Out Of Focus (Wattys 2023)

38. Of Course There's A Catch.

"I'm just surprised he hasn't had a heart attack with how much I saw him drink on set," Oliver says.

"I'm surprised he didn't slip a little something extra into his drink with the mind games you like to play with him," she says. "You've even given me headaches."

"Is he even old enough to drink?"

"How do you not know how old my brother is?"

They both laugh at that, Oliver realizing there's no way of talking himself out of that one.

"OK, you got me, he told me in a text though," Oliver says. "I think my brain is just fried from all of the random fun facts about women I'm never going to see again I had to cram in my head."

Lily groans. "Please stop reminding me about how much of a low-key terrible person you are. I get the following your heart thing and all, but babbling about the women's hearts you broke is the last thing I want to hear about while you brainstorm getting back into my brother's pants."

There's a long pause there.

"Do you even have a filter? I'm honestly very curious, you're the most Australian American I think I've met. That mouth," Oliver says.

"I'm going to take that as a big compliment."

Oliver chuckles on the other end of the line. "Well, you're welcome, I guess. But let's get back on track here. I need your help, Lily. I want to do something special for Shayne, something that shows him how much I care."

Lily picks up her coffee mug from the nearby table and takes a sip, immediately putting it down when she realizes it's cold.  "Alright, so, I'll lure him out of his funk to The Brew in the morning, whip him a strong cup of his favorite and you'll swoop in. Add your flair, some kind of dramatic gesture, and fix your mess."

"What if I come dressed up as a kangaroo?"

"Do not come dressed up as a kangaroo, I'll kick your ass out," she says.

"No."

"Pretty please?"

"You couldn't pay me enough to let a grown man in a kangaroo costume in my coffee shop."

Another long pause.

"Because a certain brooding and stupid Australian just got his cut of the check from a certain reality TV show that blew up in his face, I'm sure the brew could use another investor."

"Ugh," Lily says. "I literally can't stand any of you."

"You're the best big sister ever Lily, Shayne's lucky to have you."

Oliver has yet to tell her something she doesn't already know.

***

Oliver does, convince Lily to let him come to The Brew in a kangaroo costume, she knows that because she's discretely checking her phone while Shayne's in her passenger seat the next morning. Oliver's sent her a picture of him in said suit, with a big thumbs up. He couldn't look more ridiculous if he tried, and Lily knows she deserves an Oscar for holding it together while Shayne's looking all mopey.

Old Humphrey grinds along the road toward the shop for a few more moments before she breaks the silence.

"You know you're going to have to tell me what happened eventually right?" She asks. "I'm not just going to let you go back into your sad little depressed shell."

"Respectfully sis," Shayne says, "and I do mean this respectfully because you've been a rock through the mess of my life; I don't want to talk. I just want to cry into the coffee you bribed me with because I'm cheap and don't want to use my K-cups."