Beautiful Days

Chapter 71 -Welcome to Rio!-

Once there in Rio de Janeiro after a 15 hour flight, it didn't take long and we were in the vibrant city. It was the middle of the day and for once after such a flight I had caught enough sleep and was actually ready for one of Alice's sightseeing trips. As we got out of the cabs in front of our hotel for the day, the first rain drops fell from the sky and a blanket of clouds fell over Rio. I breathed out a sigh of relief. Cities like Rio were quite risky for my family with the nearly constant sun, at least for a few hours though we could forget that risk. The second thing I noticed were the decorations that hung not only in the hall of the hotel, but virtually everywhere in the streets of Rio. The city was even more colorful and vivid than usual. 

Carlisle handed me the baby seat with Haven as he got out of the cab himself, carrying Carlie in one arm. Haven was sleeping for now and I put the blanket away from his body. The temperature reached the usual 26 °C of Rio in the winter and all of us had changed out of our thick winter clothes into summer clothes in the plane before we got out. Alice got out from the other side of the car and so was Jasper from the passenger seat. He paid the driver and helped to get our luggage and pram out of the trunk. 

In the meantime Edward opened the doors for Bella and Rosalie and Emmett and Renesmee got out right behind Bella. Out of the last cab, Jacob and Seth got out and slung their bags over their shoulders. The mood in our family got exponentially better with the temperature rising and Edward smiled broadly at Bella and swept Renesmee up into his arms. Seth joked around with Jasper and even Rosalie enjoyed a witty verbal duel with Jacob. Carlie wobbled happily in Carlisle's arms in her sunshine yellow summer dress and enjoyed the warm temperatures very much.

"What are those garlands and decorations about?" I asked confused when everyone gathered around the entrance of the hotel with the suitcases. 

"It's carnival," Alice told me excitedly. 

"Even I knew that," Jacob remarked with a snicker. My face must have lit up with the new information, because everyone chuckled quite a bit. 

"I've never been here at carnival," I murmured dreamily and looked around the streets with different eyes. "I can't wait to see the costumes and parades," I added and smiled. 

"How about we bring the luggage up to the rooms and then explore the city?" Carlisle suggested and everyone nodded.

With vampire speed it didn't take long to check in and get the suitcases into the two rooms. We wouldn't stay here over night probably, but just in case something might prohibit our travel to the island later today we had a place to stay. Carlie was sitting on the floor, pink bunny and a doll in her hands, and she was playing while she glanced at me from time to time. I let myself fall onto the fluffy pillows of our hotel bed and laughed lightly. This trip just couldn't get better and I looked so forward to it all. I rolled onto my stomach when I heard soft sounds from the car seat and looked down to Haven's curious blue eyes. 

"Hey," I smiled and stroked his fingers. A toothless grin spread on his sweet face and he held his arms out for me. I lifted the seat onto the bed and got him out of it. Once lying on his tummy on the bed, he kicked happily and held his head up to look up to me. I lay down on my stomach as well and faced him directly. That made him squeal and he clapped his palms against the covers and suddenly rolled over to lie on his back and at once back to his tummy. After that he looked expectantly at me with a great smile and I clapped and laughed. 

"That was great, Haven!" I applauded and swept him up into my arms to litter his face with kisses. 

"What did I miss?" Carlisle asked and came into the room from the living room curiously.