*Chapter 24*
Auntie Gaby

"So where first?” Mart asked as they entered the concourse.
"I'll go up this side, you go around the far end, meet by the main entrance?”
"Kay,” he agreed before diving through the crowds towards the toilets and waiting rooms.

Pity Bern’s phone doesn’t work here properly, oh well. I glanced into Mc D's, almost empty, then set off to check out any other likely waiting spots.

Bern watched the girl –she looked like Gab, sort of, anyhow she peered into the food outlet but she hadn’t spotted the Rose’s now close by the door. What now though? She wasn’t exactly flush, the suitcase was mostly full of baby stuff, nappies, food, clothes so Drea was okay for now but she’d have to get a room at least for tonight.

She checked on her daughter then manoeuvred pram and case out into the busy walkway. The pink haired girl disappeared into a shop further up the slope, right lets do this girl. Except pushing a pram and pulling a case at the same time does not make for rapid movement.

"Bern, there you are, we’ve been looking for you,” I exclaimed almost walking into her as I left the paper shop.
"Gab?”
"Dur!”
"What happened to your hair?”
"Hair?” I pulled my loose braid forward to look at it.
"Its pink? And could we do English?”
"Oh that, thought I'd told you, we need to find Mart now, we got to the coach and the driver said you’d left so we split up to look for you.”
"We got in early.”
"Here, let me have the case,” I flipped my bag open and found my Handy, quickly hitting Mart’s speed dial.
"Mart, Gab... yeah found her... by the front doors… two minutes.”
"So er how are you and Mart getting on?”
"Same ole, what with work and stuff we don’t talk very often, he surprised me last night suggesting I came up this morning.”
"He did?”
"Yeah, what’ve you got in here, it weighs a ton?”
"Er Drea’s stuff mostly.”

We arrived at the front of the station first and I went round to peer at the child I helped into the world.

"Has she grown?”
"I hope so,” Bern advised.
"Well I don’t know do I, I've not seen her for like months.”
"Bern!”

Marty ran over and literally swung Bern off her feet – no small feat, she’s not exactly frail.

"So where were you?” I queried following along with Bern as Mart proudly steered ‘his’ daughter through the already fairly populous tourists.
"I got a drink and stuff in Maccy D’s.”
"I looked in there.”
"Must’ve just missed us when I went to the ladies.”
"Surprised Mart didn’t see you, he went looking that way.”
"Well you found me eventually eh?”
"Yeah,” I agreed, hmm there’s something I'm missing here, she’s been a bit weird with Mart too.

Erika must’ve seen us as she had the boot open when we reached the car.

"Bernie!” Erika gave her a hug, "Good trip? the baby was okay?”
“Frau Preiser, thanks for having us again, er the coach was okay, the baby she sleep.”

Clearly Bern needs to brush up her German.

"Well lets get you all loaded, Martin, case and Kinderwagen.”
"Yes Mum.”
"Here, I'll take Drea,” I offered, "Get in Bern and I'll pass her up.”

"So you guys got anything planned the rest of the day?”
"Have we?” Bern asked her boyfriend.

It was like pass the parcel as Mart went on to make the same query of his mother.

"Dunno, hang out?” Mart suggested.
"You fancy dinner at ours,” I offered, "Half the Ahrtal are coming already, extras aren’t a problem.”

"Dad!” I called out, “Jules!”
"Lounge.”
"Visitors!” I called back, ”come on in guys, the pram’ll be alright there.”

Rather than have anyone back and forth taxiing babies and their parents about I suggested the ‘young Preiser’s’ stay at Schloss Bond until this evening. That seemed to work for everyone, Erika gets a last baby free day, I can catch up with Bern and Dad can brush up his Grand-parenting skills.

"Who is it?” Jules queried coming through, "Bernie!”
"And a baby,” I added, Mart proffered someone in need of either food or a clean botty or maybe both.

"Max,” I whispered into my Handy having hidden in the downstairs loo.
"Wassup?”
"You fancy coming down a bit earlier, I've got Mart here and he’s looking a bit uncomfortable, even Dad’s gone baby daft.”
"Baby?”
"Drea? Bernie’s here.”
"Thought she was staying at the farm?”
"She, they are, they’re here for dinner.”
"Right, guess I can come in a few, er what meat we having?”
"Meat? Sugar, I forgot to get it out of the freezer!”
"Whoa, calm down Gabs, its not twelve yet.”
"But its got to defrost, it takes hours,”
"What’re we having?”
"Er lamb?”
"Right I'll bring a white, get the meat out, it doesn’t need to be in the oven for at least two hours, if need be we can micro it for a bit.”
"We can?”
"Trust me, its an old chefs technique, run it under the hot tap for a bit then leave it in a bowl of hot water to thaw out.”
"Right, see you in a bit, oh,” I made kissy noises into my phone, "Laters.”

