Gaby Book 16 ~ Sweet Sixteen ~ Chapter *34* Balance of Power

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*Chapter 34*
Balance of Power

 
 

The UK bound trio departed almost as soon as Mark had changed into civvies, the Luchow’s weren’t far behind, their flight to Berlin was however from Bonn rather than Dusseldorf so they had less distance to do. Tali had come down with Josh and his Uncle Joe, they were driving back north, the Grönberg’s of course had an hour or so’s drive home. What a day!

Those of us left after the fliers departure gathered in the restaurant where Willie and his team fed us with a simple but filling meal of stuffed turkey breasts, potatoes in a creamy sauce and veggies.

“Some day, huh?” Ron offered.
“Did youse know Mark was coming, man?” Josh asked.
“Wish I had,” I lamented.
“Bit of a turn up like,” Josh noted.
“Pretty cool though,” Mand opined.
“More work for the rest of us, specially you, Joshy,” Tali put in.
“Aye, there is that, you eating that, Gab?”
“Er,” I looked at my plate, there was a bit of turkey and a few vegetables left, “er sure, all yours.”
“Geez, there must be something wrong with her!” Mand stated, “She never leaves anything.”
“You guys, okay?” Dad asked coming over to our table.
“Fine thanks, Herr Bond,” Roni allowed.
“Aye, Mr B,” Josh added.
“How long have you known about Mark,” I demanded.
“We’ve been talking for several weeks.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?”
“We only agreed things this week,” he told us.
“So you knew he was coming today, you coulda said.”
“Today wasn’t certain kiddo and I’ve been a bit busy the last few days.”
“Bit of a coup, eh, Mr Bond,” Mand suggested.
“We think so,” Dad agreed, “it’s another string to the team’s bow.”
Yeah, a string that sidelines me.

“You ready, Roni?” Angela called over a few minutes later.
“Yes, Mama,” she called back, “looks like we’re off, good to see you guys.”
“Aye, you too like, reckon we’ll be off soon too.”
“I’ll speak to you about thingy,” Mand mentioned.
“Yeah sure,” Roni agreed.
“What’s thingy?” I enquired.
“Oh just some school thing we were talking about earlier,” Mand told me.

We bade our farewells and sure enough the others were called for departure moments later.

“What a day!” Mand stated as she dropped into a chair.
“Yeah,” I agreed slumping onto the sofa, “eventful.”
“You all right? You know with Mark and that?”
“Not my decision.”
“But it’s better to be on the same team yeah, at least you’ll both get your chances.”
“I guess.”

I suppose I am being a bit selfish, I do see the logic from the team’s point of view but it doesn’t do my chances of winning any favours does it. So okay I’m a better climber than Cav but in junior races, well it’s quite marginal, pretty much if he makes it to the last couple of K he’ll be the teams preferred sprinter. Yeah wins for the team but less for me personally, hmmph!

“You two, alright?” Mum asked, “You want cocoa?”
“Ooo, yes please,” Mand quickly replied.
“Mum, did you know about Cav?”
“Cav?”
“Mark,” I affirmed, “Cav’s his nickname, you know, from Cavendish.”
“Catchy, your father and George had mentioned the possibility of him joining.”
“I won’t get a look in if there’s a sprint,” I moaned.
“But it won’t always be a sprint and anyway there’s the rainbow curse.”
“Rainbow curse?” Mand queried.
“You not heard of it? Winning while wearing the rainbow can be er quite elusive.”
“How come,” Mand pressed.
“Dunno,” Mum allowed, “might be because everyone else rides against you, probably some insecurities with the wearer too.”
“But you won before when you were champion,” I pointed out.
“True, but I lost a few that I might have got too, have to see if I can do better this year, eh? Cocoa.”

Mum disappeared back to the kitchen leaving the two of us lolling about once more.
“It’s probably not the same for your jersey.”
“Eh?”
“Well you only wear it for trials don’t you?”
“Er yeah,” I agreed.
“So it shouldn’t work the same because you only really race against yourself.”
I think that makes sense.
“I guess.”
“It could work to your benefit in the sprints too.”
“How so?”
“Well if everyone’s marking Cav they won’t be covering you.”
Do you know I think she has something there, I guess every cloud has a silver lining.
“So Mark will pull their sting, I’m starting to like it,” I allowed.

“Come on, Mand, for me?”
“What’s wrong with my usual stuff?”

We’d been batting the subject about for fifteen minutes already; I really should’ve done it earlier.

“Everyone else is wearing the uniforms,” I pointed out for the fifth time.
“But I’m not on the team.”
“Neither am I but I’m wearing one, go on.”
“Are you nearly ready?” Mum demanded, “I take it you know where we are going?”
“Yes and yes.”
“Good, downstairs in five minutes if you want to eat.”
“Yes, Mum.” I looked at Mand, please?”

“I feel a right twit in this,” Mand opined as she played with the pleats of her skirt.
“You look fine.”
“I didn’t say that was an issue,” she pointed out.
“Coats,” Mum ordered.
“We’re in the car,” I complained.
The look she returned was enough for me to grab our coats from the cupboard.

