“Heeey...Beeees-ly...time to get up,” Jim said quietly in a sing-song voice.

“Mmmm...”

“We've got to meet Mark and Vanessa at 7, remember?”

“Mmmm...”

“I don't know if you want to have a shower or what, so...”

Pam opened her eyes to see Jim kneeling at her side.  His hand was now rubbing circles on her belly and it made her skin tingle.

“Hmm?” Pam mumbled with her eyes still closed.

“Remember? Mark and Vanessa are in town and we're meeting them for dinner.”

Pam's eyes opened slightly. “Oh, yeah...yeah. Okay, give me a few minutes.”  She turned slightly, hugged the couch pillow and closed her eyes again.

“Pam, I know that move.  One more sigh and squeeze of that pillow and you're gone for the night.”  He pushed up the hem on Pam's t-shirt, placed both hands on her bare swollen belly and pressed his lips just above her belly button.  “I can just go on my own, if you're not up to it,” he muffled against the soft, tight skin before placing a another kiss on her stomach.

Pam giggled and swatted him. “Stop. That tickles!”  Both eyes blinked open and she sighed.  “Okay, no, I'm good. We haven't seen them in forever...just...help me up, will you?”

“You got it,” he said with a smile as he placed his hands in Pam's and guided her slowly up and off the couch.

Pam shuffled to the stairs.  “If I'm not out of the shower in 20 minutes, come and get me.  You may have a beached whale situation on your hands.”

He held up his hand. “I've got Greenpeace on speed dial, so no worries.”

~*~

The Halperts met up with Mark and his wife Vanessa at Cafe Classico on Mulberry up by The U.  Pam had been craving their turkey, roasted red pepper and mozzella sandwich on focaccia ever since she had it for lunch a few weeks ago, so Jim made the suggestion to eat there.

“Man, Halpert, I still can't believe you are going to be a father,” Mark chuckled as he took a sip of his beer.

“Yeah, it's a little surreal,” Jim said with a smile, thinking about how his life had changed so much over the past few years.  His career still had gone nowhere, but his life with Pam was something he only dreamed about back when he and Mark were room mates.  His eyes caught the rings on Pam's left hand sparkling and reflecting the table's candlelight.  Damn, how did I get so lucky? He thought to himself.

“It just seems like yesterday that we were having kegger house parties and now you're going to be lining up baby bottles instead of beer bottles,” Mark said with another swig.

“Uh, yeah. Man...that seems like a million years ago that we were doing that kind of stuff,” Jim said quietly as he glanced at Pam.

“Oh!” Mark cried out.  “Do you remember the night we had that party and everyone added their bottles to the 'Wall of Beer' and then, it was like, 2 am and you and Brian hopped the fence to the neighbor's pool and--”

“Okay, Mark, enough with the frat boy talk!” Vanessa looked disapprovingly at Mark.  “I want to know more about how Pam is doing...and about the baby.”  She clasped her hands together and took a deep breath.  “Soooo, I've been dying to ask you this all night: Do you guys know what you're having?”

“You mean for dinner?” Pam asked blankly.

“No! I mean is it a boy or a girl?” Vanessa giggled.

Jim and Pam's eyes met and Pam shrugged and slightly nodded.

“Uhhh...well the ultrasound says it's a girl,” Jim said, trying to contain his grin.

“A girl! Oh my god!!! That's so exciting!” Vanessa got up to hug Pam.

“Congrats, buddy!” Mark said as he shook Jim's hand across the table.  “Wow. A girl.” He shook his head and laughed.  “You are really in trouble now, my friend,” Mark said with a smile.

“What?”

“You'll be outnumbered.”

Jim laughed.  “Surrounded by beautiful women? I think I can live with that.”  He smiled warmly at Pam.

“So are you all ready for the baby?  I mean, do you have the nursery ready and clothes and stuff?” Vanessa asked excitedly.

Pam glanced at Jim, “Well, Jim's going to paint the nursery this weekend, and I'm pretty sure we've decided on a stroller.  I've been picking up clothes and baby stuff here and there...”

“But we've got at least 5 weeks to get everything done,” Jim added. “So...”

“So, yeah. We'll be more than ready,” Pam agreed.  She shifted slightly on the cushioned chair to find a more comfortable position.  “Although, I guess I should start thinking about what to bring to the hospital.”

“Oooo, Beesly, we should make an ipod birthing playlist!”

“Oh yeah, the nurse at our pre-natal class said that music can help during the birth.”

“You two are adorable! Mark, doesn't it make you want to have kids?” Vanessa said with a wink.

“Ha ha. Nice try, Vanessa. Let's see how adorable they are when they are on no sleep and changing poopy diapers,” Mark laughed.

Jim coughed. “Man, did you just say 'poopy'?”

“Shut up!  Halpert, I'm serious.  I've seen it with my brother.  He was a zombie when his kid was born.  I'd like to soak up a few more years of sleep before I have to go through that.”

“Nice Mark.  Don't freak them out!” Vanessa said as she swatted Mark on the arm.

“I'm just trying to prepare them...”

Pam was only half listening as Mark and Vanessa continued to banter back and forth.  She was finding it very hard to sit still.  The chair was cushioned, but she felt like she was sitting on a block of wood.

Maybe a little walk would help.

“Excuse me, I'm just going to take a trip to the rest room,” Pam said as she slowly got up from the table.

“Are you okay, Beesly?”

“Yeah, just need to stretch my legs a bit.”

