I pulled the photos out of the folder and leant back against the headboard. The girls had oohed and aahed at the handful of shots of Bernie and Drea that I’d in Mondays post when I’d passed them around earlier. She’s a bright little thing, you can certainly see Bern in her eyes even if the thatch of reddish hair didn’t give a clue to her parent.
I opened the note that had accompanied the pictures and reread it for the umpteenth time.
Dear Tante Gaby,
Granny took some pictures of me and mummy so we sent you some. I’m being very good for mummy, I sleep through most nights and I’ve put on enough weight to stop going to the clinic every day!
Bye bye
Drea
I still get goosebumps when I think of that night back in July when the little mite was born – that was as close to childbirth as I ever want to get! I replaced everything in the envelope and slid into the drawer of my bedside cabinet, maybe I should get an album to put them in?
“Come on, Gab, we’ll be late,” Steff urged and I must admit our tardiness was pretty much down to me.
First I slept through my alarm, then I got in a panic when I couldn’t find my history homework. That of course meant that I was late getting to Thesings, my visit to the lav just as we were due to leave delayed our departure by five minutes. None of our bikes are exactly thoroughbreds and so our perambulation to Silverberg Gymnasium has failed to make up any of the lost time.
All in all not the best start to the day.
“I’m coming.”
The irony of it, me, a world champion on two wheels being chivvied for hanging around by my less athletic friends. We actually had a few minutes to spare once we got to school, but not the twenty minutes we usually have to lock up, disrobe and ready ourselves to be educated.
“Gab!”
I slowed a tad before looking to see who it was, “Oh it’s you.”
Max ignored my lack of enthusiasm in seeing him, “Great news isn’t it?”
“What?”
“Mart’s party, it was brill last year.”
“Okay I guess,” I allowed, “so why you telling me?”
“Well I um was wondering.”
“Even you can do a zombie costume,” I interjected.
“No, I mean yes, no, I was wondering if you want to go with me?”
Hey that’d be handy, save getting Dad to run me all the way out to Mart’s.
I shrugged, “Sure.”
“Brill!” he beamed, “see you later.”
He turned and with a ’yes!’ headed off towards the sports hall. What was that about?
“Was that von Strechau?” Con enquired as she caught up to me.
“Yeah, weird.”
“What’s he want this time?”
“He offered me a lift to Mart’s party.”
“A lift,” Connie snorted, “what exactly did he say, Gab?”
“What’s so funny?”
“Something like ‘do you want to go with me?’ why?”
“Geez, Gab you really can be blonde!”
“I’ve mucked up haven’t I?”
“Dur, he wasn’t offering you a lift, he wants you to ‘go’ with him, like his date?”
“Sugar! That’d explain his reaction.”
“You really do need to concentrate, girl.”
No kidding.
“I am so not going out with him!”
“Not what it looks like to the rest of the world.”
“I went to one wedding with his family.”
“The school tanz, Mart’s last party,” Con started ticking stuff off on her fingers.
“We’re friends, kind of okay.”
“Whatever you say, girl.”
I was a bit more organised Thursday morning being the first to arrive at the bakery.
“Morning, Gaby, you’re bright and early today.” Frau Thesing noted.
“Early night,” I noted pouring myself a cup of caffeine laced beverage.
“I’m glad I caught you before the others get here, how are you fixed for doing the Sunday shift again, maybe a few Saturdays?”
I could do with the money, it’s not that I don’t get an allowance but Christmas isn’t that far away and my model cars aren’t cheap. On the other hand everyone’s already on my back about doing too much. Well it’s my time and it’s not like it’s hard work – me an’ Con usually do our homework between customers.
“I couldn’t start Sundays until after the autumn break, I’m racing the next couple of weeks then I go to Japan.”
“Connie said you were off again soon, more bicycle racing?”
“Yep, some sort of promotional series.”
“Well I guess we can survive an extra few weeks.”
“I could do some Saturdays,” I offered.
“I’ll talk to Tomas, looks like the others are here, can you take the frühstuck over?”
“Is everyone coming in the bus to the party?” Pia enquired as we bowled along the cycle track.
