Gaby Book 17 - Seasons

Don’t look behind! Mum’s mantra played through my mind, it was tempting, very tempting but I remained strong. The crowd were erm, on their feet, well you know what I mean, the MC was going berserk, last corner. I nearly overcooked it, literally brushing the barrier with my shoulder as I catapulted out of the tight turn, less than two hundred to go.

There wasn’t any extra in the tank, enough but no more, even so I was out of the saddle sprinting for all my worth. Then it was all over, I was surrounded by riders, riders going faster than me, well I’d given it my best shot. I rolled along for a bit before a hand, two made contact with my bum, blue jerseys to either side of me.

“Well?” Mand demanded.
“Got…huh…me…huh…on…huh…line,” I got out.
“Bum,” Ron stated.

The crowd on the back of the course didn’t know the result yet so I, we got cheered as we toddled around the lap.

“Gaby!”
I spotted Steph and co and veered across towards them.
“That was awesome!” Con enthused.
“Not brilliant,” I suggested.
“Winning isn’t good enough for her ladyship,” Bridg suggested.
“I didn’t win.”
“How do you work that one out,” Steff queried, “doesn’t the first across the line win?”
“But I wasn’t.”
“Everyone else seems to thinks so,” Mand put in as I found myself under a barrage of congratulatory comments and back slaps.
Won? But I can’t have.
“Catch you later, need to change and stuff.”
“Way to go, champ!” Con offered as a last shot.

“Where’ve you been?” Dad enquired when we reached where he and Angela were waiting.
“Stopped to talk to the girls, they’re under the misapprehension I won.”
“Well it was close, I’ll give you that,” Dad stated, “but they’ve given it to you.”
“Really? But the others passed me.”
“After the line, I’ve seen the photo; you got it by a tyre.”
“Result!” I yelled punching my arm in the air.

The prize presentation delayed my return to crepes r us, Mand had gone straight back after changing and a quick splash in the ladies.

“Congratulations!” Eva offered when I stepped into the trailer.
“Er thanks, sorry I’ve been so long, they wanted photos and stuff,” I explained.
“You want a crepe?” Chris enquired.
“Wouldn’t say no.”
“I said,” Mand mentioned between mouthfuls of her own.
“Well the races end in a few minutes, we’ll probably be busy then,” Eva told us.

Indeed, the inaudible MC was enthusing over the senior men’s race that followed ours. Yeah, back to reality, it must be nice being a pro like Mum, no other jobs to get in the way, just train and race. I suppose that could be me but my income would drop to just my allowance, not exactly a fortune, the bakery and now this provides for the luxuries in life.

“Your sister picked up her keys,” Chris advised as we started the clean up several hours later.
“I thought she must have, she’d’ve been on the phone again otherwise.”
“She seems okay.”
“Sometimes,” I allowed.

Bum, she’s got me over a barrel, I’m toast whatever she decides to do, still, best not dwell on it.

It was nearly ten when Eva dropped us off at Schloss Bond, no signs of life, Dad would be on his way back from Mettmann I guess and the Dark One’s at Boris’ tonight. Well at least that’s some reprieve, I live for another day. We each headed to our rooms, after a shower I got in bed and checked my Handy for messages, various congrats from the Angels and one from Mum too but one stuck out, it simply read ‘not forgotten’.

“You alright, Gaby?” Frau Thesing asked as I collected a cup of coffee before joining the gang, “you look a bit peaky.”
“Er yeah, bit tired after yesterday.”

Tired yes but mostly it was worry. Jules cryptic message had played across my dreams – well when I finally got to sleep after stressing until the early hours. What will she do or say? I know it was wrong to borrow the damn thing without asking, just put me out of my misery Jules.

“Con told us, well done by the way.”
“Er thanks.”
“You don’t sound too happy about it.” She mentioned.
“Things on my mind,” I offered.

She gave me one of those looks, you know, mums do it all the time; they think they know what’s going on, obviously from experience. Well in this case Frau Thesing didn’t have a clue.

“Gab!” Con yelled over breaking the impasse.

“That was awesome yesterday, Gab,” Con enthused.
“Lucky,” I admitted.
“You should’ve seen her P; it was like watching a rocket.”
Pia had missed my moment of glory as she was with the All Stars.
“One that fizzles out too soon,” I put in.
“Timed to perfection,” Stef suggested.
“Not you too,” I groaned.
“I never thought bike racing was so exciting,” Bridg added.
“It’s not always.”
“And beating all the boys, they must’ve been p’d,” Nena mentioned.
“They get used to it,” I allowed with the semblance of a grin.
“Girls!”

