“You just had a rebound. Don’t get me wrong. A rebound can be fun. But really it’s about distracting you from the one you really want to be with.”

“Is that what you’re doing with Karen?”

“Michael I hardly think a relationship that lasted all of six hours matches up to more than a couple of months of dating.”

“That may be true. But you were into Pam way longer and way harder…that’s what she said! Anyway you were into Pam much more than I was into Carol. What was it two or three years? You told me yourself that you left here because of her. And just by coincidence you’re dating Karen when you get back here?”

“Hmm.”

Of course this would be the one day of a thousand that Michael was on and exactly right. He’d been exactly right on the boat. Jim had just been too slow to follow through on Michael’s advice. But he was with Karen now. He owed it to Karen to try and make this work. He really liked Karen. Was it like this with Pam in the beginning? Maybe it was and he’d grow to love Karen as much as he loved Pam. He was glad she’d showed interest in him before they had to transfer to Scranton.

He didn’t want to come back single knowing Pam was single. He knew he’d ask her out even though he wouldn’t want it like he did before. Based on that text message he eventually got the morning after the drinking game at Stamford he was pretty sure that she’d say yes even if (and she would wouldn’t she?) she sensed he didn’t quite feel the same. And then what? She’d already had to deal with one relationship where the guy was there because it was comfortable. She was his friend. She deserved better than that.

No if he was going to be with her someday he had to get his head right first. She’d eventually realize he wasn’t all the way there and she’d resent him for it. They wouldn’t be friends and even though he knew she didn’t mean it then he had to agree that he couldn’t stand the thought of not being friends with her. He’d remembered that even in the short time he’d been back. He didn’t want another Katy or Brenda. Someone that he couldn’t put his heart into. Someone he dated to be dating. They’d seen how he couldn’t go all in. He had to give it to Brenda. It only took her one date. The part of him that still believed she was THE one certainly didn’t want the rest of him ruining it while he wrestled with it.

So it was while he continued to wrestle with this idea that Karen saw the house for rent down the street from him. His immediate reaction didn’t go over well. Maybe not quite as badly as Carol’s reaction to Michael’s photoshop handiwork. But not far off either.

When Karen asked him about renting the house he said it’d be like living together. And there was no mistaking his tone that he didn’t want to do that. Karen probably could’ve handled that response if she had in fact been asking him if she could move in. After all she wouldn’t even really be physically closer than she was now. She’d just have a real key to get into her door rather than a plastic one that blinks a green light after swiping.

Pam had seen the short, tense conversation Jim and Karen had first thing this morning. She also saw that when he took his break Karen didn’t. That hadn’t happened before. So what does a friend do then? What had Jim always done when she and Roy were fighting about something? He went to her and talked. Friends do that right? Maybe one day it’s getting tape out of someone’s hair. Maybe another day it’s helping a friend resolve a fight with their girlfriend.

He said he was fine, but she didn’t believe him. Just before turning to walk out the door she asked again, “Are you sure?”

In some ways the last person he wanted to talk about this with was Pam. But he needed to get his thoughts straight. “I had a stupid fight with Karen,” he found himself saying before he was all the way sure he wanted Pam to know about that. He didn’t think she’d try to get in the way of them. But he couldn’t say he’d blame her if she did. He remembered not too long ago being where she was. He knew he couldn’t come out and tell her to leave Roy. But he often couched his advice to allow for that result. She pulled up a chair and asked if he wanted to talk about it.

“We’ve only been dating a month and she wants to move in on the same street. It just seems a little close,” Jim began.

“How far away does she live from you now?”

“Honestly it’s about as close. A fact she’s mentioned more than once.”

“Well it must be something other than the physical closeness that bothers you.”

“Yeah I think it is. If she’s still in the hotel she can leave whenever. She’s not stuck here. She’s not stuck to me. She moved a long way for this job. We’ve already lost what three of the Stamford people? We’d only just started going out. That’s a lot of pressure.”

“Let me ask you this Jim. Hypothetically if I’d left Roy last spring when you asked me to I’d have needed a place to live right?”

“I can’t imagine him giving you two weeks to get your things together and house hunt.”

“Right. I might have had two minutes to grab my favorite clothes and photos before he burned the rest! So I’d have needed a place to stay too. What would you have said if I asked you about moving into that same house?”

“You’ve got me there Pam. If anything I’d have told you it was too far away. But I knew we were supposed to be together. I’ve only known Karen a few months and we’ve only dated a few weeks.”

