Never My Love

A Gaby fanfic

based on

the “Notes of a Journey” Trilogy

Chapter 1

by PB

December 7, 2013 … Mayschoß, Germany

“Almost ready, sweetheart?” Maddy called out as she was placing the last of their luggage by the front door. “Dad'll be here shortly.”

“Coming!” Gaby sang out in reply. “Just putting on some lipstick.”

When Maddy heard her coming down the stairs, she paused to look up at her wife. She was wearing her black, flowing, mid-calf A-line skirt paired with her cream, long-sleeved, cable-knit turtleneck and a pair of ‘Suntan' pantyhose. She finished off with a pair of high black boots that had three-inch stacked heels, her feather earrings and her Aboriginal bracelet.

After she stepped off the bottom step, Gaby did a slow twirl for Maddy's inspection.

“Do I look okay?”

Maddy briefly stared at her and then in a quiet, seductive voice replied, “…simply beautiful.”

“I know that look, Maddy Bond! … And you'll just have to hold onto those thoughts until we get to the hotel … just … like … I'll … have to … do,” Gaby cooed as she was gently pulled into a passionate kiss.

“Mmmm … promise?” Maddy playfully whispered as they parted. Gaby lovingly pulled her back for an encore.

“Besides … I couldn't let you show me up with that dress, could I?” Gaby jokingly added as she gestured at Maddy's mid-thigh, cable-knit, turtleneck sweater dress. She's completed her ‘look' with a pair of black tights and high boots with three-inch heels.

“So? … It matches your sweater,” Maddy innocently countered.

“Yeah … but…” Gaby quietly admitted.

“That's … why I'm wearing it,” Maddy smugly whispered as she leaned in for another kiss. The doorbell rang just as their lips met.

“Let's pretend we didn't hear that…!” Gaby whispered as the two continued to hold each other.

(sigh…) “Gotta be Daddy … I always thought he had lousy timing an' this proves it! … I'd best get it, sweetheart … you grab our coats.” As they reluctantly parted, Gaby went off to get their things while Maddy reached for the doorknob.

“Morgan, Pet … you girls ready?”

“Soon as Gabs gets our coats and bags.”

“Make sure both of you have your passports and everything!” Carol piped up.

Maddy looked over her dad's shoulder while stepping aside to let him begin taking the luggage out to the car. She was quick to give her mum a hug as Carol started to walk through the opened door.

“Didn't know you were coming, Mum!”

“Thought I'd keep your father company … maybe even do a bit of shopping while we're in Bonn.”

“I thought she'd be all shopped-out by now … being this close to Christmas…” John added as he walked back into the house.

“Never happen, Daddy … you should know that!” Maddy laughingly replied.

“You're your mother's daughter, alright!” John sarcastically shot back with a smile as he walked out the door towards the car with the last piece of luggage. "Sometimes I wonder what you got from me."

"The checkbook!" Both mother and daughter chorused.

“Coat … gloves … and … one bag … with visas, passport and assorted unknowns.” Gaby playfully itemized the items as she handed them to Maddy, then took out her own keys and proceeded to lock up the house.

“You sure you have your passport?” Maddy inquired.

“I checked … it's all here,” Gaby replied as she patted her bag.

“I haven't seen those before … they go really well with your outfits,” Carol gushed as she watched the girls zip up their thigh-length hooded suede coats.

“Mad found these last week in Bonn.”

“When did you get time to shop?” Carol wondered.

“We only worked a half day last Friday because of some open-house or something at the University … so a few of the girls found something else to do,” Maddy explained.

“You sure your boss didn't mind you taking off like that?” John cautiously asked.

“Doktor Ackart was one of the girls!” Maddy snickered.

“You two remembered to pack your ski jackets and winter boots?” Carol asked as they all got into the car.

“Yes, Mum …” Gaby answered. She loved how Carol sometimes still had to pause to think, when she addressed them as Mum and Dad.

“Just wanted to make sure before we got on the road … you'll find Banff is really beautiful … John and I were there before Maddy was born … and fell in love with the place … but … it is December there too!”

“We'll be okay, Mum … relax,” Maddy quietly replied. “Oh! … Before we totally forget … Gabs has copies of our itinerary for you.”

As they were leaving Mayschoß, Gaby produced two copies of a printed Word document and passed them to Carol, hoping she would read it over before they reached the airport in case she had any questions.

“Could you give one to Mum and Dad for us?...” Gaby asked.

