Author's Chapter Notes:
I know I promised "confrontation", but this chapter was getting really long, so. Sort of a transition chapter, as a super big THANK YOU to everyone who reviewed! You guys are the best!
The next few weeks were pretty brutal for Pam. Karen was constantly giddy and giggling, and Jim worked even harder at sales so they could “afford a honeymoon as far from the Poconos as possible.” Which was Karen’s reasoning, but if you asked Pam it would be because Karen wasn’t really trying to make sales anymore. No, Karen had decided to use almost all of her time in the office calling caterers and ordering flower arrangements. There was a stack of bridal magazines next to her desk to rival Kelly’s. Seriously.
Jim talked to Pam less than usual, and it was the worst torture she could have imagined. Not only was he distant, cold, and with someone else, but he actually exuded happiness. He was happy. And she knew that she should probably be content with the fact that he had moved on and found happiness and all that, but she wasn’t. No, she really just wanted to scream and yell at him and throw heavy objects at his effing fiancé and burn all her magazines in the fiery pits of hell. Instead, she played game after game of Solitaire, clicking violently and staring so intently that her eyes burned. Sometimes she thought about the irony that she was playing Solitaire and she was, in fact, utterly alone (Okay, so that sounded way too emo, even in her own head.) But Pam didn’t like to dwell on the bad things.
What really was the icing on the cake, the cherry on top, teh final straw, so to speak, was that Karen had enlisted Pam’s help in planning the entire wedding; asking her advice on color schemes, bridemaid dresses, her opinion on DJ’s versus live bands.
And it wasn’t that she minded that much, except during those not-so-rare occasions when Jim would ask to help. Yes, Jim wanted top help in his own wedding. He wanted to help pick out the bridesmaid dresses and help Karen decide veil-or-no-veil. And it made Pam sick to her stomach and, for a lack of a better word, unbelievably jealous. Roy hadn’t wanted to help at all, he didn’t really care. He wanted to plan the bachelor party and that was it. Jim? Jim didn’t even want a bachelor party. Which actually turned into a heated argument between him and Karen, who wanted him to “have his last taste of freedom” before the wedding.
Naturally, all this horribleness eventually got to Pam, like really got to her, and it showed. To anyone who was paying attention, she was sure. Sh made no effort to disguise it; I mean, why bother?
“Pam?” a timid voice questioned one day when she was (seemingly) alone in the kitchen, furiously dipping her tea bag into her mug. The voice startled her and she turned around sharply, bumping her elbow against the counter.
“Oh, hey, Toby.” She rubbed her elbow and offered him a tight smile. “What’s up?”
“Hey, um…listen. Don’t take this personally or anything, but I just noticed that you seem pretty…um…well, a little mad these days. I mean, I wouldn’t pry or anything, but as HR rep I have to make sure outside things aren’t interfering with productivity, so…”
“Productivity? I’m a receptionist, Toby. I answer phones. I don’t even think I’ve missed a call all month!” She knew she was totally overreacting, but who the hell cared? She had to take this out on someone, and innocent Toby was currently the only one around, so.
“Um, right. That’s…true. Well, okay. Just, if you want to talk or anything…” He trailed off and looked around nervously, and Pam instantly felt awful. It wasn’t Toby’s fault that Jim was marrying an awful woman with horrible tastes in wedding decorations. (Honestly, orange flowers? What the hell is that?)
“Oh, I’m sorry Toby. You’re right. I’ve been pretty crabby lately. It’s just, all this with Karen planning her wedding? During office hours? I mean, if you want to bust someone productivity, it’s her! I mean, it’s totally not my place to say, I guess, but she’s like those women on Bridezilla and it’s just really, really, really annoying!” Pam’s voice climbed about twenty decibels as she continued to vent. Toby’s eyebrows were so high they were hidden behind his hairline.
“Sorry, sorry! That was...whew. I’m sorry. That was really mean. I-I shouldn’t’ have said that.” Pam flopped into a chair and Toby sat down beside her, awkwardly patting her shoulder.
“Well, um, since that technically counts as a complaint, I really have to write it down…” Pam’s eyes grew wide and her mouth began to quiver. On top of all this awfulness, there would be a piece of paper, actual tangible proof of her loathing of Karen?
“C-Can I take it back?”
“You can redact it…”
“Yes. Yes, I redact it.”
“Um, okay then. Um…I guess I should get going…” Toby jerked his thumb in the direction of the annex and started to get up, but Pam covered his hand with hers.
“So my name’s taken off? No one will know I said those things?”
“Yeah, it’ll be taken off.”
“Okay…um, well, thanks Toby.” Pam stood up too, and looked down at her Ked’s, shuffling her feet awkwardly. “You know, for listening.”
Toby nodded and slumped out of room, shooting Pam a withering smile before letting the door close behind him. Great. Now Toby-freaking-Flenderson felt bad for her. What the hell was wrong with her!?
Pam went back into the office, only to be greeted with the sight of Karen poring over bridal magazines at Jim’s desk. Ew.She walked slowly back to the reception desk and opened a new game of Solitaire, just as the phone rang. Pam sighed as she piked up the phone, and it felt heavier than usual in her hand.
“Dunder Mifflin, this is Pam.”
Chapter End Notes:
Reviews make me a giddy schoolgirl, dress and all.
Next up: Toby spills the beans.
Next up: Toby spills the beans.