“So are you saying you don’t think that’s what you have with Karen?”

“I don’t know.”

“All I’m saying is if it’s what you do have then it won’t matter if she’s two minutes or two hours away. And if it’s not what you have it won’t matter either. Physical distance isn’t nearly as damaging as emotional distance.”

She wanted to go on and tell him that it didn’t matter that he’d moved two hours away when she thought about him. And now that he was only two minutes away she didn’t think about him more. She couldn’t think about him more than she already did. But she knew that wasn’t her place. If he’s supposed to be with Karen then he’ll stay with her. But if he thinks he’s not supposed to be then maybe this helps him leave.

“Thanks Beesley. This helped a lot.”

“Hey it’s way better than listening to Michael play a conch shell…which is what I was doing. Speaking of which Michael hooked up with Jan in Jamaica.”

“Yeah how are we not talking about that?”

With that they began laughing at Agent Scarn and his pursuit of Catherine Zeta Jones. Jim felt that warmth that he recognized all too well. He had to hand it to Pam. She played it just as he would have. “If it’s what you do have then it won’t matter if she’s two minutes or two hours away. And if it’s not then it won’t matter either.” It couldn’t be coincidence that she’d mentioned exactly how far apart Scranton and Stamford are. And that physical distance couldn’t keep people apart.

The rest of the day passed as well as any day at Dunder Mifflin Scranton. He’d gone by the rent house and picked up a flyer. He wanted Karen to give it a shot. Like Pam said it wouldn’t make him feel something he didn’t feel. Besides she deserves better than the Best Western. Even if it’s not with him.

Karen could sense the change in his mood too. They’d joked as they worked through their section of inventory. He was about to hand the flyer to her when he noticed Pam wasn’t in the warehouse even though he’d just seen her a moment before. He’d smiled to her as if to say thanks and she disappeared. Not the reaction he expected. He found her in the hall crying.

It reminded him of the first day the camera crews showed up. Somehow Michael got the insane idea to fake fire her after they’d just had the meeting with Jan about layoffs. And to make it worse he blamed the firing on her stealing things. It totally broke his heart to see her like this.

“Hey what’s wrong?” Without thinking he put his arm around her to hug her. Without thinking, on instinct, she settled in to his chest. It wasn’t long before a peace came over her and concern washed over him.

As she finally quit crying she straightened up and wiped the tears away with the Kleenex she’d grabbed from the lobby counter. “I just didn’t realize how hard it is to do the right thing. Even if you try a little to do the wrong thing. It looks like I helped you get over letting Karen move closer to you. Jim how did you help me and Roy stay together so many times? You must have wanted us to break up.”

“I did. But I couldn’t have you break up with him because I pushed you into it. The first time something went wrong with us you’d think I tricked you into it. Then you’d go back to Roy and it’d be over for good. I thought maybe if you always saw me helping you out you’d eventually realize you wouldn’t need so much help if you’d just switch teams. Team Halpert has been looking for help at this position for years.”

“But what about Casino Night? You didn’t try to keep Roy and I together then.”

“Time was up. I’d already decided to transfer. It’s not what I actually started out intending to tell you. But I figured I couldn’t leave without using my last chance. I never thought if you said no that I’d be back. I kind of figured our friendship would drift away anyway. You’d be married. I’d be two hours away. Funny how things turned out huh? I’m back and you’re not with him.”

“I’d hardly call it funny. I’m not with him because of you. It took me longer than it should have. I should’ve broken if off with him a long time ago even before I met you. What I said about emotional distance was true. We lived together for years. It didn’t help. I waited too long to reach out to you. Your leaving woke me up. Being physically apart from you did nothing to lessen what’s in my heart. Jim I could hear it in what you said about Karen. I don’t want to have to leave to wake you up. You already told me you don’t feel for her what you feel, or at least what you felt, for me. Tell me I’m wrong. If so I will leave you alone. At least emotionally. I don’t see you as the type to burn my clothes and things.”

“Beesley you aren’t completely wrong. But Pam I don’t know what I feel now. You and I both know there’s a part of me that will still love you when I’m 90 even if I’m on my fiftieth wedding anniversary with someone else. Michael thinks Karen’s my rebound girl like the Benihana girl was for him before he and Jan…well you know. I’m not sure. I don’t know if what I feel for her is all I’ll feel for her. Maybe I’ll love her as much as I loved you. Whatever I do I want to know it’s the right thing. But I don’t want to lead you on. I may never feel like I did before. Does that make any sense?

