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*Chapter 21*

Flighty Girls

 
 
You’ve all been there right? The upcoming trip or whatever and unlike the wait for the dentist appointment, time goes into super slow down. It didn’t help of course that Frau Dürst sprang a mock paper on us, truthfully, how much use will Pi be to me once I leave school? By the time the final bell of the day sounded I was hyped like a hyper thing!
“We’ll be down as soon as,” I advised Pia.
“Guess we’ll make do until you arrive,” she grinned.
“You coming, Gabs?” Con encouraged.
“Yeah, yeah,” I agreed, “tschussie!”

We were both blowing when we reached Thesing’s, we hadn’t been exactly racing but given our steeds, even the slight gradient up from Ahrweiler can get the blood pumping.
“Hi, Dad!” Con greeted her parent a moment later.
“Hi, girls, I suppose you want my kitchen again?”
“We have to finish the gateaux,” Con advised.
“Just don’t make too much mess,” he called to our retreating backs.
“No, Dad!”

There’s only four cakes to do, we got a bit carried away with the mixture so it’s more than we’d planned but I’m sure there won’t be any BFG left on Sunday! If you’ve never made gateaux from scratch I won’t bore you but a four-layer Black Forest is quite a complicated construction. How do I know what to do? Try working in a bakery, even part time without learning some of this stuff – I actually enjoy doing it as you might’ve noticed.
Con set to on preparing the cream etc whilst I started assembly with the kirsch. By the time I was done Con had the cream ready, we swapped jobs at that point, I started slicing the cherries, then grated the chocolate as my colleague had fun with the dairy content. It was nearly five before we were done, the gateaux boxed and everything washed and cleared away.
“Coffee?” Con offered.
“No, I’ll get one at the cabin.”
“’Kay, you sure you don’t want me to come?”
“I’ll be fine, no point two of us getting cold.”
We loaded two of the boxes into my basket, geez they weigh a ton, Con’ll take the others down tomorrow afternoon.
“Well have a good weekend, you at school Monday?”
“Yeah, couldn’t wheedle any more time off!”
“See you Monday then.”
“Yeah, tschussie.”
We exchanged a BF half hug and I set off in the darkness back to Ahrweiler.

Did I mention the gateaux were heavy? After nearly coming a cropper twice in as many minutes I took a more measured approach to the ride and completed the distance without further issue. Of course I had to push Stella through the market itself, my stomach rumbled just smelling the food on offer.
“Hi, guys!”
“Heya, Gabs, coffee?” Nena offered.
“Yes please, it’s turning cold again eh. The machine working okay without its extra parts?”
“So far,” Pia advised.
I parked the Schauff up and proceeded to unload the precious cargo.
“I can’t believe you guys made these,” Marty mentioned as Pia unpacked one to go in the cabinet.
“Hidden skills our Gab,” Nena mentioned.
“Yeah well,” I allowed, feeling the colour rise in my cheeks. “Er hold the coffee Nen, I’ll go get some food first.”
“’Kay.”

I pulled my gloves back on and headed out into the bustle of the market, I’ve not had a chance to look around really, we didn’t exactly get a lot of downtime last weekend. I said before I think, it’s a much more local affair than the big markets so the generic stalls are not here which is refreshing. Instead it’s local artists and so on – maybe I can find more Chrimbo presents here instead of hoping to get stuff in duty free.
First though food. I followed my nose to the bright lights and smells of the sausage stall (where else?) but decided on a frikadel in a bun rather than the wurst option. That was a joke right? Okay I’m a better dancer than comedian, anyhow it was a suitably impressive size in its brotchen holder, quick squeeze of ketchup and I was in gastronomic heaven.
Food in hand I started to wander around the market, I mentally listed who I still needed gifts for – too many – oh bum, I forgot Caro! Oh well, remembered now. I’m not really one for jewellery, I have some bits of course, a few earrings and necklaces but this stuff makes good presents – and it doesn’t take up much space.

