Chapter 54 Too Many Stops
Dante's POV
I looked over at her and she wasn't smiling, at least, not the kind of smile that hinted at a punch line coming soon.
“Tell me you are kidding,” I said, turning to look at the map again.
“You didn't know?” She asked as I checked the details of the journey. “It's more than 7 hours drive,” she added as I saw it on the map.
“Tell me she's bluffing, Don,” Nico said from the back but I just shook my head in response.
“Normally, folks don't stop at the border on international trips, you know. Should be a straight flight to the seven little devils' street,” she remarked.
I ran a hand over my face. “Anywhere we can catch a flight or something?” I asked, desperate to get there quicker.
“You do know that your jet is decomposing somewhere beyond the border. Getting a flight now means booking, and booking means waiting your turn and that could very well be tonight at its best,” she explained.
“So our only option is a car ride?” Nico asked with frustration sipping through his voice.
“Yup,” Maria answered, popping the ‘p’. “Booking would lead us to night which is the same as driving from morning to night,” she explained with a smile.
Something told me she was loving this.
“Your only other option would be a bus ride,” she added.
“And?” I asked.
“There's actually no difference, only that you would be squeezed up with different kinds of people, including those that ooze. And plus, we could get there earlier if you let me step on it,” she chimed in.
I shook my head and leaned back on the seat. This wasn't the plan for today.
“So if we are lucky, we are getting there by sunset?” I asked.
“With that attitude, yeah. We can always get a hotel if you feel it's wrong to go see my sister at night. Hey! I'm not at fault here,” she replied with a hand in the hair.
“Mrs. Ramirez, do us a favour and step on it,” Nico requested from the back.
“You got it, son,” she replied and zoomed through the road…
I don't know how long we'd been driving but Maria suddenly slowed the car down drastically.
“What happened?” I asked without looking up.
“An empty gas tank happened,” she replied. I looked up to see her pulling into a gas station.
“Gotta quickly refill,” she said, moving to open the door.
“Take my card,” I replied, stopping her and reaching into my pocket to get my card.
“No, no. It's my car, I fill it,” she replied, moving to go again but I stopped her.
“But it's my journey and I want to fill it,” I reaffirmed, not willing to let her spend more money on our heads.
“It's my sister we are going to see here. It concerns me,” she replied firmly.
“It's my business, Maria. Let me handle it,” I continued.
“Dante, you know you are taking more time out of our journey. Let me get this done already,” she replied, refusing to budge.
“Fine,” I replied, looking back at the tired faces of both Serena and Nico.
“Good,” she replied and stepped out, closing the door behind her.
I sat back into my chair, slightly annoyed that she didn't let me fill the gas as I should have. I hated being a burden to anyone and Maria had already done enough.
“Dante,” Serena called weakly from the back.
“Yeah?” I asked, skeptical of what she wanted to say.
“I'm starving. Let's grab something to eat before we continue,” she said.
“My little piccola, we don't have such time,” I replied gently.
“But I'm hungry,” she complained further.
“It's already midday,” I said, checking the time to see it was already 12.03pm. “We need to reach there before nightfall and we are running behind schedule,” I replied.
“There's no need to go there on an empty stomach. Come on, let's branch and grab something, 30 minutes tops,” Serena continued.
I was just about to tell her to quit it when Maria swung open the door and dropped in.
“Okayyy! We are all filled and set to go,” she announced, getting the car started.
“Aunt Maria?” Serena called.
Oh no.
“Yes, my daughter,” she replied.
“I'm starving back here. Can we branch and get something to eat?” Serena asked.
“Yes, of course we can,” Maria replied immediately.
I just knew it. She knew what she was doing by asking Maria.
“Maria, we don't have the time,” I shot back.
“Oh, that was what the fuzz was about while I was out. Dante, the girl's hungry, she has to eat,” she remarked.
“But—” I tried to continue but she cut me off.
“And besides, I'm in need of a snack too anyway. It won't be such a bad idea,” she said.
“Are you for real now, Maria?” I asked, feeling she was only saying it to get Serena to it.
“Yeah, I didn't have much to eat last night with everything that happened. I'm pretty sure Nico shares the same view as us in this,” she replied.
I turned to Nico in my seat, he had already straightened up in his seat upon hearing his name and had his brow lifted.
“Nico?” I asked, not exactly sure what I was asking.
“Yeah, Nico. I'm sure he too would like a snack or two, is that not right, Nico?” She asked, looking up at him through the top mirror.
I lifted a brow at him, waiting for his response.
Nico stared at me for a second, then looked away before shrugging. I sank back in my seat, already knowing what's coming.
“Sure, I won't mind a bite,” he finally said.
I nearly cursed aloud. I too won't mind a bite, I was starving. But I also knew we didn't have the time.
I looked down at the time and realized we had spent nearly twenty minutes sitting here at one spot.
There was no need fighting it again. “Fine, let's grab a bite. But thirty minutes tops,” I added.
She laughed from beside me. “Great, I know a great spot just around the block,” she chimed as she sped off.
“This is a total waste of our time,” I muttered under my breath.
“Oh Dante, you've got to learn to loosen up a bit. We should go swimming while you are around,” she joked.
“Not happening,” I replied firmly and she burst out laughing.
“We'll see about that,” she muttered.
We arrived at the food place about five minutes later. I reluctantly joined them and even got something to eat.
I paid for our meal. Maria didn't argue this time around, and by the time we stepped out, I honestly felt better. But I would rather burn than admit it.
“Can we go now?” I asked as we reached the car.
“I know you enjoyed that, Dante,’ Maria said. “But I also know you won't admit it,” she added.
I smiled and shook my head, stepping into the car which she did afterwards. Nico and Serena were already seated.
“Now we can go,” Maria said and zoomed off.
The remaining drive went by with little or nothing said, and just when the sun began its way down, the car came to a stop. “Here we go,” Maria announced as she killed the engine.
I looked over to it at my side, then took a deep breath.