63 [Reviews - 66] Printer ePub eBook
Summary:

Beth the waitress returns!

A series of stand alone, slice of life, one-shots in Pam and Jim's life, all tied together with the thread that runs through them; they all end with dinner at Christopher's, where (in my headcanon) they had their first date. 

The first and the last chapter NOW COMPLETE work in tandem, but everything in between is its own story if you want to pop in for one whose title strikes your fancy. 



 


Rated: T
Categories: Jim and Pam, Present, Past Characters: Angela/Andy, Cece Halpert, Dwight, Ensemble, Jim/Pam, Other
Genres: Angst, Fluff, Holiday, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Kids/Family, Married, Pregnancy/Babies, Romance, Weekend, Workdays
Warnings: Adult language, Mild sexual content, Secondary Character Death
Series: Gold Mine
Chapters: 14 Completed: Yes
Word count: 56348 Read: 28382 ePub Downloads: 8
Published: February 14, 2021 Updated: March 15, 2023
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Story Notes:

It's Valentine's Day so I thought I post a little romance, well romance young parent style.

I've actually been sitting on this one for a bit since I usually don't like to post something that isn't fully fleshed out from start to finish. And while I know where this one goes (since it starts almost at the end) I haven't worked out all the pieces but I'm feeling romantic and, in the mood to share. Hopefully, I’ll be inspired along the way.

Each chapter will share a time in Pam and Jim’s lives, covering the span from the first date to the titular another first date in 2014 (almost a year after the documentary has aired and before the events of the finale). Each will end at Christopher’s, the restaurant Jim brought Pam on their first date in my first MTT fic, All That Glitters is Gold In chapter 8 of that, we meet Beth, their waitress and she becomes a fixture in their lives and my fics. 

Oh and by the way the only thing I do own here is the name Beth. Jim, Pam, Cece, Phillip and all the rest of the characters in this universe I do not but it's with love that I write about them.  No copyright infringement intended.   

1. The Morning Tango by Maxine Abbott [Reviews - 9] 19 (1532 words)

The present before we go back to the beginning.

2. Flower Power by Maxine Abbott [Reviews - 5] 8 (3699 words)

There's a lot of rehash of date one in this return to Christopher's. For one the story is Another First Date, so they'll be a lot of remembering that one. It's also there to provide a little more background to those who may not have read All That Glitters is Gold or to refresh those who hadn't in a while. 

Also, I don't write steam (and you should be thankful I don't, it would not be pretty) so use the imaginations I know you all have.

A reminder, these characters, not mine, but the memory of a farmhouse restaurant a lot like this one is.

 

3. Rules of the Game by Maxine Abbott [Reviews - 3] 6 (3597 words)

So when you are writing multiple fics at the same time there’s bound to be some spill-over and blurring of the stories – which sorta happened here. My head was so wrapped up in the feelings and emotions going on in Gold, that a tangent here was a little bit like a message to a Future Pam and Jim – for those of you who have read Gold you should be able to spot it, otherwise it’s a nice little anecdotal bit.

My apologies for those waiting on Gold -  NLM made me feel like it was important to post today for the DM birthday and this chapter needed a little less work than the next of Gold. 

4. Losing Points by Maxine Abbott [Reviews - 3] 4 (3450 words)

Moving right along - we're into season 4 with this chapter. Lots of fluff and some bits that may be considered AU but I hold they are still plausible and within canon. 

You can agree or disagree.  

5. Perfect Presents and Lucky Stars by Maxine Abbott [Reviews - 5] 10 (3264 words)

There are a bunch of references to some of my other stories within this one but I did want to keep those spoiler-free. But don’t worry you can still enjoy this without knowing them and I try not to give too much away.

But if your interest is piqued - the referenced stories are 

Beets on the Tree and Christmas in Their Hearts

New Year’s in New Jersey

Golden Sands – The Gift of Time

and there may be a few other references hidden in here, too. 


 

6. Bean Counter by Maxine Abbott [Reviews - 4] 3 (4497 words)
I think there was a plot bunny for a season 3 Pam Birthday - This is not that! This is the much happier and fluffier Season 4 Pam Birthday (with a tiny bit of soul searching mixed into the cotton candy).

7. Best Laid Plans of Mice and Salesmen by Maxine Abbott [Reviews - 4] 1 (4333 words)
Freakin' Andy.

8. Fools and Clowns by Maxine Abbott [Reviews - 7] 4 (4510 words)

In a very small way there was a little inspiration drawn from the song I shared in Mixtape by Firefall .... 

You Are the Woman (click for link)

And while the chapter was written before the OL podcast episode this week, it is very relevant to much that was discussed.

9. Dry Spell by Maxine Abbott [Reviews - 5] 1 (3966 words)

I didn't want to go too long (pun intended) before updating this one, but as usual you might notice a touch of 360 Turn's effect on this story.

See end notes for some insights on what I have dubbed the great birthdate debate - which actually wasn't all that much of a debate.

10. The Alien by Maxine Abbott [Reviews - 4] 1 (4504 words)

Warning:

There is lots of vomiting in this chapter...maybe it's due to all the fluff because this whole chapter is one big fluff-fest while also being the closest thing to steam/smut I'll ever write.

The title and the whole chapter is inspired by the Andy Grammer song - Spaceship - which you don't need to know to enjoy the chapter but it's a catchy and adorable song and you'll get some of the easter eggs if you take a listen first. 

Spaceship

 

11. Before and After by Maxine Abbott [Reviews - 4] 1 (5339 words)

This short break from 360 is less procrasti-writing and more guilt-writing that I've neglected this other WIP too long. And while these chapters can very much stand on their own, they're more like one-offs so it's not a matter of losing momentum, I felt it was still time to give my other "child" some attention. And even though it's very much a chapter for the moms, especially the new ones, I didn't want to wait until Mother's Day to finish and post it.

I had an early set of eyes on this one and I thank you, my friend for reading it first.

12. Blessings by Maxine Abbott [Reviews - 3] 1 (4159 words)

So, I know this plot was written about recently and I hate to seem like a copycat (Angela: Just say "Copies". Why do you have to drag cats into this?) but I had already plotted out this for the next chapter of AFD – only I was unable to focus on it due to trying to finish my behemoth, 360. I had even put some feelers out in Discord back in May to see if we had ever heard this had happened in canon. I was going to scrap it, but a few wise friends told me to go ahead and share my take on the same event. So, after a bit of hesitation and multiple postponements for a series of other IRL reasons, here it is. Thanks DJC for the beta-read. Speaking of DJC if after reading, you are curious about Beth's comment, head over to A Real Mensch for more info and a fun read from his Rejected Cold Opens series.

 

13. Bad Dreams by Maxine Abbott [Reviews - 6] 2 (6113 words)

You’ll notice a bit of a time jump between this and last chapter and while, yes, some of the reason is I’m running low on ideas to center each chapter around, I also maintain that with two little ones at home, there is not much time for them to be running off for date nights at Christopher’s. But maybe there should be….

 


 

14. New Traditions by Maxine Abbott [Reviews - 4] 2 (3385 words)

This is it.

It took over two years to get this one done, but I did it. For those there from the beginning (like Beth herself), thanks for bearing with me. I do hope it was worth the wait. For anyone who came in for a read here and there, I do suggest at least reading chapter one, so this one will makes sense (and if you read it before – there were some minor, minor adjustments to keep the continuity – nothing affecting the overall story but things like who showered first, etc. – the problem with writing a WIP that takes over two years to complete). Maybe the chapter before this as well as there’s mention of a few elements from that date that resurface here.