Previously:

Tom put his hand on the small of her back and walked with her to the Smoothie Shack.


"So, Lotty, what will it be?" They were staring, awestruck, at the wide selection of smoothie types to choose from.

"You know, Halpert, if I stayed here and sampled everything I wouldn't even need a smoothie anymore!" Charlotte exclaimed, giggling.

"I do that in the ice cream parlor down the street..." Tom trailed off, faking a guilty look.

"You do not!" Charlotte playfully punched Tom in the arm, and he rubbed the spot where she punched him, pretending to look hurt.

"Hey, it's not my fault they let you sample every flavor. And besides, I was kidding, I'm not that tacky."

"Oh, yes. You are." she teased. She looked down at the floor and then back at him and blushed. There was a certain feeling that Tom got with her. Like he had known her for years, not days.

"So, I ask again: What will your flavor choice be?"

"Oh, I don't know. Whatever you are getting." The cashier stood looking at them, an annoyed but bemused expression on her face. She glanced in back of them at the growing line and shot a pointed look at Charlotte. Tom glanced backwards, people giving them impatient looks.

"Well, Tommy, we have to decide!" she cried out when Tom just stood there, trying to figure out what he would have. This extensive indecisiveness continued.

Meanwhile...


"Tom? Tom?" Jim knocked on Tom's door, hesitantly. "Tom, I'm sorry for not letting you go today. I know how much you wanted to go with that girl to the Smoothie Shack and I feel horrible for not letting you go. If you would just turn your music down and let me talk to you," He said, loudly. When Tom didn't respond, he turned to doorknob, only to find out that it didn't open. He jiggled it again, and sighed, pursing his lips. If that's the way it's going to be.

Tom reached in his pocket and wrapped his fingers around a paper clip. He carefully unraveled it, bending the metal. With exact precision, in a way that you would only know if you had done it before, he stuck the metal strip into the door lock and heard a reassuring click. He was in.

He opened the door, anxiously and peered inside. No Tom. Jim searched his room, in his closet, in his bathroom, and oddly enough, under his desk. It was only then did he realize that Tom was truly not in the house. He spotted the window open, giving the room a chilly breeze. No way. Tom had snuck out. Jim angrily slammed the window closed. He strode out of the room and grabbed his keys. There was only one place he would be at this time, on this day. Tom was so busted.


"I'll have a Merry Berry smoothie," Charlotte said sweetly, finally making up her mind. Tom sighed in relief.

"Make that two, please." He said, equally innocent to the cashier. The cashier rolled her eyes and called over her shoulder the two orders. Tom payed and sat at a table, waiting for their smoothies.

Suddenly an angry customer stormed into the store. He looked around furiously and finally spotted his prey.

All the while, Tom had been shrinking in his chair, his brow furrowed. "Oh, no," he muttered, warily.

Jim walked over to them, livid. Charlotte looked from Jim to Tom and Tom to Jim, noticing similarities.

"Dad." Tom said, barely above a whisper.

"Yeah, yeah, save it buddy. I'm sorry," he directed his attention to Charlotte. She looked familiar. He couldn't quite place it. "He didn't tell you that I wouldn't let him come today because he mouthed off to his teacher? Well, he snuck out," Jim spat out. He had to admit, he felt pretty bad about being so harsh. They were kids after all. And heaven knows he did exactly this type of thing when he was a teenager. But, sometimes he had to play the mean dad card. Too bad they had already paid for their smoothies.

Jim gently tapped unresponsive Tom and he silently followed Jim outside, head down, not daring to make eye contact with Charlotte. Charlotte trailed behind, looking confused, bewildered, and disappointed.

"I can take you home, if you want me to," Jim offered.

Charlotte nodded and followed Tom in the back seat of Jim's scarlet car. Tom kept shooting Charlotte apologizing looks, looks that said: I-tried-to-tell-you-what-was-wrong-but-your-friend-interrupted-me!

Charlotte shyly told Jim the directions to her house, saying no more than the bare minimum. They rode the rest of the way to Charlotte's house, the car so silent you could hear a pin drop. Finally, after what seemed like hours stuck in heavy silence, they pulled up to Charlottes tudor.

"Um," Charlotte started. "Thanks for driving me home, Mr. Halpert."

"It was nothing," Jim said, giving her a regretful look. "I'm sorry I ruined your afternoon." Jim looked down, ashamed. Charlotte sighed and he looked up, as did Tom.

"It's okay." Jim parked the car and he, Tom and Charlotte walked the path to her house, the only noise that could be heard were the tapping of footsteps on the walkway.

Charlotte tried opening the door, but found it locked.

"Heh, I forgot my key." She rang the doorbell a couple of times. "Mom! It's me, open up please!"

"Coming, coming, patience is a virtue!" A voice that Jim had gotten accustomed to rang through his hears. No. It couldn't be. Jim shook his head, ruefully not wanting to ever get his hopes up. He had trained himself not to get his hope up high.

The door opened up and a beautiful women with wavy chestnut hair a hazel eyes stared up at Jim, shocked.

Jim's heart stopped. His eyes locked with a pair of eyes he thought he would never see again. When he finally remembered to breath, he said one word.

"Pam."


AN: I kind of liked this chapter, kind of not. Note to you all: I was really tired when writing this, so sorry for the lack of detail at parts. And the short length. I tried my best.