Carmen Back Home

 

“So, Ms. Rodriquez. That would be it then. Here is your contract. I hope they will quickly settle in again with us in the village. ”Carmen's agent gave her the keys to her new house and a large bouquet of fresh flowers. "I'm happy to see you here." The man smiled at Carmen. "And if you need help, I'm always there for you."

"Thank you". Carmen smiled back and picked up the utensils. “The flowers are really very beautiful. I'll put them in the vase in a moment. If you would excuse me now, please? "

"Of course. You certainly still have a lot to do. "

"Yes. Above all, I want to take a rest first. The day was very exhausting. "

"I can understand. So then goodbye."

"Yes. Goodbye. “Carmen maneuvered her guest to the door. When the door closed and she was finally alone, she lay down on the huge upholstered suite in the living room and closed her eyes.

She was home again. After many years back in the place she left to find happiness with a man in distant Argentina.

Carmen remembered her wedding with Bernd, the birth of her son Daniel and the evening she met Manuel. The evening that should change your whole life.

At that time, her husband Bernd was in charge of an important research project at the city's university. Auditors from all parts of the world came again and again to find out more about her husband's studies. It was customary for a reception in honor of the foreign guests to be given once a week. At one of these receptions she met Manuel. And immediately fell in love with him.

He was so very different from her husband, the rigid professor. Manuel not only looked fantastic, but also had that incomparable southern charm that any woman would have succumbed to.

She danced with him all night. Bernd didn't seem to care. He communicated with researchers, financiers and his students and never looked after his wife. Manuel, on the other hand, had more than one look left for her. He kindled a fire and a passion in her that she had long since written off. Since Bernd has been involved in this research project, there has only been one topic for him. The family as a whole and sex in particular were no longer relevant to him. He hadn't slept with her in weeks.

Manuel was completely different. He courted her like a queen. Two days later she was in his bed. Another week later she was sitting with him on a plane to Buenos Aires.

With that she left her previous life behind. Bernd, the big house, her well-protected existence and above all Daniel, her little son. And she didn't even have a guilty conscience. Bernd would look after her child in an exemplary manner. In addition, she was only 22 years old and felt too young to follow her husband several years older. Marrying him has turned out to be a major misunderstanding.

Carmen interrupted her train of thought. She got up, went to the refrigerator, opened a bottle and poured herself a glass of champagne. She had a reason to celebrate today.

She was back where she belonged. In Argentina, Manuel's family did not make it easy for her. Always the intruder in a wealthy family, she was treated like an impostor. That didn't change when she divorced Bernd and married Manuel. After Manuel's death two years ago, things only got worse. She was called an inheritance stalker. Manuel's fortune was not insignificant. However, it mainly consisted of land and livestock. When Carmen suggested that she would go her own way and return to Germany, the peace of the family was completely over.

Carmen had her inheritance paid out with the help of a lawyer and took the next possible plane to Germany.

She arrived in Frankfurt 3 weeks ago and immediately drove to her hometown.

She quartered herself in a small guesthouse and hired a realtor to look for an apartment or a small house.

A few days later she was visiting a small, bright house in a park area on the outskirts of the city. She liked it right away. She bought it. The broker took care of the formalities.

Carmen looked for tasteful furnishings in the numerous furniture stores. Together with her personal belongings that she brought with her from Argentina, she has set up a comfortable home for herself.

Now she stood with her champagne glass in hand in the large drawing room and smiled contentedly. She would settle in here quickly.

The next point of your plans should be a little more difficult. She wanted to see Daniel, her son. She wanted to talk to him and finally give him a hug. After all the years in which she hadn't had the slightest contact with him, it was quite a hopeless endeavor. Especially since Bernd made it clear to her after the first and only letter she ever wrote to her son from Argentina that Daniel no longer had a mother. Bernd had conveyed to her son that his mother had died shortly after he was born. With that he had blocked every way back to her son. It would shock Daniel to see her rise from the dead after such a long time. Still, Carmen wanted to see him.

She quickly found out that Bernd and Daniel still lived in the big house in the north of the city. She knew that Bernd had never married again and that a housekeeper was taking care of order and food in the house.

Knowing this, she parked her little car near the house one of the next few days. From her she had a good view of the garden gate. It was still the same one that had left her house so many years ago.

It was shortly after 7 o'clock when the front door opened and a young man jumped down the stairs with two jumps and hurried to the gate. On the sidewalk, he tucked his flat bag under his arm and ran towards the main street. Certainly to the bus stop. It had to be Daniel. Carmen followed him at walking pace. Little did she know at the time that she would be lucky enough to meet her son on her first attempt.

