Mr. Franklin followed me to the pavilion where the dance was about to start. The place was nearly full and while I was thrilled to see so many people in attendance, I was not in the mood to attend a giant party. Mr. Franklin didn't help, giving not so subtle hints that he wanted to ask me out during the interview. I answered his questioned as quickly as possible and tried to point out that he should really be focused on the dance itself. Luckily he took my hints and left me alone after we finished the interview.

My interview with the TV reporter wrapped up around the time the dance officially started. Jan had finally returned and made her way up to the front of the pavilion to welcome everyone to the dance. While her face was plastered with a false smile, I knew better and concluded that the financial bind that we were in had not reached a solution while she was at the museum.

After Jan had given her welcoming speech, Scrantonicity started in with their Police covers. The sound was somewhat disconcerting, but luckily, Darryl's band was right there to take over. The two bands would go on switching throughout the rest of the night.

I moved to the back of the pavilion and leaned against the far post looking at all the happy people dancing and having a good time. I should have been happy. I should have loved that so many people had come to the festival that I coordinated but I just couldn't be. I struggled with the idea of going back to the fountain or maybe the parking lot to see if Jim and Karen had left. But I was able to stop myself. I respected Jim and Karen enough to let them figure out whatever issues they might have despite what my feelings were. So, I kept to myself, watching all the happy people enjoy themselves.

I saw Michael wandering around, following Jan. It was interesting that Michael tried so hard for someone who didn't seem to care for him back. Was Jan really worth it, I wondered. Maybe Michael was just that lonely. Jan still looked irritated at his presence but I had to give him credit for not giving up on her.

As Michael crossed the pavilion in an attempt to follow Jan, he passed Ryan and Kelly who were dancing with each other. Despite being a fast song, the two were wrapped up in each other's arms. I never understood how Kelly could tolerate such a jerk or how Ryan could tolerate Kelly's insistent nagging, but after watching the two of them together, both staring longingly into each other's eyes, I thought that they might actually sincerely care for each other. Ryan gave Kelly a tender kiss on the forehead and Kelly let out a giggle. The two of them had a little glow about them, which I never really noticed before. I felt slightly envious of it.

I turned my attention away from them and spotted Andy who was dancing wildly around the pavilion. His energy was contagious and the people around him seemed to light up and become more enthusiastic in their dancing. Andy was a good guy, I thought, and I felt guilty for the way I had treated him. A smile climbed on my face as I noticed that Andy was singing as well as dancing.

Over in the front corner of the pavilion, Angela stood with a scowl on her face, which didn't surprise me any. Angela couldn't stand dances or music for that matter. I watched, amused, as Andy found his way to Angela and proceeded to encourage her to come out on the dance floor. She protested, as suspected, but I thought I saw the corner of her mouth twitch, as if she were happy to get Andy's attention and even though I knew she would never get out on the dance floor, I noticed that one of her feet began to tap to the beat.

"Hello, Pam." It was Phyllis who approached me, accompanied by a large man that I recognized as her boyfriend. "How come you're standing out here all alone? Don't want to join in the fun?" She was smiling broadly, looking as cheery and energetic as everyone else here.

I shrugged, not wanting to go into it with her. "I've had kind of a long day and don't really feel like celebrating anything."

"Oh," Phyllis said, disappointed in my answer. "Well, we've had a pretty good day." She smiled up at her boyfriend. "You remember Bob Vance of Vance Refrigeration, right?"

I shook my head, nodding in Bob's direction. "Howdy," Bob said, giving me a salute.

Phyllis was absolutely beaming. She could hardly contain herself. "Bob Vance and I are getting married," she said excitedly.

My eyes widened and I couldn't hide the little bit of shock I felt. "Well, congratulations," I said, trying to sound as kind as possible. While I was sincerely happy for her, I didn't feel like hearing about people getting engaged. "That's really wonderful," I added, possibly laying it on too thick, but neither Bob nor Phyllis noticed.

"Show her the ring," Bob insisted. He looked down lovingly at her.

Phyllis held her hand up to me. On her ring finger lay a large, gaudy diamond set on a thick gold band. Bob Vance must have gone all out to get such an expensive looking thing. "It's beautiful," I complimented.

"Isn't it?" she giggled. "We want to get married pretty quickly. We were thinking next month, the eighteenth."

"Wait, September eighteenth?" I asked quickly. Oddly, Roy and I had gotten married on that date. "Any particular reason?"

