Later that evening, Ryan found himself back in Scranton, Kelly clinging almost desperately to his arm, like she thought at any moment he'd turn and run back to New York. It almost made him smile.
To his surprise, the event was being held at the Radisson, so he was glad he had decided to dress up, even though he assumed it would be a rather low key affiar.
Adjusting his tie, he held open the door to the hotel for Kelly, followed closely by Angela and then Andy.
"Thanks bro," Andy smiled, punching Ryan in the shoulder. Ryan twitched and rubbed at the spot when Andy wasn't looking. It hurt. A lot. Although he supposed he shouldn't be surprised, the guy did punch a hole through the wall. He was stronger then he looked.
Heading towards the ballroom, they could hear a raucous noise before they even stepped foot inside. It sounded like a zoo.
Ryan shot a quizzical look at Kelly, who only shrugged.
Andy noticed their confusion. "They're going to have animals up for adoption all night. I'm thinking about getting a dog, myself."
Angela's eyes widened with displeasure, and Kelly giggled.
Entering the ballroom, Ryan couldn't help but be amused at the apparent conflict of themes. The room itself was decorated with elegant candle lamps and fine linen, and golden chandeliers hung from the ceiling. Unfortunately most of the room's sophistication was canceled out by tacky cat and dog decorations and adoption posters hanging from the walls. It actually looked like something Angela might have come up with for a party at work.
"How much is that doggie in the windoooooow?" Andy suddenly belted out at the top of his lungs, making Ryan jump. Angela gave her date a sharp look, but if Andy noticed he didn't seem to care, as he continued to sing. "The one with the waggly tail? How much is that doggie in the window? I do hope that doggie's for sale! "
Nearby a Collie began to howl, joining in the song, and Angela started to fume. Kelly had to bring a hand to her mouth to keep from laughing.
Ryan rolled his eyes. "Can we please cut the theatrics short and find our table?"
Andy started to open his mouth to argue, but decided against it. "Whatever you say, boss." Taking Angela's hand, he gestured towards a table near the stage. "This way, m'lady,"
"Oh perfect, we're right up close. That won't encourage the host to badger us for money. Mmm-mmm, nope," Ryan groused.
"I don't think you wearing Armani is going to help any," Kelly responded innocently.
Angela impatiently pushed passed the couple, following Andy's lead. "Honestly Ryan, would it kill you to stop complaining and be pleasant for once in your life?" she huffed.
Ryan's mouth dropped open, and he turned to Kelly indignantly. "She hasgot to be kidding me."
"Come on Ryan-"
"Angela told me to be pleasant. Does she even know what that word means?"
"Well,I do, and I agree with her. Now shut up and come sit down with me. Why can't you be more like Andy?"
"You mean insane?"
"I mean gentlemanly. Ryan Bailey Howard, I swear, if this is how you're going to act the entire night we might as well leave."
"Hallelujah. Let's go." Ryan turned to head out the door, but Kelly grabbed his arm and pouted.
"Come on Ryan," she pleaded, using what she hoped was her best "hurt and injured" voice. "I didn't mean it, let's just sit and order our food, ok? You'll feel better after you eat."
Grumbling slightly under his breath, Ryan reluctantly followed her back to their table. Andy was already in the process of evaluating the homeless animals.
"Hey Bro-ski, check out that sweet dog over there." Andy pointed to a young Doberman that seemed to desperately be searching for some sort of attention. "You ladies want to walk around and see the animals before this party gets started?"
"I'd love to!" Kelly responded enthusiastically. "But I don't want to get too close to that dog. He looks a little scary, and he's probably going to be jumping all over the place anyway, and I don't want him to ruin my outfit. Ohmygod, my outfit, don't you just love it? It was a total steal to, I got it over at…"
Ryan cut her short impatiently. "A simple 'yes' would suffice, Kelly."
"You're such a kill-joy Ryan. I don't get you."
"Likewise." Ryan put his elbow up on the table and rested his head against his knuckles, bored already.
Andy gave the dysfunctional couple a smile that Ryan thought was deranged at best. "Ok kids, settle down. Angela, you are going to be joining us, aren't you?"
Shaking her head, Angela gave him a tight lipped smile.
"What's wrong, Angel of Mine?"
"I'm just feeling slightly under the weather, Andy. Just make sure you're back by the time the waiter gets here. I don't want to sit around waiting for the two of you to come back gallivanting."
Andy nodded his consent and offered his arm to Kelly, who squealed in delight. "Andy, I was just telling Ryan what a gentleman you were. See this Ryan? This is how a real man should act."
