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Viewing Note: This story should be viewed with the Edwardian Script ITC font installed on your Windows platform in the c:/Windows/Fonts directory. Microsoft Word installs this font automatically.

Photo Credit: Provided by PB.
 

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Chapter 13
 

“Coming dear? Ally’s plane should be touching down in a couple of hours, so we should be leaving about now if you want to get there on time. Parking’s probably going to be a nightmare!” Jenny called out.

“Coming!” Gaby quickly zipped up her ski jacket and grabbed her bag as she joined her mum at the door.

Despite the heavy Christmas snowfall, which left the entire Ahr valley looking like a winter paradise, the roads were in excellent condition and the traffic was lighter than Jenny expected. They made good time on the Autobahn and despite Jenny’s prediction, pulled into the ‘arrivals’ covered car park at the Köln-Bonn Airport with plenty of time to spare.

“Okay, kiddo … what’re we looking for?” Jenny inquired, as they got ready to leave the car.

“Lufthansa, Flight 1252. According to their web site it’s scheduled to arrive at 1422 hours, so that gives us plenty of time to find the place,” Gaby explained. “See? Parking wasn’t bad.”

“Okay … so your ol’ mum was wrong! There’s a first time for everything. Now, let’s go … shall we?” Jenny smugly urged.

They found the proper arrivals area sometime after 2PM when Gaby pointed to the ‘Arrivals’ board. The flight had obviously arrived early and was at the displayed as being at the gate. No sooner had they positioned themselves opposite the doors that lead back into customs, than Ally walked through those same doors.

“Ally!” Gaby excitedly called out as she ran over to greet her friend with a hug.

Somehow amidst the greetings and the girls trying to catch up on absolutely everything that’s happened in their lives for the past year, Jenny got them to the car and back onto the Autobahn.

When she stopped the car just outside their garage door, she was amazed that the two in the back seat had been able to keep up a non-stop conversation from the airport. No, make that ever since Ally came through customs!

“Beautiful!” Ally softly exclaimed as she got out of the car.

“What’s that dear?” Jenny asked.

“The scenery … everything … it’s beautiful … nothing like Warsop,” Ally replied as she turned completely around beside the car, taking in all the sights. “I’d love to see this place once the snow’s gone … bet it looks even more romantic.”

“At least she didn’t start singing … The hill’s are alive … with the sound of muuu-sic,” Gaby teased in a sing-song voice as she emerged from the car.

A short time later, the two teenagers found themselves in Gaby’s room.

“You’re in here with me since Gran’s got the guest room and in case you're wonderin' ... I promise I won’t ravage you…” Gaby joked.

“Your loss!” Ally playfully shot back.

After Ally’s luggage was put into Gaby’s room, she got a quick tour of the house before the girl’s headed back to Gaby’s room to change into something more appropriate for meeting Gaby’s friends.

After she removed her dress slacks and blouse, Gaby went to her closet and pulled out her jeans and a black rib-knit turtleneck sweater. On the way past her dresser, she stopped to grab a new pair of black tights. While walking back to her bed, she noticed Ally looking at her, almost staring at her.

“Sumpthin’ wrong?” Gaby asked pointedly.

“What? Oh … oh, no … nothing … just…” Ally’s voice faded as she coloured up.

“C’mon … you were looking at something…” Gabs softly urged.

“It’s just …” Ally realized she was again staring at Gaby, standing there in her underwear and holding a change of clothing. “Sorry … it’s just that the last time I saw you like that, it was in the change room at the cheer competition in Virginia. You were pretty then … but you still needed help with that gaff-thingy and your breast forms … but … WOW! I never…”

“Like it? No artificial additives … all natural me!” Gaby joked as she slowly twirled for Ally’s inspection.

“You really are beautiful, you know!” Ally exclaimed. Now it was Gaby’s turn to blush.

“I wish Maddy felt like that,” Gaby wishfully whispered.

“I know she does, Gabs … it’s just that she finds it hard to tell anyone right now … but … she will,” Ally quietly replied as she rose from the side of her bed and offered Gaby a hug.

As the two parted, Gaby quickly put on her tights and jeans then sat down at her computer desk to clean up her nails and apply some new nail colour while Ally quickly changed into her jeans and repaired her own make-up.