"No," Phyllis said innocently. "We just liked the date. And you know you'll be invited."

"We're inviting everyone from the museum," Bob added. "Except Michael Scott. I do not want that man at my wedding."

As Phyllis began to protest over the guest list they had created, a sense of loneliness swept over me. I didn't want to go to a wedding alone. The thought of having to sit there, while watching other people get married, and everyone else feeling joyful about the occasion would just remind me of my own failed attempt at happiness. And the date being my old anniversary would make it so much worse.

At the time, I remember thinking of what a wonderful day my wedding was but looking back it was far from that. Roy had shown up late and I spent the whole morning worrying that he wouldn't even show up. The cake never arrived due to a mix up. The caterers had cooked way too many meals and Roy and I were forced to eat leftover chicken and fish for weeks. And Roy's parents had insisted on inviting everyone they knew, including old work buddies, one of whom got drunk and spilled whisky on my dress.

"I'm sure it will be rather lovely," I said to Phyllis, stopping the argument.

"Oh, it will be," Phyllis replied, smiling once again. A slow song started to play and Bob took Phyllis's hand to lead her out on the dance floor.

Oscar came beside me not much longer after Phyllis left. "Hey there," he said kindly. I think he could tell I was in a bad mood and wanted to be friendly. He nodded at where Phyllis and Bob were dancing. "Did you hear they're getting married?" he asked.

"She just told me," I said not wanting to say more on the subject.

Oscar was rather perceptive and said no more. Instead, he turned his attention to Darryl's band, which currently playing. "So, when did we hire another band?" he asked. I explained to him the situation with Scrantonicity. "Did you talk to Jan about this?"

"No," I shook my head. I had definitely not been on my game when concerning work today. "Should I have?"

"Well," Oscar began, concerned. "I'm assuming the band is going to want to negotiate some sort of payment for their services. Did Darryl mention anything?"

"I don't remember," I said honestly. I rubbed my head, thinking about how much more upset Jan would be if she had to learn she needed to hand out money we didn't have. "I'm so sorry about this, Oscar."

"Well, it sounds like we had to do something about the band or else it would have been a disaster," Oscar admitted. I was grateful for his reaction. "Hey, I hope you don't mind me asking but are you alright today? You've seemed very tense lately."

Oscar caught me off guard with his question. "Oh, no, I'm fine," I said quickly.

He eyed me suspiciously. "Well, if you need a friend…"

"Thanks, Oscar," I said, giving him a smile. He knew I wasn't being completely honest, but he also knew when not to push.

"I'm going to go get something to drink, do you want anything?" he offered. I shook my head and he left me standing alone.

I felt secluded from everyone, after Oscar left, trapped in my own self-pitying bubble. The sun was beginning to set, spreading an orange glow around the park. I figured once night fell everyone would be fully engrossed in the dance and I could sneak away from the festival early. But then I thought of my empty apartment waiting for me and decided being in the company of many strangers was better than having the company of no one.

Time seemed to drag by slowly and as much I as tried to focus on the atmosphere of the dance, my mind kept slipping back to the same thing it had all day: Jim. I couldn't believe what a mess I had made. I had heard him say that he cared for me. He had showed me how much he cared for me and all I did was run. And then I had made a fool of myself, in front of his ex-girlfriend no less. His ex-girlfriend who wanted him back.

I shook my head, getting the image of Karen out and letting the memory of last night resurface. I closed my eyes, remembering how he held me in his arms, how his lips felt against mine, how…

A hand brushed my elbow and I was jolted back to reality. "Hey there." It was Jim. My cheeks immediately flushed. I couldn't believe he had come back but even more so I couldn't believe he interrupted my thoughts of him. "I'm sorry, did I startle you?"

"No, it's just…I didn't expect…" I stumbled over my words. I took a breath before I could continue. "I didn't think you were coming back."

"Ah, yeah," he said with a grin. "You know, wanted to see my colleague's band. Show my support and everything. Be a good coworker."

By just the look in his eyes I knew Darryl was not the reason he returned and it gave me a warm feeling inside. "Oh, right," I joked back, keeping up our friendly guise. "Your coworker. I'm sure without you here he wouldn't even be able to perform." We both let out a laugh before we slipped into an awkward silence. "So, um," I wasn't sure how to ask the nagging question on my mind. "Did Karen decide to stay as well?"

