Squint (COMPLETE!)

Part 2

He frowned. Was he really that bad at communicating? Putting off issues just because they didn't want to talk about them? He'd have to discuss this later with Jan.

"Anyway," he said, changing the subject, "We'd like to buy a new vehicle, with a blue fanged stereo," he glanced back at Alena and winked at her before she could protest. She shut her mouth and looked away, trying to hide her growing grin.

"And I'd like to buy some new clothes for the ladies in my life," he said.

"Yay! New clothes!" Lexi yelled, raising her fists in triumph.

"Yay!" mimicked her mother, fists raised.

"And," he continued, "I was thinking we should take a trip back to America around Christmas time. Visit my your Aunt Annette up in Seattle, let you guys reconnect with your cousin Olivia. Maybe even take a family vacation to... oh, I don't know... Orlando, Florida?"

Alena gasped from the back seat. She sat up and leaned closer to her father. "Really?"

"What's in Lando Florida?" Lexi asked, perplexed. "Sounds like something out of Star Wars."

"Orlando," her mother corrected. "And only a little place people like to call... 'Disney World.'"

"Disney World?" Lexi shrieked. "Disney World?!?"

"Shhhh, you're going to wake Alonso," her father chided.

"He's already awake, Dad," Alena said.

"Oh."

"You did say 'Disney World', right Mom?" Lexi asked.

"That's right."

"Aaaaaahhhhh!!!!!" Lexi yelled, stomping her feet. "I can't believe it! Disney World! Oh, this is so exciting!"

Dominic and his wife laughed, enjoying the unrestrained excitement from the back seat. They knew this would be well received by Lexi, but hadn't counted on Alena's enthusiasm. Being a teenager for her lately translated to trying to act less and less childlike and more like an adult. Even from the front seat, however, they could both tell she was extremely excited, her mouth caught in a constant grin.

"Of course," Dominic continued. "If Disney's not really your thing — what with all the pink and the princesses and the kid stuff — we could always go to Universal Studios instead..."

"Where's that?" Lexi asked.

"Also in Orlando," he said, nodding. "But it's across town. It's just like Disney World, but they have better rides and attractions."

"Better? Like what?"

"Oh, they have a tornado simulator, an Incredible Hulk rollercoaster, a 3D Spider-Man ride, a King Kong thing and..."

"There it is," Alena said from the back seat.

"What? All I said was..."

"King Kong."

"So?"

"So? It's only your favorite movie of all time, Dad."

"I can't help it," he protested. "What's not to love about a giant monkey running around a city?"

"He dies at the end."

"Well, sure... there is that," Dominic conceded. "And aren't you supposed to say 'spoilers' before saying something like that?"

"Sorry. I'd rather do Disney World," she said, matter-of-factly.

"Me too," Lexi echoed, crossing her arms.