“Okay … we'll be seeing them later this evening.”

“…An' let Mum know … if we don't call you … we'll call her,” Gaby requested. “But either way we'll call one of you before we set out over the Atlantic.”

“As well as let you know when we've arrived … both at the hotel and Jessica's,” Maddy added.

“I best read this then … see just how much sleep your father and I lose with these calls,” Carol playfully commented. She then slipped on her reading glasses and turned her attention to the girl's itinerary.

Bonn – Calgary flight info:

Dec.7 to Dec.15: Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise … we'll call from the airport upon arrival.

Calgary – Richmond flight info:

Staying with Jessica Dec.16 to Dec.20. We'll call from the airport when we arrive in Virginia .

Richmond – Bonn flight info:

We'll call upon departure from Philadelphia and arrival in London .

“It's all seems to be here … I see you've already converted the times you plan to call … nice!” Carol stated.

“You made a note that you plan to call when you arrive in Calgary … you planning to let us know how to get you at the hotel in case of emergency?”

“Gabs figures it'll be close to four in the morning, your time… before we're checked in … so we thought we'll do that later … at something a bit more reasonable for you guys,” Maddy offered.

“Oh … okay … what about Jessica's number, then?”

“Mum should have it if you don't … I know she has it on her computer,” Gaby revealed. “Jess hasn't moved so it'll still be good.”

“I'll get it tonight, then … at least we'll know where you are … if not what you're doing,” Carol replied with a chuckle.

“Mummm … I bet Gran never checked up on you and Dad when you were on your honeymoon!” Maddy whined.

“Ohhh … she wanted to,” John replied with a smile as he looked into his rear-view mirror at his daughter's reaction. “I still can't believe you got the time off after working at COMBIO* barely three months.”

“I was up-front with them about Gabs and I at the last interview … I also let them know that we'd already made international travel arrangements for this … they were more than okay with it.”

“This Doktor Ackart … she's okay with you two, is she?” Carol asked. “I admit … when you told us you got the job … your father and I were a bit concerned how they would react to your marriage.”

“They've all known about Gabs and I from the start … like I said … I've never tried to hide it from anyone there,” Maddy explained. “I've even got three photos of the two of us on my desk … including our wedding picture … an' Judith always has a nice comment whenever she sees them.”

“Judith?” Carol questioned.

“She's very informal with those in her department and insists ‘Doktor Ackart' should only be used for more ‘appropriate' occasions.”

“Sounds like she's a nice person to work for.”

“She is…”

A short time later, John entered the grounds of the Köln-Bonn airport and pulled up to the passenger off-loading area at Terminal 2. After he shut off the ignition, everyone got out and he started pulling out the girl's luggage.

“Got your boarding passes and whatnot?” John asked.

“All right here, Dad … see? … Makes it a whole lot easier when you can do it all online and print it off at home,” Gaby replied as she quickly produced the documents for her father-in-law to see and then after she had placed them back in her bag, both girls traded hugs with John and Carol.

“See you when you get back … Gaby's parents will meet you … have fun, you two … Tschüss !”

Carol enthused just before she and John got back into the car and drove off.

“Well … this is it, luv…” Gaby quietly mentioned as they gathered their luggage and headed into the terminal towards the Lufthansa departure lounge.

“It's all been like a fairy-tale…” Maddy started to say as they approached the check-in.

“What?”

“This.”

“How so?”

“Well … I never imagined our lives would be like this when I first said ‘I love you', way back in Third Levels … especially after Grottoes … an' now … we're leaving on our honeymoon!”

“So … the Princess got the Princess?”

“Uh huh.”

“Well … wait ‘til you see the hotel room! … Fit for Royalty!”

“How do you know what it looks like?”

“Virtual tour…” Gaby smugly replied.

“How many beds?”

“I had a choice … so I opted for one! … A ‘king'!” Gaby quickly shot back.

“Oooo … now, that has potential…” Maddy mischievously pondered.

“We've got a suite…”

“What's the view like?”

“Spectacular ... a lake amongst the mountains.

“With a view like that … how ‘bout we just stay in bed, then?” Maddy playfully asked.

“For the whole week?”

“It's a ‘king'…”

“Already been done by John and Yoko … besides … I kinda thought we could do a few other things,” Gaby hinted.

“Like what?”

“Ummm … later…”

“Gabs….” Maddy whined with a playful pout.

After the girls surrendered their luggage at the check-in desk, Gaby handed over their pre-printed boarding passes and her passport.