Daniel missed the bus by just seconds. He waved after the driver as he left the stop on schedule. But in vain. The driver accelerated and Daniel stamped his foot angrily. Carmen took this chance.

She braked abruptly next to Daniel, opened the window and called to him: “Come on, get in. If we hurry, we'll catch him at the next stop. "

Daniel looked puzzled at the woman in the small car.

“Come on now. You're in a hurry, aren't you? "

"But. Very. "Daniel opened the passenger door and swung himself into the seat." Thank you. It happens to me so often. I just can't get away from home on time. "

Carmen smiled at her son. "Why not?"

"I always dawdle too long." Daniel looked at the woman. She was very beautiful. Her long brown hair was pinned up and tied with a hoop. She wore an airy summer dress with thin straps and a generous cleavage. He estimated her age to be in her mid to late 30s.

Carmen noticed that the young man was looking at her. In order to show herself a little more, she moved inconspicuously so that the hem of her dress slid a little higher and revealed a view of her knees. She did not do this to give her son deep insights, but to leave the most lasting impression possible on him. She knew from experience that first impressions are of the greatest importance. Daniel pulled her back from her thoughts as she drove after the bus with stoic calm.

"If you don't drive a little faster, we won't catch the bus at the next stop."

"Oh, please excuse me. I'm not a very good driver. Where do you have to go? "

"To the grammar school in Steinstrasse."

Carmen knew the school. She was once a student there herself.

"OK. Then I'll drive you there. After all, it's my fault if the bus is always a step ahead of us. ”Carmen hoped that Daniel wouldn't figure out this clumsy excuse.

“That's nice of you. But you don't have to. You can let me out of here and I'll wait for the next bus. After all, it's not your fault if I'm always late. "

"It's out of the question. I drive you to school. May I say you? "

"Naturally. I'm not that old yet. ”Daniel leaned back and looked furtively at the beautiful woman who was driving him to school. His classmates would be big eyes if they saw him get out of the car.

“Well, my name is Carmen. How old are you, if I may ask? ”It was a purely rhetorical question. Carmen knew of course that Daniel was exactly 18 years, 2 months and 4 days old as of today.

"18th And next month I'll start with the driver's license. I saved for a long time. "

"Don't your parents give you anything?"

Daniel bowed his head. Then he said quietly: "My mother has long been dead. And my father is of the opinion that everything you want, everyone has to earn himself." Daniel laughed. “So I worked. Delivered every weekend at the gas station and newspapers once a week. Now I have the money ". Daniel looked at Carmen proudly.

Carmen just nodded and thought of Bernd. That was typical of this principle rider. But he was right. Daniel was proud of what he had done himself and didn't need to say thank you to anyone. When she left, she was sure that her son was in the best of hands. She was right about that. The only thing that stung her heart was the idea that she was considered dead for her son.

Carmen turned into Steinstrasse and stopped in front of the school entrance. While Carmen was thinking about how she could safely invite her son to another meeting, Daniel got ahead of her.

"May I, sorry, ask you something?" Daniel looked at her shyly.

Carmen smiled. "Yes of course? What do you want to ask me? "

Daniel pushed around. "Well. So. ”Daniel didn't know where to start. He was looking for a way to see this beautiful woman again.

"Well, just say it." Carmen turned her face to the young man and smiled at him.

"Well, my father is of the opinion that I shouldn't accept any service without something in return."

Carmen laughed. "And now you are of the opinion that you have to return the favor for the trip?"

Daniel immediately grabbed the "fence post" with which Carmen waved.

"Yes. But not because I want to follow my father's opinion. But because I really want to say thank you ”. Then it gushed out of Daniel. “I would like to invite you to an ice cream sundae. If you like ice cream We can also have coffee or take a boat trip on the lake or go to the zoo. What they, sorry, what you want. ”Daniel looked at his driver expectantly.

Carmen laughed and put an arm on the back of the passenger seat. She reached out and stroked Daniel's cheek gently. It was like an electric shock when she touched her son's skin for the first time in so long.

"Thank you. I am happy to accept your invitation. When is school end? "

Daniel was completely perplexed. He hadn't really expected that this woman would really be invited by him.

"At 14 o 'clock."

"Well. Then until 2 p.m. And now no longer dawdle. Go, go, off to school. ”Carmen laughed and breathed a quick kiss on her son's cheek.

Daniel looked into her eyes in amazement. He couldn't believe his luck yet. Had he just met the woman of his dreams?

The lessons dragged on like chewing gum. It didn't really believe that the woman would actually pick him up. She must have forgotten him long ago. But the illusion alone was exhilarating.