Gaby Book 25 Only Five Minutes by Maddy Bell Copyright© 2019 Madeline Bell After all the excitement of the last few weeks culminating in the trip to Austria, surely Gaby can get back to some sort of 'normal'? Well it wouldn't be Gaby if it was that simple would it?

'Come on, where are you?' Maddy muttered to herself, Ally was only supposed to have gone for a wee in the Arndale, that was like ten minutes ago, at this rate they'd not get much time on the Christmas market before having to go for the train back to Sheffield. She scanned the shoppers along the street hoping to spot her friend, the tram platform offering a significantly better view than being at street level. A tram pulled into the stop which diverted her attention for a few moments as an exchange of passengers filled the platform around her.

It had been quite a job to even get here...

“But you said,” Mad complained
“I said i'd take you to Meadowhall not Manchester,” her mother pointed out, “i've not got time to go all that way.”
“Meadowhall sucks.”
“Its always been good enough in the past,” Carol pointed out to her daughter.
“Guess i'd best tell Ally its off then,” Mad sighed.
“Ally? I thought you'd fallen out?”
“That was ages ago,” Mad told her with an eye roll.

Carol's reluctance wasn't entirely down to time, after the Scarborough incident, she was perhaps a bit over zealous in keeping tabs on Maddy. Oh why couldn't she be more like her cousin, her straight A, sporty and sensible cousin. Instead her daughter was almost the anti Gaby, barely scraping C's on her GCSE's, the only thing taking her interest her addiction to costuming. But you can't wrap them in cotton wool forever, she's nearly seventeen after all.

“What about going on the train?” she offered.
“That'll take forever,” Mad moaned.
“You can go up to Worksop with your dad, I'm pretty sure you can get a through ticket.”
“I guess.”
“Well its that or Meadowhall.”
“I'll ring Al.”

“So it worked?” Ally almost squealed down the phone.
“Yep,” Mad confirmed
“So when're we going?”
“Have to be Monday, we've got company on Tuesday.”
“Suits me, so who's coming?”
“Gab and her rents, apparently they're spending Christmas with her Gran.”
“You'll have to get me her autograph now she's famous,” Al joked.
“Huh,” Mad scoffed, “its all I get from mum, Gaby's done this, Gaby's done that, why can't you be more like your cousin.”
“It can't be that bad.”
“You wanna bet, i'd hate her but she's too nice.”
“Well we didn't exactly cover ourselves in glory with Bernie did we?”
“You heard from her?”
“Not since she left,” Al sighed, “you think we should get something for the baby, get Gab to take back for us?”
“Could do,” Mad agreed.

In truth she wasn't proud of their ostracism, they'd sort of got dragged along by the 'moral' majority at school, there probably weren't more than a couple of virgins in their year so it wasn't Bern getting in the family way per se but rather what appeared to be, from the outside, her willingness to go with anyone, more than a few noses were put out of joint. The drugs and other stuff were just extra dressing on the platter.

Of course, with Bernie having left Warsop, any reconciliation was always going to be unlikely but there was no harm in offering some sort of olive branch.
 
“Give me a call when the train leaves Sheffield,” John Peters, Mad's dad told the two teens when they left the ticket office.
“Thanks Mr Peters,” Ally told him.
“Enjoy yourselves and be careful,” he returned.
“Yes dad,” his daughter allowed, adding “thanks!” when he pressed a couple of notes into her hand.
“Don't tell your mother.”
“Mum's the word,” Mad smiled before giving her father a quick hug. Of course her mum had said pretty much the same earlier.
“Go on, I'll see you later.”
“Bye!”
“Come on Mad, train's here!” Ally urged even as the the Sheffield bound train rumbled into the platform outside.

The trip across to Sheffield was full of commuters and shoppers, they managed to secure seats but the ancient railcar was like a cattle truck, Bit different to Mad's last rail experience on her German 'adventure', those trains had decent seats and bags of room. Of course, at Sheffield station they had to dash from platform one to platform seven for the Manchester train.

It was another rattly old train but being that much later, the commuter traffic was missing and they even got table seats. You don't see much on the ride out of Sheffield but once through the tunnel you are in the Peak District and even on a cold, grey December day it was a nice contrast to the much flatter countryside around their home. It was the stopping train so it was almost an hour and a half later that they emerged from Manchester Piccadily station.

They joined other travellers on one of the free buses that loop the city centre, getting off near the Victoria station, just a short walk from the Arndale Centre.

“I need a wee,” Ally announced.
“Now she says,” Mad rolled her eyes, “there's some in the Arndale.”
“'kay, you get some coffee from Costa®, I'll be right back.”
 
“Of all the luck!”
“Wot Kyl?” Russ queried, momentarily diverting his attention from his burger.
“Over there.”
“Where?”
“At the end of the tram platform,” Kylie told him, a hint of excitement in her voice.

Russ looked over to where his girlfriend pointed, being close to Christmas, Manchester centre was pretty busy with shoppers, the platform no less than the street.

