Gaby Book 25 Only Five Minutes by Maddy Bell Copyright© 2019 Madeline Bell After all the excitement of the last few weeks culminating in the trip to Austria, surely Gaby can get back to some sort of 'normal'? Well it wouldn't be Gaby if it was that simple would it?

 
If you remember from last time, this gathering is one of the highlights in the local social calendar, whilst the fireworks are for everyone, an invitation to dine at the Schloss is the hot ticket. It might not be a huge affair but that very intimacy ads to the caché of an invite and a chance to brag. Its actually a little amusing watching how the hoi polloi act and defer to the Taxis and indeed anyone they feel is above them in the social structure.

As the family Bond are not local and clearly on first name terms with the Duchy, that rubs off onto us too, I don't suppose our choice of clothing for the evening lessens that idea. Its a weird inverted thing, the gentry wear 'peasant' clothing and the 'underlings' pull out all the stops in glitzy outfits – yeah go figure. Whatever, Kostum is an easier and generally more comfortable choice than some designer frock – doesn't hurt that I look good in it either!

So anyway after everyone was seated, I got to sit next to the Duke for some reason, the caterers started, er catering. It was to be one of those meals with lots of courses but tiny portions, never quite enough on the plate to really satisfy, on the other hand the sum is quite filling. So there was some mousse thing as the starter, a few mouthfuls of Nudeln suppe, salad then the main meat course of goose with a few roast vegetables before descending to mint icecream, cheese and finally coffee.

Seven courses isn't excessive, well not when it just about makes one square meal, the gaps between courses allowing for digestion and much discourse. Not that my opinion was called for very often which suits me but the conversation was interesting to listen to. The Mayor was bending Ludwig's ear about a new tourist office, other topics I eavesdropped included Dad having a very intense conversation about timber husbandry and some discussion further down the table about creche facilities.

Mand and Soph are really getting along like a house on fire, its the most animated i've seen de Vreen for a long time.
 
Ting, ting, ting!

The Duke stood and waited for the diners to quieten down.

"Its that time of year again,” he grinned, "I've fed you now you have to listen to me talk!”

There were, as you might expect a few amused noises around the table – well there are rules that must be observed.

"A year ago I stood here a carefree young man but in the intervening months i've welcomed not just a new son in law to the family but Marianne and I have become grand parents too, so I ask you all to raise your glasses to Jannis, stand young man, and the newest member of the family, Heinrich Siegmund or as we call him, Heini.”

We all did the glass waving with our recently recharged wine recepticals.

"As we prepare to leave one year we should look forward to the next, to the opportunities it will bring, not just for you all here in Harburg but across Germany and further around the world. I know I'm looking forward to the challenges of the New Year, to see what my family, friends and you, our neighbours here in Harburg will achieve. I won't ramble on any longer, I know you are all keen to see the fireworks, which I'm told should be spectacular – I hope so given the cost,” he grinned benevolently at his audience, "So without further to do, a toast, to all of us.”
'To all of us!” came the enthusiastic return followed by some light applause.

 
Of course, the fireworks aren't until midnight which is a short walk and best part of an hour away still.

"You changing to go out Gaby?” Soph enquired.
"Just my shoes.”
"Well there's no way I'm gonna go stand up on the common in this,” she stated.

I could see her point, it was a nice frock, a typical Sophia floaty number which will provide exactly nil in terms of warmth. It might be comparatively mild outside but even so, if last year is the stick it'll still be freezing. On the other hand, by the time i've got boots on and my jacket, I should be quite toasty with all this lot on – thats forward planning for you.

"Think I could get away with my jeans?” Mand asked hopefully.
"There will be questions and recriminations, “ I smirked.
"Dang, I haven't got anything else.”
"I can lend you something liebe,” Soph told her.
"I think I'm gonna borrow your facilities, it looks like a queue down here,” I mentioned.
"Sure, your stuff is up there anyhow.”
 
We got as far as the stairs before the Duchess' voice halted us in our tracks.

"And where pray are you three sloping off to?”
"Er my room for coats and er stuff,” Soph told her mother.
"Fifteen minutes, if you don't want to walk up.”
"Yes mama,” Soph managed to make her response sound quite pained.
"We'll be here Your Grace,” I added.
"Go.”

Well we didn't need it in writing, not that we could exactly run up the stairs dressed as we are but we made haste anyway.
 

"They're a bit tight,” Mand opined as she checked herself out in Soph's mirror.
"They're supposed to be,” I pointed out – again.
"I guess,” she grudgingly allowed.

