*Chapter 7*
Deutscher Rose

I tugged at the top of my dirndl, either it’s shrunk at the cleaners or I've got bigger, whichever it is I seem to be more exposed than usual. Hmm, oh well, the image in the mirror was one of a typical German waitress, typical that is if you ignore the pink hair! That and the tourist pleasing clothing, oh well, it’s a job.

"Need a lift?” Dad called up.
Moving over to the door I called back down, "Nah, we’ll walk up, ride back’d be nice?”

There was no reply, he’s either ignoring me or didn’t hear – okay he’s ignoring me. Whatever, after a last check in the mirror I headed downstairs.

 
"What do you reckon, Mand, you think it’s the hair or the nose ring?” Con prattled as the three of us walked towards Rech.
"Con!” I moaned.
"Well it’s not your stunning conversation that’s for sure.”

I blew a raspberry her direction.

"Probably her kissing,” Mand suggested flatly.
"Hey, practice makes perfect,” I allowed.
"Thought you weren’t interested in boys,” Manda added.
"One boy in particular,” Con suggested.
"I can change my mind.”
"Lover boy’s at the kiosk for lunch every day, Mand.”
"Con.”

To be honest I hadn’t expected Mand to come tonight but she’d mumbled something about ‘promises’. Personally I just think she likes wearing the dirndl.

 
"Gaby,” Helmut called out as I returned from stashing my bag and cardi.
"Hello.”
"You alright doing drinks tonight?”
"Sure,” I agreed with a shrug, "No injuries this week I hope.”
"No, no, I've got another cellar tour after the coach people so Pia will do the bar.”
"Okay.”
"Get Pia to run you through the order pad, the bus’ll be here in ten minutes.”

Nothing like a bit of pressure, Helmut!

 
"Hello again,” the blonde smiled.
"Er hi, you want drinks?” I asked the bus crew.
"Just coffee for me,” the driver, Dennis I think it is, requested.

I tapped the screen, whoever thought this was easier than pen and paper should be made to use it.

"You have Weisbier?”
"Er sure, Erdinger?”
"Fine.”
"I'll bring them to your table, I think we’re about to serve.”
"We’ll go through then.”

 
"That it?” Pia asked as she deftly sliced the excess foam from the last bier glass.
"For now, guess we’d best give the others a hand.”
"They’ve pretty much done the soup, so what’s up with Manda?”
"She’s going home next week.”
"As in London?”
"Yeah, she’s going straight from the race.”
"She is coming back?”
"Dunno, she’s packed just about everything up.”
"Why now?” she queried loading my tray with alcohol.
"No idea, she just like turned at the weekend, I'd best take these out.”

 
"Julia said you’ve opened a snack bar?” the Global woman mentioned.
"Er yes,” I agreed, “up in Altenahr opposite the bahnhof.”
"Ah, I think we went past this morning.”
"Er yeah, I saw the bus going out towards Ahrbruck.”
"A new excursion, the glass place at Műnstereifel?”

I nodded knowingly, I think there’s a flyer on the rack at the kiosk.

"So business is good?”
"Can’t complain I guess.”
“Must be hard work?”
"Yeah but I've got a few days off.”
"Doing anything nice?”
"Er going to Yorkshire, my team’s racing there.”
"That’s a long way for a weekend,” Dennis opined.
I shrugged, "No worse than some here.”
"I guess so,” he agreed, "Where’s this race at?”
"Somewhere by the Yorkshire Moors?”
"You should take Jools for a look Neen.”
"Ha, get her out of bed on a day off, fat chance.”
"You want more drinks?” I interrupted.

 
"Phew!” Con allowed plonking herself onto a chair.
"They sure got through enough bier,” P mentioned.
"Tell me about it,” I agreed joining Con at the table.
"You’re quiet, Mand,” Pia suggested.
Manda shrugged, "Feeling a bit off.”

