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Only Five Minutes by Maddy Bell
Copyright© 2019 Madeline Bell Well it wouldn't be Gaby if it was that simple would it?
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Soße
Student Bar
"I'll call when it’s safe,” my sister whispered to us as we collected coats from the bedroom.
"Good luck,” I offered.
"Remember she's only got your best interests at heart,” Dad mentioned.
"I know Dad,” she told him adding a hug.
The problem with Mum and my sister is that they are, at the heart of things, very much alike. In the past that has led to flaming rows, I mean fiery with a capital F! Spectators could be sucked into the conflagration and get burnt themselves. Pretty sure that's why Dad is so enthusiastic about leaving the premises.
I'm not sure what I was expecting but the student bar was not it. This evening it was pretty quiet of course – most students would've gone home of course and the MacDonald’s®-esque interior hardly fills it with great ambience. We'd walked across the campus to get here, it's part of a small complex that includes the health centre, a book shop and the actual Student Union offices.
"Interesting place,” Dad opined as Boris signed us in.
Boris gave a shrug, "Everyone comes for the cheap bier.”
"I guess so,” Dad allowed.
"So, what's everyone drinking?” Boris asked as we drifted toward a corner 'booth'.
"Weissbier?” Dad suggested.
"What about you two?”
"Cola?” Mand requested.
"They have wine?”
"Name your poison, if it has alcohol you can get it here,” Boris grinned.
"Dry white?”
I got a look from Dad of course, I don't always have a great reaction to alcohol as you might recall but all that practice at Bad Durkheim in the summer paid off, I can cope with more than one glass.
"Here,” Dad thrust a note towards our host.
"No, no, this is on me,” Boris told him.
"I was a student once Boris, I know what it’s like,” Dad insisted.
"How about I get this one you buy the next?” Bo suggested.
"Okay,” Pater allowed.
Ooo, more than one drinky poo! Boris finished hanging his jacket and set off for the bar.
"And before you get any ideas young lady, you're on soft drinks after the first.”
"Dad!” I moaned.
Mand chuckled to herself.
"I'm seventeen Dad.”
"Not yet you aren't and while you live under my roof you go by my rules.”
"No fair,” I pouted.
It didn't take my 'brother in law' long to fetch the drinks, I was somewhat mollified when my wine turned up in a sort of carafe – I'll get maybe three glasses out of it. I mentally stuck my tongue out at Dad, pretty sure he didn't notice as he was doing the glass banging thing with Boris.
The conversation was a bit awkward, there's only so much discussion of people’s 'school' work you can cope with when it’s not your subject or group of students.
"Jules says you're doing another concert,” Boris suggested to me.
"Well I wouldn't call it a concert exactly,” I countered.
"What would you call it then?” Dad queried.
Hmm, what indeed?
"Well it’s not like a proper thing like the Rheinhalle is it?”
"That was spot on,” Boris put in.
"Bit of a blast,” I agreed.
"So, what is this 'not' concert then?”
"Someone has organised a charity concert season at the kiosk,” Mand advised.
"It’s not just me,” I pointed out.
"Your idea,” she observed.
"Well yeah.”
"So, who else have you got lined up?” Boris asked.
"There's a choir one week, BlauHase of course, not sure who else, Kris is looking after that stuff.”
"You're the ideas woman eh?” he chuckled.
"She's full of 'em,” Mand smirked.
We were into our third round of drinks, well I was still technically on the first, before Boris' Handy sang out a nasty digitised tune.
"Heya...okay...half an hour?...yeah okay...everything alright?...fine, see you soon Liebchen.” he ended the call before addressing the rest of us, "Looks like it’s safe to go back.”
"Finish these first eh?” Dad suggested tipping his glass meaningfully.
"Definitely,” Boris confirmed.
It wasn't late when we arrived back at Chez Boris et Juliette, just turned nine in fact. I'd half expected blue lights and a Police cordon but both Mum and my sister seemed hale and hearty and even, dare I say it, happy. Very strange.
"Everything okay?” Dad asked.
"Let’s just say we've reached an understanding,” Mum advised.
Boris and my sister exchanged a sort of hug.
"Coffee?” Jules suggested.
"Think Dad needs some,” I suggested soto voce.
"How many?” Mum sighed.
"Only a couple,” Dad told her whilst giving me a hard look, "Your daughter had half a bottle of wine.”
"It wasn't very strong.”
"So, you guys want the bathroom tonight?” Jules interrupted the alcohol inquisition whilst getting the coffee organised.
"Wouldn't mind,” Mand replied.
"Gab?” my sister prompted.
"Er yeah, good idea.”
"Mum, Dad?”
"Prefer in the morning luv,” Dad told her.
"Sure, you guys need towels and stuff?”
"In the camper kiddo,” Mum told her, "Thanks for asking.”
And so, after coffee, washing gear was fetched, showers taken and Boris walked a pair of cleaner teens across to the camper. Clearly the olds had engineered Mand and my absence to talk, although they had at least put the beds down – they of course had commandeered the 'master' suite leaving us to the fold outs up front. Yeah, for all its size the Hymer is really only a four bed although you can squeeze more bodies in if need be.
© Maddy Bell 05.07.2019
