Gina saw the family resemblance right away. Jake was taller than Sonny and a little heavier. But they had the same eyes and same smile. Jake and Sonny embraced each other in a warm hug. Then Jake hugged Gina too. He invited them to join him on the sun deck. There Jake told Gina what Sonny was like as a young kid growing up. The trouble Sonny got into and then his football years. Jake was very proud of him for being a cop. Jake himself was a retired firefighter. Then it was time for some brotherly bonding. Jake took Sonny out on his boat for some off shore fishing. Gina was kept company by Jake's girlfriend.
"I apologize for leaving before they come back, but I have to go to work." Jake's girlfriend said.
"That's okay, I'll just take a nap in the sun until they get back."
Instead, once the woman was gone, Gina got sick in the toilet. Whether it was a residual side effect of the chemotherapy she had recently completed, or just the cancer in general, she didn't know. She was just glad she looked normal again by the time the men came back from their fishing excursion. They showed her their catch and made diner on the grill.
Sonny noticed that Gina wasn't saying much, "darlin' you're quiet tonight."
"Just appreciating the calm of the evening," Gina smiled. "Thank you Jake for having us invade your home."
"The pleasure is all mine Gina. Make sure you drop by again Sonny. I think you both should reconsider returning to Miami and going back to work. Take a few months off, a vacation so to speak, but then you should go back. Even though I am retired, I still volunteer. When it's part of you, running away isn't the answer." Jake lectured them both.
"Jake, we're burnt out. All the lies and corruption, it just got too much," Gina explained for them both.
Sonny's brother wouldn't accept the answer. "Just think about it. It's the little guy you have to protect. Remember how I took on everyone, who tried to hurt you Sonny. I never gave up, even when the odds were against me."
He looked at his brother and said, "Jake you were my champion. I know if everyone gives up then the world would implode, I just need some time."
They hugged him, said good-bye and got in the car to leave. Then Crockett drove them to the airport. On the drive there they decided to go to Puerto Rico first. Crocket paid for their flight. After Caitlin's death, he had inherited a lot of money, he had never touched it, until he quit his job.
[Safety Dance plays as they board the plane: "I say we can go where we want to, A place where they will never find, And we can act like we come from out of this world, Leave the real one far behind, And we can dance….."]
Once they landed, they took a bus to their hotel. Since Gina spoke spanish, they had no problems checking in. Since they arrived in the evening, they had some drinks and then went to bed early. That didn't mean they did much sleeping though. The next day they went horseback riding along the beach and into lush tropical trails. Sonny and Gina also went snorkelling along the rugged shore line. Over the next few days they went to clubs, casinos and relaxed on the beach. It was on the fourth day that someone recognized Crockett, but as Brunett.
Crockett was putting lotion on Gina's back, as they lounged on the beach. He looked up when a man approached. "Brunett? Is that Sonny?"
Since the man had the sun behind his head, Crockett couldn't see his face. "Depends who's asking pal."
"I use to fly for Manolo. Did for you too a while back. What happened to you?"
The man moved out of the sun and Crockett finally recognized the face. It was safest to pretend he was still Brunette. "I went to take care of business in Miami. They didn't take kindly to me retiring two of their officers early. I went to jail for a bit. My wife Gina got me out."
"Oh and how's that?"
Gina sat up, "well it was a technicality. There was a judge who I had some photos of, who liked little boys. They couldn't get my husband out fast enough."
"Hold on to this one Sonny, she's got brains and beauty." The man complimented. Without being asked he added, "I work for Pablo Escobar Gaviria now. I should introduce you sometime."
Gina spoke up now, "oh no you don't. We're on our honeymoon. Business is going to have to wait a few months."
Sonny grinned, "you heard the lady."
The man smiled, laughed and excused himself apologizing for the intrusion. He gave a business card to Crockett and then left.
Sonny looked at Gina, "I guess it's time to go somewhere else. How about Mexico?"
Gina grinned and kissed him. "I've always wanted to go to Mexico Mr. Burnett.
"Well Mrs. Burnett, I will go make the arrangements. Would you like another drink?"
"On your way back, that would be lovely." Gina once again reclined, enjoying the warmth of the sun on her skin.
After making flight reservations to Mexico, Crockett brought Gina another drink. He sat down beside her. "I think that Mr. Burnett is going to get in the way a lot."
"As long as people want to be your friend and not try and kill us, I say let's just see how it plays out." Gina knew Crockett wanted to leave his alter ego far behind.
