Brian's Camaro wasn't that big. But for having 3 small children in the backseat, I thought there was plenty of room.
Rachel sat in a booster seat behind the driver seat. I sat behind the front passenger seat, and Jack was in between us. Brian had taken out Jack and I's booster seat to make room.
My mom sat in the front seat, my dad in the driver seat.
Brian led everybody behind us; Uncle Dom, Letty, and little Brian, Uncle Shaw and Owen, Uncle Roman, Tej, and even Hobbes.
"You said you picked a place, Dez?"
"Yes."
"Okay."
"Can I tell you?"
"When we get to the highway."
I didn't keep track of the time after that, but eventually Brian looked at me through the rear view mirror.
"Okay, Dez. Where're we going?"
"The Dominican Republic!" I said excitedly. Brian and Mia smiled at me, and then at each other.
"Perfect. Good thinking." Brian said.
"San Juan? Santo Domingo? Santiago?" Mia asked.
"Dez?"
"Santo...Dom." I said, forgetting how to pronounce the rest of it. Mia smiled.
I knew she meant for me not to hear it, but there was no clearer sound in the air than when she leaned over and whispered to Brian.
"Will he be safe there?"
Too many hours and several naps later, we arrived at the El Embajador hotel in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
"The Dominican Republic? Really, Dez?" Owen asked as he got out of his car to stretch his legs. "You couldn't have picked London or something?"
"Sorry, Uncle Owen." I said as I pushed my bottom lip out at him. I turned to admire the building.
Roman, Tej, Uncle Shaw and Hobbes took off in their vehicles to patrol the city.
Brian and Mia led Jack and Rachel inside.
I walked in a few minutes layer with Uncle Dom, Aunt Letty and Brian.
"Uncle Dom?'
"What is it, Squirt?"
"Why did we need to come here?"
"Cause this is the place you picked, Dez." He explained, confused.
"Why did we have to leave Los Angeles?" I questioned.
Dom motioned Brian and Letty on. He knelt down in front of me.
"Dez, your dad will explain this to all of us at some point. Can you wait till then?" I thought about it.
"I guess so."
Dom and I walked into the hotel.
Brian and Mia were checking us in, while the counter man looked at us as though we didn't belong here at all.
Letty and little Brian were wandering the lobby. Jack and Rachel stood by a giant fish tank. I joined them.
A few minutes later, Brian and Mia walked up behind us.
"We're all set. Let's go check out the rooms."
