I made a grab for the magazine but failed to snag it from de Vreen’s fingers, “Let’s see then.”
“Says ‘the pair,’ not sure what that is,” Mand’s German is pretty good but she still misses some stuff, “‘each other, laughing and joking on the slopes’.”

Clearly we were snapped by some paparazzi, of all the luck.

“Doesn’t mention you by name,” Manda stated.
“Oh joy, it won’t take much of a detective will it?”
“You never mentioned meeting royalty,” Mum opined from up front.
“Dad spoke to him too,” well maybe I can deflect some of the attention.
“Dave?” Mum queried.
“I only spoke to that chap who helped you get to the cablecar.”
“Yup,” I agreed.
“That wasn’t,” he started, “But you said his name was Wales.”
“Uh huh,” I agreed.
“That was Prince William?”
“Yep,” I confirmed.
“And just how does my daughter get to be on ‘friendly’ terms with the Royal family?” Mum asked.

“Er, it’s a long story?”
“This I’ve got to hear,” Dad mentioned.
“Yeah, you’ve kept this quiet,” Mand added.
I took a deep breath, “Well you remember the big wedding in Munich?”
“Sophie’s sister?”
“No, that was in Stuttgart, before that, you might not’ve been about thinking on it. Well anyway there was this big wedding, pretty much everyone was there, it’s where I met Sophia.”
“Get on with it Princess,” Dad chivvied.
“Hmmph!” I’ll give him Princess.
“She’ll get there Dave,” Mum suggested, “Go on kiddo, the big wedding?”
“Well the von Strechau’s are family on the brides’ side so we had to the reception in the English Gardens.
“English Gardens?” Mand queried.

This could take some time.

“It’s like a big park in the middle of Munich,” I explained, “Anyway, it was just the close family and some select guests from around Europe.”
“Like Prince William?”
“Kate was there too,” I told my audience.

Mand did the eye rolling thing, “And you never thought to tell anyone all this?”
“It’s no biggy, it was a wedding, I was there, Will was there, end of, there’s nothing else to tell.”

Well I’m not going to tell them everything am I?

“And Prince William just happened to remember you from what, two years ago?” Mum pursued.
“Well it’s not like he exactly recognised me, he saw me take a tumble and came to rescue me, I didn’t even know he was there.”
“Didn’t he have bodyguards and all that?” Mand enquired.
“Well yeah but I didn’t see them ‘till after.”
“Nothing new there,” Dad mentioned.
“You never mentioned you fell over,” Mum observed.
“It was skiing, everyone falls over.”
“Must’ve been quite spectacular if you needed rescuing,” Mand suggested.
The silence from up front suggested my parents had similar thoughts.
“Think I got my skis crossed or something, Will was nearby and came to check I was okay, end of story, can we change the subject?”

Except it won’t be of course, everyone back home will see the pictures, there might even be a repeat of ‘hunt the blonde’, why does this stuff happen to me? I suppose it could be worse, they haven’t got pics of me falling over.

 
I did eventually get to see the photographs, not exactly brilliant but it was quite clearly me and Wills, no denying that and it did look like we were having a pally conversation. If I remember rightly it was mostly an exchange of dancing and skiing anecdotes and tips, certainly nothing more exciting. Hopefully something more exciting will come along quickly and my latest fifteen minutes of fame will be just that, fleeting.

 
“What are you doing tomorrow?” Mum asked as we cleared up the remains of our Chinese.
“The Weihnachtsmarkt with Mand, why?”
“That’s okay, just thought I ought to know what my daughter is up to.”
“You’re not usually so interested.”
“I’m always interested kiddo, I’m your mother, I do worry about you.”
“What about Jules?”
“She might officially be an adult but yes, I worry about her too, it’s what parents do.”
 

If you remember rightly, we decided to wear Kostüm on our Weihnachtsmarkt stall this year, it’s slightly less embarrassing than elves and a bit more practical than last year’s Mittelalter theme. Okay, the girls are out on display but I’m okay with that if it gets more money in for our chosen charity, the local Children’s Home. Where we’ve been, down in Austria, you sort of expect it to be cold with the mountains and stuff but while we’ve been away, it’s turned a lot colder here in the Ahrtal too.

I don’t usually wear hose with my Dirndl or if I do, they’re like ten denier but with frost outside this morning, well my lady bit’s still get cold. A quick search of my hosiery draw turned up a pair of heavier tan tights and if I wear a second pair of pants over them I should at least delay the toilet trips a bit. I pulled on a cropped cardigan and checked myself out in the mirror.

Hmm, not too shabby, could’ve done without the wrist brace but I’m supposed to use it for at least another week. On a whim I swapped my nose stud for the tiny gold ring – well you never know, von Strechau might happen by? I gathered my Handy and wallet up and headed down for Frühstück, it’s not like we’ll get much eating opportunity in the market cabin is it?