Jim hesitated for a second, making me worry for a moment that Karen had stayed. "No," he said finally. "She decided to go home. She said she could finish the article without me."

"Oh," I said disappointed. I had hoped there was more to it than that. "So, are you guys—"

"No," Jim responded quickly. He knew what I was asking and stared at the ground unsure of how to continue. "I think you should know that, um, before Karen left for her sister's wedding, she, uh, she kissed me…"

"I know," I interrupted. "She told me about it…"

"Oh," Jim replied surprised. "Yeah, um, she kissed me and…" he paused for a moment, thinking hard. "She kissed me and I didn't feel anything. Not a thing. So, I told her that. I didn't think it was fair for her not to know the truth. That we have no future. It's not what she wanted to hear. And she screamed and yelled and said a lot of unpleasant things and went home saying she wanted to be alone."

"I'm sorry, Jim," I said sympathetically.

Jim turned to me, giving me an intense look. "I'm not," he stated simply. I blushed a little, not sure how to respond. But I didn't have to because Jim changed the subject. "Looks like the dance is going well," he commented.

"Yeah, it's a really great turnout," I added. I clasped my hands together nervously. Suddenly, I really wanted to be in a place where there weren't so many people.

"So…" his eyes gazed the crowd. "Do you want to dance?"

"Oh, I don't dance," I said, thinking that I had embarrassed myself enough for one day.

"Come on," he insisted. "Who doesn't dance?"

"Me," I answered. "Really, I look like the biggest dork when I dance."

"Well, doesn't everybody?" he offered. "Look, there is nothing to be embarrassed by," Jim said, taking a few steps away from me and on to the dance floor. He began to move his arms and legs in an outward motion in an attempt at dancing to the fast paced music. The fact that his long limbs created such bizarre angles and the fact that he was purposely trying to be a bad dancer, was too much for me and I began to laugh hysterically. "See, you aren't the only dorky dancer," he called out to me, grinning. "Come on, it's not so bad."

But before I could, the music stopped and was replaced by a much slower song. "Well, Miss Beesly," Jim said, stopping his crazy dance to talk to me closer. He offered his hand. "Hypothetically speaking, if I wasn't here just to support a coworker and you were my date tonight, I would insist on a dance."

"Well, Mr. Halpert," I responded, placing my fingers in his open hand. I wished he hadn't said hypothetically. "Hypothetically, I accept."

We moved out onto the dance floor. My hand trembled as I placed it on his shoulder. Jim's hand grabbed my waist, careful not to stray too high or low. Our free hands entwined, both palms a little sweaty.

We stood about two feet apart as Jim guided me slowly around the dance floor. "You know, hypothetically, if you were my date, I'd have to do this." I felt pressure on my waist, as Jim's hand pushed me closer to him so that our bodies were now touching.

My heart began to race and I felt a rush as the warmth of his body swept over me. "Well, as your hypothetical date, that means I could do this." I rested my head against his chest, listening to the sound of his beating heart.

We stayed like that, swaying through the entire song and the next, no words spoken between us, just enjoying being held by each other. When the next song went into a faster beat, I clung to him, not wanting to let go. Jim squeezed me in a warm hug, before letting his arms drop. I hesitantly broke away.

"Too bad this is totally a hypothetical date," he said into my ear, his cheek brushing mine.

"Yeah," I replied softly. The evening breeze swept by and suddenly I became very cold.

* * *

Jim and I stared at each other, not sure of what to do. I didn't want to dance any longer and I definitely didn't want to be in the middle of this crowd. I turned and motioned Jim to follow me to the edge of the pavilion. He did.

I stopped a few feet outside the pavilion on the path leading out to the rest of the park. Jim came up beside me, placing his hands in his pockets and rocking back and forth on his feet. He looked as nervous as I felt. Here I was, finally having a chance to tell him that I cared for him too but I didn't know how to do that. I wasn't even sure how to begin such a conversation.

Instead, I stared at the grass and muttered, "Thank you for the dance. It was, uh, really nice."

"Uh, sure. No problem," he sounded unsure of how to take that. There was another strained silence before he spoke again. "Would you like to take a walk?" he asked, staring out into the nearly deserted park.

I let out a little breath of relief. "Yeah, I would," I answered, giving him a gentle smile. "I could show you the piece that won second place," I offered. "If you're interested."

"I'd like that," he responded, sounding genuinely interested.

