

### Taxi - 1992

By

Sophia DeLuna

SMASHWORDS EDITION

*****

PUBLISHED BY:

Sophia DeLuna at Smashwords, Inc, Los Gatos

www.smashwords.com

Taxi - 1992

Copyright © 2016 by Sophia DeLuna

Cover design

Copyright © 2016 by Sophia DeLuna

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

*****

Thank you to all my readers!

Sharing my stories with you is the best motivation to keep writing.

Table of contents:

01 Taxi

02 Taxi - Trials

03 Taxi - Trauma

04 Taxi - Timing

05 Taxi - Talk

06 Taxi - Tuxedo

07 Taxi - Tactics

08 Taxi - Trip

09 Taxi - Telephone

10 Taxi - Traditions

Recipes

Empanadas

Lentil stew

Panna Cotta

Berlin Currywurst

Alfajores

Dulce de leche

Carmen's pan fried bread rolls

Carmen's Milanesa Napolitana

Fried liver Berlin style

Spritzkuchen

Bruschetta

Yerba Mate

Apfelküchle (apple fritters)

Bavarian lye pretzels

Käsekuchen (cheese cake) bottomless

Paella á la Carmen

Almond biscuits

German Christmas Dinner à la Ulrike

Other books by Sophia DeLuna

Taxi

It was a rainy Friday evening and the streets of Berlin were glistening wet from the heavy summer rains. The shops were just closing and despite the weather there were still a lot of people out and about, which wasn't unusual here in the city centre of Berlin. Especially in summer, when there were always tourists bustling about, the city almost never slept. Halting at a red light, Ulrike sat in her old Mercedes taxi, pondering. From here she could make it home in about 15 minutes. She was tired and hungry, and she was craving for a nice homemade coffee instead of the take-away brews she had consumed all day. It had been a busy day. Thinking that she'd had a reasonably lucrative day she decided she could probably afford to give into her craving and her tiredness. She was just about to switch off the light of the taxi sign when a woman in a bright red summer dress and with several shopping bags in her hand on the other side of the crossing gesticulated with her umbrella, trying to catch her attention. Sighing, Ulrike thought, _Okay, just one more fare, and then I'll really call it a day,_ and as the lights turned green she shifted her foot to the accelerator, passed the crossing and stopped in front of the middle-aged fashionably clothed woman.

Sliding into the back seat, the woman struggled with her umbrella and her shopping bags before she finally pulled the door shut and said, " _Ringbahnstraße, bitte._ "

Looking at the woman in the rear-view mirror, Ulrike asked, "Which one?" hoping to hear _Tempelhof_ as it was closer to her home.

" _Halensee,_ " said her passenger as she fastened her seatbelt.

Sighing inwardly, Ulrike said, "Okay," turned on the taximeter and, after a quick check, merged into a gap in the heavy traffic. She'd have to turn around at the next opportunity, as _Halensee_ was right in the opposite direction. It would be a nice bit of extra cash, but even if she took the urban motorway from _Halensee_ , with the insane rush-hour traffic it would now take her at least 45 minutes to get home, probably more. Ulrike changed lanes and took the turn-around in the centre strip to make a U-turn. As she was waiting for the traffic to pass, the radio channel began to play 'Always look on the bright side of life.' Grinning, Ulrike shook her head, and shoving her tiredness and her craving for coffee aside, she accelerated and headed towards her destination. At least she was driving a rather pleasant, pretty looking lady. That was definitely better than the grumpy old bloke she had driven last who had insisted on telling her exactly how to drive, patronising her about taxi drivers always taking the route that was most lucrative for them, and how he wasn't going to let them do this to him. He knew Berlin like the back of his hand and he would not let her drive him through the congested main roads. Ulrike had sighed inwardly and drove according to his directions, letting his lecturing wash over her. In the end, when he paid the fare with a smile, reminding her how very smart he was, Ulrike had smiled too, because she knew that her usual route would have cost him at least four D-marks less - a nice compensation for the punishment of having to listen to his lectures. The passenger she had now was a lot more pleasant to drive, the woman seemed to be quite happy to finally be sitting and it didn't look like she was in a complaining mood.

As Ulrike was driving in the stop-and-go traffic along the _Tauentzien_ , she kept taking a peek at the lady in the rear view mirror. She really was a sight for sore eyes, Ulrike thought. With her perfectly styled long mane of curly dark hair and her dark skin she certainly didn't look like a typical German, but rather like a Spaniard or South American. She wore no make-up and the lines around her eyes as well as some silver streaks in her hair revealed that she was certainly beyond her forties. Ulrike thought these signs of age only enhanced her beauty, and it told her that the lady was quite comfortable in her own skin, which was something Ulrike appreciated very much. And as the lady turned sideways to look out of the window and with an elegant gesture brushed a strand of hair to the side, plenty of golden bangles were jingling on her arm and Ulrike could see that large golden earrings were dangling from her ears. _Wow,_ thought Ulrike, _She certainly knows how to make the most of her appearance._ Shaking her head, she reminded herself to pay more attention to the traffic, and as the lanes merged shortly after, she drove past a construction site that started in front of the _Europa-Center_ and ended after the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Memorial Church. She was quite happy that on the _Kurfürstendamm_ she could finally take the bus lane. Halting at a red light, she looked again in the rear view mirror to take another peek at the pretty lady. However, when her glance was met by twinkling brown eyes and a broad smile, Ulrike blushed and focused her eyes on the road again.

"It's going to take a while with the heavy traffic, even with the bus lane," said Ulrike to cover her embarrassment.

"Doesn't matter," said the lady lightly. "I'm not in any hurry."

Ulrike's stomach growled loudly, announcing that it opposed this statement, and she hoped that it wasn't heard in the back seat. Taking a quick glance in the rear view mirror, Ulrike saw the lady grinning, but she didn't comment. Blushing again, Ulrike was glad when the light finally turned green and she could drive on.

She could feel that the lady kept watching her, and occasional peeks in the rear view mirror confirmed this. Was the lady flirting with her, or why did she keep watching her, grinning every time when their eyes met. _Oh heck, I'm just imagining things,_ thought Ulrike as the lady stopped watching her and started occupying herself with her shopping bags and her notebook. Ulrike wondered what she was doing back there, but her curiosity vanished abruptly when a red Ferrari veered onto the bus lane right in front of her to get into the right turning lane. Slamming her foot on the brakes and her hand on the horn, Ulrike cursed, " _Pass doch uff, du Arschloch!_ " Remembering her passenger, she apologised, " _Pardong_ , but that was really close. Makes you wonder if the car comes with a driving license."

"Some people are very impatient, I guess," said the woman, scribbling something in her notebook as they were halting at a red light.

"Then they shouldn't drive in rush hour traffic on the _Ku'damm_ , or anywhere for that matter," said Ulrike still somewhat annoyed with the reckless driver.

"Maybe he is late for a business meeting?" offered her passenger.

Ulrike enjoyed that the lady was talking with her. She had a very melodic voice, and although she was speaking in perfect German, there was a hint of a foreign accent that intrigued Ulrike, and she countered jokingly, "Then he should take his helicopter and reserve his Ferrari for times when there's no one on the road."

"But that defeats the purpose of a Ferrari," said the woman, mock-serious. "You can't show off when there's no one on the road."

Glancing back at the passenger, Ulrike said gravely, "Now, that is true." They both chuckled, and as the light turned green, Ulrike drove on.

"Have you been a taxi driver for long?" asked the woman.

"I'd say so," said Ulrike, "Been driving for over 20 years now."

"Wow, you must like your job then."

"Wouldn't want to do anything else," said Ulrike.

"I don't like driving in the city," said the woman, "I rather sit back and let someone else do the driving."

"That's fine by me," said Ulrike. "Keeps me in business," she added grinning.

"I guess it does," said the passenger. "I like driving in the country, though. There's less cars and you can drive faster."

"Well, in the country I would prefer to sit back and enjoy the scenery while someone else drives."

"We would make a good team then," said the woman and laughed.

"Indeed," said Ulrike and joined in the laughter, wondering if they might make a good team in other regards as well.

Shortly after, Ulrike turned right at _Henriettenplatz_ and asked, "Which number?"

"Number one," said her passenger, "Right over there, where the parking bays begin."

Ulrike turned left into _Ringbahnstraße_ and stopped in front of the passageway that led to the entrance. The lady said, " _Perfekt. Danke!_ "

Stopping the taximeter, Ulrike announced the fare, and as the lady handed the money to Ulrike and their fingers touched, Ulrike felt a tingle surge through her body. Both women kept staring at each other until a car honked because Ulrike's taxi was blocking a free parking bay.

"I guess that's another impatient one," said the lady and retracted her hand with an apologetic smile.

"Yes," said Ulrike, "I better get moving," and she put the money in her purse, while the lady gathered her umbrella and her shopping bags.

Opening the car-door, the lady said smiling, "Well then, bye, and have a nice weekend!"

"Likewise!" said Ulrike. The rain had ceased by now, and as the lady shut the door, Ulrike watched her mesmerised as she walked through the passageway to the entrance of the apartment building. Admiring her figure, she thought, _Damn, she isn't particularly generous with tips but she does look great!_ However, as the other car honked viciously, Ulrike shook her head, bringing herself back to the here and now, and drove on. As she was turning around to drive to the motorway access, Ulrike glanced into the passageway in passing, but the lady, of course, had by now disappeared.

As she had already predicted, the traffic on the way home was slow-moving, but she didn't mind. Her mind was blissfully occupied with thoughts about the lady. _I wonder what she does for a living. Living in Halensee, it must be a rather lucrative job. Though perhaps it is her husband who has the lucrative job and she's only spending his money. Who knows?_ Though, for some reason Ulrike couldn't picture her with a husband. She wasn't sure why, but it didn't feel right. "Or maybe it is just my wishful thinking," said Ulrike aloud as she left the motorway; and as the radio started playing 'I'm walking' by Fats Domino, she grinned, turned up the volume and drove the remaining distance to her home singing.

Parking her car, Ulrike took her bag from the passenger's seat and got out. As she walked around the taxi, checking to see if all doors were closed as she routinely did, she noticed a small plastic bag from _KaDeWe_ behind the passenger's seat. Damn, the lady forgot one of her bags. Cursing, Ulrike took the bag and slammed the door shut. Despite her undenied attraction to the lady, Ulrike was not eager to drive all the way back right away. Well, the woman would have to wait, she decided as her stomach growled yet again; she needed to eat first.

She walked across the parking area, smelling the pleasant fragrance of the wet greenery in the courtyard; and holding her breath as not to spoil the nice scent, she walked past the rubbish containers only letting it out as she passed through the archway to the front of the housing complex. Climbing up the stairs to the second storey, she unlocked her door and entered the flat.

Closing the door behind her, she put her keys, her bag and the _KaDeWe_ bag on the side board next to the telephone and sauntered into the kitchen. _Coffee first,_ she thought, and put the kettle on. She rinsed out her coffee pot, placed the filter dripper on top of it and lined it with a coffee filter. Looking into the fridge, she sighed ... she should have gone shopping today. Well, there was still some salami and camembert that were probably still good, however as she looked at the best-before date on the packet of butter, she sighed yet again, and stepping on the pedal, she let the packet plop into the rubbish bin. The package of sliced bread followed when she noticed that green mould had started to grow a colony on it. Luckily, she always had a packet of crisp bread for such emergencies. The kettle whistled and she went to make her coffee.

When she had prepared her food, she took her coffee and the plate of food into the living room, flopped down on the sofa and switched on the TV. When she had finished eating the familiar jingle that started the news began, and she leaned back into the comfort of her softly cushioned sofa and closed her eyes, just listening.

A while later, she was just in the process of taking a bunch of flowers to the pretty lady when a guy with a gun opened the door instead of the lady and Ulrike suddenly woke with a start, cursing the TV as she realised that the shot came from a thriller which was now showing. Grabbing the remote, she switched to a channel featuring a romantic film and leaned back again, closing her eyes. Around midnight, she had just entered the flat of the pretty lady, when she heard loud moaning coming from the bedroom. The moaning got louder and a strange woman's seductive voice praised her services ... slowly, Ulrike woke, realising she had been dreaming yet again. Disgusted, she cursed the advertisement for phone sex, switched the TV off and dragged herself from the sofa to head for the bathroom. On the way she noticed the _KaDeWe_ bag of the lady. " _Mist!_ " she had totally forgotten about that. Well, now it was too late. It would have to wait till tomorrow. After quickly brushing her teeth, she headed for the bedroom and barely managed to take off her clothes before falling asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

The next morning, she was just getting closer to the pretty lady as they were sitting on the sofa, when the phone rang. She told the lady, "Let it ring," but the phone kept ringing persistently and the lady got up. Slowly, Ulrike woke and realised it was her own phone that was ringing. Dragging herself out of bed she hurried to answer it.

"You can't be serious. You are calling people at 8:00 in the morning to take a survey, on a Saturday? You must be deranged!" Angrily, she banged the phone down on the hook, when her look fell on the _KaDeWe_ bag. Thinking, that she would certainly not call anyone at this indecent hour, let alone a stranger, she headed for the bathroom. Uh ... and how would she even call her? She didn't have her number; and didn't even know her name to look it up. " _Mist!_ " As she returned, she picked up the bag and curiously took a peek inside. There was a little wrapped box and a folded piece of paper that didn't look like a bill, but more like a note. Curious, Ulrike took out the piece of paper and unfolded it. As she started reading, her eyebrows shot up in surprise and she blushed. The note said: _I'd like to get to know you. Call me if you like._ The note was signed with only the name, Carmen, and then a phone number. It was a beautiful artistic handwriting, and the notepaper smelt of perfume. Of roses to be exact, Ulrike noticed, as she raised it to her face. So the fragrance matched the little rose printed in the corner of the note. Smiling, Ulrike took out the wrapped box and carried both, note and box into the kitchen. Putting the kettle on, she prepared her coffee, and then sat down at the table, staring at the little box. Was this note meant for her? If yes, what did the lady want? Why did she want to get to know her? Could she be interested in the same way as Ulrike was? Hm, she had written the note after having watched Ulrike for quite a while. And perhaps she had seen the little rainbow sticker on the centre console ... Hesitantly, Ulrike took the box and decided to have a look. Carefully, so as not to tear the paper, she unwrapped the box and opened it. "Wow," she breathed as a little silver labrys pendant was revealed. Carefully taking the pendant from the box, Ulrike mumbled to herself, "Well, I guess this answers in what way she's interested. Now the question is, is this really meant for me?" The whistling of the kettle brought her back to reality.

After she had had a cup of coffee, she took a shower, and by the time she was dressed, it was still only 8:45am - too early to call a stranger on a Saturday, at least when one respected the rules of politeness. She would wait at least till ten. Enough time to head over to the bakery and get something for breakfast.

The bakery wasn't far, only a few minutes by foot, so taking a shopping bag, Ulrike slipped into her thongs, grabbed her keys and purse and left. It was a nice summer morning and the sun was shining, so Ulrike didn't regret having forgotten to put on a pullover. She crossed the two roads, and as she walked through the little park, she saw a Magpie followed by two fledglings that were loudly begging for food. Ulrike smiled and watched them for a bit before she went on. A blackbird was singing its song as she left the park on the other side, and Ulrike thought that after all it wasn't so bad having been wakened early.

At the bakery she ordered two ham and cheese croissants for now and six _Schusterjungen_ , her favourite rolls, for later ... she really had to go shopping after she called Carmen. As she left the bakery, she decided to go around the park and get a newspaper from the little newspaper shop. On the way, she saw Renato just opening his hair salon.

"Ciao, Renato! Not in Italy, yet?" she asked.

"Hi Ulli. No, the family is already gone, but Luisa and I are going next weekend. Want to come in for a haircut?"

"No, thanks, Renato. I think I'll let it grow a bit."

"Finally. You know I always thought long hair would suit you better."

"I know, and I will try and see if you're right," said Ulrike, but not entirely convinced yet about the outcome, she added, "But it's practical like this."

"Practical is for men. Women should be pretty," said Renato with conviction.

Ulrike just rolled her eyes.

"Your outfit could use some improvement too," said Renato as he glanced at her baggy T-shirt and men's shorts.

"Don't push it, Renato," warned Ulrike, "This is my comfy gear. I'm not going to dress up to get breakfast and a newspaper."

Raising his hands in a mock defensive gesture, Renato grinned and said, "All right, all right. But don't complain when prospective partners walk past you without so much as a second glance."

Grinning smugly, Ulrike said, "Actually, a 'prospective partner' has been watching me with quite an interest just yesterday."

Renato whistled, and waggling his eyebrows he asked, "Was she hot?"

"Very," said Ulrike.

"You going to see her again?"

"Maybe," said Ulrike.

An elderly woman came up to them, asking, " _Guten Morgen_. Am I too early for my appointment?"

" _Guten Morgen, Frau Müller_ ," said Renato, "No, you're not too early. I'm coming." And to Ulrike he said, "I've got to go. Good luck!"

"Thanks, Renato. Ciao," said Ulrike and went to the newspaper shop, and shortly after, with a _B.Z._ rolled up in her hand and her breakfast in the bag, she headed home.

As she was sitting at the kitchen table, munching a croissant and flipping through the newspaper, she suddenly stopped chewing when her eyes caught a familiar name. Slowly she continued chewing while she read through the article:

Friday night, José Bauer, son of Helmut Bauer from Bauer GmbH & Co. KG, and his sister Carmen were injured after his Ferrari crashed into the road safety barrier in the North Curve of the Avus. Police says the Bauers were on their way home from a family party in Wannsee when he lost control of the car, probably due to the wet conditions and oil on the road. Both were taken to hospital with severe injuries. The North Curve in direction of Kurfürstendamm was closed for three hours.

Could this be 'her' Carmen? Ulrike put her croissant aside and went over to the sideboard in the hall to get the telephone book. Back at the kitchen table, Ulrike started to browse through the phonebook. "Bauer ... Bauer ... ah, here it is." She moved her index-finger over the rows of entries for Bauer. There was no Carmen Bauer, but several C. Bauer, and as she reached for the note, Ulrike said, "Bingo!" The next instant her face fell as she realised that the number on the note matching the only C. Bauer entry without an address meant that it was indeed her Carmen who was now lying in hospital, severely injured.

The newspaper didn't say to which hospital they were taken, but Ulrike surmised that they would have been taken to the _Martin-Luther-Krankenhaus_ as it was the closest - she would go there first and find out. She took the note and the little box she had re-wrapped previously with her and put it back into the _KaDeWe_ bag. Then, remembering that she hadn't finished breakfast, she fetched the croissants and put both, the _KaDeWe_ bag and the bag with the croissants in her bag. Glancing at herself in the mirror above the sideboard, she remembered what Renato had said ... " _Verdammt!_ " now she felt she had to change before meeting Carmen. Annoyed, she hurried into the bedroom and changed into summer jeans and a somewhat classier T-shirt. Then, after giving her hair a cursory brush, she slipped into her moccasins, and grabbing her bag and her keys, she left.

On the way to the hospital, she stopped at a flower shop and bought a mixed bunch of red roses and gyp, hoping that Carmen would like them even if the note and pendant had not been meant for her. At the hospital she found a parking space not too far from the entrance, and grabbing her bag and the bunch of flowers, she headed for the reception.

Relieved that Carmen had indeed been brought to this hospital, Ulrike went to search for the room number she had been given. As she finally found it, she knocked on the door and entered. There were six beds in the room, but only two were occupied, and in one of them sat Carmen, her right leg in plaster.

" _Guten Morgen,_ " said Ulrike and closed the door.

It took Carmen a moment to sort out her memory, but before Ulrike could go on to introduce herself, her face changed into a look of joyous surprise, and she said, "You came!"

"Yep," said Ulrike and handed her the flowers. "I read about it in the newspaper. How are you doing?"

Burying her nose in the flowers, Carmen inhaled deeply, and turning her gaze back to Ulrike, she smiled and said, "So, you found my note and the gift."

Rummaging in her bag, Ulrike took out the _KaDeWe_ bag and said, "Yes, I found it." And handing the bag to Carmen, she added a bit shyly, "I wasn't quite sure if it was meant for me, though."

Refusing to take the bag, Carmen said, "Of course it is meant for you. For whom else would it be?"

"How should I know?" said Ulrike.

"You haven't opened it?" asked Carmen astonished.

Ulrike blushed and admitted, "Uh, well, yes, I have opened it. It's beautiful."

Furrowing her brows, Carmen regarded Ulrike searchingly and asked quietly, "Have I misjudged you then? Did I misinterpret the rainbow sticker in your taxi?"

Ulrike smiled, and shaking her head, she said, "No, you haven't."

"Is there someone else?" asked Carmen hesitantly.

Looking down at the bag, Ulrike shook her head. "No."

"I still don't know your name."

Ulrike looked at her and smiled. "Ulrike ... Ulrike Hoffmann."

"Ulrike," said Carmen slowly as if to savour the sound and feel how it resonated within her. Smiling, she looked at Ulrike. "That's a nice name."

Slightly blushing, Ulrike reached for the flowers and asked, "Shall I put them in water?"

"Not yet, please," said Carmen, and instead of handing her the flowers, she took Ulrike's hand.

Stunned, Ulrike looked at their hands. Her own slightly tanned strong hand appeared white and rough against Carmen's dark and slender one.

Caressing Ulrike's hand with her thumb, Carmen said apologetically, "This isn't exactly the setting I had imagined for a romantic first date."

Squeezing Carmen's hand reassuringly, Ulrike said, "We can make up for it when you are well again."

"I'd like that," said Carmen smiling.

Taxi - Trials

"She's staring at me," said Ulrike, unable to concentrate on her lover's gentle wake-up treatment.

Casting a quick glance at her Norwegian Forest Cat, Tabitha, who was sitting on the chest of drawers, Carmen grinned and said, "She's just admiring your beauty," and she went on placing soft kisses on Ulrike's neck and shoulders.

Ulrike snorted. "To me she looks rather as if she is pondering which part of my body she should scratch to pieces next."

"She would never do that," protested Carmen, her brown eyes sparkling, "She is a very gentle cat."

"Gentle my ass!" said Ulrike, "She's already done it twice!"

Disengaging herself from Ulrike, Carmen sat up and exclaimed, "I have already told you that the first time was a misunderstanding," referring to the first night Ulrike had spent at Carmen's place, when Ulrike had been rudely awakened by a slap in the face with extended claws. She still bore the now faded scratch marks of that encounter. "She wasn't used to someone lying on her side of the bed and was scared when she jumped up and a stranger was there. And the second time was your fault."

Turning onto her side to face her partner, and propping herself up on her elbow, Ulrike said, "And I've told you that it is hardly my fault that I didn't see her in the dark," defending herself for the time when Tabitha had attacked her as she went to the loo at night, and fumbling for the light switch, had accidentally touched Tabitha who was lying on her scratch tree next to the switch.

"Well, it wasn't her fault either. You probably woke her up and she thought you were attacking her," countered Carmen, underlining her words with gestures, as was her habit.

"Yeah, well," muttered Ulrike, "Always attack first and think later. Are you really sure she is female?"

"She is as much a female as you are," said Carmen, a smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth.

Squinting at Carmen, Ulrike asked mock-seriously, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I just say, boxer shorts," said Carmen dryly.

"It's not my fault that they are incapable of producing comfortable women's underwear!" said Ulrike with a shrug. "I'm already compromising by wearing boxer shorts instead of men's briefs when I'm with you."

" _Madre de Dios!_ You are soo considerate," said Carmen mockingly, and playfully throwing a pillow at Ulrike, she swung her legs out of bed and said, "I'll make breakfast."

Chuckling, Ulrike pressed the pillow to her face and inhaled deeply, relishing in her partner's scent. God, she loved this woman!

Then, finally letting go of the pillow, she got up as well, giving the chest of drawers a wide berth, on which Tabitha was still sitting and watching her every move. "I'm sorry for causing you so much inconvenience," said Ulrike, surprising herself by actually meaning it. She still thought that Tabitha was a terribly spoilt little madam, and an aggressive one at that, but on some level Ulrike felt sympathy for the grey Norwegian. She had been Carmen's priority for eight years after all, and now coming second, at least some of the time, was certainly not easy. Grabbing her shorts from the chair and a fresh T-shirt and boxer shorts from the bag she had put at the foot of the bed the previous night, Ulrike headed for the bathroom, thinking how very practical it was that Carmen's and her habits complemented each other so well; herself being used to getting ready before breakfast while Carmen always showered afterwards.

During the first two weeks after Carmen's stay at the hospital, they had shared the bathtub several times. It had been rather cramped in the small tub, not to say a bit awkward as Carmen had to place her leg on the rim with a plastic bag around her cast. Nonetheless it had been a lot of fun as well. However, now that Carmen no longer needed help getting in and out of the tub, they both preferred showering individually.

As Ulrike crossed the small hallway, she heard the radio from the kitchen, and she smiled when Carmen started to hum with the melody. Carmen loved singing, and Ulrike thought she had a beautiful voice, even though her partner generally dismissed her compliments, often insisting that as her lover she was biased. Actually, Carmen dismissed most of her compliments. And while Ulrike found that somewhat annoying, she admired Carmen's modesty, as she disliked people who were full of themselves. So she graciously overlooked Carmen's insecurities, whilst secretly hoping that someday she could convince her that there was no need for it.

While she showered, Ulrike thought about how well she and Carmen seemed to suit each other in many regards.

Seven weeks had passed since they first met, and so far, it looked as if in Carmen she had finally found a partner with whom she could spend the rest of her life. Granted, she had thought that about her last partner as well, but Carmen wasn't like Gitti, she was actually rather different. Not just in looks, but also with regards to temperament and character. And although Ulrike hadn't had much trouble talking to her as her passenger, she would never have dreamed that a gorgeous looking lady like Carmen might be interested in her.

While she shampooed her hair, Ulrike thought, smiling, that the fates had truly been kind to her that day, as she had just decided to call it a day when Carmen waved down her Taxi. What a coincidence that her last fare had taken her to that area at that particular time. And then Carmen leaving her the labrys pendant and a note with her number, even though it wasn't something she had ever done before, as she had explained to Ulrike later. And when they finally got to know each other, the temperamental Argentinian beauty had conquered her heart in such a short period of time; it was still a marvel to Ulrike. Perhaps, she thought, perhaps it had been an advantage that they had been forced to take it slowly, although she could still throttle José for his reckless driving. He had only been released from hospital last Monday, and up until now Ulrike had refused to see him, even when she had driven Carmen to the hospital to visit her beloved brother; and the first few times she had even accompanied Carmen to his room to make sure she got there safely on her crutches. Carmen thought Ulrike was being ridiculous, but Ulrike couldn't help it. She was anal when it came to driving style. And since she had learned that José and the maniac who cut in on her on that very same day was one and the same person, she knew it would cost her an effort not to lose her manners when confronted with the guy who landed Carmen in hospital – and before that almost the three of them, for that matter.

Unfortunately, it was inevitable that she would meet him today. It was Carmen's mother's birthday, and she had been invited. She did look forward to meeting Carmen's parents. She had met her mother twice at the hospital, and even if it had been very briefly, she had got the impression that Frau Bauer was a very charming lady. Yet, she could have done without meeting José; and even though she realised she was being mean, she wished he had stayed in hospital a week longer just so she wouldn't have to face him – but, alas!, her wishes would not be granted. Thus, she was going to be forced to be polite towards him, and she hoped she would manage. It was going to be a trial.

Sighing, Ulrike stepped out of the shower and towelled herself. It was already beautifully warm and Ulrike was glad that she would only need to wear shorts and a T-shirt. However, she was less happy about her hair, she found as she looked at the tangled dark-blond mess in the mirror. Nonetheless, a smile flashed over her face as she reached for the brush.

Last week Carmen had surprised her by having cleared space for her on the shelf over the washbasin and having already put there everything Ulrike usually brought. The gesture had shown Ulrike that Carmen was as serious about their relationship as she was.

Now, as Ulrike was brushing her hair, trying to manage to arrange it so it wouldn't bother her, she decided that she would pay a visit to Renato's hair salon on Tuesday. He should return this weekend, and if she wasn't mistaken, Tuesday would be the first day he opened after his holiday. She just couldn't stand this hairdo any longer. It was still too short for a pony tail – not that she would want a pony tail; she would feel ridiculous. But neither did she want her hair falling into her face. No, she definitely had to get rid of this mop. Annoyed, she brushed her hair back and reached for Carmen's tin of hairspray.

After a violent sneezing and coughing fit, she noted even more annoyed that one strand had defied the treatment and was dangling provocatively in front of her right eye. Clenching her teeth, Ulrike squinted at the offensive strand in the mirror. Then her glance drifted towards Carmen's nail scissors, and with sudden determination she grasped the scissors and cut the strand of hair to a less bothersome length.

Meanwhile Carmen had set the breakfast table on the balcony and was waiting for Ulrike to appear. With a frown, she rearranged the plate with the cold cuts yet again; and leaning back to survey the display, she finally nodded to herself, a contented smile on her face. She wondered what was taking her partner so long. She was usually rather quick with her morning shower. Her efficiency and practicality were traits that Carmen admired the most. Though, thinking about it, she loved her strength just as much... Closing her eyes, Carmen relished in the memory of how safe and secure she always felt when she was lying in Ulrike's arms. And those hands... dreamily, Carmen thought back to the first day they met.