I exchanged a look with P, she still hasn’t really said anything about going home, it was Dad that told me not Mand.

"Bet you’re looking forward to England,” Con blundered on.
"Not really.”
"You’ll be able to have those pudding things eh, Gab?” Pia suggested.
"Possibly,” I allowed, "They don’t eat them all the time you know.”
"She threatened to do them for the kiosk,” Con supplied.
Mand managed a slight grin, "Eifel puddings.”
"Neat name, Mand, we could do them with Würst and Pommes,” I enthused.
"Don’t encourage her, Mand,” Con groaned.
"Looks like your dad Gabs,” Pia mentioned as the sound of a car reached us through the open windows.
"Best not keep him waiting,” I sighed.
"Have a good weekend, guys,” Pia told us.
"Er yeah, bye P,” Mand told her with an uncharacteristic hug.
"Thanks,” I added.
"Nite, girls,” Helmut added as we headed out into the warm evening, "See you next time.”

Mand winced a little at that.

 
"What time’s your boat, Gab?” Kirsten asked.
"Eight I think, we have to be there for like half six.”
"I've never been on a ferry.”
"You must’ve been across the river,” I suggested.
"I meant a proper like sea ferry.”
"They’re hardly a big deal.”
"I still want to go on one sometime,” she insisted.
"We want presents,” Con told me.
"It’s not a shopping trip, Con.”
She gave me a puppy dog look.
"Okay, I'll try.”
"You’d best get going,” Kris suggested.
"What time is it?”
"Don’t panic,” Con ordered, "It’s only ten to twelve.”

Dad thought I should take the whole day off so we could get off as soon as but I insisted I should work until lunch – well Max might call by.

 
"Gab!”

I slammed the anchors on, nearly standing the bike on its nose in the process.

"Thought I'd missed you,” Max allowed as he putted up beside me.
"I did say twelve yesterday.”
He shrugged, "Dad had me cleaning the range.”
"Let you off.”
"So you all set for England then?”
"Be better if you were coming.”
"Just have to make up for it when you get back.”
“Running again?”
"You’ll turn me into an athlete.”
"Fat chance porky,” I suggested giving his belly a poke.
"I'm hurt!” he hammed.
"Give over, come on you can give me a push home.”
"I get all the glamorous jobs.”
"There’s a kiss in it,” I hinted.

 
"There you are, I thought you were leaving at twelve?” Mand noted as I clattered into the kitchen.
"Got held up.”
"By Max no doubt.”
"Course not!”
"He’ll be jealous then, your lippy’s smeared across your cheek,” she advised.
"Sugar! Thanks, Mand, I'd best get changed,” I set off for the stairs at a trot.
"Your dad rang,” she called after me, "He’ll be back just after one!”

 
In the end it was nearly quarter past when the A Klasse pulled onto the drive stacked out with our new testing bikes.

"You’re late,” I called down.
"Best laid plans, stick kettle on kiddo, I'll just put these in the camper, grab a cuppa and we’ll leave.”
"Dinner?”
"We’ll stop at services after we pick up Ron and Ang.”
“’Kay.”

Well if I'm hungry I'm sure the others are, by the time Dad came up for his coffee I'd rustled up a couple of rounds of sandwiches each and a bag of fruit – we can eat on the go.

 
"Got everything, racing licences? Shoes? Passports?” Dad requested.

Mand went in her bag and retrieved her documents and waved them for inspection, my similar bag search only found my licence.

"Won’t be a minute!”
"Gabrielle Bond, you’ll be the death of me,” he called after me.
"She’d forget her head,” Mand added.

I knew where the passport was but of course it wasn’t there, a panicked search soon found it – along with my purse and Handy where I put them when I got changed. I know, I give blondes a bad name, guess pinkies are even dafter. We weren’t late leaving, just later, Dad put our behemoth in gear and we started our afternoon of autobahn trundling.

Maddy Bell © 21.04.17