“ Paß, bitte.”

“Mad … she needs your passport.”

“Oh! … Sorry.” Maddy quickly retrieved her passport from her bag and started to hand it to Gaby.

“Not me … her!”

“…'tschuldigung .” An embarrassed Maddy apologized as she sheepishly handed the passport to the woman behind the counter. She then turned to Gaby and in a quiet but audible voice, uttered, “Excitement I guess.”

“Your German is quite good,” The woman remarked in flawless English after noting their British passports.

“Danke,” Maddy replied. After a brief pause, the girls were finally returned their documentation.

“Here are your boarding passes and passports … you and … your sister … have a good flight.”

“Danke,” Gaby replied as they gathered their documentation and proceeded to go through security.

“She thought we're sisters,” Maddy hissed as they walked away.

Gaby stopped walking a few metres from the check-in desk and looked at Maddy.

“Look at me.” As Maddy turned her head, Gaby gently kissed her wife on the lips while holding her hand.

“Wonder what she's thinking now,” Gaby mischievously whispered, knowing full well that the woman was probably still looking at them.

“Gabrielle Bond! … You little …” Maddy replied, barely containing her laughter.

“C'mon!” Still holding Maddy's hand, Gaby led her off in the direction of Security while barely able to contain her own laughter.

After they passed through the security checks and entered the Lufthansa departure lounge, Maddy held out her passport and made an observation.

“Do you realise this is the first time I've used this? “

“Feels good?”

“Uh huh … it says ‘Madeline Bond' … I like that…” Maddy had a wide grin as she cuddled Gaby's arm and squeezed tight.

“Now you know how I felt when ‘Gaby' first used hers … want to quickly grab something before our flight's called … I mean … besides me?”

“Oh pooh! … You're gonna make me wait … aren't you?” Maddy replied with a faux pout.

“Didn't your mum ever tell you ‘All good things come to she who waits?'…“ Gaby playfully whispered.

“In that case … I'll have a tea … and … a strudel!” Maddy replied with a smirk.

Soon after the girls returned to their gate, the flight started to board. As they entered the aircraft and once again produced their boarding passes, a member of the cabin crew directed them to their seats.

“Ihre Plätze sind in Reihe 9 Sitze B und C – rechts neben dem Notausgang.”

“Danke,” the girls replied.

“Well … here's the Emergency exit … so these must be our seats … 9B and 9C … which one do you want?” Maddy asked.

“I'll let you have the aisle … put our bags under the seats.”

“You realise that we have about three hours to kill at Heathrow? … Other than a very long lunch … any ideas?” Maddy asked as she sat down and fastened her seat belt.

“Wander around the shops?”

“Sounds good …”

“Or … we can catch some sleep,” Gaby playfully offered.

“Tempting … but … much too public,” Maddy cooed.

“Don't forget we have to set our watches back for London and again for Calgary,” Gaby mentioned. “I guess we should lose the hour for London, now … don't want to forget and miss our connection.”

“How many hours we lose when we set them for Calgary?”

“Eight … I think … but do that after we're over the Atlantic ... we're scheduled to land mid-afternoon their time.”

“An' it's a nine hour flight … that's too weird.”

“Think if you actually work it out it's a nine-and-a-half-hour flight.”

As the aircraft started its steep climb out of the Köln-Bonn airport, Maddy tightly squeezed Gaby's hand.

“Nervous?”

“Nope … just extremely happy,” Maddy quietly admitted.

Gaby leaned over and gave her a soft kiss before gently brushing a tear from her cheek with the back of a single finger. Meanwhile, Maddy contently smiled at her wife and closed her eyes as she laid her head on her shoulder.

As the aircraft levelled off for the remainder of the flight, the cabin crew came around offering soft drinks and peanuts to the passengers.

“Excuse me … Miss?” The flight attendant quietly got Gaby's attention.

“Can I get you or your … friend … anything to drink?” Considering that Maddy was asleep on Gaby's shoulder and holding onto her arm, there was little doubt the two girls were ‘together'.

“Nein … Danke.” Glancing at her wife, Gaby softly explained in a hushed voice, “She was up earlier than usual this morning.”

As the flight attendant gave an understanding smile and moved onto the next row of passengers, Gaby returned to the paperback she had earlier taken from her bag.

Later, her concentration was broken as she noticed a change in the sound of the engines and the familiar sensation of being held back. Looking out the window, she saw the ‘flaps' on both the leading and trailing edges of the wing, were fully extended.