Ulrike's strong hands on the steering wheel had caught her attention before she had even truly looked at her face. However, once she dared to look at Ulrike in the rear-view mirror and caught her watching her with her piercing green eyes, she had been mesmerised. At that point, she hadn't known that Ulrike was a lesbian, but when she saw the rainbow sticker on the dashboard, her heart had skipped a beat. Of course, the taxi could have belonged to someone else, or she could have had the rainbow sticker just because it was pretty. But Carmen secretly studied her driver with the short hair, her visible muscles that showed that she was working out, her rather masculine choice of clothes and her short fingernails... and those strong hands that indicated that she didn't shy away from hard work. Sure, nowadays, there were a lot straight women who looked like that, but all those signs combined plus the fact that Ulrike seemed to watch her in the mirror, caused Carmen to think that there might be hope that this fascinating woman shared her romantic interest. And although her heart fluttered from nervousness, she had dared to make the first move by leaving the labrys pendant she had just bought for herself and a note with her number in the taxi. Initially she had wanted to give the little bag to Ulrike as a tip, but then she had chickened out and just left the bag behind, hoping that Ulrike would find it. And afterwards, once she was safely inside the building in which she lived, she had leaned against the wall next to the elevator, all shaky from her own courageous move.

When Ulrike finally stepped out of the bathroom, the smell of fresh coffee greeted her. "Mmmh," she hummed in appreciation, and forgotten were all her frustrations. With a smile on her face, she headed for the balcony, where Carmen had arranged breakfast.

"Ahh, what a fantastic day!" exclaimed Ulrike as she stepped onto the balcony.

The weather was gorgeous on this hot August summer day, the air was filled with the sweet fragrance of the blossoming lime trees, and since it was Saturday and still early, there was only little traffic noise coming from the _Ku'damm_ and the autobahn.

Kissing Carmen on the cheek, Ulrike carefully walked around the chair on which Tabitha was sitting with a regal air, and sat down opposite Carmen with a contented sigh.

"The forecast is that it's going to be 35°C today, and 38°C tomorrow," said Carmen.

"Awesome!" said Ulrike and took a fresh bread roll from the basket.

"Yes," agreed Carmen, "Finally a summer in which I don't crave to be somewhere in the south."

Having cut the bread roll open, Ulrike looked at the lovingly prepared breakfast in front of her. It was a typical Berlin breakfast but Carmen always made it appear as if she were catering for a party. All on the matching dinnerware with the 'rooster and hen' design that Ulrike so loved, there was a plate with a variety of cold cuts, another with different sorts of cheeses, soft boiled eggs in egg cups, and there were even little hearts of butter arranged on a plate. And to top it off there was freshly squeezed orange juice and coffee, and of course the fresh bread rolls that Frau Krüger, Carmen's neighbour, usually brought in the mornings in a bag which she hung on the door-knob. Carmen in turn often made a bit more dinner or lunch and shared it with Frau Krüger for which the old lady was very grateful. Frau Krüger was one of the few people who knew about Carmen's relationship with Ulrike, and she didn't mind it; her response having been that 'she had seen weirder things in her life'. Thus whenever she knew that Ulrike stayed the night, she brought two extra bread rolls. Ulrike liked Frau Krüger, and she had given the old woman her number so that she may call her whenever she needed a ride.

Her gaze still fixed on the table, Ulrike said, "My, you are spoiling me."

Carmen chuckled. "It's just an ordinary breakfast."

"Ha, this is what I love about you," said Ulrike as she looked at her partner, "You call this 5-star buffet ordinary."

Laughing, Carmen said, "This isn't a 5-star buffet, Ulli. There isn't even anything special about it; it really is rather ordinary. But I'm glad you like it."

"I love it," said Ulrike, and reaching for the butter, she shook her head and asked amazed, "Where did you get these butter hearts?"

Taking a sip of coffee, Carmen said, "Nowhere, I just cut them out with a biscuit cutter."

" _Du bist echt spitze!_ " Ulrike voiced her admiration.

Carmen shrugged her shoulders as she fed a piece of Prague ham to Tabitha. "What can I say, you inspire me."

Raising an eyebrow over the spoiling of the cat, Ulrike put the last slice of ham on her bread roll before Carmen could feed that to the cat as well.

Still occupied with feeding her cat little pieces of ham, Carmen went on, "I've always loved cooking and baking and arranging things nicely. But it's so much more fun when there's someone who appreciates the results – apart from Frau Krüger, that is."

"Frau Krüger is _dufte_ ," said Ulrike, praising the neighbour, "Although I'm wondering how she always figures out when I'm staying the night." Suddenly, she grinned and said, "I hope it's not because your walls are too thin."

Chuckling, Carmen said, "No, it's because I tell her." Sobering, she looked at Ulrike and said blushing, "Though she did put in one more bread roll today. And – I forgot to mention this – yesterday she asked me to tell you to drink buttermilk to enhance your stamina."

Ulrike almost choked on a sip of coffee that went down the wrong way.

"At the time I didn't know what she meant. I thought you might have chatted with her about putting together your mother's new furniture. But now you've got me wondering..."

"Uh, no, I haven't told her about my mother's furniture," said Ulrike.

"Then maybe you were right about the thin walls."

"Oh boy! Do you think she minds?"

Shaking her head, Carmen grinned and said, "If she minded, she wouldn't have recommended you drinking buttermilk."

"True," agreed Ulrike grinning as well. Taking a bite of her bread roll, she suddenly stopped chewing, and with her mouth still full she asked, "Do you think I should drink buttermilk?"

Carmen laughed, and while she removed the shell from the top of her egg, she replied, "I don't think you're lacking stamina, if that's what you mean. But perhaps Frau Krüger thinks I'm going to wear you out if you don't take preventative measures."

"Well," said Ulrike with a mischievous glint in her eyes, "Considering that you're getting back to top form now... Maybe I should take her advice."

Chuckling, Carmen said, "I don't think I've ever been as fit as you are, Ulli, and I'll probably never be."

"Ah, don't confuse strength and stamina," said Ulrike, "I may be stronger, but I haven't been focussing my training on endurance as you have."

Carmen shrugged. "I haven't specifically trained for endurance. I just prefer swimming over body building."

"I like swimming as well, but nothing beats the feel of lifting a proper dumbbell, straining your muscles to the limit," said Ulrike dreamily while flexing her biceps.

Shaking her head, Carmen smiled and said, "And you are wondering about Tabitha's not-so-lady-like behaviour... Tsk!"

Ulrike grinned as she chewed, thinking that Carmen might actually have a point, and once she had swallowed, she said, "Well, maybe we are more alike than I care to admit; but at least I'm not aggressive."

A blackbird was about to land on the balcony rail, but when it spotted Tabitha it flew up immediately with great clamour. Ulrike could have sworn she saw the Norwegian grinning smugly for having scared the bird.

Placing her cup on the saucer, Carmen looked at Ulrike for a moment before she said, "The way you talk about my brother is not exactly kind either."

Ulrike's face darkened and she turned her gaze from Tabitha to Carmen. "His reckless driving at the wheel of his macho car landed you in hospital."

"It did not, Ulli," said Carmen annoyed. "How often do I have to tell you that it was an accident caused by oil on the road? He didn't even exceed the speed limit."

Lighting a cigarette, Ulrike said, "If he was driving as he did when he cut in on me on the day we met, there was neither oil nor high speed needed to cause an accident. It was only my quick reaction that kept me from smashing into him, Carmen."

"Look," said Carmen, "I do agree that his driving style is a bit too passionate sometimes." Ulrike snorted at the understatement, but Carmen went on, "Regardless, Ulrike, he is my brother and I love him. And he is a very capable businessman who is doing a great job as my father's partner, and he is a really charming guy. You shouldn't only judge him by his driving style."

"Oh, it's not just his driving style; with that photo on your desk I can imagine him just fine," said Ulrike, "The typical charismatic Argentinian macho - straight women probably drool over him."

"Why do you always revert to stereotypes when it comes to José?" asked Carmen, gesticulating exasperatedly before lighting a cigarette herself. "I've never seen you doing it in relation to any other person, and it does not suit you at all."

Taking a deep breath, Ulrike said, "Sorry, I didn't mean to be a bitch. I just hate people who drive as if they owned the road."

"You're just jealous that he drives a better car than you," said Carmen, teasing.

Ulrike snorted. "A red painted Italian tin can is hardly better than solid German quality."

Raising her eyebrow, Carmen asked, "Stereotypes yet again?" and not waiting for a reply, she counted with her fingers, "The Ferrari is faster than your Daimler. It has more hp. It cost about ten times as much. It sounds terrific and looks gorgeous."

With raised eyebrows and a superior grin, Ulrike countered slowly, "My Daimler has a mileage of almost 500 000 kilometres. The engine is still running like a charm, and overall the car is still in a good condition with no rust at all. Show me a Ferrari Testarossa with that mileage in a similar condition."

Making a face, Carmen argued, "A Ferrari is not a taxi, it's not meant to drive half a million kilometres."

"That's true," agreed Ulrike. "I just wanted to prove to you that - to me - a Ferrari is definitely not better and certainly no cause for jealousy."

"All right, I believe you," said Carmen. "Nevertheless, I hope you will behave yourself at my parents' place."

Watching the grey Norwegian as she jumped off the chair, arched and then lay down, languidly stretching herself out on the balcony floor, Ulrike sighed and said, "I'll do my best," and changing the subject, she asked, "Say, do you have any idea what I could get your mother for her birthday?"

"You don't really have to buy anything," said Carmen. "The presents I bought can be from the both of us."

"I don't know," said Ulrike, "I'd rather give her something I chose myself. As I couldn't come up with anything better, I thought I'd give her the mandatory bunch of flowers and a bottle of wine. But since you mentioned the other day that your father is a connoisseur of wine, I thought that it wasn't such a great idea after all."

"Indeed, that's not a great idea," agreed Carmen, "Not even I would attempt to take wine. My father has quite a collection of exquisite wines in his cellar, and he's very particular about it."

"Well," asked Ulrike, "Do you know what else I could buy?"

Looking thoughtful for a moment, Carmen's face finally lit up and she proposed, "Why don't we go shopping together?"

" _Knorke_!" Ulrike voiced her agreement, "That's even better. Where should we go?"

"To the _KaDeWe_ of course," said Carmen.

Ulrike's face fell. She should have guessed that Carmen would want to drag her to the luxury temple. After all, she was wearing the reminder of Carmen's exquisite taste on a chain around her neck. And sometimes Carmen would wear the very same labrys pendant, as she had bought an identical one for herself. And Ulrike knew that it wasn't only jewellery Carmen bought at the _KaDeWe_. Carmen simply loved shopping, especially at exquisite stores. "I had been thinking of _Karstadt_ or _Wertheim_ ," she suggested two somewhat lesser expensive department stores.

"I rarely go there," said Carmen dismissively, "I wouldn't know where to look. The _KaDeWe_ I know like the back of my hand, and I'm sure we'll find something nice there that's within your budget."

Making a face, Ulrike said, "I'm not a charity case, thank you very muchly. It's just that I don't like spending more money on the very same item just because it comes with a plastic bag that has the _KaDeWe_ logo printed on it."

"It's not just the bag; it's also the service and the convenience. You can find everything you desire there."

Ulrike grinned, "I bet they don't have frozen pizza."

Shuddering from disgust, Carmen countered, "Actually, I think they do."

Taking a sip of orange juice, Ulrike raised her eyes in surprise. "If they do, it's probably from some gourmet brand and costs over 5 DM."

"Probably," agreed Carmen, and they both laughed.

" _Na gut, von mir aus,_ " Ulrike relented, "We'll go to your beloved _KaDeWe_."

#

Having cleared the table and done the dishes, Ulrike thought she'd find Carmen ready and waiting. The door to the bathroom was open and the light was on, but Carmen wasn't there. She wasn't in the living room either, so Ulrike peeked into the bedroom and found Carmen standing in her underwear in front of her extensive wardrobe. "You aren't ready yet?" she asked in surprise, and walked over to her partner. Hugging her from behind, she nuzzled her long dark brown locks, inhaling the fresh scent of Carmen's shampoo. And as she let her hands glide over her partner's curvaceous body, she wished that they could cancel the party and stay home. It would certainly be a lot more fun. In fact, she could think of several things they hadn't tried yet, and she imagined that Carmen would certainly enjoy the adventure.

"I don't know what to wear," said Carmen absentmindedly.

Halting for a moment to get herself back into the present, it took Ulrike a few seconds to catch up to Carmen's statement. When she finally did, she asked incredulously, "Wow, you've got a three-metre wardrobe and you can't find anything to wear?" and knowing that she had to postpone her sweet fantasies, she let go of her partner.

"I can't wear high heels yet, so I can't wear a dress," explained Carmen.

"Then wear pants," said Ulrike, not at all understanding the problem. She wouldn't be caught dead in a dress, and high heels... she had tried the high heels of her girlfriend as a teenager... after just two or three steps she stumbled and fell, twisting her ankle and spraining her wrist in the process. After that, she had decided that high heels were definitely not for her, and although she found women in high heels rather sexy, she couldn't help but wonder why anyone would want to walk around in such torture devices. It just didn't seem healthy.

"I don't have that many pants," argued Carmen.

"Great! Then the choice should be even easier," countered Ulrike and flopped down on the bed.

Levelling an exasperated glare at Ulrike, Carmen shook her head and said, gesticulating, "You just don't understand these things."

Grinning, Ulrike admitted, "True. I don't."

About half an hour later, Carmen was finally ready to go.

"You look gorgeous!" said Ulrike as Carmen took a last quick look in the mirror in the hallway.

Smiling at the compliment, Carmen still shook her head, "I do not. In the red dress I would look gorgeous."

"Nope," countered Ulrike, "In the red dress you look delicious."

Carmen laughed. "You're incorrigible."

As they were riding the lift down to the ground level, Carmen asked, "By the way, what are _you_ going to wear this afternoon?"

Raising her eyebrows, Ulrike glanced down at her front and then turned her gaze back to Carmen. Before she could say anything, Carmen remarked, "Please, don't tell me you were planning on wearing _these_!"

"Why not?" asked Ulrike.

"They are men's clothes!" Carmen stated in a voice that portrayed her annoyance at having to state the obvious. Sometimes she truly couldn't fathom why Ulrike was behaving as if she were dumb, especially when it came to fashion.

"Um, no, the shorts are actually unisex, if I remember correctly."

"It doesn't matter," said Carmen, "They look like men's shorts."

"You've never complained about my clothes - except for the boxer shorts," said Ulrike surprised.

"I do not complain about your clothes, Ulli. As long as we're in private you can wear whatever you like, and I actually find it rather attractive on you - except for the boxers. But we're going to see my parents and I'd rather you wear appropriate clothes."

"Wow, I didn't know an invitation to your mother's birthday included a certain dress code," said Ulrike as she pushed the lift door open and held it open for Carmen to exit.

Rolling her eyes, Carmen walked past Ulrike and headed for the front door.

Strolling through the luxurious departments of the _KaDeWe_ , Ulrike wondered what on earth had possessed her to agree shopping here. Sure, the luxury temple with its magnificent entrance hall was a feast for the eyes, but considering buying anything here seemed ridiculous to Ulrike. The only times she came here was when her aunt came for a visit.

Since Ulrike and her brother Norbert had been children, her mother had taken them to the restaurant 'Silberterrasse' whenever _Tante_ Hedwig and _Onkel_ Herbert visited. Nevertheless, neither her aunt nor her mother used to buy anything here. They contented themselves with a stroll through the departments, enjoying just marvelling at all the luxury items while _Onkel_ Herbert took the children to the nearby zoo. The ritual had continued even when Ulrike and Norbert were long grown up, though her brother stopped accompanying them to the zoo when he was 17. To the restaurant, however, he would still come even after _Onkel_ Herbert died. No wonder, thought Ulrike, her brother would never pass on the opportunity of a free meal.

"Look at these," Carmen roused Ulrike from her musings, presenting her with a pair of very feminine looking slacks.

Shrugging her shoulders, Ulrike said, "I don't think the colour suits you, but if you like them..." She wondered why Carmen would even stop in the clothes department. _Gosh, I hope she doesn't mean to suggest buying clothes as a birthday present for her mother,_ Ulrike mused.

"I wasn't thinking of me, Ulli. I think they would suit _you_ very well."

Ulrike's eyebrows shot up. "Me?! Are you kidding? I'm not going to wear anything with flowers on it."

"All right," said Carmen, rolling her eyes, "How about these," she pointed at a pair of pink summer pants.

"I'm not going to wear pink either," Ulrike stated adamantly. Didn't Carmen know by now that she wouldn't wear pink if her life depended on it? She was sure she had mentioned it more than once.

"Gosh, you are hard to please," said Carmen while she browsed through the slacks on the rack. "But look, they come in blue as well," and she pulled the hanger from the rack and presented the slacks to Ulrike.

"They don't have proper pockets," Ulrike pointed out. What was going on here anyway? Was her partner seriously trying to get her to buy a new outfit?

"Why on earth do you need pockets?" asked Carmen, truly not understanding why Ulrike was being so picky. To her these slacks looked perfectly fine, and she thought they would suit Ulrike just nicely.

"For my wallet and my keys," Ulrike responded, feeling as if she were stating the obvious.

"You won't find a proper pair of pants with pockets big enough for your enormous bunch of keys."

"They fit in mine," Ulrike said, pulling her bunch of keys from her pocket to prove it.

"Yeah, but they are men's shorts," said Carmen with a dismissive gesture.

"No, they are unisex, as I've told you already," argued Ulrike. "Look, it's almost noon and I still don't have a birthday present for your mother. Why don't you just let me wear my things and find me a present for your mother instead?"

Carmen, however, wouldn't budge. And thus, half an hour later, they left the women's wear department with a large _KaDeWe_ bag, which contained a tank top in khaki, a short sleeved shirt and a pair of slacks in beige, and a gold-coloured belt.

Bemused, Ulrike wondered how Carmen had managed to persuade her to buy the belt. Although, she did still remember all too vividly how Carmen had brought her the belt to her changing cubicle. Of course, Ulrike had refused to wear anything like that, but Carmen had stood there in front of the cubicle, her hands braced on either side, looking at her with those captivating brown eyes and told her in a sultry voice how hot she looked in the new outfit. Whenever Carmen used that particular voice on her, it sent warm shivers down Ulrike's body. However, at that moment under the given circumstances she had felt rather like a trapped rabbit. And then Carmen had surprised her by joining her in the cubicle and drawing the curtain. Then, surprising Ulrike even more, she had started to show her appreciation with a sensual kiss. Carmen had already half undressed her when Ulrike finally came to her senses as she heard voices from the adjacent cubicle. Carmen said she didn't mind, but Ulrike did, and to escape her lover's grasp, she had agreed to buy the damn belt if Carmen agreed to postpone their adventure till they got home.

Now, Ulrike wondered if Carmen had planned this all along. And while Carmen led her through the vast labyrinth of departments, Ulrike surmised that she would have to work on her defences.

"What do you want in the chinaware department?" asked Ulrike as Carmen slowed down and looked around. Getting almost everything she needed for her flat at IKEA's, Ulrike had hardly ever been in any department store's chinaware department, and she wondered why Carmen would drag her here.

"You'll see," said Carmen, smiling. "Ah, there they are!" And she breezed towards a shelf on which an assortment of porcelain items with a rose design were displayed.

Even though Ulrike would never have bought anything like this for herself, she did think that the items with the yellow roses looked rather pretty. She was pleasantly surprised, when Carmen told her that her mother loved yellow roses. She had numerous varieties of yellow roses in her garden and she already had many pieces of china with the yellow rose design. Carmen had bought the confectionery dish on foot and a silk scarf for her mother, and she thought that the little porcelain box would be a nice addition to her mother's collection.

Picking up the little box, Ulrike mused, "Hm... It's pretty, but she'll know that you chose it. I would never think of buying anything like this."

"What does it matter who chose the gift as long as it's pretty?" asked Carmen.

"Perhaps it doesn't," said Ulrike, looking ponderingly at the little box. "But I'd rather buy something practical."

Carmen looked at Ulrike, deadpan. "My mother has no use for tools."

Rolling her eyes, Ulrike explained that she wasn't thinking of tools. "Didn't you say that the gorgeous paintings in your flat are your mother's creation? Does she still paint?"

"Yes, she does," said Carmen absentmindedly while she was looking at a candle holder of the same pattern. "I think I'll get her this for Christmas. It's beautifully made."

"If she is still painting, couldn't she use something like paint or brushes?" Ulrike mused that if she was going to an effort with the gift choosing, she would really rather be true to herself and buy something of her own choice. A present that would let Carmen's mother know that she had given it some thought, a gift that would be more meaningful somehow.

"She has everything she needs," said Carmen as she put back the candle holder.

"You can never have enough paint as a painter," argued Ulrike, liking her idea more and more. "What kind of paint does she use - acrylics or oil?"

"I've got no idea," said Carmen. "But I'm sure she would love the little box."

Sighing, Ulrike said, "Okay, I'll take the box, but I'd like to have a look at the artists' supply department if there is one here."

#

As they were finally driving to Carmen's parents' place in _Nikolassee_ , Ulrike became increasingly nervous at the prospect of meeting Carmen's family. She still didn't fancy meeting José, and she hadn't yet met Carmen's father either. She had seen pictures of both, and Helmut Bauer looked like a kind enough fellow with his almost white hair and the laugh lines around his eyes. The laugh lines seemed to run in the family, as Carmen and her mother had them as well. It was a feature Ulrike found exceedingly attractive. Nonetheless, she wondered how the family would react to her as Carmen's partner, and she started to worry if buying the acrylic paint tubes in the wooden box had been such a great idea after all. Perhaps Carmen was right and she was being too practical. Perhaps Carmen's mother would indeed rather like something pretty. The few times she had seen Maria Bauer, she had looked quite fashionable. Well, she had bought the little porcelain box as well, so perhaps she shouldn't worry too much. To distract herself from her growing anxiety, she asked Carmen, "Are you looking forward to going back to work on Monday?"

Carmen sighed, and turning towards Ulrike, she said, "It's a pity that I had to spend most of the holidays in a cast, but yes, I'm looking forward to seeing my pupils again and to meeting the new ones." Carmen was truly glad for the distraction, as her apprehension of presenting her partner to her family was growing to rather uncomfortable proportions. It was the first time she was taking a female partner to visit her parents, and even though they had come to terms with her being a lesbian, she just wasn't sure how they would react.

"How many new classes will you be teaching?" asked Ulrike while she changed into the fast lane to overtake a car that attempted to park.

"Just one French class," said Carmen, "The two Spanish classes from last year are continuing."

"French? Didn't you have an English class?"

"Yes, but I won't teach English this year. They needed someone for French."

"I didn't know you taught French as well," said Ulrike with an admiring glance at her partner.

Smiling, Carmen said, "I haven't for the last three years. It's going to take some effort teaching it again, but it's a nice challenge, and it's only a junior class. I've taught English for over 20 years now, it's okay to take a break from it and take a French class for a change."

"I could never be a teacher," said Ulrike, "Too much work and no thanks for all your efforts; instead you have to cope with a bunch of annoying pubescent teenagers."

Carmen laughed. "At least I don't have to clean my car of vomit," she countered, referring to an incident Ulrike had told her about only a few days earlier.

Screwing up her face, Ulrike said, "It was the first time someone puked in my taxi in over 20 years! Up until then I had been truly lucky... well, except for the two times I had to clean it from blood stains and the occasional chocolate or ice cream stains... and the occasional chewing gum." Glancing at Carmen she concluded deadpan, "Needless to say, I hate driving kids!"

Laughing, Carmen said, "No, you're not a kids' person that much is obvious."

Ulrike smiled, and placing her right hand on Carmen's hand, she said, "But I'm glad that you are."

Changing lanes again, Ulrike slowed down in order to turn into the lane leading to their destination. It was a very green area, with lush gardens and trees lining the streets; and it was also one of the most expensive areas of Berlin. The street on which Carmen's parents lived was an old street, and, while they slowly rattled over the cobblestones, Ulrike thought that it was also a very beautiful street, with all the old mansions, the big gardens and the huge old trees.

"It's over there," said Carmen, pointing at a mansion on the left. "You can park behind..."

"José's car, I suppose," said Ulrike, the tone of her voice as well as her face clearly showing what she thought of José's new acquisition.

"Probably," said Carmen, while Ulrike manoeuvred her taxi behind the yellow sports car. "He didn't tell me that he was going to buy a Lamborghini Diablo, but I must say I find it even sexier than the Testarossa. Don't you think it looks gorgeous?"

Rolling her eyes at Carmen, Ulrike stated, "The design maybe pretty, but it should be prohibited to drive a car like that on public roads."

"My you are a grouch!" said Carmen as they got out of the car. And joining Ulrike at the boot, Carmen put a hand on her partner's arm and said, "Please, behave in front of my family, will you?"

Heaving a sigh, Ulrike said, "I'll do my best. Now, these are yours," and she handed Carmen the two bags that contained her birthday presents. Then, taking her own two bags, she closed the boot and followed Carmen to the front gate, a tad irritated as she had to keep her keys in her hands because the damn pockets of the new slacks weren't big enough. At least her wallet fitted into the back pocket after she had emptied it of the change.

The buzzer sounded, signalling that the gate had been unlocked. While Carmen opened the gate, her mother opened the front door and waved. " _Kommt rein, kommt rein, wir warten schon auf euch,_ " she asked them to come in, telling them that they were already waiting for them.

"But we are right on time," said Carmen, and embraced her mother, congratulating her, " _¡Feliz cumpleaños, Mamá!_ "

As Carmen stepped back, Ulrike took her keys into her left hand with which she also held the bag and congratulated, " _Alles Gute zum Geburtstag, Frau Bauer,_ " and she held out her hand for Frau Bauer to shake. Frau Bauer, however, pulled her into a hug instead and said, "Thank you." And as she let go of Ulrike, she said smiling, "But you must call me Maria. You are family now, no?"

Surprised, Ulrike cast a helpless glance at Carmen, taken aback for being offered the familiar ' _Du_ ' so soon.

"Yes, you are," said Carmen grinning. She understood Ulrike's confusion, but from that moment on she knew that her mother was going out of her way to prove that she was now accepting the fact that her daughter was a lesbian. And perhaps her attitude was also fuelled by guilt because she had not always been that accepting.

When Carmen finally came out to her parents several years ago, all her fears had been confirmed. Her parents, and especially her mother, had not been able to understand. However, Carmen had by then been confident enough to tell them that if they couldn't accept her as she was, she didn't want to have anything to do with them anymore. Funnily enough, her brother José as well as her grandmother Hertha had accepted her revelation without any problem, and in the following months they did their best to mediate between Carmen and her parents. By the time her parents finally decided that losing their daughter was far worse than her being a lesbian, Carmen's relationship was over, and thus her parents had not really had a chance to prove their change of mind. The subject simply had not come up for years – though, granted, her mother had also stopped nagging Carmen about marriage and having kids, which was a great relief.

" _Danke, Frau... äh... Maria,_ " stammered Ulrike, still not quite comfortable with being on first name basis.

"Now, come in, the men are waiting on the terrace," said Maria and ushered them through the house and into the large living room with its huge double glass doors that led onto the terrace at the back of the house.

Today, Maria wore her long dark brown hair, streaked with grey, in a low braided bun that looked awfully complicated to Ulrike, but nonetheless very pretty. It reminded her of tango dancers she had seen on TV, and she wondered if Maria could dance. Carmen could, and she had tried to persuade Ulrike to take lessons, but so far Ulrike had refused. Her opinion was that it was pointless, since they couldn't really go dancing together anywhere anyway; except for maybe at a disco, but for that you didn't need dancing lessons. But she could very well imagine Maria dancing the tango with her husband, as despite her age, it was clearly visible that she was a very passionate woman, just like her daughter. Perhaps, thought Ulrike, perhaps she might ask Carmen to teach her once she was fully recovered. Yes, now that she thought about it, dancing with Carmen in the privacy of her flat - now, that could be rather romantic. However, the romantic feeling left her when she spotted the others on the terrace.

Herr Bauer and José were standing near the grill, talking, and Ulrike immediately noted that they were both wearing shorts very similar to those that Carmen had objected to. And as Maria announced that she'd get the cake from the fridge, Ulrike grasped Carmen's arm and whispered, "How come they're allowed to wear shorts?"

"They are guys," stated Carmen and stepped outside, announcing their arrival and introducing her partner, so that Ulrike had to bite back her retort. She would have a word with Carmen later, she thought. She was already sweating in her newly acquired clothes, and since her partner hadn't even agreed to her buying a pair of shorts in the women's department, she somehow got the feeling that Carmen didn't want her to wear shorts only because she herself would never wear any, and not because her family thought shorts to be improper. And although Maria wore a rather pretty summer dress that looked quite fetching on her well-rounded figure, there was clearly no special dress code expected here.

While Carmen hugged José, telling him how she loved his new car, her father came forward, holding out his hand, and as Ulrike took it, he said, "Welcome to the family."

"Thank you," said Ulrike smiling, relieved as she met his open, smiling gaze.

"I'm Helmut, and this is my son, José," he pointed at the handsome man beside him who now offered his hand as well. Only slightly shorter than his father, José was about Ulrike's height, and with his dark brown eyes, his almost black hair slicked back with gel, his charismatic smile and his dark skin, he looked very much like an exotic gigolo \- just as Ulrike had seen him on the photo at Carmen's place.

Despite her effort to remain polite, Ulrike's smile vanished, and when she took José's hand, she couldn't help herself and squeezed it rather forcibly.