After Gaby dried her nails and pulled her turtleneck on, it was her turn to freshen her make-up. As she was brushing her hair, Ally was again staring at Gabs.

“You’re staring again,” Gaby jokingly observed.

“I was trying to think of a way to apologize for staring … the first time. I honestly wasn’t trying to come on to you or anything … sorry,” Ally solemnly replied.

“I know … I’m not your type,” Gaby joked.

“You know what scares me? There’s a part of me that almost wishes you were my type,” Ally quietly intoned, the embarrassment evident in her voice. Both girls stared at each other, for several minutes. Ally broke the uneasy silence as she uttered a quiet apology. “I’m really sorry, Gabs … it just came out.”

“Forget it…” Gaby whispered as she came across the room and hugged her friend. When she broke the embrace, she took the opportunity to whisper in her ear, “…But I’ll take that as a compliment … thank you.”

“C’mon ... let’s go see who’s around!” Gaby abruptly changed the subject as she took Ally’s hand and led her out of the room and down the stairs.

After making a couple of calls, she told Jenny and Gran that they were going to Kat’s to meet some of the kids.

“Just be back for dinner, dear…” Jenny instructed.

“Okay,” Gaby replied as she and Ally went out the door and into a heavy snowfall.

“Will you lookit the size of these flakes, Gaby!”

Following Gaby past several houses on the street, the girls soon arrived at the Pinger’s.

“You never met Kat when she visited us in Warsop, did you?” Gaby asked, turning towards Ally as they approached the door.

“No.”

“Guter Tag Herr Pinger, ist Kat zu Hause? Gaby asked when Heinrich answered their knock at the door.

“Gerade ein Moment, rufe ich sie an.” Heinrich checked if Kat was home and then called her to the door. “Kat! … Es ist Gabi!” He then invited the girls inside to wait for Kat.

“Hi, Gabi … c’mon in!”

After Gaby introduced Ally, Kat lead them into their lounge where she introduced her boyfriend, Kurt, to Ally.

“Just so you know, Gabi … it’ll be quiet around here for a few days … Liesl und Suse got stuck mit der relatives. Liesl should be back in a few days, though.”

“How ‘bout Suse?”

“Nein … not until we go back to school … but Steffie und Fritz should be here shortly,” Kat mentioned.

As Ally was getting acquainted with Kat and Kurt, Maria showed three others into the lounge.

“Steffie!” Kat rose to give her a hug then turned around to face Ally and introduced the new arrivals.

“Guys, this ist Gabis friend from Warsop … Ally … und these three are our friends … Steffie … her boyfriend, Fritz … und his cousin, Manfred.”

Besides letting Ally get better acquainted with everyone, talk soon focused on trying to set up an impromptu agenda for her visit. As the afternoon wore on, Kat produced snacks and soft drinks while the kids sat and talked. It soon became quite evident to the others, how well Manfred and Ally were getting along.

“Call you guys tomorrow morning an’ we’ll decide what to do,” Steffie announced as they all started to leave the Pinger’s later that afternoon.

It was still snowing when they left and there was a significant accumulation of the fluffy stuff on the ground. It may not have been any good for snowballs, but that didn’t deter the girls from getting themselves covered in it. When they got to back to the house, Gaby walked into the garage and peered through the opened kitchen door.

“Uh … could somebody please hand me a broom? We kinda need to brush ourselves off.”

Jules was quick with a broom but Gran was also there with her camera to get a picture of the two ‘Snow-bunnies’. Fortunately it was that soft, fluffy snow that is easy to remove and when the girls finished, they found there was no real need to change their clothes.

‘Talk about perfect timing! Hang your coats up girls … and then go through to the table. We were just setting it for dinner when you came to the door,” Gran remarked as she held the front door open for them.

“Need any help, Mum?” Gaby asked as she and Ally walked into the dining room.

“Nope. Just go wash up and then come back and sit down … everything’s ready.”

Watching the two girls run up the stairs, giggling at some unknown provocation, Josy turned to her daughter with a thoughtful observation.

“She’s so much happier now, isn’t she?”

“In every way, Mum … but she’s also scared you’ll hate her,” Jenny quietly replied.