“Yeah. You don’t have to tell me about needing some time to figure things out. Look you know how I feel. I can’t see myself moving on without knowing for sure. And you’re right I wouldn’t want you to break up with her because of me. You’re right that I would’ve resented you and God help me if I’d gone back to Roy again if you’d done that.”

“So I’m going to call the home owner and see if Karen and I can check out the place. At least now I’ll have something to explain why I was gone so long.”

“Hey I’ve got some good news and some bad news Fillipelli. The good news is I got some good advice from Pam and I’m cool with having you move to that house. The bad news is they already rented it out. But we can go looking again this weekend.”

Andy got the idea to tag team sales calls. And wouldn’t you know it he chose Michael as his buddy. Jim had a bad feeling about where this was heading. Sure enough Phyllis picked Karen, Stanley (when forced to choose) chose Ryan and that left Jim and Dwight together. The sale actually went perfectly. Jim was sure the camera crew was surprised. And that made him proud that at least some of him was a grown up. Not much, but some.

Karen and Phyllis also had good luck on their outing. Karen had to give Phyllis credit for knowing her customer. She thought they looked like fools and wondered why Phyllis was wasting time and money that they could be out talking to customers. Right up to the point she saw the guy’s wife in a photo. Good as the call went it was the ride home that Karen will always remember.

“I’m so glad you’re with Jim. He was hung up on Pam so long I didn’t think he’d ever get over her.”

Phyllis dropped that in like you’d slip in a comment about getting the grass stain out of some pants or recovering from a hang nail. Karen was actually most upset that she hadn’t put two and two together. She’d seen the look in Pam’s eyes on the first day in Scranton. She’d seen Pam go in to talk to Jim when she shunned him over the fight about the room for rent. But she never knew Jim had felt the same way about Pam. Why hadn’t he mentioned it before? Did he still feel the same way? There would be no shunning him at break time today.

“So did you have a thing for Pam?”

“A thing? No.”

“Jim I moved two hours away from my home in Connecticut for you. I need to know. God forbid I’d gotten that house last week and signed a lease only to find you back with her. Is that why you didn’t want me to get a house? To keep your options open? Lining up plan B?”

“Karen I’m glad you came. Pam helped me see that I was too hung up on your physical closeness.”

Jim left out the part about emotional closeness. And he certainly left out the part about Pam giving him plan B. When she smiled he smiled too. Though he wasn’t sure if he was smiling because she smiled, or because someone made their Mary Kay commission for a month on all the makeup she was wearing. And that hair. My God that hair!

The gloating over the sales calls had emboldened Andy’s annoying side. Jim was sure he’d have no choice but to perpetually carry around the tape of “Rockin’ Robin” and be prepared to strangle the man with it if he ever met the singer of the song.

It was time for a prank. Almost out of habit he turned to Pam’s desk. But he knew that wasn’t going to sit well with Karen. It might give up the whole thing that he still (if only partially) loved her. He knew from the squeaky chair that Karen could be almost as much fun to prank with as Pam. Maybe that would improve with practice too.

“I have 15 new clients files all password protected by a different mythical creature. I can’t.”

And there was that word again. That was the word that sent him to Stamford where he met Karen. A conscious choice against him. Would Pam have ever turned down a prank? He knew even at their worst she’d have laughed and agreed in an instant. He’d even tried to get Ryan in on the game. So maybe it was just him today. Maybe everyone else wasn’t as worked up about this as him. The only way to find out was to ask Pam. If she wouldn’t go along then maybe it was just the fatigue from wrestling with this decision.

“I’m kind of in the middle of …yes definitely!” was Pam’s answer.

As their pranks go it wasn’t that sophisticated. He’d spilled some pens on Andy’s desk and grabbed the phone in the commotion. After checking with Pam for messages and dropping the phone off he went back to his desk. A minute later he got up for some water. Pam smiled and followed close behind.

Karen saw the whole thing. Her eye had been even more closely on Jim and Pam since the traveling sales calls. It was a nightmare in many respects. She saw but couldn’t do anything to stop it. Her worst fears were coming true.

Sure enough a minute later Andy’s voice and the three other versions of Andy’s voice were raining down on the office. No one knew where the sound came from. Almost no one. And as Karen looked at Andy getting madder and madder she saw Jim and Pam share a smile. She couldn’t help but think back to the coffee shop smile Jim gave her. That seemed almost painful. This was blissful. As the music stopped she couldn’t help but think of being the third person in a game of musical chairs. Jim and Pam had their chairs and she was left standing and staring.

