"Hey, Beesly!" 

"Good Morning, Pamela."  Pam's mom smiled at her with a look that said I don't know whether to be proud or shocked.  Pam blushed in spite of herself.

"Morning.  So um..."  she couldn't think of anything to say.  Thankfully, Jim saved her.

"So your mom made an awesome breakfast.  Can I get you some tea?"

She smiled.  "Thanks.  So...is that the photo album with all my embarrasing childhood pictures?"

"Sure is.  Man, Beesly.  You were...and you understand how difficult it is for me to use this word, but...adorable."  Jim laughed as he set Pam's tea down next to her and Mrs. Beesly served breakfast.

***

"Yum.  Thanks mom.  Hey, how're the roads?"  Pam was almost afraid to ask the question as she finished her breakfast and sat sipping her tea.

"Oh, I didn't even think to look!"  Lori replied.

"Me either," Jim shook his head.  They peeked out the window.  The sun was shining, but there was still plenty of snow on the ground.  Unfortunately, it wasn't on the roads.  The plows had cleared all the streets.  "Well, I guess we can go.  We have a long drive ahead."

"Sure.  I just want to take a quick shower first."

Jim bit the inside of his cheek and nodded. She was killing him.  Pam took the stairs two at a time to the bathroom, leaving Lori and Jim alone again.  Jim got up to stretch.  "Thanks for everything, Mrs. Beesly.  I mean, Lori."

"Well, I have one more thing for you before you guys go...and before Pam comes back down here..."  Lori got up and went into the living room.  Jim followed, intrigued.  She took a small key and unlocked a tiny music box that was sitting on a shelf.  It played the first few notes of "You Are My Sunshine" before she grabbed something out of it and closed it again.  "Jim, I know you and my Pammy have a lot to talk about, and a lot of stuff you have to work out if you guys are going to work."

"Understatement of the year."

"But I also know that when all the talking is done, you'll need this."  She placed the item from the music box into Jim's hand.  He looked at it, his eyes wide.  "It was my mother's.  Pam's always wanted it."

"Why didn't she have it when she was engaged to Roy?"

Lori looked slightly guilty for a moment.  "I...never...really liked Roy that much, if I'm being honest.  I always hoped that Pam would come to her senses.  I just knew he wasn't the one."  Jim smiled as he made a fist around the ring.

"I promise I'll take good care of it...until I give it to Pam, that is," he said at last, already thinking of the perfect way to do just that.