The call from Con’s mum attracted our attention and the clock she was pointing to, urgh, school.

“And she smashed them,” Con concluded. Max had sat patiently through her story telling as we waited for Frau Dürst.
“Hardly smashed,” I opined feeling the colour rising in my face, “where’s Mart? He’s usually here by now.”
“Maybe his Mofa broke down,” Max offered.

Mofa, just what I need, to be reminded of the cause of my insomnia. I’d had to use more makeup this morning to cover the circles under my eyes, far more than usual, I felt like a right slapper. Our form teacher arrived then which effectively ended the conversation as she started taking attendance almost immediately.

Marty hadn’t arrived late, in fact hadn’t reached Silverberg at all, I guess he’s got man flu or something. It’s not like it’s any of my business, I mean if he wants to skip school, it’s not like he’s my boyfriend or anything is it. He’d never manage to skip school after all; his gran’d make sure of that!

“You girls want a ride?” Dad enquired as we started clearing the table.
“Please, Herr Siebenschuh’s not about tonight.”
“You want this?” Mand enquired as she waved a plate with one piece of garlic bread left on it around.
“Nah,” in truth I’m not a great fan but Dad likes it and we’ve just had lasagne so it’s almost compulsory at Chez Bond.

Mand retrieved the bread and added the plate to the pile before devouring her prize.

“I guess that means a stop at Rech on the way up?”
“I’ll let P know,” well I’d just about promised earlier so I just needed to confirm with her.

I might ‘officially’ be the All Stars coach but that doesn’t stop me getting on the floor and joining in with the sessions. I needed something to distract me from Mofa doom, I’m gonna be grounded for ever, this might be my last session. The Tanzklub committee had been impressed by our meagre success the other week and, according to Hannah, were keen for the group to do more PA’s and competitions.

The music stopped and everyone finished almost together.
“And relax,” Hannah told us.

I let out the breath I’d been holding, a trickle of sweat rolling down my back as I spun about to stand up.

“You should be on the squad,” Lisse observed as we collected our towels.
“As if!”
“She’s right,” Han noted when I sat beside her to dry off, my leotard distinctly clammy – luvverly.
“’S’not gonna happen.”
“More’s the pity.”
“I haven’t got the time.”
“You know the girls think very highly of you?”
I raised my brows.
“They do, you’ve taken them from nowhere to a cohesive team in what, six months.”
“Not just me, you’ve done at least as much,” I observed.
“Oh I’ve been here but you’re the one who’s pushed things, got your friend to help, practised the moves, no Gab, it’s your squad 100%.”
Well that’s told me.

There was no sign of Marty at school next morning; perhaps it’s more serious than I thought. He is a friend, I should text him or something but I was still more concerned over what my sister’s going to do. She’s home tonight so I suppose I’ll find out soon enough, one way or another I just want to know.

It was a fine afternoon so pretty much as soon as Mand got home we set off for our training ride.

“What’s up?” Mand enquired as we headed up through the Altenahr tunnel.
“Nothing.”
“Oh don’t give me that, Gaby Bond, you’ve not been yourself since Sunday, you didn’t even make a big deal of winning.”
I tried to sound nonchalant, “It wasn’t a big deal.”
“Oh come on, Gab, I’ve seen you after winning before remember, you always make a thing of it.”

We had to single out to negotiate the afternoon traffic and parked cars through the town and the climb up towards Kalenborn prevented continuation of the interrogation. I must admit that I pressed the pace a little more than necessary as we climbed, keeping Mand panting rather than talking. Of course it didn’t stop my mind wanting to hash and rehash my imminent fate.

Which way will Jules go? She was really ticked off on Sunday, I’m glad I wasn’t there when she collected the damn Mofa. She’s bound to tell Dad, I’m gonna be in real trouble, it’s the end of life as I know it. It was crashing through a pothole that brought me back to the present.

“Gab!”
“Sugar!” I exclaimed as my rear tyre deflated seconds after the front.

“That was a long ride,” Dad noted as we arrived back in the bike cave.
“Not really, double puncture,” I allowed.
“Someone wanged a pothole,” Mand mentioned.
“It happens,” Dad stated.

Mand gave me a look, yeah it happens but we both know that particular hole, I shouldn’t’ve hit it. The lawnmower whine of an approaching Mofa got my attention but it went straight past and disappeared into the distance.

“Gab, Gab?”
“Ay?”
“Shower,” Mand prompted.

Maddy Bell 03.10.16