"Wow, you're quite strong," said José grinning as Ulrike let go. "Do you work out?"

"Yes, she does," said Carmen grinning nervously, before Ulrike could react. And to get her partner away from her brother, she grasped her arm with, "Come on, let's sit down and give Mamá her gifts."

Glad to get away from José, Ulrike took the gifts from the bags and handed them to Maria who was sitting at the head of the table. Then she sat down next to Carmen, and watched Maria unwrapping her birthday presents while Carmen poured the coffee and Helmut passed around slices of cake.

"Oh, what a lovely scarf," exclaimed Maria as she freed Carmen's gift from the wrapping paper. The confectionery dish followed, and thanking her daughter for the lovely gifts, Maria started to unwrap Ulrike's porcelain box. "Ah, I see my daughter has told you about my yellow rose collection," she said, smiling. "Now, what do we have here?" she said as she picked up the wrapped artists' box. Curiously, she unwrapped the wooden box and opened it; and as she saw what it contained, her eyes lit up and, excitedly clasping her hands together, she exclaimed, "How marvellous! What a wonderful surprise, Ulrike! Thank you!"

Slightly blushing, Ulrike looked nervously down at her Black Forest cake and said, "I wasn't sure if you use acrylics or oil..."

"I use both," said Maria, "But mostly acrylics. Oh, what a wonderful gift!"

"I'm glad you like it," said Ulrike, smiling, glad that she had insisted on buying a gift of her choice as well.

"I love it!" exclaimed Maria.

"I'd have thought you have everything for your painting," said Carmen, visibly surprised that her mother was so delighted with such a mundane gift.

"I do," agreed Maria. "But you can never have enough paint, and it's so nice that Ulrike thought of giving me something for my hobby."

Ulrike grinned, now extremely pleased with herself. "I really like your paintings. And I myself prefer practical over pretty, so I thought I'd get you something useful as well."

"And I thought you'd rather like something pretty," said Carmen a tad miffed. She was very glad that her mother seemed to have no problem with accepting Ulrike, but that she seemed to truly prefer Ulrike's presents over hers was rather a lot to take.

"Oh, Carmen, I do love your gifts as well," said Maria reassuringly. "But look, your father only ever buys me jewellery; he can't seem to help himself," she winked at him, and gently touching his arm, she quickly continued, "Not that I mind - I love jewellery. I love pretty things in general. But it's the first time that someone has appreciated the artist in me. It's not just because it's practical... José always buys me something 'practical'," she glanced at her son with an exasperated look, "Finally I managed to convince him that I neither need nor want any kitchen utensils as presents, and what did he give me this time - an electric blanket." Shaking her head, she put the artists' box on a side table next to the other gifts.

"You always complain about the cold," José defended himself.

"In winter, José, and outside - definitely not in the house," said Maria, "We've got central heating. And I've certainly never complained about being cold in bed."

Ulrike laughed at José's grimace; seeing Mr I-own-the-road be uncomfortable did give her a wickedly good feeling; and that he had failed to give his mother a present she appreciated enhanced her pleasure even more. Herr Bauer seemed to be amused as well, while Carmen groaned, "Too much information, Mamá!"

"Oh, come on, Carmen," said Maria, "Don't be a prude just because your girlfriend is present. What would you do if _Oma_ Hertha was here?"

Carmen let out an even louder groan. She was indeed glad that her grandmother was not coming today.

Seeing Ulrike cast a curious glance at Carmen, Maria explained, "My mother in law is not exactly known for her diplomatic approach."

"That's the understatement of the year!" said José.

"You'll meet her soon enough," said Carmen, already dreading that encounter. As much as she loved her grandmother, she didn't fancy Ulrike experiencing Hertha's sometimes rather blunt behaviour.

Her curiosity piqued, Ulrike swallowed a piece of cake and asked, "Why is she not here today? I hope she isn't ill."

"Oh, no, she's doing fabulously," said Carmen, "She's just been invited to her neighbours' diamond wedding anniversary today."

"Wow," said Ulrike, "That's a rare celebration. I've never known anyone who celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary."

"Well, we're getting closer to it," said Helmut with a loving glance at his wife. "It'll be our 45th anniversary next year."

"How remarkable!" said Ulrike and took a sip of coffee. "Did you meet here or in Argentina, if I may ask?"

"We met in Buenos Aires," said Helmut, and happily launched into telling Ulrike how he had finished his degree in architecture in 1947 and received an offer to go to Argentina. He became friends with the architectural draughtsman of the firm and when he met his beautiful daughter it was love on first sight. 11 years later he returned to Berlin with his wife and two children and founded his own company.

"Admirable!" said Ulrike once Helmut had finished, "It must be hard to live in a foreign country. I can't imagine ever migrating to another country, even if it was an English speaking one, which is the only other language I could manage at all apart from my rudimentary French."

"Well, things are different today," said Helmut, a sad smile on his face, "I never considered it to be a challenge. To me it was a gift from Heaven. Back then everything would have been easier than living in bombed out Berlin after the war."

Wincing in sympathy, Ulrike said, "Uh, I suppose that's right. I hadn't thought about it like that."

"It's all right. Be glad that you didn't have to experience it. It's not a nice time to remember."

Before her husband could launch into a lengthy discussion about the time of the war and especially the time afterwards, Maria started to recount her own experiences about living in a foreign country.

It hadn't been hard for her language-wise, as she grew up bilingual, and the culture shock wasn't so great either, as with her father being half German they kept many German traditions in her family. She only missed the surrounding natural beauty at first, but since they had moved to _Nikolassee_ where they had the large garden with the forest and the lake close by, she rarely felt homesick.

#

The afternoon passed quickly, and Ulrike listened to Maria's and Helmut's tales with interest while contributing one or two of her own. She was surprised how well the afternoon was progressing. The more she chatted with Carmen's parents, the more relaxed she became, and she was glad that she hadn't cancelled the invitation after all.

As Maria took a break to clear the table and to put the empanadas in the oven, Helmut also rose to help her. Ulrike was about to offer her help when she noticed that Carmen and José were talking about the Lamborghini. Completely forgetting about her intended offer, she looked sharply at her partner as she overheard José suggesting to Carmen to take her on a ride the next day.

Ulrike was about to voice her protest, but instead she barely suppressed a yelp as Carmen kicked her leg under the table. Clenching her jaw, she levelled a glare at Carmen that she hoped would tell her that they would have a lot to discuss once they were alone. It wasn't only that she didn't fancy Carmen going for a drive with José the kamikaze driver in his overpowered canary, it was also that she had planned to spend the day with Carmen; after all it was the last day before Carmen had to go back to work. And it was supposed to be a beautifully hot day. Ulrike had thought they might take a drive and have a nice picnic somewhere, maybe at one of the lakes. Or perhaps even a longer drive to some place in the surrounding area. She still felt a bit awkward when driving in the former GDR including the east side of Berlin - too many bad memories, she guessed - but she thought that perhaps Carmen might enjoy the adventure. She had been looking forward to this day, and she couldn't believe that Carmen was going to spoil it by spending it with her brother instead, and without even consulting with her.

Carmen returned Ulrike's glare with a raised eyebrow and a smirk that turned into a wide grin before she turned her attention back to her brother. She knew that Ulrike wouldn't want her to accompany her brother, but she loved sports cars, and she was looking forward to hearing the sounds and feeling the vibrations of the powerful engine of the Lamborghini while it ate away the kilometres at maximum speed. On a Sunday, and with the school holidays ending, there would hopefully be little traffic out of Berlin, and they would be able to get quite far with this new fantastic car, perhaps even as far as Munich. The way back would probably take a lot longer, but by that time, she hoped, even in that direction most of the holiday traffic should have ceased.

Reigning in her frustration, Ulrike turned back to Maria and Helmut who had just returned to the table. At least with them she didn't have to pretend being polite. And the appreciation of nature was, after all, something Maria and she had in common; however, having borrowed a few books on Argentina from the library after she met Carmen, Ulrike could understand very well that Maria would miss the fabulous natural beauty of her native country.

"Yes, you have to make do with what's possible here," said Maria, smiling. "The gladioli just won't grow as tall as they do in Argentina, and there are no hummingbirds feeding on them; but aside from yellow roses, they are still my favourite flowers."

"They are stunning," said Ulrike appreciatively as she admired the wonderful display of gladioli along the right side of the backyard. And letting her eyes wander over the rest of the skilfully designed garden, she thought that Maria's was indeed one of the most beautiful gardens she had ever seen, and she had seen a lot of gardens, as she often went for a walk in the allotment-garden area close to her home, and she told Maria so.

"Thank you," said Maria, "I just love gardening; it's almost like painting, it just takes longer for the picture to appear in its full glory."

"Indeed," said Ulrike, and lighting a cigarette, she continued, "However, I never had a talent for painting, but I think I would love gardening."

"You don't have a garden, do you?" asked Helmut.

Shaking her head, Ulrike said, "No, I don't even have a balcony, just a small wintergarden."

"You should see it," interrupted Carmen, "It looks like a jungle."

Ulrike grinned. "I just love buying plants. I buy them really small, thinking they would fit just nicely on the window sill in my office, and then they grow huge in no time and I have to put them in the wintergarden."

"You seem to have a talent for gardening then," said Maria.

Ulrike shrugged, "Perhaps, though I don't really do much apart from watering. I think plants just love the conditions. Both, my office and the wintergarden are south side."

"That would probably help," said Maria, "However, a friend of mine has a beautiful flat with all rooms being south side, and she can't even keep a cactus alive for more than a few months. She just has no talent when it comes to plants."

"But her baking skills are excellent," said Carmen.

"That they are, indeed," agreed Maria.

Leaning back, Ulrike relaxed just listening for a while as Carmen and her mother talked about people she didn't know. However, she carefully avoided looking at José, who was talking to his father about some business related matter. Helmut smiled at her as he caught her glance. She really liked Carmen's father, and she returned the smile. Except for José's presence and her far too warm clothes, she was really enjoying this visit.

As Maria got up to get the finished empanadas, Ulrike rose as well; this time offering her help. However, Maria declined, saying that she would manage on her own. And since Carmen was yet again chatting with her brother, Ulrike took off her shirt, and ignoring Carmen's disapproving glance, she draped it over the backrest of her chair and joined Helmut who was placing the _asado_ on the grill.

"It's hot today," remarked Helmut as he noted Ulrike in her tank top. "I've been wondering how you and my daughter can bear wearing such formal clothing."

Taking a quick glance at her partner and seeing that she was engrossed in her conversation with José, Ulrike thought that maybe this was the occasion to find out what kind of 'dress code' was really expected here. And leaning towards Helmut, she said in a low voice, "I can't really bear it. But I was told that wearing shorts and a T-shirt wouldn't be appropriate."

Turning towards the grill to hide his amusement, Helmut turned one of the steaks before he said in a conspiratorial voice, "Next time my daughter attempts to turn you into a fashion plate, you can tell her that I said you're welcome to wear whatever you like to my place."

Grinning, Ulrike said, "Thanks, I'll do that."

Helmut winked at her and as he returned his attention to the _asado_ , he asked, "You've got your own taxi business, I hear?"

"Yes," said Ulrike, "A one-woman business."

"Oh?" said Helmut surprised, "So, you're driving all on your own?"

"Yes. I've tried having a second driver once, but it wasn't worth the hassle."

Helmut looked at her thoughtfully. "It must be a lot of work, if you have to make a living from it without any help."

"It is," agreed Ulrike, "I work about 50 hours a week, sometimes more. But I don't mind. I love driving."

Nodding approvingly, Helmut said, "You must be very disciplined then," and he walked over to the table, gesturing Ulrike to follow.

"I guess I am," agreed Ulrike and following his example, she grabbed a serviette and took an empanada from the plate. She was about to return to the grill with Helmut, when Carmen stopped her, asking her to eat at the table.

"It's okay," said Helmut, and reassured Ulrike by putting a hand on her shoulder. "Come on."

As Maria saw Ulrike's reluctance, she added, "In Argentina we always eat empanadas with our hands."

"But we aren't in Argentina, Mamá," argued Carmen, visibly embarrassed as Ulrike followed Helmut with the empanada in her hand.

Grinning at Helmut, Ulrike whispered, "I prefer Argentinian customs."

And as Helmut agreed chuckling, Ulrike looked surprised at José, who got up, and, grabbing an empanada as well, joined them at the grill and said jokingly, "You German ladies go on eating prissy, I'll join the tough guys."

Despite her dislike of José, Ulrike couldn't help but join the others in their laughter. For some reason she found it rather flattering to be considered a 'tough guy'. And she felt a great sense of relief over being so easily accepted into the family.

Carmen had glared at José at first, but when all the others broke into laughter, she finally gave in and laughed as well. Perhaps she shouldn't have been so anxious about presenting her partner to her family. Obviously they had really come to terms with her sexuality. It surely seemed as though they had no problem whatsoever with Ulrike. They even sided with Ulrike instead of her. Unnoticed by the others, Carmen shook her head as she cut her empanada. She would never have dreamed of such an outcome; and as yet she wasn't sure if she liked it. Everyone loved Ulrike, and Carmen was happy for her partner, no question there. But somehow Carmen felt a bit as if she had been thrown on the scrap heap.

"She's a lovely person, your Ulrike," said Maria.

Forcing a smile, Carmen replied, "I'm glad you like her." And she glumly finished her empanada while her mother went on praising Ulrike as if she were a gift from God. And when her mother remarked that it was a pity that the two of them couldn't have children, Carmen reached for the bottle of wine to pour herself a third glass, unsure if she could take any more of this without getting as drunk as a skunk.

Ulrike was watching Helmut check the steaks, still trying to avoid looking at José, when he suddenly touched her arm and asked, "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

Tensing, Ulrike reminded herself to remain polite, and with her gaze still fixed on the grill she said, "Sure."

Running a hand over his gelled hair, José said, "You looked a bit pissed there earlier. Do you have any problem with me taking my sister for a drive?"

Surprised at his straightforwardness, Ulrike hesitated. Should she be just as honest? Would Carmen be mad at her if she told José what she thought about him and his driving style, and that he was ruining the day for her - a beautiful summer day that she had planned to spend with Carmen?

Before she could decide on a course of action, José went on, "Carmen told me that you're not particularly fond of me, and I'm sorry that you seem to have got the impression that I would recklessly endanger my sister. I assure you, nothing could be further from the truth. I love my sister dearly and believe me I have cursed myself to hell and back for landing her in hospital. Nonetheless, there really wasn't anything I could have done to prevent it." And reacting to Helmut's disbelieving growl, he repeated, "There really wasn't, Papa."

Finally turning towards José and looking directly into his eyes, Ulrike asked, "Did you drive in the same way as you did when you cut in on me earlier that day?"

Wincing under Ulrike's piercing stare, José pulled a contrite face and said, "I'm truly sorry about that, really. I was in a hurry. And to answer your question, no, I didn't 'drive like that'. We weren't in any hurry and I was even driving below the speed limit because the streets were still wet. Look, I am a passionate driver, all right, but I'm not suicidal. And I stress again that I would never endanger my sister."

Considering all he had said, Ulrike grudgingly had to admit that he did seem responsible enough to trust him - at least when driving his sister. She had also noted that, just like her, he had not touched the wine and was drinking water. Nonetheless, it was still bothering her that he would be taking Carmen for a drive the next day, and she asked, "All right, but couldn't you go for a drive another day?"

José shrugged. "Normally I'd say, yes, but I'm going to Buenos Aires to work on a partner project this coming Thursday, and I won't be back before October, maybe even November. And I don't need to tell you that by then the road conditions won't be as ideal anymore."

Ulrike breathed a heavy sigh. Now she really could no longer hold a grudge towards José, nor could she refuse to give her approval, without coming across like a possessive, overprotective asshole. And kissing good bye to her lovely day with Carmen, she finally agreed to their plans. However, she did let José know in no uncertain terms that she expected him to bring Carmen back safe and sound.

#

As they were driving home a few hours later, Ulrike felt so elated and relieved that she happily chatted away about the great time she had had and how fabulous she found Carmen's parents. She had even, albeit grudgingly, come to accept José as being a nice guy.

Carmen smiled weakly at that. She knew she should be delighted; after all, she had been nagging Ulrike about accepting her brother for weeks. Why couldn't she feel any happiness at all? Instead she only felt a numb emptiness inside her that she couldn't really explain.

Ulrike didn't notice her partner's pensive mood, and she went on chatting excitedly. "... and I'm so glad that your mother liked my gift. I was rather doubtful if she would appreciate the paints. I thought perhaps she would find it silly. But she loved it, she really loved it. Gosh, I can't tell you how relieved I was..."

Carmen didn't respond. And Ulrike didn't seem to expect a response anyway, she had already moved onto the next subject. And Carmen only listened half-heartedly while the numb emptiness grew inside of her, pulling her thoughts into a void of darkness.

As she turned into _Henriettenplatz_ , Ulrike finally noticed Carmen's quietness. Casting a glance at her, she thought that her partner looked awfully tired and also, probably had a few too many. Smiling indulgently, she decided to be considerate and halted in front of Carmen's apartment block and suggested, "You know what? You look tired. How about I just drop you off and I'll catch up with you tomorrow night?"

"You don't want to come up?" asked Carmen surprised.

Placing her hand on Carmen's knee, Ulrike said softly, "It's not that I don't want to, but it's going to take ages to find a parking place, and you look as if you're going to fall asleep any minute. And José will be picking you up at eight in the morning, so we wouldn't have much time for fun then either."

"You aren't making a fuss about me going on a drive with José?" Carmen's feeling of surprise grew by the minute.

Shaking her head, Ulrike said with a smirk, "I told him that if he didn't bring you back safe and sound I'll put his cojones on the _asado_ grill and make him eat them."

Carmen's jaw dropped. "You did not!"

Her smirk turning into a grin, Ulrike said, "Yep, sure did. And your father agreed with me and said he wouldn't stop me. Judging by José's face, he got the message, so I will trust him - for now."

Carmen looked down at her hands in her lap. The numb emptiness had been replaced by a dull ache inside her chest, and she was fighting back the tears that were threatening to spill over.

Ulrike gently caressed Carmen's hair off her face and said softly, "You are tired, _Liebling_. It's been a long exciting day. Go to bed, hm? You need your beauty sleep."

Carmen nodded and fumbled for the lock of the safety belt.

"Come on, I'll help you," said Ulrike, and while she freed her partner from the belt, Carmen grasped her handbag from between her feet, not even looking at Ulrike.

Ulrike was about to release her own safety belt in order to lean over and kiss Carmen good night, but Carmen didn't notice and reached for the door handle.

"Gosh, you must be awfully tired," said Ulrike as Carmen opened the door. "Call me tomorrow after your trip, will you?" she called as Carmen got out without a word.

Carmen only replied something unintelligible before she slammed the door shut.

Ulrike graciously interpreted Carmen's mumbling as an affirmation, and as she watched Carmen walk towards the entrance of the building, she wondered why her partner was so unusually tired. Normally Ulrike was the one who fell asleep first. And as soon as Carmen was out of sight, Ulrike drove off, hoping that her partner wasn't coming down with something. However, she was so elated remembering the events of the afternoon and musing over how well everything had turned out, she didn't dwell on Carmen's tiredness. Instead she drove home, happily reliving the afternoon moment for moment.

###

Taxi - Trauma

The story is set in August 1992 in Berlin

It wasn't yet seven o'clock when Ulrike woke up with a smile on her face. The morning sun was shining through the open windows, warming her feet; and the birds in the large back yard of her building complex were singing and chirping to greet the new day.

As she stretched languidly, her thoughts travelled to Carmen. She hoped that her partner was feeling better today. A good night's sleep and a fantastic day before her would certainly help Carmen to recover from the events - and the intake of alcohol - of the previous day.

Ulrike had never seen Carmen drink so much alcohol before, and she hoped it wasn't a regular occurrence but rather due to the stress it must have been for Carmen to introduce her girlfriend to her parents. Although, Ulrike thought, her own level of stress had definitely decreased during the afternoon, and the get-together had turned out to be a complete success. So, perhaps Carmen had just been so overwhelmed with relief that she felt the need of drinking alcohol to soothe her nerves. Shrugging, Ulrike concluded that Carmen certainly had her reasons, and she decided not to worry about it. Stretching once more, she finally hurled herself out of bed, wondering what she would do to fill her day.

In the bathroom, she was about to turn on the shower, when she thought that perhaps she could do some housework for a change. Having spent so much time with Carmen during the past weeks, Ulrike had neglected her flat quite a bit, and she was running short on knickers as well. Yes, she decided, some housework was definitely in order; and postponing the shower, she put on her last fresh pair of shorts, the one that had paint stains on it from last summer when she had renovated her flat, and an old muscle shirt that she only wore at home as it was a size too large and thus a bit too revealing, and went into the kitchen to have breakfast.

Unfortunately, with her having stayed at Carmen's place so often, she found her fridge glaringly empty. Sighing, she closed the fridge and opened the kitchen cupboard. " _Mist,_ " she cursed as she found that she didn't even have proper coffee left, only a half-full jar of instant coffee of which she wasn't too sure how long it had been there. Taking the jar out, she looked at the expiry date. Seeing that it wouldn't expire for another week if it had been closed, she opened the jar and inhaled the aroma. Wrinkling her nose, she shrugged and muttered to herself, "Well, I guess it'll have to do," and put the jar of coffee and an unopened jar of whitener on the table. Glancing at the sink, she muttered to herself, "Uh, yeah, have to do the dishes as well, oh joy!" Luckily, she still had the 18-piece coffee set that Gitti had once bought and hadn't wanted to take with her when she left. Ulrike didn't particularly like using any pieces of this set as she didn't like being reminded of Gitti, but she was glad that she had kept the set nonetheless for situations like this. Filling the electric kettle, Ulrike went on a search through her cupboards.

When she was finally sitting at the table with a cup of coffee and a plate of lentil stew for breakfast, she once again cursed the rigid German law that forbade shops to open on Sundays. The only alternative would have been to drive to a petrol station with a shop, but the closest one to Ulrike's place didn't really have the greatest variety of foods anyway, so she contented herself with a big tin of lentil stew with sausages until she decided to drive to a petrol station with a larger shop.

#

At five minutes to eight José halted the Lamborghini in the no standing area in front of his sister's apartment building and turned off the engine as not to attract the attention of the residents. Not a breeze stirred the already warm summer air on this Sunday morning. Pushing up his Ray-Ban sunglasses, José reached for his mobile phone and called his sister.

He was beginning to wonder why Carmen didn't answer when he finally heard her voice, " _Ja?_ "

"Hey _Schwesterherz_! I'm downstairs, ready when you are."

"Oh," Carmen sounded surprised, "I'm sorry, I overslept."

José's eyebrows shot up, causing his sunglasses to drop down on his nose. His sister never overslept! Gosh, hopefully he hadn't interrupted more than just Carmen's sleep... "Uh, no problem. Say hi to Ulrike."

Carmen hesitated before she replied, "She isn't here. Can you give me 15 minutes?"

"Uh, sure, no problem. But I'm on no standing, so if I'm not here when you get down, I'll be driving around the block."

"Okay. I'll try to be quick."

"See you in a bit." José cut the connection and put the phone on the passenger's seat. Pushing his Ray-Bans back up, he leaned back in his seat and wondered why Ulrike wasn't there. And if she wasn't there, why had his sister overslept? Carmen was never late. From when they were children his sister had been notoriously punctual. Even yesterday, when she came with Ulrike, she had been on time, and he was only there before her because he had discussed business with his father in the morning and hadn't left after that. However, whenever he and Carmen met, she always arrived at least five minutes early. That's why he had been overly punctual today, even though it had cost him some effort. But he hadn't wanted her to wait for him standing with her leg still not fully recovered. It just figured - the first time in his life he arrived earlier than his sister and then she had overslept for the first time. Shaking his head at the irony, he pulled a cigarette out of his black metal cigarette case and lit it with his gilded lighter. Inhaling deeply, he put the case and the lighter back into his polo pocket. He still couldn't fathom why his sister had overslept. Had Ulrike been there, he could have imagined why his sister was acting so totally out of character, but... ah, he thought suddenly, perhaps Ulrike had left late. _Yes, that must be it. They probably had some fun last night, and Ulrike left because they wouldn't have time in the morning anyway_. Relieved that he had found a probable reason for Carmen's uncharacteristic behaviour, he switched the radio on and leaned back again, a smug grin on his face.

Meanwhile Carmen stood under the shower, inwardly cursing herself. How could she have forgotten to set the alarm? She never forgot setting the alarm when she had an appointment - be it in the morning or at any other time of the day. From an early age she had learned that being late was unacceptable; and although her brother rarely was on time and thus would certainly not mind her being late once in her life, she was still annoyed with herself for making him wait. She wasn't particularly happy either, when she remembered the previous night.

Once she was alone in her flat, the tears had finally started to fall, and it had taken her until the wee hours to finally calm down and fall asleep. The events from yesterday still stung. She wasn't even sure why she was reacting this violently, but somehow the way her family had accepted Ulrike had caused long buried memories to surface, and although a tiny part of her rational mind insisted that she was being childish, she couldn't help feeling the way she felt. But even though she would normally have been thrilled to go for a drive with her brother, today she wished she could cancel and stay at home. But it was too late for that. If at all, she would have had to cancel right away once he called, but shaking her head, Carmen knew that even if she had thought of it then, she wouldn't have cancelled anyway. One did not cancel an appointment at the last minute, except in an emergency; and since her depressed feelings truly couldn't be called an emergency, cancelling would have been utterly rude. And perhaps, she thought, the drive would help distracting her from being miserable. If only the previous day had gone differently; if only her hurtful memories had remained buried. As it was though, she mused, she should probably be grateful that her father only ever offered the best quality wines. With her unusually large intake of alcohol the previous evening, she would otherwise most certainly have to deal with a terrible hangover on top of everything.

Shutting off the shower, she drew the shower curtain aside. Despite being in a hurry, she was still very much aware how fragile her leg felt, and thus she carefully stepped out of the bath tub. Towelling herself, she wondered if, now that she was late anyway, she should take the time to dry her hair or risk not looking her best and letting the already hot summer air dry it. Glancing at herself in the mirror, she decided that looking bad on top of being late would be too hard for her to bear, and she reached for her brush and the dryer.

#

Ulrike was singing along to 'Everytime We Touch' on the radio while she put the clean dishes in the respective cupboards and the washing machine rumbled away with the first load of laundry. Despite not being able to spend the day with Carmen as she had planned, Ulrike found herself in an exceptionally good mood, and doing the housework went quicker than she anticipated. It was actually rather fun to clean everything and get some order into the chaos that had developed during the last weeks. And despite still not being entirely comfortable with José's choice of cars and his driving style, she felt happy for Carmen, knowing that her partner would have a ball driving with her brother in his Lamborghini. Though, seeing that it was already quite hot, Ulrike hoped for Carmen's sake that José's macho car had air conditioning. Well, she thought, considering what the thing had cost, it would be rather shabby if it came without air conditioning. She herself had never bothered to pay extra to have one for the few really hot days they had in Germany. Usually, she simply took the day off if it was as hot as this. But she had invested in an auxiliary heating unit, and every winter she was glad about having made that decision.

Smiling, Ulrike put her Garfield cup in the cupboard. Carmen liked Garfield too, and although you would never find such a kitschy item in Carmen's flat, she had used this cup the few times she had been at Ulrike's place. That was when her flat had still been in order... Ulrike cringed at the thought of Carmen seeing her flat in its current state, and determined, she continued putting away the dishes.

#

As Carmen finally left the house, José was just returning from a drive around the block. Again, he halted in the no standing area, and Carmen was granted a first distraction when she marvelled at the upwards opening scissor door. " _Das is ja irre_!"

José grinned. "Yeah, the doors are pretty cool. Hop in and be charmed by the rest of this beauty."

Admiring the interior of the car, Carmen said, "It really is a beauty," and climbed into the passenger's seat, mindful not to step on José's cooling bag in the leg room. Setting her handbag between her feet, she inhaled the scent of the leather interior and let her fingers glide over the exquisite, hand-stitched black leather of the dashboard and the centre console.

José quietly let her explore, bathing in her obvious admiration of his new acquisition.

As she finally pulled down the door, it closed with a solid thud. "Mmh, nice sound!"

"Yeah, but the sound of the engine is even nicer," said José grinning with pride and joy, and putting the car into first gear he waited for Carmen to fasten her seatbelt and then asked, "Are you ready?"

Carmen looked at him, her eyes wide with excitement and a happy smile on her face. "Yes!"

"Great," said José, and turning the car around at the first possibility, he headed for the Kurfürstendamm to get to the autobahn. At the first red light, he took the opportunity to show off the marvellous sound of his super car by revving the engine. Grinning at Carmen, he asked with his voice raised above the noise, "Isn't the sound truly awesome?"

Carmen looked sceptical. "I don't know. I prefer its natural sound over the revving."

Making a face, José said, "Spoilsport!" Then the light turned green and he let go of the clutch, tyres squealing on the hot asphalt as the car sped forwards.

Carmen was pressed into the seat, but only for a second; then José had to break off the accelerating as not to exceed the speed limit. They were still on a normal city street after all. Carmen rolled her eyes; her brother was such a show off.

"By the way," said José when he turned right into Halenseestraße, "While I was waiting, they said on the radio that, due to an accident, there's a major traffic jam on the A9, so I suppose you can kiss Munich good bye and it's Hanover once again, and then wherever you want to go from there."

