"That's better,” I announced to anyone within earshot.

The pan stick makeup we use for Garde is a nightmare to clean off but there's no way I was gonna spend the rest of the afternoon walking around looking like some freakish alien. So here I am, half a pack of make up wipes and nearly half an hour after going inside emerging into the afternoon sunshine.

“'bout time,” Mand opined.
"That stuffs like flippin' cement.” I mentioned as I readjusted the girls.
"Gab!”
"What?”
"Boys?” Steff hinted with a nod towards the fast approaching von Strechau heir.
"Oops,” I hastily pulled my hand out of my vest top.
"Can we eat now?” Max whined as he joined us.

Him and his stomach.

"I've got my nose ring?” I hinted. Yeah I know its a bit weird but it costs nothing and is a good incentive for the boy.
“Really?”
"Gab you are such a slapper!” Con suggested.
"Am not!”
"Food?” Max hinted again.

Eva and Chris were doing a steady trade with the crepe trailer, I felt a bit guilty to not be helping out today but they seem to have coerced one of Christina's cousins to help out anyhow.

"Hi girls, how goes things?” Eva greeted.
"Busy,” I suggested.
"Welcome to the world of small business! So what are you after?”
"Five Nutella® please,” Mand requested.
"Six,” I corrected.
"Coming up.”
"Six?” Steff queried.
"Thought Mart would appreciate one,” I offered, "He's been doing that football thing all day.”
"Bum,” Max sighed, "Thought I was getting extra.”
"Nose ring,” Con and Mand chorused with a giggle.
He shrugged, "I guess.”

There was a round of eyeball rolling.

"Who's paying?” Steff asked.
"I'll get them,” I sighed pulling my purse from my handtasche, well mini ruck, you know the one I mean.
“Just ten Gaby,” Eva requested.
"I thought they were two each?”
"Call it staff discount.”
"Cheers Eva,” I grinned pulling a ten note free.
"Come and get 'em!” Chris advised.

"Mmmm,” Steff managed as she collected an ooze of choccy spread from her chin.
"Maybe we should do these at the kiosk,” Con suggested as we slowly drifted towards the football club's little coral.
Max put his two bobs worth in, "You really should.”
"You could do them with ice cream,” Steff added licking her fingers.
“Jubilee pancakes!” Mand and I crowed.
“Jubilee?” Con queried.

Well if you haven't been to a Little Chuff you will be out of the loop, essentially its their signature dessert, a hot crepe with cherry filling served with vanilla ice cream.

“Later Con,” I suggested, "Hey Mart!”

Of course my call couldn't have been timed worse, distracted Mart turned as the punter struck the ball which of course thwacked him on the side of the head before ricocheting into the goal.

"Ooh!” Mand allowed.
"Sorry,” I squeaked.
Mart shook his head, “'s alright, I think.”
"That had to hurt,” Max suggested.
"I'll live, thought you were playing at toy soldiers Gab?”
"How'd you know?”
"Saw Pia a while back, that make up is well spooky.”
"Which is why I'm not wearing it now, here you go.”
"What's this?”
"Present from Bern,” I suggested.
“Looks edible enough,” he allowed taking the crepe from me.
"So you doing this all day?” Steff asked the footballing farmer.
"Mmm, this is good,” Mart stated, "Off and on.”
"We're just getting some drinks if you fancy tagging,” Con offered.
"Give me a minute.”

"Sugar!”
"Wassup?” Mand asked as she readjusted her cardi to sit on.
"I've dropped it.”
"What?”
"My ring.”
“Ring?”
"Nose ring, how am I gonna find it in this lot?”
"I didn't think you liked it?”
"Well it sort of grown on me, g'is a hand.”
"What are you two up to?” Con enquired arriving with one of those sickly sweet chocolate kebab things, yuk and on top of the crepe too.
"She's lost her ring,” Mand supplied without offering any assistance.
I spotted the mislayed jewellery, "Yes!”
"Simple things,” Con observed as I retrieved it and gave it a quick wipe.
"So what is it with this nose ring then, I mean it looks cute on you but there has to be more,” Mand enquired.
I threaded it into place and clipped it closed before replying, "Its er personal and its note cute, its sophisticated.”
"Yeah whatever.”
"Ooo drinks!” I enthused as the others joined us.
"I only wanted a small one,” Con complained as Mart handed her a large cup of Krombacher.
"They only had one size,” Max explained.
"I'm sure one of the boys will finish what you don't want,” Mand opined.
"She'll drink the lot,” I prophesised before taking a sip out of my own beaker.

It was good to just hang out with friends for a bit, we chewed the cud, watched the dog trainers and some gymnastic display and, well actually relaxed. At some point I became snuggled into Max and found myself drifting off in the afternoon warmth.

"We're going back to the football,” Steff announced, "You two coming?”
"We'll catch up in a bit,” I suggested.
“Later,” she giggled.
"Thought they'd never go,” Max whispered as our friends departed.
"Yeah,” I agreed.

"Gabrielle Bond!”

I recognised the voice immediately and quickly disengaged from my limpet impersonations.

“Kat.”
"Amanda said you were over here, she didn't say you were sucking your boyfriends face off.”
"I wasn't...”
"This isn't the famous Max?”
"Er hi,” von Strechau allowed from above me.
"So what's up?”
"Inge wants to get off if you want a ride.”
"Its only three.” I proposed.
"Two hours ago.”
“Really?”
"She's right Gabs,” Max confirmed checking my wrist watch.
"Bum.”

Well unless I want a long walk it looks like my day out is over.

"Guess its time up then,” I sighed.
"You might want to re-dress before you get up,” Kat suggested.

Look its nothing like that, the straps of my top have moved, that's it, honest.

"Where'd you get to?” I asked Pia as we walked up to the car.
"Could ask the same of you?”
"We just kicked around the arena, so?” I pursued.
"Erm,” she hedged.
"Ooo, I smell a liaison,” Mand suggested.
"It was not!”

That got a snort from her sister.

"Who was he then?”
“Jorge,” she whispered.
“Jorge Stevens?” I queried.
"Yes Jorge Stevens,” she confirmed with a sigh.
"Who is Jorge?” Mand quested.
"He was in my class at Silverberg, bit of a hunk apparently.” I filled in.
"And you wouldn't know about that,” P mentioned, "Gaby von Strechau.”
"Give over P.”
"Am I missing something?” Kat enquired.
"Gabs marital status,” Mand put in.
"Mand!” I complained.

"Cheers Inge!” I called over as she completed turning the Sebenschuh car round in our drive.
"No prob guys, see you later Kat.”
"Tschuss!”

The Sebenschuh girls headed back up to Rech while I led the way up to Schloss Bond. Kat was going to go straight back home but with our parents kicking back at her place and Inge and P needing to be at the Stube, I volunteered food, we can sort out getting her home later.

"Phew, its cooler in here,” Mand stated once we were inside.
"It was getting a bit warm in that field,” Kat agreed.
"More in some places than others,” Mand smirked.
"I guess you don't want a cold drink then?” I proposed.
"Don't be such a, a...”
"Debutant?” Kat suggested, "So what's for tea?”
"Not you too?” I complained.
"What?”
I gave a deep sigh, "Salad?”
"Salad!” they both groaned.
"Well you want something with your lasagne don't you?”
"Why you!”

Maddy Bell © 04.08.17