Gaby Book 17 - Seasons

“What are you three plotting?” Angela enquired when she stuck her head around the door a bit later on.
“Er nothing,” Ron offered as Mand and I tried to stifle our giggles.
“Hmm, well dinner’ll be about ten minutes if you ladies want to join us.”
“Kay, Mum,” Ron allowed, “we’ll be down.”

We had of course utilised the Grönberg’s bathroom so we were fit for polite company, taking it in turns to use the shower. Whilst the Grönberg’s place is nice, it’s about half the size of Bond Acres and only boasts the one bathroom. It’s not pokey, far from it but I guess the idea of ensuite wasn’t popular when it was built.

I’ve mentioned Angela’s baking skills more than once but she’s no slouch cooking other stuff either and the enticing aroma of Biersuppe greeted us when we joined the adults at the table. I hope the disappointment didn’t show when I saw the small bowl at each place setting, the soup is good but you need a good serving for a meal. Oh well, I can grab a sandwich when we get home.

“You alright, Gab?” Ron asked as she mopped her dish.
“Yeah fine, just thinking.”
“Can you give me a hand, Roni,” Angela requested as she gathered the empty dishes, ”oh, Marcus, can you get the rest of the cutlery out, I knew I’d forgotten something.”

My ears pricked up, more cutlery equals more food!

Angela must’ve had everything prepared, even on the stove before we arrived, either that or she’s a miracle worker – hmm could be the latter I guess. Between them, Ron and Angela brought in boiled spuds, green beans, broad beans, Rotkohl and the focus of the meal, a steaming bowl of Königsberger Kloß, that’s meatballs in a white sauce. Now we’re talking – or rather we’re not as we’re eating, oh boy, this is good stuff!

If you’ve never had it, well you really should try it. The meatballs were poultry rather than red meat, their size variation hinted at home made, well what good German hausfrau would consider anything else? It wasn’t quite the traditional combination of vegetables but steaming red cabbage and the beans and capers in the sauce and potato’s just so – well I was in ecstasy.

“Somebody’s enjoying dinner,” Mand suggested with a smirk.
“Eh?”
“You keep sighing after every mouthful,” Ron supplied with a chuckle.
“You’d think she didn’t get fed at home,” Dad added.
“I do have to cook it,” I complained.”
“And grateful we are,” Mand allowed.
“Well it’s either me or beans on toast,” I pointed out.
“I might manage scrambled egg.”
“I guess it’s me then,” I sighed.
“Nothing wrong with being a good cook, Gaby,” Marcus proffered.
“And there is one big advantage,” Angela added, “no washing up!”

“I’ll meet you at Remagen ,” Dad confirmed as we settled into our seats for the drive home, “and thanks for dinner.”
“My pleasure,” Angela told us, “we don’t entertain very often and I enjoy seeing people enjoying their food.”

The colour started to rise in my cheeks, I had made a bit of a prat of myself with the meatballs earlier.

“See you, Ron,” Mand called out.
“Later guys!”

Beep, beep… beep, beep.

“Bond?” I told the caller as we headed towards Köln on the autobahn a few minutes later.
“Heya, kiddo.”
“Mum!” I exclaimed, “it’s Mum,” I told the others.
“We guessed,” Dad told me.
“So how’d you get on?”
“Erika got third,” she told me.
“What about you?”
“It’s a big trophy for the winner of the Vuelta a Bilbao.”
“But where did you come?” I pressed.
“Half a wheel in front of Vos.”
“Mu-um!”
“Well Marianne was the other podium.”
“You won! Why didn’t you say?”
“I thought I just did?”
“I guess I need to add this Volta a bow to my list.”
“Vuelta a Bilbao, what list?”
“That’s it, list of races you’ve won that I need to win sometime.”
“Well that’s one way of planning a career,” she chuckled.
“It’s something to aim for,” I proposed.
“It’s a fairly short list.”
“Keeps getting longer,” I put in.
“Where are you?”
“Er,” I peered into the darkness outside to get a clue; the lights of the Bayer works are something of a clue, “on the motorway at Leverkusen, been to Ron’s.”
“Okay, if you see Jules tell her to call me please, she’s not picking up.”
“Will do, when do you get back?”
“Not until after Easter, we’re just outside Barcelona tonight, we drive over to Turin tomorrow it’s the Strade Bianchi on Saturday then there’s some event at Firenze on Sunday.”
“George is sure keeping you guys busy.”
“He does pay us,” she pointed out.
“Getting his pound of flesh,” I allowed.
“Well I can’t talk all night, say hi to your dad, I’ll ring him tomorrow, oh and don’t forget Jules.”
“I won’t, bye!”
“Bye, kiddo.”
“Good result?” Dad enquired as I pushed my Handy back into my bag.
“First and third, Erika got bottom step.”
“Brill,” Mand enthused.
“She’ll ring you tomorrow,” I told pater.

