Gaby Book 16 - Sweet Sixteen

 
 
“You decided yet?” Steff enquired.

I was back to the usual bakery ritual on Wednesday and talk was dominated by the upcoming Con in Koblenz.

“I was thinking of the Doctor.”
“Doctor?” Nena queried.
“Yeah, you know, woo woo, whooo, woo,” well you try humming the theme tune, “Timelord, Tardis, Daleks, Cybermen?”
“The English programme,” Pia suggested.
“Uh huh,” I agreed, look I know it’s made in Wales but you try explaining the difference to the Germans.
“But I thought that it was a man,” Steff opined.
“Well that doesn’t mean I can’t do it does it?”
“Guess not, it’s not like there’s a lot of female characters,” Pia allowed.
“And they’ll be done to death,” Con surmised.
“Yeah, like there’ll be dozens of Leia’s,” I noted with a glance at Brid.
“What?” she queried.

I was still wearing the gloves, my fingers still look a mess, well and my feet, but they do feel a lot better. The doctor said I might have the tingling for a while – better that than missing digits I guess. I’ve got cold enough to get the tingles before but this is stepping things up a level – a level I’d prefer not to have reached.

Today was at least a little milder, not quite the bone chilling temperatures of the last few days certainly. The ride to school was almost pleasant, the Sun doing its best to break through the early morning grey. That doesn’t mean it’s warm; indeed we were all still wrapped up to the ear holes with hats and scarves muffling us from the elements.

“Can I have a word, Gab,” Mart requested as I headed into the school buildings.
“Guess so, what’s up?”

He directed me to a quiet corner, away from prying ears.

“So?”
“It’s Bern.”
“Tall girl, reddish hair, what about her?”
“Gab!”
“Well come on then, what is it?”
“She wants a serious talk, about us. I was sort of wondering if you knew anything?”
“Why would I know?”
“She’s your friend, you talk,” he surmised.
“When is this ‘chat’, not that I know anything.”
“Friday, Mum’s looking after Drea and we’re going out to eat.”
“I’ll see what I can find out okay?”
“Thanks, Gaby, see you in class,” and he was gone.

“Max’ll get jealous.”
“Eh?”
“You and Mart,” Con enlarged.
“We were just talking about Bernie.”
“If you say so.”
“And anyway, we are not a couple.”
“So when are you seeing him again?”
“In about five minutes.” I told her.
“Five minutes?”
“In class, dummy.”
“Gaby.”
“Well you did ask.”

It’s weeks until we take our exams but I don’t suppose I’m alone in being fed up with them already. If it’s not mocks, it’s extra classes, whole sessions going over stuff we did last year, it really sucks. When you start school no one tells you that it all ends like this, you think it’s always going to be learning new stuff but no, you spend loads of time being coached to pass exams.

In September we start at college, courses designed to put us onto our particular career choice, I’m sixteen, well nearly, how do I know what I want to do next year, let alone for the rest of my life. I thought I did, I had it all worked out, I was going to be a pro cyclist, win the Tour de France, then, well probably start a bike company like Chris Boardman or Eddy Merckx. But now, well there just aren’t the opportunities for women riders that there are for the men, fewer races, fewer teams, lower wages – you get the picture.

“You doing anything Saturday?”
“You what?”
“Saturday, you doing anything?” Max asked as we stood in line in the cafeteria.
“Training, work, normal stuff for a bike skivvy.”
“Eh?” he shook his head, “Whatever, you fancy going out?”
“Like a date? Not the pictures again.”
“No, the Lion’s have a fundraiser at the Bad, there’s some spare tickets, thought you might want to go – there’s food.”
“How posh?”
Well you have to consider these things.
“Long frock?” he suggested.
“At the Bad?” I confirmed.
“Mum and Dad are going so they’ll take us.”
“I’ll have to check with the Rents.”
“We’ll pick you up at seven.”

“So what was that about?” Pia asked when I plonked my lunch, Wiener schnitzel with Pommes, on the table.
“What’s what about?”
“Oh come on, Gab,” Steff started, “Max was whispering in your ear all the time you were queuing.”

I started to colour up, they might not have heard but they were watching, am I that entertaining?

“He wants me to be his plus one at some thing in Neuenahr on Saturday.”
“A date!” Brid enthused.
“Not the Lions do?” Pia pursued.
“Might be,” I allowed poking the frites around my plate.
“You are going?” Con queried.
“Possibly.”
“A date, for sure,” Nena stated.

“Dad?”
“No you can’t miss training.”
“I wasn’t going to ask that. You know Saturday?”
“What about it? Is this going to cost me?”
“No, well possibly, anyway can I go out Saturday night?”
“Saturday?” he looked up, “I don’t see why not, hang on there’s a catch isn’t there?”
“Catch?”
“Gaby? Where are you going?”
“Erm, Max wants me to go to the Lions do with him, Gloria and Wilhelm are going.”

Dave gave his youngest child an appraising look, is this really the same child who even a couple of months ago was denying any interest in boys, let alone volunteering to go out with one.

“Just remember that we’re taking the Rose’s to the airport on Sunday.”
Mum had mentioned that on the way home Monday.
“I remember.”
“Okay, do you need a ride?”
“We’ll go with Max’s Rents, they’ll pick me up here.”

“So what am I supposed to wear?” I quizzed.
“Mum said it’s quite posh,” Max allowed down the line.
“Not Royal wedding posh?”
“Not that, it’s like all the local big wigs, they want to put on a show, Dad says they mistake glitz for class, there’s like a scale depending how rich they are.”
“Where do I come on this scale then?”
“You don’t.”
“What? I don’t even make the scale?” I screeched.
“You don’t because you are off the scale.” Max soothed.
“Gaby? You alright up there?” Mum enquired from below.
“Yeah fine,” I called down.
“Well keep the noise down, missy.”
“Yes, Mum.”
I returned to the hastily discarded Handy, “Max, you still there?”
“Still here,” he noted.
“So you reckon there’ll be any quiet corners at the spa?”
“And why would you want to know that, Fraulein Bond?”
“Just curious.”
“I’m sure we can find you somewhere.”

Free food and kissing, looking forward to it already. I closed the call – well not straight away, maybe half an hour later, Max wouldn’t put the phone down.

When I got home from school Thursday I was surprised, very surprised, to find Bern and Drea there.
“Hiya, Gab.”
“Hi yourself, wasn’t expecting to see you today.”
“I caught the bus down to the station then the Express down to here.”
“I didn’t know there was a bus.” I admitted.
“I think there’s about three a day, your mum said she’ll run us back.”
“’Kay, you want another cup?” I motioned towards her teacup.
“Go on then,” she agreed.
“So tomorrow’s the big night.”
“We’re going to some place in Adenau, someone from Mart’s football runs it.”
“He’s been asking if I know anything,” I told her, returning to the table with our drinks.
“You’ve not said anything?”
“Bern,” I admonished.
“Well it’s important.”
“I know,” I agreed, “you sure about it though?”
“No, I’m shit scared.”
Drea chose that moment to start mithering.
“I’ll get her.”

Well, I won’t have much more opportunity will I? I sat back at the table and gently rocked her, she exchanged the complaining for watching, she really is cute.

“You’re a natural,” Bern stated.
“Natural blonde,” I agreed.
“You’ll make a great mum.”
“Not this side of hell freezing over.” I stated before chucking Drea under the chin.
“So you aren’t going out with Max Saturday then?”
“How’d you find out?”
“Mothers have ears!”

Maddy Bell 31.05.16