“Jules’ll go ballistic,” Mand opined when I recounted my largese as we prepared the cocoa.
“Mum says she’s got an envelope for her from Nanna and I’m not saying what I got,” I mentioned with a withering look.
“I’m hardly gonna tell her am I?”
I sighed deeply as I waited for the milk to heat, “wish I was riding tomorrow.”
“Don’t knock it, you have looked a bit peeky this week.”

We did debate telling her the truth but Mum pushed for a ‘fewer the better’ approach so other than the three of us – and Caro, only George knows the truth of the matter. The cover story – for now, is that the Federation want me to rest before the Worlds, it leaks like Gruyere but that's not the point.

“Yeah,” I agreed sadly – well its not been the greatest couple of days.

“Where’re we going?” I enquired as I put my seatbelt on.

Dad and Manda left Dernau hours ago with the Hymer, moping over it isn’t going to change anything so I tried to embrace more Mum / daughter time.

“Luxembourg,” Mum advised as we nosed out of the drive.
“Luxembourg? I thought we were going to Bonn or Düssel.”
“thought you’d appreciate somewhere different, some different stores.”
“Wr okay.”
“You need anything for this camping trip?”
“A bigger basket on the Schauff?”
“Bigger? You could get a house in there.”
“You haven’t seen what I’ve got packed,” I replied with the vestiges of a grin.
“There’s probably some pannier bags in the garage you can use, you need any more clothes or a swimsuit.”
“Like something to swim in?”
“What else?”
“Mu-um.”

Its a good couple of hours drive down to the Principality, almost two hundred K and not all on autobahns – we headed up and over the ‘Ring1 to pick up the southbound A1. Well you know what Mum’s driving is like, I was quite thankful to get on the autobahn, at least all the traffic is going the same way! At Trier we picked up the Luxembourg bound motorway and less than thirty minutes later we were looking for parking close to the cathedral.

“So where first?” Mum enquired as I straightened myself out.
“Coffee, I need to ready my nerves.”
“Cheeky madam!”
“Just saying.”
With a roll of her eyes she locked the car, “come on then.”

I was having slight wardrobe regret as we headed through the underground parking, none of my three garments, BH, pants and flimsy summer frock, offer any degree of insulation. Its not freezing or anything but I shivered as we navigated to the exit suggesting a need for facilities in my near future. At least I haven’t made the footwear error of the O Center, I’ve got my favourite low heeled sandals on – at my height flats aren’t going to work!

My fears were allayed when we emerged into the big square, the Place Guillame, the sunshine immediately warming my bones but not decreasing the pressure on my bladder.

“Hotel de Ville?” Mum suggested.
“Looks a bit posh.”
“You’re point being?”
To be honest I didn’t have one, “as long as they have toilets.”

We were soon installed inside, Mum ordered whilst I attended to needs.

“Did you ring Nanna?”
Bum! “er no.”
“Well don’t you think you ought to?”
“Yes Mum,” I agreed with a sigh before fishing my Handy out, “you got her number?”

“Is that Mrs Bond?”
“No, its her daughter, who is this?”
“Oh hi Aunty Kath, its Gaby.”
“How's my favourite niece today?”
“Er fine thanks.”
“Sorry I didn’t recognise your voice, you sound so erm.”
“German?”
“You do have quite an accent,” she agreed, “so what’re you up to today, didn’t your Dad say there was a race?”
“Er yeah, I’m being ‘rested’ though, me and Mum are shopping in Luxembourg.”
“A girls day out eh?”
“Sort of,” I allowed, “is Nanna about?”
“I’ll get her luv, hang on.”
I could hear a muffled call, ‘Mum! Gaby’s on the phone.’

“Gabrielle,” short as always, Nanna greeted me.
“Hi Nanna,” I replied more chirpily than I feel.
“To what do I owe this honour?”
“I er wanted to thank you and Gramps for the money last night.”
“Its our pleasure Gabrielle.”
“I feel a bit guilty, its so much when there's all the littlies.”

I sensed a change in Nanna’s tone before she replied.