They were a pair of black leather trousers and I'll concede that they fit only where they touched – in this case that meant everywhere. I'm not sure that they'll offer that much extra warmth, they must be cutting her circulation off!

"You look great, dressy but practical,” I told her.
"If you say so.”
Soph joined us from the en suite, "Hmm, good enough to eat.”

Too much information.

Soph herself was similarly attired, who has two pairs of leather trousers? But where Mand's dress was now effectively a tunic, Soph was rockin' a silk blouse.

"We'd best go down,” I suggested, "Or the Duchess will be having kittens.”
"We still have fifteen seconds,” Soph suggested as she shrugged into her jacket.

Still pushing the boundaries.
 

At least the transport wasn't side saddle on a quad bike tonight, a slightly creaky minibus was to be this evenings carriage. I had a few moments of trouser envy, yeah, you can't exactly be elegant getting up into a bus wearing a dirndl. The three of us took the rearmost row of seats, the rest of the capacity being of the older, well older than us female variety except for one old guy with a stick.

Pretty much everyone else had already left on foot, only Jan and Sara with the baby were still in the courtyard, looks like they're using their own car for the trip. We jounced out of the castle confines but instead of going left and directly up past the parkplatz, our driver took us right down the hill. Of course, everyone else is walking along the road, so coming this way and around the common is easier and safer for everyone.

Indeed, the couple of minutes it took the bus still had us parked by the viewing area before most of the walkers reached it although there were already a few non diners staking out their spots. There was no point in rushing to get down although the enticing smell of hot chocolate offered some inducement.
 

'Wheee.......POP!'
'Whizz...Bang! Bang! Bang!'

How can you describe a firework display? Rockets rocketed, bangers banged, Katherine wheels span, whizzers whizzed, lighting up the skies over Harburg with a rainbow of sparks. Explosions rent the air for a good fifteen minutes, the Duke must have spent some serious money on tonights entertainment. Hot chocolate was consumed, greetings exchanged – must remember to check my Handy when I get back to the Hymer, but after all the build up it was over far too soon.

The last gunpowder illuminated one of those set piece messages 'Frohes Neu Jahr 2007'.
 
"You three walking or riding?” Mum enquired as we made our way back to the road.
"You have to ask Frau Bond?” Soph posed.
"Well I'm only going to the camper,” I mentioned.
"But there's supper back at the Burg,” Soph advised.
"Gaby Bond miss food?” Mand suggested.
"Well make your mind up,” Marianne prompted, "Sigi is taking Herr Irmscher and his wife back down the hill after dropping you off.”

Hmm, bed or food? Who makes these things up? So of course, when we reached the bus I climbed aboard.
 

Supper turned out to be well worth the diversion of course, none of your coffee and cake rubbish. Nope tonight the family and house guests were treated to a help yourself buffet of which the centrepiece was a tureen of ham in a carbonara sauce which could be combined with either conchiglia or wild rice. I decided to give the shells a miss for a change – well the rice holds the sauce better, no contest.
 

I let out a bit of a protracted yawn.

"Sleepy kiddo?” Mum enquired from beside me on the sofa.
"Just a bit,” I allowed.
"Your Dad'll walk you.”
“'kay,” I agreed.

Well nothing is ever that simple. Finding Dad was easy enough, he was yacking with Ludwig, what they find to talk about is beyond me. However one look outside and everything was cancelled, it was lagging it down, and to compound matters no adults or teens for that matter were exactly drive safe sober.

"Looks like the sofa,” I suggested.
"You can share with me, your Dad can have the sofa.”
"Erm,” not the best of solutions given Dad's driving us home tomorrow.
"She can share with us,” Soph opined, "My bed's huge.”

Well I can attest to that.

Dad gave me an appealling look, "What do you reckon Spud?”
"Er okay, looks like a three girl night.”
 

"Sorry about this,” I whispered to Mand a few minutes later.
"Not your fault,” she shrugged.
A moment later Sophia materialised from her wardrobe, "Here you go Gab,” she passed me what I assumed was nightwear.
"Er cheers Soph.”
"Hey what are friends for?”
"I'll er just go get changed then.”
"Need any help?” Manda asked.
"I can manage.”

Lets face it, getting out of Kostum is far easier than getting it on, yes it had been reasonably warm at the fireworks but after what, nearly eight hours it was starting to irritate a bit. Strip, quick wash and put on Soph's PJ's then out to bed – which was now occupied by the other too.

"Here,” Soph patted the bed next to her, "Tonight I have two girlfriends!”

Great. Well whatever had been going through Sophia's head never came to pass, I was out like a lamp as soon as my head hit the pillow.
 