“Why?” Gran replied in a hushed voice.

“Remember our conversation the other day?”

Josy nodded her head. “I don’t care if she marries her girlfriend on the telly … she’s my granddaughter and I’ll always love her.”

“Tell her then! She needs to hear that from you,” Jenny whispered.

Josy couldn’t help but notice her daughter’s eyes were getting quite moist as she offered her opend arms to her daughter. Jenny wasted no time in embracing her mother.

“Why the tears, luv?” Josy softly inquired as Jenny tightened her hold on her mother. Amid the quiet sobs, she only managed to shake her head. “You were scared that I’d turn away from my granddaughter because she prefers girls … weren’t you?”

“Yes,” Jenny weakly whispered as she continued to hold her mum.

“I’ll tell her first chance we have and that’s a promise!” Josy quietly comforted Jenny. Wiping a stray tear from her daughter's cheek, Josy added, “Despite everything … you and Dave have done a good job raising your kids and don’t let anyone tell you different!”

As mother and daughter parted, the two women heard the three teens nosily coming down the stairs.

“Better go fix yourself, dear. I’ll head them off and buy you some time,” Josy softly suggested.

“Thanks. (sniff) I’ll use the loo in Dave’s workshop.”

“Dinner will be a minute or two yet. C’mon and sit down … talk to me,” Gran implored as the two girls walked into the lounge.

About ten minutes later, a voice from the kitchen told the girls to get what they wanted to drink and then sit down at the table. Once Gaby saw the food on the table, it didn’t take her long to realize that Gran was really the chief cook behind the evening’s meal. Following dinner, the kids did the washing-up while the adults went for a leisurely stroll around the village, returning a couple of hours later.

The girls spent the rest of the evening up in Jules’ room, talking about anything and everything. Both Jules and Gaby were interested to hear all about their old school and the kids back in Warsop, while Ally wanted to know everything about their new lives in Germany. Later, they reluctantly admitted that they had to surrender to their exhaustion and decided to turn in. After saying good night to Gran and the ‘rents, all three girls retired to their rooms for the night.

“Gaby? Can I talk to you for a sec?” Josy asked as she looked into Gaby’s bedroom.

“Sure,” Gaby replied then turning to Ally, she added, “Be back in a jiff!”

Through the opened door, Ally could see the two talking and as they parted, Gaby threw her arms around Josy and gave her a long hug.

“You have some real kewel friends, Gabs,” Ally allowed as the girls were getting changed for bed.

“I take it you enjoyed your first day?” Gaby asked as she threw the covers back and lay on her bed, propped up on an elbow and watching Ally getting changed.

Seeing a chance to get back at her for her earlier comments, Ally seductively asked, “You like what you see, Fraw-line?”

“What can I say? I like to look at pretty girls,” Gaby playfully replied with a smile.

Ally slipped her nightdress on over her head and then walked over to the side of Gaby’s bed. Leaning over and giving her friend a playful kiss on her lips, she joined her lying on the bed.

“Question: Does this make me ‘the other woman’?” Ally seductively asked as she adjusted her nightdress before settling down resting on her side, facing Gaby. Both girls broke out giggling at the thought.

“You an’ Manfred seemed to hit it off,” Gaby observed, quickly changing the subject.

“Yeah, we did … didn’t we?” Ally confided in a dream-like voice. “I think he’s kinda cute! Don’t you?” Ally asked in a perky voice as she propped herself up on one elbow.

“He’s a boy,” Gaby flatly replied with a shrug of her one shoulder.

“Duh … an’ you’re a girl!” Ally quickly countered.

“The word ‘lesbian’ mean anything to you?” Gaby playfully asked.

“Well … if you’re gonna get all nit-picky about it.” As the words left Ally’s mouth, both girls began another round of giggling.

“Seriously, Gabs. Haven’t you ever thought about getting married?” Ally quietly asked.

“Yeah … just not to a boy,” Gaby softly confided.

“I mean Drew and Mad thought about it once or twice ... with Drew in a tux an’ all … but…” Gaby’s quiet voice faded mid-thought and Ally saw a forlorn look cross her face.

“…But what, Gabs?” Ally realized Gaby was once again thinking of Maddy. Moving closer on the bed, she put her arms around her to cuddle and offer some comfort to her friend.

