Mortal Enemy

Let another cross his way-
She's the one will do the weeping!
Little need I fear he'll stray
Since I have his heart in keeping-

Let another hail him dear-
Little chance that he'll forget me!
Only need I curse and fear
Her he loved before he met me.

-- Dorothy Parker

Karen has never worried about men cheating on her. She’s always been secure enough in her relationships to know that just because some drunk girl in a miniskirt pretends to trip into her boyfriend’s arms doesn’t mean that he’ll do anything other than mutter “Whoa, there” and help the girl steady herself. She’s watched some perfectly sane girlfriends become low-level stalkers and isn’t about to travel down that path. She doesn’t worry about things like this, so when she watches Jim awkwardly step away from the girl, all she can do is smirk. For all the smoothness and confidence he can project at times, deep down he’s just a big dork who’d rather spend the night at home in front of the TV.

As it stands now, Karen wouldn’t mind leaving Poor Richard’s to plonk down in front of the idiot box. Tuesdays in Scranton have become a little too routine for her liking. After work, she heads to this dive bar where he co-workers try to make her “one of the family.” Usually she ends up having short conversations with Toby or Phyllis while watching Kelly perform impromptu karaoke using a drink stirrer as a microphone. She used to talk to Pam sometimes, but, after recent events, that feels tainted, like fraternizing with the enemy. She hates to think this way, likes to think she’s more secure than that, but… well, Jim admitted it and now she can’t help but analyze his glances to the reception desk.

She gulps down the remainder of her martini and shakes her head. She’s not going to become that girl - that girl all her guy friends warn each other about, that girl they assure her that she is not.

When Kelly picks up a pink drink umbrella and begins singing into it and Meredith joins in, Karen has to look away. It’s only a matter of time before Andy joins in and does that obnoxious thing where he moves his hand up and down in accordance with the pitch of his voice. She settles for watching Jim at the bar, bobbing his head to music she knows he hates and trying to get the bartender’s attention. Watching him move to the music is almost like watching one of those bobblehead dogs in the back window of a car, but still, it’s pretty adorable. She begins thinking of a clever way to rib him about it when she sees Pam and Oscar walk up to the bar.

Jim’s body tenses so quickly it’s almost as if he can’t control it. He tries not to look down at Pam, who is now standing next to him, her body language as stiff and awkward as his. She ignores him, talks to Oscar, tries to laugh.

Karen’s brow furrows as she watches them interact without even acknowledging each other’s presence. She doesn’t know if she’s ever seen two people be so connected to each other while trying to remain so far apart. She’d like to say it doesn’t bother her, but this isn’t some drunk, lecherous nobody trying to cop a feel. She watches him rub the back of his neck, something he does when he’s nervous or uncomfortable, and it’s only then does she realize what sort of power this woman has over him. He had billed it as just some crush, some feelings for a friend that really meant nothing.

Now she feels like he insulted her intelligence. She’s not stupid or blind. She sees it now, right in front of her, a “nothing” that means a lot of something.

The bartender brings Jim his beer and he hovers near the bar, near her, as if he’s not ready to leave. Karen can’t see his face, but his shoulders are hunched and she bets he’s chewing his lip, contemplating saying or doing something that someone, somewhere is going to regret. Before he has the chance, the bartender brings Oscar and Pam their drinks and they walk away from the bar, away from him. Pam looks relieved and keeps her head down as they pass the table Karen is sitting at.

Jim turns around, watches Pam walk to her seat. His eyes flicker to Karen and he knows he’s been caught. He frowns and stares at the beer bottle in his hand.

Karen drums her fingers on the rim of her empty glass. They’ll have to talk about this.