Jim sets three separate alarms for Sunday: One at 2:00PM, one at 2:30PM, and a final one at 2:55PM. There’s no way in hell he’s about to miss this call. He’s planned nothing else for the entire day, in case by some miracle Pam suggests they should meet in person. Not that he expects that, but he wants to be ready for anything. He doesn’t even feel embarrassed about calling her a few minutes before 3:00PM. Pam already knows his feelings. There are no more secrets on his end. The phone rings three times before she picks up.

“Hey.”

“Hi.” There’s a bit of a pause. “It’s so great to hear your voice.”

She giggles a little. “You do realize that you just spoke to me yesterday, right? In person?”

“Mmmm, I might recall that… It’s a bit blurry, to be honest.”

“Wow, okay, well I guess I have that effect on people.”

“You do, Pam. Me especially.”

“I make things blurry for you?”

“All the time. It’s a wonder I ever get any work done.”

“You make things blurry for me too.”

“…I do?”

“Like on Friday night.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah, but I think things are starting to get clearer.”

He clears his throat loudly. “Oh, they are, are they?”

“Well, I ended things with Roy.” He lets out what he hopes isn’t an audible sigh of relief. “Obviously.”

“Wow, that’s uh, that’s big, Pam.”

“Yeah, it was…hard. He…didn’t take it well. I couldn’t have done it if my parents weren’t there. My dad stayed in the car, and together, my mom and I packed up the majority of my most important things. I still can’t believe almost ten years of my life fit into my parents’ car.”

“Oh.” Jim says dumbly. He’s desperate to ask for details, but at the same time he doesn’t want to pry. He’s also not sure how much he wants to know. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I will be. He just, he just didn’t get me. “

 “I know.” I get you, Pam. Jim forces himself to speak again. “So, Roy is keeping the apartment?”

“Yeah, we decided that makes the most sense. I don’t have any real attachment to it, anyway. We were only renting.”

“Well, you’re gonna have your own place pretty soon. That’s exciting, right?”

“It is, but it’s also a little scary. I’ve never actually lived alone before.”

“Really?”

“Nope. In college I had roommates, and I lived with my parents until Roy proposed and I moved in with him. Even being in this hotel room by myself is freaking me out a little.”

“Huh. You know, come to think of it, I’ve never lived on my own either. But you shouldn’t be scared. You’re perfectly safe. What hotel are you staying in?” He tries to sound casual, like he’s  just making conversation.

“I’m in the Holiday Inn Express. It’s just temporary.”

“Of course it is. Hey, if you’re not doing anything tonight, I’d love to get you out of that scary hotel room and take you to dinner.”

“Jim, you definitely don’t have to do that.” But she sounds pleased.

“I don’t have to do anything, Pam. I want to. Plus, we’ve both got to eat, huh?”

“That’s true… Okay. Well, where do you want to meet?”

Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God. “Um, how about I pick you up at around 6? Text me the hotel’s address?”

“That works.”

“Alright, then…it’s a date.”