“The Baroness tells me you have another wedding coming up.”
“I do?”
I racked my brain; Max hasn’t said anything has he? Hang on, he did mumble something before I went to Manchester, was that a wedding?
“We’ll have to get you in so we don’t have the rush like the Coburg affair.”
“Um yes, I guess so, how’s Dotty?” have to check the details with Max, not that I want to go to another wedding bash.
“She’s fine, thank you. So what brings you here today?”
I was tempted to say ‘my bike’ but Gerta isn’t one for levity.
“I erm just realised I haven’t got a frock for Marty’s party tomorrow.”
“This will be at the Preiser farm?”
How does she know this stuff?
“Er yeah, I mean yes.”
“Park that thing up,” she indicated my trusty steed, “and we’ll see what we can find.”
“But I,”
“Still there, come along, girl, time waits for no one.”
Don’t I know it. Oh well, in for a cent, in for a euro.
“We are on a budget of course,” Gerta pretty much noted to herself.
Budget, hell yeah! Frankly I didn’t think Eloise Couture did teenage barn dance as an option but no harm in looking.
“Something fun but practical,” she muttered heading across the showroom.
Pimkie® it isn’t, neither are the prices.
“Come on, gel, colour?”
“I was thinking blue? Or red maybe?”
“You have shoes?”
“Well not with me.”
“In blue or red?” she suggested.
“Er both.”
“Heels of course,” came as more of a statement.
“Ten centimeter?” I offered. “Nothing too um, formal?”
“Of course not, it’s a party not a reception.”
There’s a difference?
“Thirty two if I recall.”
“Um yes, B cup,” I allowed.
“Nice to know but not essential at this point.”
She started pulling frocks from one of the rails, not just my colour choices but a full spectrum of hues and styles.
“That blue one looks nice,” I opined.
“Make you look like a stick, you’ve got good legs, make use of them.”
That’s me told.
“Stand.”
Well you don’t mess with Gerta; I put my bag down and stood in the space between the rails.
“Dotty! Come give me a hand here.”
A minute later the seamstress joined us, “Oh the von Strechau girl, so nice to see you again.”
“Bond,” I corrected.
“Oh yes, Gerta, very James Bond.”
“Let’s see it against the gel.”
‘It’ in this case was a somewhat fussy metallic gold affair that might be better off on a Barbie™ doll, not on Gabrielle Bond! Gerta at least this time seemed to agree.
“No, too much, hair up or down, girl?”
“Hadn’t thought that far.”
A couple more frocks were discarded without reaching me, Dotty held a couple more up to me for Gerta to see.
“Yes I think that’s the one,” she finally announced.
“It is?” I queried trying to get a look at the garment.
Well it was blue, dark but not navy with rhinestone decoration across the chest.
“Try it on then, gel.”
“Um, yes ma’am.”
I checked my watch, sugar; I’m supposed to be at Apollinaris in like ten minutes. My choice of a skirt this morning did at least speed things up, the dress was nice and after I put on the shop heels Dotty slid in to the changing room, I had to agree with Gerta.
“Come on, girl, let’s take a look.”
I went out to the shop for inspection.
“Bit loose across the top,” Dotty offered.
“A bit off the length?”
“Oh indeed,” the seamstress agreed.
In minutes I was pinned to perfection before redressing in my street clothes.
“I’ll put it on your account.”
“Um, account, yes,” I have an account?
“We’ll see you at three o’clock tomorrow, bring your own shoes,” Gerta ordered.
“Um yes, okay, tomorrow.”
I was outside at my bike before I looked at the chit Gerta had put in my hand, how much? Mums’ gonna kill me, nearly two hundred euros on a dress! Mum, sugar! I hit the speed dial.
“Where the heck are you?” Mum fumed.
“Dress fitting? I’ll be there in like ten?”
“Dress? No don’t tell me, just get your bum over here as soon as.”
“On my way.”
Am I gonna get flack for this!
The Schauff isn’t the fastest bike around but I didn’t let that hold me back as I cut through the afternoon traffic of Bad Neunahr and out to the Apollinaris plant. I screeched to a halt, I really need to get Dad look at those brakes, and to some amusement from the girls grabbed my kit bag and straight into the changing rooms.
“Where is she?” Mum asked coming out of the office.
“Changing room,” Tina advised with a smirk.
“One day,” Jenny mentioned shaking her head.
“She’s young, Jen,” Erika told her.
“Don’t I know it,” Jen sighed.
I got my bibs on inside out first try, more speed, less haste, Drew. Drew, ha, not hardly worst luck. I headed out still putting my shoes on to find everyone still in the briefing room. Tina indicated a spot next to her; I hurried over to join them.
“What’s going on?”
“Pep talk from the boss.”
“Everyone here?” George enquired as he wandered out of his office, “yes?”
“They are now,” Mum mentioned glowering at me.
George followed her look, shrugged and turned back to his clipboard.
“I won’t keep you long, just some stuff for Japan. So the flight is at eleven thirty, we get there at seven am local time. Check in is at nine, I’d like everyone there for eight thirty, the Bonds are going down Friday night, Tina, Anja, you two fixed up?”
“Anja’s staying at mine, Dad’ll take us through to the Flughafen.”
“Terminal one, Erica I’ll pick you up at six thirty?”
“I’ll be ready.”
“Questions?”
I stuck my hand up.
“Gaby?”
“What are we doing about bikes?”
“I’ve struck a deal with Bianchi, their Japanese distributor is supplying your steeds for the week, it’s not viable to freight ours over for a week. Your Dad is going to mechanic for us so don’t worry, everything will be ship shape. Anything else?”
No one else had any questions, leastways not that they wanted to voice.
“Okay, sixty steady, Jen you’re in charge.”
“Right then troops, let’s at it, Gab’s cooking tonight and I don’t want Pilze on toast again!”
Cheeky moo – I’ve never done that!
We rescued our mounts, sometime today Mand had acquired a team bike, I’m guessing it was Tina’s originally by the size.
“Gaby?”
“Yes, Mum,” now I’m for it.
“I want you to look after Mandy, our steady will likely put her on the rivet, if she looks in trouble don’t leave her, don’t leave her in any case.”
“’Kay.”
With Maria not in attendance we were six strong, not enough to hide in but enough to get some rest, we’ll be riding piano after all. Mum led us out and we were soon dropping down towards the Rhein, Mike the mechanic following several lengths behind. We quickly had a two-line rotation organised, me paired with Manda.
“They got you all kitted out then,” I observed.
“Yeah, it’s a pool bike, George said I’ll get a new one in the New Year.”
“Uh huh, pretty cool we’ll have Bianchi’s in Japan, eh?”
“Don’t like that green.”
We were rolling along at a comfortable twenty-five, business like but talkable. We took our turn on the front, picking up a bit of speed as we dropped towards Remagen, our conversation resumed when we returned to the rear.
“So what kept you, your mum said you get out of school at two.”
“We do start at eight,” I pointed out.
“So?”
“Well I need a dress for the party tomorrow and I sort of forgot the time.
“You found one though?”
“Uh huh.”
“Go on, how much?”
I mouthed the amount to her not wishing to alert Mum too early.
“How much?”
Maddy Bell © 26.12.2014
Comments
“How much?”
Er, oopsie.. Run over by the Gerta again. Learn when to flee, little one!
Teri Ann
"Reach for the sun."
Did Gaby hear correctly?
From talk two weeks ago, the Halloween party is a costume party, much like the Cons Gaby has attended. Didn't Drew understand it is a costume party and not a dress up party? Wearing that dress could be considered a costume, if she called herself The Baroness.
Others have feelings too.