"Ah, well," said Carmen, "I haven't had breakfast yet, and I wouldn't be thrilled at having to eat anywhere in the GDR, so that actually suits me. How about a late breakfast in Brunswick?"

"I'm game," said José as he merged into the traffic of the city ring road. "And it's not the GDR anymore; it's the new states of Germany."

"I know," said Carmen, "But would you want to have breakfast there?"

"Why not? There are some perfectly fine restaurants and cafés there, you know?"

"Well, maybe for your taste," countered Carmen, not quite believing that she could find a place to her liking in the... former... GDR. Maybe in 10 years, but certainly not so shortly after the reunification.

"You're just like Papa, though at least he's got a reason for being judgemental," said José a tad miffed.

"So have I," said Carmen, "I loved Uncle Walter. However, that they shot him has nothing to do with the fact that their food is horrible."

"And I tell you that it isn't anymore," argued José as they drove south on the Avus. "They are using western products now, maybe not everywhere, but they do in many places. And I loved Uncle Walter too, and it is terrible that he was shot, but that's in the past. Most people in the new states are just like you and me, and they despised the firing order."

Sighing, Carmen said, "Perhaps you are right, but I'd still prefer to have breakfast in Brunswick."

"No problem. That nice little café with the terrace in front, where we were last time?"

"Yes, I liked that one," said Carmen, relieved that her brother let the subject drop.

They were silent for a while, and Carmen absently looked out of the window as they drove out of Berlin, heading for the A2 towards Hanover. The weather was truly fantastic, not a cloud on the clear blue summer sky. However, it wasn't long before Carmen's thoughts drifted back to the previous night.

Why did her mother never praise her as she did Ulrike? As for her father, he had taken to Ulrike as if she were their long lost son. He had never taken Carmen aside in such a comradely way. Even though she had always craved for his attention and his approval, the most she ever got from him was a "Well done." No pat on the shoulder, no taking her aside to converse privately at the asado grill. While from her mother she never got any praise at all; her usual comment when Carmen had achieved something was, "What's your next goal?" Why did she always have to have a next goal? Why couldn't her parents just once be content with what she had achieved? It wasn't even that her parents were incapable of praising and showing pride \- they did it all the time with regards to José and they even praised Ulrike, although they didn't even know her; and she was only a bloody taxi driver! Not that Carmen minded that in the least, it simply bothered her that she couldn't figure out any sort of pattern in her parents' behaviour. Her whole life she had thought it was because José was their son, and thus the heir to their father's company, and that him being male was what made the difference for them. But Ulrike wasn't their son and she wasn't male, even if she behaved like one sometimes, and she wasn't managing a big company either. So, what was it that made them behave so differently?

#

Having swept and mopped the kitchen floor, Ulrike took the bucket to the bathroom and poured the dirty water into the loo. Looking down at herself, she raised her eyebrows. Good thing, she was wearing her old clothes, she thought. Not only had she splattered herself with the dirty water, but she was also drenched in sweat, and on top of it she had accidentally knocked over the coffee mug and the spilled remains now graced her shirt and shorts. Shaking her head, she grabbed the laundry basket and headed back to the kitchen. Well, at least the kitchen was now presentable, she thought, as she admired her work. Taking a deep breath, she walked over to the washing machine.

As she walked through the living room to get to the wintergarden, she noticed the mess there, " _Mann, hier sieht's aus wie bei Hempels unterm Sofa_!" and she decided that she would tidy up the living room next, and then she definitely needed to vacuum.

While she was hanging the laundry on the clothes horse, she noticed that it was already rather hot, which was good because that way the laundry would dry quickly and thus she could possibly do another load in the afternoon. A shame, really, she thought, to spend such a beautiful day with housework, as satisfying as it might be to have a clean flat. Sighing, she wondered when Carmen would be back from her trip. Perhaps they could at least have a nice evening together. They could go to Renato's brother's Italian restaurant. It would be nice to eat on the little garden terrace. It would definitely beat lentil stew from the tin! Heck, she thought, she might even go there alone for dinner if Carmen didn't have time. After all, she had been to restaurants on her own for years before she met Carmen, and although it was much nicer to go out with a partner, Ulrike certainly wouldn't become a hermit whenever Carmen wasn't available. Neither did Carmen mind doing things without Ulrike, obviously, and Ulrike was actually very glad about that. With Gitti she had hardly got the chance to do anything on her own, as Gitti had insisted on doing almost everything together. And although it had hurt when Gitti left, it had been a relief for Ulrike that she would no longer be dragged to parties and discotheques with Gitti hanging onto her arm the entire time while she chatted with her pals, with whom Ulrike had nothing in common, about subjects that didn't interest her in the slightest. In hindsight, Ulrike sometimes wondered how they had even managed to remain together for almost ten years, as apart from their love for plants and IKEA furniture they really hadn't had much in common. Perhaps it had only been for lack of other opportunities. After all, Gitti meeting her new girlfriend via employing her in her flower shop was almost as much a miraculous coincidence as Ulrike finding Carmen via her being Ulrike's passenger.

Ulrike was extraordinarily grateful that the fates had brought them together. Carmen was so different from Gitti, and she shared quite a few things in common with Ulrike. They both loved going for walks - though due to Carmen's accident they hadn't been able to share this interest yet; they mostly liked the same music and films; they loved talking about other countries and cultures, and their political views were similar as well. And despite her gorgeous looks and her habit of gesticulating which both suggested a rather temperamental personality - and she could certainly be temperamental at times - Carmen was actually a rather reserved person most of the time. And she was a terrific cook! Thinking of Carmen's cooking skills, Ulrike wished Carmen would return early enough to invite her over for some delicious Argentinian dinner. However, she realised that the chances for that were next to zero, and sighing, she pinned the last piece of laundry to the line.

#

Carmen and José had passed Helmstedt, the road was better now than during the drive through the new states, and for the first time there was no speed limit. When José floored the accelerator, Carmen rejoiced at the feeling of the powerful car as she was pressed into the seat. The excitement of driving at almost full speed finally stopped her gloomy thoughts, and although her heart beat rapidly she felt light and free as fields and trees flew by so fast it almost seemed as if they would take off any minute.

Unfortunately the joy only lasted for a few minutes, as shortly before Brunswick the traffic became heavier, and José had to slow down. Carmen marvelled at the distance they had crossed in this short amount of time. Despite having been on short trips with José before, the velocity of his super cars never ceased to amaze her. Up until this day, she had never felt the urge to drive this fast on her own, but today she wondered how it would feel if she herself was controlling this fabulous car at such speed. But she didn't know how José would feel about that, and for some reason she didn't want to ask to find out.

José had slowed down considerably now, and, preparing to leave the autobahn, he had changed into the right lane. "Woo," he expelled his breath, "That was awesome!"

"Indeed!" said Carmen with a happy grin on her face.

"Could you pass me the water please?"

"Sure," said Carmen and reached for the cooling bag at her feet. Taking out José's bottle of water, she unscrewed it and passed it to him.

"Thanks," said José and took a large gulp, while Carmen did the same with the bottle of Perrier he had packed for her.

"Now," he said, as he returned the bottle to her, "You've been unusually quiet today. Are you sick or have I just bored you speechless with all my business talk?"

Carmen cringed as all her depressing thoughts returned with a vengeance. Nonetheless, she managed to smile as she said, "Neither."

Leaving the autobahn at Brunswick, José began talking about what he thought of Ulrike, thinking that by mentioning her girlfriend he could get his sister to talk. However, he didn't get very far as Carmen interrupted him, "Yeah, I know everybody loves her."

Casting a surprised glance at Carmen, he asked, "Where did that come from? Aren't you happy that Mama and Papa have taken to her so quickly?"

"Of course I am," said Carmen, "It's just... oh I don't know."

"What? Trouble in paradise?" Uh, oh, he thought, hopefully he hadn't stirred up a hornet's nest with this subject.

"No. Not really," said Carmen evasively.

"What then?" asked José, genuinely wondering what was the matter with his sister.

Carmen only shrugged. She really didn't want to talk about what was bothering her, and she wouldn't know how to explain it anyway.

"Come on, you can tell me. I'm your favourite brother, after all."

"You're my only brother," said Carmen dryly.

"Well, there's that," said José grinning. However, he was beginning to worry about his sister, and thus he continued probing. "Come on, _Schwesterherz_ , tell me what's bothering you."

Sighing, Carmen said, "I don't know. I'm happy that you all like her, I really am. I just can't feel it."

"And why is that?" asked José as he concentrated on changing lanes.

"I don't know. It's just... she comes in there, gives Mamá a bunch of stupid paint tubes as a present, eats like a barbarian and still everybody loves her."

José laughed as he navigated through the streets of Brunswick. "And what do we learn from that? We are lousy when it comes to choosing gifts for Mama, and eating like a barbarian is perfectly acceptable."

"My gifts were not lousy!" protested Carmen.

"No, right, yours were at least appreciated, so it's just me who's the lousy gift chooser. Maybe I'll buy paint tubes the next time; after all, she said you can never have enough paint, didn't she?" He grinned at Carmen and turned into the street that led to the café.

"Yeah, she did," said Carmen. "And perhaps I'm going to buy her something for her painting too for Christmas. But I'm not going to start eating like a pig to get attention."

José halted the Lamborghini in front of a small café with an outdoor terrace. "I don't think Ulrike ate that empanada with her hands to get attention, she only did it because she saw Papa doing the same."

As they got out of the car and walked to the terrace together, Carmen said, "You know, I really don't understand you. She threatened to roast your balls and you still side with her."

José made a face as they took their seats at a table for two in a corner with the Lamborghini in view; and they both reached for the menus on the table.

Putting his sunglasses on the table, José looked at the menu and said absentmindedly, "It's a men's thing. We simply understand each other."

"Ulrike isn't a man," said Carmen annoyed, while she perused the breakfast choices.

Looking up at his sister, José began, "Maybe not..."

"Most definitely not!" Carmen interrupted, gesticulating with the menu as she glared at her brother.

Raising his hands in a calming gesture, José relented, "All right, she's not. But we still understand each other."

"How can you understand each other when you just met for the first time yesterday?"

José shrugged and grinned, "It's a men's thing."

As Carmen gave him an exasperated glare, José chuckled and elaborated, "Look, you don't really think that she would ever act on her threat, do you?"

Carmen thought about that and admitted, "She probably wouldn't."

"Most definitely not," said José, purposefully using Carmen's earlier choice of words, and putting the menu aside, he went on, "And neither would Papa stand by and let her do it."

"I guess not," said Carmen and put her menu aside as well. She was about to go on, however, they had to postpone their conversation as the waitress appeared at the table.

" _Guten Morgen die Herrschaften. Was darf ich bringen_?"

"I'll have a French breakfast, a pot of coffee and a large glass of water," said Carmen, and while the waitress jotted down the order, José said, "A pot of coffee and a large glass of water for me too, and I'll have the full breakfast."

The waitress noted José's order as well and then asked, " _Darf es sonst noch was sein_?"

José looked at Carmen, and when she shook her head, he said, "No thank you, that's all for now."

Carmen waited till the waitress had disappeared, then she looked at José and began, "Okay, so they weren't being serious..."

"Oh, they were very serious," interrupted José.

Carmen looked at him with a gaze that portrayed annoyance as well as confusion; and José elaborated, "Look, they weren't serious with their threats, but they were very serious with regards to their intention. What they were basically telling me was that they accept me as I am and approved of me taking you on a trip; but they also reminded me that they love you very much and that they would be devastated if anything happened to you - especially while being with me in my car."

Carmen eyed him suspiciously and asked, "That's the way you interpret it when someone threatens to grill your nuts?"

Looking at her deadpan, José said, "In that situation, yes." As Carmen only gave him a disbelieving stare, he said, "Ask Ulrike if she meant it like that, and see if I'm right." And taking a sip of water from the glass the waitress had just silently brought, he leaned back and watched his sister thinking.

#

"Gosh, this is unbelievable," muttered Ulrike as she picked up an empty pizza box from under the coffee table. It had been three days ago that she had that pizza delivered, and Ulrike was seriously aghast at herself for having mutated into such a pig. It was no excuse that during the last three or so weeks she had spent very little time at her flat as she had spent most of her days with Carmen and afterwards worked till the sun set, thus coming home late and thoroughly exhausted. Disgusted, she shoved the box into a large bag that was already half full with old TV-guides, newspapers, used pieces of kitchen paper, and two plastic bags from the _Imbiss_ that now only contained the wrapping paper and the used paper plates, serviettes and currywurst forks. She really had to get a grip on her life! It was all fine to be walking on cloud nine, wearing rose-coloured glasses - for a while. However, the sobering shock when looking at the mess she had produced during this time told her that it was time to get down to earth and take off said glasses.

Carmen of course didn't have such trivial problems, thought Ulrike with a touch of envy. Carmen had a cleaning lady coming once a week. Well, and Carmen neither ate _Imbiss_ food nor did she have food delivered - she either cooked herself or she went out. But Carmen also hadn't had to work during the last seven weeks. Ulrike had taken off time as well, which was okay since she always took a holiday during summer, but she couldn't have afforded to take a break of seven weeks. After all, her taxi wasn't going to last forever and since she would never buy anything on credit, she had to make sure that she saved enough money during the lifetime of one car to afford a new one once repairs got too costly; incidentals had to be taken into account, and of course all her regular expenses had to be paid as well. Luckily with the sun setting so late in June and July, Ulrike could compensate the hours she missed during the day by driving into the night. And with Carmen going back to work, Ulrike could now switch back to her usual routine, just in time, as with the sun setting earlier in August she had occasionally driven past her usual comfort zone. In private, she didn't mind driving at night, but she preferred not to take passengers when it was dark - a conclusion to which she had come in her first year as a taxi driver when two of her colleagues had been mugged on their night shifts. Driving during the day was a lot safer, and she was looking forward to meeting some of her colleagues again at one of her favourite lunch places.

#

Meanwhile Carmen had been warming up to the argument. "I love her to bits, José, but it's just like it's always been with you. You always got all the attention. You always had lots of friends, you were always chosen first in any sports team, you were even chosen to be class representative and that although your marks were only mediocre and your sense of responsibility sucked..."

"But the teachers hated me," said José while he spread butter on his bread roll. "I always got to hear 'why can't you be more like your sister', 'follow your sister's example, she always does her homework, she always behaves, she's always responsible, she always gets the best marks, she's never late'. Can you even imagine how hard it is to live up to your reputation?"

"I can. I had to live up to it as well, you know," Carmen said, having no mercy for her brother now that she had opened the 'doors' to her frustration and she let all her long piled up anger pour out. "And nonetheless it was you Papá wanted as his partner from when you were a child."

José halted in his bread roll preparation and gaped at his sister. "You were never interested in the business! And you own a quarter of the shares even though you don't contribute anything to the firm. What more do you want?" José really didn't understand what Carmen's problem was. Their parents had hardly ever scolded or punished her for anything, instead they showered her with gifts for her achievements, while he on the other hand had been grounded so many times that he had stopped counting at some point; and whenever he had wanted something he got to hear that he should first get better marks at school. Yes, their father had set all hopes on him with regards to becoming his partner, but that had come at a high price, while for Carmen there had never truly been any expectations as far as he knew. Nonetheless, he and Carmen had been close almost all their life. He didn't remember much of their life in Argentina, but he still remembered that Carmen had cried almost the whole passage because she had to leave her best friend behind; but when they stepped off the 'Alberto Dodero' at the harbour of Hamburg even Carmen had stared in amazement. It was winter in Germany and for the first time in their life they experienced snow falling, and they both danced around, trying to catch the snowflakes. However, this joy had been only temporary, as he remembered that Carmen had been very sad for a long time. To distract herself she had spent a lot of time with him, reading to him and playing games. In the new school she didn't have any friends, and she didn't want to go exploring the neighbourhood because everything was so strange to her. For many years José had been her only friend, and although her love had occasionally been rather smothering, he still remembered fondly how she had spoiled him, spending most of her pocket money on sweets that she then shared with him. It hadn't done her figure much good back then, while he could always eat whatever he wanted and still remained underweight. He knew that she hadn't been happy when he began school and started spending time with his friends instead of her, but she had adapted - he thought. She had spent a lot of time with their mother then, learning how to cook and bake and help with the housework. This was the first time she had ever voiced such resentful thoughts, and he really couldn't fathom what she wanted. And he had thought he knew his sister...

"I don't know," Carmen sighed, annoyed with herself; and she listlessly put a slice of Camembert on her bread roll. Somehow she had lost all her appetite.

#

Meanwhile Ulrike was on a roll. Her living room had lost its resemblance to a pigsty and deserved its name again now that she had tidied up; and she had lugged the large rubbish bag next to the front door to take it with her the next time she went downstairs.

She was about to get the vacuum cleaner when she decided to take a peek into her office. " _Oh Mann_!" she sighed, "I really have to get some order into this chaos." She stepped into the room, and dodging a box that contained a new pair of windshield wipers on her way to the desk, she was reminded that she'd have to change those too. Not necessarily today, but rather sooner than later. Looking down at the piles of bills and letters on her desk, she decided to postpone this for another day and only picked up the mug of coffee. Wrinkling her nose as she noticed the thick layer of mould, her look fell on the little malachite elephant that Carmen had bought for her last week, saying that it reminded her of Ulrike's eyes and her strength. Smiling, Ulrike picked up the little figurine. She didn't think the green of her eyes was actually that dark and vibrant, and she certainly wasn't strong as an elephant, but she loved the sentiment. Carmen was such a generous person, and she obviously rejoiced in giving gifts. Ulrike didn't like going shopping, and she didn't particularly like choosing gifts, but she loved taking Carmen flowers - of course not from Gitti's shop. Carmen loved all sorts of flowers, and it was so nice seeing her close her eyes when she put the bouquet to her nose and inhaled deeply, relishing in the fragrance. Sighing at the pleasant memory, Ulrike set the elephant back on the desk to continue with her housework. Leaving her office, she closed the door and continued to the kitchen where she set the mug into the sink, next to all the other mugs and dishes she had gathered from the living room earlier. Shaking her head in disgust, she decided that she really had to get a grip on her housework. She hadn't had to clean up such a disgusting mess since her university days, and she definitely didn't want to fall back into that habit.

Back then she had shared a flat with four other students, none of them particularly tidy, and two of them regularly too stoned to care about or even notice the mess around them while the Beatles resounded loudly from the battered speakers of an old portable record player that one of them had found at the rubbish collection and 'repaired' the broken cartridge with duct tape and a 10 Pfennig coin.

As bad as the sound quality had been, Ulrike mused while she got out her vacuum cleaner; at least you were still able to repair most things with rather cheap methods, while nowadays she wouldn't even try repairing her new stereo system or her vacuum cleaner for that matter. And although she found that development rather a pity - in some cases, she'd wish she weren't capable of repairing things, Ulrike pondered as she vacuumed the hall, - like all the old rust buckets her brother used to drive till they fell apart. And although she loved her brother despite all his shortcomings, she couldn't help envying Carmen for having a brother who was successful and who certainly never asked Carmen for money or help; and even though José's taste with regards to cars was questionable, at least his car wouldn't need fixing every other month.

She wondered where Carmen and José were now. She had heard them talking about driving to Munich. They might already be in Bavaria by now, unless they had stopped for breakfast before. However, Ulrike didn't think Carmen would like eating anywhere in the former GDR, but perhaps she had prepared a picnic. Perhaps they were enjoying some marvellous five-star picnic at this moment, with the beautiful Bavarian scenery surrounding them. Sighing with envy, Ulrike wiped the sweat off her face and started vacuuming the living room.

#

"They serve a great coffee here, don't you think?" asked José as he placed his cup back on the saucer. His sister had been silently brooding for quite a while and this was the only topic he could think of at the moment that would hopefully not aggravate his sister even more.

Carmen shrugged, "I prefer the mild arabica coffee from Tchibo, but this one is okay too."

"Gosh, you really are hard to please today," said José; and giving up on further conversation, he prepared his last bread roll.

He was right, thought Carmen, she was hard to please today. Why did she have to compare the coffee with her favourite brand? There was absolutely nothing wrong with this coffee, and normally she would simply have agreed with José's statement. She'd have taken it for what it was - an entry for a conversation, and she would have launched on it, happily chatting away with whatever came to her mind. But she wasn't in the mood for chatting today. She wasn't in the mood for anything. It would have been better to cancel the trip and stay at home instead of spoiling the fun for her brother too.

José's sudden intense watchful gaze towards his car made Carmen turn her head to the side.

A group of teenagers had gathered around the Lamborghini and their admiring comments drifted over, causing José to relax with a smug grin on his face. God, sometimes she hated her brother. It wasn't enough that everybody admired him and his cars, no, he had to flaunt it too.

Relaxed, José took a bite from his bread roll and leaned back. The kids were only admiring his car, no need to worry. Smiling, he thought back at his teenage years and how he had always gaped at any sports car he spotted, vowing to himself that one day he would own one of those beauties himself. Now he no longer had to stare from the outside, only dreaming about what it would be like to drive such a car. He could actually feel the power of the car for real... the power of 492 horses. He had made it. Goal accomplished. One goal, anyway. He still hadn't achieved finding himself a proper girlfriend, one he would consider marrying. It wasn't that there weren't enough women interested in him, there were actually far too many for his taste. But most of them were just after his money or they were drawn to his looks, or both... mostly both, he guessed. But he wanted a girl who'd look beyond the façade, one with whom he could have intelligent conversations... he wanted a girl like... Carmen, he realised. However weird she was behaving today, they usually had a lot of fun together and they could talk till the cows come home. She didn't care about his money... she had enough herself. And as his sister, of course she cared more about his character than about his looks. Though considering her outbursts today, perhaps he had totally misjudged her. He looked at her pensively, while he finished his roll. She looked so disgruntled, he thought, that if she were a cartoon character, she'd be portrayed with dark clouds hanging low over her head. He involuntarily had to chuckle at that image, and quickly masked it by pretending to cough. He certainly didn't want her to get even more aggravated by thinking he was mocking her.

However, Carmen was so lost in her own gloomy thoughts; she hadn't even noticed him chuckling.

#

Ulrike was finally done with the vacuuming, and she had even shampooed the part of the carpet in the living room where she had spilled coffee the other day. She would still have to water the plants, put clean sheets on the bed and do another load of laundry before she would call it a day, but now, she was taking a break for lunch.

Pouring some vinegar over the rest of lentil stew she had heated up, she pondered if Carmen ever ate anything as mundane as lentil stew. Well, if she did, she'd probably make it from scratch, thought Ulrike. How anyone could go to such an effort and even take pleasure in it was beyond her, but being the recipient of Carmen's efforts, she was certainly not going to complain. Smiling, Ulrike thought that finding Carmen was the best thing that ever happened to her, and not just because of her cooking skills. Gosh, she hoped that Carmen would return early enough for them to go out. Or maybe they could save some time by having some nice take-away food and invest the time in other activities. _Mmh, yes_ , thought Ulrike, she would propose this idea to Carmen if she returned early enough.

#

José and Carmen had paid their bill, and they were on their way to the car when José suddenly looked at the keys in his hand and stopped. "Hey sis, would you like to drive?"

Carmen halted and looked at him wide-eyed. "You would trust me with your precious car?"

"Of course!" he said, and despite his wearing sunglasses, his face clearly showed how surprised he was about Carmen's doubts. He would long have offered it to her, but she had never shown any interest in driving one of his cars. The only reason why he had done so now was the sudden thought that perhaps the driving of his super car might give her mood a boost. It surely did that to him. Whenever he was in a bad mood, he went for a drive in his car. The sound of the engine was already a boost to him, and that of the Diablo was even better than that of the Testarossa. It got him into a different state of mind, and then controlling the powerful car while driving the streets of Berlin and the autobahn - it was balm for his ego. Having been reminded of that, he thought his sister could certainly use some balm for her ego as well.

Smiling shyly, Carmen said, "I'd love to."

"All right!" said José grinning, "Then take the keys."

Taking the keys from his hand, Carmen muttered reluctantly, "But can we keep to the country road first? I'd like to get accustomed to the car first before we continue on the autobahn."

"A prudent thought," said José, "Let's have a look at the map; it's behind the driver's seat."

Shortly after, they were leaving Brunswick on the country road in direction of Peine, and Carmen carefully accelerated to 80 km/h. It did feel great to drive this car, but it was also somewhat intimidating to have so much power under her control, and its handling, as well as the dashboard and sitting position certainly needed some getting used to.

"Well, how does it feel?" asked José, genuinely interested at how his sister liked driving his car.

Carmen was just about to reply when she saw a cat racing across the road directly in front of her. Instinctively, Carmen stepped on the brake. A dull thud sounded right before the screeching of the brakes drowned out any other noise. Carmen panicked, the car spun, until it finally came to a halt on the side of the road.

Hastily, Carmen unfastened her seatbelt and climbed out of the car.

"Where are you going?" José called after her, his voice breaking. He nervously ran a hand through his hair and followed her.

Looking for the cat, Carmen finally spotted the body in the grass at the side of the road. Crying out in anguish, she ran towards it, and kneeling down she realised that the cat was dead. Tears streaming down her face, she carefully picked the cat up and held it close to her. Sitting down, she drew up her knees and started rocking back and forth, repeating over and over, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

Reaching his sister, José heard her apologizing, and looking down at the dead cat, he put a hand on Carmen's shoulder and said, "It wasn't your fault, sis. No one could have avoided that accident."

Carmen didn't answer, but she stopped her repetitive lamenting and instead started crying silently, still rocking back and forth, the cat pressed to her bosom.

"Come on," said José. "We can't help it anymore."

Carmen only heard José's voice muffled like through cotton wool but she couldn't make sense of what he was saying. Her vision blurred, and the only thing that was still crystal clear was the feel of the cat's dead weight in her arms, the feel of its fur so soft against her bare arms. She lowered her head, pressing her cheek against the cat's head. Why did it have to die? Why did they drive on this road at that very moment? Why couldn't she have seen the cat sooner? Why didn't she decline José's offer? Why did he even offer her to drive his stupid car? Why couldn't they have gone on like always, on the autobahn, with him driving? Poor cat! Oh God, the poor cat!

Having failed with several more attempts to rouse his sister's attention, José reached for the cat, trying to take it from Carmen's arm, when she suddenly glared at him furiously, yelling, "Leave me alone!"

How could he be so careless and not see that she couldn't let go of the cat? Why didn't he go away? Why couldn't he see that she wanted to be left alone? He probably just wanted to go on in his super macho car. Why did he have to be so selfish?

José was at a loss as to what he should do. Scratching his head, he returned to the car, and picking up his mobile phone he called his parents. He let it ring for a felt eternity, but no one answered. Sighing, he leaned against the car and looked over to his sister, who was still sitting at the same spot, rocking back and forth. Then, suddenly he had an idea and he dialled the number of the directory information.

" _Guten Tag_ , I'd like to have the number of Ulrike Hoffmann in Berlin."

Two minutes later he was waiting for Ulrike to pick up the phone.

"Hoffmann."

"Hey Ulrike, this is José."

"José?" Ulrike was instantly alert, "What happened? Is Carmen all right?"

"She's all right, well, sort of... she's not injured or anything. But I can't get her to get into the car. She's holding that bloody cat and doesn't respond to anything I say or do, except for screaming at me to leave her alone."

"Did you run over the cat?" asked Ulrike, not quite getting the picture yet.

"Carmen was driving. The cat came out of nowhere. She couldn't have avoided hitting it."

"She's probably in shock. When did this happen?"

José looked at his Rolex watch. "About 15 minutes ago."

"And you are sure that she's not injured?"

"Absolutely. The car spun, but it didn't hit anything - apart from the cat that is. Ten metres further and we would have hit a tree, but we were lucky."

"Can I talk to her?"

"Sure. Perhaps she'll respond to your voice," said José, and walking over to Carmen, he held out the phone for her to take and said, "Hey sis, it's Ulrike; she'd like to talk to you."

Carmen didn't respond at all. Too occupied with her own thoughts, she hardly heard Ulrike talking. How dare he call Ulrike? Wasn't it bad enough that he witnessed her killing a cat? Why did he have to tell it to Ulrike? She didn't want to talk to Ulrike now. She didn't want her to know that she had been driving the car Ulrike so hated. She didn't want her to know that she had killed a cat in the process. Ulrike would only see her opinion confirmed that it should be prohibited to drive a car like the Lamborghini on public roads, and she would certainly be disappointed in Carmen.

José tried again, softly shaking his sister, but Carmen remained unresponsive and kept crying and rocking.

Sighing, José put the phone to his ear again and walking back towards the car he said, "Sorry, but it seems she's totally out of it. I don't know what to do. I mean, she isn't injured, so I'm not sure if an ambulance could help."

"Where are you?"

"Just outside of Brunswick."

"Where exactly?"

"Uh, I forgot the name of the road... Wait, I'll have a look at the map." He put the phone on the passenger's seat and picked up the road atlas. Having put the bookmark at the page they needed when they were looking for which road to take, he quickly found the approximate spot where they were standing and let Ulrike know. "Hannoversche Straße, shortly before Raffturm."

" _Alles klar_ ," acknowledged Ulrike, "I'll leave immediately, so I'll probably be there in about two - two and a half hours. Wait for me, please, even if she recovers."

"I will," acknowledged José, "Thank you!"