We walked silently side by side towards the other side of the park. There were so many heavy unspoken words between us that small talked seemed impossible. I didn't mind the quiet so much. Just the fact that he was walking beside me was giving me quite a rush. At one point, he took his hands out of his pocket and I eyed the one that fell dangerously close to mine. I was half tempted to reach out and grab it, longing to feel his skin against mine again but I couldn't bring myself to do it and instead held my hands behind my back for the rest of the walk.

There wasn't a soul in or around the tent when we arrived, which I was grateful for. My portrait was located in the far corner but Jim stopped at the entrance where the sculpture that won first place stood.

"Oh, please tell me this is it," Jim said with a smile, admiring the statue built of snack food and duct tape.

"No, that won first place," I explained.

"Are you sure it's not yours?" he joked. "It looks just like you."

"Jim, that was modeled after a guy," I returned with a grin.

I watched as Jim's eyes traveled lower, eventually growing wide. "Well, I guess I stand corrected."

"Mine's over here," I said pointing to my piece.

Jim's gaze fell to the one next to it, a painting of the profile of an older pale man with pointy ears, dressed in a high collared black cloak. "Pam, are you trying to tell me you're secretly a vampire?"

I shook my head and let out a laugh. "Oh, right," I said, sarcasm thick in my voice. "That's the reason I really brought you out here. So I could suck on your neck to satisfy my bloodlust."

Jim shot me a wicked grin. "That may be worth it."

I blushed. "Um, so, this one's mine," I said referring to my actual artwork.

Jim's attention turned to my portrait and suddenly I felt very exposed. It was, after all, a nude drawing of myself reflecting one of the darkest times in my life. I waited, nervously, as Jim's eyes scanned the portrait. At first, I was afraid he may make a joke or two but he remained serious as he studied it.

"Wow, Pam…this is just…" he seemed genuinely impressed, which put me at ease a little. He turned to look at me. "It's beautiful," he complimented.

I hadn't realized I had been holding my breath until he spoke. "Thank you," I let out.

"Really, its just…amazing," he continued, looking back to the drawing. "Is there any, uh, story about it or is it just…something you did?" He didn't seem sure how to talk about it but I could see the wonder in his eyes.

His sincere curiosity made it easier for me to talk about the portrait. "I drew it after my divorce," I said honestly. I felt I could open up to him, share the dark thoughts that I had kept only to myself for so long. "It was a hard time and sometimes I felt that only drawing could express what I was feeling. I mean, I don't know how to explain it exactly, I just needed to get all of my emotion out and this portrait was a great release."

"I think you captured it well," he commented. "I mean, I don't know what- it's just that here…you just look so…sad." He gave me a sympathetic smile. "I can't imagine what that must have been like for you. I don't think I've ever felt so deeply…" his voice trailed off deep in thought. "Do you still feel, uh, how do I put this? Is she still you?" he asked, referring to the girl in the drawing.

I pondered the question. I thought I had moved on from her, had pushed her far away but maybe I had never truly dealt with her. She was still a part of me; the part that kept me from moving forward with my life, the part of me that was scared to do so. It was time to tell Jim the truth about how I felt because I wanted to move forward and I wanted him with me when I did.

"Jim, I feel like I owe you an explanation," I said quietly, my voice shaking. He looked at me very interested in what I had to say. "About last night, I-"

"Pammy?"

I knew that voice and cursed my ill luck. A darken figure approached us and although his face was masked by shadow I knew exactly who it was. I wished that it were anyone else.

"Pammy, I saw you come in here, so I know it's you." Roy's voice was slurred as he stumbled towards Jim and I. He gazed at me, a drunkenly stupid look on his face. "I told you I'd come back, I told you…" His eyes shifted behind me, attempting to focus on the portrait. "That's you," he pointed out. "How come I've never seen that before?"

"Because it's recent," I replied calmly. I knew what Roy was like when he was drunk and I had no intention of sparking his temper, especially not with Jim right there. "Why did you follow me, Roy?" I asked.

"You know…" he mumbled. "You know…" he didn't finish the statement. Instead, he wandered close to the drawing, his nose almost touching it. He began to giggle. Jim gave me a confused look and I shook my head not knowing how to respond. "Did I ever tell you," Roy started again, "that your art. It is the most beautiful art out of…all the art." He waved his arm around to signify he was comparing the portrait to everything else but I'm sure he didn't know what he was talking about.

"Roy, how much did you have to drink tonight?" I asked concerned.

