Back in England there isn’t really any equivalent to a Brauhaus which is pretty much a pub/restaurant at or associated with a brewery, brau haus, get it? Since we came to Germany we’ve dined at several, they really aren’t that different to any other pub, only difference is that they’ll only serve their own beer – think Dad called it a ‘tied house’. Anyhow the food is usually good traditional and in generous servings – just how I like things!

Jules and Boris were back in Bonn and six in the A Klasse wasn’t happening so once again we had a Taxivan to transport us – Dad gets a chance for a drink too.

“That’s the Rhein,” I advised somewhat redundently as we dropped down to the waterfront.
“Looks well mucky,” Mad opined.
“It’s been collecting silt and all sorts of rubbish all the way from Switzerland,” Mum the ex geography teacher pointed out.

The taxi pulled up outside of our destination and we all clambered out into the evening sunshine. There were quite a few people about but whilst we do come down here for the pool, to change trains and so on I don’t know anyone here. I guess that's not so unusual, I don’t really know that many people in Dernau and we’ve lived there a couple of years now.

“Gab?” Mand hinted, “you coming?”
“Er right there,” the others were already up in the busy garden, I hurried to catch up.
“Whats up?” Mand queried as I joined her at the rear of our little procession.
“Nothing, just thinking about stuff.”
“You don’t want to go doing that.”
“What?”
“Thinking, you could break a nail or something.”
Caught, hook, line and sinker, “get on with you!”

We had an outside table, well its a nice evening and who wouldn’t want to eat al fresco? Somehow its something that doesn’t translate to Blighty, sitting at a wobbly picnic table on the edge of a gastro pub’s car park just isn’t the same. And of course being seen is all part of the act, hence the dressing up, you never know who will see you after all.

I don’t do beer very well so I went with Sprite® even if everyone else was soon sat behind something alcoholic, I think Mad was still bemused by the liberal drinking rules we have.

“So what’re we eating?” my cousin enquired as she tried to make sense of the poorly translated menu.
“Dunno, the Schweinbein looks pretty good.”
“Sounds disgusting,” Mad stipulated.
“Gaby,” Dad warned.
“Yes Dad,” I sighed, okay so its not to everyones taste, “you should be safe with the Roulade, that's beef, bottom of page two.”
Mad found it on the menu, “beef roll with Kroket und saison Gemuse?”
“Potato croquettes and seasonal veg,” Mand supplied, “might go for that myself.”
“Well i’m gonna have the Schweinerkotelett, not had it for a while.”

Of course the adults were having their own discussion of the menu options, Mum and Aunt C favouring the Lachsfillet whilst Dad opted for Lebernödel.

The food was ordered and the conversation went from the upcoming academic year to news from Warsop.

“I saw Woody a couple of weeks back,” I told those gathered.
“In Germany?” Aunt C queried.
“Yeah, he and Brenda were with a coach party up at the Stube, have to say he didn’t look very well, you know, not really with it.”

Mum and Aunt C exchanged looks. What does that mean?

“There’ve been rumours,” Mad’s Mum stated.
“I’ll ring Bren later,” Mater added.
“Ah, food,” Dad allowed as the serving staff arrived with our repast.

It was a nice evening, even if it was a bit weird using English so much, nice but a little bit surreal. I suppose its good practice for when Bern gets here tomorrow but we hardly use English even at home so i’m a little rusty when it comes to full on conversational use. German might not be my ‘mother tongue’ but these days I’m much more comfortable using it than English.

“Thanks for the meal Carol,” Dad supplied as we waited fot our return taxi.
“My pleasure Dave, after what you guys have done for us this week its the least I could do.”
“I told you Carol,” Mum put in, “its not been any trouble.”
“If you say so Jen, dinner’s a small price to pay for our peace of mind.”
Mum turned towards Mad, “just don’t make a habit of it eh?”
“Not likely,” Maddy replied, “wearing the same knickers for three days was well gross!”
“Ew!” Mand and I chorused.

After the Peters had checked in we all walked along the concourse to security.

“Just let me know the dates,” Aunt C mentioned.
“I will, it’ll be nice to see John again,” Mum told her.
“Come on trouble, lets leave these people in peace.”
“Yes mum,” Mad sighed.
“At least you have a passport this time.”
“I could’ve borrowed yours.”
“I do have a spare.”
“I’d best go.”
“See you soon eh,” I proposed, “text when you get back.”
“Yeah, say hi to Bern for me.”
“She’ll be sorry to have missed you.”
“Ha, i’ve not exactly been a good friend lately.”

