Chapter *9.11*
Foxy Lady
Everyone turned to the door, talk about feeling a right prune.
"Er happy birthday, Anna!" I waggled the gift bag.
"I said she'd be here." Steff noted.
I tottered into the barn; Anna came and gave me a hug.
"You never mentioned she was coming as a Christmas decoration." Con giggled.
"I can explain."
"Well I think she looks smashing." Max put in.
"Max!" we all burst into giggles.
"I was just saying."
"Well just get her a drink." Con suggested.
"And some airsickness tablets, she needs them in those shoes!" Brid added.
So okay, I'll put you out of your misery, you will already have guessed that Jules choice of footwear was um, vertiginous but we are getting ahead of ourselves. Lets just say that my outfit was from the fairy end of Goth, the dress, if you can call it that was held up by thin shoulder straps and whilst it covered everything, the built in corset erm, emphasised ones assets! The skirt, which barely reaches my thighs, is held out by stiff net underskirts, and the whole kit and caboodle is in black. Fishnet thigh highs and these stupid shoes round it out - oh yeah the shoes, 10cm heels plus a 2cm platform - well you can imagine! I'll get you for this Jules!
Of course everyone else, whilst dressed up a bit, was at least in more sensible ensembles, teen chic not Goth chick!
Once I got over the embarrassment of my outfit - and lost the heels for my flip-flops, I actually had a good time. The organising committee had apparently told the victim that they were going to gatecrash a party that Max was holding - I had wondered how they were going to get Anna along - and dressed to party!
Mart was manning the sound system - Max's CD player, and our little group got a bit raucous at times. The senior Strechau's brought some supplies over about ten, to supplement the snacks the girls had brought along. I was actually starving by now; damned corset thing stopped my wholesale consumption though!
"Gabs!" Mart hissed.
I already knew the question.
"Nope, unless there's one arrived today, I've barely been indoors."
"Oh." he sounded deflated, he really has got it bad.
"Look I'll let you know as soon as, okay?"
"Cheers, Gab."
"Hey does Max know you're chatting up his girlfriend?" Nena put in.
"I wasn't!" Marty started.
"I am not his girlfriend!" I added.
"Gotcha!" Nena sang.
"Why you!"
And so started a chase between a Goth in flippers and a somewhat more agile tormentor.
'Beeeep!'
A car horn gave a single toot outside, it was well after eleven and time to go home.
"Thanks you guys." Anna stated starting a round of hugs with everyone.
"We had to do something for the oldies!" Pia chuckled.
"Why you!"
"Hut hmm." Pia's Dad was at the door, "taxi?"
Mart and Max were finishing the cleanup - not I hasten to add, that we'd made much mess, the rest of us gathered our stuff and piled into the bus. The most economical drop off route meant that apart from Pia I was the last to be delivered.
"You got everything, Gabs?"
"Think so."
"Shoes?"
"Check."
"Head?"
"Um, it's here somewhere, yep got that."
Pia giggled, you'd've thought we'd been on the plonk - after last weekend there is no way I'd touch it tonight, Dad'd go ballistic!
"Night, Gabs."
"Nite P, nite Herr Sebenschuh."
"Goodnight, Gaby."
I slid the door shut and made my way up to the house, the Sebenschuh's waited until I had the door open before pulling away.
"That you, kiddo?" Mum enquired.
"Yeah."
She came through into the kitchen, " What are you wearing? Just what kind of party was it?"
It's not like I'd forgotten about my attire, rather I'd gotten used to it - apart from the shoes, which were in my bag anyhow.
“I erm, it's Jules' fault.”
“You are dressed like some fetish doll and it's your sister's fault, I'm guessing there are shoes to go with this ‘outfit'?”
When Mum's in this mood you don't argue, I pulled the skyscrapers out.
“Really, Mum, I didn't have a choice.”
“You, young lady, always have a choice.”
“But..”
“Juliette Bond, here, now!” Mum bellowed.
Ot oh.
