Gaby Book 26 On The Edge by Maddy Bell Copyright© 2021 Madeline Bell Seventeen - it's a birthday overshadowed by its predecessor and successor and Gaby's looks set to follow that pattern. There are however big decisions to be made, should she grab life by the horns and experience everything it has to offer or take the more conservative, safer route through life. This volume, the 26th in the Gaby series has all the elements of classic Gaby, bike riding, teenage angst, developing relationships, grist to the mill for our heroine as life in the Ahrtal ticks on.

 
"Gabrielle Andrea Bond!”

Ot oh, what have I done now? A full name summons is never good news.

"Coming.”

I carefully slipped my tiny treasure, well okay, model car, back into its box before heading downstairs. The house seems strangely quiet, Mum's off racing in Spain, Mand's at school, Jules is in Heidelberg of course which leaves just me and Dad who was impatiently finger beating a tattoo on a pile of paperwork.

"What's up?”
"What's up she asks, I'll tell you what's up,” he tapped the paperwork again, "This is what's up!”

From what I could see it looked like some sort of legal stuff, you know, coat of arms, tiny printing, fancy off white paper.

"Er, what is it?”
"What is it she asks,” his face was like thunder, "You've pulled some stunts over the years Gabrielle but really, this takes the biscuit.”

Okay, I'll admit that i've done stuff that, well, may not have been the best decisions but i've never seen Dad this angry and for the life of me I can't think of anything that I might have done recently that would cause this level of ire.

"Um, what am I supposed to've done, if its the door mirror I broke coming through Singen the other day, I meant to tell you.”
"Door mirror? No I don't want to know, don't try deflecting things, you know very well what this is about young lady.”
"I don't, honest.”

If there's one thing I have had drilled into me by my parents its to be honest or bear the consequencies, a philosophy that has bitten back on yours truly more than once.

"So you aren't the daughter who sings with BlauHase and is going on a concert tour with them next month?”
"No, I mean yes, you know I sing with them but I haven't said yes to the tour.”
"So you admit you know about the tour then?” Dad accused.
"Stefan asked a few weeks ago, I said i'd think about it,” I allowed.
"And you didn't think to mention this to your parents?”
"I am seventeen.”
"Not until the weekend you're not and don't take that tone with me.”

What tone? I was just saying.

"So when were you going to tell us?” Pater ploughed on, "When you had your cases packed? I just don't believe you sometimes Gabrielle, people rely on you, at Apollinaris, your Tanz Klub, and what about college, you just going to drop out?”

Whoa, this is getting out of hand.

"Daddy, calm down, i've not even said I'll do the tour for like just those reasons.”
"That's clearly not what your band think.”
"Its true, honest, so er, what is that stuff?”
"This stuff,” he slapped the pile of papers, "Is a contract for me to sign to allow you to do this, this tour.”
"Why've you got to sign it?”
"Because young lady, you are under eighteen and legally your mother and I are still responsible for you.”
"Oh.”
"Oh indeed. So am I signing this?”

To be honest, I didn't know what to say. I slid the top sheet towards me, yep its a contract and yep, Gabrielle Andrea Bond aka Erdbeeree, is me – not that anyone calls me any of that, I'm just plain old Gaby to my friends. Yep all of one metre sixty in my stocking feet, hair that is thankfully back to its natural bright blonde and weighing in at about forty kilos wet through, I live with my parents in the Ahrtal a little south of Bonn. My boyfriend Max is the son of the local aristos, I'm quite a good bike rider, taking after my Mum and yes, I sometimes sing with BlauHase, a local Indy Rock band.
 

"So do you want to do this Tour,” Dad asked once i'd made a pot of tea and he'd calmed down a bit.

Do I? It would be a bit of a lark, a couple of weeks driving around Germany pretty much having a non stop party but there are other things to take into consideration. College isn't an issue, its the Easter break but my cycling, well I didn't give you the whole story there, I'm the current under eighteen double Weltmeisterin, titles I claimed in Canada last year and Easter is a busy time for bike racing. By comparison, the band is just some fun where the cycle racing is my passion.

"I dunno Daddy, if there was nothing else i'd say yes, definitely but...”
"But there is other stuff,” he cut in, "Which is why you haven't given Stefan an answer, am I right?”
"Yeah,” I agreed.
"I think maybe its time we all had a chat eh, see what we can work out.”
"But what about racing?”
"Leave that to me kiddo, I can see that you want to do this, I'll admit I flew off the handle a bit earlier but I'm actually quite impressed that you've been thinking about the wider picture even if you've not made any sort of decision. We've said it before, its your life and you should be able to at least influence what you do in it and whilst me and your Mum might not always like those choices we will always be there for you.”
"Like Jules?”

Jules, Juliette, is my older by two years sister, currently studying at Heidelberg University and expecting twins by her boyfriend, Boris.

"Your sister is her own woman but despite all the arguing she's still our daughter so yes, we'll be there for her just the same.”
Well that's me told.
"So what now?”
"Now we ring Stefan and see if we can come to a mutually acceptable compromise.”

