Jim returns to his bedroom, spare toothbrush in hand, and not seeing Pam, he uses this time to replace the sheets on his bed. He’s embarrassed to admit (even to himself) that he lives his life on the messier side, often waiting a little longer than is socially acceptable to do the laundry and change his bedding. But not tonight, not when Pam is sleeping in his bed. Of course, his fantasies always involve the two of them sleeping side by side, but there will be time for that, he hopes. He will give her all the time she needs. The ball is very much in her court. He can hardly believe the turn of events the night has taken. Just hours ago, he was planning to transfer to Stamford and start a life that didn’t include Pam. And now, Pam is changing into his clothes in his bathroom, with a newly bare ring finger. He can hardly believe his good fortune. He isn’t sure exactly how he sees this playing out, but since Pam isn’t marrying Roy and she agrees that he “didn’t misinterpret anything” when it comes to their relationship, he is more than willing to wait and find out.
He senses a presence behind him, and looks over his shoulder to see Pam entering the room. She looks tiny and adorable in his clothes, which are, as he suspected, absolutely huge on her. She’s holding his sweater in one hand, and her dress is hanging on her arm.
“Just a second, Beesly. I wasn’t exactly expecting company tonight - not that I’m not thrilled to have you here (he adds with a wicked grin) - but I just need some time to make up your bed for you.”
Pam goes to fold Jim’s sweater on his desk chair, pausing to delicately lay her dress on top of the dresser. “Oh, please, you don’t need to go to any trouble. I’m hardly high maintenance. You can barely see the floor in my be-,” She pauses short of referencing her bedroom, and Jim knows it's because it isn’t just her bedroom, it is her bedroom with Roy.
Jim chooses to ignore this fact. “It’s no trouble. Hey, I found you an extra toothbrush. It’s never been used. I must have gotten it at the dentist. Anyway, it’s on my desk there.”
“Thanks!” She moves to grab it, still in its plastic case. “Um, I hate to ask any more of you, but I’m realizing more and more how much I didn’t think through my decision to spend the night here.” She fiddles with the toothbrush nervously.
Her words send him into a panic. Spinning around fully to face her, he demands, “What do you mean?”
“Just that, well, I don’t have any of my things, Roy thinks I’m spending the night at Angela’s, I still don’t know how I’m going to be able to face him, I have to cancel all of my wedding plans, and, I don’t even have my purse, or a cell phone charger, or my glasses or contact solution.” She’s crying again. Fucking perfect…
Jim schools his face to the best of his ability so as not to give away how badly her words are affecting him. “Pam. I’ll help you, whatever it is. We’ll deal with these problems one at a time. As for the most immediate problems, you’re only here, as of now, for tonight. I have no problem lending you clothes, I get that they are all huge on you, but they should be fine to sleep in. And Roy? I’ll help you. Whatever you want to do, whatever you need. For the time being, he thinks you’re safe, which you are, and that is all that matters right now.”
Pam nods, “Okay.”
“Did I forget anything?” Jim challenges, the barest hint of a smirk on his face.
Pam returns the slightly amused expression. “Do you have a charger for my phone?”
This throws him for a bit. “No…I don’t have the same type of phone as you, and neither does Mark, I’m afraid. But you’ve barely used it today. It’s just been sitting there in your desk. So just turn it off for tonight to conserve the battery until tomorrow. Okay?”
“Okay…”
“What else?” He dares her to stump him, knowing full well there is no problem she can have that he will not devote himself to fixing.
“All I have are my contacts, and I didn’t bring any contact solution.”
Jim knows that Pam is practically blind without her glasses or contacts. Shit. He has perfect vision himself, or he would gladly offer her his contact solution, offer her anything to make her happy. “Ya know, I think we can steal some of Mark’s contact solution. He won’t mind.”
“What about the case? I didn’t bring one with me.”
Ah, fuck. “We’ll see if Mark has an extra one we can use just for tonight. If not, I’ll run to the store and grab you one. See, Pam? No need to worry.”
She seems satisfied with his answers, and noticeably calms down. “Okay. I’m gonna brush my teeth real quick, and then I’ll go and turn my phone off for the night. Let me know if Mark has a case I can use.”
“You got it, Beesly.” She exits the room purposefully.
Jim has a pretty strong feeling that Mark doesn’t have any extra contacts cases, but waits for Pam to finish brushing her teeth so he can check and be sure. He smiles at Pam as she passes him on her way downstairs to deal with her phone. It only takes one glance at Mark’s side of the cabinet to confirm his suspicions. Well…apparently he is going on a late-night shopping trip. He makes his way downstairs to find Pam in the living room sat on the couch. “Okay…so. It looks like we have contact solution, but no case, at least not one that I can find. So here’s what we’re gonna do. I’m gonna set you up all nice and comfy on the couch.” He pauses to drape a knitted throw over Pam’s legs. She giggles, and he wants so badly to kiss her, but knows the timing cannot be worse. “TV’s all yours. Feel free to raid the fridge. Just make yourself at home. I’ll be back. I’ll call the home phone if there are any problems.”
Pam smiles at him slightly, looking as relaxed as he has seen her look since before their talk in the parking lot. Still, being Pam, she makes a halfhearted attempt to volunteer to leave in his place. “I feel bad making you go out for me. I can go, you know, you don’t need to.”
A chuckle escapes his lips. “Beesly, I’m not taking no for an answer.”
Pam smiles wider and he can see her dimples. “Well, I guess I have no choice then.”
“Guess so.” And with that, he grabs his keys, and heads out into the Scranton night air, making sure to lock the door behind him.