As Ulrike hung up, José looked worriedly at his sister. He would have to do something to shade her from the blazing sun or she'd suffer a heat stroke soon. Tossing the phone on the passenger's seat, he shut the door, walked over to Carmen and crouched down. Speaking gently, he said, "Hey sis, we have to get you out of the heat, won't you come over to the car or to the little tree over there?" When Carmen didn't respond, he sighed and said, "Okay, I'll get the car over here. Don't worry, I won't leave you, I'll only back it off so we can get some shade on you okay?" Carmen again didn't say anything, but an almost imperceptible shrug made him think that she had heard him, thus he walked back to the car and climbed into the driver's seat. Wiping his sweaty face on his polo sleeve, he started the car.

Glad that there was no traffic in either direction at the moment, José turned on the road and drove back. Passing Carmen, he turned the car again, halted shortly, and after opening the passenger's door, he slowly navigated the car until the shadow from the scissor door fell onto Carmen. Turning off the engine, he got out and walked around the car. Carmen didn't acknowledge him at all, so he took out her Perrier bottle and crouching down next to her, he held out the bottle and said, "Here, you need to drink."

But Carmen didn't want to drink. She didn't want anything. The tears had finally stopped falling and she felt numb and exhausted.

Touching his sister's forehead, his brows furrowed. "You are burning hot, Carmen. If you refuse to drink, I must cool you down otherwise. I don't want to lose you, _Schwesterherz_. And I don't want to lose my precious balls either," he tried to rouse her with his joking. Sighing at her unresponsiveness, he got up and said, "I'm going to get the plain water." He left the bottle of Perrier next to Carmen, hoping that she would take it, but as he looked back he saw that she didn't and he shook his head, not knowing if pouring water over her was such a good idea after all. He wondered if he should rather use some sort of cloth, perhaps from his first aid kit. Yes, that sounded like a better plan.

#

Ulrike was on the autobahn, heading towards Brunswick. She had been driving as fast as the speed limits allowed, but even though she could now go full speed, she wasn't moving as quickly as she might have liked at this moment as her old Daimler simply couldn't go faster than 130 km/h. For once she would have liked to have a more powerful car. Gosh, she hoped Carmen was all right by now. Ulrike hadn't known that Carmen would drive the Lamborghini too. Though come to think of it, thought Ulrike, Carmen had once said that she liked driving in the country because she could drive faster there. Thank goodness, they hadn't been on the autobahn. But then again, there probably wouldn't have been a cat crossing on the autobahn. Frustrated, Ulrike stepped harder on the already floored accelerator, and voiced her frustration to the car, " _Mensch Meia! Ick würd' da am liebstn anschiem. Ick weeß ja dat de nich schnella kannst, aba bei dit Tempo kannste ja Blümchen flückng_."

Thirty minutes later, Ulrike was finally leaving Brunswick on the Hannoversche Straße, and shortly after, she spotted the Lamborghini on the side of the road. Slowing down she halted her Mercedes behind José's car and got out.

José couldn't help the surprised raising of his eyebrows and his mouth turning into a grin as he saw Ulrike in her paint and coffee stained baggy men's shorts and far too large dirty muscle shirt that revealed her sports bra, and a pair of worn runners, while her sweaty hair was standing up in all directions. He began to see why his sister had tried to dress her up. Their parents might not have been as welcoming had they seen her in this outfit. Funny enough, he thought it was rather sexy, in a weird sort of way, and he wondered if maybe he had been looking for the wrong kind of women all the time... gosh, those muscular thighs of hers looked positively alluring... but on the other hand, looking for someone like Ulrike wouldn't really help either, he thought, as they were probably all lesbians.

Greeting José only in passing, Ulrike rushed towards Carmen, and kneeled down beside her. Caressing Carmen's wet hair off her face she asked gently, "Are you all right?"

Instead of answering, Carmen caressed the dead cat in her arms and said hoarsely, "He's such a beautiful cat."

Her heart clenching with sympathy, Ulrike put an arm around Carmen's shoulders, and caressing the fur of the large tabby cat she agreed, "Yes, he is."

When Carmen remained silent, Ulrike tried to encourage her, "Come on; let's give him a proper burial, hm?"

"Someone will miss him," noted Carmen.

"He looks more like a feral cat to me," said Ulrike, "But even if he isn't, there's no way for us to find his owners. All we can do is laying him to rest."

Carmen nodded hesitantly.

Ulrike reassuringly squeezed Carmen's shoulder. "Okay, come on; let's do that."

Reluctantly, Carmen let Ulrike help her up.

"Would you rather drive with José or with me?" asked Ulrike. "I don't mind. With him you'd be home quicker."

Wordlessly, Carmen walked towards the Daimler.

Looking at José with an apologetic shrug, Ulrike followed her.

"I'll follow you," José called after them. "I'll help you to bury him."

Shaking her head, Carmen attempted to open the passenger's door, but Ulrike stopped her. "Wait, I have an old towel in the boot. Let's wrap him in that," and she sprinted to get the towel from the boot.

Hesitantly, Carmen let Ulrike take the cat from her arms and wrap it in the towel, but when Ulrike was about to take the cat to place it in the boot, Carmen grabbed her arm and protested, "No! Give him back to me!"

Ulrike was not fond of the idea of driving home with a dead cat in Carmen's arms, which was probably full of fleas and ticks, but seeing Carmen's anguished face she relented and told her to get into the car and fasten her seat belt, promising to give her the cat once she was ready.

Driving back to Berlin, José followed right behind them. He didn't want to leave his sister just now. He worried about her, and he wanted to do whatever he could to make her feel better.

He was extremely grateful that Ulrike had so easily managed to rouse Carmen from her stupor, and this also told him how very important Ulrike was for Carmen. And although he felt happy for Carmen to have found her significant other, his happiness was tinged with sadness. Now he would no longer be Carmen's first priority - or at least second after her cat, Tabitha; and he no longer was the person his sister confided in. Though given her resentful words from earlier today he wondered if perhaps his perception had been flawed all along. She had certainly never told him any of what she had said today.

#

As they were back on the autobahn, Ulrike asked Carmen if they could bury the cat in Carmen's parents' garden.

Carmen shook her head, but since Ulrike couldn't see that because she was concentrating on the road, she asked again, and this time Carmen said in a voice hoarse from crying, "No. I wasn't even allowed to bury my rabbit in my mother's precious garden."

"Hm... okay," said Ulrike. "So, where would you like to bury him?"

Shrugging her shoulders, Carmen said, "I don't know."

"Well, where did you bury your rabbit?" asked Ulrike.

"In the neighbours' garden," said Carmen, and before Ulrike could comment, she added, "In San Martín."

"Oh," said Ulrike and sighed.

They drove a few minutes in silence, and Ulrike was wondering if maybe she had been too quick with her promise to bury the cat. As far as she knew you couldn't simply bury a cat anywhere in a publicly accessible place; and on a fantastic summer day like this, and a Sunday on top of it, it was nearly impossible to find a place to bury the cat secretly without anyone seeing them. Well, they would cross that bridge when they came to it, she decided, and cast a glance at Carmen, who was staring unseeingly down at her legs. Her pretty white linen pants were crinkled and soiled with blood. And even though Ulrike knew it was the cat's and not Carmen's blood, she cringed at the sight. But it wasn't only the pants. Her partner didn't look well at all. Her exquisite top was soiled and wet, and her beautiful hair now clung to her limply and wet. Too wet to have been caused by sweat, thought Ulrike. Obviously José had poured water over her head - to rouse her or to cool her down, Ulrike didn't know, but he had sounded genuinely concerned on the phone, and the worry also showed on his face, before he had started ogling her.

Shaking her head, Ulrike cast all thoughts of José aside and asked Carmen, "How do you feel?" As Carmen didn't answer, she tried a different approach, "Would you like to talk about what happened?"

Carmen only shook her head, and thus Ulrike continued, "José only told me the abbreviated version. I'd like to hear from you how it happened."

When she was again met with silence, Ulrike said that as far as she learned from José, there was nothing Carmen could have done to prevent the accident. She was about to go on when Carmen interrupted angrily, "What does he know? Nothing!"

Surprised, Ulrike cast a glance at Carmen. "Well, he was with you, wasn't he?"

Carmen only grunted.

Ulrike couldn't understand why Carmen was talking with such venom about her brother, so she asked, "Did you have a fight or something before the accident?"

"No," Carmen answered monosyllabically.

"You've been so unusually quiet since yesterday," said Ulrike pensively. "Did I misinterpret your quietness as tiredness? Was there something else bothering you?"

"It doesn't matter."

"Yes, it does matter," said Ulrike irritated. "It matters to me. Has José done anything to aggravate you?"

"No."

" _Himmel, Arsch und Zwirn, Carmen! Muss ma dir allet einzeln aus de Nase ziehn_?" Ulrike cursed Carmen's monosyllabic answers, frustrated that getting information out of her was like pulling teeth.

"What do you want me to say?" spat Carmen angrily.

"I want to know what's going on in that pretty head of yours," said Ulrike.

"I killed a cat," stated Carmen.

Sighing, Ulrike said, "Yes, you killed a cat, and I understand that this must be terrible for you. But it was you, not José who killed it. So, why are you being so bitchy about him now?"

"What do you care about José? Until yesterday you didn't even like him."

"Yes," admitted Ulrike, "And I was being an asshole. But at least you knew my reasons. They may have been shitty reasons, especially considering how he is driving behind me like a lamb now when he could easily overtake me and drive at full speed. But at least I told you why I didn't like him; and I'd like to know how he managed to fall into disgrace with you when yesterday he was still your dearly beloved brother."

"It's not his fault. It's my problem, okay," said Carmen sulkily.

"No, it's not 'okay'. You're behaving like a prima donna. What's your problem?"

"Do you think just because you're now chummy with my brother I have to tell you everything?! Just leave me alone!"

" _Boah_ , wait a minute!" Ulrike shot Carmen a surprised look before concentrating on the road again. "Who says I'm chummy with your brother? I've only met him yesterday."

"But you already understand each other as if you had known each other forever and you come to each other's defence."

"I would never be so presumptuous as to say I understand José. And I'm not coming to his defence; I want to know what your problem is." Ulrike had a hard time to remain calm, and it didn't help that the air coming in through the air vents didn't have much of a cooling effect at 38°C outside, and for once she wished she had invested in an air-conditioning system.

"He said you understand each other and that it's a men's thing," argued Carmen.

Raising her eyebrows, Ulrike asked, "In what context did he say that?"

When Carmen told Ulrike what José had explained to her, Ulrike laughed and agreed, "All right, in that regard I guess we do understand each other."

"Somehow I fail to see the funny side of it," muttered Carmen.

"I really don't know what you want of me, _Liebling_. For weeks you wanted me to get along with your brother, and now that I do it seems you'd prefer it if I didn't. What's so bad about us getting along?"

"Nothing. As I said, it's my problem." Carmen was getting tired of all this. The cat seemed to get heavier by the minute, and it was starting to get rigid. And it was bloody hot. Usually she loved the heat, but sitting in a car without air-conditioning with a dead cat in her arms wasn't exactly her preferred way of spending a fantastic summer day.

"What **is** your problem, Carmen?"

Taking a deep breath, Carmen finally blurted, "I feel left out. I feel like everybody's having a great time and I'm only allowed to watch from the outside. I feel like everybody is smarter and more interesting and more attractive and more fun than I am. I feel like a stupid spoilsport, but I know that if I would ever behave like you or José everybody would get into a fit over my bad behaviour or bad style or whatever. It's always been like that. José could do whatever he wanted, he would still be respected. If I ever did something unbecoming I was met with utter disappointment as if I had committed a crime. So, I didn't do it anymore. I behaved. I learnt. I did my best to look as attractive as I could, and what was the result? I've got no friends, only a few acquaintances, and I work as a damn teacher, while José has tons of friends and has an important job as my father's partner. But I know that it's not his fault. Neither is it yours. It's my problem, and now I've told you. Are you happy now?"

"Phew," exclaimed Ulrike, and she thought for a moment before answering, "No, I'm not happy. I'm not happy because it hurts me to see you hurting. I'm not happy because I don't know how to make you see that you are loved - by me, by José and by your parents, whatever they may have said or done in the past." Carmen remained silent, so Ulrike went on, "People were disappointed when you didn't meet their expectations. So what? Can you imagine how disappointed my mother was at first when I told her that I wouldn't go search for a job with my degree in business economics because I had already found my vocation and it wasn't business economics? She was nagging me for years, and she is still occasionally harping on my 'bad decision'. But as annoying as that may be, it is her problem, not mine. I have to live my life, not she. So I did, and will always do what **I** think is good for me. If you don't want to be a teacher, then find yourself a vocation that you love."

"I love being a teacher," said Carmen quietly.

Ulrike smiled and placed her hand on Carmen's knee. "That's great. I think being a teacher is a very important job. It's certainly no less important than building houses. Just think about it - without teachers there'd be no architects."

Carmen smiled weakly. "I don't teach architecture, not even maths."

" _Und_? Could José have studied architecture without having learnt at least one foreign language? And could he work for this partner project in Argentina if he hadn't learnt Spanish?"

Shaking her head, Carmen silently said, "No."

#

As they were nearing Berlin, Ulrike's thoughts went back to the problem of burying the cat, and she asked, "Do you think we could at least get a shovel from your parents?"

"I guess so," said Carmen hesitantly.

"Good," said Ulrike, "Though I still don't know where we could bury him, but we'll figure something out."

Parking opposite Carmen's parents' house, Ulrike turned off the engine and leaned back, assuming that Carmen would go and get the shovel.

Carmen, however, didn't move. She didn't want to face her parents right now, especially not the way she looked. She didn't want to tell them what happened and be met with their disappointment for killing a cat - especially while driving José's super car. They already didn't like José driving such cars. She didn't want to see the disapproval on their faces when they learned that she had driven the Lamborghini.

"Uh, are you going to get the shovel now, _Liebling_?"

"No, you can go," said Carmen.

Furrowing her brows, Ulrike asked, "What? You want _me_ to ask _your_ parents to borrow a shovel to bury a feral cat that _you_ ran over?"

Glaring at Ulrike, Carmen stated defensively, "Okay, forget it, just drive to the next garden centre and buy a damn shovel - I'll pay for it."

"Don't be ridiculous," said Ulrike, "What's the problem that you don't want to go and ask them yourself?"

"I don't want them to see me like this!" said Carmen, looking demonstratively at her soiled top and pants and shaking her messed up hair.

Looking at her own clothes, Ulrike replied, "You think I look any better?"

"You are you, they will forgive you," said Carmen.

Ulrike snorted. "Then why did I have to get a new outfit yesterday?" She had already gathered from her talk with Carmen's father the previous day that her parents didn't expect a certain dress code at their house, and she thought that even in their actual state the Bauers would be more concerned about their daughter's wellbeing rather than her clothes. But she wanted Carmen to see her own illogical thought processes.

Carmen's jaw tightened and turning her head away, she startled when José leaned down and asked through the open window, "What's the plan?"

Since Carmen only stared at her lap now, refusing to answer, Ulrike explained, "We were going to ask your parents for a shovel, since Carmen thinks your mother won't allow burying the cat in her garden, but your sister thinks she's not presentable. Could you perhaps..."

"Sure, no problem," said José, "I'll be right back."

Ten minutes later, Ulrike saw the front door opening, and then José appeared. However, he turned back, obviously talking. Shortly after, it became clear that his talking had obviously been unsuccessful, as he came down the path, gesticulating, shovel in hand, Maria and Helmut following him.

"Your parents are coming," said Ulrike.

Casting a glance towards the house, Carmen cringed and said, "Just drive on."

"I can't do that," said Ulrike, "That's utterly rude!"

"But I don't want to talk to them. Not now," whined Carmen.

Heaving a sigh, Ulrike said, "I'll see what I can do," and getting out of the car, she crossed the street to meet Maria and Helmut.

"Sorry," said José as he met her first, "Carmen was right, we can't bury the cat here, and they won't listen to me, they want to talk to Carmen to see that she's all right."

"I'll try to talk to them," said Ulrike, and pointing at the shovel she said, "You can put that in my boot."

"Hello, Ulrike," greeted Maria and Helmut a bit reluctantly, both visibly astonished about Ulrike's appearance.

"Hi," said Ulrike, "I'm sorry, I know I look like a mess..."

Focussing back on Ulrike's eyes, Maria interrupted with a dismissive gesture of her hand and asked, "What's going on with my daughter? Why isn't she coming out?"

"Look," said Ulrike, touching Maria's arm, "She is still in a bit of a shock. I suppose it's the first time she has run over an animal. Also, she has been holding the cat and soiled her clothes in the process. I'm sure you don't want to embarrass her by forcing her to present herself in a less than perfect condition."

Both parents looked at Ulrike bewildered, and Maria said, "I don't care about her clothes; I want to see that she's all right!"

A lopsided smile appeared on Ulrike's otherwise earnest face. She had been right in her assumption, and she wondered why Carmen didn't see this. She should know her own parents better than Ulrike, after all. And although Carmen's outburst from earlier suggested that there were more problems involved, Ulrike wondered if it was all just a misconception on Carmen's part, or if there was more behind it, which Ulrike didn't know of? However, thinking it to be better not to interfere in Carmen's relationship with her parents, she decided to abide by Carmen's wishes.

"She will be all right; believe me," said Ulrike. "But she doesn't want to talk to you at the moment, and I think we should respect that. I'm sure she'll talk to you when she's ready."

"Why does she do this to me?" asked her mother upset, "What have I done that she won't talk to us? Haven't I welcomed and accepted you in the family as her partner? Haven't I made it clear to her that I truly like you? What more does she want me to do?"

"Uh," muttered Ulrike, "I don't think this has anything to do with me."

"Then why did she send you out?" asked Maria.

"She didn't," said Ulrike, "She actually wanted me to drive on when she saw you coming, but I thought that would be very rude, so I told her I'd talk to you." And before Maria could launch another question, she added, "Look, Maria, I don't know what her problems are exactly, but it's hot and there's still a dead cat in Carmen's arms. I'd like to bury it before it starts smelling. I'm sure she will talk to you eventually. Just give her some time."

Maria wanted to protest, but Helmut put an arm around her shoulders and said, "Come on, _Schatz_ , let's give her time if that's all she needs from us now." And he nodded to Ulrike and said, "Take care of her."

"I will," acknowledged Ulrike, and headed for the car.

José still stood at her taxi, and as she reached him, he said, "Follow me; I know where we can bury him."

"All right," replied Ulrike and got into the car.

José led them into a narrow street close by, which ran parallel to the railway tracks, and halted in front of an estate of which the front yard was so overgrown with trees and bushes that the mansion behind was barely visible. Getting out of the Lamborghini, José gestured to Ulrike to drive on through the open gate and park in the driveway.

He followed them on foot, and as Ulrike got out of the taxi, she looked around and asked, "It doesn't look as if anyone is living here. Are you sure we can bury him here?"

"There is no one living here. The owner wants us to do a complete refurbishment of the mansion, probably to sell the estate for double the price. However, " said José, grinning, "He isn't here, he lives in Munich, so there's no one here who could complain."

Carmen had got out of the car as well and was coming around to their side.

Furrowing her brow, Ulrike said, "I don't know, it doesn't exactly sound legal to me."

"Who cares?" said José, "It will take months to refurbish the mansion, and it'll be winter by then. So until the next owner might find him by planting tulips or something, there won't be much left of him anyway."

"What if someone sees us digging?" asked Carmen, looking around at the street and the neighbouring estates.

"Well, that's why I'd suggest we put him in the back yard," said José.

Carmen and Ulrike were still not comfortable with the idea, but since neither of them had an alternative to offer, Ulrike reluctantly agreed. "All right, let's do it," and walking around the car, she opened the boot and got the shovel.

"Voilà!" said José as he stepped aside from the path that led around the house and he presented the backyard with an inviting gesture of his arm. "It's a nice place for him, don't you think?"

"They will catch us," said Carmen.

"Oh come on, sis, where's your adventurous spirit?"

Looking at him deadpan, Carmen retorted, "I must have lost it somewhere between getting caught with you picking apples in the garden of the neighbours _that weren't supposed to be at home_ and Mamá finding out that I had forged her signature on _your_ letter of apology for school."

"I don't know why that would bother you - you never got grounded for any of the things we did," said José.

Carmen snorted, "Why would they ground me, I never went out anyway. But while you were treated as if nothing had happened, I had to put up with their disappointed looks for days afterwards."

Rolling her eyes at the siblings' squabbling, Ulrike walked over the unmown lawn to the far end of the garden, which was more shielded from possible curious neighbours, and started digging. As interesting as it might otherwise have been to listen in on the conversation and find out more about Carmen's issues with José and her parents, she really wanted to get this over and done with before anyone would notice them.

"Come, let me do that," said José as he came over to help her.

"Nah," said Ulrike, wiping sweat off her face, "It's all right. I'm already dirty anyway, there's no need for you to soil your clothes too. But thank you for the offer."

When Ulrike decided that the pit was finally deep enough, she laid down the shovel, and turning to Carmen she reached for the cat. Reluctantly, Carmen let go, and Ulrike carefully placed the cat in the pit, along with the towel it was wrapped in. Stepping back, she picked up the shovel and was about to shovel back the soil when Carmen stopped her, "Wait!" And grabbing Ulrike's arm, she added, "Please. I want to say good-bye to him."

"Okay," said Ulrike, and raised her eyebrows in surprise when Carmen kneeled down at the edge of the pit, folded her hands like for a prayer and started mumbling. Ulrike shot José a questioning glance, but he only shrugged. Well, thought Ulrike, if this was Carmen's way to cope with her traumatic experience then so be it; and she waited silently until her partner finally got up, picked a flower that was growing nearby and threw it into the pit.

"You may cover him now," said Carmen hoarsely and wiped a tear from her eye.

Nodding, Ulrike set to work, while Carmen buried her face in José's shoulder and cried.

#

As they were finally on their way to Carmen's parents' place to return the shovel, Ulrike said, "Are you and José all right again?"

"I guess so," said Carmen quietly.

"I'm glad," said Ulrike. "And are you ready to talk to your parents now?"

"No," said Carmen vehemently. "But if you let me have a shower and get changed, perhaps the three of us could go out and have dinner somewhere? I'm hungry."

Ulrike's thoughts of going out for dinner with Carmen in the evening hadn't exactly included her brother, but perhaps Carmen needed this for a proper reconciliation, so she said, "I'm game, if you let me do the same."

"Sure," said Carmen, but then she pondered, "But it's going to take ages if you're going to drive from here to Halensee, to Friedenau and back to Halensee. Perhaps you could shower at my place and wear some of my clothes?"

Cringing inwardly at the prospect of wearing any of Carmen's extremely feminine clothes, Ulrike quickly suggested, "I have a better idea. You let José drive you home while I go to my place, and we'll meet at whatever restaurant you'd like to go to."

"I would rather drive with you," mumbled Carmen.

"Don't be ridiculous," said Ulrike, "You love the overpowered canary. The accident could have happened with any car - unless you were driving at full speed."

"I wasn't driving full speed!" protested Carmen. "I didn't even exceed the 80 km/h limit."

"So, there you have it. It could have happened with any car then," said Ulrike as the taxi rattled over the cobblestones of Carmen's parents' street.

"Perhaps," Carmen grumpily acknowledged.

"So, do we have a deal?" asked Ulrike as she halted behind José.

"All right," grumbled Carmen and unfastened her seatbelt.

"Great! Where would you like to eat?" asked Ulrike and to José who just appeared at her window she said, "Boot's open."

Carmen shrugged, but then she said, "Italian would be nice."

Ulrike's face lit up. "The 'Da Marco'? The one with the little garden terrace where we went last week?"

"Yes, that's a nice place, and the food was good," agreed Carmen.

#

They had just finished their dinner, when Marco came to their table and greeted, "Ciao Ulrike, how are you doing?"

"Marco!" called Ulrike, surprised, "You're back already? Gosh you look great!" she said, admiring his suntan.

"Thanks, we arrived this morning, I'm only quickly checking in," he said and cast a curious look at Carmen and José, sure that he hadn't seen them before.

"Checking if they managed without you, huh?" said Ulrike jokingly, "May I introduce you? This is my partner, Carmen, and her brother, José."

"Ah, nice to meet you," said Marco. "I hope everything was to your liking."

"Yes," said Carmen, "Everything was delicious."

"I'm glad," said Marco and asked, "May I bring you some panna cotta on the house?"

"Not for me, Marco," said Ulrike.

"Aw," said Marco disappointed, "Why you are always eating like a sparrow, Ulrike? A few curves wouldn't hurt you."

"Don't even start me on the subject, Marco," warned Ulrike, "I'll already have to endure your brother harping on my un-feminine style when I'm going to have him cut this mop on Tuesday."

Laughing, Marco said, "Serves you right, why don't you let Luisa cut your hair?"

"I had her do it once, and she just couldn't help herself giving the cut a 'feminine touch'," explained Ulrike, "At least Renato cuts my hair the way I want it."

Marco and the others chuckled.

Ulrike was glad that her partner could finally laugh again. And during their conversation before, she had sounded as if she had finally returned to her usual cheerful self. She'd probably have a few nightmares, like Ulrike had had when she ran over a hare the first time, but at least it seemed like Carmen would be able to cope now.

"How about you?" Marco asked Carmen and José, "Would you like some panna cotta?"

"There's always room for dessert," said José grinning.

"I agree," said Carmen, smiling at Marco.

"Excellent! Due panne cotte, coming subito," said Marco delighted, and vanished inside.

"You didn't tell me you were friends with the owner," said Carmen surprised.

"Well, he wasn't here last time," said Ulrike, "And I didn't know the new waitress."

#

"Would you like to come up?" asked Carmen as Ulrike halted in front of her home.

"It's late, and you have to go to work tomorrow," said Ulrike and put the automatic in parking mode.

"Yes, but I thought you could stay the night," said Carmen.

"I don't have my overnight stuff with me," said Ulrike, pondering.

"It's hot, you can sleep in the nude," offered Carmen.

"But I'm wearing men's briefs," Ulrike said, thinking she should give her partner a fair warning.

"I don't care," said Carmen.

"Wow," said Ulrike surprised and put the gearshift into neutral, about to prepare to drive on and find a parking space, but then she halted and asked, "Uh, when do you have to get up tomorrow?"

"At six," said Carmen.

Keeping her hand on the gearshift, Ulrike said, "Okay, forget it, I'm not going to get up that early. But if you like I'll come up for a bit."

Pouting, Carmen said, "All right, if that's all I'm going to get."

Leaning over, caressing a lock of hair from Carmen's face, Ulrike said cheekily, "You look cute when you're pouting. Let's find a parking space."

#

The next morning, Carmen stood at her Alpha Spider, wiping her sweaty palms on her slacks. Taking a deep breath, she put the key in the lock and turned it. Opening the car, she hesitated for another moment before she threw her bag on the passenger's seat and climbed in.

Shutting the door, she put the key in the ignition. Her heart was racing and pearls of sweat started to roll down her face. Letting go of the key she reached for a Kleenex to wipe off the sweat. She felt nauseous, and closing her eyes, she leaned back. She could hear her heart pounding loudly, but all the surrounding noise sounded dull like through cotton wool, while she was shivering and sweating at the same time. She took deep long breaths, trying to calm herself down and get rid of the nausea.

As the nausea finally abated and her senses returned to normal, she heaved a deep sigh, took the key from the ignition and her bag from the passenger's seat and got out of the car. She didn't know what was happening to her, and she didn't know what she could do about it, but one thing she did know - she could not drive her car right now. So, locking the Alpha, she determinedly headed for the bus station.

Taxi - Timing

The story is set in September 1992 in Berlin.

"Beep - beep - beep..." Rolling over, Carmen reached out and hit the snooze button on her alarm clock. Seeing it was half past seven, she realised it was Friday and slumping back with a groan, she stared at the ceiling. Tabitha jumped onto the bed, and proceeded onto Carmen's stomach, where she started her morning ritual of kneading and purring until it was time for Carmen to get up. Carmen weaved her fingers through the cat's long fine hair. "At least one of us likes getting up early, hm?"

Carmen didn't mind getting up early when she had to, but this school term on Fridays her first class started at 10:50, and she would have loved to be able to sleep in. However, so far she hadn't been able to relish in this luxury, as Friday had become her weekly shopping day. And even though it was already the third Friday since she started this routine, she still struggled with the concept of shopping weekly. Whereas formerly, she would have bought whatever she needed whenever she needed it, she now had to plan in advance, as she went to the supermarket by bus and took a taxi home.

Of course, it would have been easier to ask Ulrike for help; however, it was exactly because of Ulrike that Carmen chose Friday as her shopping day, as she knew that on Fridays she would not accidentally bump into her partner when she called a taxi.

As she thought of Ulrike, Carmen involuntarily cringed. She still hadn't told her about her problem. Instead, she had avoided seeing her, and even their phone calls she kept brief. Sighing, she cursed her own cowardice.

She missed Ulrike, her nonchalant attitude, her cheeky smile when she was teasing her, and most of all her strong arms around her, which made her feel so loved and sheltered. But what would Ulrike think if she learned of Carmen's problems? Ulrike was such a strong and independent person, she would most certainly think that Carmen was being ridiculous to allow such a trivial issue to interfere with her independence. She'd probably tell her to look her fear in the eye and then knee it in the nuts - hard.

Carmen let out an involuntary chuckle when she pictured this. Ulrike could be so crude in her choice of words. "Gosh, I miss her so much," she said to Tabitha, who had stopped kneading when she was rocked by Carmen's chuckling and was now regarding Carmen with an intense look of her large golden eyes. "I know, you don't," said Carmen, gently scratching Tabitha's ruff.