"Why do you care?" he snarled.

"Just because we're not together anymore doesn't mean I can't care," I said. As much as Roy had been a pain to me in the past, I didn't want to see him or anyone else gets hurt. "Why don't we get you some water and we'll sit down to talk, alright?"

"No, we can settle this here," Roy said, waving his arm around again, this time nearly knocking into one of the portraits.

I was a little scared of what Roy might do. Thankfully, Jim noticed this and tried to help. "Come on, man," he said kindly to Roy. "Tell you what, I'll buy you a beer and you and Pam can have a nice chat back at the pavilion."

"What's it to you?" Roy snapped at Jim, causing Jim to jump back a little.

"Um, Jim," I started thinking fast on how to defuse the situation. "I'd like a beer, how about we head back over to the pavilion." I figured if we left, Roy would probably still follow, but at least Jim and I, as well as the artwork, would be safer. I didn't usually fear that Roy would physically harm me, but the anger he showed tonight, mixed with the alcohol was making him seem very unpredictable.

Jim and I started to leave when Roy bellowed my name. "Pam!" I jumped a little. "We need to finish this," he yelled.

Jim came to my side, almost protectively. "Come on," he said to Roy again, though even his voice was shaky as he was probably just as unsure of what Roy would do. "Let's go to the pavilion."

He eyed me suspiciously, and then glared at Jim before settling on me again. "I still want that beer," he sneered as he pushed past us and out of the tent.

* * *

Roy and I were standing near the pavilion; lots of people and noise surrounding us, making me feel easier about the situation. Jim had just left to grab us some drinks, also letting Roy and I have a moment alone.

"Well, Roy, what is it that you wanted to talk to me about?" I asked not sure if I wanted to hear what Roy had to give me. He seemed to have a lot of anger pent up and while I'm sure I deserved some of the brunt for having avoided him for so long, I don't believe I did any wrong doing by ending our marriage.

"What's the deal with that guy?" Roy asked, referring to Jim. He was still staring in the direction that Jim had left.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, annoyed that now that he had my attention he didn't seem to want to talk about was on his mind.

"Seems like he got a private showing of your artwork," Roy commented nastily.

I shook my head to protest. "It wasn't a private—"

Roy wouldn't let me finish. "You never invited me," he accused.

"Roy," I said flabbergasted. "Why would I invite you to things now that we're no longer together?"

"You never showed me your art when we were married," Roy shot back.

"It's not like I didn't want you to see what I was working on," I reminded him. "When I was taking classes, there were plenty of times, plenty of art shows you could have attended. But you chose not to. Instead, you went and played poker with your brother and your drinking buddies."

"You never invited me," Roy insisted. "I would have come."

I let out a sigh. "That's not true," I said, feeling like I've had this discussion before. Roy had a habit of distorting the past to make him look better but I didn't feel that I needed to constantly defend myself anymore. "But you know what, Roy, I'm not going to argue with you. Especially not while we're in public." I thought Roy may protest more but instead we settled into an uncomfortable silence.

Roy and I weren't the only ones having issues to sort out that night. I could hear Jan and Michael's voices loud and clear before I saw them emerge from the sea of people.

"Jaaaaan," Michael whined. "Can't you take one little moment and talk to me? Please?"

Jan stopped only a few feet away from me but was so irritated with Michael that she didn't notice I was there. "Michael, do you really think now is the appropriate time to have this conversation? Despite the fact that this place currently is set up like a high school prom, we are still at work and you have to remember that. I have a financial backer that has died and the museum is faced with bankruptcy. The band that was hired wants to work out some sort of payment, which I don't think I can give them. And I just found out that my boss, the head of the board, is coming in a few days to evaluate me. I could possibly loose my job."

"But Jan—" Michael started to protest.

Jan cut him off. "So, what do you want from me then? Really, Michael, what could you possibly expect from me right now? Do you want me to just let you do me right here where everyone can see?" Her voice was thick with sarcasm. "Alright, Michael, I don't care about my job, lets just have sex and be happy."

I knew Jan had lost it when she didn't seem to be aware of what she was saying in public. Apparently, Michael was just as shocked to hear it.

"I don't know if we should do it right here, there are a lot of people," Michael said, completely missing the point. "Maybe if you want to go back to the car…"

Jan let out a frustrated growl. "Michael, why don't you just go jump off a building," she snarled before stomping away.

Michael let out a defeated sigh and paused only a moment before heading after her.

