“So what's that stupid little sod of a brother done this time?” Jules enquired. Geez the daft bugger is forever getting in trouble, last time he ended up in hospital they thought he'd broken his neck. Knowing Drew it would be another major disaster today – and just when Boris was warming up to her charms!

“The ‘stupid little sod' ,“ Dave emphasised in a not altogether happy tone, “saved Bernie from drowning in the river this morning.”

“Bugger, is she, are they okay?”

“They'll live, now put Boris down and get home please.” Her father requested, “bye Boris.”

“Abend Herr Bond.” Boris replied before thinking.

Dave cut the call, he might not like it but his little princess was fast approaching seventeen and Boris wasn't a bad lad.

“Herr Bond?”

“Yes?”

“We're going to keep Bernie in overnight for observation but you can take the Wein Königin home as soon as the Doc has checked her again.” The nurse advised.

“How is Bernie? Is the baby okay?”

“Apart from the cold she is fine, as far as we can tell the baby is alright too, but that's why we will keep her ‘till tomorrow, to make sure.”

“Can I see her?”

“She's sedated at the moment, take Gaby home and come back later eh? We'll call you if there's any change ok?”

Dave had had better days, whenever there was a bad one it seemed to be his youngest child that was involved! Whilst Jules had her moments it was always Drew who got himself hospitalised or otherwise in a fix. The poor little sod just seemed to attract trouble of one sort or another.

“It was all my fault Dad.”

“It was an accident kiddo.” Dave tried to reassure his distraught offspring.

“But I hit her with the snow ball!”

“You can't live your life by ‘buts' or ‘what if's', sometimes things happen that you might think are your fault but we'd all go mad double quick if we tried to take responsibility for every little mishap.”

“Little! Bern nearly drowned Dad!”

“Okay, maybe that wasn't the right word to use but you know what I mean.”

“But...”

“But nothing, lets get you indoors.

They were hardly in the door before the phone rang.

“Finally! Where've you been Gabs, you were supposed to be working this afternoon and your phones been off.” Connie got out without drawing breath.

“Sorry.”

“Sorry she says, okay, spill, what've you been up to? We were worried.”

“At the hospital, Bern had a kinda accident.” I allowed.

“Go on, what's she broken?”

“Nothing, she nearly drowned.”

“Drowned? how? Where?”

“We were having a Schneeballschlacht by the river and Bern fell in.”

“Gott! Is she okay?”

“Well duh, she nearly drowned, ‘course she's not okay!”

I hadn't meant to snap but like why do people ask such stupid questions?

“Drew you still there?”

“Yeah.”

“Well you didn't say anything for like ten minutes, look I'll be round in ten minutes.”

“Whatever.”

“Tschuss!”

“So she is home tomorrow?”

“That's what they told Dad.”

“Well that's good news no?” Connie was trying to be up beat.

“She'd be home now if it wasn't for me.” [Sniff]

“If it wasn't for you she might well be tot!”

I sniffled some more and Con pulled me into a hug.

“Look, she's okay due to you, she'll be home tomorrow and I'm sure she doesn't blame you so stop beating on yourself.”

“Uh huh.” [Sniff]

Dave stood at the bottom of the eyrie stairs listening in on the teens conversation, it wasn't something he, or Jen did often but he felt justified given Drew's current state of self blame. There might yet be further repercussions but for now it seems that Connie's intervention had calmed the lad down, for now at least.

“Here we go kiddo.” Dad announced as he carefully placed a steaming bowl in front of his son.

“What's this?”

“What's it look like?”

“Rice pud?”

“Got it in one.”

“But Mum's not here.” Mum is the rice pud meisterin!

“Other people can make it you know.” Jules mentioned from the kitchen.

“So…”

“Okay I admit it, it was me.” Goth girl admitted.

“Instead of the Spanish Inquisition just get on and eat it.” Dad suggested.

