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"I haven't been on a big roller coaster. Just a small one," Carmen replies, looking worried. Her eyes catch mine, searching for reassurance. I give her a comforting smile. "Maddie's right, sweetheart. It's just a fun ride up into the sky."
As the plane takes off, Carmen buries her face in my side, trembling slightly. Maddie stretches an arm across the aisle, gently rubbing Carmen's back.
"Doing great, sweetie," she coos. "We'll be soaring above the clouds soon."
I watch Maddie's tender interaction with my daughter and feel a warmth spread through my chest. She's so patient and nurturing–qualities I admire in her.
Once we're airborne, Carmen's fears evaporate, and she beams at the air hostess who hands her a small bag filled with toys and activity books. Her eyes light up as she digs in, exploring each item with delight.
"Look, Daddy!" She holds up a miniature airplane figurine, its tiny wings glinting in the cabin lights.
"Wow, that's cool," I tell her, sharing her enthusiasm.
After dinner, Carmen's eyelids grow heavy as she leans against me, her small frame comfortably snuggled into the seat that reclines into a bed.
"How about we swap you and Carmen around?" I suggest. "Then you can sit next to me and have a conversation while this one gets to sleep."
"Sure." Maddie gets up and I unbuckle Carmen so that Maddie can lift her over to the other seat. As she lifts her, Carmen stirs for a moment and murmurs, "Mama" in her sleepy state. My heart skips a beat, torn between joy and fear at hearing her call Maddie that.
"Sweet dreams, little one," Maddie whispers, brushing a stray curl from Carmen's face as she settles back into sleep. Damien, oblivious to the exchange, is engrossed in an action movie on the screen in front of him.
As Maddie sits down, the air hostess brings an assortment of drinks and dessert. We have the option of chocolate cake or cheesecake and both of us settle for the chocolate. Damien even looks up from the movie as he realizes there's chocolate to be had!
Once the air hostess has s gone, I turn to Maddie.
"Cheers," I say.
"To what?" she asks with a mischievous grin.
"Not sure. To us?"
"All right, I'll drink to that."
We smile at each other, which makes me want to lean forward and kiss her. The scent of her perfume mixes with the fruity notes of the wine, intoxicating me further. It's going to be harder than I thought to keep my hands off her during this trip.
"So, Roland, what are you most looking forward to on this trip?" she asks, taking a bite of her chocolate cake.
"Getting away from the office for a while," I admit, savoring the rich dessert on my fork. "And spending quality time with Carmen."
"Sounds perfect. I'm excited for Damien to experience new places too," she says, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
"Perhaps this is the start of many adventures for us all," I suggest.
"Maybe," she smiles coyly. Her knee brushes against mine, sending a shiver up my spine. I struggle to keep my thoughts focused on our conversation. I'd be more interested in getting us enrolled in the mile-high club.
"What would you say is the one quality all travelers need? I mean, you've been to Mexico... I'm sure you had some nice adventures."
"Stay open-minded and embrace the unexpected," she advises, her green eyes dancing with mischief. "You never know where it might lead."
"Words to live by," I agree, stealing a glance at our peaceful young charges, "especially when new opportunities present themselves."
"Exactly," Maddie says, her voice dropping lower as she leans in closer. "Sometimes taking a risk can be the most rewarding choice of all."
My pulse races as the space between us shrinks, and I find myself wondering how I'll manage to maintain a professional relationship with Maddie during this trip. The undeniable chemistry we share threatens to pull us both into uncharted territory, and I'm uncertain if I have the strength to resist it.
"Let's make a toast," I suggest, raising my glass once more. "To embracing the unexpected and making the most of our time together."
"Cheers," Maddie replies, her smile warm and inviting as our glasses clink together, sealing our shared promise to navigate the uncertainties of our journey side by side, a journey that would have been a heck of a lot easier without Sofia being a dark cloud in the background.
