#3 Back To Work

Monday: The next day at work

Pam arrived at work early on Monday. She was well rested from a Sunday at her mother’s house. She had told her mom about her date with Jim. Her mom was surprised and happy. She had remembered that call from Pam after Jim had told her he loved her. She remembered how shook up Pam had been. At first her mom had been upset for Roy. But after hearing the tone in Pam’s voice, she could tell that Pam had feelings for this man. When Pam broke off her wedding plans, he mom had been relieved. It was only after the wedding was off that Pam told her some of ways Roy had treated her and of his temper. She felt rather foolish, having fallen for his “Eddie Haskell” routine all along. She was pleased to hear that Pam had finally started to look at her feeling for this man, Jim. He must have been something to Pam, because for the last 3 years, Pam had always made comments on him. He was always a strong presence in her life.

Pam Headshot: “Jim and I had such a great weekend! It was exactly the way I dreamed it would. We had dinner Friday and went to a museum on Saturday morning…he didn’t spend the night. We decided to take it slow…I’m not a slut. Though, I have known him for three years. Technically I could have had sex with him and not been a slut…maybe I am saying too much."

Pam set her put her purse away and sat at her desk. Dwight and Michael arrived after her. Both men looked morose and depressed. Dwight looked up at her and saluted. She saluted back. She wondered if this was going to be a habit.

Michael walked to her desk and said, “Pam, I am expecting a call from David at corporate today. Please put it through immediately.” He sounded very terse and distracted. Unlike the usually goofy Michael she knew.

Dwight went to his desk and organized his bobblehead collection. He was tired. Michael had made him spend the weekend repainting his office. He had spent the rest of the weekend moping at the beet farm with Mose. Mose offered to take Michael out with a long range sniper rifle. Dwight talked him down and eventually convinced him that he would probably get arrested. On CSI, he had seen that they could track killers by their bullets. Angela had called a few times, but he avoided her, fearing her disappointment.

The phone rang and Pam answered, “Dunder Mifflin, This is Pam.”

There was a short pause, followed by Karen’s voice, “Uh, can I talk to Michael please?” Pam reddened and said sure, immediately patching through her call.

Michael picked up, expecting Corporate, “Pam does my voice sound authoritarian enough for this call?"

“Michael,” Pam said, “It’s Karen.” Michael took the call. A few minutes later he put his head out of the office. “Pam, Karen will be out today. And, for some reason she would like her desk to be moved to the annex. Stick her in the Traitor’s old desk.”

“Trader?” Pam asked.

“No, Traitor, T-r-a-i-t-e-r, Ryan” Michael said, “Just make it so.”

She remembered that Jim had told her that Ryan had gotten the corporate job. Oscar, Phyllis and Toby wondered in.

Toby laid a hot latte at her desk. “Pam, they gave me the wrong drink at the Starbucks and I remembered you liked Vanilla Latte’s. You want it.”

“Sure Toby,” Pam said thankfully. She wondered why Toby just didn’t tell them to replace it. This was the 4th time in 2 weeks that Toby had gotten the wrong drink.

Meredith arrived, looking very hung-over, and gripping a suspicious looking thermos in her hands. She took a large swig from it and smiled at Pam. The rest of the group arrived. Stanley trudged to his desk and unloaded a new book of crosswords on the file cabinet. Angela stormed in and threw her coat into her chair, glaring towards Dwight. Kevin went to the bathroom, carrying a cup a coffee and a newspaper. He actually took them into the toilet.

Jim arrived last. He was smiling and looked like he had just gotten back from a long pleasurable vacation. He leaned over the desk.

“How was your Mom’s” He asked gazing lovingly at her.

“Fine.” She said blushing.

Angela went to the copier.

Pam saw she was in hearing range. “Oh, Jim how was your weekend?” she said loudly. Angela was oblivious.

“I had one of the nest weekends of my life!” He said, full of joy. “I don’t think it can get much better.”

“Oh, I am sure it can get better.” Pam said blushing. Jim squinted his eyes at her and grinned, “”Probably so.”

Jim Headshot: “Pam and I decided to take it slow. We have also decided to try and keep this from the office…at least for a while. Too much going on at this time and we want a little privacy.”