I had been so engrossed in Michael and Jan's arguing that for a moment I forgot that Roy was standing next to me. It wasn't until he grabbed my wrist that I was jolted back into my own situation. "What are you doing?" I asked, struggling a bit to get away from Roy's grasp. He wasn't holding that tight and my wrist slipped away from his fingers.

"Why don't we dance," Roy suggested.

"What?" I asked in disbelief. "I thought you wanted to talk."

"I'd rather dance," he said playing for my hand but I took two steps back to get out of his reach. "Pammy, why don't you just come dance with me, then we'll talk."

"No, and don't call me Pammy." I said firmly. During our entire marriage, Roy always dictated what I would do. One reason I left was so I could make decisions on my own. I felt that I had grown since the divorce and I wouldn't let him cause me to slip in to old roles so easily. "I'm not Pammy anymore."

Roy towered over me. "Come on, you'll always be Pammy."

"No, I won't," I insisted. "You know what, I think I'm going to call your brother and he can pick you up. I'll come see you another day. I can't stand to be around you when you're like this." I pulled my cell out of my pocket, about to give Kenny, Roy's brother, a call when Roy grabbed my hand again. This time his grasp was tighter as he tried to pull me to the dance floor. "Roy, stop," I said trying to get away from him. "Stop!"

"Hey man, I think she wants you to let her go." It was Jim who came up behind us, two beers in one hand and a bottle of water in the other. He looked very stern and I was grateful that he had finally returned. Roy, however, was not pleased that Jim had butted in. He dropped my hand and sized Jim up. "Calm down, man," Jim persisted taking a step back. "I don't want any trouble."

While Roy remained glaring at Jim, I took the opportunity to call Kenny. It was short and to the point as I quickly explained that Roy was drunk and needed to be picked up. Kenny obliged willingly and said he'd be over at the park as soon as he could get over there. Kenny knew as well as I did what Roy could be like under the influence and didn't want Roy to get in any trouble.

While I was on the phone, Jim continued to get Roy to back down, but it proved to be a difficult task. "Hey man, why don't you take it easy," Jim was saying.

Roy continued to edge closer to Jim. "Why don't you take it easy," he shot back. "And give me my beer," he grabbed for one of the bottles but Jim pulled it out of his reach.

"Here, I got you some water," Jim said, holding the plastic bottle out to Roy. "I think you need to sober up some."

"I don't want water," Roy sneered, advancing closer. Jim continued to go backwards off the sidewalk and onto the grass.

"Knock it off Roy," I said, now off the phone. I tried for Roy's arm but he swatted me away.

Roy continued to stare down Jim. "If I wanted water, I would have asked for it." He snatched the water bottle away from Jim and threw it behind him where it hit Ryan, who had been dancing with Kelly at the edge of the pavilion.

"What the hell are you doing?" Kelly asked, instantly irritated that anyone would disrupt her dance with Ryan. She approached Roy with no fear. Roy spun around surprised to hear her.

"Kelly, this isn't our fight," Ryan said grabbing on to her arm and trying to pull back. By the looks of it, Ryan was the one scared of getting involved.

"Ryan, you're being such a coward," Kelly scolded. "He hit you with a water bottle and all you're going to do is pretend like it was an accident.'

"I'm sure it was an accident," Ryan said trying to pull her away.

"No," Kelly protested, breaking away from Ryan. "He can't just throw things at people and expect that to be just fine."

"Kelly, please don't provoke him any more," I warned. I didn't want any more people involved in this than there already were. I didn't even want Jim to be involved. I was torn between anger and embarrassment but more than anything I just wanted Roy to leave. I hoped Kenny would get here as soon as possible.

"If this guy would just give me my damn beer, we wouldn't have a problem," Roy shouted loud enough so that more people stopped dancing and stared. Roy snatched one of the beers away from Jim easily. "Was that so damn hard?"

Jim looked a bit humiliated and I gave him an apologetic look; hopefully this would all be over soon. He turned away, obviously avoiding eye contact. He probably wished he had gone home and I didn't blame him. He was unfortunately placed in the middle of a fight he didn't ask for.

"Are you happy now?" I asked Roy, now so upset that I was beyond words. "You got what you wanted and made a scene while doing so. Why don't you wait for Kenny in the parking lot? He'll be here soon."

Roy finished chugging half the bottle of beer before responding.