“Frau?”

Gaby looked up to face the same cabin attendant she spoke with earlier. After previously observing the girls wedding bands, her quiet voice sounded almost apologetic, unsure of an acceptable way to address either girl.

“Ja?”

“ Wir sind bereit, in London zu landen. Befestigen Sie bitte Ihre Sicherheitsgurte.”

“Ja … Danke.”

“Mad? … Darling … wake up … we're coming into Heathrow and you have to put on your seatbelt.”

“Already?”

“You slept the whole flight … an' from the way you were smiling … you must've had one really great dream.”

‘Oh … I did,” Maddy mischievously whispered as she put on her seatbelt and resumed her hold on Gaby's arm.

“Gonna tell me about it?”

“Maybe tonight,” Maddy quietly hinted with an ‘evil' grin.

Gaby closed her eyes and slowly shook her head while sporting a wide grin the whole time.

A few minutes later, she heard the ‘clunk' of the landing gear being lowered and locked into place. As they continued their gentle descent, passing low over the airport's perimeter fence, she looked at her watch as the gentle ‘bump' of the Boeing 737's tires signified that they were again on British soil. “Not bad … only five minutes late. ”

Soon after they de-planed, Gaby spotted one of the many British Airways hosts that wander Heathrow's Terminal 5, providing assistance to passengers.

“The Flight Attendant said if we have any questions, these people can help us out … I'm lost in this place … so let's start asking,” Gaby uttered as they headed towards the two women in BA uniforms.

“Excuse me.” Maddy was the first to get their attention.

“Miss?”

“We have a connecting Air Canada flight at … (looking at her boarding pass) gate 62 … could you please tell us how to get there from here?” she asked while Gaby stood beside her.

“Certainly … quite simple really … it's a short walk, but … just follow the purple signs like the one over there … and they'll lead you right to Flight Connections and from there you'll end up in the departures area. Be sure to keep looking at the information screens scattered throughout for your flight information ... announcements are kept to a minimum in Terminal 5.”

“Thank you … you've been most helpful,” Maddy remarked as the two girls started off on their quest to follow the purple signs. Reading the first purple sign they came to, Gaby directed Maddy to the escalators.

“C'mon, luv … it says to go down.”

“It's so easy without any luggage to fight with,” Maddy commented as they stepped onto the moving steps. “Only hope it arrives when and where we do!”

“At least I don't have to worry about finding any unexpected pieces of clothing,” Gaby playfully mumbled under her breath.

“An' just wot are you referring to … Frau Bond?” Maddy quietly shot back while unsuccessfully suppressing a chuckle.

When they stepped off the escalator, they found themselves at one end of a large open hall with one wall taken up with a bank of staffed customer service desks that had an information screen above each desk. At the opposite end to where they were standing was maze of ‘roped pathways' leading to an area that according to an overhead display was the ‘Boarding Pass Presentation'.

“I betcha we go there,” Gaby dryly offered, nodding to the opposite end of the hall.

“Best hurry … there doesn't appear to be a large queue right now … then again … what's there appears to be moving rather well,” Maddy advised.

A few minutes after joining the queue with their fellow passengers, the girls found themselves presenting their boarding passes and passports to one of the attendants working at the four desks in the area.

“Here you go ladies … just take the escalators behind me … up to Security and Departures … have a nice flight.”

“Quick and painless,” Gaby commented as they were heading up to Departures. After a short walk off the escalator and through the metal detectors of Security, they stood overlooking a large concourse.

“We've arrived …an' here's your shops!” Gaby playfully enthused. “What do you want to do first … shop or food?”

“Let's get something to eat, sweetheart … we only had a small breakfast and I'm starved!”

“Ummm … okay … there's a map over there … let's see what they have,” Gaby quickly agreed. “Since we got three hours to waste … let's find a sit-down restaurant and have a proper meal.”

“Gabs … here's Huxley's! … Remember? … That's the one Brit and the gang mentioned … let's give them a try, shall we?” Maddy enthused while pointing to the interactive map display.

“According to this ... it should be (looking around) … there it is! … Okay … let's go!” Arriving at the door, they saw that it was fairly busy for the noon hour.

“Think we'll get in, sweetheart?” Maddy quietly wondered.

“It doesn't look like much of a wait, judging by the way this queue is moving,” Gaby observed.

