It was a Thursday. Thursdays are usually nothing special. They are past midweek, but not quite the weekend. Thursday was usually just another day to get through for Jim and Pam.

But this Thursday was different, because Thursday, September 13th was the day Jim Halpert and Pam Beesly were married.

They both slept in until 10, after staying up until midnight the night before, and had brunch together on the beach in front of their hale. It was about 1 o'clock before they got ready to say goodbye to each other.

Pam was rushing around the room, speaking quickly and packing a small bag full of makeup and various accessories.

“So I've got my body wrap at 1:30, nails and toes at 3 and my hair is getting done at 4.”

“Wow, Beesly, am I going to even recognize you when you walk down that beach?”

She stopped and gave him a look. “I just want to look my best. It's not every day a girl gets married on a beach in Hawaii.”

“Oh, man, didn't I tell you about my other two weddings? Yeah, both beach weddings. It didn't really work out, though. Both took place at Lake Scranton. Miserable affairs.”

Pam humoured him with a smile and took one last scan of the room.

“Okay, I think I've got everything. Do you have everything you need? Because I'm not going to be here to help you find your...what is it you're wearing again?”

“Ha ha! Nice try! You're not telling me about your ensemble, so I'm not telling you about mine.”

Pam pursed her lips and squinted her eyes at him. “Can't you just give me a clue? Like, is it formal? Informal?”

Jim cleared his throat, “Okay, I will say this. It is a family heirloom...and...it used to belong to someone's grandfather.”

Pam rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Dork.”

Jim leaned against the door frame and watched her. The next time he would see her would be at the beach. Their wedding. There was no doubt that he was excited about the ceremony, but nerves were starting to make his stomach flutter and his hands tingle.

He felt like he was about to leave on a long trip and he was sitting in a plane on the tarmac, just waiting to take off. It was a dream that had been rolling around in his head for years only to become a reality. At this moment he could hardly remember his life without Pam, even though the echo of many lonely days and nights still occasionally whispered to him. But they were only whispers.

“Hey. Are you okay?” Pam said while reaching for his right hand.

“Yep? Yeah...just thinking.”

She pulled him into a hug and whispered, “I'm nervous too. This is a big deal.”

“The biggest...this is...,” he paused and took in a deep breath. “This is what you want, right? I...I am what you want?”

She pulled away and looked at him. “Are you kidding me? What kind of a question is that?”

“I just...,” he looked down at his shoes. “I just want to make sure you're happy.”

She smiled. “Jim, look at me.”

He raised his eyes to meet hers.

“I know this is a big step, HUGE step. But this isn't really going to change anything, right?”

“Yeah...”

“We're just making things...official.”

“I know. I just wanted to check in with you, make sure everything was good.”

“More than good. Is everything good with you?”

He smiled a wide grin. “Absolutely,” he sighed. “Now, go on. You've got to go get buffed and polished.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck and twirled a piece of his hair around her finger. “I can cancel and stay here, if you want. I've heard that you can give a pretty good buff and polish job yourself.”

Jim gave her a look of mock disgust. “Pam! Where is that blushing bride that banned 'relations' last night? Really, I'm shocked.”

She kissed him full on the mouth and they both started to laugh into each other's kisses.

Pam pulled away and held his hands. “Okay, okay. I get it. You want to save yourself for tonight. I can respect that in a man.”

“Thank you.”

“Sooo...I guess I'll see you on the beach?”

“I'll be there.”

“I'll be the one in the dress.”

He smiled, “Got it.”

She gathered up all of her bags and headed for the door.

“Beesly?”

Pam turned around. “Yeah?”

“Nothing. I just wanted to call you Beesly one last time.”

Pam broke into a smile, winked and headed out the door.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The sun was low in the sky and washed the beach in orange and pink. Jim stood tall, in his bare feet, rocking back on his heels with his hands in his pockets. He was wearing a simple white collared shirt and creme linen pants.

He stood beside the ring of purple and white flowers that were laid out on the beach and stared out towards the horizon. The sounds of the waves rolling against the shore were helping to calm his nerves.

She would be here any minute. They would be married any minute. It was all just too amazing to believe. His mind slipped back into a moment between them long ago:

He was leaning over her desk at reception, just as he had a million times before. She was holding his hand delicately in hers. He felt drunk, dizzy, but he hid it all from her.

Your major and minor lines cross at a ridge-that sucks.

You're making this up as you go along, aren't you?

I am just following the website.

Well, at least I don't have cavities.

Yes, you have very nice teeth.

Thank you.

It was in that moment, years ago, that Jim began to think of a future with Pam. Her fingers tracing across his palm lit something inside of him and he began to dream. He had flashes of falling asleep together watching movies late into the night, shopping side by side at the market, traveling with her around the world, all as her fingertips burned across his love line and danced over his life line. His hopes had been crushed and raised many times since then, and now his body knew all about her touch beyond his hands. Wishful thinking had become reality and here he was, standing on the edge of his dream, ready to jump.

