."
Roy did what he asked because, really, what choice did he have.
He drove home calling Darryl along the way to commiserate and arrange to meet him at a bar. Not Poor Richard's but one where people didn't know him.
Turns out Darryl had a cousin - a different cousin - who knew a guy who would tap a phone line for you.
Blank Canvas by Par5
Author's Chapter Notes:
Roy thinks he's gotten away with something. Not so much....