Ryan turned sour. "What do you care how I act? We're not together, and you have a boyfriend, remember?"
Kelly's face fell, but only for a moment. "Ok Andy, let's go. Oh, do you see that adorable kitten over there?" Her voice trailed off as they walked to the other side of the room.
Examining Angela out of the corner of his eye, Ryan tried to figure out how to even begin a conversation with her. She was always a bit of an enigma to him. She was beautiful and cold and miserable, like some sort of witch from a fairytale- well versed in poison and withering stares, ripped out of a storybook and placed in middle of nowhere, Pennsylvania.
Tonight though, she seemed different. Sad , almost. And the silence between them was awkward, at least on his end. Angela's mind seemed to be a million miles away.
Picking at his food, he tried to remember again just what it was that had possessed him to come. His thoughts were interrupted, however, when he heard sniffling. Looking up, he saw Angela dabbing at her eyes with a napkin.
Ryan cleared his throat nervously, not sure what to do. It was obvious she was crying a little and trying to hide it, but it being Angela and all, he couldn't imagine her wanting comfort, least of all from him. Besides that, he wasn't the most comforting person in the world. It wasn't that he lacked empathy, or that he never tried, he was just no good at it.
Anyway, he was her boss. Did that mean he was obligated to say something? Damnit, where the hell are Kelly and Andy? He looked around desperately, but the two were nowhere in sight. Sighing, Ryan resignedly put down his fork and rubbed his neck. Oh well, here goes…
"Angela?" His voice was hesitant, soft.
She didn't even look up. Of course she was going to make this way more difficult then it already was.
He tried again. "Angela, is there something wrong?"
He watched in great discomfort as her face turned pale, utterly devoid of all color aside from the redness of her eyes. She looked like she was going to throw up. Then, suddenly, she burst into torrential tears. "I miss D so much!" she sobbed, crying into her napkin.
Ryan stared awkwardly at the bereft woman, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. Angela never struck him as someone who would want or need anyone other then her cats. In fact, he was pretty sure she hated people in general. Oh no, this isn't a cat thing, is it? he wondered to himself. Still, he had already committed to the conversation.
"D?" he offered, hoping she'd explain more.
Shaking her head, she waved her hand as to dismiss the question.
"Angela," Ryan's voice was a bit more gentle this time, "who is D?"
Sighing, Angela gazed longingly at a cat adoption poster hanging directly across from their table. "He's only the most honorable and righteous man I have ever met. At least, I thought he was…" Her voice trailed off, like she was losing herself to a memory or vision. Ryan was going to let the subject go, but now she had aroused his interest.
"Well, he sounds like a great guy. What's the problem?"
The question earned him a sharp glare, and he immediately ducked his head out of habit. He was glad he didn't have to put up with this on a daily basis anymore.
Tears started streaming down her face again. "I'm….sorry Ryan. That was an honest question."
Ryan was taken aback. He wasn't sure he had ever heard Angela apologize to anyone before, let alone him.
"Unfortunately, a few months ago, I found out D was a murderer." She said it like it were the most common thing in the world.
It's a good thing Ryan wasn't eating at the time, because he would have choked at the admission. "A… murderer? How did someone like you get mixed up with a murderer?"
"He never let on. He was always the perfect gentlemen. Strong, authoritative, wise. I tried to stop myself from falling in love with him. After all, romance is such a waste of time. We were put here to do God's work and excel in life, blamelessly, perfectly. How can you exhibit such dedication when you have another person in your life to worry about? But I found I just couldn't help myself. He made me happy."
Ryan was shocked. He couldn't imagine what sort of man it would take to be able to capture Angela's heart, short of someone severe and dull, like maybe the father from Mary Poppins or something.
Angela ignored his gawking and continued her story. "One day, I asked him to take care of my sick cat, Sprinkles, and…and….he killed her, Ryan! He murdered my Sprinkles! He said it was to put her out of her misery, that it was the compassionate thing to do, but it was terrible! How could he expect me to love him after that?" She looked at him with wide, intense eyes. "Ryan, if you killed Kelly's cat, would you expect her to ever forgive you?"
Ryan tried to keep a straight face. "Angela, I don't think there's anything in the world I could ever do that would make Kelly hate me." He wasn't sure if that depressed him or not.
Angela sniffed. "Well, I'm not Kelly, thank God. I have a brain, and common sense, and common sense says you don't date murderers."
Ryan might have agreed with her, if it wasn't over something as crazy as homemade pet euthanasia.