“...’Member how I told you Drew had dreams of riding in the ‘Tour’ … only it always ended with me riding with Mum on the women’s circuit?”

“Uh huh.”

“Well … I also had dreams of marrying Mad … ‘cept it always turned out that I was her bride an’ we’re both wearing wedding dresses.”

“Maybe those dreams were telling you something. I mean Drew always seemed to have Gaby in his dreams an’ you are Gaby … right?”

In a quiet sombre voice, Gaby replied, “Yeah … well … s’not likely to be happin’ now (sigh) innit? Mum’s retired and Mad would rather not acknowledge my existence.”

“Anythin’s possible, Gabs. Sure your mum’s retired, but she’s still here for you … helping you with your racing dreams,” Ally whispered as she held Gaby close.

“Wot ’bout Mad?” When Ally didn’t immediately answer, Gaby quietly added, “I rest my case.”

“Gabs? I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you,” Ally quietly apologized to her friend.

“S’okay. A day without thinking about Maddy, isn’t complete,” Gaby softly remarked as she held Ally even tighter.

“I can only hope that when I find someone I want to settle down with … we have half the love that you have for Maddy.”

After the two held each other in silence for a while, Ally started to stir. “Uh … Gab … my hair?” Ally pointed out as she tried to get up.

“Oh … sorry,” Gaby sheepishly replied as she released her hold on Ally and rolled onto her back.

“That’s okay. If you’d like … I’ll stay here with you. I’m okay with that,” Ally offered.

“Tempting offer,” Gaby seductively whispered.

“Oh … before I forget, darling...” Ally cooed. She looked Gaby in the eyes and then breaking out in a big grin, added, “…Paul and Clive both send their love.”

Ally’s comment and straight face caused more than a few giggles from the two girls. At that moment, Jenny poked her head in the room and suggested to the girls they get some sleep.

“G’wan. I’ll be fine,” Gaby whispered in Ally’s ear.

As she got off Gaby’s bed and started towards her own, Gaby softly called her back.

“Ally? C’mere?” As she came and stood beside the bed, Gaby sat up and gently placed her hands on Ally’s cheeks pulling her into a tender kiss.

“That’s for Paul and Clive. Make sure they get it and tell them I miss them … okay? Exactly like that … on the lips … right?”

“Ohhh … I think I can do that,” Ally seductively grinned. After she climbed in her own bed and the appropriate g’nites were said, Jenny turned off the room’s overhead light and joined Dave in their own room.

Following breakfast the next morning, Jules called Gaby to the phone.

“Steffie’s trying to get everyone together for some skating,” Jules explained as she handed the handset to her sister.

“You going?” Gaby wondered.

“Can’t,” Jules replied as Gaby put the handset up to her ear.

“Oh … okay. Hi, Steffie? What’s up?” After a few moments silence Gaby was heard to comment, “Hang on … I’ll ask.”

“Ally! You feel like some skating later on?”

“Ummmmm … Houston … we have a problem,” Ally replied and then cheerfully added, “I didn’t pack my skates.”

“If we find you a pair … you wanna go?”

“Sure! Ummm ... what about a skating outfit?”

“Jeans, tights an’ a warm jumper … coat optional,” Gaby replied.

“Huh?”

“Believe me … sitting on the river bank in a short skirt to put on your skates, is not recommended.”

“Will Manfred be there?” Ally coyly asked.

“Hmmm … could be,” Gaby softly replied with a mischievous grin as she turned back to the phone.

“Stef? Count us in. Okay, see you later … Tschüss”

“Have you figured out how I get some skates?” Ally asked as Gaby put the handset back onto the phone’s cradle.

“Since Jules isn’t coming … you can wear hers. If they’re too big … we’ll swap. I’ve worn hers before.”

An hour later Steffie and Kat came around to collect the two girls and the four teenagers set off to join the other skaters near the bridge that spanned the Ahr River between the main village and the train station.

Fifteen minutes later they were carefully making their way down to the ice using the improvised steps beside the stone retaining wall that stretched along the riverbank. As they sat on some of the larger rocks to change into their skates, they surveyed the crowd of skaters already enjoying themselves on the frozen river.