The sound of the alarm clock interrupted Carmen's thoughts, and as Tabitha jumped off the bed, Carmen sighed heavily, shut off the alarm and got out of bed as well.

#

It was a quarter past eight when Ulrike woke up. Her first glance out the window confirmed that the weather forecast had been right, unfortunately. No sunrays were falling on her bed and not even a speck of blue was visible on the overcast sky. But although Ulrike didn't fancy overcast and rainy days, at least they were usually good days for business.

She turned her glance away from the window and looked at the gift she had received in the mail the previous day - a professionally taken photograph of Carmen in a silver frame, which now resided on her bedside table. Smiling, she reached for the note that Carmen had included and read it again. In her beautiful handwriting, she had copied a love poem and told Ulrike how much she missed her.

Yes, thought Ulrike, Carmen still loved her, no doubt about that. Nonetheless, she couldn't help wondering why Carmen seemed to have had time to have the photo taken, buy the frame and write the note but not to meet her or even just to talk on the phone. And it wasn't the first present Carmen had sent either, it was the fourth. However, they hadn't seen each other for almost three weeks, and they hadn't spoken particularly often either. She hadn't even been able to reach her in order to thank her for the presents.

Carmen claimed she had too much work to do, but Ulrike was beginning to wonder whether that was just an excuse and there might actually be another reason for Carmen's elusive behaviour.

Shaking her head, Ulrike got up. There was no need to rush this morning. Like every Friday, she'd pick up Frau Schröder, one of her regular customers, at half past ten to drive her and her poodle to the dog groomer. Thus on Fridays she had a bit more time in the morning, giving her the opportunity to get fresh rolls from the bakery and have a proper breakfast.

#

Meanwhile Carmen was on her way to the supermarket. Standing in the overcrowded bus, inwardly cursing the bad weather as she hung onto the overhead handrail with one hand, while with the other pressing her handbag close to her and trying to keep her large umbrella out of the way at the same time - getting her dress wet in the process. A group of third graders noisily struggled past her, bumping the hard edges of their backpacks painfully against her ribs.

Taking public transport was all very well as long as the weather was nice and the rush hour was over; at the moment, however, Carmen thoroughly hated not being able to drive her car. Hopefully she would get over her driving issue soon, and not only because of the inconveniences it caused. She truly missed Ulrike. It seemed ages since they had seen each other.

She would have loved to go to Marco's anniversary celebration with Ulrike last Saturday. But knowing Ulrike would probably have wanted to stay the night, she was too afraid that Ulrike might find out about her driving issue.

She was feeling increasingly guilty for not telling her partner the truth, and she wasn't sure how long she could go on with this. The last time they spoke, Ulrike had sounded rather annoyed about Carmen's lack of time, and because of that Carmen had since reverted to sending gifts to Ulrike instead of calling her.

Her parents were starting to get suspicious too. She had talked to them on the phone a few times, and even though it had been hard for her at first, she had finally managed to come to terms with her past and her issue with her parents. At least she liked to think so. Truth be told, it didn't really matter to her if she had come to terms with it or if she had just successfully buried her feelings again, as now she had to deal with rather a different matter, as her problem with driving her car persisted. Just the previous day she had tried it again with the same unpleasant results. Because of this she hadn't visited her parents since the accident with the cat, and just as with Ulrike she was starting to feel more and more guilty for using the same excuse all the time - too much work.

She didn't really have too much work. Instead she was spending her free time yearning for Ulrike and buying her little presents to ease her guilty conscience, and to let her partner know that she still loved her, even if they couldn't meet at the moment.

The bus driver called out her stop, and slowly but determinedly she fought her way through the throng in order to reach the door.

#

Freshly showered and dressed, Ulrike threw on her windcheater, grabbed her keys and wallet and closing the door behind her, she bounced down the stairs, heading for the bakery and the newsagent's.

Gosh, what a lousy weather, she thought as she stepped out the entry door and a cool moist wind hit her face. At least it had stopped raining for now.

Waiting at the red light, she made sure to stand far enough back from the kerb as not to be spattered by cars driving through the large puddle that had gathered at the corner.

Her hands buried deeply in her pockets, she watched the cars go by, thinking that soon she would have to change to winter tyres again. Then she shook her head at herself with a lopsided smile as she realised the varying degrees of 'soon' when it came to one's perception. While having to change the tyres in about a month seemed very soon to her, she certainly wouldn't have perceived it as soon had Carmen told her that it would take the same amount of time before they would see each other again.

The light turned green, and leaping over the puddle, Ulrike crossed the road, her gaze turned downwards to look out for more puddles, as her thoughts wandered to Carmen.

On the other side, Ulrike suddenly looked up, as she was greeted, " _Guten Morgen, Fräulein_ Hoffmann."

" _Ah,_ _Guten Morgen_ , Frau Schröder," answered Ulrike, surprised to see her regular customer, and bending down to scratch the dog behind its ears, she said, " _Guten Morgen_ , Püppi. Lousy weather, isn't it?"

"I tell you, Fräulein Hoffmann," said the old lady, "This weather is poison for my poor Püppi. Isn't that so, Püppi?"

Straightening up again, Ulrike looked sympathetically at the black poodle with its greying muzzle in its red tartan raincoat.

"You are coming to drive us as usual, yes?" asked Frau Schröder.

"Of course, Frau Schröder," confirmed Ulrike. "I'll be there at 10:30, as usual."

"Good," said the old lady, "Well, we must go now. We'll see you later then."

" _Ja, bis später_ ," acknowledged Ulrike. And as Frau Schröder encouraged her dog to come, " _Komm_ , Püppi, let's get you out of this terrible, terrible weather," Ulrike proceeded on her way to the bakery, thinking that if she were Püppi, she'd probably hate that raincoat far more than the weather.

#

Meanwhile, Carmen was carting her groceries through the supermarket, annoyed that that her umbrella was getting in the way wherever she placed it. Yanking the umbrella to the side, she put seven tins of cat food into her shopping trolley, inwardly apologising to Tabitha that once again she wouldn't get her favourite treats, nor would she get her favourite dry food; and she would have to make do with another sort of cat litter as well. The pet shop was simply too much out of the way, and the supermarket didn't offer those particular brands. At least they carried one of the tin food brands Tabitha preferred. Heaving a big bag of cat litter into the trolley, Carmen continued meandering through the aisles.

With a longing glance, she passed the Perrier bottles. Sighing, she slumped her shoulders and moved on. There was no way she could carry seven heavy glass bottles on top of all the other groceries, and although she could have bought at least one or two, Carmen thought that by sacrificing some of her favourites she would feel less guilty towards Tabitha. Not that this strategy really worked. She felt just as guilty. After all, for her it was still, at least partly, a voluntary decision, while her poor cat had no choice but to eat what was dished out to her.

Frustrated, she grabbed a pack of toilet paper that contained eight rolls instead of her usual two-roll pack. Yet another inconvenience, but she certainly didn't want to ask Frau Krüger to help her out again with a roll! Lost in her thoughts, Carmen startled when she was addressed from behind, " _Morjen,_ Carmen _. Wie jut, det ick Sie treffe_."

Turning around, her hand pressed to her fast beating heart, Carmen replied, "Frau Krüger! You almost gave me a heart attack."

Raising her eyebrow, the old lady smirked. "Why? Did I catch you shoplifting?"

"Frau Krüger! Really!" Carmen uttered indignantly.

Frau Krüger chuckled, and putting her hand on Carmen's arm, she said, "Pardon, I startled you, dear," and the old woman looked searchingly into Carmen's face and furrowing her brow, she said, "You do seem rather edgy lately, and you don't look happy, if I may say so. Is something the matter?"

Cringing inwardly under her neighbour's scrutinising gaze, Carmen welcomed the distraction, as they had to move their trolleys to the side to make room for another customer. When the woman had passed, Carmen finally said, "I'm all right, Frau Krüger, I'm just in a hurry." And she glanced down the aisle before turning back to Frau Krüger.

"I see," said the neighbour, "Go ahead, dear, we don't have to stand here to talk."

Sighing inwardly, Carmen nodded and proceeded to push her trolley down the aisle.

"I don't have much to buy," said Frau Krüger as they stopped at the household detergents, "But since it is raining so badly, I was wondering if you might be so kind as to give me a lift."

Frantically trying to think of an excuse, Carmen put a bottle of dishwashing liquid in her trolley before she replied, "I'm sorry, Frau Krüger, but I came by bus as well."

Raising her eyebrows, Frau Krüger asked, "In this weather? Why didn't you take your car?"

"Because it's kaput," lied Carmen, and quickly turned away, unable to face the neighbour any longer. Pushing her trolley further down the aisle she mumbled, "I haven't had the time to have it repaired yet." Carmen had always considered herself an honest person. Cursing herself, she swallowed a lump in her throat. She felt awful for lying to the nice old lady.

Following Carmen, Frau Krüger said, "Ah, that's why your car has been standing in the same space for weeks. I've been wondering how you could be so lucky as to find the same space empty every day."

Feeling the heat as she blushed crimson, Carmen refrained from looking back at Frau Krüger as she kept walking.

"Couldn't Ulrike help you?" asked Frau Krüger as Carmen stopped to look at the serviettes. When Carmen didn't answer, the neighbour added thoughtfully, "I haven't seen her in a while. You haven't broken up, have you?"

Placing a pack of yellow serviettes into her trolley, Carmen said, relieved that finally she could tell the truth, "No, we haven't."

"That's good," said the neighbour relieved, "She's such a nice person, your Ulrike."

"Yes, she is," said Carmen, smiling as her heart warmed at the sound of 'your Ulrike'. Normally she loved chatting with the old lady, but in her current situation she hoped that her neighbour would finally wish her a good day and be on her way.

#

Leaving the bakery, Ulrike spotted Renato as he was trying to shut the boot of his car while balancing several boxes at the same time. "Hey Renato, wait! I'll help you," she called and rushed over.

"Hi Ulli," he replied, "Thanks that would be awesome. I don't want these to get wet." He tilted his head, indicating the wet pavement.

"No problem," said Ulrike, and taking the boxes off his arms, she waited for him to shut the boot and then followed him to his shop.

As soon as he had opened the door, he took part of the boxes and said, "These are going into the storage room, and the one you're carrying goes into the kitchen."

"All right," said Ulrike, followed him through the main room and then headed for the kitchen, where she placed the box on the table and waited for Renato.

As Renato returned, he looked at the big clock on the wall and asked, "Would you like a cup of coffee? The first customer is scheduled in half an hour, so I've got a bit of time unless someone comes in earlier."

"If you'll make it a latte macchiato, I'm game," said Ulrike grinning.

"But of course," said Renato, and went over to the counter to prepare the coffee. "Though I will never understand how you can spoil a good coffee with milk if you aren't suffering from a heart condition."

Putting the paper bag from the bakery on the table, Ulrike took off her windcheater, draped it over the backrest of one of the kitchen chairs, and sitting down she remarked, "Well, in a way I guess I am suffering from a heart condition."

"What?" said Renato, and turned to Ulrike, concern written on his face.

Rolling her eyes, Ulrike said, "Don't worry, I don't mean physically."... "Physically I'm absolutely fine," she added for emphasis as he raised his eyebrow.

Finally realising, Renato said, "Oh, I see. Trouble with Carmen?" and he went on preparing the coffee.

"Well," said Ulrike, "Not really with Carmen, but with her lack of time. I didn't know that teachers had to work quite so much."

"I suppose they have more work to do than people like to think," said Renato as he put the coffee maker on the gas stove.

"Yeah, but 24/7?"

"Unlikely," said Renato, and sat down at the table.

"And she had time to have a professional photo taken and buy a frame; not to mention the other presents she sent," said Ulrike.

"How do you know it's not an old photo?" asked Renato.

"Because in the photo she is wearing the locket she bought after we had taken fun photos at a photo automat a few weeks ago."

"Hm," pondered Renato, "But she wouldn't send you presents if she was no longer interested in you, eh?"

"Probably not," said Ulrike and sighed. "I just can't help the feeling that she is avoiding me for some reason, and I really don't know why."

Giving Ulrike a thoughtful glance, Renato joked, "Perhaps it's your hair style."

"Ha, ha," said Ulrike, "Unlike you, she actually likes my hair."

"Well, then maybe you should ask her," proposed Renato and got up to take the coffee from the stove.

"I did," said Ulrike, "But she got all defensive and declared that she simply has too much work to do."

Pouring the coffee for them, Renato asked, "Why don't you pay her a surprise visit?"

"That wouldn't work," said Ulrike, "Carmen turns off the doorbell when she doesn't want to be disturbed, just as she unplugs the phone."

"That's extreme!" said Renato, and sitting down again, he looked at Ulrike and proposed, "How about you ring at the neighbour's and once you get there you apologise that you mixed up the buttons and knock on Carmen's door?"

Ulrike pondered the idea as she sipped her latte. "I don't know. That would feel like spying somehow."

"Well, if you desperately want to find out if Carmen is really working, then maybe a bit of spying is needed?" said Renato with a grin.

"Nah," said Ulrike, "I'd rather Carmen told me herself what's going on. But for some reason, ever since she started work she's behaving weirdly."

Leaning back in his chair, Renato turned serious and asked, "Do you think she might be afraid that someone finds out about your relationship? I mean, as a school teacher, perhaps she is just more careful about what people might think."

Ulrike looked out of the window at the trees in the back yard. It had started to rain again. Eventually, she shook her head, "I don't think that's the case. So far she's never seemed to be afraid to show her affection in public. And if it were so, why wouldn't she tell me?"

Shrugging his shoulders, Renato said, "How would I know? Perhaps you should ask another female. Luisa will be here in the afternoon, or you come over to our place tonight, if you like."

"Maybe I'll do that," said Ulrike and getting up she put on her jacket. "Thanks for the chat and for the coffee."

"No problem," said Renato, and pointing to the paper bag, he added, "Don't forget your breakfast."

"Ah, yes, thanks," said Ulrike, and grabbing the bag, she waved good bye and left.

#

As Carmen finally left the supermarket it was pouring outside. She cursed silently, wishing that instead of getting rid of Frau Krüger, she had suggested that they share a taxi. Standing there alone, glancing at her umbrella that she had tucked under her right arm, she realised that there was no way she could hold it up, as she had both hands full, one with grocery bags, and one with the bag of cat litter, and under her left arm she had tucked the toilet paper. Sighing, she stepped out into the rain and walked quickly towards the kerb in order to hail a taxi.

Normally, she would have crossed the _Ku'damm_ to be in the right direction for heading home, but she really didn't want to walk any further than she had to. She spotted a taxi driving in her direction, however before she could manage to raise her hand to signal, it had already passed her.

"This is not my day. This really is not my day!" she muttered, and set the grocery bags on the wet pavement to get her hand free. However, just as she let go of the handles, the toilet paper slipped from under her arm and as she instinctively tried to secure it, one of the bags fell over, some of the contents spilling onto the wet pavement. Staring at the mess, Carmen suddenly couldn't help the laughter bubbling up, and breaking out in guffaws, not caring if the people around her thought she had lost her marbles, she crouched down to pick up the now wet contents.

When she finally managed to get a taxi to halt, she climbed onto the backseat, soaking wet, while the driver stowed her groceries in the boot.

" _Wat für'n Sauwetter!_ " the driver cursed the weather as he got in the car. Then turning towards Carmen, he asked, " _Wo soll's 'n hinjehn, die Dame?_ "

" _Ringbahnstraße, bitte,_ " said Carmen, and added, " _In Halensee_ ," to clarify that she didn't mean the street with the same name in Tempelhof.

" _Allet klar_ ," confirmed the driver, and switching on the taximeter he merged into the rush-hour traffic.

Drying her face with a tissue she fished from her handbag, Carmen leaned back and closed her eyes. She would have to change her clothes when she got home - and redo her hair. Now she'd really have to hurry so as not to be late for work. She thought of the concept of self-fulfilling prophecy... why had she lied to Frau Krüger about being in a hurry - and about her car? And why did she continue lying to Ulrike and to her parents? She wasn't a habitual liar; in fact, she hated lying. This damned panic of driving was turning her into someone she didn't recognise. It was high time for her to do something before she completely transformed into a person she neither liked nor wanted to be.

#

Leaving Renato's hair salon, Ulrike pulled up and fastened her hood and sprinted to the newspaper shop two doors down. After getting a _B.Z._ , she headed home, jogging through the rain with the newspaper and the baker's bag tucked under her windcheater.

Inside the building, she took the stairs up to her flat on the second floor two steps at a time, and closing the door behind her, she bent down and panted, "Whew, that was a nice wake-up run."

After removing her windcheater and her runners, she grabbed the newspaper and the bag of rolls and headed for the kitchen.

Once she was finally sitting at the kitchen table with an open roll prepared on a plate and fresh coffee in her favourite mug, she started perusing the newspaper. However, she was still on the first page when she realised that she just couldn't concentrate on the news as her thoughts kept drifting to Carmen.

Disgruntled, she pondered that while she had expected that they would each spend time separately from each other, which she actually welcomed, she had neither expected nor did she welcome Carmen having no time for her at all anymore.

Sure, her flat now looked cleaner than it had in years; she had organised her office, completed all the paper work and re-potted almost all of her plants. Her fridge and cupboards were now always filled with food and fresh coffee. She had changed the windshield wipers on the taxi and had given it a thorough cleaning inside and out. She had even removed a bit of surface rust that had dared to settle on the chrome of the front bumper. She had been to the botanical garden with her mother, and she had worked so much in advance that she could easily have afforded to take another holiday.

All of this was fine, except that she was missing Carmen.

She had also been to the gym almost every day. And while the weight lifting was usually first and foremost a fun activity, lately, the fun factor had been the lesser priority, and working off her frustration had become her main motivation.

Last Saturday both had been invited to the celebration of the 10 year anniversary of Marco's restaurant, but yet again Carmen claimed not to have time.

_There is no way a language teacher could be so pressed for time!_ thought Ulrike.

Their last time together had been two weekends ago, and Carmen had appeared to be rather distracted. When she pointed it out to her, Carmen had apologised and asked her to leave early on Sunday, as she had work to prepare and just couldn't concentrate on her private life. She explained that she had taken on a voluntary dance class as well, and that required a lot of preparation.

Ulrike thought it was really cool that Carmen was so passionate about her job and her pupils that she had even offered to start a dance class when several of her Spanish pupils suggested it. But she was at a loss as to why Carmen couldn't even make a little time on the weekends anymore. She was hardly talking to her on the phone either; and for several days now Ulrike hadn't heard from Carmen at all, and she hadn't been able to reach her either.

Had she been too harsh, the last time they spoke? Ulrike wondered. She really had been annoyed when Carmen, yet again, claimed to be busy. Was Carmen now reluctant to talk to her, fearing that Ulrike would get annoyed with her again?

Pondering this thought, Ulrike finished the second half of her roll and put the empty plate and coffee mug in the sink. Perhaps she should apologise to Carmen.

"Yes," she mumbled and nodded to herself. She would try to reach her after work.

#

Having changed her clothes, Carmen finished putting away the groceries and started preparing sandwiches to take to work for lunch. Annoyed, she brushed a strand of her wet hair behind her ears, yet again. Just as she continued spreading liverwurst on her bread roll, the cutting board tilted over the edge of the counter and she watched with dismay as it crashed noisily to the floor along with the roll, which, being true to Murphy's law, landed face down - naturally. " _Verdammte Scheiße!_ " she cursed unusually strongly.

Breathing a heavy sigh, relieved that Tabitha hadn't been anywhere close, she crouched down to pick up the mess. Now, she would have to prepare a new lunch; and she still had to dry and redo her hair. Clenching her jaw, Carmen decided that it really was high time she got over her damned driving issue; she just could not take this crap any longer.

#

Turning into the one-way street, Ulrike drove under the canopy of the old plane-trees that lined the street on both sides, which made the narrow street appear even darker on this already gloomy day.

Parking in front of the old tenant building in which Frau Schröder lived, and in which Ulrike and her brother had grown up, Ulrike looked at the clock, and seeing that she was five minutes early, she turned off the engine. There was no need for her to announce herself as her customer always came out at exactly 10:30, so Ulrike just leaned back and listened to the radio.

She smiled as the moderator announced 'Lambada' by Kaoma and the Latin rhythms sounded from the speakers. She hadn't seen Carmen dance yet, but she imagined that she would look gorgeous if she danced to these sexy rhythms, her long wavy hair flowing and her curvaceous body swaying seductively to the music.

Sighing, Ulrike took her keys out of the ignition and cradled the little photo frame in her hand that hung from the key ring. Looking longingly at Carmen's photo, she thought back to the day they had the photos taken in the photo automat. It had been a spontaneous idea of Carmen's as they were walking from the restaurant to the car, passing the entrance to the U-train. Carmen knew there was a photo automat downstairs, so she had dragged Ulrike down, laughing excitedly. They had wasted two strips with fun photos before taking single photos for each other. It had been so much fun.

Now, Ulrike had a photo of Carmen in her wallet and one on the key ring. Carmen had rolled her eyes at Ulrike when she saw the cheap plastic key ring photo frame - yet another item on her already enormous bunch of keys. Ulrike had only grinned. She loved her key ring, and she loved the little photo frame as it was transparent and didn't hide the photo.

Carmen had bought a silver locket to carry Ulrike's photo with her, and she insisted that it was far more stylish. Ulrike didn't argue that. However, she didn't like wearing necklaces, and if she did, it would certainly not be with anything as huge as a locket to hold a photograph, so she had talked Carmen out of buying a locket for her.

Looking at the clock again, Ulrike cast a glance to the entrance door. Frau Schröder was nowhere to be seen and it was 10:35 by now. _Strange_ , thought Ulrike.

She had known Frau Schröder for over 20 years now, ever since she moved into the front house of the tenant building where Ulrike's mother still lived. She had regularly driven Frau Schröder and her dog for almost 15 years, and the lady had never been late; in fact she demanded that everyone be punctual as well, and was very displeased when they weren't.

Deciding to wait another five minutes, Ulrike determined that if Frau Schröder still hadn't shown up by then she'd go up and ring the bell.

#

Finally sitting in the bus on her way to work, Carmen glanced at a young couple, a handsome man and a stylishly dressed woman who were sharing a seat on the other side of the aisle, holding hands and whispering to each other.

Sighing, Carmen turned towards the window and closed her eyes, the intimate display of the couple causing her heart to ache. She knew she would probably never be able to show such intimacy with Ulrike in public, even if they were riding on the bus together. It just wasn't appropriate for her as a teacher to be seen with her lesbian partner.

Thinking about this, she realised that she had never talked about this with Ulrike, but she gathered that Ulrike would probably agree, considering how she had even been afraid to be overheard in the changing cubicle. And although she now thought it had been fairly risky, she hadn't been afraid at the time. In fact, Carmen had rather enjoyed the thrill of being passionate with Ulrike in a public place. There was no one she knew in the vicinity, and with the drawn curtain, no one would have known who they were.

Her lips curved into a smile as she recalled the look on Ulrike's face as she joined her in the cubicle and drew the curtain. She wouldn't have thought Ulrike would be so modest, thus her partner's reaction had rather surprised her. Nonetheless, she was tickled to test how far she could push Ulrike's modesty. Chuckling she recalled how Ulrike had pleaded with her to stop and even went so far as to promise to buy the belt Carmen had suggested, despite not liking it.

Realising that people were looking at her because of her chuckling, Carmen sobered and got up to get off at the next stop. Sometimes she really wondered why in Germany you would be regarded as if you had a screw loose when you looked happy for no apparent reason, especially when you smiled to yourself or, God forbid, at a stranger.

#

Certain now that there must be something wrong, as the clock showed 10:40 and Frau Schröder still hadn't appeared, Ulrike locked the doors of the taxi and walked down the short pathway that lead to the front door between the two small, fenced front gardens.

Opening the massive old oak door, Ulrike took the stairs up to the first floor and rang Frau Schröder's doorbell. Immediately, she heard Püppi barking and running to the door.

" _Ick bin's, Püppi_ ," said Ulrike, hoping that the dog would recognise her voice. When no one opened the door, and the dog's barking changed to whining and whimpering, Ulrike seriously started to worry. She knew that Frau Schröder never left her dog alone. She always had someone watch Püppi for her whenever she couldn't take the dog with her. Often, Ulrike's mother would take Püppi, and although she always complained about how spoilt the dog was, Ulrike knew that her mother loved taking care of the poodle.

As Püppi continued to whimper, Ulrike called out, "Frau Schröder? _Ick bin's_ , Ulrike Hoffmann. Are you there?"

When the dog suddenly quietened, Ulrike could hear a faint, "Help."

Alarmed, Ulrike called out, "Frau Schröder, can you hear me? I'm going to call for help immediately. I'll be back as soon as I can!" Turning on her heels, Ulrike rushed down the stairs. Taking the door to the backyard, she sprinted down the pathway between the back gardens and barged through the door into the rear building. Racing up the stairs to the third floor, she frantically rang her mother's doorbell while she fumbled for the right key on her bunch in case her mother wasn't at home.

"I need to call an ambulance for Frau Schröder!" Ulrike exclaimed as soon as the door opened, and she pressed past her mother before she could even open her mouth to complain.

"What happened to her? Where is she?" asked Else Hoffmann as she closed the door and joined her daughter at the telephone.

Instead of answering, Ulrike asked, "You've got keys to her flat, haven't you?"

"Yes," said Else, and gesturing for Ulrike to step back, she opened the uppermost drawer of the sideboard and took out a bunch of keys with a little black plastic poodle pendant, while Ulrike talked to the ambulance.

"Yes," acknowledged Ulrike, "Front building, first floor... All right, thank you," and returning the receiver to its cradle, she gave her mother's shoulder a squeeze and said, "They'll be here in a few minutes. Let's go."

Unlocking Frau Schröder's door, Else talked to the dog, "It's all right, Püppi, it's me."

As soon as she opened the door, she leaned down in order to keep the dog from jumping up at her.

"Frau Schröder, _wir sind's_ , my mother and I," Ulrike called out. Seeing no one in either the dining room or the kitchen, she proceeded towards the other rooms when Püppi raced past her into the living room. Hurrying behind the dog, Ulrike rushed over to Frau Schröder who was lying prone on the floor, groaning.

"Help is on the way. Can you tell me where it hurts?" Ulrike asked as she crouched down and gently touched the old lady's shoulder.

"Everywhere," the lady groaned.

"Okay, hang in there. The ambulance will be here soon," Ulrike said. Afraid to make matters worse, she didn't dare move her. She gathered that Frau Schröder must have stumbled over her Persian rug, as one of her slippers was lying on the floor in front of the rug.

" _Komm her, Püppi_ ," Else called the dog who was licking her mistress' face, "Let's take that raincoat off you."

"Frau Hoffmann?" croaked Frau Schröder, looking at Else.

"Yes, Frau Schröder?"

"Will you take care of Püppi, please?"

"Of course," replied Else, "Don't worry. I'll take care of her until you're up and well again."

Closing her eyes, the old lady sighed, "Thank you." Then looking at Ulrike, she asked, "Would you tell the dog groomer why we missed the appointment?"

"Of course," said Ulrike, "I'll see if I can get another appointment today, and then I'll take her there myself."

"You don't have to do that," said the lady with an effort, "But if you could take her there next week, I'd be much obliged."

"No problem, Frau Schröder, it's the least I can do."

"Should we call your daughter?" asked Else, as the sirens of the ambulance sounded in the distance.

"Yes, please," croaked Frau Schröder, "Her number is on the side table, next to the telephone, her name is Marion Keller."

An hour later, Ulrike and her mother were sitting in her mother's living room, settling down from the excitement with a cup of coffee while Püppi lay curled up in her basket that they had taken with them along with her favourite squeaky toy and a few trays of dog food.

"Are you going to be okay with having Püppi until Frau Schröder gets out of hospital?" asked Ulrike.

"Yes, of course," said Else as she set her cup of coffee down. "I just hope it's nothing serious and that she'll be back soon. Rosemarie and I are going on a weekend trip at the end of the month."

"You two have become quite the travellers, eh?" remarked Ulrike, smiling. She found it rather endearing that since her mother retired three years ago, she and her already retired best friend and neighbour seemed to have made it their goal to see as much of Germany and Europe as they possibly could. "Where are you going this time?"

"To the Harz," said Else, and looking out the window she added, "I hope the weather will be better by then."

"Indeed," said Ulrike and proposed, "If Frau Schröder isn't back by then, I can take Püppi for the weekend."

Eying her daughter pensively, Else asked, "Your Carmen wouldn't mind? I mean, you wouldn't be able to go out. Püppi isn't used to staying alone at home."

"I know, _Mutti_ ," said Ulrike, barely refraining from rolling her eyes. "And I don't think Carmen would mind."

"That's good. When will I finally meet her?"

Sighing heavily, Ulrike said, "I don't know. I don't even know when I will meet her again."

"Why? Have you broken up already?"

"No," said Ulrike, and after hesitating for a moment while she sipped her coffee, she finally poured out her heart to her mother, hoping that perhaps she might give her an advice as to how to deal with the situation. However, when Else finally spoke, Ulrike reminded herself that she really should have known not to involve her mother...

"But of course you should apologise to her, Ulrike!" said Else, obviously wondering how her daughter could be so dense sometimes. "It's your fault, after all. You really should know better than behaving like a spoilt brat. That's not how I raised you."