“Don’t you worry about them Gaby,” she told me in an almost conspirational voice, “they all get plenty, they are always down at Burnham, you and your sister are the ones that have missed out, just spend it wisely eh?”
“I will Nanna, I’m on holiday with my friends next week, it’ll supplement my spending money.”
“On your own?” her tone returned to normal.
“I think there’s ten of us, we’re camping somewhere in the Pfalz.”

I could almost hear her shaking her head.

“Your young man going?”
“No Nanna, its all girls I went to school with.”
“Well be careful, don’t do anything your mother wouldn’t.”
“I won’t,” I told her.
“And Gabrielle, don’t you ever stop being you, go easy on all the piercings, you’re too pretty to spoil yourself, you make me and your Gramps so proud.”
“so what are you doing today?”
I almost said ‘getting a tattoo’ to wind her up, “shopping with Mum.”
“Enjoy yourselves, now get off this phone, I’m sure you don’t want to spend the day talking to me.”
“Wrm.”
“Bye Gabrielle, we’ll see you soon eh?”
“Er yeah, um have a safe trip back to England.”
“Thanks luv, now get on with you.”
“Tschuss Nanna.”
“Er tewse Gaby.”

“That sounded like an interesting conversation?” Mum suggested as she poured my coffee, said refreshment having arrived during my call.
“Not really, just told her about the camping.”

Something finally clicked in my blonde head.

“Whats wrong?”
“I just realised what she said.”
“Which was?” Mum cajoled.
“Don’t do anything your mother wouldn’t.”
“For once I agree with your Nanna, that's good advice.”
“But shouldn’t it be ‘don’t do anything i wouldn’t’?”
“She probably thought that’d be a bit restricting for a sixteen year old girl, anyway, drink up, shops to hit.”

The caffeine perked me up a bit and we were soon out into the big square, the focus for Luxembourg shoppers and tourists alike.

“Which way?” I asked.
“The big shops are behind the tourist office,” Mum supplied so that's where we headed.

Of course, living – and shopping where we do, i’m used to hearing the different languages of the visitors. Here in Luxembourg though its not just the dominant spoken language that's different but the written too, a mixture of French, German and the mish mash that makes up Luxembourgish. Of course with my language skills its not an issue but its a bit weird seeing and hearing all this so close to home.

As capitals go it’s not a huge city like London or Paris, in fact i’d say its closer to Bonn in size but with all the EU stuff it has attracted a lot of top end stores. Between the more mundane High Street names sit the fancier brands, Swarovski, Prada, Laboutin and many more. Not that my pocket stretches to buying in those places but its nice to look right?

Mum dragged me into another of the hallowed oasis.

“Who can afford this stuff?” I queried checking out the discrete price tag on a handbag.
“You apparently,” Mum replied as she adjusted her glasses on her head.
“Me?”
“That dress you wore at New Year,” she suggested.

You remember that? The short white sleeveless thing with the Swarovski crystals on the bodice and fits where it touches.

“The white one?”
“Behind the counter,” she hinted.

I didn’t see it at first amongst the arty mosaic on the wall but sure enough there was a model wearing my dress. I think it works better on me without all that leg, I sighed, wish I had longer legs. Then I spotted the logo on the wall.

“this is D & G?”
“there are a few clues,” Mum suggested pointing out the same logo on the handbag I had been looking at.

My brain is working overtime today, more tiny pieces dropped into place.

“So that’s why I got that invitation.”
“Could be kiddo,” Mum allowed, “you are going I take it?”
“Suppose so, the girls’d rag me forever if I don’t, you know what they’re like.”
“In that case...”

She caught the eye of one of the ‘bright young’ fashion victims acting as staff in the store.

“Madam?”
“Güten morgen, Deutsche?”
The help replied in German, “of course Madam, how can we help today?”
“My daughter requires a clutch bag, she likes the one your model has with the white dress,” Mum suggested, “we don’t see it on display.”
“Certainly Madam, if you would like to take seats.”

She trotted off as Mum selected a seat.

“Mum,” I hissed, “what are you up to?”
“You don’t want the bag?”
“That’s not the point, it’ll be like hundreds of euros.”
“Let me worry about that, now sit daughter mine.”

Maddy Bell © 15.01.2018