Step 5: Add 1 chocolate pudding

And one lie

To make a sweet, medicinal treat

Today had been a weird one for Pam. First, Dwight had been acting nice to her about an hour after he had blown chunks on his car. Second, Jim was getting oddly jealous at her newfound friendship with this new, airhead Dwight. It was amusing, yet annoying for Pam to watch Jim get upset over this stupid, weird phenomenon that was probably only temporary.

Third, she had to watch Ryan race back and forth between the office and various food stores to get dark meat sandwiches for Michael and his burnt foot. She couldn't help but feel sympathetic.

Pam had worked with Michael for quite awhile, and she knew many of the insane food cravings he got. One of them was chocolate pudding from a certain gas station in Carbondale. It was just Swiss Miss Chocolate, but Michael claimed it tasted better from there. Pam just went along with it with little fuss, keeping a package of Carbondale puddings stashed in her drawer at all times. Just in case.

She watched as Ryan walked back out of the conference room, looking exhausted and still in his windbreaker he wore just a few minutes ago out to Strausburg. She could feel the frustration emanating off of him as he walked near her desk to hang up his coat. Pam empathized again.

"He make you get yams again?" Pam asked softly to him. Honestly, she didn't know what Ryan had gotten Michael. Just lately his obsession was yams, and she took a guess.

"Couldn't find them." Ryan sighed as he hung up his coat and ran a hand through his thick, black hair. "I got him everything else I could find, but now he's whining about chocolate pudding." He shook his head hopelessly.

Pam grinned slightly as she leaned down and opened up a hidden drawer. She pulled out a single cup of pudding and handed it to him.

"It's his favorite. The ones from Carbondale." Pam smiled as he took it. He looked absolutely blown away by her quick thinking.

"Oh my God, Pam. Thank you so much!" Ryan looked right into her eyes with a look of immense relief, and Pam felt a churning in her stomach. "I owe you one."

"Don't mention it," Pam tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, smiling back at him. Just then, a loud banging can be heard from the conference room, and everyone turns around to look.

"RYAN!!" Michael shouted from inside. Ryan froze. "Ryan, rub butter on my foot!! It's starting to ooze again...!"

Ryan and Pam just looked at each other, feeling queasy. Pam pulled open another drawer and plucked out a bottle of extra-strength aspirin. She handed it to Ryan.

"For Michael. Mash it up in his pudding... he seems a little fussy."

Ryan stared at her, then at the pills, a smile forming on his lips. "Genius." he muttered before thanking her again and quickly walking off toward the kitchen.

Pam watched him go, knowing that joking with Ryan had its benefits. She turned back to her computer, a grin still playing on her lips.

Step 5: Check