One Month Later
Pam came up behind Jim at the stove and wrapped her arms tightly around him. She kissed between his shoulder blades and gave a muffled, “Morning.”
“Good morning to you, sleepy head.” He turned around and gave her a kiss. “Eggs and bacon okay?”
“Always,” she smiled and kissed him again.
The way they had transitioned into dating was seamless, as if they had been doing it for years. In a weird roundabout way, they kind of had been dating for years, just without all the kissing and the...well, it was all very, very welcome, Pam thought, looking at Jim cooking her breakfast in nothing but his boxer shorts. They were best friends and always had been. They had spent years getting to know each other so well and now all they were doing was playing catch up with all the other stuff. Pam sipped her tea, still staring at Jim. Lots and lots of catch up.
He turned around and set her breakfast in front of her, then leaned on the counter.
“Hey, I’ll need to stop by my place before we head to my parents’ house this afternoon.”
“I don’t think we have time to make such a huge detour, Jim. It’s not like you live in the apartment next to me. You’re down two doors AND across the hall.”
“You’re right. And what if we hit traffic on the way there?”
“Mrs. Grimaldo does walk very slowly. Not sure we should risk it.”
They smiled at each other, like they always had.
------------
Jim and Pam walked up the path to Jim’s childhood home, hand in hand.
“Last night was fun and all,” Jim grabbed his lower back dramatically, “but all I’m saying is that you need to get rid of that freakin’ futon if we’re going to try that again. I mean when you did that thing where you---”
“Betsy!!” Pam nearly yelled, cutting Jim off.
Betsy Halpert pulled Pam into a tight hug, and it felt just like home.
“Happy birthday!” Pam exclaimed.
Betsy smiled. “Thank you, Pam! Come in, you two!”
They walked in and were greeted by some of Jim’s family. Tom gave Jim a little shove and then leaned in to give Pam a quick hug. “Hey Pam! This chump treating you okay?”
“He’s treating me very well, Tom,” she said with a smile.
“Hey! You’re supposed to say I’m not a chump!” Jim piped in.
“Weeellll…” Pam shrugged playfully.
“Keep her, Jim. Please,” Tom pleaded.
Jim looked right at Pam with a grin. “Planning on it.”
----------
The afternoon went on and eventually the group found themselves in the backyard, Jim’s nieces and nephews playing a rousing game of monkey in the middle and the adults sitting in a circle chatting with each other. Larissa was sitting next to Pam. They had already rehashed the latest episode of Grey’s Anatomy together while Jim and his brothers discussed the Eagles game.
Now, Pete was in the middle of a story from when they were all growing up, and everyone was hunched over with laughter. Pam, comfortably under Jim’s arm, looked up at him in amusement.
“I will never see you and kitchen tongs the same way ever again,” she laughed.
“Not funny!” Jim said, unable to suppress a laugh himself. “I was only 5!”
Pam couldn’t help but bask in her own happiness. She never thought she would be here, with him, with them, feeling such a part of it all. She looked around the birthday party.
“Hey Jim? Who is that?”
“Oh, that’s my Aunt Margaret. She’s the one who owns the apartment building, actually.”
“I’ll be right back.”
Pam stood up and made her way over to Aunt Margaret. She couldn’t help but think about how none of this would likely have happened if she and Jim hadn’t lived down the hall from each other. Their proximity had allowed them to break through uncomfortable walls and figure out how to be friends again.
“Margaret? Hi! I’m Jim’s girlfriend, Pam. I just wanted to say thank you. I live down the hall from him and I am just...really grateful you set him up there. Really, really grateful.”
Pam looked over at Jim, now wrestling with his 7-year-old nephew, and her heart had never felt so secure. She turned back to Margaret.
“Also, can we chat about the building’s fire alarms?”
Author's Chapter Notes:
I was stuck inside the house all day with hurricane-speed winds outside so I decided to use the time wisely and write the final chapter. Just a short little fluffy ending for you. :)
Chapter End Notes:
And that’s a wrap! I hope you enjoyed it because I enjoyed writing it! Thanks for all those who read it as well as reviewed it. :)
WanderingWatchtower is the author of 23 other stories.
This story is a favorite of 6 members. Members who liked 21 Steps also liked 639 other stories.
