Gaby Book 16 - Sweet Sixteen

Whispers

 
 
“You like Yorkshire?” Mum enquired of my BF.
“We don’t have anything like it,” she stated before pushing more batter pudding into her chops.

I was in charge of Wednesday dinner so it didn’t take much to transform the menu from plain old lamb chops to a more ‘Yorkshire’ offering by serving everything in king size Yorkshire puds. The rest of the Bond household didn’t so much as raise an eyebrow, Dad got out his bottle of ‘Henderson’s’ Yorkshire relish – the finishing touch. Con was in seventh heaven though; I suppose I’ll have to show her how to make them sometime.

Thursday arrived as miserable as miserable gets. I know yesterday wasn’t brilliant but the sudden arrival of sleet showers I’d missed on last nights weather forecast. I had been going to suggest a ride to Mand and Mum but instead it ended up as a morning of revision before joining the supermarket run into Ahrweiler.

“So you looking forward to Saturday Gab?” Maria enquired – we dropped in for coffee and toilets after Lidl.
“Saturday?”
“The party?”

Party? Oh Mum must’ve told her about going to Poppel’s with the girls.

“Not really a party but I guess it’ll be okay.”
I sensed something going on behind me.
“It was nice of the girls to organise it eh Gab?” Mum stated slowly.
“Er yeah.”
“So what do you think of the new bikes?” Maria enquired abruptly changing the subject.
“Brill,” I enthused, “I don’t think Manda’s quite as enthused, she’s always used mid range Shimano before.”
“I’m sure she’ll adapt,” Maria offered.
“Well at least she’ll get a chance to practice before the racing starts, not like when I arrived at Apollinaris,” Mum offered, “it was straight into a race on day one, I had to work out the Shimano shifters during the race.”
“You still came third,” Maria noted.
“Yeah, talk about dropped in the deep end,” Mum agreed.
We didn’t stay long, Mum claiming a need to do some washing.

The weather still wasn’t great when Saturday, my Birthday arrived; well the sleet had relented to cold with the odd snow flurry. That meant the road training was abandoned and replaced by a turbo session but I’ve not told you about the morning have I? Well…

“Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday dear Gaby,
Happy birthday to you!”

I was sort of expecting a round of ‘Happy birthday’s’ when I came down but not a full on choral greeting. My sister and Boris arrived yesterday to bolster the numbers and unusually the table was set for breakfast – we usually just grab our own.

“Happy Birthday kiddo,” Dad added unnecessarily as I eyed the spread.
“Er thanks.”
“Sit down Gab, your cards are on the table,” Mum instructed.

With breakfast starting around me I started on the pile of cards, a bigger pile than I was expecting to be honest. The first few were from those around the table but the rest on the table had arrived by mail, several with UK postmarks and a couple with German. The latter turned out to be from Sophia and Greta, the former from Helen, Ally and Fran – guess you find out who your friends are by the arrival or not of birthday greetings.

“Egg?” Mum offered.
We never have eggs at breakfast – well not boiled at any rate.
“So what’s it feel like to be sixteen eh sis?”
“The same as fifteen I guess.”
“Any presents?” I asked hopefully as I buttered a slice of toast. I’m not mercenary but like I’m sixteen!
“Presents after breakfast,” Dad announced.
Well at least that’s confirmation there are some.

The pile was a bit disappointing, I remember Jules 16th, she had a great big pile of stuff, by comparison well I had more last year. Boris got me some model cars, which was cool, there was a set of fancy underwear from Jules, Mand added a token for my bracelet and of course I already had the dress from Gran. I thought I might get a couple of prezzies from the rents but instead there was a single box package which looked like shoes, turned out to be shoes, a new pair of race shoes with those dial things.

I did my best to hide my disappointment, going up to my lair to lick my metaphoric wounds.

I sniffled into my pillow; your sixteenth birthday should be better than this shouldn’t it? I mean, the presents are really the issue but I’m not even having a party to celebrate. There are some notable gaps in the cards, nothing from Roni, Bernie or Mad – not even Max can be bothered and I know he knows its today.

It’s easy to wallow in self-pity, even easier when you were expecting something and it doesn’t happen. I considered cancelling this afternoon’s trip up to Altenahr but at least the girls were making an effort to celebrate unlike my own family, no at least it’ll get me out, particularly as I’m not working. The damp pillow was turned over and I miserably leaked into the other side.

“You alright Gab?” Mand called up my stairs.
“Er yeah, be ready in a minute.”
“Your Dad said we should stay in and do a turbo session instead, it’s snowing outside.”
“’Kay, I’ll be down in a bit then.”

