Jim honestly didn't expect for things to turn out like this.
A week ago he hit Dwight with a snowball at his face and they declared a snowball fight. Today, they were going to do it at the parking lot. Except the fact it was not a fight, but a total annihilation. Jim never felt so defenseless against Dwight on that moment. Lying in the icy wet cement in a fetus position while Dwight covered him with snow. When he got in the building, his clothes were wet, his messy hair too and his nose was bleeding. He destroyed his shirt and tie and had a throbbing headache that wished it wasn't the start of pneumonia, but at least Dwight was enjoying it.
"I was laying on the ground defenseless, and h-he just kept throwing them, um, until he exhausted himself and then… 'how about icing it? LOL' Dwight." Jim looked outside the door to see his frenemy smiling in victory. Jim turned himself at the camera again, and tried not to let tears slide. Damn the snow must gotten to his eyes.
As the day passed, Dwight got Jim two more times. First, at Jim's horror, he disguised himself as his wife. Jim could not forget the moment of realization that hit him when he saw Pam entering the bullpen from the kitchen with a questionable look. As Jim turned his face to see the second "Pam", Dwight turned his chair and with a malicious look started throwing snowballs at him. Jim told him to stop, heck he was going to start pleading him at this point, and he couldn't run. Thank god Dwight didn't have anymore snowballs to throw, or so he hoped.
The second attempt was the Christmas present from Pam, and to be honest, when Jim saw it on his desk, he was sure it was Dwight's next attempt but when he saw the sweet message, his guard fell down, assuming it was from Pam. Long story short, he got hit in the face with a snowball. Everyone in the office laughed. Jim looked at his coworker angrily.
"Didn't think your affectionate nicknames would be your undoing, did you Jim?" Dwight asked toying with him. Jim was angry, embarrassed and disappointed to himself, letting down his guard like that. He got up and went to the bathroom to dry himself.
When Jim saw Dwight approaching his desk to sit, he put up a small makeshift white flag of defeat and waved it.
"I surrender." He said. It was humiliating to accept the fact, but at least this ordeal would be over.
"I don't accept your surrender." Dwight answered calmy. Jim made his funny face, but he decided to toy with Dwight in order to not feel degraded.
"Although, there is a way I would relent." He proceeded. Jim sighed.
"Anything. You got it." Jim said with a smile, but he was dying inside. He hoped Dwight enjoyed this.
Dwight got closer to him. "You work at my farm for three months." He said. Jim laughed it off.
"No." he said. "No, I am not doing that."
Dwight didn't seem to bother. "Very well then." He said and sat on his chair.
At the kitchen, Pam and Jim were discussing the things that happened to him.
"When I saw the blood on your shirt I got somewhat scared. Are you sure you don't want Dwight to stop?" she asked, making herself some coffee.
"I am not working in a beet farm Pam. For two months on top." He said.
"I get it, really, but…you saw today what he did to you. Who knows what the next days.." she started.
"You forget that today is our last day at work. We won't be seeing each other for two weeks. What is he going to do, attack me in my house?" Jim joked.
"You are right." Pam agreed.
That didn't stop Jim from being freaked out and paranoid the rest of the day. They had three hours left on clock and he would check behind him and above him, in case Dwight was hiding in the ceiling or something.
When the clock hit five, it was already dark outside. Jim and Pam were the only ones left in the office.
"Ok I am ready let's go." Pam said as she approached him.
"I-I don't want to go." Jim said, looking at the ground defeated. He was very scared that something bad would happen if he set foot outside the office. Dwight was one of the first ones to leave from the employees, Jim made sure to look outside the window of the conference room the red car leaving the parking lot. It seemed he was safe. But the fear remained. Who knew where Dwight was now, what and if he was planning.
"Come on, bear man. Let's go home." Jim sighed defeated and got up. They exited the office and waited for the elevator to come up. The lights flickered and Jim jumped out of his skin.
"Ever see him do this before?" he asked Pam, his voice cracking. Pam soothed his arm trying to calm him down. Jim was in the edge of a mental breakdown.
The mood in the elevator was dense. Jim was sure that the lift would stop and leave them trapped there, or Dwight opening the roof and load an armful on his head. The space was too small, he was trapped he- ok they arrived at the ground floor.
They opened the main door of the building and they were ready to make their way to the parking lot when the image before them hit them like a truck. Ten snowmen were facing their direction, blocking the way to their car.
Jim felt like he couldn't breath. This was too frightening, even for Dwight. He gulped and led Pam through the abominable snowmen.