“Wot am I looking at?”
“Its 'er, that toff wot woz wiv Wills, there in the blue jacket.”
“In the middle?”
“Nah dummy, at the end.”
He finally homed in on the girl in question, “don't be daft, why'd she be here?”
“I'm telling ya, its 'er, prob'ly bin to 'arvey Nick's.”

A tram slid into the stop cutting off their view of the platform, a minute later it slipped away leaving a much smaller number of bodies on the platform.

“She's still there,” Kylie almost crowed.
“So?”
“Get Rodg on the phone, get him to meet us at the end of Cafedral Street wiv the van.”
“Why?”
Kylie turned and gave him a look, “just do it.”
 

Gab snuggled into her jacket a bit more, the wind more of an issue than the actual cold, Manchester hardly comparing to the Alps the other week on that score. It had been Gran's idea to come over, take a look at the Christmas market and well, have some Gran – Gaby time. They'd even used Gran's little sports car for the trip, it was clear where Mum got her driving skills, it was terrifying at times in the tiny car amongst the heavy traffic going into Manchester.

Mum and Dad? Well apparently they were meeting BC management out at the velodrome before going for dinner with Caro across in Leeds.

'Come on Gran, we'll miss the tram'. Well okay, thats not a major thing, they run every few minutes so we can just get the next one. The problem of course is that you have to buy your tickets before boarding and that means queing up in the paper shop.

To be honest, she felt a bit out of place, the chatter around her foreign to her German tuned ears. As if that wasn't enough, her outfit hardly fit in with the local teens, many of whom were sporting the hose and shorts thing despite the weather. She on the other hand had skinny jeans, ankle boots and three layers on under her ski jacket – plus a knitted bobble hat.

A tram rumbled up to the platform and she watched as passengers left and joined the behemoth before it set off into the city centre. She checked the departure board, another ten minutes until the next one, oh well. The seats were damp so she instead perched on the arm to wait for her Gran to appear with the tickets.

She looked around at 'new' Manchester, they were still building of course but compared to last time she was here this bit at least was transformed. Is it really eighteen months since she and the other girls came in to get stuff prior to the Italian training camp, Switzerland and, well everything else. Officially she was here as Drew back then but talking to everyone since, well they pretty much all thought she was a girl even before the 'unveiling' in Bern.
 
Josie was getting more than a bit irritated, the queue in the paper shop was glacier in its progress, a result largely of a succesion of customers wanting lottery tickets. They should have a seperate till for tram tickets, its about time they sorted out the machines on the platforms. It didn't help that the middle eastern chap serving was either deaf as a post or couldn't understand English, she sighed deeply as the next customer handed over a sheaf of lottery slips.

She looked out towards the tram stop, her grand daughter was patiently waiting, snugged into her jacket. It made Josie smile on the inside, after all the ups and downs the last few years Gaby was turning into a thoroughly rounded young woman, a beauty at that. Not that her older sister wasn't but Gaby, well it was unexpected.

There had been a bit of jealousy amongst her friends when Jen first got some press attention, none of their offspring amounted to more than Young Farmers totty. Not that there's anything wrong with that in such a rural community but she and Arthur always hoped more for their daughter. And Juliette and Gaby, well mostly Gaby were adding to her bragging rights.

Well all grand parents like to brag but she had quite a bit more than the rest of her circle. Oh, Margaret's Victoria has won a few rosettes at the local equestrian events and Cheryl's eldest plays for Nantwich Sevens. But she, well Gaby trumps those, World Champion, that award for top student, the singing and the look on Angela's face when Gaby appeared with Prince William.

“Next!”
 
'For heavens sake!' Ally muttered.

Finding the toilets hadn't been difficult but the queue was silly, if she didn't get in soon she wouldn't need them, a cork wouldn't be enough! In hindsight she should've gone on the train or even at the station but Mad, as usual was in a rush to get on.

It was a pity that Helen couldn't come but with her gran in hospital, well family comes before friends. Once upon a time there would've been five of them on a trip like this, one by one they'd been picked off, Gaby, well Drew back then, moving to Germany, the business with Bernie and Rhod, or is it Mfanwy these days? From what his mum said last time she went to the salon, she was going to college in Merthyr. Which left just her and Mad from the original group of friends, friends all through juniors and right up to that trip to Virginia which is where the first real cracks appeared.

The queue shuffled forward. Of course it was sort of inevitable that it'd happen sooner or later, Gaby was having a rough time with her parents and health, Mad was pushing things too. Saby did invite her over again last year but it didn't happen in the end, maybe next year.

Thinking about it, Mad's cousin was sort of the glue that held them together, it didn't matter what it was, Drew was always in the middle. The girl stuff was a bit weird at times but, well that turned out right in the end didn't it, there's no doubting that the girl, no young woman in those pictures on the telly the other day is one hundred percent female. 'I miss you Gaby Bond.'