“Wassup?” Jules enquired a moment later as she joined us, “oh man!”
“Oh man indeed, your sister says that you are responsible for this.”
“It is my dress, I wondered where it had gone.”
“Jules!” I whined.
“So you didn't make her wear this ensemble?”
“I've not seen her all day, how could I?”
“You,” Mum pointed at me, “bedroom, now! And you, sit.” My sister was instructed.
All the good vibes from the party were gone, “ Bitch!” I spat at my sibling as I headed out.
“I heard that, Gaby Bond.” Mum warned.
I sullenly ascended the stairs not even pausing to bid Dad goodnight. This is like so unfair.
Once upstairs I took off the hateful dress and cleaned up ready for bed, donning my nightclothes before the sounds of Mum coming up the stairs reached me.
“It was Jules, really Mum.” I sobbed as soon as she appeared in the doorway.
“I know, kiddo, I managed to wring it out of her, come here.” She sat on the bed and pulled me into a hug, “I think I over reacted a bit, it was a shock to see my fifteen year old daughter dressed like that.”
“Uh huh.” I blubbed in agreement.
“So did you have a good time?”
“Letter on the side for you, Drew.” Dad mentioned when I reached the kitchen.
“Er thanks.”
“Your phone was going mad last night.”
“I never heard it.”
“That's because you left it in the car.”
“Probably Mad, I'll give her a bell in a mo. Mum gone?” I asked, pouring myself a cup of tea.
“‘Bout an hour a go.” Dad supplied, “ She told me about last night.”
“Yeah.”
There are some bits of last night I'd rather forget, Jules you are like so dead! I found the letter; the unmistakable HMP envelope confirmed my expectation that it was from Bern.
Dear Drew
As you might guess there hasn't been much going on here. I feel like an elephant though, junior must be about five stone! I've got a date for my parole hearing, just before you come over so hopefully I'll be out for junior's arrival.
The trip to Stuttgart sounded like fun; I hope your ankle is okay now. You guys just have so much fun; the suit and heels thing sounds a right hoot! Julie reckons you lot are nutters; I'm inclined to agree.
I've started some classes, it's only a couple of hours a day and it's a bit weird writing in English again. Anyhow the tutor reckons I should be able to catch up enough to do my GCE's next year.
I got a letter from Maddy, she wants to come visit, I'm not sure that's a good idea, I told her to talk to Mum. Great news about Rhod eh, I bet Ally will be made up.
I forgot last time, could you do me a favour? Have you got Martin's address, it's in my diary but I daren't ask Mum. In the meantime could you tell Marty I miss him? Cheers bud.
I'm looking forward to your next letter.
Hugs
Bernie
“Bernie?” Dad queried.
“Yeah.”
“She okay?
“Sounds like it, she's doing some school stuff and she reckons she might be out for when I go over.”
“That's good news. You got anything to do this morning?”
“Apart from kill my sister?”
“That's a bit extreme.”
“You didn't see the dress, where is Jules this morning? ”
“Gone up to Köln, something for school. So?”
“Apart from washing nah, why?”
“Well I want to set off about eleven to pick up the Grönberg's.”
“Okay, I'll ring Mad then get the washing started.”
I took my cup into the lounge and hit the speed dial for Mad.
“Geez , Drew.” She moaned when she eventually picked up.
“What?”
“Its not eight o'clock yet.” She grumbled.
“Er sorry, so?”
“I did try ringing last night.”
“I erm misplaced my handy, tell you later, so how's Hel?”
“She's got like all these machines round her and all these tubes going in and out, it's terrible.”
“Cut to the chase Mad, how is she?”
“Spoilsport. Well she's off the critical list, we could only see her for like fifteen minutes, I gave her the disc.”
“Great, so now it's just waiting eh?”
“Uh huh, we should be able to visit longer after the weekend.”
“Give her my love, oh I got a letter from Bern.”
“Me too, hopefully I'll be going to visit her soon.”
Given what Bern wrote me I thought it best to drop that subject.
to be continued....