“You gonna be warm enough like that?” Mum asked as I popped bread in the toaster.
“We are inside,” I pointed out.
“Take a jacket with you, you don’t want to get a chill.”
“Mu-um, I’m not a little kid, I can dress myself.”
“Sometimes,” she intoned, “Your father will take you guys down, we’ll pick you up later, does Connie need a lift?”
“Not sure, probably, I’ll give her a bell.”
“Ten o’clock okay?”
“Yeah, that’ll be great thanks,” well that’s transport sorted.

“You want a lift?”
“I was gonna ask the same,” Con told me.
“Well Dad’s got to go to Apollinaris so he’s going anyhow and you’ve not been in the new car yet have you?”
“New car?”
“Yeah, Dad picked it up just before we went to Austria.”
“In that case I’ll cancel mum, I’ve got the torte to go down, everything else is sorted, so tell me about Austria.”
“Later, I need to sort the rest of my stuff out for washing, we’ll be around at ten.”
“Okay, see you then.”
“Yeah tschuss.”

 
“What’ve you done to your arm, it’s not broken is it?” Con enquired when I took my Apollinaris ski jacket off, well it’s warm and was close to hand when we came out.
“Fell on some snow,” I allowed.
“Skiing is dangerous,” Con sagely noted.
“She was on her bike,” Mand put in.
“You weren’t skiing?”
“No,” I sighed, “We were on the bikes and it started snowing so we turned back, I hit some ice et voila, a trip to the hospital.”
“Was that before or after meeting Prince William?”

Damn, I forgot she gets the gossip mags. Well I can hardly make a denial can I, even a bat can see it’s me in the pictures.

“Before,” I told her before checking the steamer was working.
“So?”
“What?”
“Gott, have I got to drag it out of you? So what happened, how is your picture in this week’s Bild?”

So of course, I had to tell my BFF the somewhat abridged version of events, a tale I’m likely to have to repeat several times more I’m sure. So okay, it might not be one hundred percent of the truth but I somehow doubt that it’ll be contradicted by anyone, least of all Will Wales. Not that there’s a lot more but it could get twisted about and heaven forbid, reignite the ‘mystery blonde’ saga.

“So that’s it, you fell over and he just happened to be nearby?”
“Yup.”
“I dunno how you do it Bond,” she told me shaking her head.
“Nor do I, you finish slicing that torte?”
“Er, oh yeah, here you go.”

She passed me the cake to put in the ‘cold’ cabinet along with the Schwarzwalder.

Just then Mand returned with the crockery, Max and the apprentices. For security the crockery is being kept at Der Mühle, who, once again, are giving us the use of their industrial washing kit. Somehow it seems a little weird seeing everyone in Kostüm, and no one apparently self-conscious about it.

“Liebchen,” Max allowed, “Manda says you’ve hurt your wrist.”
I gave a shrug, “It’s not bad.”
“Maybe I can kiss it better.”

There was some giggling behind him, Pauline and Frannie listening in on our conversation.

“Think it’s beyond that,” I waved my braced arm at him.
“Worth a try though.”
“Later Lothario,” Mand suggested, “Time to open.”
 
The cabin soon warmed up what with the coffee machine and the press of bodies taking refuge from the cold. Con has mastered the art of a half decent Raclette while I’ve been in Austria and they were proving pretty popular, I guess it’s something a little out of the ordinary. The afternoon shift arrived, which today was officially the rest of the Angels and Freddy so I was a little surprised when I heard a familiar voice.

“Careful Drea!”
“Hi guys,” I offered to the family Preiser who had just come into the madhouse.
“Hi Gab,” Bern returned, “Someone wanted to see the Princess.”
“Princess? Wonder where she got that from?” I mused, “You guys partaking?”
Bern turned to the figure behind her, “Mart?”
“My treat,” I interjected, well I know things are tight, sometimes charity should start at home.”
“If you’re sure,” Marty replied with a hint of relief in his voice.
“I wouldn’t offer otherwise would I?”
“Table three’s just free,” Con helpfully advised over my shoulder, “Hi guys.”
“Go sit, can madam have cake?”
“Only a little, she’s been feeding her face all afternoon,” her mother supplied.

“So,” I started as I sat myself at table three, “Wasn’t expecting to see you guys today.”
“Daddy promised Big Ears she could come to see the decorations and stuff,” Bern informed me.
“Blame me,” Mart accused but there was a hint of smile with it.
“So Drea, have you seen the tree?”
She nodded enthusiastically, “Pwitty ladies.”
“She means you guys,” Bern told me, “We gave Pia a lift down and she’s gone on about the ‘pwitty ladies’ ever since.”
“Maybe we should get her her own Kostüm.” I joked.
“Don’t you dare Gaby Bond!”
“Hang on, you gave P a lift?”
“We’ve borrowed dad’s pickup,” Mart told me as he wiped his face, “This is really good, what’s it called again?”

