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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.
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Author’s Note: So, here’s the latest. I was going to stretch this out, but I’ve been given the feedback that I’ve written Pam a little too harshly. Hopefully this chapter can make up for that and redeem this story. Thanks for reading.
With all of the things he knows about Pam, the one thing he is absolutely completely certain about is that she can not stay mad at him for too long. That’s how they were, and as he stands at her doorstep for the second time in less than eight hours, he hopes to anyone who can hear his silent muttering that that’s how they will be, how they can be, and how they should be.
The one thing he notices, instantly, as she opens the door, is her red rimmed eyes underneath glasses he’s never seen her wear before.
He inhales, pausing for a moment as she stands there, gawking at his presence with her mouth quirked and her hand aimlessly pushing her hair behind her ear.
“Hi,” he says, lifting the large box into his arms.
“What is that?”
“Legos. The big kind, so he won’t swallow them. I checked the age, one and a half and up.”
“Wow,” she gapes.
“Can I come in? It’s heavy, and I haven’t worked out in God knows how long.”
“Yeah, sorry, yeah come in,” she says, moving to the right.
He walks a few steps and sets the box near the entertainment shelf, turns to look at her as she closes the door. “Where’s my new little friend?”
“He’s taking a nap. He should be up in a little bit,” she says, kneeling in front of the box. “He’s going to love this,” she looks up with a small smile. “Thanks.”
“So,” he says, puckering his lips. “Does he like pizza?”
“Yeah,” she nods, standing up, folding her arms across her chest.
“Maybe we could go to Chuck E. Cheese for dinner tonight?”
“What?” she asks. “Jim, you really don’t have to do this.”
He takes a liberty he doesn’t think about, and unfolds her arm and leads her to the sofa. “Okay, see, here’s the thing. I’m not doing this because I have to. No one’s forcing me; no one’s holding a gun to my head telling me to do this.”
She nods, opens and closes her mouth, shakes her head and asks, “Do you want something to drink? I have milk, juice, coffee or tea.”
“That’d be an awesome combination if you put it together,” he jokes.
She let’s out a laugh, the sound of it as it hits his eardrums is like a song. “That’s definitely something we should’ve given Dwight, way back when.”
“Yeah, we could’ve convinced him that it was some sort of power drink for his Karate or something.”
She bobs her head as she snorts a laugh, covering her mouth with her hand. “Such a huge missed opportunity.”
“Oh, without a doubt.”
He holds her smile with his own for a quiet moment before he speaks again. “You look really nice with glasses.”
“Thanks,” she grins. “Oh, so did you want anything?”
“No, thanks, I’m good,” he nods slowly, stares at his feet for a moment before looking into her eyes. “Look, I don’t know anything about the law or custody or anything, I mean, I barely know how to take care of my own life. But I’m here, for whatever you need.”
He watches a look cross her face, her eyebrows crease between her eyes, her lips purse as she sits silently. She takes a breath, he braces himself for some sort of wrath that should hit him at some point, send him back outside, back to his apartment and lonely jobless life.
Whatever her response would have been is cut off by the sounds of the baby waking.
“I’ll be right back,” she says, motioning to stand.
“Right behind you,” he says, following her toward the small bedroom. A large navy blue J hangs from the wall, a changing table and a crib bookend a window. The walls are covered with dark brown leaves over a lighter shade of brown paint.
“Hi, sweetie,” she says, lifting Jack into her arms. “Look who’s here?”
“Hi buddy,” he says, moving toward the pair as Jack lays his head on Pam’s shoulder.
“He’s still waking up,” she explains, rubbing her hand over the baby’s back.
“You know, I don’t know why you ever thought you wouldn’t be good with kids. Look at you, you’re a natural.”
She scoffs, “Yeah, you should’ve seen me last year. Complete and total disaster. But we got through it.”
“I would never have guessed,” he says honestly. “I mean, I haven’t really seen you in action for more than a few minutes, but you look like you have it all under control.”
“I, um,” she hesitates, her eyes roaming his face. “I could always use another set of hands.”
He holds up his hands and grins.
She nods, returns his grin and hands him Jack. “Sweetie, you remember Jim.”
Jack nods, a smile lights up his face.
“Hey buddy,” Jim says, taking the baby into his arms. “Now, let me show you this awesome thing I bought you,” he continues, walking toward the living room. “They’re Lego’s. You can make anything you want with them.”
“Okay,” Jack says, uncertain.
“Sweetie, can you say thank you to Jim?”
“Thank you,” Jack says sweetly, putting his head on Jim’s shoulder, his small hand grasping the side of his neck.
“You’re welcome,” Jim says, hugging Jack before he places him on his feet. “So, do you want to play with these?”
Jack shakes his head. “Books?” he asks with a grin.
“You want Jim to read to you?” Pam asks.
“Yes.”
“Can you say please?”
“Please books?”
Jim laughs. “Okay, let’s do it.”
Jack claps and runs over to the book shelf, standing in front of a bunch of children’s books, his hand on his hip as he scans his options.
Pam stares at him, an incredulous look crossing her face. “I have so many questions,” she says with a smile.
He silences her with a sideways glance. “Jack, later we’re all going to get pizza, okay?”
“Okay. Thank you,” Jack replies without turning around.
“That is the most polite child I’ve ever met,” Jim muses.
“Yeah, I’ve been trying to teach him please, thank you, you know, all the good manners things. I still can’t get him to chew with his mouth closed though.”
“That’s a guy thing, Pam. We’re genetically incapable of eating like civilized human beings.”
She laughs, her hand tapping his bicep lightly. “I think I’m used to it. I had lunch with you for years.”
“That you did,” he agrees. “So,” he says, taking a chance. “Tomorrow, I’ll swing by and maybe we can set up this Lego village for him.”
“I think he’d really like that.”
“Oh, so no date?” he asks as he follows Jack to the couch, helping him with the four books he picked out. “Wow, Jack, we’re going to be busy for a while here.”
“He loves his books. And um, no. I um, sort of,” she pauses, fidgets with her finger nail. “I sort of made that up. I’m sorry.”
His chest loosens, relief sets in and he opens a Dr. Seuss book as Jack settles in his lap. “Cool. Then we can go over some other stuff tomorrow too.”
“Yeah,” she nods, seating herself next to Jim as he begins reading. “Sorry, about before. I mean, I have a good reason, I think, to have been annoyed with you.”
“You do, and I know exactly what it is,” he says, leaning over. “Kelly lied to you. I never told Ryan anything about you and me. I said no comment.”
“Oh,” she nods, pointing to the book as Jack looks on expectantly.
“Yeah. Oh, and by the way, this child is good with strangers, liar.”
“Actually, he isn’t. It’s all you. I think he likes that you get down to his eye level.”
“That’s how you talk to kids.”
“Jim,” Jack says, tapping his finger on his knee. “Read me.”
“Sorry buddy, okay here we go. Green Eggs and Ham,” he begins, annunciating slowly.
As he reads, he glances toward her, watches the smile play across her face.
It’s not a grand profession of love and adoration, but for now, he knows, it will have to be good enough.
When they return to Pam’s apartment after dinner at Chuck E. Cheese, he can’t help but feel at peace when she locks the door behind them, kicks off her shoes and picks out a Disney movie to play. And when Jack falls asleep in his arms, he wonders how he did not have any of this yesterday, wonders how he survived without it.
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© 2006-2023 More Than That | Skin created by Kali
© 2006-2023 More Than That | Skin created by Kali