Gaby Book 17 - Seasons

“That was intense,” Laura allowed when she arrived in the girls’ changing room, one of the meeting rooms in the Rathaus.
Seven Apollinaris girls actually outnumbered the rest of the female competitors, some of which had already disappeared.

“No kidding,” Ron agreed.
“So what happened at the finish there?” I asked as I pulled some trainer socks on.
“Some idiot over braked on that last corner just as it was winding up.” Gret advised.

Indeed I owed that idiot for my win, the resulting crash took out several contenders and slowed the rest, I actually had a full two seconds on the line. Luckily none of ours were downed, Gret took a creditable seventh, Ron a place behind and everyone else in the main finishing group.

“Hurry up, girls if you want to eat,” Caro called from the doorway.

The BC girls are on a plane later tonight and the Luchow’s are heading in a different direction altogether so we’re eating here in Freudenstadt rather than up the road somewhere. No dresses but team polo shirts, at least we get to choose what else we wear, a variety of denim was favourite, mine a mid thigh skirt. Look, it’s a warm afternoon!

The Bären edges more towards traditional German than a lot of places, no pizza, burgers or kebabs just good ole erm, German. Unlike last night’s set meal today we have free reign of the menu including drinks, so yeah, I ordered a Radler.

“What’s this one then?” Kristen asked pointing to a line on the menu.
“Weisswürst, it’s er a sort of sausage,” I advised.
“Ew!” Mand announced, “That’s pretty gross, you want something you can eat.”
“Ah kinda like it,” Josh opined.
“But you, liebchen, will eat anything,” Tali noted.
“Ahm a growing lad, hen.”
“So what do you suggest?” Kris queried.
Mand was keen to show off her language skills, “The Hauspfand’l looks good.”
“What's that?” Laz asked.
“The house special,” I told her.
“Does look okay,” Ron agreed, “Spätzle with pork in mushroom sauce.”

I went for the mixed grill, but there were several plates of Hauspfand’l ordered and I think to prove a point Josh had the Weisswürst.

“Your races like this all the time?” Kristen enquired as we waited for dessert.
“That’s what Mand asked after her first one,” I told the table.
“Always the same, hen,” Josh opined, “Gabs always wins, right, man?”
“Not always,” I blushed.
“It’s not always so intense,” Tal mentioned.
“Here comes pud,” I enthused catching sight of a waitress bearing down on us loaded with plates of….

“Now that was a Schwarzwaldkirschtorte!” I allowed sitting back.

It sure was, there was more cream than sponge, lashings of chocolate and cherries – well you’d expect it to be good in these parts.

“Them things in Tesco aren’t in the same league,” Laura offered.
“I can’t move,” Ron complained.
“You did have half of Tali’s Spätzle,” I pointed out.
“Waste not, want not.”

All too soon it was time to depart, goodbyes were said, cars loaded with bodies and off we set. Caro followed the bus out to the autobahn then with a toot and various waves she floored it and soon the Passat was out of sight. On the bus we settled down for a long drive, some of us won’t get to bed much before midnight.

I have to admit to falling asleep not far up the road.

“So, Gaby, everyone's asking, Tour de France?” Gertie Schmidt asked.
“All the girls are all looking good, I think we can do it.”
“Your win at Roubaix was unprecedented.”
“Twenty minutes was pretty good, I told Eddy beforehand that I was going for an early lead but I agree, twenty minutes was a lot.”
“Some pundits are suggesting you are favourite for the Worlds this summer?”
“That’s for them to say.”
“Well thank you, Gaby and good luck in France,”
“Thank you, Gertie.”
“So there we are,” Gertie turned to the camera, “Gaby von Strechau, Baroness, cycling champion and still not seventeen!”
“Gabs!”
“Eh? I said I wasn’t favourite.”
“What are you mumbling about?” Ron asked, “Toilets.”
“Hmm?”

We got back to Dernau just after ten, there was a bit of vehicle shuffling, everyone else transferring to Joe’s people carrier. He’d drop off the Grönberg’s then the three of them were staying in a motel near Düsseldorf overnight before completing their journey in the morning. For once Dad wasn’t last to bed, in fact he headed up as soon as the trailer was secured whilst Mand and I had some supper.

“Gaby!” Claudia called from her nest behind reception.
“Me?” I queried.
“You are currently the only one at Silverberg,” she advised.
“I am? Er so what’s up?” I asked trying to lean on the high counter.
“The Boss wants to see you after classes.”

Like most kids a summons to the Head’s presence always pulls up feelings of dread – even when you know you haven’t done anything wrong. Sugar, it’s probably my damn hair, she wasn’t exactly pleased last time.

