Author's Note: OMG I loooooooooooooooooved Fast 6 so much. I am going to see it again on Tuesday. I hope you guys all enjoy it. I'm super excited about the next installment already. Just to note here, I know that according to the movie, Mia and Brian's son is named Jack, but I'm not really interested in changing it in my shorts here. So unless I change my mind he's staying as Vince. ALSO I got many requests to do the continuation of my last chapter – Girls' Night Out and I promise I will.
This is a request for Mia watching the mini one while her parents are on vacation. Enjoy!
A Separation
She was only two the first time her parents went away on vacation. Aunt Mia had practically bullied them into it, Mami had said. But the truth of the matter was that they could probably use the break.
At first it was exciting. She hugged and kissed Mami and Papi goodbye then raced inside to play with her cousin Vince and his toy cars. For dinner Aunt Mia made mac n' cheese with spicy chicken and she got chocolate ice cream for dessert.
She got to sleep in V's room in his old crib and Uncle Brian told them a bedtime story about dinosaurs. He pretended to be the different dinosaurs, roaring and stomping around the room until she and Vince were breathless from giggling.
That night she fell asleep quickly, worn out by the excitement.
By the next day she was starting to miss her parents. She was grumpy in the morning and only picked at her breakfast, even though Aunt Mia had made scrambled eggs with tortillas. Most of hers ended up on the floor.
Aunt Mia was careful when she brushed her hair, but she still cried and asked for Mami.
"We'll call her later," Aunt Mia promised, soothing her with a hug.
They dropped Vince off at pre-school on the way to the garage. Uncle Tej came in to help Uncle Brian while Mami and Papi were gone. She spent the morning on the floor of the office, playing with her hot wheels and action figures while Aunt Mia worked on the computer.
When she got bored she wandered into the garage to tug at Uncle Brian's pant leg.
"Up!" she demanded.
He wiped his hands on a rag and lifted her. "What's up, monster?"
"I hewp?" she asked, pointing to the car engine.
He chuckled softly. "Sure. Why don't you hand me my tools?"
He carried her to his small, personal toolbox and loaded it with a few extra items that he would need. He brought it back over to the car he was working on and set it down on the floor, place his niece beside it.
"Okay," he told her, surveying the work in front of him. "Pass me a Socket Wrench, that's the one that-"
He was cut off as the two-year-old pushed the correct tool into his hand. He laughed.
"You are definitely Dom and Letty's kid."
Brian ruffled her hair and bent over the hood to get to work.
His niece closed the toolbox and stood on top of it, leaning against the car to watch him. Like he'd seen Dom do, he explained each repair he made. Whenever he needed a tool she'd step down and root through the box to find it for him. Half the time she didn't even need the description he offered. When she learned a new tool she would hold it up and repeat the name to him excitedly, like she was making an amazing new discovery.
Around noon Mia drove down to a nearby sandwich shop and brought them back lunch, grabbing Vince from his morning pre-school on the way back.
The kids sat together out front under Mia's watch, eating fruit salad and splitting a sandwich.
It wasn't long after lunch that the toddler started to get sleepy, rubbing at her eyes and yawning.
"Ready for your nap?" Mia asked.
The girl shook her head. "I want Mami and Papi," she complained.
Mia checked her watch. "Let's try giving them a call. They can wish you sweet dreams."
"Okay," the child agreed, brightening.
Mia pulled out her phone and texted her sister-in-law first. Are you guys decent? Or can I face-time you? Someone wants to talk to you.
It only took a minute for Letty to reply. SO that's what you think we are spending our vacation doing? It's not a stretch. We are having lunch. We had to put our clothes on or the restaurant probably wouldn't have let us in.
Mia laughed and pulled her niece into her lap. "Okay we're going to see Mami and Papi on the phone," she told her, then connected to Letty's cell.
When Letty and Dom came into view it was clear they were dining outside. She could glimpse the shore behind them and they were both lightly dressed to combat the warm Mexican sun. Dom had his arm around Letty and not only because they had to sit close together to they could both see the phone.
The little girl in her arms gasped in delight and reached for the phone. "Mami! Papi!" she announced. "See you!"
Letty chuckled and Dom grinned. "Well move your hand out of the way," Letty said. "We can't see you."
Mia smiled and grabbed ahold of her hand gently, drawing it back. "Better?"
"Are you being good for Aunt Mia?" Dom asked.
The toddler nodded her head. "Papi come home?"
"We'll be home soon," Letty assured her. "A few more days. Then you can tell us about all the fun you had at Aunt Mia's house."
"She helped Uncle Brian in the garage today," Mia said with a smile, stroking the child's soft curls.
The toddler yawned and snuggled back against her, eyelids heavy.
"Oh did you?" Dom asked. "Did you show Uncle Brian how to fix an engine?"
The little girl nodded. "Papi bettew," she told them.
Dom and Letty laughed. "I don't think Uncle Brian taught you that," her mother said. "Sueño mija. It's nap time hmm?"
"Sueño," she mumbled, head pillowed against Mia's chest as her eyes closed.
Mia smiled down at her, then looked to her brother and sister-in-law. "You guys enjoy the rest of your vacation. I'm sure we'll be calling again tomorrow. Everything is going just fine here."
"Thanks Mia," Dom replied. "We'll talk to you soon. We love you both."
"Love Papi," the little girl mumbled, drifting off to sleep.
"I love you guys too," Mia said. "Bye."
She hung up the phone, slipping it into her back pocket before carrying her niece through the garage and into the office. Vince was already curled up on the couch against the wall, passed out. He had a little yellow car resting on his chest.
She smiled fondly, smoothing his hair briefly before laying the toddler in her arms in the playpen they kept in the office. She was getting too big for it, but she didn't want to put her with Vince and chance her rolling off the couch onto the floor. That little girl never was still, not even in her sleep.
Mia settled down behind the desk, smiling to herself as she considered both children sleeping peaceful amongst the sounds and smells of a garage. She thought back to the conversation with Dom and Letty over the phone, how happy and peaceful they'd looked. She was glad she'd strong-armed them into taking some time away. They deserved a little time with just the two of them, no matter how much they loved their daughter.
Plus… she figured, glancing over at the sleeping girl, she could always ask for a return favor when she wanted to get away with Brian.
Yeah, she'd definitely be doing that.