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"Then entrepreneurship might be for you."
I have to shake myself not to get sentimental. When I was "saddled" with the responsibility of raising Damien, I was in shock. Now, like any parent, the thought of him turning into an adult and earning his own living is horrifying to me. As much as that's what I yearn for him to do, I also still see him as a five-year-old and sort of want him to stay a kid. I decide to treasure every moment I have with him while he is still young. Of course, I will treasure every age he is, but time just slips by so quickly and I want to make the most of what little is left of his childhood.
As I look out the window, I take in the sights of the new city while Roland talks to Carmen and Damien, like myself, is glued to a window to take in the sights. Summer has turned Frankfurt into a lush city and as we get closer to the city center I can't help but liken it to Manhattan. Here you have the River Main, not the ocean, but there are still skyscrapers built near the water. I think I'm going to enjoy it!
I know Roland has been to Frankfurt before, but I have no idea how much time he has spent in the city. He only mentioned one or two things he thought I should see while there. "How many times did you say you've been to Frankfurt?"
"Only once. I've been to Germany a ton of times with Brett as he's German, but not here. We came here last year for an initial meeting with these guys, just to gauge initial interest. It's taken till now to get everything to a level where we can sign the paperwork."
Over the last few weeks, I've come to appreciate that while Roland has been to many places, his mind has usually been focused on business. I often think of my life as extremely busy, but it's varied. I have yoga, nanny work, Damien, business school, and my friends. Roland, from what I know, has work and Carmen as well as some friends he meets for lunch or a drink here and there. I have the impression that Roland is, in a way, pretty lonely. His entire focus has been on his business and Carmen.
I'm shaken out of my reverie as we pull up in front of a grand old building. This must be the Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof, where we are staying.
"Wow, this place is amazing," I remark as we pull up to the entrance of the luxurious establishment. The porter greets us with a polite bow and tells us he will take care of the luggage.
We check in and make our way to our suite, where I'm struck by the sheer size and opulence of the space. Damien and Carmen are sharing a room, then there’s for me, and one for Roland. All have lavish furnishings and breathtaking views of Frankfurt. Erin has a room on one side of the suite and her associate has another. I remind myself to ask his name. I know most of the staff by now, but this guy is new and on the way to the airport, and now in the car, we weren't sitting near each other.
"Isn't this just the best?" Damien gushes, pressing his face against the floor-to-ceiling windows that lead to the balcony. "I feel like royalty!"
"I think feeling like royalty is better than being royalty," Roland comments and ruffles Damien's hair. "Way too much paparazzi and people wanting to know what you're doing all the time. Anyway, I have to head out to see Brett. Will you be all right from here, Maddie?" he asks me.
"Of course," I nod. We've already discussed it and planned out our days here. Roland dashes off, leaving the three of us to enjoy our temporary home.
"All right, guys," I announce, turning to my young charges. "How about we go grab an early lunch–or second breakfast, whatever you want to call it–and then head to that park we looked up earlier?" I have momentarily forgotten the name of it, but Roland and I decided to keep Carmen's routine as consistent as possible, and that means visiting a park every morning before her lunch and nap. Well, today the lunch comes before the nap. Either way, Frankfurt has a lot of parks to explore, including an incredible botanical garden, and I'm excited about the prospect of visiting new parks every day.
"Sounds perfect," Damien says, his blue eyes sparkling with excitement. "I'm starving!"
"Me too!" Carmen chimes in, clapping her hands together.
As we make our way through the bustling streets of Frankfurt, I admire the city's unique blend of historic charm and modern sophistication. The aroma of freshly baked pretzels wafts through the air as we turn one street corner.
"Ooh, can we get some of those?" Damien asks, pointing at the warm, inviting treats. Carmen's eyes widen in anticipation.
"Sure, why not?" I shrug, embracing a vacation mindset. We buy a large pretzel to share and continue our search for a quaint café to satisfy our hunger.
"Look at that!" Carmen exclaims, tugging on my hand as she spots a cozy-looking eatery with outdoor seating. "Can we eat there?"
"Absolutely," I agree, excited by her enthusiasm.
We secure a table and settle in. While I have my charges with me it feels strange to know I'm here to sort of... relax. No schoolwork. No dinners to cook. No yoga classes to teach. I take a deep breath.
"Mads, why are there no sausages on the menu? You said Frankfurt is famous for frankfurters?"
I laugh. "And New York is famous for cheesecake, but you don't find that on every menu across town."
"Ah." Damien continues to browse through the English menu we've been given. While Damien and I have been to visit some of my college friends that left New York, taking the Greyhound to see them, we haven't really done the "tourist thing" anywhere. We've taken road trips too, with Jacob and Norah, as well as gone camping, but while we've had places we've planned to see on those trips, I haven't made Damien look into the history of a town before visiting it. This time, we both poured over online articles about Frankfurt. Damien even got so excited he read up about German history! (And had ChatGPT summarize the history of Frankfurt itself and tell him what makes the city special. It told him he had to verify everything with Google.)
We order and then chat and laugh over our food, I feel overcome by joy. The sensation of being in a new city and just being able to sit back and enjoy is incredible.
After a morning of laughter and play at the park, the three of us–Carmen, Damien, and I–head back to our luxurious hotel suite, where Carmen is in desperate need of a nap. Her energetic spirit has finally begun to wane, and her tiny legs seem to be dragging as we walk through the lobby.
"Time for some rest, little one," I say gently, lifting Carmen into my arms as we ride the elevator up to our floor. She snuggles against me, her eyelids fluttering with exhaustion.
"OK, Maddie," she murmurs drowsily, her voice barely audible.
Once inside the suite, I tuck Carmen into bed, brushing a stray curl from her forehead before planting a soft kiss there. As I leave her room, I can't help but feel a sense of protectiveness toward her, a bond that seems to grow stronger daily. I've enjoyed babysitting many kids over the years, and even after leaving some positions I've stayed in touch with the families. Still, Carmen feels... different. Perhaps because Sofia isn't involved in her life? She doesn't have a mother.
The thought of Sofia makes me tense up and I decide to stop thinking about her. I say a silent prayer that everything will work out for all of them. If Sofia has a genuine interest in being involved with her daughter, then that's great. If she's wanting custody to get more money, then I hope she fails miserably.