That was certainly true but nothing I say will change that.

“I’m sure she doesn’t hold a grudge.”
Mad shoved the bag she’d been gripping into my arms, “give this to Drea for me?”
“Sure.”
“Mad?” her Mum hinted.
“Come here,” I pulled her into a hug, “take care eh?”
“And you, good luck in Canada.”
“Thanks, i’ll need it, go before I start crying.”

Well it was already too late to stop that, a couple of salty rivulets were already making their way down my cheeks. I released my grip, Mad, fighting her own tears followed her mum pausing for a last wave before going into security.

Dad gently squeezed my shoulder, “we’ll see them in a couple of months eh?”
“We’ll go see your Gran too,” Mum added.
“Yeah.”
“Come on, best sort out your face before the Rose’s get here eh? you’ve got mascara all over.”
“It’s supposed to be waterproof.”
“Not tearproof though, come on.”

I’d never really thought about it but I guess it makes sense, the plane Mad and her mum are taking back to England is the same one that Bern and Drea are arriving on. There’s something like forty minutes before we’re likely to see them in arrivals so after I sorted my face out the three of us headed for the coffee shop. We’d barely found a table when I spotted Mart and Stefan, his dad.

“Mart! Over here.”

The Preisers changed direction and soon hands were being shaken, extra seats found and more extortionately priced caffeine product purchased.

“Your cousin get off okay?” Mart asked as the ‘rents started talking about the weather or something.
“Well they got through security, your mum not here?”
“The kinder riding class,” he shrugged.
“You okay with this Mart?”
“Course I am.”

I raised an eyebrow, they have grown back in now.

“Okay, okay, look you can’t say anything to Bern right?”
“She is my friend.”
“I know and I wouldn’t do anything to hurt her but you’ve got to promise, please?”
“Hmmph, i’ll think about it so spill.”
“Look, its great they’re coming to stay and all that but to be honest i’m shit scared.”
“You’re scared? Its Bern that's moving home.”
“I know and that's part of it, I really don’t want to muck up Gabs.”
“You’ll be fine, its not like you’ll be doing it all alone is it.”
“Yeah I know but its not just that, its the whole instant dad thing, yesterday I was young free and single, in,” he checked his watch, “Thirty minutes i’m suddenly a family man with a wife and child.”
“You aren’t getting married,” I pointed out.
“Might as well be, I don’t know if i’m ready to commit like this.”
“Shouldn’t you have said something before?”
“It would break Bern, after everything she’s been through how could I say no?”
“Geez Mart, its a bit late to get cold feet.”
“It’s not cold feet.”
“Whatever,” I sighed, “look, it’ll be alright, i’m sure it will, promise me you’ll talk to me if its going pear shaped, keep me in the loop?”
“Now who’s wanting promises, yeah, its the least I can do, I do want it to work, I’m just not sure exactly what Bern is hoping for, you know, romantically.”
“If I know Bern, just someone to hold her when it gets tough.”
“We never did it you know.”
“It?”
“You know, s e x.”
“TMI!”
“You think she’ll want to, you know, do it?”
“Probably, at some point, what about you, I thought it was the main lads obsession?”
“Have you and Max?”
“Not even close, your point?”
“That its mostly just talk.”
“You two coming?” Dad queried through a series of chair scraping and moving.
“Yeah, we’ll catch you up.”
“Don’t be all day, the flight’s in.”

Dad followed Mum and Stefan, as Mart and I drained our overpriced coffee.

“Pact?” I proposed.
“Yeah, come on or they’ll be through before we get there.”

I hardly recognised Bern when she emerged from the luggage carousels, she’s lost weight, she’s always been a bit, er, fuller in the figure but whilst not exactly skinny looked well. That, along with a new haircut and a more ‘mature’ choice of clothing made her look closer to twenty than the seventeen she’ll be in a few weeks. Drea was in one of those sling things whilst the pram was loaded down with their luggage.

Her face literally lit up when she spotted us.

“Mart!”
I prodded him, ”go on dumkopf.”
Well, he didn’t need a second prod, “come here you!”

I let the two of them get reacquainted a bit before interrupting,

“Er guys, the erm taxi’s are waiting?”
“Gab, its so good to be back, how are the Angels?”
“Later, come on, we’ve got to walk to the car park. Mart, pram,” I instructed.

Maddy Bell © 24.09.2018