Weekend
Given that the soreness was more a nagging ache inside , and by wearing the short liners I use with baggies, the ride to school wasn't too bad. I could feel a bit of a tug getting on and off the Schauff but riding wasn't a problem in itself.

"You okay Gabs?" Steff checked again .

"Uh huh." I winced as I slid off the saddle.

Change of Perspective

"You ready?" Dad asked.

"Er yeah, I guess."

"Well shake a leg then."

It's a Boy er Girl!

"Dad?"

"You're awake, how're you doing?"

"Sore."

Luck of the Goddess

There wasn't time to dither, the peloton might take a little longer than us to sort out the foodstuffs but our window of opportunity was no more than a couple of minutes.

Wheels Within

“Mart? It's Gab.”

There was a yawn at the other end of the line.

“I wish Gabs was here,” Juliette sniffled.

“We all do luv.” Jen pulled her eldest closer, Dave in turn gripping his wife’s shoulder in support.

They hadn’t used the car, it wasn’t worth the hassle, and the memorial after all was less than a kilometre from Bond Acres, near the junction with the main valley road. They weren’t the only ones headed there, the events of that night nearly a year ago affected a lot of folk in Dernau and round about, the memorial being unveiled today a physical reminder of that. So it was that they joined the subdued procession of townsfolk heading to the ceremony.

 
 
"Mad?"

"Drewbie."

"Any news?"

"I guess if no news is good news, it's good news."

Chapter *03*

Warsop News

Given that Drew wasn't actually interested and his mind was elsewhere the fact that Con managed to outfit Bond junior at all was amazing, into a particularly figure hugging and girly dress with more than a little decollotage on view and some stupidly tarty shoes was pretty impressive.

Chapter *01*

News from Home

"No reply." Mad sighed.

"We'll try again later love, they're probably at a race or some such."

"Why Mum?" the teen was pulled into a hug by Carol who was more than a little upset herself.

"These things happen love , " she consoled, stroking her distraught daughter's hair.

Chapter *8.39*

Hangover

Ooh my head!

“Are you listening Drew?”

“Er?”

Dave was in no mood to be sympathetic to his offspring's current demeanour, finding both your teenage daughters more than a little the worse for wear in a private drinking party had hardly put him in the best of humours.

Chapter *8.37*

Bern's Visit

“Rose, visitors.”

I'd been expecting the call, looking forward all week to today my first visit by my folks since my incarceration. I followed the warder out of the lounge and down the corridor to the visitors lounge.

“In you go Rose.”

“Er thank you.”

I wasn't the first inmate in the room; several others were already with their visitors.

Chapter *8.35*

Pizza Express!

Over the next twenty minutes it was all go, no simple slip dress on, go and wait, oh no. For a trio travelling light the girls seemed to have a huge amount of stuff with them, not just clean, dry under things, Con and Pia had full outfits and they all had more cosmetics than I own — well okay maybe not that much — but plenty anyhow.

“Sit still.” Pia ordered.

“Is this really necessary? I mean, we're only getting some pizza.” I pointed out.

Chapter *8.32*

Hop Along Bond

Unlike the motorway services back in blighty, places like Bruchsal actually have some halfway decent food on offer. We all selected our food and then commandeered a corner of the restaurant.

Chapter *8.30*

Chapter *8.30*

Lady Gabrielle

Once the introductions were made we moved through to the dining room where we started again as the Duke was, with Sophia's assistance bringing the food through from the kitchen.
“So everyone, tuck in.” he encouraged, not the right thing to say with this lot.

Dinner

Chapter *8.28*

Stuttgart Taxis

I checked my bags once again, cycling kit, Sophia's dress — even some normal clothes. For once I had everything under control; I straightened my bakery uniform and headed off for work.

Chapter *8.26*

Who's That Girl?

Ever tried running in a short skirt? What about in vertiginous heels? We barely made our train, Frau Dá¼rst shaking her head as we slipped on board.

Chapter *8.24*

Pfalz Start

As you can imagine with six teen girls on the prowl for ‘just the right' outfit things were going to get pretty um ugly! I'm not sure the fair city of Mainz had ever seen anything like my friends shopping before, they are animals!

Chapter *8.22*

Night of the Realm

“How did you manage that?” Sophia asked, arriving at our table as my dance partner left.

“What?”

“Dance with Prince William of course!”

Chapter *8.20*

Vows

As we approached the doors it was clear that a degree of stage management was going on along with a check that we were on the guest list — how weird is that? The crowd would give the occasional cheer as someone they recognised passed by along with paparazzi camera flashes.

Chapter *8.18*

Din Dins

Of course we weren't the only people in the room, my um 'guardians' seemed to know the mixed group of family and friends in residence, introducing me to various people that live in a world so far removed from mine that I doubt they've ever shopped in Aldi.

"Gaby?"

"Oh er sorry Frau Strechau, just admiring the paintings."

Chapter *8.16*

Countdown

Could I? Well I know that I'm not interested in boys so that should be easy enough to comply with.

“I guess so Mum.”

“And don't think I've gone soft, I haven't forgotten that €650 dress.”

“How much?”

Chapter *8.14*

Photo Finish

I arrested my forward motion and slumped over the handlebars totally spent.