Title: The Start of Something New
Fandom: The Office
Author:
spuffy_girl Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 1,568
Disclaimer: I don't own The Office and never will. No copyright infringement intended.
Author's Note: Special thanks to my beta, EmilyHalpert. She helped me out a lot and even came up with the title!
Summary: Jim and Pam have a hard time letting their twin sons go on their first day of kindergarten. Set five years after Company Picnic.
Pam Halpert didn’t want to wake up. She knew what was coming today, and Pam dreaded it. Her little boys were growing up.
A blonde-haired, blue eyed little boy rushed into the bedroom, jumping up and down. “Mommy, Daddy, let’s go!” cried Will. He was so excited that he and Eli were starting kindergarten today.
Jim knew his wife was dreading this day, so he decided to offer taking care of breakfast this morning. “I’ll get them breakfast,” Jim informed his wife. He rolled out of bed. Both Will and Eli grabbed his hands, and the Halpert men headed into the kitchen.
Five minutes later Pam got out of bed and walked to the kitchen. Will and Eli were eating cereal, while Jim was getting his own bowl of cereal out. The pregnant woman smiled at her husband and sons. “Are you excited?”
“Yes, Mommy,” Eli confirmed. The six year old couldn’t wait to start school. He’d love to read stories and play games, just like his parents had told him and Will about.
“I’m happy for you, Baby.” Pam was happy for her sons, but she didn’t want Will and Eli to grow up so fast. She still remembered the day she and Jim learned that she was pregnant. They were even more shocked a few months later when they learned that they were having twins.
“What are you going to do today?” questioned Will. He was always wondering what his parents did when he and Eli weren’t around.
“We’re going to work, silly,” Jim reminded his son.
Pam tried to remain strong for her sons. She didn’t want them to see her fall apart over something stupid as them starting their first day of kindergarten. Pam also knew that her pregnancy hormones were affecting her. She held back tears for the sake of her sons. “You two have tons of fun today,” she told Will and Eli. Pam wasn’t sure about that, though. What if they cried for her and Jim? They were in daycare and had attended pre-school, but this was different somehow.
“Of course we will, Mommy,” Eli answered.
The boys continued chattering while Pam slowly ate her cereal. Once they’d finished, Pam cleaned up their bowls, and told Jim that she was going to take a shower. She knew she had to get ready, her kids were going off to school whether she wanted it or not.
While Pam was showering, Jim got the boys ready for school so his wife didn’t have to worry about it. That didn’t stop him from thinking about the fact that his heart was breaking. Jim said he was going to be strong for Pam and the boys, but he couldn’t believe Will and Eli were growing up.
Jim and Pam decided they needed a picture of their boys on Will and Eli’s first day of school. Pam knew they needed to document this important day. They had the boys grab their backpacks and head into the living room. Pam snapped so many pictures that both Will and Eli soon started complaining about the flash.
A few seconds later, all four Halperts headed out to the car. “I’ll be picking you up,” Pam informed her sons. She was only working half a day today so she could pick up Will and Eli from school.
“What are we going to do then?” Will questioned. He couldn’t wait to start kindergarten today, but he also wanted to plan what was going to happen later.
Pam shrugged. “I’m not sure. I’ll think about it while I’m at work today. What would you two like to do?” Pam had no doubt that it was going to be something that would tire her.
“We should go see a movie,” Eli suggested. He was always suggesting movies, because he loved them so much. Eli always wanted to buy one every single time they went to the store.
“I don’t know if we could make it before dinner.” Pam really didn’t feel like sitting down in a movie theater for two hours. With her pregnancy almost over, doing anything was uncomfortable. Her ankles were already so swollen that she had to wear sandals all the time. Of course, with the twins, she graduated to slippers by the end of the sixth month.
Ten minutes later, the Halpert family made their way to the elementery school that Will and Eli were attending. There were tons of parents and kids outside, waiting to go in while their kids were on the playground.
“I’m going to miss you,” a tearful Pam told Will and Eli. She had promised herself that she wouldn’t cry today, but that was impossible. Her pregnancy hormones were working against her.