“Thought you’d gone home,” Pia noted when I returned to the cabin.
“Bit of shopping, prezzies for England.”
“On the ball as usual,” Nena chortled, “I suppose you want coffee now?”
“You could twist my arm, how’s business?”
“Bit quiet at the moment but they’ll be here soon, the choir finishes in five minutes.”
Choir, I’m glad we decided not to do that this year, that was so embarrassing last year.
“So wotcha get?” Nena enquired.
I spent the next fifteen minutes showing the girls my spoils and drinking my coffee, could do with a bit of work Nen!
“I need to get off, we have to be at the airport like eight o’clock.”
“Which one?” Nena asked.
“Düssel.”
“Yowch!” Pia allowed.
“Yeah,” I agreed.
“Take care, Gab, see you Monday,” Nen offered.
“Will do, say bye to Mart for me, tschussie!”
“Byeee.”
I located my bike and after walking back across the market mounted up for the ride home.

“What time do you call this?” Mum demanded.
“Er,” I checked my watch, “seven thirty?”
“I hope you’re packed.”
“Yes, Mum,” I sighed, “did it last night.”
“Hmmm, I hope so, we need to leave at six.”
“Six, that’s like the middle of the night,” I mentioned.
“Whenever it is that’s when we’re leaving daughter mine.”
“Yes, Mum,” I groaned.
“You eaten?”
“At the market,” I advised her.
Of course, whilst I’d told Mum I was packed, she and I both knew otherwise so after making everyone hot choccy I went up to the eyrie to finish what I’d started last night.

“We’ll get breakfast at the airport,” Mum told us when Mand and I arrived in the kitchen.
“Coffee?” I suggested.
“In the flask.”
“Mand?” I enquired.
“Please.”
“I’ll put the bags in the car,” Mum advised heading down into the garage.
“It’s dark out there,” I mentioned as I stood looking out of the window.
“It is still night,” Mand opined.
“Yeah,” I agreed.

The roads were quiet as we started our journey north to Dusseldorf, which is just as well the way Mum drives. Mand dropped off and despite my terror I found myself dozing too, the change of engine tone, from all out scream to slowing down brought me around.
“We there?”
“Next junction, best wake Manda.”
“’Kay,” I allowed.

By the time we found a spot in the multi storey, Mand was cognisant and I was happier, Mum’s driving doesn’t improve! We unloaded the cases and started the interminable walk, ride (the monorail to the terminal), walk that eventually took us to check in.
“Here you go, kiddo, Mand,” Mum handed us our passports.
Like you do, I flipped it open.
“Gab, you coming?” Mand queried.
“Er yeah.”
This is it then, my passport doesn’t look that different, but the name now reads Gabrielle and the sex now says F. everything else is the same – even my photo. I have travelled as a girl before but that’s always been on my German ID card or that time I ended up with Jules passport. But today, today’s the first time I’ve officially travelled as a girl with all the right paperwork.
The desk had only just opened for our flight so we didn’t wait too long to unload our bags and exchange them for boarding cards.

“This is the first time I’ve flown,” I told the others when we found a café for breakfast.
“Don’t be daft, you flew to Japan with us,” Mand pointed out.
“You’ve flown a few times,” Mum agreed.
“Yeah but this is the first time I’ve been Gaby, like really, passport and everything,” I told them.
“Ah,” Mum allowed, “a milestone then.”
“Could say that.”
“You okay, Mand?” Mum asked.
“Uh huh, I think Japan got me over the fear, it’s the taking off bit I think, I’m okay once we’re up.”
“Know what you mean,” Jen mentioned.
“On the other hand, I don’t think I could do their job,” Mand indicated a brace of flight attendants heading through the concourse.

Breakfast – well it was the airport, cost a fortune. It wasn’t even that good, two hard rolls, bierwurst and Gouda, but it filled the time before our flight was called. We headed for the gate, each thinking our own thoughts of take offs, landings or in my case, being a girl.

Maddy Bell 17.02.16