To be truthful I didn't need prompting, if there's one thing I like a lot its rice pud! The tinned stuff back home is okay at a pinch but give me a steaming bowl of home made Milchreis and I'm in heaven! After one spoonful it was clear that Jules has the rice pud gene too, or maybe its just Mum's recipe, not too ‘wet', just a sprinkle of nutmeg and a good thick skin on top. Mmmm!

“So?” Jules enquired sitting down with her own bowl.

“I'd say by the look on your brothers face it passes muster.” Dad offered scooping a spoonful of his own portion.

“S'good.” I mumbled through another piping hot spoon load.

“Yeah she's okay Cheryl, bit shaken up by it all of course.”

“I should come out.”

“There's really no need but you're quite welcome to stay, you know that. Sleep on it Cheryl and let us know tomorrow, I'm going down to fetch her about ten.”

“Thanks Dave, I'm sorry she's so much trouble.”

“She isn't, it was an accident, kids have them.”

“You're right of course, but with all that's been going on…”

“Like I said, its no problem. Any news on the er other stuff?”

“The Father?”

“Uh huh.”

“Well apparently the police have enough evidence to make a case, intercourse with a minor, statutory rape and some other stuff to do with the drugs.”

“Looks like someone's gonna be sewing mail bags.”

“I hope so, when I think what he's done to my daughter!”

“When's he in court? I suppose they'll want Bernie to give evidence?”

“Only if he contests the charges apparently, he's pretty much admitted everything reading between the lines. I think it's about three weeks until he's in court.”

“Is there a date for Bernie yet?”

“We had a provisional of May the fifth but it's all a bit up in the air, we won't know for sure until after Easter.”

“Well let us know as soon as you can.”

“Of course, as soon as its confirmed Dave.”

“Well I'd best get off this phone, Jen's due to call anytime.”

“Oh sorry, I was so wrapped up in my woes I didn't realise the time.”

“Honestly it's not a problem Cheryl, we'll give you a call in the morning.”

“Thanks for looking after my girl Dave.”

“Bye for now.”

“Night Dave, oh and give Bernie a hug from me and her dad.”

“Will do, night Cheryl.”

‘Well that went well.' Dave mused after he put the phone down, ‘at least I didn't get the third degree!'

The phone chirped to life again.

“Bond residence.”

“Finally, you been on with the Pope or something Dave?”

“I love you too!”

“I'd like to but I'm a bit far off, so who was on the blower?”

“Cheryl Rose, we've had a bit of an incident.”

“What sort of incident? Do you need me?”

“Its all under control Jen.”

“Do I have to drag it out of you Dave Bond?”

“Okay, I was coming to it.”

“I presume it involves Bernie if you were on with Cheryl?”

“Okay Holmes, the kids were down in Ahrweiler this morning, larking about in the snow and Bernie slipped and fell in the river.”

“She's okay right?”

“Thanks to Drew, he pulled her out and got the medics.”

“Quite the action man eh?”

“Yeah, they're keeping her in overnight for observation.”

“There's more Dave Bond, I can tell with your tone. The baby?”

“The baby seems fine, no it's Drew, he's having a major guilt trip, blaming himself for the whole incident.”

“You want me to come home?”

“We're sort of under control and you're back on Thursday anyhow, a day or two won't make much difference anyway Jules made a rice pud and you know how that affects him.”

“He takes after you on that score.”

“Guilty as charged! So how's the race going?”

“Abysmal, we had fifteen punctures between us today so we're well down the GC. On the other hand the weather's flippin gorgeous.”

“Don't rub it in, it's still white over here.”

“Brrrr! Makes me shiver just thinking about it, what happened to that mild weather they promised for Easter?”

“You're bringing it back from Spain?”

“If there's room in my bags! Have to get off or George'll be after me, give Drew a hug from his Mum.”

“Will do, night love.”

“Night Dave.”

To be continued....

Maddy Bell 03.04.09 © 2009

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