*Chapter 29*
Bonn BlauHase

It’s just as well that things didn’t go on much after Max departed as I needed to get ready for Bonn. Oh my overnight stuff is easy enough but what to actually wear to the gig is the big question. Do I want to be ‘sexy’ rock chick or go for the grunge junkie look?

I eventually came up with something that I think’ll work, found my ‘Gothy’ earrings, a handful of bangles and my lacy ‘tattoo’ choker, the one that Mum got so het up about last year. Yep, I reckon I'll be rockin’ it tomorrow night.

"Good night, eh?” Con mentioned as we prepared for another onslaught, the forecast suggesting another warm day.
"Not bad, wouldn’t’ve minded a couple more bottles of plonk.”
"You, Gaby Bond, are getting to be a right lush.”
"There was hardly enough to wet the baby’s head,” I complained.
She rolled her eyes, "No doubt you’ll make up for that tonight.”
"Might,” I allowed, "Depends on the supervision.”

I seem to be building up my alcohol tolerance, I'm not out after one drink at least.

Dad picked my bike up this morning when he dropped me off so after a tiring day I joined Con on the Express down to Dernau. Which of course put a hole in my plans, Max and his mum were waiting when I arrived home. No time to change or shower so I quickly changed my shoes, grabbed my bag and ran out to the Cayenne.

"That was fast,” Gloria noted as I clambered in.
"Planning,” I suggested.
"Anyone would think you were in a hurry to get there,” Max opined.
"Not exactly a hurry but some of us have to get ready before we go out.”

Gloria just shook her head before selecting drive and setting us in motion.

As you know, Bonn isn’t far from the Ahrtal, within thirty minutes we were outside Boris’ place.

"Come on, Jules, pick up,” I mumbled into my handset.
"You could go, Mum,” Max suggested.
"I'm going nowhere until I know you’re going to be safe tonight.”
"We’ll be fine.”
"Hmm.”

My sister,s phone rang on, and on, don’t ruin this Jules, please. Like most city dwellers here in Germany, Boris lives in one of the numerous apartment blocks that fill the sub shopping zone. Which of course has an entry system for the outside door, a system that we need my sister to operate.

"Heya, guys,” a familiar voice enquired, "What’re you doing out here.”
Oo I could kiss you Boris!
"Waiting for my sister to answer her phone.”
"Probably in the shower, come on up.”

I gave Glo a wave and hoisting my bag followed Herr Appelroth into the apartment block, Max trailing along behind.

"How long you been outside?” Boris asked as we climbed the first of several flights of steps.
"Fifteen minutes,” Max puffed.
"It’s not like we’re on a tight schedule, there’s plenty of time before we have to go, you both like paella?”
"I guess,” I allowed.
"Cool, J calls it my signature dish, nothing like your English roasts tho, eh Gab?”
"I'll risk anything once, I thought we were going straight out?”
"Food first, couple of beers eh, Max,” Bo supplied climbing ever higher, "Band’s not on till late.”

He stopped outside the last door and fished in a pocket for keys, a moment later we were inside.

"J!” he yelled, "Company!”
"Coming.”

Max and I followed him awkwardly into the main room.

"You guys want a drink? Tea, coffee?”
"Tea,” I suggested.
"Sit, Jule's'll be out in a minute I expect.”

I parked my bags and took a pew.

I looked around my temporary accommodation, fascinated to see what kept my sister here most of the week. To be honest it’s a bit dull, quite tidy, piles of schoolbooks on the dresser and table, TV, piles of washing – well pretty normal stuff really. It’s actually quite spacious, not the poky hole I was expecting.

"Hi guys,” Jules offered, arriving, I guess, from the bathroom.
"Sis,” I allowed.
"Hi, Jules,” Max added.
"You just get here?”
"We were outside for a bit.”
"Why didn’t you come up?”
"You didn’t answer your phone.”
"Soz, I was in the shower.”
"We can see,” I pointed out, she was dressed in a bath towel, her hair up in a turban to dry.
"You want a drink, babe?” Boris called through.
"Whatever’s going, I'll just get some clothes on as my sister’s such a prude.”

Jules strutted out as our host arrived with the tea.