 
"So? Nena prodded.
"So we're going up to Bonn to hammer out the details on Thursday.”
"Cool, I mean its already cool that you sing with them,” my friend blathered, "But a tour, thats like being a proper pop star.”
"We prefer rock,” I noted.
"Whatever, pop, rock, who cares, its still a step up from singing carols at Wehnachts.”

No argument there, when I'm with BlauHase I do at least know when I'm gonna be singing solo!

"What about your racing though?”
"Its only two weeks, its not like forever,” I pointed out.
"I guess,” she allowed, so where do you go, do you stay in hotels? I bet you will, two weeks of room service and fancy food.”

Somehow I don't think it'll be quite like that.

"Not really sure, guess we'll sort that out on Thursday.”
Any further conversation was halted by a voice at the window, “zwei currywurst mit pommes und zwei kaffee bitte.”
"Sure, mayo?”
"Bitte.”

And so I returned from cloud cuckoo land to the life of a short order cook at Connie's Kabin.

Yeah, that's something else of course, I'm a sort of partner in Connie's Kabin, a snack bar opposite the bahnhof in Altenahr, Con being my BFF. The rest of my business studies classmates are doing first year placements but I'm missing that as Lisbet Olafsdottir, my college tutor thinks it wouldn't be worthwhile for me having spent best part of a year in business already. So here I am, instead of commuting to Koblenz each day, doing short shifts at the Kabin.

"So when does the campsite re-open?”
"Easter I think, but I might look for something else.”
"I thought you enjoyed it, and its near home,” I pointed out.
"Yeah but maybe its time for a change, like you and BlauHase.”
"Not really the same thing.”
"Sure it is, I might not be as talented as you but I still have ambitions.”
"I wasn't suggesting you didn't, I just guess you've never really said what you want to do.”
"You'll think me silly.”
"Why would I think you're silly, maybe Steff or Bridg but you're always the sensible one.”

She let out a deep sigh, "The sensible one who can't do sports, is just about average academically and whose parents treat her with kid gloves. Just for once I want to do something for me.”
"Like what?”
"Oh I don't know, but something that doesn't involve cleaning up after everyone else, always being the servant to others.”

I guess I could see that, I guess when its not your whole life the bit of waitressing I do for Pia's parents and even working here is sort of fun but I have other stuff which offsets that, my racing, the Tanz Klub stuff and yeah, my singing 'career'. I've never really given the subject much thought, i've always wanted to follow in Mum's wheel tracks as professional cyclist, i've always assumed thats what I'll end up doing, the Kabin, singing, well they're just 'stuff' along the way.

Luck has been on my side so far, I am actually quite good on a bike, I can carry a tune and I'm academically 'gifted' whatever that means. In my case, what is it they say, oh yeah, 'she's not just a pretty face' describes me quite well. My friends though have different life plans to my 'riding a bike', Pia will go into the family vineyard business, Con is working towards a career in child care, Bridget and Steff will likely do the university, office job thing, Manda of course is bike crazy and is hoping to make a career of it, Bern is already settling in as a mother and Landesfrau which leaves Nena who, until today has never shown a lot of ambition.

You can sort of get her parents approach, her older sister, Claudia had MS and passed nearly eighteen months ago so being protective is understandable. But that doesn't make it right, doesn't make their surviving daughter any happier. Yep, thinking about it, it probably would be good for Nen to widen her horizons.

"Gab, you with us?” Nen hinted.
"Eh, oh sorry, Pommes yeah?”

More customers, at least with the snow clearing up we are getting a few more sales, we might break even this week.
 
"What do you fancy doing then?” I enquired as we started to clear up for the day.
"Oh I don't know,” she admitted, just something, different.”
"Like a stripper?”
"Now you're being daft Gabs, maybe something in travel.”
"Strippers travel,” I pointed out.
"Seriously Gab.”
"You could be my roadie when I go on world tours,” I joked.
"Well it'd be better than cleaning toilets at Sonnenscheine Camping.”

I hadn't really been paying much attention to Dad and Stefan's conversation, a couple of times my opinion was sought but Dad was doing something he does very well, managing so I left them to sort out the details. Since Tuesday we've gone over most of this stuff anyway, what my 'cut', if any, should be, billing and so on – as Dad says, if you are gonna do it, do it properly.

"What about my daughters virtue? I don't mean to be rude Stefan but she's only seventeen and...”
"Da-ad,” I groaned.
"I'm with you Dave, we, well we look after our own, there'll be propper security, her own room, Animals missus will be along for the first week.
"I'm still concerned that she'll be mostly on her own, a young woman in a predominantly male environment.”
Stefan was nodding his head, "What do you propose then?”
"I'd be happiest if there was someone, preferrably female looking out for her all the time.”

I, and I think Stefan, sensed this would be the make or break of the deal the pair had thrashed out.

"Some sort of bouncer? Not sure the budget will stretch to that.”