“Er what for?”
“Didn’t say, she’s had a few people in in the last week about their college choices, probably that.”
“Right, guess I'll see you later.”

“So what did Claudia want you for?” Pia asked at lunch.
“How’d you know?”
“Saw you at the desk when I came out of the loos. So?”
“Boxxie wants to see me after classes finish, probably gonna tear me a strip over this,” I grabbed a handful of pinkness.
“Nah, she’d’ve done that last week,” Steff suggested.
“Steff’s right, she never waits before siccing on you,” Con confirmed.
“Don’t forget we can pick up the Prom pics this afternoon,” Nena mentioned.

Oh joy, more reminders of my pinkness.

“Ah, Fraulein Bond, come in, sit,” Frau Boxberg instructed.

Of course I've been stewing since this morning and the conversation with the girls at lunch did little to reassure me. There being a choice of one chair I sat and tried not to fidget.

“Relax, Gaby, you aren’t here for any sort of punishment.”
“My hair?”
“I know all about that.”
“Er how, Miss?”
“Your father rang and explained and anyhow, you are only with us another two weeks, what would the point be of giving you detention or a suspension, eh?”
“None?” I ventured.
“Exactly,” she agreed.
“So erm, why am I here, Miss?”
“Your future educational career, young lady.”
Looks like Claudia’s hint earlier was right.
“You’ve got a place at the management school in September,”
“I have?”
“You haven’t had the letter yet? Evidently not.”
“Kewl!”
“Indeed, the question however and reason for this meeting is what you are going to do between now and then.”

Ah, so this is a recruitment drive. The Rents have already ‘instructed’ me what I'm doing, no easy summer for me.

“Er hanging out at the Lido?”
“Somehow I doubt that, Gaby Bond, your father intimated you’d be up for summer school?”
“Yes, Miss,” I sighed, “English, maths and biology.”
She chuckled.
“What’s funny, Miss?”
“When we first met nearly two years ago we were talking about extra German classes and now here we are, you with the highest pass of the year in German but wanting extra tuition in English.”
“I was best in German?”
“You were indeed, young lady.”
“Wow!”
“Surprised Herr Praxmeier too but that's just between us, eh?”
“Er yes, Miss,” I agreed.
“So, English, maths, biology, I think we can get you onto those, why the biology?”
“Mum’s got some weird idea of growing vines, it might be useful if someone in the house knows something about plants.”

Frau B smiled, “As good a reason as any; your father tells me you’ve had a busy time with the radrennen?”
“A bit I suppose,” I admitted.
“Some race in France?” she prompted.
“Er yeah, the junior Paris Roubaix.”
“Sounds a long way.”
“Oh we only rode 160km from St. Quentin, I was the first girl to ride it.”
“How do you feel about that?”
Good question, to be honest I hadn’t really thought about it.
“Well I’d’ve probably ridden if I was still, you know.”
“A boy,” she filled in.
“Yeah,” I agreed, “BC had to get special permission for me to ride, so I guess they think I've got potential or something.”
“And?”
“Well I came third,” I admitted although I'm sure she already knew that.
“So not just the first girl to ride but you claimed a podium finish, not bad for the Prom Königen!”
“That was a fix wasn’t it, Miss?”
“Whatever gave you that idea, Gabrielle? Believe it or not it isn’t just me and your tutors who think highly of you, your peers do too. You are unusual, an enigma if you like. On the one hand you are this killer racing cyclist, a world champion no less and then there’s the popular young woman who takes dance classes, does great charitable works and even manages a job.”

I was already reaching a hue to match my hair.

“People look up to you, Gabrielle, where you lead others follow. You are top of your year in German, a language you barely knew a word of when you started at Silverberg, you’re the moving force behind the Weihnachtsmarkt stall, oh I know the others are involved but you are the catalyst and others see it too. There aren’t many students in a teacher’s career that really stand out from the crowd, I'm glad to admit you are one such in mine.”
“Um thanks.”
“Well I'm sure you’ve got places you’d rather be and I've got another one of these meetings.”

I think that was a hint.

“Yes, Miss.”
“Claudia will have your summer school timetable on Friday, don’t forget to pick it up, will you?”
“No, Miss. I mean yes, Miss.”

I grabbed my bag and headed for the door.

“Wiedersehn, Gaby Bond.”
“Er tschuss, Frau Boxberg.”

Once outside a let out the breath I'd been sort of holding for the last thirty minutes.

“Everything okay, Gaby?” Claudia enquired.
“Er yeah, I think so.”
“I said there was nothing to worry about.”

Maddy Bell © 04.11.16