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*Chapter 16*

Back to Work

 
 
“Drew?”

“In the er airwaves,” I agreed.

“It’s pretty cool eh?” Mand enthused despite me waking her at silly o’clock, “can’t believe it’s just two weeks.”

“Yeah,” I allowed.

“So what’re you ringing for?”

“Can’t I just ring for a chat?”

“You, chat? Come on, girl, wassup?”

“Okay, you got me. I’ve got you an invite to a party, just wanted to make sure you’d have something to wear.”

“Party?”

“Mart’s Hallowe’en party up at his farm, everyone’s going, it’s fancy dress but you don’t have to do that, barbeque, dancing, usual stuff.”

“Sounds interesting.”

“So anyway, just make sure you pack some glad rags yeah?”

“I’ll add it to the list.”

“Bum,” I allowed looking at the clock, “have to go, I need to get off to the bakery, talk later, Tschuss!”

“Yeah, choos.”
 
 

“I spoke to Tomas, Gab, any chance you could do tomorrow morning for us?” Con’s mum queried.

We, that is the girls and me haven’t really got anything planned so it’s a bit of a dead day.

“What time?”

“Six to twelve?” she suggested.

Fifty euros, cool.

“Okay.”

“You’d best take your uniform, I’ll fetch it down.”

 
 
“You working here again?” Nena asked after Frau Thesing returned with a bag containing my uniform.

“A few shifts, Weihnachts is coming after all.”

“I should look for a job,” Steff mentioned, “I could certainly do with some extra geld.”

“Might be something at the Stube,” Pia suggested.

“Bound to be washing up,” Steff lamented.

“Waitressing, we always need staff this time of year.”

“You going to Garde, Gab?” Pia asked changing the subject.

“Yeah, I need to sort some stuff out for Monday with Margot.”

“Ooh, big boss lady!” Nena giggled.

“Less of the er big,” I retorted.

My being the smallest of us that got a couple of chuckles.

“Come on or we’ll miss the Express.” Con suggested.

Yeah, we’re taking the train down today, it’s a bit erm, damp, make that chucking it down.

And so we embarked on the next day of our education, five girls and me, the Ahr Angels.

 
 
Getting up for work Saturday morning was a stark reminder of why I hate mornings! Dark, not exactly warm and creeping about so as not to wake everyone else. I crept down to the kitchen, found my school shoes, used the downstairs bathroom to put a bit of slap on and I was ready to leave. Despite not liking getting up there is something strangely pleasant about riding in the pre dawn still, just the rattles and clangs of the Schauff and the hum of the dynamo breaking the silence.

Herr Thesing was of course already in the shop when I got there, the ovens go on at four. We don’t actually open until six thirty but pulling the early shift means getting the Gaggia ready, sorting out the display, putting the sign out and so on. Just enough time to get a coffee myself before the first customers arrive for their brötchen and pastries.

I wasn’t on my own of course, one of the regular staff, Fabienne was in with me – you’d be surprised how many people come through the door before eight o’clock. Mrs T joined us about nine, which meant I got my break soon after, being a family business that means heading up to the family flat for my own frühstuck.
 
 

“You coming up to Anna’s this afternoon?” Con asked as I helped myself to a generous blob of chocolate spread for my roll.

“Maybe for a bit,” I agreed around a mouthful of bread product, “I’ve got to sort out Bernie’s room for Manda.”

“You working till mittag?”

“Yeah,” I agreed.

“I’ll come home with you and we can go up from there.”

It sounded like a reasonable plan, I need to change out of my uniform, it might work in the bakery but its hardly suitable for visiting friends.
 
 

It was twenty past twelve when we arrived at Bond Acres.

“We’re going up to Anna’s for a bit,” I announced to anyone listening.

“Don’t forget the spare room,” Dad’s disembodied voice mentioned.

“Yeah, I know.”