"I am sorry. I didn't know." Pam whispered. Poor Pammy. It wasn't her fault that Dwight was a psychopath.
"It's ok." He said. He flinched and was ready for an upcoming attack from a hidden Dwight. Just like the last time, he had to be in one of those snowmen. What if he recruited some other people to hide in the other too? And there would be a dozen of people throwing snow at him at the same time? Jim had to stop that thought. There was no way a normal person would agree into doing this. But Dwight's friends were not normal.
He and Pam screamed and tried to knock the snowmen down, using his umbrella and bag. He panted and exhaled warm air from his lungs, as the shivering cold air surrounded his sweaty neck. There were so many. He knocked off a few but Dwight would emerge any minute from behind him.
"Jim honey! Let's go!" Pam yelled from inside the car. He rushed to the driver's seat when he froze to his feet, noticing another snowman beside the car. Jim looked at it and prayed for mercy as he thought it was the last one that Dwight was probably going to hide in. Upon checking again, he noticed some kind of paper attached to it's body. With cold shacking fingers, Jim picked up the note and opened it, somehow preparing for a snowball to come at him. Instead he was met with a simple sentence. 'My offer still stands.'
He sighed and quickly got in the car. He started the engine and quickly, exited the Dunder Mifflin parking lot.
They had a silent drive home. They stopped at Pam's mom first to get Cece. Then they proceeded to their home. When they arrived at their parking lot, Pam got Cece out of the car and Jim went to open the entrance door. Pam was giving Cece her toy doll and helping her out of the car. Then as she turned around holding the hand of her daughter, she saw Jim standing still, with the front keys still in his right hand.
"Babe? What's wrong?" Pam asked, wondering why her husband was frozen to his place.
"…I..don't want to go in." he let a laugh escape his lips. Pam got worried.
"What do you mean?" she asked. She knew what he meant.
"Well, what if he is in there? Waiting for me to step inside, go to the bathroom or fall asleep?" he nervously played with the keys in his hands. "I mean, he, well you remember when Cece was born, that you gave him our keys to enter, right? I bet my life he made a copy. Or more." Jim said. Pam was shocked.
"Jim…I know you had a rough day but let's be logical, there's no way Dwight did that." She said. Jim laughed.
"I know, I know I am just paranoid, god I sound so silly." He said and raised the key to the keyhole, but it stopped there.
"But it is Dwight we are talking about Pam. He set a fire to the office." He monologued and he retrieved the key and tossed it to Pam.
"I am going to stay in a hotel tonight." He said. Pam scoffed.
"Seriously? You are going to let me and Cece get hurt instead?" she joked.
"Dwight likes you, and he would never hurt Cece." He said.
"What makes you think that he isn't going after you now?" Pam asked. "Like he expects you to be afraid and run away from us, the only 'protection' you have.". Jim's face darkened.
"Oh no." he said. Pam couldn't contain her smile.
"Honestly, sometimes I really think you should take his offer. Get over with it and in order for you to stop being paranoid every second." She said. "I mean, it will be snowing for at least another month." Jim made a face.
"Wait, so you are fine with me being gone for three months? And on top of holidays, in fact?" he asked. Pam considered it.
"I will come visit you every day. We will still be in the office together after the holidays. You will come home too in the evenings." She said. "And on Christmas and New Year's eve you will spend the days with us, of course."
"I doubt Dwight will be that kind." Jim joked. Pam laughed.
"So what are you going to do?" Pam asked.
That was the same question Dwight was thinking when he was watching Die Hard 2 on his TV that evening. But when he heard the doorbell, his question changed to 'who is it?'. He got off the couch, and grabbed the japanese knife that was hidden under the sofa cushion. He proceeded quietly to the front door, and signaled Mose who was sitting in the chair to be quiet. Mose nodded and remained still. With swift movements and a battle cry, Dwight opened his door and pointed his knife to the unknown visitor. Which was a false accusation, cause the visitor was no other than Jim.
"Oh." Dwight said. He looked at the knife and put it on the wooden table next to him. "I have been expecting you." He said. Jim sighed awkwardly.
"Sure you did." He replied. Dwight looked at the big bag that was beside Jim's feet.
"Well?" he asked. Jim put his hands in his coat's pockets and shivered.
"What?" Jim asked clueless.
"You know what to say." Dwight said, blocking the entrance to his warm, welcoming house.
"Come on man, just let me inside, it is freezing." He said. Dwight didn't say a word, just kept looking at Jim with a pair of demanding eyes, waiting for the secret password that should make him step aside.
