Out Of Focus (Wattys 2023)

35. Happiness Is What Happiness Does.

"I can't believe Oliver actually lost his shit! Now that's how we Americans do it in the States mate! You're basically a male Karen now!"

Oliver is chuckling into the straw of his drink as Max continues to ramble. He's never been to Shayne's sister's shop before, but he can see the charm. Lily's closed it to the general public after Shayne gave her the heads up they were heading over though, so it's mostly empty: other than him, Pen, Shayne, Lily, and Max; who are all seated at one of the cafe's tables.

"You know, Max, I never thought I'd see the day when Oliver would give the corporate executives a piece of his mind," Shayne says, amusement evident in his voice. "You had to be there for it. Quite the show."

Max leans forward, his eyes wide with curiosity. "Seriously, spill! What did they say? How did they react? Did anyone pass out from shock? And most importantly, did anyone get fired?"

Penelope rolls her eyes playfully, a smirk tugging at her lips. "Is he always this annoying?"

Lily meets her gaze, responding with a firm nod.

"Well, Max, it was intense," Shayne says. "The questions were relentless, and Oliver made a statement. He let them have it, demanding that they pay the cast and crew, make a substantial donation to an LGBTQIA+ charity, and give me a chance as a writer."

Max's eyes widen even further (Oliver is very amused at this point) his excitement reaching new heights. "No way! That's incredible! Did they agree to all of it? Did Oliver go full Hulk on them?"

Oliver laughs, shaking his head. "No, not full Hulk, but I made my voice heard. And thankfully, the executives agreed to some of our demands. They'll pay the cast and crew, make the donation, and they're open to considering Shayne for future writing opportunities. They're even giving him some kind of mentorship gig."

Lily raises an eyebrow, her gaze shifting between Shayne and Max. "So my little brother isn't going to be a massive fuck up that I have to pity hire?"

Shayne sighs. "I'm going to try not offended by that, but no, you and your coffee are safe. You can keep screwing your new boy-toy in the back without any sibling trauma."

Lily screams.  "I should've left your punk ass on read and ignored your phone calls when you needed me. You little brat."

Shayne leans back in his chair. "I love y'all too."

Penelope smirks, clearly enjoying the banter between Shayne and Lily. "Well, it seems like the sibling rivalry is alive and well. I can't say I'm surprised. Shayne here knows how to push everyone's buttons."

Max leans in, "Oh, this is getting good! Should I back you up with a few of those embarrassing childhood stories you told me about him, babe?

Shayne groans, rolling his eyes. "Max, first of all, never call my sister babe in front of me again. Second of all, please spare me the embarrassment. I'm trying to salvage what's left of my dignity here as is."

Lily chuckles, giving Shayne a playful pat on the shoulder. "Oh, come on, little brother. It's all in good fun. Besides, you've been through about enough free coffee to cut into profits. I think we could all use a good laugh."

Shayne's eyes widen, a hint of panic creeping into his voice. "Wait, Max, let's not bring up that time in the bathroom when I saw you-"

But Max cuts him off, laughing. "Oh, don't worry, Shayne. I'll save that one for another time. Right now, let's focus on celebrating your victory over the corporate suits and the fact that Oliver here is officially a male Karen!"

Oliver shakes his head, still chuckling. "I can't believe I've earned that title. Who would've thought?"

Penelope raises an eyebrow, a smirk playing on her lips. "Well, Oliver, you certainly made a statement. I can't say I've ever seen someone go toe-to-toe with network executives like that."