Pam made her way into the rest room and by the time she got there she felt a little nauseous.  She stood in the single person bathroom gripping the sink and looking at herself in the mirror.  Her face was flushed and sweat was collecting on her brow.  She also had a sudden urge to use the bathroom.

What is wrong with me?

She splashed water on her face and shuffled towards the toilet.  Although it did feel good to sit down, nothing was happening.  Pam maneuvered herself up, washed her hands and returned to the table.

Jim, Mark and Vanessa laughed and shared stories throughout the night, but Pam was just not in the mood to participate.  She had no appetite and just could not find a comfortable sitting position.  After her third return trip to the bathroom, she couldn't take it anymore.

“Uh, Jim, I'm sorry, but I think we're going to have to call it a night.”

Jim reached for her hand, “You're really feeling crappy, aren't you?”

“Yeah, I'm so sorry guys. I don't know what's wrong with me. These chairs are just so uncomfortable and I'm not very hungry and my back is just...well, you don't want to hear me complain all night.  I probably just need good night's sleep.”

“Okay, let's head out,” Jim said as he rubbed the top of her hand with his thumb.

There were hugs and handshakes and after short car ride Jim and Pam were home.  As they walked through the door and it shut behind them, Jim pulled Pam into a hug.

“Do you want me to draw you a bath?”

“Mmmm...yeah, that may help my back. Thanks. Not too hot, though, okay?”

“Got it.” Jim kissed her forehead and bounded upstairs.

~*~

Pam slipped into the warm bath, lay her head on her bath pillow and let out a sigh.  She scooped some bubbles into her hand and created whispy white puffs on her protruding belly, which looked like a perfectly round mountain errupting out of a foamy sea.  Pam's body was beginning to relax, but her mind was racing.  She closed her eyes and thought about all of the things she needed to get done before the baby arrived.

Diapers.  Sleepers.  Change table.  Crib.  Stroller.  Car seat.  Nursing bra.  Rocking chair.  Receiving blankets.  Hospital bag.  Bassinet.  Wipes...

Baby products danced around in her head as she drifted in and out of a haze.  A knock at the door interrupted her reverie.

“Room in there for me?”

Pam laughed, “Um, no, not quite.”

Jim kneeled at the side of the bath and proceeded to use some of the bubbles to make a happy face on Pam's belly.

“Feeling better?”

“Yeah, a little, but I'm done in here. I think I'll dry off and go to bed.”

“Need some help getting out?”

“Uh, yeah, but don't watch me getting out.  No one should have to see a naked, contorted, pregnant body like that. It'll give you nightmares.”

“Oh Pam, c'mon...”

“No! I'm serious.  Can you just give me your hand and look away?  I'll get myself out and then gracefully walk into your towel and we'll both come out of this happy.”

“Okay, okay,” he said as he turned his head to the side and held out his hand and the towel.  Pam slowly navigated herself out of the tub and as she backed into him he wrapped his arms and the towel around her and rested his chin on her shoulder.

“You know,” he whispered, his lips grazing her ear, “You are the most beautiful pregnant woman I have ever seen.”

“Yeah, yeah...,” she rolled her eyes, even though Jim could not see them.

“No, I'm serious. Just seeing you so round and full—”

“Round and full?!?”

“Yeah, it's...sexy and...I don't know... knowing that you're carrying a little person in there... our baby...God, Pam I...I just love you so much.”

Her heart started fluttering in her chest and she bowed her head a little.  It still amazed her how he always knew exactly what to say.  She turned around in his arms and whispered, “I love you too.  You...take such good care of me, and...” she looked into his eyes and and suddenly it felt like a wave of tears washed all the way from the back of her throat up to her eyes.  Pam buried her head against Jim's chest. “I'm sorry, I think I'm having a moment.  God, I really don't think I could do this without you,” she sobbed and wrapped her arms around his back.

“Shhhh...it's okay,” he said while rocking her side to side.  “I'm just glad I can do something.  I mean you're the one doing all work here.  I'm just the assistant.”

“The assistant pregnant person?” she said in a muffled voice against his t-shirt.

“Assistant to the pregnant person.”

Pam laughed through her remaining tears and let out a big sigh.

“Okay, hot mama, you've had a long day. Towel off. I'll meet you in there.”

Pam dried herself off and exchanged the towel for her pink terrycloth robe.  She stretched each side of the robe across her stomach and attempted to tie it up.  Too tired to wrestle with putting on pyjamas, she slowly padded across the carpeted floor of their bedroom.

Jim's bedside table lamp was on and filled the room with a soft, golden light.  She grunted as she slipped under the cool sheets and stretched out, resting an arm and leg upon Jim.  He was propped up in bed reading Sports Illustrated and began to tell her something about the basketball tryouts, but it fell upon deaf ears.  Pam was fast asleep.  She was spread-eagle under the sheets and looked like a hot pink boxer who had been knocked out cold.  Jim chuckled to himself, tossed the magazine aside and switched off the light.  He then molded his body against Pam's and rested the side of his face upon her shoulder.

The room was now dark except for the faint wash of streetlights that filtered through the sheer curtains.  He nuzzled the top of his head against her neck and cast his eyes down her body as she deeply breathed in and out with a soft and steady rhythm.  With every breath, her chest and stomach would rise together in unison and he reached out and curved his palm against her belly.  Her breathing raised his hand up and down and the movement made him think of a wave, like a tide against the shore.  It was hypnotic.  His eyelids grew heavy and just as sleep was about to take hold, he smiled and whispered into the darkness:

“I can't wait to meet you.”