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.

 
"Good trip?” Max enquired.
"Different ,” I opined clicking my seatbelt into place.
"You on a skateboard or something?” Freddy, wag that he is, suggested.
"Remind me again why we put up with his,” I mimed the apostrophies,” 'jokes'?”
Olaf chuckled, "I've been wondering that for years.”
"You just can't get the brothers these days,” the joker lamented.
"How different then?” von Strechau prompted.
"Well, the whole style of racing was different, the Jungere League is non stop from the get go, the seniors are, well more, I dunno.”
"Mature?” Olaf offered.
"I was gonna say restrained.”
"I've seen your Momma racing,” Max almost snorted, "If thats restrained I'm a Dutch uncle.”
"Well okay, reserved then, they have a sort of race plan that they all work to which mostly involves doing as little actual racing as possible.”
"Can't fault them,” Olaf stated.
"But its boring,” I pointed out.
"And we can't be boring can we,” Max put in. "So let me think now, you decided to liven things up?”
"Well sort of,” I admitted.
"Come on then, what did super Bond do?” my BF requested.
"It was only supposed to be a little dig.”
"But?”
"Well I sort of got away, it took them a full lap to get me back.”
"Did they enjoy being stirred up?”
"Dunno, didn't ask.”
"So you win then Gab?” Freddy asked.
"Nah, fourth.”
"Thats pretty good still,” Olaf stated.
"But I don't get my name on the trophy,” I told them with a put on pout.
"There's no room in that cabinet now,” Max mentioned.
"Cabinet?” Olaf quiried.
"At Gabv's house,” Max started to explain, "Like a trophy cabinet.”
"It is a trophy cabinet,” I interrupted.
"Well anyway, its like packed with stuff that Gab and her Mum have won, you know, medals and trophies and stuff.”
Olaf sniggered, "Sounds cool, maybe we should get one for your footy medals Fred.”
"You've got medals Freddy?”
"A couple, we were runners up in the league last season and I was top goal scorer for the club.”
"Not sure thats in quite the same league as Wonder Bond,” his brother told him.
"Still something to show the grand children,” I added to calm the approaching debate.
 

College was, well college. Same ol' you know, tutorial with Lisbet, getting in the mix with the business project. I'm sure you don't need a blow by blow account from me, just suffice to say that it was a pretty uneventful day. The only thing of any note was the lack of a travelling companion on the way back to Dernau, Max deciding to play five-a-side or some such with his college mates over a kiss and cuddle with me on the Rheintal Express.
Bitter? Me? Why would I be bitter, it not like I put my nose ring in this morning and put a padded bra on is it, oh wait, I did those things.
 

Hannah was back for this weeks cheer which meant I didn't have to deal with Mr Creepy caretaker, that was like so Buffy last week. That doesn't mean the session was uneventful, far from it.

"Heya Gab.”
"Hi yourself, wasn't expecting to see you tonight.”
"Well I needed to do something,” Nen supplied, "And I kind of enjoyed helping out last week.”
"Right.”
"It is okay isn't it, I know I'm not a member or anything.”
"Er yeah, more the merrier.”
"You don't sound very enthused.”
"Its fine, honest, I'm just a bit surprised thats all.”
"If you don't want me here I won't be offended.”

Maybe not offended but there was that note in her voice that suggested rejection would not be a good thing, not that I would anyway.

"I told you, its fine, come on, I'll introduce you to Han.”
 

With Nena helping out, Hannah slipped away to do some paperwork stuff which allowed us to chat on our own.

"Con was saying that you and Mand had a big race yesterday,” Nen mentioned as the girls went through their warm up routines.
"Sort of, you know there are two teams?”
"The one you ride for and your Mama's?”
There wasn't any point in explaining too much, it was as good a division as any.

"Well Mum's team had a late but prestigous invite to race in Mexico but they were commited to the Rattenfänger event already, the Boss man had a lightbulb moment, next I know is me, Mand and Gret.”
"Your friend from Hamburg way?” she interrupted.
"Thats Tal, no Gret comes from Cottbus, right over near Poland.”
"Short brown hair?”

Short? Well I suppose its not as long as mine or Nena's for that matter.

"About here,” I told her indicating about shoulder length, "So anyway, we got drafted to the senior team.”
"They can do that?”
"Well you have to be seventeen and there's a bunch of paperwork but it was all legit.”
"So its like going from Bundes two to Liga one?”
The football analagy wasn't quite right, "More youth team to first team.”
"So how'd it go?”
"Not bad I guess, it was different to what I'm used to thats for sure.”
"You didn't win then?”
"Mand got third and I was fourth.”
"That's pretty good.”
"I guess.”
"So you racing with the senior team all the time now?”
"Not this year, it was just a one off.”
"You wouldn't have time for the band the way your Moma jets all over the place.”