"She always parade around in a towel?” I enquired.
"Nah, only when we have company, usually it’s less,” my brother in law to be chuckled.
"Even with your parents about?”
"Parents? Oh you thought they live here too?”
"Well don’t they?”
"The odd night,” he shrugged, "They live out at Meckenheim.”
"You live here alone?” Max put in.
"Well not exactly alone, there’s Felix, wherever he’s got to.”
"Felix?” well I had to ask didn’t I?

A moment later a streak of something vaguely feline slunk into the room.

"Gab, Max, meet Felix,” Boris told us.
"I see you’ve met Felix,” a hastily clothed Juliette mentioned returning to the living room.
"I'd best get dinner started,” Bo suggested standing for my sister to sit.

"Do Mum and Dad know?”
"Don’t be daft, sis, Dad’d have a hairy.”
"So you,” I started.
"Yes we sleep together, oh don’t be such a prude.”
"I thought I was sharing with you tonight.”
"Smoke screen for Dad, you two are in the spare room.”
"Both of us,” I squeaked.
"I can crash on the sofa,” Max put in.
"How long’s dinner, love?” Jules called out as she stroked Felix.
"Half an hour or so, can make it longer?”
“’S fine, come on, Gab, I'll show you your room and you can get showered then the guys can have it after dinner.”

"Right, I've put you some towels on the chair, bathroom’s next door, you might have to let the shower run a bit to get warm. Okay?”
"Er sure,” I allowed dropping my bag onto the double bed.
"Just put that stuff back on to eat, we’ll change after eating.”
“’Kay.”

Well Bo’s ‘signature’ dish was excellent, bright yellow, full of chicken, shrimps and lumps of some smoked fish of some sort. It was followed by one of Jule’s trifles, I felt a bit stuffed to be honest and no we didn’t have beer or wine, ice tea being the tipple of choice. The table was cleared, Felix fed his own portion, Boris put some music on.

"Come on, Gabs time to get changed, look after Maxxie, Bo.”
"Yes dearest,” he chuckled as Jules dragged me from the room.

We commandeered the master bedroom, it was kinda weird seeing my sister’s stuff mixed in with Boris’ and I found myself staring at the bed.

"Yes we do it on there,” Jules stated.
"Er soz, it’s just a bit...”
"It’s what people do Gabs, you’re sixteen and by your reaction earlier I'm guessing still a virgin.”
"Not gonna change anytime soon!”
"Sorry, kiddo, I thought you and the Baron were past the kissing stuff, come on, times a wastin’”

The lads of course have it easy, T shirt, jeans, trainers and they’re done – well okay black jeans and a carefully selected band T but you get the idea. As a result, by the time my sister and I had primped and painted and preened our partners were already armed with bottles of Krombacher.

"Hey, where’s ours?” Jules pouted.
"Coming up, liebchen,” Boris grinned.

I went and sat on Max’s knees and nicked his beer.

"Hey,” he complained.

I took a swig from the bottle before rubbing my nose purposefully down his cheek.

"Hmm, Nasenring.”
"Later, big boy,” I promised.
"Tease.”
"Here you go,” Boris handed the sisters Bond our own bottles.
"So when do we need to leave?” I asked.
Boris and Jules exchanged some facial movements, "We’ll go after this, it’s not far.”

My idea of not far is clearly different to Herr Appelroth’s, we walked, well it felt like miles, into the maze of streets behind the Hauptbahnhof eventually arriving at our destination, a nameless bar on a nameless street. Boris and Jules were on at least nodding terms with a few of those inside, did I ever feel like a little kid as we made our way through the hairy bikers, uber Goths and other assorted weirdo adults. We paid the cover fee and headed inside.

Compared to the Goldene Rose this place was crammed, we eventually found a spot to stand off to one side.

"I'll get some bier,” Boris told us.
"Can I get a Kolsch?” Jules requested.
"Guys?”
"Er yeah,” I agreed.
"Max?”
"Not fussy.”
"Be right back.”

"Erdbeere, you came,” a voice stated a couple of minutes after Boris returned.

I looked around, someone called me that before.

"It is you, thought so,” Stefan, the singer from BlauHase came into view.
"Er hi,” I squeaked.
"You, blondie, I know, think I've seen you guys around too.”
"My sister and her hubby, Jules and Bo.”
"Nice to meet you Erdbeere’s sister, think I can borrow her later?”
Jules made some strange faces then shrugged "I guess.”
"See you later, kiddo,” Stefan grinned before winking and heading into the crowd.
 

Maddy Bell © 26.05.17