Their first stop is at a gas station somewhere past Brenda, AZ. They have been talking about music and work, and he's been telling her how excited he is to go back home and see his family's dogs. She doesn't share much about her family, but she keeps a polite smile on her face whenever he happens to tell the story of a fond memory of his. At one time, he decided that maybe telling her about all those happy memories about his family, and particularly his dad, weren't a good idea. After all hers basically left her on Christmas but she asked about details, about his life in Arizona before he came to LA.
Inwardly, he asks himself what would have been if had they met outside of Smosh. Would've he worked up the courage to ask her out? Maybe she would've turned him down. Who knows.
"I'm going to see if they have coffee or something" She said.
Olivia jumps out of the truck as gracefully as she can while wrapping a scarf around her neck and folding her arms around herself. She hurries to the convenience store, while he watches her as he pumps gas.
This is the best time to make the call he needs to make, so he grabs his phone and taps on the screen as he watches his breath condensing in front of him.
It only rings twice before he hears the familiar and warm voice of his mother.
"Shayne, sweetie" She said.
It makes him smile.
"I certainly hope you're not just now leaving LA, it's getting late" She said.
"Hi, mom and no, we left a couple hours ago" He said.
He cringes when he realizes he said we instead of I and by the noise his mom makes, she also thinks it's strange.
"Um, so I need to tell you something" He said.
His eyes fall on the shape of Olivia under those fluorescent lights in the store.
"What happened? Are you okay?" She said taking a deep breath.
"And who is we?" She asked.
His mother is certainly ready to ask all the questions.
Shayne closes his eyes tightly and rubs the back of his neck with his free hand.
"I invited a friend to spend Christmas with us, she was going to stay in LA by herself and I didn't think it was right. I hope you don't mind mom" He said.
Again, there's a pause.
"She?" His mom asked.
Her tone is curious, but he knows what she's implying.
"Olivia is a friend of mine from work" He explains.
"Oh" She said.
He can imagine the pleased smile on his mom's face and he wants to groan at how obvious she's being. He really doesn't want to give more explanations, much less when Olivia can come back at any moment and he made her believe his mom was well-aware of her arrival.
"Of course I don't mind Shayne, this is the time to be giving, to welcome people into our homes when they need us" She stated.
He knows this also has to do with her boyfriend, but he's going to ignore it.
"And I imagine you will give up your room for her?" She asked.
That's a cheap shot that really means to ask if they are sleeping together.
"Yes mom, Olivia will have my room and I'll take the couch" He said.
It must be his imagination, but he believes he heard his mother making a sound of disappointment. Funny, though. When he was young, she always disliked the girls he brought home. His dad laughed it off and said his mother only wished for a smart girl with her feet on the ground, because Shayne's head was always in the clouds with ambition.