"Am I happy?" Roy let out a vicious laugh. "Do you really think that this is the state of a happy man?" His voice rose with each word. "All I wanted is for you to listen to me. But did you ever do that? No, you didn't. We could have settled this months ago but no, you were too busy. You're always too busy for me. Would it have killed you to just take a few minutes out of your time? Just a few? You pushed me to this point, Pam." His voice was very accusing. "You are responsible for this." He took the bottle and violently smashed it against the pavement causing the entire crowd to stop what they were doing and watch Roy.

"Roy, you've got to stop," I pleaded. I hated all of the attention on myself. I hated that it had gotten to this point even if there was some truth to what Roy was saying, that it was partially my fault since I hadn't dealt with this sooner.

Roy came towards me. I wasn't sure what he was about to do but luckily I didn't have to find out because Jim pulled on Roy's arm to stop him from getting any closer. "Don't touch her," Jim warned.

Roy spun around angrily. "Yeah, what's it to you?" he said shoving Jim. Jim, not prepared, stumbled back a few steps. The other beer bottle in his hand slipped down and cracked on the ground. Because Jim didn't attempt to fight back, Roy continued with another shove. "What, are you some kind of pansy?"

Anger swept over Jim's face as Roy pushed him again. "Roy, leave him alone," I called out but Roy was no longer listening. No one else made a movement. A tense wave swept over the crowd.

Roy gave Jim a final push before Jim finally snapped and pushed back, knocking Roy away a few steps. Roy was momentarily stunned but cocked his fist and before Jim could react, Roy punched him right in the eye, knocking him to the ground. Jim's head hit the pavement and he was out.

"NO!" I screamed, lunging at Roy to get him to stop before he could do anything else. I wanted more than anything to make sure Jim was alright but Roy had to be dealt with right away. Kelly and Ryan, thankfully, flew to Jim's side.

"Someone go get the nurse," Ryan yelled. The crowd became alive again and a few people took off toward the medical tent.

"Who the hell is disrupting my festival?" Jan had come forward looking more pissed than I had ever seen her. She eyed Roy fiercely. "What the hell did you just do!"

Roy turned to me, his face pale. Between punching someone out and Jan's accusation, Roy looked like he had sobered up remarkably fast. "Oh my god," he began to chant. "Oh my god, oh my god."

Jan's question remained unanswered as all eyes went to Nurse Elizabeth who had just arrived to take care of Jim. I was so angry that I could hardly contain it and was on the verge of beating the crap out of Roy myself. Knowing that Jim would be alright when I got back, I grabbed Roy's shirt sleeve and dragged him in the direction of the parking lot.

"C'mon," I said, the anger simmering below the surface. "I'm going to personally escort you out." Roy came willing, still a little stunned at what just happened.

* * *

"I can't believe you did that Roy. I just…can't." Roy and I had made it to the parking lot. Just out side of the gates, underneath a street lamp, there was a wooden bench. Roy sat on it, hunched forward with his head in his hands. I was pacing back and forth in front of him, my arms crossed over my chest. I was so angry I could barely speak.

This day couldn't have gotten any worse. It was bad enough that the festival was doing poorly, our financial backer died, the band we hired stunk, Kelly set me up with a bad match and I had to deal with an ex-girlfriend all day but my lout of an ex-husband just had to add to my misery by humiliating me and punching out the guy I had feelings for in front of everyone. The day sucked. The whole day sucked and I was ready to burst.

"I can't believe I did it either," Roy said. He had become much calmer and clear headed once we made it out to the parking lot. "I can't believe I- I…I really messed this one up, didn't I."

"Yes, you did," I said sharply. I wasn't a violent person by any means buy I wanted to hurt him. I just wanted to tear him apart but I knew it wouldn't make me feel any better.

"I'm sorry, Pammy- Pam," his voice trembled a little. He was no longer the scary tyrant that had belittled me earlier. He now looked like a lost little boy. "I'm just…so…sorry."

I stopped pacing to look down at him. My anger wouldn't be subsided any time soon but I knew that I was partially responsible for the outcome of the day. If I had just talked to Roy earlier, paid any kind of attention to him, he wouldn't have been driven to take such drastic measures. I sat down beside him and let out a sigh.

"I'm sorry too," I said after a moment of silence.

"You're sorry?" he asked in disbelief. "What do you have to be sorry about? You're not the one who made a fool of himself in front of an entire art festival. Geez-" the reality of it was finally sinking in. "The whole damn festival."

