The work day dragged on as Pam tried not to notice the change in dynamic between Jim and Karen.  He was conscious of Karen's presence but hadn't acknowledged it.  Karen was as nonchalant as possible and acted like everything was business as usual.  Pam had caught her staring at her a few times and when Karen's mind had come back from where ever it had been, they shared a little half smile before they both went back to work.  Break ups are hard enough, and during the immediate aftermath, the workplace is usually where a person can feel like their life isn't completely in an upheaval.  She felt bad for Karen, knowing she didn't have a respite from Jim.  Everyone knew they had been dating and now they'd soon find out they're not.  Pam shrugged and thought, been there, done that.  She smiled to herself as she completed a quick drawing of Dwight if he were a chimpanzee.  Just then, an IM popped up on her computer.

JHalpert:  What's so funny?

PBeesley:  A doodle of Dwight as a monkey.  No teeth showing, of course... it's a sign of submission in primates, you know.

JHalpert:  FACT.  Chimpanzees and humans share 98.8% of the same DNA.  OMG, I'm retaining nuggets of his knowledge.

PBeesley:  Ew, nuggets.

JHalpert:  So how do you want to do this tonight?

PBeesley:  I'd like to go home and change so I don't look like a sloppy secretary belting out a tune in front of drunken strangers.

JHalpert:  You'd rather look like just Pam, belting out a tune in front of drunken strangers.

PBeesley:  Yup.  So you come pick me up at 7pm.  You should drive ‘cause I'm a short hitter with the sake.

JHalpert:  How do you know I'm not?

PBeesley:  Because you're about a foot taller and weigh 65 pounds more than me.

JHalpert:  65 pounds, so that means you weigh...

PBeesley:  Ak!  Go back to work Halpert.

*     *     *     *     *

Pam got home with plenty of time to change her clothes, refresh her hair and add a little make up.  She had decided on her favorite pair of jeans- Sevens that made her butt look amazing, and a black long sleeve boatneck sweater that showcased her shoulders.  She wore her hair down and put on eye shadow and mascara.  All dressed up with someplace to go- it had been so long since the last time she went out for fun, she couldn't even remember when it was.

Jim rang the bell and she answered the door already in her coat.  "Let's roll," she said as she shut the door.  They walked out to his car and he opened her door for her.  She thanked him and got in, and was impressed, but not surprised, that he had done that.  It was a short drive to the sushi bar, but they listened to his iPod on the way. 

"Do you know what you're going to sing tonight, Beesley?"

"I do, I just hope they have the version I'm looking for," she said as she looked out the window.

"It's not going to be anything hokey like "Dancing Queen" or "Hit Me With Your Best Shot," is it?"

"Do you dare question my taste in music, Halpert?  Or better yet, do you dare question the genius that is Pat Benatar?"

"I'm just saying, those are some of the most abused karaoke songs, ever."

"Eh, I could see that.  There will be no abusive karaoke from us tonight," Pam said as they pulled into the restaurant parking lot.

*     *     *     *     *

They decided they would have a little dinner first and got situated at a table.  The waiter brought over a lit votive and two Japanese tea cups of green tea.  They ordered miso soup and contemplated the sushi menu.  "Have you come here before?" Jim asked.

"Yeah, lots of times.  I used to come here with Roy, but he wouldn't eat sushi.  He would just stick with the teriyaki steak.  Then Kelly and I started to come, but she was always canceling plans to go out with Ryan, so we didn't come more than one or two times."

"Did Kelly do karaoke?"

"Oh yeah.  Lots of squeaky love ballads.  I'm sure you can imagine," Pam said as she put a "1" on the sushi menu next to salmon skin rolls.

They ordered a couple different rolls:  a shrimp tempura, a kappa, the salmon skin rolls and something called a Scranton roll.  "The Scranton roll is out of this world.  Its tuna, hamachi, salmon and tempura crumbles with a spicy sauce.  It's about three inches in diameter, so the rule is we're not allowed to look at the other person when they put it in their mouth," she said.

"Hamachi?  Isn't that Japanese for hamster?  I think I had one of those little electronic pocket pets when I was fifteen," he teased.

"Cute.  It's yellowtail, not a hamster.  Have you had sushi before?" Pam teased.

"Yes, what do you think, I was raised in a barn?  I ate it all the time in Stamford.  My sushi prowess will show you who's had sushi before."

She smiled and nodded along with Jim.  Their order came and it was artfully arranged to look like dragons and flowers.  Pam clasped her hands together under her chin and said, "That's almost too pretty to eat."

Before the waiter left, Jim ordered a beer and Pam said to make it two.  If she was going to be doing karaoke, she definitely needed to be a little tipsy to make it more fun than embarrassing. 