I had one of those light bulb moments,'well it'd be better than cleaning toilets at Sonnenscheine Camping.' "I know someone who'd do it, be my personal roadie and not cost a fortune.”

Both men turned and looked at me expectantly.

"Nena, one of my girlfriends, she was only saying the other day that she wanted to try something new, we could share a room and she could help me get ready and stuff and she wouldn't be expensive.”

They exchanged looks, looks that I read to mean 'it could work'.

"And you think this Nena would go for it Erd?” Stefan queried.
"Pretty sure, I can ring her?” I offered.
Stefan shrugged, "Dave?”
"Works for me,” Dad opined.
"Cool, I'll ring her now.”
 

"Let me get this straight,” Nena paused briefly, "You want me to be your roadie on this tour thing?”
"Yup,” I agreed, "Two weeks in a battered minibus with four men, loud music and me, doesn't pay much but you get food and lodging and good company, ie me, so what do you say?”
She didn't hesitate, "Count me in, do I have to get tattoos and lots of piercings?”
"Er no.”
"Damn, well I'm your girl anyhow.”
"What about your parents?”
"What about them, I'm just going on a trip with the very respectable Gaby Bond, you know they like you.”
"If you're sure.”
"I am, thanks Gabs.”
"Don't thank me yet, look I'll see you tomorrow, I need to square things here now you've saved the day.”
“'kay, tschuss!” she could hardly contain her excitement.
 
"Well?” Dad asked when I returned to the table where, I noted, a fresh round of drinks had appeared.
"She'll do it....”
"Great!” Stefan enthused.
“...on one condition,” I continued.
"Go on,” Pater prompted.
"Everyone calls her Misty.”
"She can be Esmerelda if she wants to be,” Stefan suggested.
"Well in that case,” Dad raised his glass, "I think we're all done, to 'Misty'.”
"Misty,” Stefan and I replied before we did the glass knocking together thing.

"So,” Stefan gathered the paperwork up, "I'll talk to the promoter when I get back and I'll get the revised contract for Erdbeere and one for Misty to you for Saturday.”

Dad and Stefan shook on the deal, I got a quick hug from our front man then we went our seperate ways.

 
"I hope I'm not going to live to regret this,” Dad stated as he eased the Saab through the Bonn traffic.
"You won't, I promise.”
"And what's with all this 'Misty' stuff?”
"Well everyone should have a cool band name, Misty sounds pretty cool, I'm sure she'll like it.”
"It wasn't her idea?”
"Nah, lets face it Dad, Misty is a bit of a stick in the mud, not like her sister.”

Why did I bring her sister up?

"Well I know that the idea is that she's looking out for you kiddo but promise me you'll do the same for her yeah?”
"The two musketeers, thats us.”
"Hmm, lets pick up Amanda and we'll eat in Remagen.”

It looks like I'm going to have a busy couple of weeks, I don't even get out of riding! Oh no, one of the first things Dad had on his list of stuff was that I should have training time each day. To top it off, the middle weekend we are up near Fulda somewhere, close enough to that weekends Jungere League event for me to ride that, we don't have a gig on the Sunday anyhow. I guess I need to tell everyone else now – well after Misty that is.
 

"So like me an' Misty will be sharing,” I enthused.

I saw Dad raise an eyebrow over his fork full of strudel.

"Sounds like this Misty person'll have her work cut out,” Mand suggested.
"What do you mean by that?”
"Oh come on Gabs, you are hardly the most organised of people.”
"Huh!”
"I'm sure 'Misty' and 'Erdbeeree' will get along just fine,” Dad stated with just the first twitch of a grin.
"Well sooner her than me,” Mand told us, "No offence Gab but I'm more disco diva than rock chick, think i'd go loopy listening to BlauHase for a fortnight solid.”
 
"Whilst I remember,” Dad started as we began the drive back up to Dernau, "I spoke to George earlier.”
"Oh? How are they doing?” I enquired.
"So, so, a couple of top tens and Erika podiumed yesterday.”
"Thats good,” Mand stated, "Confidence boosting right Mr B?”
"Well George seemed pleased anyway.”
"So I'm guessing he wasn't just ringing to tell you the SP?” I suggested.
"Sharp as a pin today kiddo, no he was telling me that he's secured an invite for the Mount Teide challenge.”
"Let me guess, its a race up some mountain?”
"Pretty much, he suggested you might like to be in the team.”
"Both of us?”
"If its up I'm out,” Mand announced.
"What about the others?”
"From what he said his A pick is Gaby, Tina and Erika.”
"That all?”
"Apparently thats what constitutes a team, there's lots of clubs and teams out there for pre season training, places are at a premium.”
"Shouldn't it be one of the seniors though.”
"I think George rather fancies showing off your stripey jersey,” Dad observed.
If thats the case, "Does that mean I get to take my you know what?”
"I think that's what the Boss said,” Dad agreed.
"What's a 'you know what'?” Mand asked.
"Spoils of war,” I told her with a grin.
 
Maddy Bell © 11.02.2021