“Gaby won’t be,” Con announced.
“You not going, Gabs?” Steff queried.
“She’s going with Maxxie,” my ‘friend’ crowed.
“Damn, she’s hardly here and she gets a date, I’ve been making eyes at Stefan all summer and it’s like I don’t exist,” Brid moaned.
“Don’t we know it,” Nena noted.
“It’s not a date,” I huffed.
“Pull the other one, Gab, everyone knows you two are a couple.” Pia put in.
Everyone except me, apparently.
“I’m just getting a lift that’s all.”
“Yes, your majesty,” Brid giggled.
Friends, who’d have ‘em?
“I spoke with Chris this afternoon,” Dad supplied as I dished up dinner, Toad in the Hole with mash and onion gravy. Mum’s gone to Berlin on some promo junket for Apollinaris so I’ve pulled her cooking slots.
“Chris?” I queried.
“Your boss at BC?”
“Oh that Chris.”
“He’s agreed funding with Dave for Amanda to join us for the Japan trip, she’ll be coming over in two weeks.”
“Two weeks?”
“It’s a bit of a rush, you’ve got the Kassel GP on the Sunday.”
“The others riding? It seems like forever since I’ve seen Gret and Tali.”
“The girls will be, Josh is staying in Newcastle until the New Year.”
“Oh,” damn, no powerhouse.
I slid pater’s plate in front of him.
“Hmm, smells good, so anyway we need to get the spare room ready so if you’ve got stuff in there can you move it please.”
Spare room, Bernie’s room, if Manda’s using it where will Gran stay at Chrimbo when she comes?
“Yes, Dad.”
“Mart?”
“Wassup, Gab?”
“You know your party?”
“It’s gonna be brill, Dad’s doing the barbeque and we’ll have the disco again.”
“Great, I was erm wondering, could I bring an extra body?”
“Max is already invited.”
Grrr!
“Not Max, I’ve got a friend coming to stay from England.”
“Bern?” he queried hopefully.
“’fraid not.”
“An old boyfriend?”
“No, she’s coming to join the fahrrad team, it’d be a bit off to leave her at home.”
“We can always make room for more ladies,” he grinned.
“Bernie,” I offered, “and Manda doesn’t know any German so don’t try setting her up.”
“Sounds like a right bundle of fun.”
“She can be, so?”
“Course she can come, you know it’s costumes?”
“When isn’t it with you?”
“You don’t seem to mind.”
“It can be fun sometimes, anyway, thanks for letting Mand come.”
“Whatever.”
“Laters!”
“In two weeks?” Brid confirmed.
“Uh huh, she’ll be going to the English school in Bonn with Jules.”
“This the girl that came the other week?” Con checked.
“The same,” I agreed.
“Why isn’t she coming to Silverberg?” Steff queried.
“She doesn’t speak German and she’s got exams about when we do the Abitur next year, they do the same ones at Bonn.”
Maddy Bell © 26.10.2014
Comments
Gaby
Always fun, thanks for the chapter.
++++++++++++
Cartman: A fine day of plundering we had boys. What about yourselves? Here you are lads, plenty of booty to go around. A round of grog for me boys. A round of grog for everyone!
Max's reaction says otherwise
Oh yeah, Drew is socially ackward, clueless most of the time, and made Max's day when she agreed to go with him to the party.
To Drew, she's just getting a ride to the party, but Max's reaction said something different. To Max, Drew to be his date to the party, hence his reaction after agreed to go with him.
There needs to be a fly cam somewhere around those two all night at the party. Because it's going to be interesting with Drew saying it isn't a date and Max thinking he's got a date with Drew for the party.
Not only will that party be interesting, but Drew's +1 should really be a big hit with Max, who thinks he'll have the night with Drew. Really need a fly cam.
Even working one day at the bakery is one more day added to everything else Drew is doing. Drew may think she can handle just the one day, but Dave and Jenny will see it as stretching herself even thinner. And if Dave and Jenny nix working the one day, Drew will go ballistic because she'll see it as parental interference. Again.
Others have feelings too.