Jim exhaled an 'oh my god' his breath evaporating in the cold dry air. He cleared his throat. "I agree to the terms of my surrender. Can I come in now?" he asked. Dwight smiled and step aside to make way for the shivering man. He closed the door and followed him to the living room. Die Hard would have to wait.
Jim was woken not with an alarm, not with the smell of a good breakfast or even a rooster. He was woken by Mose, standing next to his bed, repeating the same phrase.
"Jimwakeup. Jimwakeup. Jimwakeup. Jim-.."
"Alright, alright I am awake." Jim sighed in anger. He got up and scratched his back. He looked at Mose who was staring.
"What time is it?" Jim asked.
"Five." Mose responded. Jim nodded. Well, this was going to be a hell of a day.
Jim went to the bathroom to wash his face and brush his messy hair. Then he went down the stairs towards the kitchen, where he could smell fried bacon.
"Morning." He said as he saw Dwight making breakfast in the kitchen. Dwight turned around and nodded.
"Good morning. Did you sleep well?" he asked. Jim took a seat at the table, as he put his arms in front of him.
"I think so." He said as he looked around the kitchen for a coffee machine. "Where is your coffee machine?" he asked.
"I don't have one." Dwight said as he put bacon on top of the eggs. "Coffee irritates the nervous system. If I can help it, I drink only at work." He said. "We have tea, fresh orange juice and goat milk if you'd like." He put the plates and glasses on the table in front of him and Jim.
"I guess I will go with a cup of tea." He said.
"Top right cupboard. Mugs are on the left one." Dwight replied. Jim smiled.
"How generous." He said as he got up.
"I am letting you stay in my house, eat my food and contaminate my space with your air. What more do you need?" Dwight asked.
"Okay first of all, rude, then second of all you are the one that asked for it. You should be grateful that you are not paying me for doing this thing." Jim said as he prepared his tea.
"That's the only good thing I suppose. But if I see you don't do anything well, I am sorry, but your only job will be as a human scarecrow." Dwight said. Jim sat on his seat again with a hot cup of tea in his hands.
"With this weather outside? That's a bit harsh." Jim smiled. "I am not as scrawny as you think I look." he said taking a sip.
"Whatever, we'll see about that. Now eat up." He said as he took some eggs and bacon on his plate. Jim followed suit.
"Where is Mose? Isn't he joining us?" Jim said eating.
"No. He already ate an hour ago." Dwight said. Jim made an impressed look.
"So. What is the schedule for today?" Jim asked, sipping his tea.
"Today and tomorrow is going to be training day. I don't want you to ruin my farm." Dwight said.
"Sure." Jim said. He was glad he was getting training. He didn't know a thing about farming. He guessed he could always put it in his resume.
"We may have snow, but that doesn't kill the crops. So, we need to do more of the amount of work with these conditions." Dwight said as he finished his breakfast.
"Okay." Jim said and after sipping the last of his tea, got up and followed Dwight.
"Wear your jacket, I don't want you to die of pneumonia." Dwight said.
"Got it." Jim mumbled as he wore his. Dwight opened the front door and the winter chilly air came in.
"Let us begin." He said.
"Alright." Jim wore his scarf and headed out.
(Jim's talking head in the farm)
"So, uuhhh three weeks have passed. Or was it months? I honestly can't tell the difference." He smiled at the camera. He was wearing Dwight's old cream thick sweater and baggy muddy jeans so he wouldn't have to dirty his every day clothes out in the farm.
"After the first two days of training, we have worked all day. Literally. I thought that I could return home and sleep there with Pam, but I am always so tired that I can't see straight in the road." Jim says. "So I normally sleep here. It is super tough, not being able to see Pam or Cece but they come and visit almost everyday. Two times she had come and stay with him for the night. Dwight would say something about disrupting the worker's job, but Pam had a nice time feeding the chickens with him. They both wanted to prank Dwight so much, but since Jim was serving time for the bet, they decided with sadness they would stop messing around with him for the next months.
"Work is very tough, tougher I would even imagine, and well, I can't believe I am going to say this, I admire Dwight for being able to do this and the work back at the office." He smiled, hoping that Dwight haven't heard him say that. "Not gonna lie, I think that when this thing is over I'll have some killer guns right here." He said as he showed the camera his biceps. He laughed. "No, I am not that guy. Nope." Awkward silence. "Did you know that Dwight cooked Edna the goat last week? I was so sad. I fed her, milked her, bonded with her and all." He said.
