Out Of Focus (Wattys 2023)

32. The Totally Not Awkward Flight.

"Oh, you're telling me absolutely everything on this awkward 14-hour flight. If mama's gotta be out of work, I'm sure as hell going to be entertained."

Lisa can't seem to help herself as she follows close next to Shayne in the Kingsford Smith International Airport, her luggage clacking behind her. Somehow, the airport has managed to shut off a small portion for the crew, cast, and Penelope to get from the entrance to the gate without being hounded. It's one small gift at least, especially since Lisa is right, this flight is about to be EXTREMELY awkward.

"I don't know what you want me to say," Shayne grumbles, trying to avoid the death glares he's getting from Harper, Sophia, and Liz as he drags his luggage. There have been no signs of Oliver at all so far, but he's assured Shayne he's just waiting for everyone to get boarded so he can sneak on without making things worse.

"I want you to tell me how a production assistant and movie star can sneak around for literal weeks on end without the head bitch in charge even getting a whiff," Lisa says.

Shayne chuckles at that, making light of what's sure to be a horrible experience. "I take it you're the head bitch in charge?"

"You sir, just yourself a gold star and a punch on your Hollywood pariah punch card."

"Does that get me out of this flight?"

Lisa laughs, throwing her free arm around his neck. "You're cute kid, very cute; but no. I expect all of the Sholiver details before I take my in-flight melatonin or I'll be filing a personal lawsuit for wasting my damn time, capeesh?"

"Capeesh," he replies as they get closer and closer to the right terminal.

"Now if you'll excuse me," she says, eyes pointed towards the bathroom. "I have a mini bottle of tequila to judge before we board. Try not to get involved in any multi-million dollar sex scandals while I'm gone won't you?"

Shayne shrugs, "No promises."

And then Lisa's gone, b-lining it into the bathroom with her luggage as the door slams shut behind her; leaving Shayne feeling truly alone here. It's not that the faces of everyone around him hate him per se (aside from maybe the ladies), but it's obvious they don't entirely trust him. He can't blame them either, he has been lying, whether he wanted to or not, about this rocky romance with a guy who would have made him puke weeks ago. Things just kind of got out of hand, and here they were, trying to fix it.

Shayne makes his way over to a water fountain, leaning down to take a sip, when he feels a tap on his shoulder.

"For what it's worth," the voice is saying, "I'm really sorry."

He turns to see, not just Chloe, but a man, who he can only describe as the most buff man he's seen in his life, next to her as well. She's wearing a guilty look on her face, her hands pressed together in a shiny pair of silver handcuffs. It had been easy to leverage Ethan's need of being let out of Carmen and Clide's apartment by snitching on his accomplice. After all, it's not illegal to take pictures of people in public places, but it is illegal to deliberately sabotage someone's parachute when jumping out of a plane. The Federal Air Marshall's office ate that shit up, so Shayne for the life of him, can't figure out why Chloe would apologize to him all of a sudden.

"For what it's worth," Shayne says. "I think you should stay far away from reality TV for a while. I also can't believe you're a nurse at this point. The brand's got to be taking a big hit."

Chloe sighs, the Air Marshall trying to contain a chuckle next to her.

"I probably deserved that one," she says. "I just couldn't keep doing it. I thought I could scare you away. Get you to leave him alone so we could keep going with the show. I was convinced I could get him to fall for me if you were out of the way."