They ate their rolls and abided by the earlier rule of no peeking.  It made dinner playful and fun.  The sounds of music and bad singing soon floated into the dining room and they decided it was time to move to the bar.  Without even a pause, Jim pounced on the bill and paid it before Pam could protest.  She said thank you more times than she should have, and insisted she would take care of the drinks they would have later.  They picked up their beer bottles and entered the karaoke lounge with big smiles on their faces.

They sat down at a high boy table and immediately started thumbing through the song book.  Pam found her song and was satisfied, and Jim said he wasn't sure what he was going to do because their boy band selection was certainly lacking.  He found one anyway, and they put their names in the cue.  Pam ordered some warm sake and they listened to a man in a business suit sing "Kung Fu Fighting."  Jim turned his head slowly towards Pam and with wide eyes said, "See what I mean...abusive."

"I'm sure what I picked could fit in that category, but I'd like to think the version will save me from groans in the audience," she said as she started to slur her words a bit.

"Miss Beesley, are you drunk?" 

"Not drunk, just lubricated.  I'm up after this guy and another guy."  She leaned into him slightly and used his body to steady herself.  "Seriously.  I'm having fun.  I told you I was a light weight."

"You certainly are.  Anyway, I'm having fun, too."  He poured two more cups of sake and they clinked their tiny cups together before sipping them down.  They chatted loudly as the bar started to fill up and before she knew it, it was show time.  Pam made her way to the stage and her music started to play.  She looked at Jim and watched as he realized that the song she had chosen was "I Will Survive."  He closed his eyes and shook his head in pretend disappointment until she started to sing.  It wasn't the G-rated Gloria Gaynor version; it was the R-rated Cake version and he watched as she pranced around the stage, proudly belting out the words.  Jim couldn't help but laugh because she was so into it and the crowd was cheering her on.  Her dancing was minimal but it was enough to endear her into the hearts of everyone in the place.  She finished with a deep bow and jumped off the stage.  She sauntered back to their table with her hands over her mouth and her eyes big.  A little bit embarrassed, she couldn't stop laughing.

"Beesley, I do believe you dropped an F-bomb up there," Jim said through his own giggles.  "That's the first time I've ever heard you swear."

Pam regained her composure and said, "Is it?  Well don't get too used to it.  I only swear when I'm in front of a crowd."

They both laughed for a second or two.  He said that he wasn't sure he'd be able to follow her act, but he'd try, and then made his way to the stage.  His selection began to play and her mouth just dropped.  He had been looking right at her when she mouthed the words, "Love Fool?!" at him.  He nodded and started to sing in a flat, loud falsetto voice that made everyone go crazy.  Pam could barely control her laughter as she watched him bounce around and make silly hand gestures.  She almost fell off her chair.  He left the stage to a roar of applause and sat back down next to Pam. 

"I'm speechless, Jim!"

He just sat there with a pleased look on his face and grinned at her.

"Wasn't expecting that..." she trailed off.

They sat for a while, listened to people crooning the night away, and sobered up a bit.  After a half an hour, Pam paid the tab, like she had said she would, and they went outside into the cold February air. 

"Ooo.  The cold feels good.  Do you mind if we walk around for a little while- I'm not ready to get into the car yet," she said as she placed her palms on her cheeks.

"Sure, short hitter."

"I'm not drunk anymore.  I'm not even tipsy.  I think the smoke was getting to me."

They walked up and down the strip mall's sidewalk a couple of times before they had stopped in front of a florist's shop and were peering in through the window.  She said she was getting cold.  Jim was standing behind her and put his arms around her shoulders. He pulled her closer as Pam put her hands on his arms and let out a contented sigh.  He could see their reflection in the glass as he brought his chin down to rest on her shoulder.  "You're pretty short," he said in her ear.  She squeezed his arms and noticed that his breathing had changed from normal to longer, more deliberate inhalations.  She pressed her cheek against his and rubbed her smooth face against his stubble.  Jim turned toward her and kissed Pam on her temple.

She turned her head to look at him and loosened her grip on his arms.  She turned her body toward his and slipped her arms between them.  Without loosing eye contact, she gripped the lapels of his coat and he held her tight.  She dropped her eyes down to his lips and leaned in.  He did the same and gently kissed her.  He pulled his head back a little and leaned his forehead against hers for a second before kissing her again and again.  Pam pulled her head away and nuzzled her face against his chest.  "You sang Love Fool," she said in a little voice.

"Well, it was between that and Rainbow Connection.  I didn't have my banjo."

Pam laughed a little and said, "Take me home. I want you to stay with me tonight."

"Even without my banjo?"

"Especially without your banjo."