"Food? Well, I had to get used to beet salad. And beet wine. And beet juice. God, our breakfast choice was always oatmeal with beet juice or goat milk. We had to milk Shay a lot." He said. "But Dwight also makes some nice stuff, like Sauerbraten and Rinderroulade." He said smirking. "I also picked some German here and there. Mose has been teaching me in exchange for some candies Pam has been bringing me to 'get rid of the beet taste' as we joke. Now I am thinking about it, I am kinda turning into..." He stopped as the realization hit him. He looked at the camera with fear. "I have to get out of here."
Mose was milking the goats in the evening. He was humming the Mission Impossible theme for ten minutes and he wasn't ready to stop. Then he heard the barn door open. He looked up and saw Jim's figure in the dim candlelight.
"Hi Jim." Mose said as he continued squeezing the goat's udders. Jim entered the barn and closed the big wooden door behind him. He was wearing a heavy jacket on top of his clothes because it was still snowing outside.
"I am just going to feed the horses over there." He said. Mose nodded and continued doing his work. Jim also went to the back of the barn with his petrol lamp. Mose could hear him grabbing the pitchfork and making some exhaling noises as he threw the hay to the stables.
They remained silent for some minutes, both doing their work. Then Jim put the fork down to take a breather. "So, Mose…huff…tell me more about yourself." He said.
"What do you mean?" Mose replied. Jim rested his hands on the fork.
"I don't know, like, what do you like to do for fun?" Jim asked.
"I like monster truck rallies. Took place into one too." He said.
"Wow. That's…that's something." Jim said as he was expecting something normal. "I like sports. Baseball and basketball to be precise. Normally when I go home in the evening I watch a match on TV or some highlights on the internet." Jim said.
"Cool." Mose said. Then he remained silent as he continued his work. Jim watched with a blank expression as he decided he should continue his chore too. He petted the horse's nose, her name was Rita, and grabbed his pitchfork.
After ten minutes, an expressionless Mose and a sweaty Jim excited the barn and headed towards the house. When they entered inside and took off their coats, they headed to the kitchen to eat dinner. Jim made them both a chicken – beet sandwich with a beer on the side. They went to the living room and saw Dwight reading a book. The title wrote something about surviving tactics. Jim sat on the couch next to Dwight and Mose took the chair next to them. Jim took the remote and flickered through the channels. Then he stopped at a crime mystery movie.
"Could you lower the volume? I am reading here." Dwight said.
"You can always go upstairs." Jim said and took a bite of the sandwich.
"Pass. My house, my rules." Dwight said as he flipped a page. Jim looked at him as he chewed. Then he grabbed the remote and raised the volume. Dwight put his book down and looked annoyed to Jim.
"Jim!" he yelled.
"Mose, do you like the volume?" Jim asked the man on the chair.
"Yes." He said. Jim turned at Dwight.
"This is also Mose's house, and he agrees." He spoke.
"Ha, he wishes. I allow him to stay here, the house is under my name in the papers." Dwight says.
"I have the 30%" Mose speaks up. Jim smiled. Dwight was spitting fumes.
"Then again I still have the rest 70%. My word is above your's." He spoke. "Now, lower the tv volume or I will confiscate the remote."
"Come on man, you don't have to be like this." Jim said as he lowered the volume to its previous setting.
"Lower." Dwight said. Jim sighed and lowered it once more. Thank God they could still hear the actors.
After some hour, Dwight has given up on reading and watched the movie with the two men.
"Why is he not checking the closet, someone might be in there." He says.
"True." Mose agrees.
"Why would anyone be inside a closet when he and his wife have been in the room since the previous evening?" Jim says.
"That explains why you were so easily fooled at the snowball fight we had." Dwight said.
"I think the thing that explains it is you being a weirdo, not me thinking rationally."
"And yet look where that got you." Dwight answered. Jim remained silent. Dwight had a point. When commercials came up, he took the break to head to the bathroom. He took a leak and checked himself to the mirror. God his face was all dirty and his hair had hay straws on them. He tried cleaning himself with some water and hand soap. He knew he had to get a bath soon, the thought of sleeping in clean sheets all sweaty and dirty wasn't good but he was very tired. Maybe leave it for tomorrow before work.
He looked at his hands, where despite the dirty nails, had an awful amount to blisters, so when he went to the office he was having a lot of trouble to type on his computer. Thankfully Pam was there to help. But every day, new blisters.