The queue moved forward quite a bit as a black woman towing a herd of small children exited the facilities.
 

“Ey up Kyl,” Big Rodg greeted as the scrawny woman scrambled into the battered Transit, “where's Russ?”
“Keeping watch.”
“Eh?”
“Remember that posh bird?”
“At Stockie?”
“Well she's at the tram stop.”
“So why's Russ watching her? Given you t'elbow?” he chuckled.
“You wanna be rich right? He's watching so we can grab her dummy.”
“You mean kidnap 'er?”
“What else would grab mean?”
He shrugged, “i dunno.”
“So here's wot we're gonna do, I'm gonna get in the back then you're gonna drive slowly along past the tram stop.”
“We ain't allowed,” Rodg interrupted, “'s only taxis an' deliv'ries.”
“Who cares, if we get caught that'll be the least of our problems.”
“Just saying,” ten watt Rodg offered.
“Can we get back to the plan?” Kylie asked.
“Sure Kyl.”
“So we drive froo the stop, Russ'l grab her and bundle her in the back wiv me then we get out of here as fast as this fing'll go.”

Rodg wasn't quite as thick as he looked, this whole caper had the possibilty of going down the toilet quite quickly, taking all of them with it. Kylie was a forceful woman though, you didn't wanna cross 'er thats for sure. She was already climbing into the back of the van, it wasn't like he really had much choice in the matter.
 
Russ was alternating his attention between the girl and the end of the street, Kylie had been adamant that he not even cross the tracks before they turned into Cathedral Street in the van. He wasn't a hundred percent sure about this, they were petty criminals, kidnapping would take them up to Tony the Hammer's league or even higher. Yeah, definitely a step up from a bit of opportunate thievery and shop lifting, you wouldn't get suspended and probation for this.
 
“Go, go,” Kylie encouraged Big Rodg.

The van rattled into life and after a moment started moving.

Her head was fizzing like when you had a full tab, they were really gonna do this, in a few days they'd be rolling in it, they'd ask for a million, don't be greedy Kyl. Once they had the money they'll go to Spain or somewhere, away from this shit hole, yeah somewhere hot wiv proper beer and chips.
The van bounced a bit as Rodg turned across the tram lines towards the tram stop. Only a minute or so now.
 

Gab watched the van turn onto the tracks, surely they aren't allowed along here with the trams. Not that anyone seemed to be taking any notice, it probably happened all the time. Still no sign of Gran and that looks like the next tram coming up behind that daft bugger in the van, come on Gran!
 
Mad's attention was caught by the waving arm up by the Arndale entrance, about time Al. There was movement around her, she glanced back along the platform, huh, another tram coming. The surge of bodies would make going to meet Ally difficult for a minute or two so she just stayed where she was.
 
'Finally' Josie sighed as she replaced her purse in her shoulder bag, taking time to zip it into the inside pocket. Can't be too careful, Marg had hers stolen in Tesco's a couple of weeks ago, the police reckon it was a gang from up Manchester or Liverpool on a 'day trip'. Apparently they target places like Nantwich for easy pickings, low crime rates, people are less alert and the local police don't know them.

She looked outside, by where Gaby was looking – and the others on the platform, a tram was coming. Getting out of the shop was a chore, full as it was with queuing customers but she finally exited the building.

“Come on Gran!” Gaby urged waving her on.
“I'm coming.”
 
The biggest problem in the toilets was that from a dozen cubicles only four were actually in use. But eventually she got one and thankfully sat down. After holding it in for so long she now couldn't go – aargh!

The sound of taps running outside did the job and in short order she was at the sinks washing her hands. Conscious that her friend was waiting outside, hopefully with coffee, she hurried out and into the busy shopping arcade. It was easy to spot Mad as she looked up the street, amongst all the grey and black, her blue jacket drew the eye like a magnet. She waved to make sure Mad had seen her then joined the throng on the pavement.
 

Russ spotted the ageing Transit turning into Cathedral Street, oh bugger, there's a tram coming. Whatever, he set off across the tracks, the girl was still there, waving to someone, he looked to see who but couldn't readily identify anyone, his view not aided by the gathering passengers along the platform. Another glance at the approaching van, the tram coming quickly up behind it, urged him on.

'Don't rush' Kyl said, alright for her, she hasn't got to grab the girl. He wasn't far from the platform when he almost jumped out of his skin at the fog horn loud blast from the tram. Geez, the van pulled forward and Russ took that as a signal to get on with the grab,

The hapless chap started running towards the girl, it was easier than he thought it would be, she weighed hardly anything allowing him to throw her over his shoulder as he dived for the still moving van, the side door now open. He didn't quite throw her inside, Kylie grabbing her from him freeing him to shut the sliding door and get in the front. Big Rodg hit the accelerator before his mate was even inside, the van fishtailed a bit as it slipped on the rails.

“Where we going?” Rodg asked over his shoulder.
 
© Maddy Bell 10.6.2019