Are We There Yet? Read Online Free PDF

of it as an avenue—and takes a series of narrow turns.
    Finally, they arrive at the proper dock. The driver points the way, and Danny and Elijah soon find themselves maneuvering their suitcases through the alleys of Venice. The Gritti is smaller than Danny had pictured. He looks at its entrance suspiciously, while Elijah—unburdened by expectation—is more excited.
    An elaborately dressed bellman glides forward and gathers their bags. Danny, momentarily confused, resists. It is only after Elijah says thank you that the suitcases are relinquished and the steps toward the registration desk are taken.
    “May I help you?” an unmistakably European man asks from behind the counter. He wears an Armani smile. Elijah is impressed.
    “Yes,” Danny starts, leaning on the desktop. “The name is Silver. A room for two. Originally the room was under my parents' names, but they should have switched it to mine. Danny Silver. We need a room with two beds. On the canal side.”
    “If that's possible,” Elijah adds. Danny swats him away.
    The manager's smile doesn't falter. He opens a ledger and types a few keys on his computer. A temporary concern crosses his brow, but it is soon resolved.
    “Yes, Silver,” he says to Danny. “We have a room—a beautiful room. Two beds. That is what you requested in March. One room for Daniel and Elijah Silver.”
    Elijah thinks this sounds great. But Danny doesn't look happy.
    “Wait a sec—” he says. “What do you mean, March? The initial reservation should have been for Rachel and Arthur Silver, not for Daniel and Elijah.”
    The manager checks the ledger again.
    “We have no record of a change,” he tells Danny. “Is this a problem?”
    Danny shakes his head severely. “You see,” he says to the man behind the desk,“my parents made me think this had been
their
vacation. But now you're saying that it was
our
vacation all along.”
    “Which is great,” Elijah assures the still-confused manager. “It's just a surprise. For him especially.”
    “I see,” the hotel manager intones, nodding solemnly. After the paperwork is completed, he produces a pair of golden keys.
    Elijah says thank you. Danny continues to shake his head and mutters his way to the elevator. The hotel manager smiles a little wider as he hands the keys to Elijah. Beneath his coutured appearance, his sympathy is palpable.
    Elijah says thank you again.

“I can't
believe
it.” Danny also can't stop hitting the side of the elevator.
    “What's the matter?” Elijah asks as they walk to their room.
    “What's the matter?!? They tricked us, Elijah. Our own parents. Tricked us. I mean, I knew they meant for us to come here together. But to have had that plan all along …”
    They are being led into the room now. It is beautiful. Even Danny has to shut up for a second, just to look out the windows at the canal. Now that the rain has been reduced to a sound, it is moodily atmospheric, mysteriously foreign.
    Elijah puts his suitcase on the bed closest to the windows as Danny tips (no doubt undertips) the bellman. When Danny returns to the windows, the spell has been broken. His tirade continues.
    “I just can't believe they'd be so…manipulative. I can't believe they could stand there and lie to us, all these months.”
    “I think it's kind of nice,” Elijah mumbles.
    “What?”
    “I said it's kind of a surprise.”
    Elijah knows, from years of practice, that it's best to just ride the conversation through. Unpack. Nod occasionally. Pretend that Danny's right, even if he's acting like he's been set up on a hideous blind date.
    The trick is, Danny doesn't particularly like to hear himself talk, especially in monologues. Halfway through a sentence, he'll realize there's no reason to go on. His point has been made, if not accepted. Like now:
    “If only they'd …” Danny says with a sigh. Then he pauses, and listens to the rain outside. He realizes he's in Venice, and that his parents cannot hear him. He walks to