The phone rang and Pam answered it. It was corporate and she placed the call through to Michael. She wrote a note “Karen called off today” and placed it on Jim’s desk.

“Jim, you have a phone message.” She looked down demurely.

Andy came into the door and scooted up to Dwight’s desk, “I am so sorry I could not stay and help you paint this weekend, buddy boy. One of my Fraternity Broz had plans and I just couldn’t get out of them.”

Dwight glared up, “I will remember this, for future assignments.”

“I don’t know tighty whitey Dwighty, maybe,” he leered, “I will make you my number 2 one day.”

Dwight sneered, “I could never be your #2, and I can only be #1.”

Jim looked up at the exchange, “Well gentleman, I am sure you will all be #1 and #2 at some time.”

They could hear Michael yelling into the phone. He was upset to discover that Ryan had been given the corporate job. He was waving his arm around and red in the face.

“No David, Ryan is not qualified.” He said angrily. “He didn’t even get a reference letter from me! How can you hire someone without a reference letter from their old boss?”

Michael headshot: “I am the king of this castle, and Ryan was just a knave. His job was to answer to me and decorate my castle.” He cannot be made King. He needs to be a Knight first. He cannot go from knave to king. It doesn’t work that way. No, Jan was not a king, she was a queen! A king and queen can run a castle. Two kings cannot! If you have two kings running one castle…well …there is nothing wrong with that. But two kings are not having sex in my castle!”

Kelly finally made her way into the office. Her makeup was running around the eyes. She made a beeline for Pam’s desk.

“Oh, Pam! We have so much in common now!” she whined dramatically, “I too have been cast aside by a man! You know how I feel. Jim rejected you, after you made a fool of yourself and everything.” She glanced over at Jim, “No offense Jim” she said.

“None take” Jim said surprised.

“Now we are sisters in agony! Put aside like old garbage” She cried, “We definitely have to get together and have lunch today.” She looked pleadingly at Pam.

“I will see what I have scheduled,” Pam said quietly. She watched as Kelly walked to the back and glanced over at Jim. Jim’s back was to her, but she could see his shoulder’s shaking with laughter. She picked up a piece of paper, balled it up and threw it at his back.

The rest of the day went as usual. Michael did not come out of his office except to complain to Dwight that the new paint was giving him a headache. Pam was able to sneak away at lunch, before Kelly and met Jim at the Starbucks for coffee. They were able to grab a quit chaste kiss in the alleyway.

Michael was visited by Jan at lunch time. She came in wearing a pair of Juicy Couture velvet workout pants and a tank top in bright red colors. She acted as if this was an everyday occurrence. Jan fawned over Michael and helped him at his lunch. He looked miserable the entire time, except the few times that Jan leaned over teasingly and gave him a full cleavage shot.

Later in the afternoon, Dwight went into the break room. He stood behind Angela as she selected a candy bar from the vending machine.

“I am sorry, I didn’t call you,” he said quietly. Angela ignored him.

“I felt like a failure.” Dwight pleaded, “I felt like I let you down!”

Angela turned on her heels and glared at him, “But that is when you need me most! She said harshly. “I am supposed to be there and make you strong!”

Dwight’s bottom lip trembled. He reached out for her. She stiffened and said quickly, “Not here!”

“Angela, you are my woman!” Dwight stated firmly, “I am nothing without you!” Angela got that provocative gleam of power in her eye. Kelly walked in, and Angela turned quickly putting distance between her and Dwight.

“Dwight, I know you have a crush on me.” Kelly said looking up at him. “I just want you to know I am available now.” She smiled weakly and reached over to touch his arm. Angela moved quickly and thrust herself between them saying, “Move, you are in my way!” Dwight looked confused and followed after Angela.

At the end of the day, Michael left the office. Walking out to Jan’s car waiting for him in the parking lot. He looked like a man with a death sentence. Everyone made their way home, shuffling out sporadically. Dwight and Angela nodded to each other when no one was looking. Dwight did his little salute to Pam. Angela glared at Kelly. Jim made a point of walking out with Oscar. Going directly to his car and driving off. Pam locked up and drove off in her little car, coincidently in the same direction as Jim.