Gaby Book 17 - Seasons

“Sorry I was so long, I got lost,” I apologised when I returned to the trailer.

It wasn’t actually a lie, after saying I was going to the loos I had to do so and – well I took a wrong turn in the Rathaus on the way out and ended up exiting on the opposite side of the building. Thoughts of Mofa’s and getting said machine home undetected were put on temporary hold quite quickly, you wouldn’t think people would want crepes so flippin’ early but within minutes of me returning we had a queue. I guess we got a drop on the other food stalls, some of which wouldn’t have stuff ready for ages yet.

Things did calm down a bit after a while as Kirmes goers were distracted by other stuff, marching bands, assorted dance troops, street entertainers and so on.

“Gaby?” Eva gained my attention.
“Er yeah.”
“Can you go with Chris to the car, you can each manage a jar of fruit.”
“Sure, where’s Chris?” I asked missing her in the trailer for the first time.
“Dur, she already left day dream,” Mand advised.
“If you hurry you can catch her, she was going to the toiletten on the way,” Eva instructed.
“Okay,” I allowed, hanging my apron on the door on my way out.

I actually spotted my quarry going into the Rathaus so I made my way to the entrance to wait for her.
Brrrng, brrrrng…..brrrng, brrrrng.

Who the heck’s ringing me? “Bond.”
“Okay what’ve you done with it?” the Dark One yelled down the phone at me.
“I put it back in your bra drawer.”
“Bra drawer, what are you on about?” she snapped.
“Your studded bra, I put it in there Friday.” Don’t ask okay.
“I’m not looking for a flippin’ bra, where’s my scooter?” she raged.

Bum, sugar, flip, did I mention bum? What to do? Fib, say I don’t know anything – nah, that’s gonna get out of hand fast, I guess I have to come clean.

“I um borrowed it?”
“You borrowed it!” Goth Girl exploded.
“I was running late and you haven’t used it for ages.”
“I can’t believe you took it. Where is it now? Does Dad know?”
“No he doesn’t,” I admitted.
“You are in so much trouble, Gaby Bond! So where is it, I know you went wherever in a car this morning.”
“Um here in Brohl?” I offered.
“Brohl! How do I get to Boris’s now?”
“Train?” I squeaked.

There was a pause back in Dernau,”right I’m coming to fetch it, where are you?”
“Eva’s trailer, well until Dad gets here.”
“He left half an hour ago,” she advised.
“I’ll give the keys to Chris.”
“The girl from the Muhle?”
“Uh huh.”
“Right, I’m on my way.”
“You gonna tell Dad?”
“I ought to.”
“Please, I’ll owe you,” I begged my sister.
“I’ll think about it.”
“Er Jules?”
“What now?”
“It’s nearly out of petrol.”
“Shitza! You are gonna owe me big time for this, Gabrielle Bond!”

When my sister gets to full names I really am in trouble, “Look I’ll leave some money with Chris.”
“Hmmpf!”

I closed my Handy just as Chris emerged from the Rathaus.

“Max?” she enquired seeing the phone in my hand.
“As if,” I spluttered, “my sister, I picked up her Mofa keys by mistake this morning, she’s coming down to fetch them.”
“She must be desperate to go somewhere.”
“Boris, her boyfriend.” I supplied.
“So why’re you here?”
“Your mum sent me to help with the fruit.”
“Gott, you’d think I couldn’t carry anything, I dropped one tray, one tray I ask you.”

“When are you two disappearing?” Eva enquired as the clock struck twelve, “There’s people on bikes riding around now.”
“Dad’s gonna ring when it’s time,” I told her.
Of course my phone started to ring at that precise moment.
“Dad?”
“Time, kiddo.”
“Er right, we’ll be over soon as.”
Mand was already hanging up her apron as I shut the call off.
“Well good luck, girls,” Eva offered.
“Danke,” Mand mentioned.
“Er yeah, thanks,” I added, “oh nearly forgot, Chris, in case Jules comes whilst I’m racing,” I told her passing the keys and a twenty euro note over.

“Thought you’d retired or something,” Ron joked when I climbed aboard my bike fifteen minutes later.
“Something,” Mand opined, “she’s been in dream world half the morning.”

I shrugged and started pedalling, we’re warming up on the turbo’s as we don’t get much circuit time today. I ramped up my effort, will Jules tell Dad? I’m in so much lumber if she does, mind you if she doesn’t I’m gonna owe her for like forever, six of one, half a dozen of the other.

They don’t usually make much fuss before the start of these Kermesse races but of course, I might live in the next valley but having a Weltmeisterin taking part is news even here. It’s a bummer I don’t get to wear the hoops but they’re reserved for time trials, I suppose the rings on my cuffs will have to suffice.