I gave him a half-smile. "I'm sorry because I kept pushing you away. I mean, after our divorce, I put you and the marriage and everything from my old life and shoved it in a box in my head and hid it away. I think this is just a culmination of all of it. So, I'm sorry because I could have prevented all of this."

Roy returned the smile. "I didn't know it was so bad for you."

"What?" I asked not sure of what he was talking about.

He let out a sigh. "The marriage. I mean, I know at the end we sort of just…fell apart but there were some good times too, right?"

"There were some good times," I said, though I was hard pressed to remember any of them right then.

"So, then what happened?" he asked.

The fact that he had to ask that said so much. "Don't you remember fighting all the time?" I asked. "And we would never do anything together. Near the end, we were just two people living two separate lives who happened to live in the same house. That's not a marriage."

"Oh," Roy said lowering his head. "I guess I was oblivious."

That was an understatement. "Roy, do you remember the night I got a promotion to be head of PR."

Roy thought hard for a moment. "No," he said finally.

"I came home," I started to explain. I could recall this memory so clearly. "I was so excited that I was finally advancing at work and I came in and you were there, watching a basketball game with some of your friends. You didn't even say hello, Roy. I told you later that night but you were still pumped over the game. It wasn't until a week after that you noticed I came home later. And that's when I knew. That's when I knew it just wasn't right anymore."

A pained look crossed his face. "I guess I…I should have-"

"I don't think it would have mattered," I said honestly. At this point Roy deserved to know the truth. "You and I had run our course a long time ago."

"Oh, right," he responded softly. I wasn't sure if he was disappointed in the answer or possibly relieved. A reflective silence fell between us. "I'm sorry I punched out your boyfriend," Roy said eventually.

I felt my cheeks growing warm. "Oh, he's not- I mean Jim's not-" I had become completely flustered. "Jim's just a reporter for the Scranton Times."

Roy looked surprised and almost amused. "That guy is just a reporter from the Scranton Times? You've got to be kidding me."

"What?" I asked trying to play it cool.

"I don't get you," Roy said shaking his head. "I mean, the guy took a punch for you and all you can say is that he's some reporter?"

"Well, we just met," I responded. As much as I was trying to hide my feelings, I couldn't help but wear my heart on my sleeve. "I guess you could say we're friends and-"

Roy rolled his eyes. "Well, from what I saw-"

"What did you see?"

Roy swallowed hard before responding. "I've actually been here for a while," he admitted. "One of the reasons I got so mad was- I couldn't help notice- I was watching you with him, laughing, talking…dancing. When I saw you with him- the way you looked at him, Pam. I know that you have never looked at me like that. Ever. And the way he held you. I thought you guys were together and I just couldn't handle it and-" He stopped, not really wanting to go further. "I guess I just don't buy the just friends act, Pam."

"Oh." It was my turn to be surprised by Roy's words. Were Jim and I that obvious? Maybe the only people we were fooling were ourselves. "I think you and I aren't the only people who have things to work through," I said to him.

"Whatever," Roy said dismissively. "You'll probably end up marrying the guy."

I blushed a little again. "Roy, we've only known each other for three days." Roy shrugged.

In the distance, a black SUV was coming into the parking lot. I recognized Kenny in the driver's seat. "Well, I guess that's my ride," Roy said standing.

I joined him. "Um, before you go, what was it that you needed to talk to me about so badly?"

He looked at me strangely as if unsure of what I was saying. "I thought that there might be something that I needed resolved. Like, we didn't end things right or something. But after tonight…I don't feel that any more."

Closure, I thought, he wanted closure. He needed closure to move on. As we hugged goodbye and I wished him well as he joined his brother, I thought that we might have gained just that.

He wasn't the only one who needed to say goodbye. As much as I had fought it over the last few months, I needed it as well. I thought I had been moving forward, living a new life, doing new things, but had I really gotten that far? Wasn't there a part of me that was still that girl in the self-portrait?

Roy was gone and that part of my life was wrapped up. Officially wrapped up as of tonight. But I had been scared to make any forward movement in life since my marriage had ended. It's why I hadn't tried to advance with my art or even change my hairstyle. It's why I ran away when Jim kissed me-

Jim.

It hit me so hard that it was almost overwhelming. He was more than just a reporter. So much more. I had to find him, had to tell him, had to show him how much I cared. I've never felt so sure of anything in my life. I turned around and headed back into the park towards Jim.