*Chapter 24*
Diagnosis
So Wednesday was, well Wednesday, nothing special, no exams, the classes instead concentrating on non examined stuff, Frau Dürst for example gave us income tax 101 as the ‘mericans would have it. Not exactly thrilling but it’s stuff worth knowing I guess, not that I’m likely to need to pay any for a while. And so it went on.
“You still want me to come to the Doc’s?” Con asked over lunch.
“If you don’t mind, I’m not good with this girl stuff.”
“Who is?”
“Hope it’s nothing serious,” Pia opined.
“Don’t get her worried P,” Steff inserted, “it’s probably just a heavy period.”
“That’s reassuring – not,” I mentioned.
The few cycles I’ve had to endure in all their glory have been bad enough, the thought that they could be longer and messier…and anyway I’m not supposed to have them, I’m on the pill!
“Can we change the subject?”
“Aww, just when it was getting interesting,” Nena giggled.
“You getting a fancy hairdo to go with this mystery designer prom dress, Gab?” Bridg queried.
“Hadn’t given it any thought,” I admitted.
“Oh we should so do that!” Con enthused.
“Not sure Erika’s up to fancy, ‘ Steff observed.
“I think her idea of fancy is getting the curling tongs out,” Nena agreed.
“We should go to Kӧln or Bonn, one of those salons on Schuhstraβe maybe,” Con suggested.
“Have you seen how much they charge?” Pia put in, “Don’t know about you guys but I’ve not got fifty euros for a haircut.”
“What about that new place in Neuenahr?” I posited.
“What new place?” Con enquired.
“On Hauptstraβe where you turn for the Rathaus.”
“That place with the face on the window?” Nen queried.
“Think so.”
“For someone who claims to not go to the Friseur you seem to be in the know,” Brid supplied.
“I’ve not been,” I defended, “I just saw it the other week.”
“She says,” Brid scoffed.
Like when have I had time, let alone desire to go to the hairdressers, I’m definitely a braids or scrunchy girl!
“It was only a suggestion.”
“I’ll ask mum to check their prices,” Steff supplied, “she’ll be in town tomorrow anyway.”
“Cool,” Con allowed.
To be honest I’m not sure about this, I can get Mand to do something for free after all, she’s pretty good with hair. I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to get the ends trimmed, I certainly don’t want something like Goth Girl got last year or heaven forbid, curls. Nope, I’m quite happy with my mop as it is.
“Hi, Gaby, here for your results?” Fritzi asked seeing me and Con in the waiting area a couple of hours later.
“Er yeah,” I agreed, trying not to stare – difficult with all her holes and artwork.
“Glück, I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
“Thanks.”
With that the nurse disappeared through a door.
“I can’t believe she has all those tattoos,” Con whispered.
“Each to their own,” I shrugged.
“You know she was the Weinkӧnigen a couple of years before you?”
“Really, with all the tats and stuff?”
“Nah, she got them after, went to university and came back, well different.”
“I quite like her hair, the colour anyway,” I admitted.
“Different at least, I wonder what else she has pierced?”
Before that train of conversation could continue the receptionist called over, “You can go in now, Gaby.”
“Thanks, can Con come with me?”
“I’m sure that’ll be fine.”
We gathered our stuff and made our way to Dr Martin’s office.
“Right, young lady,” the doc started once we were settled, “how have you been since Monday?”
“Okay I guess, a bit tired.”
“Any further discharge, bloating, faintness?”
See, this is what I don’t like, talking about bodily functions.
“Um, a few spots but not since yesterday morning, nothing else really.” I admitted.
“Okay, that’s fine,” she shuffled through the paperwork before going on, “your bloods are generally okay, iron’s a bit low but we can sort that easily.”
“I had iron tablets before, you know, my op.”
“I think we’ll have you back on them, at least short term.”
“So why did I have a period? I thought the pill was supposed to stop them.”
“Well my best guess is that the Mercilon™ doesn’t agree with you, let’s try you on Gedarel™, the stronger 30/150’s.”
It all sounded double Dutch to me so I just nodded as the doc made some more notes.
“I want to see you again in four weeks unless you have any issues beforehand, come to see me straight away if you do.”