He tried to get a few out, some did, others dug deeper into his skin. He cursed and decided he would leave Pam tomorrow to get them off with her eyebrow tweezer. Maybe he should get on two. Or maybe start wearing gloves. But Dwight always said; No pain no gain.
He returned to the couch with three more beers. He passed them to the cousins and took a sip from his. After some minutes of awful ads, the movie was back on.
The next morning in the office, Phyllis brought homemade chocolate chip cookies. Everyone enjoyed them with their coffees but could do without Michael and Holly's…love expression.
The hours drove by, someone said something here and there. At one time, when Jim went to pour some coffee, Pam followed.
"Hey." Pam said as she stood in the kitchen entrance.
"Hey" Jim smiled back as he pressed the coffee machine. He actually missed coffee, as Dwight's farm didn't provide it. So he would always drink (a lot) at work or when he managed to drive back home for the evening. He offered Dwight to bring his coffee machine from his house or buy a new one, but Dwight said it wasn't about money. Now Jim had to smuggle coffee in there.
"How have you been hanging?" she asked. "Dwight must've been killing you." She sounded as she was making an effort to joke, but the worry in her voice was obvious.
"Same old. Well, as you know it is tough, but I think I am really getting the hang of it. Dwight even said that I am not longer only suitable as a human scarecrow." Jim smiled. "Which is quite the flatter." Pam laughed at Jim's response.
"I was wondering if you could come home today. After work I mean. We can play with Cece, order some Italian food…watch a movie that has nothing to do with star wars…" she teased.
"You know I am in for all of that." Jim said as he poured coffee into his mug. "But I don't know if I can. Dwight probably won't let me." He said sadly, with a mix of anger in his voice.
"I will ask! He and I are friends. I think. Just- let me handle it. You deserve a day off." Pam smiled. Jim gave her a kiss and they both returned to their desks.
After some hour, Pam managed to find Dwight alone in the conference room as he was applying some super glue to a part of the carpet that had come off. She closed the door.
"Hey Dwight." She started. Dwight didn't even look at her direction.
"What is it?" he asked. Pam looked at the camera with a 'I can't believe I am doing this' look.
"I was wondering if Jim could get day off today. I, well I just miss him in the house. Cece too. I don't want her to grow up not remembering her father." She spoke. Playing the sad kid card was always working.
"There are only two months left Pam. Besides, you came and visit every two days in the holidays, twice with Cece. He has spent Christmas with you all day, and he is going to your house to sleep once a week or so. I don't see where the problem is."
"Why don't you let Jim come home every day, even a little earlier so Cece can see him?" Pam asked.
"He usually finishes at ten, so he should be able to arrive there at thirty minutes. Again, not my problem." Dwight answered.
"He is exhausted after all the work he's put under!" Pam was kinda angry.
"It is not my fault your husband can't stand a snowball fight. I just offered the alternative, Pam. And he took it. After some persuasion of course." Dwight got up, as he finished his job and looked at Pam.
"To be honest, you blackmailed him." Pam said.
"Oh my god Pam, I am not a criminal. You can ask him all about how he arrived at my door step like an injured puppy begging me to accept his surrender." Dwight said.
"Okay I get it; it is his fault. But can I have him for tonight? Please?" she asked.
"Hmmm I don't know, my fence could always use some paint job." Dwight fake-thought.
"Ugh, he can do that tomorrow in the morning, ok? It is Saturday." Pam said.
"Fine. What hours?" Dwight said.
"I want to lend him from today after work up to tomorrow until twelve." She stated.
"What? That is too much time spent in sex!" Dwight said.
"What? No, I just want him to spend a nice evening with his family and wake up in a reasonable hour, enjoy his breakfast and then he can go and do your thing." Pam answered.
"We can provide breakfast too if you haven't noticed? And way healthier than the one he has been eating at your place."
"I am not backing down Dwight." Pam said. They remained in a staring contest until someone would yield. It was Dwight.
"Fine, sheesh. Alright, you have a deal." He raised his palm to shake hands. Pam took it and they both nodded.
(Pam's talking head)
"It feels nice that today Jim will be free to have a nice night at home. I just hoped me and Dwight would've discussed it without making it sound likes he is…a possession." she told the camera with her serious look.
(Dwight's talking head)
"Life in a farm isn't easy, and I hope Pam realizes that. Jim did, some time ago, when he had to go collect the eggs before going to work. You should look at him when we arrived at seven. He slept in the couch like a baby." He mocked him.
Pam rushed to her desk and leaned over to Jim.