'Jets' might be making it sound a bit glamorous than it is, they drive most of the time, like we do but I guess to someone like Nen who doesn't go out of the valley that often even it must seem quite glamorous. But she'll be doing her own 'jetting' about in a couple of weeks.
 

"Any better with your Mum?” I queried, "Careful Lisse, don't want to strain that wrist again.”

Yes I was watching the girls while we talked.

"A bit, Dad's booked for them to go to Sicily while we're away.”
"Thats good right?”
"I think Dad needs a change of scenery too, so what do you think about red?”

The sudden change in conversational direction threw me a bit.

"Red?”
"My hair for the tour, i was thinking of doing it red.”
"Like Bernie?”

Well I suppose Bern is more auburn than out and out red.

"More red, like the DB.”

I couldn't imagine my friend with any colour hair other than her natural mid brown, certainly nothing as out there as bright red.

"Thats a bit bold.”
"Well maybe not red but something different.”
"What for?”
"We are going on a rock band tour,” she stated as if that was answer enough.

Our conversation stalled at that point as it was time to get the girls working.
 

"See you on Wednesday then,” I called out as Nen pedalled off.
"Tschuss!”she called back.

No pizza tonight, de Vreen and me are catching a lift home with Han who's just doing the lock up stuff.

"She seemed a bit happier,” Mand observed.
"Getting excited about the Tour.”
"Aren't you?”
"Excited no, nervous yes.”
"What for?”
"Well what if it doesn't go well or I lose my voice or something?”
"Gab, it'll be fine.”
"But what if its not?”
"Cross that bridge if you get to it, I bet the rest of the band are just as nervous about it.”
"You think?”
"I'd put money on it.”

I'm sure Mands is right, but the rest of BlauHase, okay I'll admit that I'm a member now, well the rest of them have a lot more experience than me, I mean, apart from a couple of practice sessions i've only done like three, four gigs altogether.
 

The rest of the week proceeded about as normal as it gets, well as far as Wednesday at any rate. I don't have college on Wednesdays this semester so its a 'training' ride in the morning, stopping off to do manager type things and cover lunch at the Kabin on the way back. It was a bright day and I was away from Chez Bond quite sharp.

After best part of four years I know the local roads like the back of my hand, there might be a few lanes that i've not used or use only rarely but I certainly don't just do the Ring circuit. For a change I headed not up or down the valley but up the hill through the vineyards to Esch bearing left in the village after Annie's house to follow the Swisttal up towards the rolling patchwork of fields that typify the area bordering Nordrhein.

When I got to the two five seven I made the dog leg crossing into the lane that takes you down to Kalenborn where I turned right for Hilberath. Its not a bad road, the surface is a bit draggy but it doesn't get much traffic and the grades are reasonable. This is where local knowledge really comes in, I took the unsigned lane off to the left when I got to the village, you save about two kilometres.

Okay, there is a penalty for the saving, a steep, twisty descent to the river then a pull up the far side all the way to Berg, its worse going the other direction but you can cheat by going up the valley a bit before climbing out which isn't so steep. Still, I digress, from Berg I headed through Freisheim, Houverath and before dropping down the Sahrbachtal to Binzenbach.

I was tempted by the drop straight back to Altenahr but I really should get more tarmac under the wheels so instead I turned up towards Effelsburg. The climbing on Sunday was nothing like this road, I found a comfortable cadence confident that I wouldn't need another gear change until I was up the hairpins and then it would be up. It was tempting, with the wind on my tail to go straight over to Bad Münstereifel but I didn't really want as much mileage as that would add so I took the right turn at the top signed for Lind.

The twisty nature of the road and the mixture of meadows and woodland meant that the slight crosswind wasn't much issue. Its sometimes fun to have an unstructured ride like this, literally making the route up as you go, often its a pretty boring set route with specific training in mind, but not today. Through Plittersdorf I had a change of mind, instead of following the road through to Brück I took a right for Obliers.

Its one of those weeee! roads, it starts dropping from the get go, a fairly wide, well surfaced road straight down through the trees. The panorama opens out ahead as the road steepens into a sweeping left hander but I already had my brakes on, having been caught out on here before. Nice corner but then its straight into the 'pins, five corners with ramps about two hundred metres between them.

On a good day you can get a good rhythm going and today was such a day, no traffic in the way, tight down through the turns, then let it go to the next. Turn six is further away and more open, you just need a light dab of the anchors to get around before dropping past the little chapel thing into the valley bottom. Its pretty much all downhill from here to Liers, the Talstraße sitting between watermeadows and forest for the next five or six K.

I hesitated when I reached the pump factory, should I go right to Adenauer or left and call it a day? Going up the valley would add well over an hour to my ride and, to be honest, I didn't really fancy that. So left it was.

For reasons best known to my subconscious, when I reached Brück, instead of staying on the two five seven, I turned onto the Kesseling / Staffel road. Given my destination it was a stupid decision, I ummed and aahed all the way into Ahrbrück before making the decision to continue up the valley. I sort of regretted my decision when the trees gave way to open fields, the wind was making its presence felt all the way up to Kesseling.