There was no sign of my sister when we got home, a note stuck to the coffee maker confirmed she had been home but was now back at Boris’. I sent her an SMS while I waited for our coffee to brew, my Handy trilled almost immediately.

“What’s up?”
“Mum’s after you,” I advised.
“She there now?” there was a hint of panic in her voice for some reason.
“No, Barca, you haven’t been answering your phone all day.”
“I left here this morning, so what’s she want me for?”
“Didn’t say, what’ve you been up to?”
“Nothing,” she offered cautiously – it’s Jules, she’s always up to something.
“You staying there all week?”
“Might do,” she allowed, “I ‘spose I’d best ring her then.”
“Yeah,” I agreed.
“Laters.”

It was more exam misery next day and I was glad to get home after a mega session of English – at least I should walk the second half on Wednesday, even I can do English Oral!

“Gab?”

Skin, out of, jump – rearrange and you’ll see what I did.

“Geez, Jules, you scared me out of my skin. Thought you were staying at Boris’?”
“Er change of plan.”
“Mand with you?”
“In her room I think.”
“I’ll make her a brew then, you want a cup?” I enquired as I filled the kettle.
“Er sure.”
“So what’s up? Mum grounded you or something?”
“Something like that, look, Gab, I’m sorry okay.”

Well that was out of the blue.

“Sorry? What for?”
“Last Sunday, I got a bit carried away, Mum said I should apologise.”
“I did agree to it.”
“Yeah but I had to take it too far didn’t I?”
“You did?”
“You don’t make it easy do you, look sorry I pierced your nose.”
“You coulda said that on the phone,” I pointed out.
“No I couldn’t, Mum said I had to look you in the eye when I said it.”
“’Kay,” I allowed.
“You want me to take it out?”
“I’ve er got quite attached to it actually.”
“You’re gonna keep it?”
“Yeah, I reckon, it’s not like your tongue, I mean I think it looks rather cool actually.”
“Great.”
“You can go back to Boris now,” I suggested.
“No I can’t, you were right just now, I’m grounded, no overnights in Bonn until Mum gets home next week.”
“Bum.”
“What now?”
“Ron and her mum are coming Saturday .”

“You sure?” Dad asked Mand as he drove us up to Cheer.
“Positive,” Mand stated, “it’s only one night and she does shower.”
“I could get them in the Anker,” he suggested.
“It’s fine, we’re only sleeping, there’s plenty of room if I put the big chair on the landing.”
“If you’re sure,” Dad persisted.
“I am,” she confirmed again.

“So why’s Jules not staying in Bonn this week, not fallen out with lover boy again?”
“Not as I know, no Mum grounded her.” I advised Manda as we waited for Hannah to arrive.
“What for this time?” Pia asked.
“Last weekend,” I started, “well specifically my nose.”
“Your nose?” Mand queried, “oh the stud,” she added as the penny dropped.
“Which I see is still there,” Pia noted.
“Well it’s done now,” I observed.
“Doesn’t mean you have to keep it though, does it?” Mand pointed out.
“I um, kinda like it,” I admitted, “I mean I wouldn’t’ve gone and got it done myself but yeah, I’m cool with it.”
“And it makes her look even cuter,” Pia stage whispered to Mand.
Not the C word!

Maddy Bell 15.08.16