"He said yes." Pam said. Jim smiled.
"Thank god." He said. "You can't imagine how much I love you right now." Jim said.
"Only now?" Pam asked. Jim's eyes widened.
"No, not only now. It is just you know, with the thing and all…" he tried to save it.
"You are lucky I am not one of those wives. If I was, you would be staying with Dwight for the enforceable future. With no visits." She replied. Jim almost shivered at these words.
"Sorry. I love you." He said and kissed Pam on the cheek. Pam smiled and returned to work, as did Jim.
When the time to get off work arrived, the Dunder Mifflin employees waved each other goodbye and wished a good weekend. Jim took his car to drive home and make a dinner for his wife and child. Pam drove to her mother's place to get a sleepy Cece.
Jim arrived at his house, dropped his bag and coat to the chair and headed to the kitchen. He pulled out a pizza from the freezer and turned the oven on. He knew that Pam would be mad for him not to cook a proper dinner, but he really wanted to relax for a bit. He poured some wine and sat to the sofa as he turned on the TV. There was no game tonight, but even the silly soap opera was better than Dwight's movie taste. Well, some of them.
He actually enjoyed that Liam Neeson film.
When the oven was heated and it was time to put the pizza to the oven, he heard Pam walk in the house.
"Hey hun." Pam said as she put Cece to the sofa to sleep.
"Hey. I am making pizza." Jim said. Pam approached him in front of the oven.
"More like heating it." She said. "And here I thought we'd have a beautiful, romantic dinner." She joked.
"I am sorry, I am very tired right now. Forgive me?" he asked.
"Alright. Have it your way." Pam teased as she went upstairs to change.
Needless to say that after a peperoni pizza, half bottle of wine and a fed and sleepy Cece in the baby brig, Jim and Pam had a wonderful night.
The next morning Pam woke up to the appealing scent of baked toast. She opened her eyes to find Jim gone from the bed. She got up slowly and made her way to the bathroom to wash the sleepiness away.
She got Cece on her hug and made her way down the stairs to the direction of that smell.
There she found Jim, dressed in his previous day's clothes making breakfast. Pam sat Cece on the baby chair and approached the kitchen to make her food.
"Morning beautiful." Jim said when he looked to his side. Pam got the baby cream powder from the upper self.
"Morning to you too handsome." She said and they gave each other a small kiss.
"Why are you up so early? What time is it actually?" Pam asked.
"It is nine thirty. I was up by seven." He replied. "Coffee?"
"Sure." Pam said as she went to Cece to feed her. "Why again?" he asked.
Jim brought to the table two plates that contained two slices of bread with peanut butter and apple on the side. "I don't know, power of habit I guess." He said and made his way to make coffee for him and his wife.
"You sure you aren't tired?" Pam asked. Jim brought the two mugs on the table and sat.
"Yeah yeah I'm good, really. It was an amazing night." He said. Pam smiled.
They ate their breakfast in silence, and then went to the sofa to watch TV, which had lame morning shows.
"It is almost twelve." Pam said. Jim could hear the sadness in her voice.
"Yup. It is." He replied. He was ready to go actually, in the meantime between 7 and 9 he was awake he showered, tidy the rooms a bit and move some extra things like shoes and such to his car. The only thing is left to do was kiss his wife and daughter goodbye. And that was the hardest part of all.
"I don't want you to leave yet. Stay." Pam hugged Jim by the torso. Jim smiled and grabbed Pam's arm with his left hand, soothing it.
"I know. But we both know I have to." He said.
"I swear I am going to kill Dwight for this." Pam mumbled. Jim let out a snort.
"You may have an advantage on that, Dwight likes you and will never suspects you." He said.
"Forget it, I am not capable of murder. Anyway, it is easier now than before when it was Christmas. Me, being alone in the house…" she whispered.
"I thought you wouldn't have a problem with it. Since, you know, encouraged me to take the offer." Jim joked.
"Things change Halpert." Pam got up and fake-smacked him. Jim smiled at her antics.
"Anyway…got to go." Jim said and got up. He kissed Cece goodbye where she was playing with her toys and walked towards the door. Pam followed behind.
"Have a nice day." Pam said to Jim as he was wearing his coat.
"You too." Jim kissed her goodbye. "See you at the office on Monday." He said opening the door.
"See ya." Pam smiled. They kissed each other goodbye, and Jim exited the house towards his car.
Surprisingly snow this year was way less than the last. There was ice, sure, but that was it. Dwight blamed climate change.