"Anyway we leave in the early morning. You may want to pack your things tonight."
The next morning, they flew out of Puerto Rico and went to Cancun, Mexico. Once they arrived and had checked in, they went for breakfast. They had huevos rancheros and coffee. As they ate, they talked about driving down the Mexican coast to Belize and then into Guatemala.
"When we get to Guatemala I would love to see the Mayan ruins in Tikal. And see the black sand beaches of Montericco." Gina said to Sonny.
"Sounds good to me. I'd like to get a sailboat and take it down the pacific coast to Costa Rica," Sonny added.
"You miss being on the sailboat don't you?" Gina asked, putting her hand into his.
"Yes, that was one of the good things about that job; the boats and the cars." Sonny chuckled. He paid the bill and they got up, walking hand in hand.
Gina leaned into him and they walked in comfortable silence. She looked up at him and asked, "if you want to go look for cars, I don't mind coming with you."
"Sure we'll go find us some wheels…. legal wheels."
She smiled, "so what did you do with the Ferrari?"
"I left a message for Marty that it was parked at the airport in Key West. I'm sure the local police returned it," Sonny smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
"I noticed some american sports cars around here. I can ask around and see where we can go," Gina said. She went to a cafe and spoke in spanish to the person at the counter. When she came back to Sonny, she had a good lead of where to go.
They took a taxi to a small car dealership. Crockett looked at various cars, undecided if he wanted speed or to blend in with the locals. It was Gina who made the choice for him. She loved the grey Plymouth Hemi Cuda. It had to be bought and not rented, but when she heard the rumble of the engine, it felt like home. When Crockett saw the expression of joy on Gina's face, that sold it for him. He could appreciate american muscle power, even though he preferred european speed. They bought it by paying cash. Then they drove away, back to their hotel.
Crockett knew that as long as they stayed along the coast and near the tourist areas, they wouldn't have any problems with the locals. The problem with doing that was the chance his alias would be recognized, just as it had been in Puerto Rico. As a tourist it was easy to turn a blind eye to the poverty, the crime, the corruption that was in Mexico. With their experience both Crockett and Gina saw the criminal activity all around them. The drug trade, the prostitution, it was here too, just not hidden as much as in the USA. They did as tourists would, drove to the scenic locations, took tours, swam in the ocean and lounged by the pool. A few days in Cancun and then they began the drive to Guatemala.
"It's not a Ferrari, but I do like the power of the Hemi Cuda. It rides well on street as it does on the dirt roads. Good choice Gina," Sonny grinned.
"Makes for a great get away car," Gina joked.
"Are you missing the adrenaline rush of being under cover?" Sonny teased.
"Not really. I could always go swim with sharks or bun jee jump if I need a rush," Gina laughed.
"You bun jee jump, now that I would pay to see!"
They travelled down the coast, stopping at taverns and cheap hotels at night. One night, some local punks tried to take Gina's purse and she put one on his ass right quick. Crockett scared off his buddies. He went to reach for his gun, which they too thought he had and they ran away.
Gina saw him do it and smiled, "we're so use to having our guns. I feel naked without it."
"Darlin' it's hard being a civilian. We need to be careful, cause if those boys had guns, I'd be dead right now."
Gina nodded and put her purse back on her shoulder, making sure all the contents were still in it. "You're right. Let's get going."
Getting into the car, Crockett pulled away from the curb and they cruised casually onward. They didn't want to stay in this town, so he drove all night. Gina dozed on and off. She offered to drive a stretch in the early am, but Crockett was fine. They pulled over at a cafe for some food and coffee. Then continued their journey. At the Belize boarder they had to get a permit and show proof of ownership for the car. Of course it was searched and there were fees to pay. But it all went pretty smoothly.
Their trip went down to Belize City and then westerly. The road was mostly paved and they saw a lot of the country side. Gina drove a small stretch, but mostly Crockett did the driving. At one of the villages that they stopped, Gina had an admirer. He spoke to her in spanish and had her laughing with delight. He was very fit and Gina found him attractive. At first she didn't notice that Crockett was becoming jealous. When the man kissed her cheek and then put a flower in her hair, Crockett made a point of honking the car horn to get Gina's attention. She thanked the man and finally got in the car.
"That man's father knew my mother, when she was singing in clubs. Wow what a small world," Gina said.
