Author's Chapter Notes:
Okay, we are changing point of view in this chapter, and we get to see a little bit of my completely fictional bitchy Karen. Because let's be honest, she's not that bad, but for the sake of this story she is. Also, this chapter is really long. So, sorry about that. Also, I own nothing!
It was a slap in the face.
Seriously, who complains about someone being happy? About someone planning the biggest milestone in their life. It was disgusting! She wanted to severely question each person in the office to figure out who could be so undeniably cruel.
But most of all, it hurt. It hurt so much that someone was annoyed that she was finally, finally happy. Then again, it was probably Angela-in-accounting, who was a heartless bitch, or Stanley, who groaned or rolled his eyes whenever she asked his honest opinion on whether it was okay to not have a chuppa even though Jim’s family was Jewish and neither of them were converting.
So yeah, it was mean and spiteful and rude and all of that, but what was worse was the way Toby-the-HR made such a huge deal out of it.
“Hey, Karen, can I um, talk to you for a second? In the break room?” he had approached her desk at 4:30pm, clutching a clipboard, while Pam was helping her decide between salmon or mahi-mahi.
Karen looked at Pam, her eyebrows quirked as if to say “What do you think that’s about?” but Pam had only shrugged nervously before averting her eyes back down to the PRO-CON list they had started earlier about Church weddings.
“Um, sure, Toby. Break room okay?”
“That’s good.” He nodded and clutched the clipboard tighter to his chest, like a high school freshman clutching his books on the first day of school. He held the door open for her and they sat down at a table in the corner.
“So what’s up?” she asked, fiddling with the buttons on her blouse. Toby laid his clipboard on the table neatly, unclipped a few papers and patted on the table a few times to straighten them out. Karen thought he seriously looked like a dork.
“Um, don’t take this personally, but I just think you should know that a few people have filed complaints against you…”
“A complaint? What does that mean? Who’s complaining about me?” she was totally caught off-guard: someone was complaining about her? What was this, like Kindergarten? She was being tattled on?
“Um, it’s really not a huge deal, just…you know. I think that maybe people just think you should try to plan your wedding…maybe…outside o the office. It’s just…I think people are finding it distracting…”
“What? Who said that? Who’s complaining about me?” she looked at Toby square in the eye. He shuffled the papers nervously and dropped his gaze to the table.
“Um, I’m really not supposed to tell you that, it’s really just…”
“Let. Me. See.” Karen growled and snatched the paper from the table top and skimmed the page. “They’re criticizing my productivity?! A Bridezilla?! What the hell, Toby? Who filed this? Who’s got a problem with me planning my wedding, huh? What. The Hell?!” Karen was standing now, clutching the now slightly-wrinkled paper in her manicured hand.
“I can’t tell you that, Karen, but you have to calm down. It’ really not a big deal. Really, I think that we should just forget this ever happened…this…this is inappropriate behavior for the workplace!” Toby’s voice squeaked and he gathered his papers and hurriedly exited the room. Karen, on the other hand, was fuming. She walked back into the office and over to Jim’s desk.
“Look a this.” She commanded, thrusting the paper in front of his face. Instead, her pushed her hand onto the table and twisted his head to look at her.
“Kar, I’m really, really busy. Can this wait? I told already I don’t care if you don’t want a chuppa, that’s fine with me.”
“No, Jim, it’s not that. Look at this. Someone complained about us.”
“What? What does that mean?” he asked, grabbing the paper from her hands and reading it over.
“I know, right? It’s so horrible! Like, how could they say that about us?!” Jim shook his head set the memo on his desk.
“Its fine, Karen. Not a big deal.” He stated calmly (Because let's be honest here, they were complaining about her, not him,) turning back to his computer.
“Jim!”
“Karen, listen, I really want to close this sale, okay? Let’s…let’s talk about this later?” his voice had dropped to a low whisper, his eyes pleading with her to just let it go. She took the hint.
“Fine. I have to leave now anyway. I’m going to go pick up the bridesmaid dresses.” She crossed her arms over her chest before bending down and kissing Jim on the cheek. After grabbing her coat and bag, Karen began walking out, stopping at Pam’s desk.
“Hey, I just wanted to say thanks for helping me and everything. Um, and I was just wondering if you’d like to come to my bachelorette party?” Pam looked stunned.
“Oh, um. Sure, I guess so.”
“Great! It’s this Saturday…um, in New York, actually. Yeah, so, just call me later and I’ll give you directions or whatever.”
“Okay, sounds great. Thanks Karen.” Pam replied right before the phone rang.
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“She invited you and not me?!” Kelly squealed in the kitchen about five minutes later. “But I’ve been helping just as much as you have! And I have better taste than you!” Pam stared straight ahead as Kelly rambled on about how her wedding would be “way huger!” than Karen’s and that at Kelly’s bachelorette party, there’d be strippers would looked “exactly like Jude Law! Or Brad Pitt! Or Justin Timberlake!”
Pam, meanwhile, was completely wrought with worry. What the hell was Toby thinking?! Telling Karen? What if Karen found out it was Pam’s complaint! All hell would break loose, that’s what. Holy shit.
“Pam, are you even listening to me?” Pam turned her head to look at Kelly, whose arms were folding across her chest.
“Um…” was all she could muster.
“Whatever. I have to go, but I’ll see you tomorrow. Bye, Pam.”
“Bye, Kelly.” Her voice had no volume or feeling, and it took Pam awhile to realize she was the only one left in the office.
Pam exited the kitchen, only to find that she was horribly, horribly wrong. She wasn’t the last person in the office. No, there also happened to be one other person left in the office: Jim.
“Oh, hey Pam, I was wondering if I could talk to you for a second?”
“Uh-Um…s-sure…!” she stuttered and her mind went blank. That was the longest group of words he had spoken to her since last Wednesday, when he asked what she thought was better “white and blue china or white and gold?”
Pam sat herself down in Ryan’s old chair and placed her hands awkwardly in her lap.
“So…what’s up?” she asked nervously. He was facing her, but his eyes were al over the place, obviously avoiding looking at her, but when she spoke their eyes locked.
“Oh, um, I just wanted to say thanks, you know, for helping Karen out and stuff. For...for helping us out with the planning…or whatever.” He cleared his throat nervously and his eyes went zooming around the room again.
“Oh, yeah. Of course.” She nodded her head a little too eagerly, before deciding to just be spontaneous or whatever. “This is really awkward, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, kinda…” he chuckled and they looked at each other sheepishly.
“I wish it wasn’t…” she was almost whispering now, and his eyes were finally looking at her face. She blushed.
“Me, too, Pam. Me too.” They sat in silence for a few moments, when suddenly the trance was broken by Jim’s cell phone ringing on his desk.
“I should...get…tha—“
“Oh, yeah! Yeah, that’s fine. I have…to go, anyways…” she mouthed the last words as Jim answer the phone, and he waved to her as she was leaving. She stalled a little so she could listen to the conversation.
“Hey Karen. Everything wet well? Good, okay. Yes, I’m on my way. Okay. Bye, okay you too.” He flipped his phone closed with a 'thwap' and a long sigh, just as the door closed behind her.
Chapter End Notes:
That was a long one, huh? (that's what she said) Well, in any case, please review! I'd love to hear what you think so far!
Next up: Karen's bachelorette party and a date for Pam. Oh boy!
Next up: Karen's bachelorette party and a date for Pam. Oh boy!