Dwight was shoveling the third portion of manure to the beet dirt. Normally Mose and Jim helped him with this job, but today Mose had to go to his annually doctor appointment. And he gave Jim permission to stay at his house until 12. The time was 12:45. Jim was late.
When he heard a car engine approaching, he put his shovel to the dirt. He casually watched as Jim jogged to the house carrying a bag.
"Good morning, sorry I am late, just going to dump these, change clothes and I'm coming back." He said in a hurry. Dwight opened his mouth to yell at him for his inappropriate worker behavior and correct him that it wasn't morning but noon, but Jim had already disappeared inside the house.
Five minutes later Jim came to his side, wearing his usual working jeans, muddy boots, his jacket and a pair of gloves he took from the barn, together with a shovel.
"Before you say anything, think about a sad little Cece that was crying when I went to leave." Jim said to Dwight next to him as he immediately started working with his shovel.
"I did you and Pam a favor and you dare to come here almost two hours late?" Dwight asked.
"Look man, I am sorry but I swear, I will make it up to you." Jim said.
"You bet your ass you will." Dwight threatened him. They continued working in silence.
After some hour of covering the dirt with manure (Jim had to really get used to the smell) they went to sit at the porch to rest for a bit. Jim went inside the kitchen for a bit to bring them some water, which they drank it in an instant.
Then they agreed that it was time to continue their work. They got up and walked to their shovels.
Jim really, really needed a hot shower. The clock was showing 2 o'clock in the morning. He had been working for almost 12 hours, including some breaks to catch his breath. Today Dwight had been merciless to him. To sum up, after they finished the manuring of the dirt, Mose came back from his doctor's appointment. Dwight instructed him to take the day off to recover, which Mose just kind of accepted so he disappeared inside the house doing whatever he is doing in his free time. Dwight told Jim that his job for the rest of the day was to feed all the animals, cut some wood, clean the horse stables and brush the horses. He did those things sometimes before, no worries, but this time neither Dwight or Mose helped him get done sooner. Dwight said this was his punishment for being late. Jim really wanted to cuss him, but he did say that he would pay him back. Just not that soon. So he did as he was instructed.
He felt awfully dirty and his arms and legs were killing him. He tiredly arrived in front of he porch where he got his boots off. He locked the entrance door and the kitchen door. He opened the fridge to grab an apple for dinner and used all the power that was left in him to go up the stairs. He immediately threw his muddy clothes to the laundry basket and entered the bath. He did a shower and exited it only when he was sure that every sign of dirt was washed away from his body and hair. He dried his hair quickly with a towel, using a hairdryer at this hour would wake the others and make Dwight mad. He wore his PJ's and fell flat on his bed, his legs no longer holding him. He covered himself with the blankets and quickly fell asleep.
Dwight often asked himself if he was being cruel or he just believed in justice. When he saw that Jim hadn't gotten up from bed at 6 o'clock in the morning, a little later than he was used to, he went upstairs to find out why. The answer was no simpler than the fact that the other man was in deep sleep under the covers. Dwight wondered what time Jim had finished his tasks, it would have taken him about eleven hours to do all of them. But he was sure that Jim slacked off and completed half of them, so it must've took him about seven, tops.
"Wake up you slacker." Dwight yelled. Jim shifted under the covers. Dwight didn't have time for games, he had many errands to run before tomorrow when office work would start again.
"I said wake up, it is already six o'clock! We have work to do." He pushed. He heard a grown coming from the man and seconds later, Jim got up to the side of his bed. His hair was a mess and his eyes were red. You could easily say that he didn't get almost any rest.
"Jeez look at you. You look awful." Dwight commented. Jim was too tired to fight back, so he got up and went to the bathroom. Dwight continued watching him walk by past him.
"That rude piece of.." he muttered and went downstairs. Mose was ready to start his share of today's chores.
"Hey Mose, do me a favor, go and check how many chores Jim completed yesterday." Dwight told his cousin, who nodded and run? Into the farming grounds to check every 'outpost' that Dwight assigned Jim at. Dwight had told Mose what he'd done to Jim yesterday in order to teach him who the boss is in these fields. Mose didn't react, but remembered that this method was used a lot in the family. When a worker is disrespectful, just make him work harder. Or as Uncle Malcolm always said, 'till he bleeds.
Jim slowly made his way to the kitchen where he greeted Dwight with a tired yawn. He sank in the chair and dropped his head to his arms on the table, yearning for some seconds of sleep. He really needed some coffee right now, and what a tragic irony that Dwight had none.