Having come this far it seemed daft to turn around now so I pushed on up through the trees for the final assault up to Staffel. I will admit to being a bit puffed by the time I reached the lane down to the Preiser's place, which lane never seems to get any easier to ride along with its dips, puddles and gravelly surface. The sounds of an exciteable two year old and clucking of hens reached me long before I reached the orchard, the girls, or at least Drea, were at home.
 

"Gabeee!” the youngest, well for now, of the Preiser household greeted, running over toward the fence.
"Hello,” I smiled in return as I came to a halt by the gate.
"Hiya Gabs, weren't expecting you today.”
I gave a shrug, "Hi Bern, I was down at Brück and I thought, what the heck, lets go see the girls.”
"Tea?”
"Thought you'd never ask,” I replied with a grin.
"Go on over, just need to finish with the chucks, come on Drea, lets see if we can find another egg for grandpa.”

I'm sure, back in the Warsop days that neither Bern nor myself ever dreamt of anything like how our lives have so far turned out. I thought I was a boy but here I am, a confirmed member of the other camp, living a life where bike racing isn't the only thing going on in my life. And Bern, mother of a two year old, another on the way, living on a farm in the back of nowhere, what happened to our respective dreams?
 

Ten minutes later Bern and daughter, carefully carrying a small basket, joined me at the farmhouse.

"You didn't have to wait outside,” Bern chided.
"I always feel a bit strange just going into other peoples homes.”
My friend shrugged, "Well lets get that kettle on, can you put the eggs in the pantry please Drea.”

The youngster, with a look of intense concentration, tongue sticking out of a corner of her mouth headed for the pantry.

"She okay doing that?”
"She drops less than I do,” Bern advised with a smirk, settling the kettle on the stove.
"So where is everyone?”
"Granny Erika's taken some clients out trekking and Grandpa Stefan is out with the dogs, there are some boar up in the woods, think he's checking where they are.”
"They can be pretty dangerous.”
"You want something to eat?”

My stomach gave a rumble that I couldn't deny.

"I'll take that as a yes.”
"Don't put yourself out.”
"We usually have a sandwich about now, I can warm you some soup if you like?”
"A sandwich is fine thanks.”

"How's the er, new one coming along?” I asked once we were all settled at the table with food and drink.
"Okay, at least I know what to expect this time.”
"I guess.”
"What about Jules, twins, I don't think I could cope with that,” Bern admitted.
"Okay as far as I know, I think she and Mum have signed a truce.”
"What about your love life?”
"Ha, chance'd be a fine thing, Max runs hot and cold, I think I might give men up for Lent.”
"So there's more than one?” she teased back.
"One is more than enough thank you!”

My Handy buzzed with an SMS, when I pulled it out to look I discovered the package, albeit slightly damp in my middle pocket. Well it was only the paper bag that was damp from my ride, the contents were dry if a little crumpled.

"I er got something for you know who at the weekend.”
"You don't have to Gab, she gets plenty.”
"I know but I want to, call it Tante's privelege.”
"Go on then,” Bernie sighed,"Drea come and see what Tante Gaby brought.”

The excitable youngster rushed over from her mini table to see what was on offer.

"Here you go, your very own Hameln rat.”

Look, I didn't write the story and the plush animal actually looks quite sweet, well for Ratus Ratus.

"Thats er, very um ratty.”
"Its what Hameln is famous for,” I pointed out.

Despite her mothers reticence, Drea was quite taken by the latest addition to her menagerie.

"What do you say to Gaby?” Bern prompted.
"Thank you Gaby, its my bestest kweecha!” I was informed as she hugged the beast to death.
"You're welcome.”

I sipped at my third cup of tea, as relaxed as you can only be in the company of your best friends, we may lead very different lives but the bonds that bind us are stronger than those differences.

"So when do you go away with the band?”
"Week after next, we've got a warm up gig this Saturday, you know, try all the songs and stuff then its the real thing the week after. Hey you guys should come.”
"Maybe another time.”
"Sure, just say if you change your mind, you and Mart of course.”
"You got all your costumes and stuff sorted?”
"Pretty much although I had the weiredest dream on Sunday.”
"How so?”
"Well I was up on stage and we were belting out this song.”
"Like you do,” she put in.
"Well anyway, it was me but it wasn't, I had like bright red hair, leather jacket, spike heeled boots and like really tight shiny trousers.”
"Nope doesn't sound a bit like you,” Bern chuckled, "Not exactly my thing but I can sort of see the attraction.”
"It was well weird then Monday Nena said she was gonna dye her hair bright red.”
"Nothing wrong with red hair.”
"Never said there was, well unless its that orangey colour like Sarah Mulligan had.”
"Oh my god, that was like full on carrot!” Bern giggled as we both had a flash back of Sarah the carrot slip into our heads.
 
Maddy Bell © 12.05.2021