“Issues?”
“Some women can experience side effects.”
“Like?”
“Don’t panic, it’s quite rare but some women suffer with hives and bloating, I don’t think you will but I have to warn you.”
“’Kay,” I allowed cautiously.
She finished scribbling, “Here you go, get this filled, have you started the new cycle yet?”
“I finished today.”
“Good, don’t take any more of the Mercilon™ go straight onto the Gedarel™.”
“Uh huh.”
“You coming back for coffee?” Con queried as we unlocked our bikes a few minutes later.
“Go on then, I'll get these filled and meet you there.”
“Right, see you in a bit.”
Con set off one way, the pharmacy is a slight detour two minutes from the surgery which is where I headed for my new medication.
“You’d think they’d have them in stock,” I moaned slumping into a chair at the Thesing’s dining table.
“They can’t keep everything, Gab,” Con suggested, “it’s only tomorrow.”
“I guess, so you still fancy that red dress in Orsay?”
“Think so, you coming to Bonn Saturday?” she asked joining me with the coffee and two slices of strawberry torte.
“Don’t think so, supposed to be racing up near Hamburg on Sunday.”
“Well I suppose you have already got your dress,” she pointed out.
“There is that, what I want to know is how Gerta knew about the prom, and that I was going with Max.”
“The Prom’s hardly a secret,” Con observed.
“I guess not but someone must’ve told her about Max.”
“Perhaps she just guessed?”
“Really?”
“Well you went to those weddings with him.”
“Bit of a leap, no someone told her.”
“Stop moaning and eat your cake.”
I was just getting more coffee when Herr Thesing came into the apartment, “Ah, Gaby, Therese said you were here.”
“Hi, Mr T.”
“Can I have a word?”
“’Kay, you want coffee?”
“No thanks,” he pulled out a chair and joined us at the table, “I suppose Connie told you about the Pastete?”
“Er she might’ve mentioned something.”
“I'll leave you to it,” Con told us, barely stifling a laugh.
Thanks a million, friend!
“I admit it, Gaby, they were a disaster, I thought they’d be simple.”
“It’s easy to get it wrong,” I agreed.
“I was wondering, would you be interested in that project we talked about before?”
“The weekly special?”
“The same, I know you can cook the pies, unlike me.”
“I guess, so like what were you thinking?”
It was a simple enough scheme, there would be a different pie of some sort each week and I'd do pie 101 with Herr Thesing. The pies will be available for takeaway of course but also feature on the ‘lunch’ menu alongside the more standard fare. I get paid for my time, not a lot if Mr T cracks pie making but I get 10 cents per sold pie, not exactly lucrative but it’s a start.
“Friday afternoon then.”
“I'll drop the ingredient list off tomorrow.”
“Fine, I'll leave you and my daughter to it then, thanks, Gaby.”
“No problem.”
“Connie! she’s all yours,” he called out as he set off back to the shop.
“Look out, Gab!”
I jerked back to the present just in time to bunny hop the pot hole I was just about to hit.
“Geez, you need to concentrate, girl,” Mand mentioned.
“Er yeah, was miles away.”
Miles away indeed, well not riding up to Adenau at least. No it was pies on my mind, we agreed on a basic meat pie to start with but let’s face it, the options are without bound. Chicken, steak and kidney, Hygenic Fisheries do a curry pie, well you get the idea, you can put almost anything in a pie or pasty, hey maybe I can invent some German pies?
The lighter nights do mean that we don’t have to rush out before dinner, we can get a good hour in without lights already, another couple of weeks and we’ll get around the Műnstereifel circuit no trouble.
“You ridden this Hamburg race before?” my companion asked.
“Last year,” I agreed.
Yeah that ended well – not! I certainly don’t want a repeat of that.
“So what’s it like?”
“Pretty flat, there was quite a bit of wind last year, I'm guessing it’s on the same circuit.”
“Your dad said it’s just one loop.”
“Uh huh, up towards Kiel then around and back to Hamburg.”
“Doesn’t sound too bad and we’ll all be riding.”
“Josh is back?”
“You really weren’t listening last night were you?”
Maddy Bell © 17.10.16