“How many?” the Hostess inquired when the girls arrived at her desk.

“Two,” Maddy answered.

“This place reminds me of Salvatore's … you remember … that Italian restaurant in Worksop … the one Mum liked,” Gaby casually remarked as they were seated.

“I know what you mean … with all these photos on the wall … including yours, sweetheart,” Maddy answered with a giggle.

“What?” Gaby almost shouted. By now the server was at their table and a few heads were turned in their direction upon hearing her outburst.

“Sorry, Miss … I was talking to … her,” Gaby apologized while trying to concentrate on the menu. “Lessee … Mad … where you going?”

“Be back in a mo' … just want to check out this picture … you go ahead and order.”

Maddy got out of her chair and went over to where the framed photo was hanging. When she returned to the table and sat down, Gaby couldn't help but notice the smug look on her wife's face.

“Just as I thought … it's when you won the Time Trial in the ‘Fem',” Maddy proudly mentioned. “You ordered?”

“I was watching you.” Turning to their server she quickly added, “Ummm … fish an' chips and a tea, please.”

“Now that you've ordered … go check it out!” Gaby rose out of her chair to go take a closer look.

“I'll have the same,” Maddy intoned as she passed the menus back to the server.

“…'ere … is that really your friend in the photo?” she quietly asked Maddy.

“Uh huh.”

“Cor!” A couple of minutes after the server left with their orders, Gaby returned to the table, slowly shaking her head in amazement.

“Well? … Was I right?” Gaby silently nodded.

Later, when they had finished their meal and their server had collected Gaby's credit card, a tall, athletic-looking, middle-aged gentleman, approached the girl's table.

“Excuse me … Miss? My name's Gerry O'Brian and I'm the day manager here.” His thick Irish accent was very noticeable as he addressed Gaby.

“Is there a problem?”

“Oh, no … not a' tall … but I was wondering … is this you, by chance?”

Maddy took a look at the photo he held for her wife and then took a look at the wall and saw the photo, frame and all, was gone. Gaby looked at the picture and then raised her eyes to look across the table at Maddy.

“Yes,” Gaby confirmed in a soft voice.

“In that case … on behalf of Huxley's … we'd be honoured if you'd autograph it for us.”

“I'd be happy to.” Gaby accepted his pen and proceeded to sign. As she handed the photo back, both girls noticed that she'd become the centre of attention among the restaurant patrons, especially with those at the surrounding tables.

“Thank you … may I say … you're much prettier in person.”

“Thank you…”

“Now everyone's wondering who the celeb is!” Maddy joked after he walked away.

“Let'em guess…” Gaby whispered while they both got up from the table. As they were walking out under the gaze of several customers, they observed Gerry proudly returning the now-signed photo to its place on the wall.

A few minutes later, while standing on the concourse and getting their bearings, Maddy heard a timid voice behind her.

“Excuse me … Gaby?”

“Sweetheart … you're being paged,” Maddy whispered into Gaby's ear after looking back to see who was calling her. As they both turned around, they were confronted by a young girl who Gaby thought was no more than 11 or 12.

“I wanted to ask you inside, but you and your friend were leaving by the time I got up … can I have your autograph?”

“Sure,” Gaby sweetly replied. She smoothed her skirt behind her and knelt down as the girl approached her and offered her pen and pad. “What's your name, dear?”

“Maddy…”

“That's her name…” Gaby softly acknowledged as she glanced up at her wife. “You ride, Maddy?”

“I was tested by the British Youth Program last month … just waiting to hear how I did,” the girl proudly replied. “I think I want to turn pro and maybe become World Champion like you.” Gaby noticeably blushed as she returned the pen and paper.

“You know what? … I bet you'll do it!” Gaby quietly mentioned while giving the girl a hug. As she ran back to her waiting parents, proudly displaying the signed paper, Gaby stood up and Maddy again clung to her arm.

“Just like your mum,” she sweetly whispered as she planted a kiss on Gaby's cheek.

“…But I think we best skip the shops and get to our gate … remember they told us we have to be there and through security at least thirty minutes before we board … an' we still have to phone Mum,” Maddy added as she checked her watch after noting their flight was now listed on one of the many digital information screens.

Less than an hour later, the girls were crossing the coast and heading out over the Atlantic Ocean.

* Centrum für Molekulare Biotechnologie der Universität Bonn (Centre of Molecular Biotechnology at the University of Bonn)

(to be continued)

PB 17.09.09 © 2009
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