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*Chapter 28*
Weihnacht Countdown

 
 
“And one and two and three and four…aaand finish!”

Well okay we were far from perfect but we are getting there. Hannah has been filming this evening’s session for Miss, I mean Fran Cowlishaw, she’s going to edit out the rubbish then email the file to me later. The good thing is, that despite my weekend’s exertions I’ve been able to take a reasonably active part for the first time in – well months.

“It’s coming, girls!” Hannah enthused as we all relaxed.
“We took a lot longer to get here with the Foresters ,” I allowed.
“No Garde on Friday of course but we will have cheer on Monday,” Hannah announced, “have a good Weihnachts, see you all next week.”
“You two grabbing a lift,” Pia enquired as I gathered my stuff.
“If we can, Dad only got home just before we came out. I won’t be long, just need a word with Hannah.”
“Kay, come on, Mand, we can talk about the Baroness outside.”

Mand’s German has improved somewhat; I guess she got the drift of Pia’s jibe as the pair departed chuckling.

“So I’ll get this to you as soon as,” Hannah supplied waving the camera as we convened in the office.
“Okay, I’ll get it off to her before the weekend.”
“Do you think we’re ready?”
“Ready?”
“To perform, the committee are keen to see some return on their investment.”

To be honest I hadn’t given anything beyond the cheer sessions at the Tanz club a lot of thought. Of course, from day one the intention was to enter competitions and do ‘entertainment’ slots at local events. Clearly the club hierarchy consider us as some sort of commodity, I guess they are funding us – uniforms and so on but I wasn’t aware of any specific urgency in getting the team up to speed.

“Well we aren’t gonna win any prizes,” I observed, “but I guess we’re passable.”
“Sorry, Gab, I didn’t mean to put you on the spot but there’s a committee meeting tomorrow and they’ll want an update.”
“Kay, I need to shoot, my lift’ll be waiting.”
“Sure, have a good Weihnachts.”
“And you, tschuss.”

“Penny for ‘em,” Mand offered as we loaded the washer - again.
“Oh nothing really, just something Han said earlier.”
“Like?” she pressed.
“Like taking the cheer team to the next level.”
“Which is? These yours?” she held up a pair of knickers.
“Um.”
“Bit racy.”
“I think they’re Mum’s,” I supplied.
She rolled her eyes, “Now we know where you get it from.”
“Get what from?”
“Your fashion sense.”
“Fashion sense? As if! I’m hopeless.”
“Says she with the wardrobe of designer frocks,” Mand mocked.
“What’s that got to do with Mum’s pants?”
“You don’t wear BHS knickers with those fancy togs, I bet you’ve got a collection of lacy undies up there.”
My face started to change colour.
“You have!”
“Only a few, you must have some too.” I stated.
“Never said I hadn’t, anyhow what’s this ‘next level’ thing?”
Geez, she switches about so quickly I can’t keep up sometimes. I don’t think I’ll ever get how the female brain works.
“Er right, erm, oh yeah, the committee want us to start doing some show type stuff? Maybe competitions.”
“That was the idea wasn’t it?”
“Yeah, I guess. I was just expecting to be a bit more polished first.”
“Gaby Bond, you can be such a perfectionist! I’m not exactly an expert but I reckon we’re ready.”
I didn’t say anything but she was including herself in that ‘we’.
“I guess we’re not too bad,” I allowed.

Tuesday. Chrimbo is like four days away, school finishes Thursday lunch, we’ve got the presentation in the afternoon then Gran gets here on Friday. Talk about busy, it only seems like we were in Japan a couple of weeks ago but I guess my issues and the time off school have thrown my internal calendar out. Of course Mand goes back to England on Thursday, to spend the festive season with her family, she really is gonna miss all the fun.

It might be Christmas but for those of us with exams in the New Year there’s no let up, no ‘easy’ periods oh no, we get more revision!
“If I see another sine tangent calculation…” I complained between bites of my frikadel sandwich.
“You should be alright after lunch, Gab’s, Herr Viessner for an hour,” Con reminded me.
“Oh joy,” I sighed.

English – it might be my native tongue but that doesn’t mean I’m brilliant at it. Of course everyone assumes that I am up to and including Herr Viessner so I get picked on for everything.

“When does Manda go home?” Pia enquired.
“Her flight’s Thursday morning,” I volunteered.
“She’ll miss the presentation,” Stef noted.
“What about her presents?” Nena put in.
Bum!
“Any chance of using the Stube P?”
“It’s booked for parties all week.” She advised.
“We can use the coffee shop,” Con volunteered.
“You sure?” I queried.
“I’ll ring but it shouldn’t be a problem, you know Papa.”
“Everyone make it? Say seven?” I proposed.
“Should be okay,” Brid agreed.
“I might be a few after,” Steff told us, “my Oma is coming to eat.”
Well that’s that sorted now we just need to get through English.

“Didn’t think we were doing anything this week,” Mand observed as we got ready to walk round to Thesing’s.
“It was a bit er, last minute,” I admitted.
“Not that I’m complaining about cake,” Mand filled.
“Don’t be too late, girls,” Dad requested, “I’ve got an early start.”
“You going to see the Luchow’s?”
“Won’t be a mo, Gab,” Mand told me.
“Uh huh, I need to sort some stuff out with Dieter.”
“Could you take something for Gret for me?”
“Nothing big, I’ve only got my briefcase.”
“It’s only small.”
“Leave it out on the table then.”
Mand clattered back into the kitchen, “Ready?”

“So when are you back here?” Steff asked Miss de Vreen.
“Day after New Year, back to school on the third.” She sighed.
“At least you don’t come straight back to exams,” I told her.
“More cake?” Con offered.
“I’m stuffed,” Mand allowed.
“I might manage a bit,” I volunteered.
“Might’ve guessed you’d be up for some,” Brid stated.
“Don’t know where she puts it,” Nena mentioned.
“Fast metabolism?” I proposed.
“Hollow legs,” Pia chuckled.
“But so pretty,” Steff added.

“Thanks for the presents, guys,” Mand told the gang as we prepared to depart.
“Thank you for yours,” Steff started, “take care in England.”
“Yeah don’t eat too much of that Yorkshires pudding, Gab goes on about,” Brid put in.
“Safe there, Mum can’t make it to save herself!” Mand supplied.
There followed an exchange of hugs, I could see Mand was getting a bit emotional.
“See you in the Neu Jahre, Fröhes Weihnacht!” Pia offered.
“Merry Christmas!”
“Safe flight!”
“Take care!”

“Thanks, Gab,” Mand told me as we walked back to Bond Acres.
“For what?”
“For tonight, it was your idea right?”
“Guilty as charged,” I admitted.
I suddenly found myself engulfed by de Vreen, “Urgh!”
“I wish I wasn’t going.”
“It’s only for a week,” I pointed out.
“Ten days,” she corrected.
“Ten days, whatever, you’ll be back before you know it.”
We walked the remaining distance in silence, Mand clearly lost in thought.

Three days left to Christmas, I might be nearly sixteen but I still get a bit giddy over the festivities – presents, parties, food. That’s all a given but I enjoy the atmosphere, as we say in Germany, the Heimat of the season, decorations, the markets, family celebrations. Sugar, Gret’s present! I leaped from my bed, found the packet on my desk and crept down to the kitchen, why’s the light on?

I pushed the door open, “Jules? I thought you were in Bonn tonight?”

Maddy Bell 02.03.16