"What are you talking about, _Mutti_?"

"I'm talking of your impatience. Really, Ulrike, is it so hard to understand that Carmen will have less time now that the holidays are over? She's a hard working woman. She's not just gallivanting around in her Mercedes all day."

Refusing to raise to the bait of her mother's pet peeve, Ulrike was searching for a polite way to respond when she was rescued by the doorbell, and a barking Püppi who had jumped out of her basket and raced to the door.

"Püppi, _Aus_!" called Else and explained as she got up to open the door, "That's Rosemarie. We're having lunch together."

Getting up as well, Ulrike picked up her empty coffee cup in order to take it to the kitchen. As much as she liked Rosemarie, she was not in the mood to listen to her mother retelling the events of the day.

In the hall, she greeted her mother's friend who asked with a smile, "You aren't leaving because of me, are you?"

Returning the smile, Ulrike said, "I'm leaving, but not because of you. I'd like to take a few fairs before I have lunch."

"Why aren't you staying for lunch?" asked Else as she took the cup and saucer from Ulrike's hands and put it on the small fridge that stood just to the left of the kitchen door. "We're having _Eisbein_ , and there's enough for the three of us."

"Thanks, _Mutti_ , but I had rather a late breakfast, so I'm really not hungry yet," said Ulrike, and opening the front door, she turned to Rosemarie and said, "I'm sure we'll meet another time soon. Have fun, you two."

#

Carmen absentmindedly chewed on her liverwurst sandwich, lost in thoughts about her situation in general and her lying to other people in particular, when suddenly Susanne Weber, a colleague of hers, touched her shoulder, saying, " _Na, wie geht's?_ " startling her so much that she dropped her sandwich.

"Gosh, you're a nervous wreck today," said Frau Weber. Placing a cup of coffee on the table, she sat down opposite Carmen and began to unpack her lunch.

Yes, thought Carmen, irritated that she had already been startled twice this morning, once by Frau Krüger and once by the very same colleague. On top of that, it hadn't really improved the state of her nerves that the pupils in her first class had been so trying today that she had been tempted to give a black mark to at least two of the pupils. However, because of her strong aversion to such disciplinary measures she had managed to refrain from it, even if barely.

"I'm sorry, Susanne, this just isn't my day," she said. Sighing, she picked up her sandwich.

"What's wrong?" asked Susanne. "Did the 9B give you trouble again?" she referred to the most infamous class at their otherwise rather peaceful school.

"Yes, well, it must be the weather," said Carmen dismissively. "It isn't particularly improving anybody's mood to look out into that gloom," she pointed to the window where dark clouds could be seen hanging low and heavy in the sky.

Nodding, Susanne said, "The weather really is nasty today, I'll give you that." Then, taking a sip of coffee, she asked, "Say, now that you've started that Latin dance class of yours, what would you think about combining our two classes and doing something together for the school festival next April?"

Carmen thought about this while she finished her sandwich. Susanne's guitar class was an advanced one, and the pupils would certainly be capable of playing Latin dance rhythms. _Yes_ she thought, combining their classes for such a project sounded like a wonderful opportunity for their pupils to interact.

Taking a sip of her coffee, she finally answered, "I think that's a great idea; but it's a bit early to start such a project, don't you think?"

"Sure," said Susanne smiling, "I just wanted to see what you think. Maybe we could start after the winter holidays?"

"That's more like it," said Carmen. "Do you have anything specific in mind yet?"

They spent the rest of the break brainstorming, and when Susanne left for her next class, Carmen got herself a fresh cup of coffee and returned to the table. Still having over an hour to kill before her next class started, she leaned back in her chair and smiled. _What a nice idea_ , she thought; her pupils would certainly be thrilled. She wondered if she could persuade Ulrike to come to the school festival to watch her pupils' performance. Her smile faded as she realised that she would first have to face up to the dreaded task of confessing her problem to Ulrike.

Sipping her coffee, she suddenly wondered why Ulrike had never replied to any of her presents. Though, granted, she didn't know if her partner might have tried to call her, as she had her phone unplugged most of the time. Staring out of the window, she began to wonder why she was so afraid of telling Ulrike what was going on with her. After all, Ulrike would certainly not leave her for such a stupid issue, now would she? Shaking her head almost imperceptibly, Carmen told herself that that was highly unlikely.

She kept thinking about the pros and cons until it was almost time to get to her next class. Finally, deciding to stop being a coward, she vowed to herself to call Ulrike after work.

#

Waiting in line at the taxi rank at Bahnhof Zoo, Ulrike let the Mercedes slowly roll forward as the taxis at the front drove off. Now there were only three colleagues in front of her, and she could see several people with suitcases and travel bags heading towards the rank. Great timing, she thought, as she had only been waiting for ten minutes and had just finished the burger she had bought before driving to this rank.

As the colleague in front of her got out to put his passengers' luggage into the boot, and a middle-aged bespectacled man with a large, old suitcase headed for her taxi, Ulrike got out as well and opened the boot.

" _Tach, der Herr_ ," she greeted as she took the suitcase from her passenger, "Did you have a nice journey?"

"Yes, thank you," said the man as Ulrike closed the boot and he opened the back passenger door.

Settling behind the wheel, Ulrike switched on the taximeter and asked, " _Wo soll's 'n hinjehn?_ "

"Ringbahnstraße 13 in Halensee," said the passenger, causing Ulrike to raise her eyebrows in surprise, as the address was only a few houses down from Carmen's place.

Acknowledging, Ulrike looked at the clock as she headed for the Kurfürstendamm.

_Hm, half past one_ , she thought. It wasn't impossible, but rather unlikely that Carmen would already be home. _Pity. It would have been a nice opportunity to pay a surprise visit to her and apologise_.

However, as she turned into Ringbahnstraße and proceeded to number 13, her heart skipped a beat and a huge grin appeared on her face as she spotted Carmen's red Alpha Spider parked in one of the parking bays.

"Stop here, please!" her passenger brought her back into the present.

In her excitement, she had almost missed his house.

After dropping off her passenger, Ulrike turned the taxi around at the next opportunity as she had seen an empty parking space on the other side. Finding it still free she manoeuvred the Mercedes into the rather small space.

Locking the taxi, she headed for Carmen's place with a bounce in her step. Then, suddenly thinking that a bunch of flowers might help with her apology and would also serve as a little thank you for the presents she had received, she jogged to the flower shop around the corner.

Ten minutes later, a bunch of flowers in hand, she stood in front of the large panel of doorbells next to the entrance door, and pressing the button with Carmen's name, she waited for a reply on the intercom.

When after a minute or so she neither heard Carmen's voice nor the sounding of the opening signal, Ulrike furrowed her brow. Assuming that she once again had turned off her doorbell, she wondered whether she should heed Renato's advice and ring the neighbour's bell.

She was just about to press the button with Frau Krüger's name on it when the entrance door opened and an old man walked out.

Seizing the opportunity, Ulrike entered the building and took the lift to the fourth floor.

Finally standing in front of Carmen's door, she rang the doorbell. She could hear it sound, so obviously Carmen hadn't turned it off. Alas, she didn't answer. Scratching the back of her head, Ulrike wondered what the hell was going on with her partner, when she heard the neighbour's door open.

" _Tach, Frollein_ Ulrike!" greeted Frau Krüger excitedly, "How fortunate that you're here!"

Returning the greeting, Ulrike looked questioningly at the old lady.

"Fräulein Carmen is probably still at work, but I could use your services this afternoon. Would you like to come in for a cup of coffee?"

"Sure, why not," said Ulrike, disappointed that Carmen wasn't there, and truly wondering why her car was parked on the street. Maybe the neighbour could shed some light on it.

"Excellent," said Frau Krüger, "Come on in, and give me those, I'll put them in water for the time being."

Settling down on the antique sofa, Ulrike looked around while she waited for Frau Krüger to prepare the coffee.

The style of the antique oak furniture and the assortment of antique pewter on top of the cabinet showed that the old lady was obviously more affluent than Ulrike would have gathered from her appearance. Her clothes had never struck Ulrike as particularly stylish, in fact most of the time Ulrike had seen her, she had been wearing a rather hideous apron; neither did she wear much jewellery, apart from her wedding ring and the odd brooch. All the more she wondered why Frau Krüger was talking with such a strong Berlin accent. Usually, the more upper class people wouldn't talk with such a strong accent, and as with Frau Schröder, Ulrike would adapt her speech patterns accordingly. However, she had always enjoyed talking with Frau Krüger in her natural tongue, and now she suddenly wondered if Frau Krüger talked that way only with her. She would have to ask Carmen some time.

Intrigued, she looked at the old sepia wedding photo displayed on top of the bureau. She noted that Frau Krüger had been a strikingly beautiful young woman, and her tall, broad-shouldered husband had been rather a handsome fellow as well.

" _'N hübscher Kerl warer, meen Willem_ ," commented Frau Krüger with a smile as she returned with the coffee, voicing in her own words what Ulrike had just thought.

Nodding, Ulrike returned the smile. "He sure was. And so were you, Frau Krüger, if I may say so."

"Oh, yes," said Frau Krüger as she set the tray with the exquisite old china coffee set on the table. "I was quite a beauty, but I only ever had eyes for my Wilhelm. Do you take sugar or cream?" she asked as she took the cream jug and the sugar basin from the tray and set them on the table.

"Just cream, thank you."

Pouring coffee for the both of them, Frau Krüger said, "I met Fräulein Carmen at the supermarket this morning."

Looking up in surprise, Ulrike asked, "At the supermarket? Gosh, she hasn't lost her job, has she?" Now, that might explain her odd behaviour, thought Ulrike.

"No, no," reassured Frau Krüger, "She goes to work later on Fridays this term. But I did wonder why she isn't using her car. She said the car wasn't working and that she just hasn't had the time yet to get it fixed. But it's been standing in the same spot for weeks; and when I asked her if you could help her with that, she was rather elusive. Did you have a fight?"

"Not really," said Ulrike. She knew that Carmen was rather fond of her neighbour, but she wasn't so sure if Carmen would appreciate it if she discussed their problems with the old lady.

"But?" Frau Krüger questioned with a raised eyebrow and a lopsided grin.

Ulrike smirked. Despite her reluctance to confide in Frau Krüger, she was getting worried about Carmen, so she took a deep breath and said, "I really don't know what's going on, Frau Krüger. Carmen never told me that her car isn't working. Had she told me, I might have been able to fix it or at least get it to the repair shop for her. However, it's been over a week since we last talked..." and Ulrike finally poured out her heart to the old lady, telling her all about her doubts and the reason for her wish to apologise.

Frau Krüger listened thoughtfully, and when Ulrike finished, she said, "You know, Fräulein Ulrike, I don't think there's a need for you to apologise, though she'll love the flowers, and, mind you, giving a lady flowers is always a good idea. My Wilhelm always brought me flowers; there didn't even have to be a particular reason for it." Taking a sip of her coffee, she continued, "But I digress. In my opinion it's Fräulein Carmen who's been acting strangely. She keeps telling you - and me as well - that she has no time. However, she has brought me dinner several times this week, just as she always does. And they were meals that require quite some time and effort to prepare. However, she has not invited me over, and she refused to stay here and share the dinner with me; and this is quite unusual, as we usually have dinner or lunch together at least once a week."

Hearing all this, Ulrike took a deep breath. Having spotted an ashtray with a butt in it on a tea trolley that stood next to a large armchair, she asked, "Do you mind if I smoke?"

"Not at all, dear. I could use one myself," said Frau Krüger. And walking over to the cabinet, she opened the drawer below the _vitrine_ and explained, smirking, "I smoke too much when I keep them lying within reach."

"I see," said Ulrike as she took a pack of cigarettes and a lighter from her shirt breast pocket. "I only smoke a few a day; usually after meals. I rarely feel the need to smoke more."

"That's good," said Frau Krüger. Sitting back down and lighting her cigarette, she inhaled and asked, "Now, what are we going to do about you and Fräulein Carmen?"

"I don't know, Frau Krüger," said Ulrike, "From what you are saying, I gather that her odd behaviour has probably nothing to do with me." Taking a drag from her cigarette, Ulrike stared into space, pondering, and slowly exhaling the smoke, she said, "I wonder if this is still about the accident."

"What accident?" asked Frau Krüger, "You mean the one she had in summer? I can't imagine that that would still affect her."

"No. I mean the one she had a few weeks ago," said Ulrike.

"She had another accident? She never told me about that."

"Oh," uttered Ulrike, surprise written on her face. "I'd have thought she told you." When Frau Krüger shook her head, Ulrike asked, "Did she tell you that she went for a drive with her brother in his Lamborghini?"

Nodding, Frau Krüger said, "Yes. She told me it's a fantastic car, and that they had breakfast in Brunswick."

"Hm... she didn't tell you that she hit a cat with the Lambo?" asked Ulrike.

" _Ach du meene Jüte! Det is ja furchbar!_ " Frau Krüger voiced her dismay. "No, she didn't tell me that. No wonder she's not quite herself lately. It must have been a terrible shock for her. Poor Fräulein Carmen!"

She felt a tad uncomfortable about confiding in Carmen's neighbour without her partner's knowledge. Nonetheless she wasn't able to help herself in spite of it, as she felt oddly comfortable with the old lady. "Uh, please don't tell her that I told you," she said, as she leaned over, to stub out her cigarette.

"Of course not, Fräulein Ulrike, my lips are sealed," assured Frau Krüger.

Now that she thought about it, Ulrike began to wonder if she had failed Carmen by not considering that her partner might still be plagued by the trauma of the accident, despite having seen with her own eyes how traumatised Carmen had been at the time.

Closing her eyes for a moment, she cursed herself inwardly for having been such an unfeeling idiot. Finally, heaving a sigh, she told Frau Krüger about what had happened on that particular Sunday.

"... And until just now, it didn't even cross my mind that Carmen might suffer any long-term repercussions from this," admitted Ulrike. She was now certain that Carmen's changed behaviour was a direct result of her trauma; and she wasn't too sure about the story of the car either. " _Mensch, wat bin ick für'n Vollidiot, det ick da nich eha druff jekommn bin!_ " she cursed herself, and lighting another cigarette, she leaned over, her arms on her knees, and hung her head. God, she felt awful.

"Now, now, Fräulein Ulrike, don't blame yourself," said Frau Krüger. "It's not all your fault. I'm sure if Fräulein Carmen had wanted to talk about what bothers her, she would have. Obviously, she didn't want to talk about it - neither with you, nor with me. I'm not sure if she confided in her parents, but judging from what you say and from the way she is behaving, I doubt it."

Exhaling a cloud of smoke, Ulrike said, "I doubt she confided in anyone. She's far too afraid that people see her as anything less than perfect."

Shaking her head, Frau Krüger said, "But it's not her fault if she's suffering from trauma."

"You tell her that," said Ulrike.

Raising her eyebrow, the old lady said, "I can't. I know nothing about it, remember?"

"Right," Ulrike sighed with a grin. "But how am I going to talk to her? I haven't been able to reach her on the phone, and I'm sure she'll turn off her damned doorbell again too, as soon as she comes home. So, what am I going to do? Camp in front of her door till she comes home?"

Frau Krüger smirked. "You can stay here until I have to leave. If I'm not mistaken, Fräulein Carmen will be back between half past two and three. Unfortunately, I have an appointment today. I'll meet with some of my friends at the Café Kranzler at three, and I wanted to ask you if you could drive me, but under the circumstances I'll just call another taxi."

"No, no, Frau Krüger, that won't be necessary. I'll drive you. You've been so kind to me. I'll be happy to return the favour. I'll just tell her that I'll be back. Hopefully, she won't switch off her doorbell then."

"But if she doesn't return in time..."

"Then I'll leave her a note," interrupted Ulrike.

#

Leaving school, Carmen put up her umbrella and headed for the bus stop. Neither the rain nor the gloomy weather bothered her any longer.

As she stood at the bus stop, waiting for the bus that was due to arrive in a few minutes, she looked over to a group of pupils who were waiting as well. She only knew them by sight, but they made her smile as she thought back to how her work day had ended. She had thoroughly enjoyed her last class.

It was her favourite class, the 10A. It was the fourth year in a row now, that she was teaching them Spanish. It was from this class that several pupils had asked if she could be persuaded to teach them how to dance, and in the end almost half of the pupils of 10A had joined the dance class.

Tanja Lorenz, one of her best pupils of the class, had volunteered being her dance partner as she was already doing an advanced course in standard and Latin dances at a dance school she attended.

It had taken the pupils some time to get used to two females dancing together, but as most of the participants were girls, it couldn't be helped, and by the second time there had been no more embarrassed giggles and everyone enjoyed moving to the rhythm.

However, she really loved her 10A Spanish class in general. They were all very much interested in the Spanish language and culture, and they challenged her with interesting questions each and every time. She did a lot of extra work to please them and to satisfy their curiosity, and it was fun to do it, as she was rewarded with their appreciation and participation. Not all of them had great marks, of course, but even those who weren't as talented with regards to spelling and grammar made up for it by being enthusiastic and interested in learning about the different cultures of Spain and the Latin American countries.

Of course she tried to engage the 'class from hell' as well, but apart from a few pupils, her efforts were pretty much wasted. She truly wondered why the majority of them had ever taken Spanish as a third language instead of choosing biology or some other subject as their elective. They had no interest in the language or the culture and they already struggled with English and French. Thank God she no longer had to teach them English this year. If it wasn't for the few gems in that class, who also participated in the dance class, she would long have given up doing any sort of extra work for them.

Her favourite class, however, was pure joy to teach. Today they had given her several ideas as to how to make their next lessons more interesting, and she was looking forward to the preparations.

Even more, she was looking forward to finally talking with Ulrike again and perhaps even see her, now that she had talked herself out of her worries.

When the bus came, it wasn't as full as it was in the mornings, so Carmen easily found a seat. As the bus drove on, she leaned back and looked out of the window.

Soon, she no longer saw any of the shops and houses and people they drove past, as her view turned inward, reminiscing about images of Ulrike. As she remembered how adorable Ulrike had looked when she had tried her first alfajor with her eyes closed in appreciation of the traditional Argentinian cookie, she smiled and decided to surprise Ulrike with a batch of freshly made alfajores. Furrowing her brow, she went through the list of the needed ingredients, and realising that she didn't have any fresh lemons and no corn-starch either, she got up and walked to the exit in order to stop by the health food shop.

#

"I'm sorry we have to leave now," said Frau Krüger when Ulrike returned from ringing at Carmen's unsuccessfully and helped the old lady into her coat.

"Don't worry, Frau Krüger, I'll stick the note on her door. I wrote that I'll be back in about half an hour. I'm sure it won't be a problem," said Ulrike.

"All right. Perhaps she'll even appreciate that she'll have a bit of time to freshen up," said the old lady, smiling.

Nodding, Ulrike asked, "Do you think I should place the flowers on her doormat?"

"No," said the old lady. "We don't know for sure when she returns. And even if we leave them with the vase, there's still the risk that someone else might see and take them before she returns. You just can't be too careful nowadays."

"All right," said Ulrike and picked up the little envelope with the note and a piece of Tesafilm to stick it to the door.

"I'll give the flowers to Fräulein Carmen as soon as I'm back."

"Okay, thanks," said Ulrike, and opening the front door while Frau Krüger checked her handbag, she walked over to Carmen's door. Ringing once again, she waited until she heard Frau Krüger locking her door, and when Carmen didn't answer, she stuck the envelope to the door with the Tesa, and turning around she joined the neighbour.

#

Getting off the bus, Carmen began walking towards her home when in her peripheral view she noticed a taxi driving past. She turned to have a closer look and saw it turning into Kurfürstendamm. Her heart skipped a beat as she looked at the number plate and realised it was Ulrike's.

What was Ulrike doing here? Was it just coincidence? But what if she had seen her car and tried to visit her? Oh God and she hadn't been at home. What if Ulrike was now sick of her never having time and had left her a message ending their relationship? With these troubled thoughts, she walked the rest of the way to her house.

Taking out her keys, she fumbled for the one to the entrance door, dropping them in the process. Picking up the keys, she inwardly cursed her anxiety and straightened up again just as the door was opened and a mother with her toddler walked out.

" _Tach_ Frau Bauer," greeted the young woman as she and her son passed Carmen.

" _Guten Tag_ , Frau Arnold. _Hallo_ Kevin," replied Carmen and entered the building.

Walking over to the wall of letterboxes, she fumbled for the key for her letterbox and opened it, this time without dropping the keys. Breathing a sigh of relief when she only found a flyer for a new pizza delivery service inside, she headed for the lift. Perhaps not all was lost yet. Perhaps Ulrike had only dropped off a passenger and continued working. After all, she usually worked till dusk, and sometimes she went to the bodybuilding centre afterwards, so that she wouldn't be home before seven or eight in the evening. Therefore, it was entirely possible that she hadn't even tried to call on Carmen.

Thus reassured, Carmen stepped out of the lift and headed for her flat.

Raising her eyebrows as she noticed a little envelope pinned to her door, she unstuck it and unlocked her door, wondering what Frau Krüger wanted. Once she was inside, she shut the door behind her, and relieving herself of her bags, she leaned down in order to pet Tabitha who was rubbing her head against Carmen's leg as was her usual greeting ritual. Speaking to the now purring cat in a soft tone, she ruffled the Norwegian's fur until she became uncomfortable in her crouching position and stood up.

"Let me just get ready, then you'll get your food," she said, and took off her shoes. Then, taking a hanger off the coat hook, she draped her wet coat over it, grabbed her umbrella and walked into the bathroom and hung her wet coat and umbrella over the tub.

Back in the hall, she took the grocery bag, walked into the kitchen and switched on the radio. Humming to the music, she gave Tabitha a bowl of food and started preparing the dough for the alfajores.

#

Halting at the last traffic light before taking a U-turn to get to the other side of the Kurfürstendamm, where the Café Kranzler was situated, Ulrike asked Frau Krüger if she should pick her up later.

"No thanks, dear," said Frau Krüger. "I don't know how long we'll stay, and if the rain stops, we might go shopping afterwards. You just take your time with Fräulein Carmen. I'll take the bus home."

"Okay," said Ulrike as she stopped to let the old lady out. "Have fun at your coffee party!"

Turning around, Frau Krüger said, "Thank you. And you have fun with Fräulein Carmen." And with a smile on her face, she winked at Ulrike and shut the door.

Just then, a young lady came running, her hands full with shopping bags, and opening the back passenger door, she asked breathlessly, "Are you free?"

"Uh, not really," said Ulrike, thinking of Carmen.

"Oh, please, I need to get to the airport, quickly," said the lady with a charming French accent, and without waiting for an answer she slid into the backseat and pulled the door shut.

"To the airport?" _Scheiße_ , cursed Ulrike inwardly. "Can't you take another taxi, please? I've got an appointment in 15 minutes."

Another taxi behind her honked, as Ulrike was halting on the bus line. Unfortunately, the colleague's taxi sign was switched off, so she couldn't send her passenger to him.

" _Bitte, bitte, sein Sie so lieb_ ," begged the lady. "It really is urgent. I'll pay you double."

Sighing, Ulrike switched on the taximeter and drove on.

"Thank you so much," said the lady. "I don't know how I could forget the time. I was shopping and suddenly it is three o' clock. The plane of _mon chéri_ will arrive in half an hour at the Schönefeld airport."

"Schönefeld?!" Ulrike squeaked.

"Yes, didn't I say so?"

"No, you only said airport, I assumed you mean Tegel," said Ulrike, clearly dismayed that she would now be at least an hour later at Carmen's than she had promised on her note.

"I'm sorry," said the lady contritely. "I thought I had told you. Please, don't be angry with me."

"I'm not angry with you," grumbled Ulrike, "I'm just angry at myself. I should have asked you right away. God, I've been driving for over 20 years, you'd think I know better than assuming people's destination."

"But you are not throwing me out, no?" asked the lady apprehensively.

Sighing, Ulrike said, "No."

"Will you get into trouble because of me?"

"Huh?" asked Ulrike.

"I mean, because you will miss your rendezvous," explained the passenger.

"Oh," said Ulrike, catching on. "No, well, at least I hope not."

"The boyfriend will wait?"

"Girlfriend," corrected Ulrike and pointed at the little rainbow sticker on the centre console.

"Aah!," said the lady, and then suddenly she made a face. "Uh, that's not good."

Ulrike was about to give her nosy passenger a piece of her mind, when the woman elaborated, "A lady does not like being kept waiting. Oh, I'm so sorry. _Je suis vraiment désolée_!"

Ulrike just barely managed to refrain from rolling her eyes at the exaggerated behaviour, as she drove on.

#

Finished with the dough, Carmen formed it into a ball, wrapped it in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge. Then, taking her work bag, her glance fell on the envelope. "Oh, I completely forgot about that," she mumbled and picking up the envelope, she headed for her desk in the living room. Placing the bag next to her chair, she sat down and opened the envelope, wondering what her neighbour wanted. Her heart began to race and a huge smile appeared on her face, as she realised that the note wasn't from Frau Krüger but Ulrike.

So Ulrike had been here after all. And she wasn't angry that Carmen hadn't been home. She would only drive Frau Krüger to the Café Kranzler, and she said she'd be back in about half an hour, which must be almost the time now.

Looking down at her clothes, Carmen quickly got up and headed for the bedroom in order to change into something less modest.

#

When Ulrike finally delivered her passenger at the airport, it was 15:35, which meant she was already 20 minutes late, and it would take at least half an hour to get to Carmen's place, probably more in the rush hour traffic.

Thinking quickly, Ulrike decided to park the taxi and call Carmen from the airport.

Finally in the telephone booth, she cursed, " _Himmel, Arsch und Zwirn_ , Carmen, answer the damned phone!"

#

Carmen was standing in the kitchen, kneading and rolling the dough for the alfajores. Having turned the volume up on her stereo so she could hear the music in the kitchen, she hummed to her favourite Argentinian songs.

She couldn't wait seeing Ulrike's face again when she indulged in the delicate confection. How fortunate that Ulrike seemed to be taking her time to return. This way, the alfajores might be ready to eat when she came.

Suddenly perking up, Carmen listened, and quickly wiping her hands on her apron, she rushed into the living room to answer the phone, but before she could get there, the phone stopped ringing. Waiting a moment to see if it would ring again, she shrugged and turned around. _If it was important, they will call again_ , she thought, and headed back to the kitchen, giving Tabitha a kiss on the forehead as she walked past the scratching tree.

Back in the kitchen, she continued cutting rounds out of the rolled dough, thinking that perhaps she could take Ulrike out to Marco's pizzeria for dinner. She hadn't been there since the day of the accident, and she was in the mood for pizza _frutti di mare_. That way she could also congratulate him belatedly on the anniversary.

#

Annoyed, Ulrike slammed the receiver on the cradle. " _Scheiße!_ " she cursed, and hurrying back to the taxi, she headed for Carmen's place. Perhaps Carmen had turned off the phone so they wouldn't be disturbed, thought Ulrike, though somehow she doubted it. God, hopefully Carmen wouldn't refuse to talk to her even when she knew that Ulrike was coming; and hopefully she wouldn't be angry about Ulrike being so terribly late.

Glancing at the fuel gauge, she realised that she was running low on diesel, so she stopped at the next petrol station.

After she filled her car, she went inside to pay, and grabbing a bottle of sparkling water and a BiFi Roll - a salami in a coat of white bread \- on the way, she headed for the register, where she asked for a fresh pack of cigarettes and payed her bill.

Munching on her snack, she returned to the taxi, hoping that the city ring road wouldn't be too congested yet.

#

Removing the alfajores from the oven, Carmen transferred the cookies to a wire rack to let them cool.

As she looked at the clock, she wondered where Ulrike got to. She walked into the living room and picking up the phone she rang Ulrike. _Could she have forgotten? Unlikely_ , she thought and shook her head.

However, as Ulrike didn't answer the phone, she wondered if maybe Ulrike had come and she hadn't heard the doorbell, just as she almost missed hearing the phone. " _Verdammt_!" she cursed, and the next instant, her chest tightened. Oh God! What if Ulrike now thought she didn't want anything to do with her anymore?

Closing her eyes, Carmen took a deep breath and mumbled to herself, "Calm down. All right, so Ulrike is most certainly pissed, and rightfully so. She probably won't come here again today. So, I'll let the alfajores cool, then I'll try again to ring her, and if she doesn't answer, I'll drive to her place. I'll just have to."

#

Standing on the city ring road, Ulrike couldn't believe her bad luck. She had been caught in this damned congestion for over 15 minutes now. Apparently, there had been a major accident further ahead, and it must have happened recently as they hadn't said anything on the radio yet and the ambulance and police had only just driven past. By the look of it, the ring was completely blocked, which meant it could take ages till she could move on.

" _Verdammter Mist_!" she cursed and punched the steering wheel.

#

Having prepared the alfajores and placed half of them in a box for Ulrike, Carmen tried again to ring her partner.

As she got no answer, she cursed and forcibly put the receiver on the cradle. Brushing a strand of hair to the back, she steeled herself to go through with her decision and walked into the hallway. She slipped into her newly acquired low kitten heel pumps, which went nicely with the red dress she had donned earlier, and in which she still felt safer than in her high heels. Then, she got a black coat from the wardrobe and popped it over her dress.

Once she was prepared to leave, she got her umbrella from the bathroom, grabbed her handbag, her keys and the box with the alfajores and headed for her car.

Standing at her car, she reached out with her key in hand to unlock it when she realised that her hand was trembling.

