(AN: Sorry about the wait on this chapter, loves. Combination of writer's block and psychological issues.)
…
The drive to Louisiana from California took twenty-eight hours. Jamie drove for a total of twenty of those hours, while Odessa, after begging and pleading with the little redhead, had been allowed to drive the last eight while Jamie slept.
The first few hours had been fun. Jamie had Lynyrd Skynyrd blasting through her speakers, and she and Odessa chatted about how the trip was going to go. Jamie, surprisingly, stayed only a mile or two over the speed limit and didn't shout at the other drivers.
However, as the conversation dwindled, Odessa realized that the Lynyrd Skynyrd CD was beginning to grate on her nerves. She hesitantly asked if they could turn it off for a bit. Jamie obliged, although she rolled her eyes and muttered something under her breath.
At one in the afternoon, Odessa closed her eyes and forced herself to sleep. Conversation had stopped altogether, and the ensuing silence was unbearably awkward.
She didn't wake until four, when Jamie had nudged her to let her know they were at a rest stop.
While Jamie loaded up on caffeine to keep herself awake, Odessa bought a bottle of NyQuil at a gas station to knock herself out, which made the time just fly by, although the dreams she had were… interesting.
By three in the morning, though, Jamie was crashing hard.
Odessa needled her until she agreed to pull over and switch seats, muttering "stupid communist ballerina" under her breath as she drifted off.
Odessa had been glad that Jamie had fallen asleep so quickly. Truthfully, Odessa hadn't driven for a couple of years. Sure, she was capable of it. It wasn't like she hadn't learnt to adapt with her leg. She just hadn't had any real need to drive.
Now, at three in the morning, she was navigating this monster of a truck down the highway, inching along as she got used to the gas and brakes.
When Jamie woke back up at nine, she made no move to take back the driver's seat, although she now knew exactly where they were.
"Okay, make a left there!" she said, drowsy but excited. "We're just outside of Lafayette!"
By eleven, they were pulling into the driveway of a yellow, one-story house that made Odessa think of iced tea and swooning Southern Belles. She said as much to Jamie, who rolled her eyes.
"That's Georgia, Dess." She nudged her friend's arm. "This is Louisiana. It's much better."
They eased themselves out of the truck, and hadn't even gotten their things out of the bed before a red-haired young man came whooping out of the house, pouncing on Jamie.
"Ross!" Jamie shrieked, giggling as he spun her around. "Put me down, you asshole!"
"Girl, I ain't seen you in two years! You best not be tellin' me to put your scrawny ass down!" He tossed her over his shoulder like a sack of flour, whooping at the top of his lungs. "Big sis is back in town, baby!"
"Ah, so this is Ross, I take it?" Odessa said politely. Ross, Jamie's younger brother who was a foot taller than her. At eighteen, he was the "baby" of the family, the star of his high school's basketball team, and, as Odessa was realizing now, a stretched out, male version of Jamie, right down to the last freckle.
"You got that right, pretty lady!" Still hoisting Jamie over his shoulder, he strode over, thrusting out his free hand and shaking Odessa's with an iron grip. "Ross Fussell, at your service, ma'am. And you must be Odessa! Jamie's talked an awful lot about you! Good to finally meet you!"
"It's, er, good to meet you, too." Odessa's hand throbbed when Ross finally let go.
"Your things in the truck? I got 'em." With ease, Ross reached in and grabbed both Odessa and Jamie's bags from the back, swinging them onto his free shoulder.
He led Odessa into the house. Jamie made faces at her, bobbing up and down on her brother's shoulder.
"Is that who I think it is?" a woman's voice called from the kitchen.
"Hot off the presses!" Ross shouted as he led them in. "Jamie and friend!"
Once they were in the kitchen, Ross let Jamie down. She was immediately engulfed in her mother's arms.
Odessa shifted uncomfortably as she watched the warm, family scene before her. She recognized Jamie's mother from the pictures Jamie had shown her: tall, slender, and deeply tanned, with a long curtain of silky blonde hair spilling down her back.
"It's so good to see you, baby!" her mother squealed.
"Hey, Ma." Jamie laughed. "Missed you."
Jamie's mother released her, only to turn to Odessa and give her the same long, tight hug.
"Odessa, right? It's so good to finally meet you! Jamie talks about you all the time on the phone!"
"It's… good to meet you, too, Mrs. Fussell." Odessa said weakly, patting her awkwardly on the back.
"You can call me Ma, too, if you want. Or Linda. None of this Mrs. Fussell crap." She finally let go, her eyes twinkling. "Mrs. Fussell is my mother-in-law."
"Is Nana coming tomorrow?" Jamie asked warily.
"I'm afraid so." Linda nodded gravely. "Bright and early tomorrow morning."
"Fuck." Jamie rolled her eyes.
"Language, Jamie!" Ross ruffled her hair. "Impressionable ears, mind you."
"Oh, please."
"No, Ross, I agree." Linda scowled. "Nana's arrival definitely earns a 'fuck'. Not to mention a 'shit'. Maybe even a 'God damn it'."
"Mama! My virgin ears!" Ross fake-swooned, fanning himself with his hand.
Linda rolled her eyes, smiling.
"Odessa," She turned back to the Russian. "I'm really sorry, but we're a little low on space. Will you be okay sharing a bed with Jamie?"
"Oh, er, yes. Certainly." Odessa nodded. "We sleep together a lot anyway."
Ross let out a strangled laugh. Linda blinked.
"O-okay, then!" Linda beamed. "Jamie, I'm glad you've finally found someone!"
"Not like that! Not like that!" Jamie's voice squeaked as she protested. "Like, actual sleeping!"
Odessa's face burned as she realized what she had implied.
"Just sleeping." She confirmed quickly. "Nothing else!"
"You sure?" Ross drawled, giving them a lazy grin. "Y'all would be pretty cute together. Make some real pretty babies."
Mortified, Odessa glanced pleadingly at Jamie. Jamie's cheeks had gone scarlet, and she had taken a few steps away from Odessa.
"Shut up, would you?" she muttered to Ross, scowling. "It's all platonic."
"Oh, alright, alright." Ross gave her a one-armed hug. "Whatever you say, Big Sis."
Odessa could tell this was going to be an interesting trip.
