Chapter 2
It was Monday morning, and the Jefferson's arrived at Joanne and Maureen's apartment around nine am.
Maureen was ready and changed as she sat at the kitchen table, with her head in her hands, and a cup off coffee in front of her.
"Rise and shine Maureen, its camping time." Mr. Jefferson called out from the living room.
Maureen slowly lifted her head and plastered a fake smile on her face. "Oh yay, camping."
"Honeybear, want to help bring our stuff down? The faster we pack the car, the faster we are there." Joanne said.
Mrs. Jefferson nodded. "And we want to get there as soon as we can, so we don't waste any vacation time."
Maureen reluctantly stood up from the table and headed for her suitcase. "Well I don't want to be the one who makes us lose out on vacation time." Maureen said in a chipper voice.
Mr. Jefferson smiled. "That's the spirit."
Maureen picked up her suitcase and headed for the door, she then turned around and noticed Joanne was the only one looking at her, so she made her hand into a gun and pointed it to her head, thus making the sign that she was shooting herself.
Joanne simply smiled and waved Maureen off.
Ten minutes later everything was packed in the Jefferson's car and they were ready to go.
"We got everything?" Mr. Jefferson asked.
"Yup." Joanne said from the back seat.
Mrs. Jefferson turned around to face the two girls. "Anyone need to go to the bathroom before we go? It's a six hour drive and we don't stop until the third hour."
Maureen shook her head. "Nope I'm good, lets just get this trip on its way."
"Someone is excited." Mr. Jefferson said while looking at Maureen in the review mirror.
"I'm always excited to spend time with you." Maureen lied.
"Aw Maureen, you are too kind." Mrs. Jefferson said, oblivious to the drama queen's bitterness. "Isn't she sweet Harold?"
"Just like honey." Mr. Jefferson said as he pulled out of the parking lot and into traffic.
Maureen turned and gave Joanne a phony smile. "You hear that Joanne, I'm sweet like honey."
Joanne grabbed Maureen's hand and squeezed it. "I know honeybear I heard."
Maureen quickly pulled her hand away and cradled it. "Ow pookie that hurt."
Joanne gave her an 'you better behave look' and then swiftly turned it into a smile when her mom turned around.
"You two be good back there or we'll turn this car around."
Joanne laughed. "It's okay mom we are just playing."
Maureen sighed and looked out the window. "Playing rude." She said to herself."
Three hours went by and Maureen was sound asleep on Joanne's shoulder.
"Is everyone ready to make a stop?" Mr. Jefferson asked.
"I am." Joanne said.
"Me too." Her mom called out.
"Okay, I'll pull in the next rest stop I see."
Ten minutes later a rest stop was spotted out, so Mr. Jefferson singled off the road and into the parking lot.
Joanne gently shook Maureen awake and soon all four where out of the car and in the bathrooms.
Maureen was the first to finish up so she headed back to the car where she found Joanne's dad standing.
"Hop in the car, I'm going to drive it over to the gas pumps." Mr. Jefferson said.
Maureen nodded and hopped in the front seat, it was a two second drive, and when the care came to a stop they both jumped out.
"Ever pump gas before?" Mr. Jefferson asked.
Maureen shook her head. "Never, I always go to those full service gas stations…or I'll get Joanne to do it."
"Well what are you going to do if you're by yourself?"
Maureen shrugged. "I don't know I never thought about it."
"Well come here I'll show you."
"It's okay, I don't really drive anyway."
"For real it's easy." Mr. Jefferson said.
Maureen groaned and walked around the car. Mr. Jefferson opened his gas tank and step by step showed Maureen how to pump gas.
Maureen stood there and held the pump inside the car's gas tank as the gas flowed inside.
"So your dad never showed you how to do this?" Mr. Jefferson asked.
Maureen shook her head. "I didn't really get along with my parents."
Mr. Jefferson nodded, and didn't ask any further questions. "Okay, I think it's about ready to be pulled out of the car. Just click the handle a little to let a few drops out and I think we're good."
Maureen did what he said and then she carefully pulled out of the car, sticking the pump back in its rightful place. She then closed the car's gas tank and smiled.
"That's it?" Maureen asked.
"Yup, you just pumped gas." Mr. Jefferson said.
Maureen truly smiled this time; happy she actually performed a human task right. "Thank you."
"No problem. Now I have to go pay."
As Mr. Jefferson walked away Joanne and her mom came walking to the car.
"Joanne!" Maureen shouted as she ran to her girlfriend. "I just pumped gas!"
Joanne wrapped her arms around Maureen's waist. "By yourself?"
"No, your dad just taught me. It was pretty cool." Maureen admitted.
"What's the celebration?" Mrs. Jefferson asked.
Maureen smirked and bounced to the car. "I just pumped gas!" She singsonged.
"She gets excited easily." Mrs. Jefferson said. "I think we are going to have fun with Maureen."
Joanne smiled. "You have no idea."