Given the weather I dressed for warmth over style but I did put my Mayen boots on to give them a road test.
“See you later then,” I mentioned as I zipped up my coat.
“What time are you back?” Dad asked.
“Not late,” I suggested, “its only coffee and cake.”
“Be careful, it’s not very nice out there.”
“We will,” Mand offered in return.
“Enjoy yourselves.”

Steff and Con were waiting for us when we got to Thesing’s.
“Happy birthday Gab!” they chorused.
“Thanks.”
“P’s getting a lift up with her Dad,” Con advised us.
Yeah, no one even offered us a lift. We set straight off for the station arriving with no more than a minute to spare, talk about cutting it fine. No Myleen today, the conductor instead being a miserable bloke with a slight squint, talk about creepy. The Express rattled its way up the valley; Brid and Nena joined us at Mayschoß and a couple of minutes later we were getting off at Altenahr.
“Heya guys, Fröhes Geburtstag Gab!” Pia told me.
“Cheers P.”
“Come on, looks like its going to snow again,” Nena suggested.

It’s not far from the station to Poppel’s, about ten minutes tops, but far enough for us to start getting cold and the white stuff to start falling, we ran the last bit to get out of the weather. Its February, it’s snowing, Poppel’s wasn’t busy. We got custodianship of a booth and we soon had our vitals ordered, coats hung and settled in.

“So what did you get?” Brid asked.
“Not a lot,” I admitted, “new bike shoes from the rents, frilly undies from Jules.”
“That it?” Pia queried.
“Well Mand got me a new charm,” I added.
“I suppose you wouldn’t be interested in these then,” Steff mentioned before passing me two small fancy carrier bags.
“We put together,” Con told me.
“There’s cards too,” Brid submitted as I took the gifts.
“Thanks guys.”
“Come on Gab, open them,” Steff encouraged.

Thanks indeed, one bag had a very nice necklace and earring set, Swarovski crystal, I remember looking at them in Bonn a few weeks ago.
“All I need is somewhere to go now!”
“Open the other one,” Con prompted.
“Okay, give me chance.”
I poked my nose into the bag then tipped out the contents.
“Well?” Mand asked.
“Cool!”
It really was cool, a boxed set of the first three Star Wars films and a framed still of the current Dr Who, David Tennant. Gifted and carded we settled down to the important task of drinking coffee and eating cake, well chocolate actually in respect of it being my birthday.

“Shush,” I heard when I returned to the café after visiting the ablutions.
“Heya.”
“So like you going out for dinner tonight?” Brid asked.
“Don’t think so, Dad didn’t mention anything earlier,” I sighed.
“Hope my olds do something for mine,” Steff mentioned.
“Its only a birthday,” I suggested.
“Your sixteenth though.” Con observed.
“Maybe they’re waiting until your eighteenth?” Pia suggested.
Yeah, maybe that’s it, a big eighteenth party. Mind you that doesn’t explain the lack of interest from everyone else.

We got back home a bit after four, Jules and Boris were nowhere to be seen and Dad was watching something on the telly, unusual but not unheard of.
“Good time?”
“Er yeah, I guess.”
Was that a wink from Dad? Maybe I need glasses.
“I’ll er see you in a bit,” Mand told us.
“’Kay.”
“The girls get you anything nice?” well at least he acknowledged it’s my birthday.
“Some dvd’s and a necklace.”
“Well let’s see then.”
I got my presents out and passed them over.
“Swarovski, very nice.”
“Not that I’ve got anywhere to wear it,” I lamented, “Where’s Mum?”
“She said something about seeing Maria.”
“We were only there Thursday.”
“You know your mother.”
“So what’re we doing for tea?”

The phone, or rather Dads mobile, chose that moment to ring.
“Bond, oh hi love….”
I couldn’t hear the other end of the conversation but this end was a bit weird.
“Yeah with me…five thirty, no make it quarter to six…I think so…not the foggiest,” he glanced over to me as he listened, “yeah…are you sure?…I’ll ask her,” he covered the handset, “you want your mother to bring Chinese?”
Geez, what a birthday meal, takeaway Chinese from the Canton Schwan in Bad Neuenahr, great.
“Suppose so.”
“She says yes,” Dad told my waiting mother, “…well I suppose so…yeah okay, see you there.”
He ended the call before again turning his attention to me.
“Your mother says as its your birthday we’ll eat at the restaurant.”
Wowee.
“’Kay.”
“Well what’re you waiting for, you can wear the frock your Gran bought you and your new necklace.”
“Bit much for the Chinese, no one else’ll be dressed up.”
“I suppose I can put a suit on, I’m sure Mand’ll put on a bit of glitz,” he suggested.
Whatever. “As long as it’s not the brown suit.”
His brown suit is terrible.
“No brown suit,” he agreed.
What the heck, if you can’t dress up on your birthday when can you?

Maddy Bell 16.06.16