As Jim and Pam shared a laugh about the hole Andy punched in the wall earlier it was all falling into place for Pam and to pieces for Karen. When he was finally alone Karen asked him, “Do you still have feelings for her?”

He’d actually spent most of the afternoon thinking about that very question. Karen couldn’t find time to play a prank when she thought all was well with them. Pam knew just the right thing to say. He knew this was the worst part. The silence probably told her what she needed to know. But he still had to say it. So he finally got his lips to open and say “yes.”

“And it didn’t just come back today with the phone did it?”

“No.”

“Why did you lie to me at the coffee shop? Why did I trust you? I thought I could see it in your eyes. I convinced myself you were just feeling sorry for Pam because she felt something for you that you didn’t feel back.”

“Karen you have to believe me. I wanted this to work. Crazy as it sounds Michael was right.”

“How many people here know about this? Was I the only one you didn’t tell the truth to? You don’t even like Michael and he knew. Phyllis could tell without your talking to her either.”

“He knew before Pam did. Anyway I told him the girl from Bennihana was his rebound girl over Carol. Carol was the one he photoshopped vacation pictures with himself and her kids. I told him the waitress was the one that distracts him from who he really wants to be with. Who’d have guessed that was Jan? Without even a moment’s hesitation he told me you were my rebound girl. I told him you and I had a little more than six hours to go on. But he was right. Today when you couldn’t find the time to play a prank with me I knew. Pam was just as busy as you. But I couldn’t even finish asking her the question and she not only knew the question but knew the answer. I’m really sorry you got dragged into this.”

“No it’s my fault. I should’ve seen this a mile away. And even though I didn’t I can’t stay with someone now who won’t be honest with me. Jim we could’ve worked this out. If you’d just told me the first time what you really felt we could’ve talked about this. But now even if you told me you wanted to fix it I could never believe you. Good luck. I sure won’t be around to be Plan C. You’d better hope like hell Plan B works out. If not I may just come back to laugh in your face if it doesn’t. You’ll never know what you missed out on in me.”

With that she left. He knew he deserved more than that from her. Maybe she realized the futility of it all. In a way she was right about not knowing what he missed. The main thing he thought of was how wrong she was about Pam being Plan B. Pam had always been Plan A. He’d forgotten the rest of the alphabet. That’s why the other plans always ended like this. So he’d never know what he missed. He wasn’t going to miss anything. He could finally have everything.

She didn’t wait too long. She didn’t want Karen to have time to change her mind. Pam had waited six months and sure didn’t have interest in waiting any longer.

“Hey that didn’t look good.”

“Yeah. Who’d have guessed a hole in the wall would fill a hole in my heart? Umm. Are you free for dinner tonight?

“Yes.”

“Good. Then it’s a date. Let’s get out of here.”

“Now? Isn’t that a little obvious to everyone?”

“Who doesn’t know? I got ten emails the day you called off your wedding. I think I was the last one to figure it out. Besides if they don’t know they’ll figure it out soon enough.”

On the way out the door he was sure he caught both Phyllis and Michael wink at him. Or maybe that was the lemonade.

Monday was a weird day. Karen was gone. Dwight had to settle in at a new desk. So Dwight being Dwight he took Andy’s things out of HIS desk and was going to carry them to the dumpster. Andy would be gone for a while in anger management. It was the only way he could keep his job according to Toby. So Jim volunteered that Andy could have his desk.

It wasn’t ideal. He wanted his old desk back. But there he was the temp of all people refusing to give it up. So he took Karen’s desk. Not because she’d been there. Instead because it put things right with the universe again. Her desk was a little further away than it was a few months ago. But he could turn to his right and see her again. See her smile. Give an air high five when they pulled off something together. Somehow it seemed closer because they were emotionally together again, but more than before. Now when he got up to talk to her he didn’t have to worry about what other people thought. On his way to the desk he did think about how much less work he’d get done having to take these five extra steps each way. He also thought about how Angela would have to switch to legal paper to keep track of the score in Pam Pong.

After scoring his jelly bean fix for the next five minutes he sat down and smiled at her. When she smiled back he thought it may not be a waterfront view like Stamford was. But he wouldn’t trade this for an office with a view of the Sydney Harbour.