“And all the way from the Ahrtal, the Junger Weltmeisterin, Gaby Bondt!” the MC enthusiastically announced.
There was a bit of a cheer as I stepped forward and waved, forcing a smile onto my lips, I’m sure I heard Con’s voice, maybe the girls really have come down to watch.

I was the last to be introduced so we were almost immediately called to the line. I looked over to Mand on my left and Ron beyond her, both looking happy and confident. Unlike me, the mofa thing aside I felt a right bag of nerves, dunno why, maybe it’s having people I know here to watch, or otherwise it’s because it’s the first race of the season, pressure enough.

CRACK!
And we’re off.

The introductions have a significant downside, a little blonde on a bike would be soon forgotten by my fellow competitors but they’ve just had it thrown in their faces that I’m, at least supposed to be, a cut above. I might not have anything to prove but suddenly there’s best part of sixty teenage boys who do and I’m the target. The first lap was really a shambles, it was like a ridiculous game of follow the leader, no one wanted to do anything in case I did, grrr!

I caught Mand’s attention and gave her a signal, this stalemate can’t go on for another forty laps. Today certainly wasn’t gonna be mine but maybe we can rescue something from it. We hadn’t really attained race speed but I slowed even further with my shadows as we started lap two, I even waved when I spotted the girls lining the barriers at turn one.

“’Kin ‘ell!” the shout went up.

From gooning around behind me suddenly the more attentive riders were out of the saddle giving chase to a fast disappearing duo of Apollinaris jerseys. I was suddenly old news and simply followed where others led in the pursuit, it’s not like I’m gonna actively chase the girls down. Then it hit me, Weltmeisterin, girls, this is technically my first outing as me Gaby as opposed to me Drew, the signing sheet said Gabrielle, the MC introduced Gabrielle, Drew really has gone.

Of course, once broken of their worship of my rear wheel, the rest of the field actually started to race. Ron and Mand didn’t survive out front for long before being reeled in, well it was a particularly long shot. Anyhow things started to become more predictable, attack, breakaway, reel in and repeat, me and the others holding our own, some of these lads are twice my size so it was easy enough to hide in the peloton.

Ron did get herself in one of these escapes, five lads giving it everything alongside her but of course it was doomed and they returned to the bunch after six laps. Mand was hanging onto the back of the main group still, even if we had shed half our number. It’s the first race of the season for nearly everyone not just us and there were a couple tumbles, nothing too serious but clearly the result of rusty skills.

I took a swig from my bidon as Ron slipped alongside.
“Looks like a gallop,” Ron stated.
“Hmm,” I agreed re-stowing the bottle, “any ideas?”
“We could block so someone could go for a long one?”
Well it was a sort of plan.
“Two to go.”

She nodded her understanding just in time as another chancer had everyone chasing again a moment later.

The laps ticked by and as the finale approached an escape pairing were holding a small, maybe twenty second lead over the rest of us.
“Still going?” Ron enquired in low tones.
“If you’re up to it.”
“Last corner, two laps.”
Hmm, two laps, long shot indeed.

I maintained a front six position as we circled the Rathaus again, three to go and again. Both Ron and Mand were in close attendance, I think Mand has got her second breath, she’s looking quite fresh. The escapees were still dangling ahead of us but no one seems keen to bring them back, well that’s about to change.

The others rotated to the front, Ron managing to time things to coincide with our ‘plan’. I played it cool sat behind Mand, doing my best to not give anything away, then we were at the last corner of the lap, an almost hairpin at the top end of the Marktplatz. Mand led us in, drifting slightly wide, wide enough that by under braking I slid through on her inside.

Innocuous enough if I’d left it there but of course that’s not gonna happen is it? I’d barely scrubbed enough speed to make it around the corner, ending up quite wide, well in the right hand gutter, a beginner’s error. Well not really, it took me out of direct line of sight as I started a seated acceleration, no point in drawing attention to myself by standing up.

The line was crossed and the chase was on. I switched into time trial mode and the gap to the leaders started to reduce, hopefully my backup squad have caused enough delay to throw off the chase. There wasn’t much choice but to slice the next corner, if they’d missed me before there was no chance they’d miss the sky blue missile this time.

Ding, ding, ding.
It had taken me a full lap and then some to be within touching distance of the leaders who, it has to be said were giving their all. Sit in or go through? By the screeching crowd I’m guessing the chasers are not far behind, decision made. They knew I was coming, there had been several glances back around the lap, it was no surprise then when I made contact – except I didn’t.

They looked about in surprise but I was already past having taken that right hand gutter again. There was a clatter of gears and expletives behind me, it’s all or nothing now, no second chances. Lapped riders were pulled a while back so the circuit was clear for me to use the whole road – even if said road was narrow and cobbled in places.

Maddy Bell 01.10.16