She slides into your car after she drops hers off at her apartment. You've been dating for 8 days and already you're bored of the secretive pandering around your coworkers. You want to scream to the world that she's finally your girl, the one you get to go home with. But you don't. Because your world sadly involves Michael and Dwight.
You kiss her lips when she turns to you and she's cherry lip balm and wintergreen gum. You grin at the familiar flavor of her.
"So where are we off to, m'lady?" You ask.
She turns to you and grimaces a little.
"Um, I have to talk to you about something."
You throw the car in park because you're certain that your legs no longer work and your heart is lodged somewhere between your tongue and your esophagus.
"What's wrong?" You ask, more terrified than you care to admit. God, what if she's having second thoughts? You didn't mean to lay on the guilt so thick at lunch about how she’d kicked your ass in Sudoku that morning. But that was trivial, right? But maybe that was something Roy used to do or something... Jesus.
"Well," she begins, looking down at her hands. "Um, the thing is..." She falters, looking at you nervously.
"What?" You're begging now, shamelessly.
"The thing is, I've been taking this art class, right? It's on Saturday mornings at the community college, and it’s something I really like doing."
Ok. Um, huh. That... wasn't bad.
You stare at her.
"Pam, that's great," you say, confused but relieved.
She breaks into a smile, but looks down.
"Well, it’s Friday." She looks at you expectantly.
You're obviously not understanding something. Your woman spidey sense cannot be wrong in this instance.
"Uh huh...?" You motion for her to continue.
She stares at you briefly before rambling in one long breath, "I guess I have homework and I need to finish this pastel work that I'm doing before next class because I missed the last class because we were.. um... otherwise engaged and I'd really like to do it at your place because your light is so much better than mine but I'd have to get all of my art supplies and I don't want you to think that I'm crowding you with all my stuff."
She inhales a breath and prepares to start speaking again, but then you have your lips on hers. You release and open your eyes to find hers looking into yours, a slight sheen luminating the blue.
You grin.
"Pam, you can bring anything and everything over to my place. In fact, I'd have you move right in if I didn't think your father would come after me with a shotgun."
Her worried face breaks into a grin.
"Why didn't you tell me about this new class?" You ask, smiling. God, you are so dumb. "I’m so proud of you!"
Her grin falls at the corners as she looks back down at her skirt.
"I just started this one... it began the weekend after we went to the beach."
"That’s great" you exclaim, enthused. “I really miss seeing your art."
She's looking at you now with the weirdest expression on her face.
Houston, we have a problem.
"Jim, my art show was like three weeks ago."
Oh. Oh, Jesus. Oh cross kicking fucking hell.
Your mouth has dropped open and your heart? Back up in your throat.
"I..." you have no real words.
She sighs and her lips twitch.
"It’s ok," she says. "I understand. It was… ya know, before. Now it’s after. It's ok"
No, the last thing it is to you is "ok".
"Pam, I'm so sorry. I don't even have an excuse. Not a one. I just... I'm an ass."
She smirks.
"The first step IS admitting it, Halpert."
You'd laugh, but there's a diamond ring in your sock drawer that you just bought yesterday on your way back to the office from a call you'd gone on and a charge on a credit card you haven't seen yet, and already you've disappointed the first and God willing only woman you'll ever propose to.
Your forehead hits the steering wheel.
"Such an ass," you mumble.
Then her hand is running down your back and she's whispering "I love you", soothing you when you should be consoling her.
You turn to her and pull her fiercely into your arms. You're in the parking lot of her apartment complex, for God’s sake, but this needs to be said.
You grasp her chin between your index finger and thumb and kiss her lips and nose and cheeks and forehead.
You rest your cheek against hers.
"I promise you today, right now, in my Subaru, in the parking lot of your apartment, that I will never, ever miss another one of your art shows."
You keep your eyes trained on hers, so she knows you really mean it, and after a moment she dips her head to rest on your chest.
"I know." She whispers. "I know."
Author's Chapter Notes:
Because I always wondered how this conversation would go, when Pam inevitably brought up the art show no-show.
Chapter End Notes:
Love yous guys forevahh
stjoespirit04 is the author of 25 other stories.
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