“Fräulein!”

Steffie looked up from lacing her skates in an attempt to find the source of the voice. It didn’t take her long to spot Manfred skating towards them.

“Fräulein!”

“Manfred,” Steffie quietly remarked as she nudged Gaby, who in turn nudged Ally.

“Ally … you’re being paged,” Gaby smugly pointed out.

Ally looked up from lacing her skates as he came to a stop in front of her.

“My apologies Fräulein. I think I forgot your name,” an embarrassed Manfred confessed as he reached out and gently took her hand then gallantly kissed it.

“Ally … it’s … Ally,” Ally softly replied. Gaby and the other girls noted that her face was almost the same deep shade of red as her ski jacket.

Fritz and Kurt soon joined Steffie, Kat and the others on the riverbank. After briefly talking while the girls finished sorting themselves, the seven friends took to the ice. Ally initially felt bad that Gaby wasn’t paired up but it soon became apparent that her friend didn’t mind. Watching Gaby zip around on the ice all carefree and happy, Ally couldn’t recall the last time she saw either Drew or Gaby enjoying life off her bike, that much. As she reflected on everything she’s seen and everyone she’s met, she soon found herself wishing that she could stay in this new world. It was so different than Warsop.

The feel of Manfred’s arm around her waist brought Ally back to reality and caused her to instinctively snuggle closer as she stood on the ice with her arms around him.

“You two interested in food … or just each other?” Gaby mischievously asked as she glided up beside Ally. “The others are thinking about grabbing a bite in town … it’s well past noon.”

As the three teenagers joined the others on the river bank, Gaby playfully whispered to Ally, “Paul who?”

Ally blushed up as she glanced over to her friend. Gaby doubted if the grin on Ally’s face could’ve got any wider. Later that afternoon, two physically exhausted but happy girls, walked into the Bond household.

“What happened to you two … you look frozen,” Gran exclaimed when she saw Gaby and Ally taking off their coats and leaving their skates on the rubber mat beside their boots.

“We were okay in the morning with the skating … but I think the skiing s’afternoon, did us in … right Ally?” Gaby turned to look at her and got a feeble smile and a nod as a confirmation of her statement.

“Skiing?” Jenny asked as she walked into the room.

“Yeah … after we had some lunch … thanks Gran …everyone went back to their places and grabbed their skis. Since they knew I didn’t have any, Manfred let Ally and I borrow his parent’s skis. She wore his mum’s boots and I wore Steffie’s old pair. We went all over the trails on that hill behind the Dorfstrasse,” Gaby explained as Josy handed a tea to both girls.

“Some of those trails are rather steep,” Jenny remarked then turned and explained to her mum, “That ‘hill’ Gaby’s talking about … is the 200 foot rise you see out our front window.”

“Hard going up … but a lot of fun coming down!” Both girls replied in unison.

“Well … go get changed … both of you! Might as well take care of those wet things now and bring down all your laundry. Now’s as good a time as any to get it done,” Jenny instructed the two girls.

“Once that’s done … hot bath and thaw out … don’t need either of you to catch cold. Ally can use our tub,” she called out as they were about to completely disappear upstairs.

As Ally ran into Gaby’s room, Gaby made a small detour and ran into her sister’s room before returning to her own room.

“Here … put these on after your bath … an’ if you can wear Jules’ skates, then these should fit,” Gaby suggested as she threw Ally one of her own flannel nightdresses and Jules’ fluffy slippers and quilted housecoat.

Ally was in heaven for the rest of the visit. Gaby and her friends took her on the train and visited several of the towns in the valley, including Bad Neuenahr and even showed her their school. After Liesl returned from her grandparents, she joined Gaby, Kat and Ally on the train into Bonn, for the promised day of shopping. Having Jenny, Maria and Gran along, only made the day even more special. All too soon the respective visits for Ally and Josy ended. Dave and Gaby drove Ally to the airport where the two girls said an emotional good-bye.

After New Year’s, it was Josy’s turn to return home. Jules and Gaby said their good-byes at the house, leaving their parents to drive their Gran to the airport. A few days and another year later, both girls were back at school and life’s routine was returning to normal.

 
 
Comments are Greatly Appreciated!

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To Be Continued...