“Are you okay, Mommy?” asked Will. He didn’t know why his mommy was crying like this, but his daddy had told him and Eli that it had something to do with the baby they were getting in a few months.
“I’m okay. I just can’t believe how big you boys are getting.” Pam choked back a sob. She was not going to do this today.
“Boys, I’m so proud of you.” Jim was trying not to fall apart himself, but he was a little stronger than Pam at the moment. He knelt down to give Will and Eli a hug.
“Can we go in now?” Eli asked. He was very impatient and didn’t understand why his parents were crying. He wanted to meet his teacher and other kids. Maybe he and Will would have different friends instead of their old ones they shared. Eli was pretty outgoing. He was ready to make friends with everyone.
Pam laughed despite her tears. “Let’s go,” she said. She and Jim walked Eli down to Room 103. His teacher was named Mrs. Vanderhalton.
“And who are these two cuties?” Mrs. Vanderhalton asked. There were three other students in the room, two girls playing with dolls and a boy reading a book.
“I’m Eli and this is Will. And this is my mommy and daddy and the baby inside Mommy,” he explained. Pam and Jim smiled at his rambling.
Mrs. Vanderholton smiled too. “Welcome Eli. Congratulations on starting kindergarten. You too, Will. And congratulations on the new baby, Mr. and Mrs. Halpert.”
“Thank you,” Jim answered.
“Bye, Mommy. Bye, Daddy. Bye, Will,” chirped Eli. He grabbed his backpack and went over to the group of kids over by the toys.
Pam and Jim were in shock. They couldn’t believe that Eli had just wandered off to play with his friends. “We’ll see you later!”Pam called. She grabbed Will’s hand, afraid to let go. Pam knew that she had just a few minutes before he’d run off and both her boys would be gone. Jim had his other hand. Jim, Pam, and Will left a few minutes later to go to Will’s classroom. His teacher was Miss Hallson.
Without his brother beside him, Will became scared. He hid behind his parents while they introduced him to his teacher. Will refused to let go of Pam and Jim’s hands. Pam’s heart was breaking as she saw how terrified her little boy was. It was taking everything in her to not leave and take Will with her.
The teacher kneeled down on the floor.“Hello Will. I’m Miss Hallson. Welcome to my class.”
“Mommy and Daddy, don’t leave me,” Will pleaded as Jim and Pam prepared to leave. He’d been excited about school before, but now that he was there, he was scared.
“ You’ll love school. We’ll be back soon, I promise.” Jim assured his son. He knew that he couldn’t take Will with him, as much as he wanted to.
“I’ll miss you,” Will sobbed and that was it for Pam. She also started crying and wouldn’t stop.
“We’ll be back later, Will. Go have fun. Look at that little boy over there, Kiddo. He’s playing with blocks. You love those. Go ask him if you can play” Jim said. He and the crying Pam reluctantly left the school and headed towards Dunder Mifflin.
At 2:30, Pam left Dunder Mifflin. She had talked to all of her clients that she needed to, and it was time to pick the boys up from school.
When Pam picked them up,. Eli raved on and on about school -his new friends, his teacher, and the projects he worked on the today. Will, however, grabbed onto her, and wouldn’t let go. His eyes were puffy, it was obvious he’d been crying for awhile.
“How was school?” Pam asked. She had cried the entire way to work this morning, but had now calmed down.
“It’s okay.” Will said.
Pam ended up stopping at the store to grab some chocolate chips. She, Will, and Eli made chocolate chip cookies when they got home. Both boys loved them, and the cookies always made them feel better.
That night at dinner, the boys talked about their day, similar to the morning. Will was happier than he had been earlier. He admitted he liked his teacher and a few classmates. Eli just rambled on and on about his new friend, Logan, and the games they’d played.
Pam smiled. She finally felt like maybe everything was going to be okay. Will would adjust to school, she’d adjust to having her boys grow up. “Besides,” she thought, rubbing her swollen stomach, in a few months, there’ll be another baby around.