"What happened to you, did a zombie bit you?" Dwight joked. "But if it did, then I am sorry, but we have to make a difficult decision." Dwight added with less humor.
"I am just tired." Jim's muffled voice came from the table. Dwight wanted to laugh.
"Drop the act. Now I don't care this time if you eat or not eat, you have work to do. You must finish all the things you didn't do yesterday." Dwight informed.
"No need. I finished them all yesterday." Jim said, without raising his head to look at him.
"Very funny Jim, really. You expect me to believe that?" Dwight asked. Jim didn't reply. Dwight was ready to attack again, when Mose entered the kitchen from the porch.
"All good." He said. Dwight had to listen again.
"What?" he asked.
"All good." Mose insisted.
"All of them? All?" Dwight looked back at an almost asleep Jim.
Mose nodded.
Well Dwight be damned. This was the last thing he expected Jim to do. He made a gesture to Mose to continue with his work, and went to the table and sat across Jim.
"You really did everything I told you to do yesterday?" Dwight asked seriously with a hint of astonishment.
Jim finally raised his head from his arms and looked at Dwight with a tiresome smirk.
"Yes." He replied. Dwight was kind in a loss of words.
"How long did it took you?" he asked.
"Up to two in the morning." He answered.
"That's…that's very good. Well done." Dwight quickly put a façade of the stoic boss. Jim may have complied to his instructions for once in the time they've known each other, but that didn't mean he would get all softie on him. That was a punishment to teach Jim where he belonged, and it appears it worked.
"Now eat up and join me. We have to take stock." He said and got up. Jim nodded and got up to make himself a breakfast. Dwight looked at the man and for a moment thought that Jim wasn't that of a worthless piece of human flesh as he thought.
Jim was very happy that today was less busy than yesterday since he only had to do the stock taking and some little work in the farm and around the house. The three men had gotten off work at eleven am, so they took their time and ate a rich lunch that included cabbage pie, roast chicken with potatoes and beet salad with goat cheese. Mose asked Jim if he wanted to continue their German lesson later, which Jim agreed, after he got a few hours of sleep first. Dwight was busy recreating martial art scenes from movies in his bedroom, which Jim found very funny but reminded him that Dwight might beat him in a fight.
Jim greeted his bed with a loud thump and let sleep take him.
He woke up at seven o'clock, he has only slept for two hours. But it was alright, he guessed he could always sleep earlier in the night. He got downstairs in the kitchen where he made himself a warm cup of black tea. He went to the living room where Mose was watching some ad commercials.
"Hey Jim." Mose greeted him not bothering turning his look away from the TV.
"Hey bud. What are ya doing?" Jim asked as he sat on the sofa.
"Watching a documentary about ducks." Mose replied. "It's on ad break."
"I can see that." Jim said. "Do you want to start or…" Jim asked.
"After it finishes." Mose said. Jim made an understanding grimace and sipped his tea. Since the TV was taken, he got up and made his way to the library in order to find something to read.
The whole time he was here, he has read one book from Dwight's bookcase. It was a psychological thriller, which honestly fit Dwight perfectly. The first time Jim searched for books to read he was met with books about farming, beets, martial arts, the whole Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings series, a couple magazines about bears and some old historic journals about the farm that probably belonged to his family.
Jim was actually lucky he found that book to entertain himself. But he has finished it, so he started searching the bookcase for something new. After what it seemed like an eternity, he settled on picking up the Prisoner of Azkaban. He retuned holding it to the sofa where Mose's show was back from the break, and started reading it.
Half hour later, Jim's reading was disrupted by Mose, whose documentary appeared to be over.
"Ok let's start." He simply said. Jim nodded and put his book on the side. He followed Mose to their usual study table, which was the living rooms table, and sat side by side as they usually do.
The lesson went on like the other times, Mose would just say some random words and Jim would write them on his notebook. This was not a proper way of learning a language, but Jim was bored, and Mose wanted that sugar so here they were.
Jim knew of course that he should be asking Dwight about teaching him, but he thought against it, since he was sure that the man would lynch him whenever he made a grammar mistake or something else. As far as he knew, Dwight's motto was no pain no gain.
So, Mose it was.
They were doing this sort-of-lesson for about half an hour until Jim decided that it was time for him to go back to his bed with his book. Tomorrow was office job, so he and Dwight would arrive to their post at seven, so he'd better stock up on rest.
He read a few pages of his book, and then he closed his eyes.