"So this one time, we convinced Dwight that Jim had telekinetic powers," Pam enthused.

"Oh man, that was a good one," he reminisced.

"Yes, it was. Let me tell the story."

"We're waiting." He stole a bite of her pudding.

She moved her plate away. "Hey, I'm not done."

"Coulda fooled me."

"Knock it off." Eyes sparkling, she continued. "Anyway. Jim started glaring at the coat rack like he was gonna do the Jedi mind trick or something. So I got out my umbrella--"

He added, "We didn't plan this, mind you. Completely unscripted."

She held up her finger. "So I got out my umbrella and hooked the coat rack--"

"She moved the coat rack!" he interrupted her again. "From behind the reception desk. It totally looked real. And Dwight totally bought it," he said, looking at her adoringly. "Hook, link, and sinker."

"You really need to stop stealing my punchlines," she suggested, grinning at him.

"We really need to do that again," he riposted.

Betsy laughed. "Jim always liked to prank his brothers," she said fondly.

"He liked to prank his sister, too," Larissa pointed out. "Remember the time you told my girlfriend you kept a shotgun under your bed?"

"Oh my god!" he cried, eyes widening. "Not Becky Little?"

"Yes," she glared at him, feigning indignance.

"It was a nerf shotgun!" he crowed. "No way she took that seriously."

"After you cocked it outside my door the next night, she refused to sneak into my bedroom ever again. I had to start sneaking into hers."

Pam let out a surprised laugh. Jim's family was so much more open than her own.

Betsy covered her ears. "I'm not hearing this."

Larissa snorted. "Don't be such a prude, mom. I was 16. Not 6."

"I haven't thought about that in years," Jim grinned. "I was tired of you guys waking me up every Saturday night."

"Just making out," she said defensively.

"Loudly," he commented under his breath.

"Becky was a nice girl," Betsy said fondly. "Why'd you two break up, anyway?"

"Ugh," Larissa rolled her eyes. "She cheated on me. With some guy from Dunmore High. Backstabber."

"Did she um, change teams?" Pam asked curiously.

"Ehh. She was always on the fence," Larissa said, sounding exasperated. "In retrospect, completely not my type."

"I wish you'd bring a nice girl home sometime," said Betsy. "I want you to be happy."

"I'm seeing a few," she replied confidently. "Trust me, I'm very happy, mom."

Betsy rolled her eyes. "Well, pick one and bring her over sometime."

"I was kinda thinking about introducing you guys to Janet. But she's not really what you'd call 'nice.'" She smiled wistfully to herself.

Jim laughed. "You always did have the weirdest taste in girls."

"Shut up, I'm a fighter. Not a lover."

Pam couldn't help but laugh at how different Jim was in that respect. She glanced over at him, finding his eyes already on her.

Betsy cleared her throat, tactfully rising from the table. "More pudding, anyone?" she inquired.

They chorused in agreement. As Betsy walked away, Pam inhaled quickly and started to say, "J-" She bit her lip hard at the look on his face. "Never mind," she muttered.

After a moment, he murmured, "Thanks. I know that was hard for you."

"That's what she said!" Pam fired back.

"Uh, do I even wanna know what you guys are talking about?" said Larissa with a vaguely disgusted look.

"We play jinx," Pam explained.

"More accurately, she plays jinx," he argued. "I'm merely a victim."

"Ugh," said Larissa. "You guys are disgusting. Why do you even play, Jim? Sounds like some grade A bullshit to me. If some girl tried to jinx me, I'd just kiss her brains out until she begged me to talk dirty to her." She stood up, heading for the bathroom. "Problem solved."

They snickered as she left. He glanced over his shoulder to make sure nobody was within earshot. "Maybe I'll try that next time," he said thoughtfully.

"I've already slapped one Halpert boy today," Pam teased him, her cheeks flushed. "You going for the double play?"

"Are you saying we can be lovers and fighters?" he asked innocently, circling her wrist with his fingers. "'Cause I'll try anything once."

She rolled her eyes with a smile and peeled his fingers off her. "Maybe we can just add a new rule of jinx. Loser pays tribute with a coke, or their lips."

He considered. "Where?"

Betsy returned with the pudding. "Let's work out the details later," she mumbled, blushing furiously.

"Deal," he whispered, grinning roguishly.

Larissa detoured by the living room on her way back to the kitchen. "Time to embarrass the hell out of Jim!" she announced. She took the seat on Pam's other side and slid the baby album onto the table.

Jim reached for it with a groan. "You don't think I've sacrificed enough at the altar of dignity today?" he groused reluctantly.

"You were gonna show it to me yourself not twenty minutes ago, hypocrite," Pam accused him, fending him off with her elbow. Quickly, she opened the album and shouted with laughter. "Oh my god, he's really wearing a tutu!"

Jim quickly covered the picture, feigning an exasperated sigh.

"It was mine," Larissa chuckled. She flicked his knuckles until he let go, rolling his eyes. "I dressed up as a ballerina for Halloween that year. Pete convinced him to put it on. And look, mom's heels."

"Oh no," Pam gasped, shooting him a gleeful gaze. "And are those stick-on earrings? I need to borrow this picture!"

"Over my dead body," he retorted, reaching for the album again.

She snapped it shut and wrapped her arms around it. "I wouldn't show it to anyone."

"Uh huh," he said skeptically. He stood up and, before she knew it, had tugged it out of her hands. Triumphantly, he held it over his head, out of her reach.

She jumped, reaching for it. "Come on. You were so cute," she tried to wheedle him.

"Were?"

She put one foot on her chair, preparing to stand on it.

Betsy observed the exchange silently, smiling into her pudding.

"You guys are adorable, really, but I think I'm gonna puke," Larissa intoned sardonically. "Jim, give it. We've already opened Pandora's box. There's no going back now. Besides, that's the worst one and you know it. It's why I put it right in front."

He relented with a caveat and a resigned sigh. "These pictures never leave this house. Agreed?"

"I promise," said Pam. Not quite trusting the mischievous smile on her face, he grudgingly handed it back. "Thanks!" she said brightly.