Crockett was quiet, his jaw was clenched. When he said nothing, Gina realized he was jealous. As much as it surprised her, it also made her feel good. She couldn't help rubbing it in just a little bit more. "Handsome man, he said his family just moved to this area. So had I grown up in Cuba, I might have married him." She slid a glance at Crockett and saw a vein pulsing furiously on his temple. His jaw was clenched tight. Finally she took pity on him.
"But, I grew up in Miami and met you." Gina made him look at her. She kissed him gently.
He pulled over. He got out of the car and opened her door. She got out, wondering if she'd pushed him too far. She leaned against the door. Sonny looked her in the eye and said. "I regret that I didn't try harder to show you that you meant the world to me. Your friendship, your compassion, your support and your forgiveness, you're an amazing woman Gina." Sonny moved close to her and cupped her face. They kissed for a long time, very passionate. Then he added, "I won't share you with anyone."
Gina smiled, liking that he apologized for the past and made his true feelings known. "Shall we continue our trip down the coast?"
"Your chariot awaits darlin'," Sonny said opening the car door for her, when she moved out of the way.
They drove on and eventually stopped in a small village for lunch. The local children sold Gina a straw sun hat. She bought their trinkets and the children ran behind the car, waiving good-bye. After driving on and off for a few days, they finally were in Tikal and went into the park to visit the Mayan ruins. Some of the tour they took was by hiking and some was via horseback. The ancient ruins, made them feel they were in a totally different time. It was as if time stood still. They were amazed by the stone work, the attention to detail of the carvings.
They stayed overnight at a hotel, sore and tired from the hike and horseback riding. Gina said, "I'll give you a back rub, if you give me one."
Sonny said, "you can go first." His hands worked wonders on her sore muscles.
When Gina was done and straddled Crockett's back to give him a massage, that eventually turned into something much more heated and invigorating. The overhead fan ran constantly, trying to relieve some of the heat in the room. Eventually, the cool breeze allowed them to sleep. In the morning they continued travelling through Guatemala taking Route 5 and then Route 15, as they made their way to the Pacific coast. Their destination was Monterrico, Santa Rosa. This is where the famous black beaches were and where Crockett traded the Hemi Cudda for a sailboat, all legally. The sailboat was a lot smaller than the one Crockett had lived on when he was in Vice, but they didn't need anything too fancy. He could handle the boat all on his own and the cabin was equipped with all they needed. They sailed down the coast to Costa Rica.
Gina and Crockett grew very close over the next few days. They reminisced over the past. First funny cases they had at vice, friends, snitches who became friends, dangerous situations, lovers and then each other. Gina couldn't tell him about her cancer, she didn't want him to help her carry that burden. Crockett's love for her grew with each day and when they finally docked in Costa Rica, he knew what he wanted to do. They got a hotel late in the afternoon, one that had the ocean and beach as it's back yard. While Gina got settled, Crockett made some special arrangements with the staff. That evening he wanted to marry Gina. He got the wedding rings. He planed on proposing and wedding all at the same time. A small inmate wedding on the beach.
"Gina we're going to be dancing on the beach tonight, so I got you this dress. I hope you like it." Sonny gave her the white dress.
"Thank you Sonny, it's so light and pretty." Gina said, not noticing his intent.
She put it on and he put a tropical flower in her hair. He kissed her neck, enjoying her body's response. Then as she turned to him, he got down on one knee. Her eyes grew big and she sucked in her breath. "Sonny?"
"Gina, you've always been there for me. Whether it was the job, my divorce from Caroline, or Caitlin's death. Through it all you gave me support and comfort. We've been through hell and back together. I love you. I always have and since Burnett married you, I think it's time I did too." He took her trembling hand in his, "will you marry me tonight?"
Tears poured down her cheeks, but not in sorrow, in joy. "Yes. YES!."
He handed her a single rose, which made her remember the first time they had been together. It also made her remember the first time she let herself love him. Sonny said, "this time I think I hit it out of the ball park. I'm not bouncing anymore, not with you… I love you Gina."
"Sonny, I love you too."
He smiled, stood up and they hugged each other. "Come with me," Sonny said, holding out his hand. He lead her down a pathway, lighted by torches and came to stand in front of the priest. They repeated the traditional vows and then they were pronounced husband and wife. He gave her a kiss to seal the vows. The rings were on their fingers, they signed the legal documents and paid the fees. Sonny swept her off her feet and carried Gina to their hotel room. They made love as husband and wife. Then they spent the evening after diner, dancing the night away.