On the Road Again

Chapter 17

          "Let me get this straight." Mimi starts whilst madly rubbing a nail file against one of her finger nails. "We're going to be staying, in a windmill."

          "Yes Mimi," I sigh as I try to stop myself from rolling my eyes. "They're kind one of the most popular sites to go see when you're in Netherlands." I rub my balled fists against my eyes and yawn. I didn't manage to get much sleep as I spent most of the night trying to avoid Mimi's constantly fidgeting feet. Upon hearing this Mimi seems to file her nails at double the speed she had been. My eyes drift back onto the road and I sigh with relief as our hotel comes into view.

          I pull into the guest car park and begin to unload our things from the boot of our Kombi. Mimi even lends a hand, managing to pull her own suitcase and carry-on whilst offering to drag along Brian and Tea's as well.

          The automatic doors of the hotel open as we near then, blasting us with the smell of flowers. Tulips, I think, remembering how popular one of Donnie's brochure's claimed them to be. I shuffle towards the front desk, waiting in line behind an elderly couple. When I get to the front, I repeat my usual spiel about how we've already booked our rooms and paid for all the costs. The woman sitting behind the desk slides two keycards across the glossy surface.

          "Enjoy your stay." She says, an overly practised smile making it's way onto her face. I smile back as I head down the corridor and up an elevator. Our whole family can barely fit in the space, with most of us pressed up against the walls.

          We soon arrive at our rooms, which are in quite the contrary from Belgium, ginormous. Mimi and I walk through a door and see a room with two singles. We decide it's best for us two to sleep in here. Mimi takes the left bed and I dump my things near the right. Aside from a few negative remarks and actions, I can see that Mimi is trying to make this work. Like really trying. But there's this feeling I get in the pit of my stomach that there's something she isn't telling me. I have recently tried to talk about her job and life and living with Lindsay and all that sort of stuff, but she always brushes the topic aside, constantly rushing to change the subject.

          I begin to unpack my carry-on, moving some of my essentials such as my polaroid camera and phone onto the shared bedside table, trying to keep most of my belongings to the right.

          After unpacking, I soon find myself sitting on the couch in the living room alongside everyone else.

          "Okay, we can't sit around all day, where do you guys want to go?" I begin looking towards my parents who don't really seem fussed.

          "Oh we could sooooo just sit around all day." Vay argues as he wildly taps at the screen of his iPad.

          "Yeah the wi-fi is awesome here!" Donnie agrees from behind his DS. I look out the window towards the stunning view: fields upon fields of tulips. Maybe staying here wouldn't be too bad. After all, I am in desperate need of beauty sleep and I am quite sure that everyone else is too.

          "That doesn't sound too bad, especially since most of us are pretty tired." I agree looking over towards Brian and Tea who have already fallen asleep, a baby in each of their arms. "But I say we leave for dinner, that way we'll get to try some of the local cuisine." I look over to Mimi who is subtly nodding whilst looking at her phone.

          "Sounds good." Mimi mutters, her eyes never leaving her phone screen.

          "All in favour of Indi's plan say 'I'." Donnie states, stomping atop the coffee table dramatically. A series of 'I's follows this statement.