“Raclette mit Speck.”
“Cheese on toast,” Bern surmised, “I can make it at home if you’re that keen, actually, Drea might like it.”
“You remember when we had that toastie eating competition?”
“Ally was sick all over Rhod,” Bern giggled.
“You heard from Al lately?”
Bern gave a resigned shrug, “Nothing since we came out here, your cousin did a job of poisoning minds.”
“Yeah,” I agreed, “You heard about when she came over?”
“Not all the details.”
“Have to fill you in when someone’s not listening.”
“Drea, Tante Gaby doesn’t want your choccy fingers,” Mart suggested as he deftly intercepted said paddies before they reached my dirndl.
“It’s okay, it all needs washing after a day here anyway.”
“Still, she needs to learn Gab, you want a drink Kitten?”

Yeah. Mart’s turning out to be a great Dad even if Drea isn’t actually his.

“She recognized you on the telly,” Bern mentioned.
“On the telly?”
“The Apollinaris advert?”
“Right.”
“Yep, mum wondered what she was on about saying Gaby and pointing at the box, we only caught on the next time the ad came on.”
“Has it been on much, the advert?”
“Loads, haven’t you seen it?”
“I don’t exactly get a lot of TV time what with training and college work.”
“Bet you still watch Tatort?”
“Might do, if I’m around,” I admitted.
“You’re a creature of habit Bond,” my friend chortled.
“Er, you guys want to eat at ours tonight, I know the Olds’d like to see Drea?”
“Erika’s expecting us back.”
“Mum’s doing a roast,” I tempted.
“You’ve only just got back, she won’t want us,” Mart opined.
“Max is coming, more the merrier.”
“Did I hear my name?” von Strechau queried as he came into the cabin, he’s been manning the donation table out in the cold.
I made frantic eye signals, “Just trying to convince these guys to come for dinner tonight with us.”
Thankfully he took the hint, “Yeah you should really come, I’m keen to hear all about Austria, Bridg was on about some pictures in Bild.”
“I don’t think your parents would be too upset if we missed dinner Mart,” Bern suggested, “And we have got the pickup.”
“If it’s okay with your mum,” Mart allowed.
“I’ll ring and tell her to set extra places,” I enthused, “Be right back.”

I quickly headed over to the cupboard cum storeroom where we were keeping our coats and bags, found my Handy and headed outside. Sheesh it’s cold out here!

“Mum?”
“What’s up kiddo?”
“Er can we manage four more for dinner?”
“Possibly, who’s coming?”
“Well I sort of invited Bern and Mart.”
“That’s only two,” she pointed out.
“They’ve got Drea with them.”
“Three. Well two and a half.”
“And I sort of said Max was already coming.”
“They got transport or are we doing taxi service too?”
“Mart’s got his dad’s pickup.”
“Anything else your majesty?”
“Mu-um.”
“You’d best invite Connie too,” Mum instructed, “We’ll see you later.”
“Thanks Mum, tschussie.”
“Bye kiddo.”

“Looks like your goose bumps have got goose bumps,” Con noted when I stopped off to re-stow my Handy.
“It’s flippin cold out there, you’re invited to dinner by the way, roast beef.”
“Nice!”

I’ll take that as acceptance of the invite.

“All set,” I told the junior Preiser family.
“Thanks Gab,” Mart told me.
“Hey thank the cook not the washer up,” I suggested, I can see the dishwasher being pressed into action tonight.
“Really Gab, thanks,” Bern reiterated, “You didn’t have to invite us.”
“It’s what friends do.”
“Don’t you ever stop being you Gaby Bond.”

I coloured up to match my apron, look I don’t do praise do I?
 

“Not bad,” Con stated.
“How much?” Steff asked.
“Four hundred seventeen and a bit of change.”
“Not bad,” I offered.
“We did more yesterday,” Nena observed.
“But we opened later today,” Con noted.
“We putting it in Eva’s safe,” I asked.
“Yeah,” Steff confirmed, “Max, can you take it over when you take the crocks?”
“Fred, you’re running bodyguard,” my BF announced.
“Let’s get this place cleaned up, my dinner’s calling,” Bridg suggested.

Well, no arguing with that sentiment.
 

“What’s in the back?” I asked when my parents pulled up to do taxi duty.
“High chair,” Mum advised as I squeezed into the middle of the back seat.
“High chair?”
“There a parrot in here? Yes a high chair for your ‘niece’.
“Where’d you get one of those on a Sunday afternoon?”
“It was Kat’s, Maria still has her cot and everything in the attic.”
“And I thought you guys were squirrels,” I joked.
“We only got rid of yours when we moved,” Dad told us much to the delight of my rear seat companions.

© Maddy Bell 30.03.2019