Suddenly, a chilling thought struck him. He also knew someone that would consider putting pets down without a vet a normal thing to do, and constantly bragged about his knowledge and dominance over animals. Constantly. Ad nasuam.
D….is Dwight? The thought almost made him gag. Then he remembered the conversation Angela and Dwight had in front of Ryan during Michael's birthday party a few years ago. The same expression he gave the cameras then was the one he was wearing now.
Angela ignored his disbelieving stare and put her head down in the crock of her arm, starting to cry all over again.
Ryan squirmed. "If it's hurting you this much, why don't you just forgive him and move on with your life?"
"Ican't forgive him, Ryan," she snapped, like he was an idiot for even suggesting reconciliation.
"Ok, I'll bite. Why not?"
"Didn't you hear me? He killed my Sprinkles."
"Well yeah, it was a weird thing to do. But not being with him is obviously making you miserable, and if he were as, er, honorable as you say, he's probably sorry he upset you so much."
"What kind of woman would that make me if I backed down and decided to forgive him?"
"A smart one. One that's willing to swallow her own pride for the sake of being happy."
His advice was obviously not well received. She fidgeted with her skirt, scowling. "I'm not going to lose my integrity over this. What D did was morally apprehensible, and I cannot associate with him any longer, as much as I may want to."
Ryan once overheard Angela telling the cameras that she never backed down from a fight, once even at the expense of her relationship with her sister. She was a harsh woman, although he had to admit he knew a thing or two about sacrificing relationships for the sake of pride.
He decided to switch tactics. "Isn't your religion big on forgiveness? What about that?"
"Don't you dare talk to me about the Bible, or morals, or forgiveness. You're one of the most selfish, self-centered people I've ever met. Why should I listen to you?"
Her accusation made him pause, but he couldn't deny it. He had always been about number one, Ryan Howard.
"People don't change Ryan," she insisted in earnest. "D will always be a murderer, and I will never be able to look at him the same way again, no matter how hard I try. No matter how much I love him!"
Instantly realizing she had publicly confessed love, she shut up and looked down at the table, suddenly interested in a non-existent piece of lint.
Ryan quivered for a moment, suddenly seeing so much of himself in her. "You're just being stubborn," he mumbled, but at this point he wasn't sure if he was still talking to her or to himself.
"Excuse me?" Her voice was venom.
"You heard me. At this point it has nothing to do with what Dwi…D, did. You just don't want to take him back because you're afraid if you do, he'll see the part of you that you try to hide from everybody else, and yourself. The part of you that cares about someone other then yourself. You're afraid that if you let on how much you care, you'll be walked all over, taken advantage of. But all it is is excuses."
Standing up indignantly, Angela threw her napkin down. "And you're being ridiculous. I can't imagine how you made it so far up the corporate ladder, with that peanut shell you call a brain. You must have whored yourself out left and right to even make Paper Salesman. Lord knows you probably learned it from Kelly."
"Angela, I can't believe you said that!"
Ryan twisted in his seat to see Kelly and Andy standing behind him. He wasn't sure if Angela saw them walking up towards the table before she was finished speaking, but he knew she had no problem telling people what was on her mind, no matter how cruel.
Kelly looked drained. "You told me before you didn't think I was a slut. Were you lying to me? Ohmygod, do you really think I'm slutty?"
Angela pursed her lips. Andy walked over to her and tipped up her chin to look him in the eyes. He smiled. "Of course she doesn't think that. I think my little lady is just speaking out of hunger." He kissed her, desperately, silently begging her to make peace. The new and improved Andrew Bernard was the last person who wanted to be caught up in an argument.
Pushing him away, but holding on to the tips of his fingers as if for support, Angela stared coldly at Kelly. "Of course I meant it. I always mean what I say, to do otherwise would be dishonest. You're a whore, and you always will be."
Kelly's mouth was agape and Ryan found himself immediately standing by her side. Kelly was a lot of things. Sometimes a lot of annoying things. A whore was not one of them, however, and he had already had his fill of Angela for the night.
"Come on Kelly, we should leave. Save the animal rescuing for all the peace lovers and bleeding hearts here." He glared at Angela, hoping she got the message.
"I don't understand." Kelly refused to let it go. "We've been through this conversation already, and you told me you didn't mean it. I thought we were friends!"
"People don't change, Kelly." Ryan stood up and pulled her back into himself. Nuzzling the back of her neck, his breath sent shivers down her spine. "People never change," he repeated, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. He looked down to see her hand in his, and smiled.
Well, sometimes they change.