Friday 10:48 PM

Pam walked back into the room - Lavender bra, and black underwear, and two vodkas with just a splash of orange juice. Jim was lying on his back - staring at the same ugly light fixture she had been cursing last night. Etched glass foggy with age, bronze rim.

"Whatcha thinking about?" she asked coyly, handing him his glass. She lay down on the bed next to Jim - both on top of the covers. Drinks by their sides.

"About why you don't like this place - it's charming - it has character"

"Oh come on, you think?" She looked around - it didn't look so sad now that she had Jim sprawled across her bed.

"Yeah - I like it. It's different. It's got a certain ambiance"

"Ambiance… that's one word for it. Are you just trying to woo me, you know? To get in my pants?" Pam elbowed at his side.

"Yes absolutely. Just one question. What pants?…cause. Seems like I'm doing pretty well"

"Not as well as me though" She giggled. She rolled onto her side and perched her head upon her wrist. Taking in Jim's long lean figure basked in a gentle pink glow.

"It was no yogurt lid" he smiled - eyes still fixed on the ceiling

"I was wondering if you saw that" Pam took a long sip from her drink. She winced - they were down to mostly melted ice and vodka.

"I saw it" Jim smirked "about halfway through my interview with Wallace"

"Oh, noooo!" she giggled.

Jim rolled over to face Pam, sipping from his melting cocktail. "I think he thought I was having a stoke"

"And then what?"

"You know - at first I thought it was what I wanted" He started tracing an abstract pattern into the duvet in the space between them.

"When Michael mentioned the position at corporate, and Karen suggested we apply- I thought- 'Yeah, this is the right move for me right now'" But I didn't want to admit I was living in limbo - in a false reality," he smirked

"at the beach.." he paused, looking into her eyes. She blushed in response.

"It was a punch in the gut. All these feelings I'd been burying. I was numb for so long I just became complacent in it." Jim threw back the rest of his drink, leaned over to set the empty glass on the nightstand, then rolled onto his back with a deep sigh.

"But" he continued "the wheels were in motion and as it became a reality, and Karen talked more about it. It sounded like it was less of a career move and more of a strategic move… away from you," He folded his arms behind his head. "So we went, interviewed, you know, just to see what could come of it."

"As I sat there, Wallace was setting me up for good news, the interview was going great but the better the interview went the worse I felt - I had been looking for a sign all day - then one fell out of my sales report and onto my lap"

"The power of a yogurt lid" Pam smirked, reaching out to trace a circle on his chest - where the medal would lay.

"What did you say to Karen?"

"I told her I couldn't do it… the job, her and I. It didn't need much explaining. She knew. Probably before I did" Jim sighed.

"Well… I hope she gets the job" Pam offered, trying to lift the lull left between them.

"Do you?" Jim chuckled?

"Oh, course.. I think she's a good person. She would do a good job"

"Pam, that is sweet of you, but she's not exactly your biggest fan right now. Is that who you want looking out for you at corporate?"

" I guess not, but then who? Michael?"

"Listen" Jim offer tucking some hair behind Pam's ear. "I really don't want to talk about Michael right now. I'm trying to exist in this moment right here - and savor every second of it"

"Wow…You're right" Pam gave her head a shake. Sipping the last of her drink.

"Let me take that. I'll make us another round"