“Jim?” Nui, the Wedding Officiant, shook him from his daydream. “She's here.”

He tore his eyes away from the ocean and searched the tree line. There she was.

Pam stood there on the edge of the beach. Her long curls moved with the breeze and her simple white dress hugged every curve of her body. Her hands were wrapped around a bouquet of pink orchids and Jim could see her smile from where he was standing.

A small band of ukulele players began to play the first chords of “Can't Help Falling in Love” and Pam made her way towards Jim. They were not completely alone on the beach, but they may as well have been. Jim held her gaze as she stepped each bare foot closer to where he was.

Pam handed Keala her bouquet and joined hands with Jim.

Nui cleared his throat and began to speak.

“Aloha to you both. We stand here together, surrounded by the beauty of nature, ready to welcome Jim and Pam into the world of marriage. Marriage is a deep and serious commitment that can never be entered into lightly. From this day forward, the two of you will be forever connected in love, friendship and, God willing, parenthood.”

Jim squeezed Pam's hands a little tighter at the mention of becoming parents. She responded with a smile and raised eyebrows.

“We will begin our ceremony with the Hawaiian tradition of exchanging of leis. The lei is a continuous circle, with no beginning and no end. Each flower, on its own, is beautiful. But when it is connected with a circle of flowers, its beauty is enhanced. Just as you, Jim, and you, Pam are strong as individuals, you will be amazed to see how your strength and love is magnified through marriage.

“Keala? The leis?”

Keala handed Pam a green leafy lei and Jim a pale pink orchid lei.

“Jim, please place the lei around Pam's neck, and do so with a kiss. This kiss is a promise to never break the circle of love that you have created with Pam.”

Jim blushed with a curling smile as he placed the delicate lei around Pam's neck. He cupped her face with his hands and kissed her tenderly.

“Pam, please place the lei around Jim's neck, and do so with a kiss. Your kiss is also a promise to never break the circle of love that you have created with Jim.”

Pam stood on her toes and reached up to place the lei around Jim's neck as he bent his head down to help her. Her hands lingered at the back of his neck as her lips brushed against his.

Nui continued. “The circle is a very important symbol in a marriage. We see this in the leis, in your wedding rings and in the circle of flowers I stand before today. Jim and Pam, please step into your wedding circle.”

Jim and Pam rejoined hands as they moved into the circle of flowers.

“Within this circle there is just the two of you. There are many other forces outside of this circle that will support you and challenge you. But you must remember that in a marriage there are two. You must stand together in good times and in bad. This circle is your past, your present and your future. Use the lessons of your past wisely, cherish the present and look forward to the future.

“Are you prepared to stand together in love, friendship and marriage for the rest of your life?”

“We are,” they answered in unison.

“Very well. Keala? The rings?”

Keala handed Jim a gold band and he stood with it poised over Pam's ring finger.

“Jim, please repeat after me...”

Jim repeated the vows with a gentle smile and a shaky hand:

“Pam

I take you to be my wife;

To laugh with you in joy,

To grieve with you in sorrow,

To grow with you in love,

To be faithful to you alone,

As long as we both shall live.”

He slipped the ring on her finger and let out a lingering breath.

Pam beamed as she took Jim's ring from Keala and expressed her vows with tears in her eyes and a slight tremble in her voice:

“Jim

I take you to be my husband

To laugh with you in joy,

To grieve with you in sorrow,

To grow with you in love,

To be faithful to you alone,

As long as we both shall live.”

Pam slid Jim's ring across his finger and it rested in place.

Nui raised both hands wide and smiled. “Jim and Pam. It has been an immense pleasure to witness the beginning of your life as a family today. Through the State of Hawaii, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Please, seal your vows with a kiss.”

Jim grabbed Pam and pulled her towards him. They had kissed a thousand times before this moment, but this was a kiss neither of them had experienced. On their lips were the silent words of the past:

Her go-to guy

My best friend

I'm in love with you

I can't

I miss you

Yes

the present:

We are

Joy

Sorrow

Love

As long as we both shall live

and the future:

We're pregnant

It's a girl

My dad died

I'm at the hospital

Thank you

The band strummed on their ukuleles and there were thank yous, handshakes and papers were signed. It had taken years for Jim and Pam to get to a occasion that lasted all of fifteen minutes.

After the flurry of activity, they suddenly found themselves alone on the beach. The sun slowly sank beneath the ocean as Jim took his wife's hand for their first dance. There was no music and the only onlookers were tiki torches, the Pacific and the nature around them. But they swayed together to a rhythm that was all their own and reveled in a moment that they would remember for the rest of their lives.