I gently bounced my sort of niece on my knee.

"Coochy coo, coochy coo, whose a pretty girl then?”
"That’ll be her aunt,” Bern opined.
"Ger off with ya,”
"Its either that or the c word.”
"Okay, I give in, you feeling better,” I queried as the baby chuckled.

Dad pretty much insisted she go lie down for an hour, its not like there weren’t plenty of ‘aunts’ and ‘uncles’ to keep watch of Drea.

"So, you and Max?”
“Just friends,”
"Don’t listen to her Bernie,” Con stated coming in behind me, “friends with benefits maybe.”
"Now this I must hear,” Bern suggested.
"Con,” I moaned.
"Kris and Nena are just coming but I need a wee, be right back.”
"But you only live two minutes away,” I mentioned.
"Yeah?” she allowed closing the toilet door behind her.
"Same old Connie,” Bern noted.
"I swear she’s getting worse.”
"Who’s Kris? Nen’s boyfriend?”
"Oh you don’t know her, she does cheer and works for us at the kiosk.”
"I can’t believe you guys have your own business.”
"Kinda, its really her parent’s,” I admitted.
"But you two run it.”
"Yeah.”
"Bernie!” Nena exclaimed, "I didn’t know you’d be here.”
"Sort of a last minute change of plans,” Bern advised as they exchanged hugs.”
"Come in Kris, you don’t need to stand on ceremony.”
"Er right.”
"The red head is Bernie, Marty Preiser’s girlfriend and this,” I hoisted the still chuckling infant upwards, "Is their daughter Drea.”
Bern gave me a look which I ignored.
"Er hi,” Kris mentioned.
"Bern, meet Kris.”

Okay I'm not brilliant at the social niceties but I get the job done right?

"Max? Give me a hand,” I hinted from the lounge doorway.
"Duty calls,” he grinned passing Drea back to her Dad – Mum and the girls having escaped to the patio where we’re eating if I ever get it cooked.
"So its a duty is it?” I queried pulling his head down for a quick smooch.
"Hmm,” he managed as I pushed him against the table.
"You need any help Gab?” Jules started, "I guess not sis.”
I quickly put Max’s face down, "Er I think we’re okay.”
"You might be, what about dinner?”
"Sugar, the Yorkshires!”

"There’s something different about you Gabrielle Bond,” Bern opined as we waited for Erika to come collect the pocket Preiser family.
"The hair?”
"Hair withstanding, there’s something else, you’re more, I dunno, girly.”
"Girly?”
"Old Gaby wouldn’t be rockin’ that outfit and more importantly wouldn’t have spent dinner eyeing up Maximilian von Strechau, he wouldn’t’ve had a look in in front of the food, nope, I'm afraid you’ve got a terminal case of lovestruck.”
"Get on with you! How do you make that out?”
"Mothers intuition.”
"Drea’s not even one yet,” I pointed out.
"End of the week, and stop ducking things. You and Max are doing it.”
"We are not, that is just so gross, there is no way that's ever happening.
"Second base it is then,” she knowingly grinned.
"He’s a good kisser,” I allowed.
"And good with his hands?”
"Maybe,” I coyly allowed.
"Lets find mummy and auntie Gaby,” Mart cooed to the babe in his arms.
"She must be ready for bed,” Bern posited.
"Mum’s just arrived,” Mart advised, "I'll take the baby if you can bring the pram.”
"Nite Drea, see you again soon,” I offered chucking the babe under the chin before bestowing a kiss, "See you later Mart.”
"Later Gab.”
 

"This morning Gab,” Bernie started, "I saw you and Mart at the bus station, I thought, well you looked like a proper couple, I er thought you two were… when I realised it was you I hid, when you found me I was actually trying to hide from you guys, I was gonna go back home.”
"You thought me and Mart?”
“Uh huh, I'm insecure I guess, what does he see in me?”
"He sees a lovely young woman who’s survived some nasty stuff whose biggest concern in life is ensuring her daughter gets to have a good life, me and Max, pure lust, you and Mart, as far as I can see that's love.”
"I'd best go, they’ll be waiting.”
"It’ll work out Bern, he’s a good man.”
"And you’re a good friend Auntie Gaby,” Bern told me pulling me into hug.

 
Maddy Bell © 19.05.17