If you aren’t up on the geography, Brühl is a bit north of Bonn, using the motorway it’s about three quarters of an hour from home. With Mum driving, well we were pulling up on the street outside the Hotel Orchidee forty minutes after we set off.

“Jenny!”
“Hi, Fran, long time no see,” Mum greeted her ex colleague.
“Gaby and I’m guessing this is Amanda?”
We exchanged a quick hug, “Er, Mand this is Fran.”
“Nice to meet you.”
“And you too,” Fran mentioned, “come on in I’ve got coffee for us.”

We let Fran lead the way to the breakfast room that was apparently going to act as an impromptu dance studio.

“So where are the kids?” Mum enquired.
“Don and Jean have taken them swimming, some place in Bonn.”
“Handy.” Mum allowed as she poured herself a cup of caffeine.
The door swung open behind us, “She should be okay, Fran, too much Haribo.”
“Ally?”
“Gab!”
“I forgot to tell you, Gab, Alison was drafted in as a teaching assistant on Thursday, Gemma managed to break her ankle.”
“And I was in the right place,” Al told us, “hi, Mrs B.”
“Hi, Alison, how’s your mum?”
“Fine thanks.”

Hannah and the others arrived about fifteen minutes later and although catching up with Fran – and Ali was great, we were here for a reason, Vis a cheering masterclass with my former art teacher.

The small audience clapped as the girls finished and I counted out the last hold before dropping my hand for them to relax.
“Much, much better,” Fran smiled, “er wunderbar.”
Of course there was always gonna be a language thing, I spent the evening translating and demonstrating to my German team.
“Coffee, Gab?”
“Cheers, Mand.”
“So what do you think?” I asked Fran once Mand was out of earshot.
“I’d put Amanda in, the tall one Lisa?”
“Lisse.”
“She’s a bit knees and elbows, she’s throwing the rest out but I think the others are not too bad.”
“Probably better than when we started,” I suggested.”
“You guys weren’t that bad.”

“So how is everyone?” I asked Al as I sipped my coffee.
“You know, Helen’s still doing her Guides, Mad is like she always was.”
“You still see Em?”
She winced at that.
“Sorry, sore point I guess.”
“It’s alright, we broke up before Christmas, she’s gone back to Wales – again.”
“Soz.”
“Her loss.”
“You seen Bern at all?”
“Not really,” she admitted.
“She came over the other week, her and Drea.”
“On her own?”
“Uh huh, she wanted to show Drea off to her boyfriend.”
“I thought he was in prison?”
“Not that scumbag. Mart, they met when she was over last year.”
“Right, I probably should go see her.”
“I’m sure she’d appreciate it, I think she’s pretty lonely from what she said.”
Al looked a bit embarrassed.
“Gab? Time.” Mum called over.
“It’s been good seeing you, Gab.”
“You too, pity you aren’t here longer.”
We hugged and she left quickly before the waterworks started.

“Let me know how you get on,” Fran requested as I got into the car, Hannah and the minibus having already departed.
“Will do, thanks for tonight, I know Hannah was dead chuffed.”
“Well I hope it helps, now take care, I’ll see you next time you’re in Warsop,” she leant into the window, “good to see you again, Jen, I’ll let Geoff know what you suggested.”
“Okay,” Mum agreed.
“Bye, Amanda.”
“Er bye.”
Mum put the car in gear and we with a quick wave, set off home.

Maddy Bell 13.06.16

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Comments

Gaby

Elsbeth's picture

She really was the glue that held the old group together

Is fearr Gaeilge briste, ná Béarla clíste.

Broken Irish is better than clever English.

It's funny

Podracer's picture

Seeing "the old gang" and realising that you are almost strangers.

"Reach for the sun."

Agree w\Podcast

I would be if I was to go back to my hometown. Of which its been decades since anybody. But it was nearly same when I joined military, and came home on yearly visits. The old gang was mostly there, but, things were just "different". There was barely the bond that once held us together.

Cav seems to be Gaby's Nemesis

Julia Miller's picture

But since he will be wearing the champion jersey, she may get a break there. Cav is so much faster in the sprint so Gaby may be competing as a woman sooner than she thought.

Me me me, poor me!

Jamie Lee's picture

Dave asks Mark to join the team and Gaby immediately gets upset because she believes she'll no longer have a chance to win races. That she won't be the premadonna of the team. And, she's mad at her dad for asking Mark to join the team.

Hasn't Jenny told her time and again that a person can't win every race every time. That was exactly what Gaby didn't want to hear. Gaby has it in her head she has to win, she has to succeed. Not second place, not third place or anything below third place. Gaby HAS to be first, it's what's driving her. It's also driving her to a mental break down when she can no longer validate herself by winning.

And the sad part? Dave and Jenny can't see it coming because their concentration is on racing. When it hits, they will ask how could this happen? Why didn't they see it coming? They did see it coming that time Gaby stormed out of the house after complaining about Jules not helping with dinner.

Others have feelings too.