I tripped upstairs to my eyrie, losing the skirt and blouse quickly before an equally swift wash. Jeans, well to be accurate some of those new denim look leggings, with a rib top took nearly as long to put on as everything else put together.

“Sheesh, they don’t hide much,” Con noted when I got back to the kitchen.

“Shush, Dads not seen them, come on, time’s a wastin’”

 
 
By the time we were half way up to Anna’s I was regretting wearing the ‘jeggings’, I know they are supposed to be tight but riding a bike in them is nigh on impossible. Con could hardly control herself as I resorted to pushing my steed alongside her.

“Didn’t know you were into body painting Gab.” Anna observed when we reached the Pilsen residence.

“Eh?”

“You’re er jeans?”

I looked down at my legs, skintight doesn’t come into it, “you got something I can borrow, I can hardly bend my legs.”

“Never thought you’d be a fashion victim, Gabs.” Con noted as Anna disappeared into her room.

“I thought they looked cool, they’re much tighter than I thought though.”

“Might have something to do with all your muscles, most girls don’t have such er development.”

“I guess so,” I admitted. I’m rather proud of my pins; I’d never really thought that they were really any different to my friends.

“Here you go, Gab, this should fit,” Anna mentioned when she returned.

Anna is of course somewhat bigger than me, like Con she’s somewhat taller and er bigger everywhere else too. The wrap skirt she handed me was short for me; I doubt it covered much on its owner! I literally had to peel my offending leg wear off; I’m glad I left my tights on or I might’ve needed help!

 
 
“So what’re you wearing to Marty’s, Gab? Anna asked once we were sat with coffee and cake.

“Dunno, hadn’t given it much thought yet.”

“I’m going as a zombie,” Con offered.

“No change there then,” Anna giggled.

“Hey! I resemble that.”

“I could make you something, Gab,” our hostess suggested.

Not gonna happen! Nope, not again, been caught with that before. There’s no doubting that she’s a whizz with needle and thread but I always end up exposing rather more Gaby than I’m happy about, oh no not happening.

“Er no thanks, Anna, you’ll be busy doing your own and I’m sure you’ve got loads of college stuff to do as well.”

“You gonna have time, Gab, you only get back from Japan a couple of days before.”

Big mouth Con!

“It’d be no trouble, Gab,” Anna insisted.

“I don’t want to put you out, I’m sure I can do something myself.”

“Ach, it’s no issue, I have some ideas already.”

“I don’t want a repeat of last time.”

“Noted.”

Hmm, there was a gleam in her eye; she’s up to something.

 
 
We spent a couple of hours catching up, Anna was settling into the regime of college life and even in the few weeks she’d been there it was clear that she was making new friends and had other stuff to occupy her. How long before she’s finding excuses not to hang with me and the guys? Still for now she’s still part of the gang.

“You sure you can’t stay for tea?”

“Best not, I need to sort out the spare room, I think Dad wants to paint or something.”

“Well see you both soon then.”

We exchanged hugs and goodbyes and the pair of us set off back down the hill to Dernau.

“You want a hand with the cleaning?” Con offered.

“Do I? That’d be brill, thanks, Con.”
 
 

It’s not far and with gravity on your side we were back at Schloss Bond in about fifteen minutes. We parked our steeds in the garage.

“That you, kiddo?” Dad called out.

“Yeah, Con’s come to give me a hand,” I called back as we climbed up into the house.

“Hi, Connie,” Dad allowed coming out from the lounge, “I hope she’s not promised you too much.”

“Nothing actually, Herr Bond.”

“Pizza?” he offered.

“Where do I sign?” Con hammed.

“Come on, Con, later, Daddikins,” I sighed dragging Con up the stairs before the two of them got into full swing. They spent nearly half an hour once exchanging quips.

 
 
“Spoilsport,” Con mentioned.

“Come on, you’re here to clean.”

“I’m cut to the quick, lead on slave driver.”

And so we set too on clearing the detritus from the spare bedroom.

Maddy Bell © 26.10.2014