Dallas, Texas
Jumping at the sound of her desk phone ringing, Pam's daydream was broken, but her optimism was not when she answered and was informed that there was a package at reception that she was personally required to sign for. She had been completely caught up in thoughts of her date with Bobby before the phone call and the way she felt as she heard the news of a delivery for her confirmed her feelings. She didn't order packages to the office and she wasn't important enough to get work related mail, so that only left one option, or she hoped it did, she really hoped it did. Wandering out into the reception area of her office, her stomach dropped as she spotted the 'package' and its deliveryman; Bobby was standing, waiting for her with a large bouquet of red roses and a smile on his face that matched hers. "Hi", walking up to him, she was elated when he took a couple of steps toward her too and whispered his greeting in the seconds before kissing her, softly and appropriately for their surroundings, but still emotionally and passionately.
Pulling away from their kiss, she couldn't stop smiling; she liked Bobby, a lot, and the fact that he was a Ewing was rapidly becoming less and less important to her, not only because she was infatuated with him, but because the more she thought about it, the more Sue Ellen's argument made sense to her. The fight between her family and the Ewings wasn't really a fight between families, it was a fight between Digger and Jock, and although she had grown up thinking it was her grudge to inherit, as had Cliff, JR, and probably Bobby, she was beginning to realise it really wasn't. Her father had been wronged by Jock Ewing and would probably never forgive him for that, nor should he since Jock hadn't apologised or even tried to make amends; her family too had struggled through life, both financially and socially, however, looking at both her and Cliff, she couldn't say they had the absolute worst lives they could be living. Cliff had gone to college and was on the path to being a successful lawyer and although she had no real love for her job, she made reasonable money and was gaining some experience that she hoped would eventually lead her back to fashion in some capacity, which is where she genuinely enjoyed working. Although she had felt defensive and self-conscious when discussing her lack of college education and opportunities with Bobby, she had come to realise that outside of that heightened emotional state of mind, she was actually quite comfortable with where and who she was in her life.
"I was in town and I thought I'd come and personally tell you how much I enjoyed our date and how much I'd enjoy the pleasure of seeing you again…" Listening to Bobby as he spoke, she continued to smile brightly, if their previous kisses and the flowers he had brought her hadn't told her what she wanted to know, his words sure did. "I was also hoping you might be free for lunch…" nodding, she mentally noted the apple and sandwich she had packed for lunch would do just fine for dinner, especially if Cliff was going to insist they have Chinese food again. "You're in luck, I am. I'll just put these beautiful flowers in a vase and get my coat and we can go", leaning upward, she kissed him softly again before waving toward a visitors chair and turning to walk back to her desk, alone, because she wasn't entirely sure her manager would appreciate anyone who wasn't staff entering the actual work area.
A few minutes later, as they walked hand in hand out of the building, she smiled amusedly to herself as she noticed the licence plate on his car, somehow she had never noticed the personalised 'Ewing 4', though it was staring her in the face now that she was aware it was there. "Something funny?" apparently having laughed aloud at her own thoughts, she guiltily looked up at Bobby as he opened the door for her, "mm, I was just admiring your licence plate and thinking of the message you wrote on the note with the skating tickets. I believe you were being completely genuine in your comments about not wanting to appear to be out of touch with reality, but I think our realities are different". Truthfully, she didn't personally know anybody who drove a European car, let alone one with plates that told the entire road that the driver was 'somebody'. She could get over that though, because she liked Bobby a lot, and simply having money was hardly a crime, in fact, it would probably be hypocritical to say it was seeing as she had been on her fair share of dates with men of means, even if those means weren't exactly on the same level as the Ewing family.
"When's your birthday?" surprised by his response, she was sure her guilty expression was replaced by a confused one, both of which he seemed to find amusing if his smirk was any indication, "April, why?" Getting into the car as he ushered her with his hand again, she sat in suspense for his answer, as he closed the door behind her and made his way over to the driver's side. Watching him expectantly as he got in next to her, she wasn't disappointed when he answered her with a completely straight face, "well, as far as our differences go, that one is easy enough to remedy. How does 'Barnes 1' sound?" Laughing aloud again, this time not just to herself, she said the first thing that came to her mind, "pretentious. I can just imagine someone pulling up behind me wondering who I thought I was". Assuming he had understood she was mostly joking, she was surprised when she took another look at him and noticed from his facial expression that he seemed to have taken what she had said a lot more seriously than she had meant it. "You shouldn't put yourself down like that, but if that's how you really feel, how about 'Ewing 6'?" hearing what he had said, it took her a few seconds to really process it, surely he was joking now, but again, his facial expression seemed serious, caring, like he meant what he said, but still, serious.
"Ahem", clearing her throat, she blushed as she thought of all the ways she could possibly be misinterpreting what he was saying; he was not asking her to become a Ewing, he was joking, surely he was joking, April was only a month away, she was taking his comments far too seriously, that was definitely it. "I think it sounds perfect, for a Ewing", unsure of how to respond, she nodded politely and was sure she heard him mutter something under his breath, but before she could really gather what it was, he was speaking again, this time about lunch, and before she knew it they were pulling away from the curb. Almost physically feeling the awkward tension between them dissipating as they took off down the street, she smiled to herself, she wasn't a Ewing, but alongside Bobby she felt like someone and that felt wonderful.
To be continued…