My return to consciousness seemed to come all too soon. There was light, I got that through my still closed eyelids and the bed was comfortable, really? One thing the bed in the Hymer can't claim is any real sense of comfort. I concentrated my grey matter, last night, bed?

My eyes sprang fully open, the direct result of being whacked across the face by a wayward limb. It all came tumbling back into focus, fireworks, supper, rain – Soph's bed which means...

"Mornin'”
"Er yeah,” I agreed to my hosts statement.
"Mornin' Gab,” a second voice offered.
"Ditto. Er be right back.”

I shot from the bed and into the bathroom – not because I needed to use it but, well, two's company, three's a crowd and all that. On the plus side my 'day' clothes are still in here so at least I don't have to put my Kostum back on.
 
"You done in there?” Mand enquired with a hint of desperation in her voice.
"Er sure,” I opened the door and she shot past like a whippet.
"You sleep okay?” Soph asked from where she was propped against the pillows.
"I guess,” I allowed.
"Pretty good night yeah?”
"It was okay.”

One moment she was languidly lying on the bed, the next she bounced up and was dragging on a dressing gown.

"Come on Gabs, breakfast!”
"Shouldn't we wait for Mand?”
"She'll find us, come”

Of course, over the last couple of years i've learnt that there is always a price to pay if you deny Sophia Taxis, its easier to just go along for the ride. I got halfway down the stairs before realising I was a) unshod and b) still in Soph's pyjamas. Of course now that my brain had assimilated the situation I winced at every cold step for the rest of the descent and short trail to the kitchen.
 

"Nice jarma's Gaby,” Sara smirked, looking up from where her offspring was having his breakfast.
"Had to borrow from your sister,” I replied.
"I thought you'd grown out of 'My Little Pony',” Saz teased her sister who was busy sloshing coffee into cups.
"Of course, I outgrew that stuff years ago but Gab needed something to wear.”

Okay so maybe the brain isn't quite up to two thousand and seven speed yet, I looked down at what I was wearing which was, I now noted, very pink and decorated across my bosom with, yup one of the cutesy and offensively glittery MLP beasties – aargh! If this ever gets out I'm toast, I'll forever be MLP girl.

"Thought you might want this,” Mand offered as she chucked what turned out to be my fleece over my head.

There is a god!

"Er cheers Mand.”
“'s no problem, so what's for brekkie?”
"Self service this morning,” Sara told us, "Stuff in the fridge and larder.”
"Coffee!” Soph brandished the pot.
"Its a start,” Mand allowed.
"Well I need food too,” I mumbled heading to the large refrigerator to see what I could find.
 
Of course, I couldn't just sort myself out, so I soon had bacon and scrambled egg on the go, had Mand finding crock and cutlery and even Sophia setting the table. It didn't take long before parental units started appearing, the Duke followed in short order by Mum, Dad and Marianne.

"Well this is a surprise,” the Duchess allowed settling herself at the table.
I shrugged, "Its as easy feeding six or seven as one.”
"You get this at home Dave?” Ludi queried.
"I wish,” Pater supplied, "If anything its me making it.”
"Ha, when has that happened Dave Bond,” Mum shot.
"I put the coffee on.”
"Thanks Dad,” I mumbled.

Truth be told, with everyone up and about at different times a family breakfast is quite rare so DIY works best. Of course when we are all about its the full works, sometimes that even runs to an English style cooked breakfast – well, when we can get some proper bangers.

 
By the time everyone had eaten their fill it was almost ten and whilst I had managed to get dressed no one else had progressed beyond dressing gowns.

"Well I suppose we should get ourselves organised,” Dad offered with a sigh.
"You're welcome to stay through tomorrow, we aren't going back to the town house for a couple of days,” Duke Ludwig told us.
"Thanks for offering....” Dad started.
"We'd love to,” Mum interrupted.
"Thats settled then,” Marianne stated, "More coffee?”

 
"So when are you back?” Max asked.
"Late tomorrow I think, so how was Neu Jahre in Rech?”
"You have to ask? Boring! Gran fell asleep so me and Dad had to carry her up to her room.”
"Such fun,” I giggled into my Handy.
"So I suppose spending it with my la di da relatives in their castle was more exciting?”
"Its had its moments,” I allowed, "And I don't think you need worry about Soph any more.”
"Not that I am but how so?”
"I'll tell you when I get back, lets just say she bats for the other side.”
"For the other side, what are you on about Liebchen?”
"Sometimes von Strechau you are just so dumb.”
"Thats my middle name.”
"I know for a fact its Maria.”
"So thats what the M stands for.”

Men!
 
© Maddy Bell 12.07.2019