Clenching her jaw, she squinted angrily at her hand and said out loud, "No! I'm not taking this shit any longer!" And sticking the key in the lock, she turned it, opened the door and sat down behind the wheel. Ignoring her pounding heart, she started the engine and backed out of the parking bay.

#

Finally turning into Ringbahnstraße, Ulrike drove slowly, her eyes searching for a free parking space. Furrowing her brow, Ulrike halted in front of an empty bay that was still dry for most of the part, which clearly indicated that a car had been parked there for quite a while. She could swear that Carmen's Alpha had been parked in this place. Now, however, the red sports car was nowhere to be seen.

Backing her Mercedes into the bay, Ulrike decided to go and see if Carmen might be home anyway. Alas, when she rang the doorbell, Carmen didn't answer. Trying at Frau Krüger's, she got no reply either. Staring at the intercom for a while, she scratched her head in puzzlement and finally turned around and went back to her taxi.

She really didn't know what to think about Carmen. Had she not received her message? Had she not been up at her flat yet? Was the Alpha kaput after all, and had she had it towed to the repair shop?

Puzzled, Ulrike got into the taxi and started the engine. Was everything wrong, that she and Frau Krüger had assumed? Was Carmen really suffering from trauma?

Putting the automatic on drive, she carefully manoeuvred out of the bay and drove on, getting increasingly frustrated the more she thought about her elusive partner.

If Carmen didn't suffer from trauma, then why for heaven's sake was she avoiding her? And why did she never have time - not even for her neighbour?

Irritated, Ulrike drummed her fingers on the steering wheel as she had to wait at a red light. When the car behind her honked and she realised that the light had turned green, Ulrike decided that it was time again for her to work off her frustration. Glad that she had remembered to put her gym bag in the boot this morning and thus wouldn't have to drive home first, she headed for the bodybuilding centre.

#

Arriving at Ulrike's place, Carmen searched the car park in the backyard of the building complex for Ulrike's taxi. Not seeing the ivory coloured Mercedes anywhere, she decided to park and go and see if Ulrike was home, anyway. As far as Carmen knew, Ulrike always parked in the backyard, but just in case she was parking somewhere else today, she wanted to make sure.

Turning off the engine, she realised that she was soaked with sweat and her coat was stained with dark wet spots from continuously wiping off her sweaty palms. But she had made it! She expelled a breath of relief.

However, as she rang Ulrike's doorbell, she received no answer. Looking at her watch and seeing that it was just shortly after five, she shook her head and went back to her car.

Ulrike had probably decided to continue working when Carmen didn't answer the door. Now that she thought about it, she wondered if Ulrike would try again at her place after work. After all, Ulrike didn't know when she returned from work. And they hadn't really had a date. Not one that Carmen had confirmed, anyway.

Getting back into her car, Carmen wondered. What if Ulrike wasn't pissed at her? What if she simply thought Carmen wasn't back from work yet and decided to try again in the evening? On the other hand, what if Frau Krüger had told Ulrike that Carmen usually returned around three on Fridays?

Running her fingers through her hair, Carmen asked aloud, "God, what am I going to do?"

Finally, she lit one of her super slim cigarettes, and turning down the window, she leaned back and stared into the bushes in front of the car.

#

After her work-out at the bodybuilding centre, not feeling much better despite being thoroughly spent, Ulrike stopped for dinner at 'Marianne's Currybude', her favourite snack bar for almost 20 years.

Stepping into the small hut, Ulrike was greeted by the strong smell of fried sausages, _Buletten_ and French fries mixed with residual smoke from the customers and the smell of alcohol.

" _N'Amd Majanne. Det selbe wie imma_ ," she greeted her old friend and requested her usual order.

" _N'Amd Ulli. Wie siehst du'n aus? Hat dir eena inne Suppe jepullat oda wat is los?_ " Marianne referred to Ulrike's long face, while she put a can of coke in front of Ulrike and prepared a plate with _Currywurst_ and French fries.

Pouring her heart out to the rotund, middle aged woman, Ulrike only stopped occasionally to take a bite whenever Marianne attended to other customers. By the time she had no more to say, her last few fries and pieces of _Currywurst_ were cold.

"That's all I have to say," she said, "I just don't know what to think, and although I've just had an hour of hard work-out, I'm still frustrated as hell." She looked at Marianne, but just as her friend was about to say something, another customer appeared. Finishing the rest of her cold meal, Ulrike waited till Marianne was free again.

When she finished with her customer, Marianne asked, "Did you put a time on the note when you wrote it?"

Thinking for a bit, while she used the last fries to wipe the rest of Marianne's homemade Currywurst sauce off the plate, Ulrike finally said, "I only wrote that I'll be back in about half an hour. I didn't write the time on it."

Tilting her head, Marianne said, "Then how should the girl know when you'd be back? She may even have called you, but couldn't reach you since, as you just told me, you haven't been home yet."

"Hm... that's entirely possible," said Ulrike.

Smiling, Marianne patted Ulrike's hand and said, "So, stop wracking your brain about it and go home. She's probably waiting for your call."

" _Da haste eijentlich recht, Majanne_ ," agreed Ulrike with a hopeful grin, and thanking her friend for the advice, she left.

Arriving at the car park in her backyard, Ulrike was flabbergasted when she spotted Carmen's Alpha in the last bay - her favourite bay as it was the closest to her entrance door.

The bay next to it was still free, so Ulrike manoeuvred the Mercedes into it.

Turning off the engine, she smiled fondly, as she realised that Carmen was obviously fast asleep, as she was leaning against the window and hadn't moved despite the noise of the diesel driving past her. Despite the noise...?! Ulrike was out in a flash and rushed over to Carmen, her heart pounding painfully against her ribcage.

Halting for a moment and surprising herself that she had the presence of mind to pull her shirt-sleeve over her hand so as not to destroy any possible fingerprints, she carefully opened the door.

When the door suddenly gave way, Carmen jostled awake. Gasping, she jerked into an upright position and grasped the steering wheel. Before she could properly wake up, she was hauled out of the car and engulfed in a huge bear hug.

"Man, I'm so glad you're all right!" said Ulrike after she had smothered her partner's face with kisses. "I've missed you so much. And I guess my imagination was running rampant because of it." Halting for a moment and looking at her still somewhat disoriented partner, she felt Carmen's face, and furrowing her brow, she reached for Carmen's hand and noted, "You are freezing! Come, let's go up."

"Wait," said Carmen as Ulrike was about to shut the Alpha's door. And crawling halfway into the car, Carmen took the keys from the ignition and her handbag and the box from the passenger's seat. Straightening up, she held out the box to Ulrike, "I made alfajores for you." She smiled as she watched Ulrike's face lighting up in pleasant surprise; and shutting the door, she locked it, while Ulrike took out her gym bag and locked the taxi. And linking their arms they began walking towards the entrance.

###

Taxi - Talk

Carmen and Ulrike were sitting at the kitchen table having a late night snack after their reunification.

Carmen, wearing a terrycloth robe of Ulrike's with the sleeves rolled up twice, stared pensively into the Garfield coffee mug she was cradling between her hands.

"You know what, _Liebling_ ," said Ulrike, munching her second alfajor, "The next time you are afraid to tell me something, just make these and you'll find me unable to argue."

Snorting, Carmen looked at Ulrike and said with a lopsided smirk, "You'd get fat if I used that tactic."

Taking a sip of coffee to wash down the last bits of the dangerously delicious treat, Ulrike asked, "Why? Are you hiding that much from me?"

When Carmen didn't answer, Ulrike raised her eyebrows. "Well, then out with it. Seize the moment. I've had enough work-outs today and yesterday, so I can easily afford eating a third of these scrumptious little calorie bombs," and grinning, she reached for the box of alfajores.

Turning her gaze back to her coffee, Carmen smiled at Ulrike's antics. Hesitating for a while, she finally said, "I feel stupid."

When Carmen didn't elaborate, Ulrike asked, "Why?"

Glancing quickly at Ulrike before staring at her coffee again, Carmen said, "Because I've been making such a fuss over everything."

Ulrike shrugged. "No need to feel stupid. Next time, just tell me what's bothering you, so we can sort things out together before you get your knickers in a twist."

"But it wasn't about you or about us," said Carmen.

"I know," said Ulrike, "But we're together, and it affects me too in one way or another when something's bothering you. And I'd rather know what's going on in that pretty head of yours than be left guessing - I suck at guessing!"

"So do I, evidently," said Carmen with a half-hearted grin.

When Carmen remained silent, Ulrike quietly finished her alfajor, deciding to be patient and give her partner the time she needed to voice whatever else was troubling her.

After quite a while, Carmen mumbled, still staring at her coffee, "José hasn't talked to me since... then."

"He's in Buenos Aires now, isn't he?"

"Yes," said Carmen, and, finally looking at Ulrike again, she explained, "But usually when he leaves town he would call me before he leaves and after he arrives. And he'd call at least once a week. He didn't this time."

"Is he okay? Do you have his number?" asked Ulrike, and as Carmen nodded, she asked, "Have you tried to call him?"

Carmen shook her head and said almost inaudibly, "I don't think he wants to talk to me."

"Has he talked to your parents?"

Carmen nodded and stared back at her coffee, letting her hair fall forward.

"Did he tell them that he doesn't want to talk to you?"

When Carmen shook her head, Ulrike reached over and gathered Carmen's hair away from her face. Seeing a single tear rolling down her partner's cheek she caught it and gently wiped it off her face. Then she said softly, "Come, let's go into the living room, hm?"

Nodding silently, Carmen followed her partner to the sofa, and when Ulrike took her in her arms, she broke down and cried, "I'm so sorry that I overreacted so badly. He probably hates me now."

"Carmen... _Liebling_ , listen to me," said Ulrike while she caressed Carmen's hair, "I don't know why he didn't call you, but I'm sure he doesn't hate you. Remember, when we were at Marco's that same evening? He seemed perfectly normal then. Maybe still a bit worried about you, but there was no indication whatsoever that he had any hard feelings towards you."

"But why didn't he call me?" sobbed Carmen.

"Hm... Perhaps he did," suggested Ulrike, "I've tried to call you several times, but either you weren't there or you had unplugged your phone."

Nestled into Ulrike's shoulder, Carmen shook her head. "I always plugged the phone back in before I went to bed. He's in Buenos Aires, and he's working, he wouldn't call before midnight."

Raising her eyebrows, Ulrike wondered, "He'd call you that late when he knows you have to work the next day?"

"He would call on the weekend," said Carmen, sitting up and taking the tissue Ulrike offered her.

"Okay, I'm not sure here," said Ulrike while Carmen blew her nose. "And I just admitted that I suck at guessing. But has he ever called you at night, especially on a weekend, since we've been together?"

"I don't think so," said Carmen. "He rarely calls at night when he is in town."

"Well, let me tell you this," said Ulrike, "Maybe it's just me, but, unless it's an emergency, I would never call anyone between eight in the evening and nine in the morning, especially not when I know that the person isn't single. I know you said he used to do it, but you were single then, and he didn't know that I wasn't with you for the last three weekends. "

"What has being single got to do with it?" asked Carmen.

"Well," said Ulrike, "As I said, maybe it's just me, but I wouldn't want to interrupt a couple's private time. I don't know what the time difference is, but if I were he, I'd try to call on the weekend somewhere between 11:00 and 19:00."

"I had the phone unplugged then," mumbled Carmen, playing with the belt of her robe.

"That's what I figured," said Ulrike, sighing. "Want to call him now?"

"I don't know," said Carmen reluctantly.

"Do you have his number?"

"Yes," said Carmen, "It's in my address book."

"But?" asked Ulrike.

"What if he doesn't want to talk to me?" asked Carmen, still fiddling with the belt.

Taking Carmen's hands in hers, Ulrike said, "I think he will be thrilled to finally hear from you. However, if you like, I can talk to him first."

Shaking her head, Carmen said with a smirk, "No, you can't. He's living at my godfather's place, and they only speak Rioplatense, which is the local Spanish dialect in Buenos Aires."

"Oh, I see," said Ulrike, and as she got up, she pulled Carmen with her. "In that case, you'll just have to trust my phenomenal guessing skills and call him yourself."

Making a face, Carmen tried to argue, "It's not cheap to call to Argentina."

"I'll offset it against tax," said Ulrike, refusing to let Carmen draw back into her shell.

Snorting, Carmen asked, "Declared as what, exactly?"

"A special service for a very special customer," said Ulrike, grinning.

Laughing, Carmen shook her head. "You'd never get away with that." As Ulrike was about to argue, she held up her hands, "All right, all right, I'll call him. I'll give you 50 Mark; that should about cover the costs, I think."

"Forget it," said Ulrike as she followed Carmen to the hall, "Take it as a thank you for the presents you sent me."

Taking her address book from her handbag, Carmen turned and looked at Ulrike. Finally, she nodded and said, "All right, thank you," and started looking for the number.

Ulrike wanted to head for the kitchen to give her partner some privacy, but Carmen held her back, and when she had dialled the number on Ulrike's old, standard, olive green telephone, she took Ulrike's hand and looked at her while she waited for an answer.

Ulrike listened to her partner talking in Rioplatense Spanish to her godfather, finding it incredibly sexy despite not understanding a single word. After a few minutes, she perked up as she heard Carmen mentioning her brother's name, and when she stopped talking, Ulrike smiled and squeezed her hand encouragingly.

Nervously waiting for José to come to the phone, Carmen leaned her head towards Ulrike's, gesturing that she should listen in.

Leaning slightly down, Ulrike pressed her ear as close to Carmen's as the receiver allowed, but jerked back, when José almost yelled into the phone, " _Hey_ Schwesterherz _! Where have you been? I've tried to call you about a thousand times_."

Grinning from ear to ear, Ulrike poked Carmen in the ribs and mouthed, "I knew it!" as José went on, " _Papa said you're busy, but I'm not buying that. Have you moved in with Ulrike or something?_ "

Blushing crimson, Carmen replied ruefully, "No, I haven't. I'm sorry. I've had some problems, and I had the phone unplugged during the day. I thought you'd call at night."

Patting Carmen's shoulder, Ulrike turned and went into the kitchen. However, as she wanted to close the kitchen door to give Carmen more privacy, her partner gestured at her to leave it open. Thus, she poured herself a fresh cup of coffee and sat down at the table, watching Carmen standing in the hall in her white robe that, because of Carmen's smaller size, almost brushed the floor. She smiled, as she saw her partner fiddling with the telephone cord while she told her brother, "I know. Ulrike already explained that to me."

Ulrike wondered if she should bring Carmen a cup of fresh coffee, and as Carmen looked over at her, she held up the Garfield mug with a questioning look.

Nodding to Ulrike, Carmen said to José, "I don't want to talk about it now; I'm calling from Ulrike's phone. I just wanted... I just wanted to see how you're doing."

"Coward," mouthed Ulrike with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes, as she placed the mug with fresh coffee on the sideboard. She chuckled as Carmen poked her tongue out at her. Now this was more like the Carmen she had come to love before all the drama started. And as she blew Carmen a kiss, she was glad to see that the sparkle in her partner's eyes had returned.

#

The next morning, Ulrike woke to the smell of fresh coffee and something else pleasant which she couldn't identify. Raising her eyebrows in curiosity, she stretched languidly, and then, smiling contentedly, she threw back the blanket and got up to investigate what Carmen had conjured up in the kitchen.

Seeing that Carmen was standing at the table with her back towards her, Ulrike walked up to her and hugged her from behind, humming, "Mmm, good morning!"

Turning around to face her partner, Carmen kissed Ulrike and said, "Good morning, sleepyhead."

Ulrike raised her eyebrows - Sleepyhead? - It was only half past seven! "How long have you been up?"

"About an hour and a half," said Carmen, grinning. "I've made fresh bread rolls."

"How'd you do that?" asked Ulrike.

"In the frying pan," said Carmen. "Your oven doesn't seem to work."

"I know. It hasn't been working for years. That's why I was wondering how you made them. I didn't know you could make bread rolls in a pan."

Shaking her head, wondering how anyone could live with a non-functional oven for years, Carmen said, "Well, they aren't exactly the same as oven-baked ones, but yes, you can. I must say, I'm pleasantly surprised that you have stocked up your kitchen cupboard so well that it even includes dry yeast."

Furrowing her brow, Ulrike thought for a moment, and as she remembered, her face lit up, "Ah, yeah, I bought that the other week. I wanted to make _Plinsen_ , but I forgot to buy the eggs and I couldn't be bothered to go out again. And then I forgot all about it."

As Ulrike was turning to leave the kitchen, Carmen asked, "Are you going have a shower now? They taste best when they are fresh."

"Okay, let me just freshen up a bit," said Ulrike.

Holding up the sleeve of the bathrobe with one hand, Carmen poured them both a fresh cup of coffee. Smiling, she realised that she hadn't felt this good in weeks, and she vowed that the next time she felt insecure, she would think of the previous evening to remind herself that talking her problems over with Ulrike was considerably better than trying to cope with everything on her own.

#

"Mmm, these are good!" said Ulrike as she finally took her first bite of the roll.

Carmen smiled. "I'm glad you like them."

"You really are a miracle worker in the kitchen."

Waving her hand in a dismissive gesture, Carmen said, "Nonsense! It's all pretty basic, nothing fancy."

"Well, it seems pretty fancy to me."

"For you even a fried egg is fancy," said Carmen, chuckling.

Pondering for a moment, Ulrike said, "Well, if it's not burned at the bottom and completely raw on top, I guess I'd consider it fancy, yep."

"And here I thought I was exaggerating," said Carmen. "You really are hopeless."

"I just don't like... uh... I just remembered that the flowers I bought for you are still at Frau Krüger's. I hope she isn't alarmed that she couldn't reach you yesterday."

"I suppose she can imagine that I'm with you," said Carmen, "But I have to go home soon anyway. I have to feed Tabitha."

"Oh, okay," said Ulrike with a touch of disappointment in her voice.

Putting her hand on Ulrike's, Carmen asked, "Are you coming with me?"

Her face breaking into a smile, Ulrike said, "I'd love to."

Squeezing Ulrike's hand, Carmen leaned over and kissed her. "I love you," she said as they parted.

#

They were just ready to leave when the phone rang.

"Hoffmann," answered Ulrike, and a moment later had to suppress a groan when she learnt that her mother was at the other end, asking her to buy a new flexi lead for Püppi as the stop lock on hers wasn't working and she didn't want to keep her on the short spare lead till Frau Schröder returned. "How is she doing?" asked Ulrike. "Do you know yet when she'll be out of hospital?" And covering the transmitter with her hand, she quickly conversed with Carmen, whether she minded stopping by at the pet shop.

" _She broke her hip,_ " said Else. " _Her daughter says she'll be in hospital for several weeks._ "

"Gosh, I'm sorry to hear that. All right, I'll get the leash and I'll bring it this afternoon."

" _Is there someone with you? Is it Carmen?_ "

Rolling her eyes towards the ceiling, Ulrike sighed and acknowledged, "Yes."

" _Then bring her for coffee and cake so I can finally meet her,_ " said Else resolutely.

Cringing inwardly, Ulrike quickly asked Carmen if she would mind visiting her mother or if maybe she had something better to do - secretly hoping for the latter.

Alas, Carmen smiled and responded that she would love to meet Ulrike's mother.

Still pressing her hand on the transmitter, Ulrike whispered, "There's really nothing you'd rather do?"

"Well, there is certainly something I'd rather do," said Carmen grinning, and seductively running her hand down Ulrike's spine. "But we can do that later."

"Unfortunate," mumbled Ulrike, and told Else that they'd be there around three.

"Why are you so reluctant to introduce me to your mother?" asked Carmen as Ulrike finished the call.

"Eh... it's actually the other way around - I'm reluctant to introduce my mother to you."

"Why?" Carmen wanted to know as they headed for the door.

Shrugging, Ulrike said, "I don't know. I do love my mother, but she can be a bit annoying at times." She was just about to shut the door behind her, when she suddenly had an idea. "Wait a moment," she asked Carmen and hurried back inside.

Curiously leaning against the doorframe, Carmen watched Ulrike rummaging around in the drawer of her sideboard.

"Ah, there it is!" exclaimed Ulrike, and holding up a key on a key-ring, she walked over to Carmen and said, "Here. Take this. Then you won't have to wait in the car again when I'm not at home. Just let yourself in."

"Are you sure?" asked Carmen, eyeing the key.

"Of course I am. You aren't going to rob me now, are you?" said Ulrike with a smirk, and nudging Carmen, she held the key closer and encouraged her, "Come on, take it."

Reluctantly, Carmen reached for the offered key. "Thank you."

When Carmen kept staring at the key in her hand and didn't move from the doorway, Ulrike asked, "What is it?"

"I..." Carmen paused, unsure as to how to voice her thoughts without the risk of hurting her partner.

"You don't have to give me yours, _Liebling_ ," said Ulrike. "I understand you like locking yourself up in your 'stronghold'; even though I wish you wouldn't feel the need to do that."

Looking up at Ulrike, Carmen said, "I will think about it, okay?"

"Sure," said Ulrike, and giving her partner a gentle nudge, she said, "Come on, let's go, hm? I feel a bit silly standing in the doorway like this."

As they were walking down the stairs, Carmen pondered why she was so reluctant to return the gesture. It wasn't that she didn't trust Ulrike. She did trust her, and of course she wasn't afraid that Ulrike might do anything inappropriate. But Ulrike was right, she liked holing herself up when she felt vulnerable and insecure, and she wasn't sure if she could abandon this need of hers, yet. And although she had vowed to talk to Ulrike when she had a problem, the thought of anyone, even someone she loved as much as Ulrike, being able to barge in on her when she felt she couldn't face another human being, was simply too uncomfortable to her at this point in time.

#

On the way to the car park, Carmen fumbled to get the new key onto her key-ring, and when it was finally attached, she held out the bunch of keys for Ulrike to take it, "Here, you can drive."

Holding up her hand, Ulrike shook her head, "No, no, no. It's my day off. And also, you should get accustomed to driving again. It's like falling from a horse; you'll get back up right away."

"I would never even attempt to ride a horse," said Carmen sulkily.

"That's not the point."

Heaving a sigh, Carmen said, "I know," and unwillingly trudged to the driver's side.

Fastening her seatbelt, Ulrike asked, "Do you know a pet shop on the way where I can get the flexi lead?"

"Sure," said Carmen as she manoeuvred out of the parking bay, "We can drive to the one I always go. Then I can also buy a few things for Tabitha."

"Great," said Ulrike and leaned back.

A few minutes later, Carmen asked, "Would you mind if we had lunch with Frau Krüger? I'd like to make it up to her that I avoided talking to her for so long."

"I don't mind at all," said Ulrike. "I think Frau Krüger is really cool. That reminds me, I wanted to ask you, is she talking in a Berlin dialect to you as well or does she only do that with me?"

Smiling, Carmen said, "I've never heard her speak in anything but a Berlin dialect. She's a true Berlin original, a bit like my Oma, though less extreme."

"Am I ever going to meet your grandmother?" asked Ulrike, curious about the old woman.

"Probably," said Carmen, and not wanting to talk about Oma Hertha, whom she loved as much as she feared, she quickly asked, "Do you like Milanesa Napolitana?"

"I don't know," said Ulrike, "What is it?"

When Carmen described the Argentinian dish to her, Ulrike said, "Sounds delicious."

"All right, then that's what we'll have for lunch," said Carmen and turned into the pet shop's car park.

Having stopped at the butcher's as well, it was almost ten when they finally rang Frau Krüger's doorbell.

" _Frollein Carmen! Und Frollein Ulrike auch! Na det is ja ne Wonne, Sie beede wieder zusammen zu sehn!_ " greeted the old lady, obviously pleasantly surprised to see the two together. " _Warten Se mal 'n Moment!_ " Frau Krüger told them to wait and walked over to her sideboard on which the vase with the flowers stood.

"These are for you," she said as she handed Carmen the vase, "From Fräulein Ulrike. I tried to give them to you yesterday and this morning, but you weren't at home," and winking at Carmen, she went on, "I already guessed that you'd be with Fräulein Ulrike."

Carmen blushed. Although she had foreseen that Frau Krüger would assume that she was with Ulrike, she had not counted on her being so forward about it.

Ulrike grinned at the old woman's bluntness.

Clearing her throat, Carmen said, "Thank you for taking care of the flowers. We wanted to ask you if you would like to come over for lunch. I'm making Milanesa Napolitana."

Searching her memory for a moment, the neighbour said, "Ah, that's the Schnitzel with ham and this Italian cheese with the name I can never remember, right?"

"Mozzarella," said Carmen, "Yes, that's it."

"I'd love to come, if I'm not intruding."

"It's no trouble, Frau Krüger, and I already bought enough meat for the three of us, hoping you'd agree."

"Well then," said the old lady, "When shall I come?"

"13:00, as usual, if that's all right with you?"

"Of course, thank you," said Frau Krüger.

As they went over to Carmen's door, Ulrike looked back at Frau Krüger who was watching them and then, making a thumbs-up sign, winked at Ulrike, before she closed her door.

Ulrike could hardly suppress a chuckle as she turned to face Carmen who handed her the vase in order to unlock her door.

As Ulrike watched Carmen unlocking the two security locks, she felt a pang of sympathy for her partner's insecurity. Of course Carmen was reluctant to share her keys. This was her castle, her safe haven. To give this up and allow someone to access her sanctuary at will, would require more than just a little trust.

While Carmen fed her clearly unhappy cat, Ulrike went ahead into the living room, placed the vase with the flowers on the table and sat down, knowing that she'd only be in the way in the small kitchen. Reaching for the remote control, she switched on the TV.

Zapping through the channels, she thought how great it was that Carmen had cable TV. She still only had the seven customary analogue programmes.

"Tabitha is terribly mad at me," said Carmen as she came from the kitchen and stopped at the door to her bedroom. "I'm going to change before I put away the groceries. Then she can at least eat in peace."

"Okay," said Ulrike, not sure how else she should respond to this, as voicing her thoughts about how Carmen was spoiling the cat would certainly not be welcome.

Walking into the bedroom, Carmen noticed that the duvet looked rather crumpled. Thinking that Tabitha probably slept on the bed, she went over to straighten it and suddenly cried out in disgust, " _Iiih! Pfui Teufel!_ "

"What's wrong?" asked Ulrike as she appeared in the doorway.

"Tabitha peed on the bed."

Ulrike laughed. "She sure knows how to communicate her displeasure."

Carmen could clearly not see any humour in this, and as she stripped off the sheets and the duvet cover, she cursed, "I'll have to get the duvet and the mattress professionally cleaned."

"Nonsense," said Ulrike, "Just use bile soap."

"That only helps against the stains on the outside, it's not a sanitiser."

Rolling her eyes, Ulrike thought Carmen was making far too much fuss about this little incident. But it was her flat and her bed, so she refrained from arguing any further. Instead she asked, " _Liebling_ , do you have a yogurt or something? I could use a snack before lunch."

Picking up the pile of bedclothes, Carmen looked at Ulrike and said, "I think I do. Just go and have a look into the fridge and help yourself to whatever you like."

Opening the fridge, Ulrike said jokingly, "Sorry to disturb Your Highness," as she noticed the cat staring at her. Spotting a plain yogurt behind the cold-cuts, Ulrike took it out and closing the door, she said, "Wow, you really were hungry, huh?" as she saw Tabitha stretching in front of her now completely empty bowl.

Ignoring Ulrike, the cat walked past her, her bushy tail held high.

Shaking her head at the cat's antics, Ulrike mumbled, "Well, actually, it's not like you were starving. After all, you could have eaten your dry-food." Grabbing a spoon from the drawer, she left the kitchen and hearing Carmen rummaging around in the bathroom - probably putting the laundry in the washing machine - she proceeded into the living room.

Settling down on the couch, she was just about to take her first spoonful of yogurt, when Tabitha jumped up, demonstratively sat down next to her and focused on the spoon with a hypnotising stare from her golden eyes as if endeavouring to will the spoon closer.

"You want some?" asked Ulrike and held the spoon with the yogurt closer.

As the cat's eyes followed the spoon, Ulrike held it in front of Tabitha's face.

"Eating from a silver spoon is more to your liking than eating the dry-food from your bowl, huh?" commented Ulrike as the cat began to lick the yogurt. "Well, I wouldn't want to eat from a bowl on the floor either, I'll give you that. Though I'm sure Carmen buys you the best food available."

"Who are you talking to?" asked Carmen as she came out of the bathroom. As she saw Ulrike with Tabitha, she asked aghast, "What are you doing?"

Shrugging, Ulrike grinned, "She prefers yogurt over dry-food, and the other bowl is empty. It's low fat. I don't think it'll do any harm."

"Probably not," said Carmen, "But she really shouldn't eat from the spoon."

"Eh, don't be so fussy, _Liebling_ ," said Ulrike.

Sighing, Carmen gave up her complaints as she saw her cat moving onto Ulrike's lap and settling down. It was rather endearing to see that a bit of yogurt seemed to have changed Tabitha's view of Ulrike. Nonetheless, when she saw her partner continuing to eat yogurt from that very same spoon, she exclaimed, "God, that is gross!" and shuddering, she turned and headed for the kitchen.

Ulrike chuckled and said to Tabitha, "Sometimes I don't understand your mistress. Here she's spoiling you like a little princess but then she's having a problem with us eating from the same spoon."

#

Carmen had just started to prepare lunch when the phone rang. Hurrying to her desk in the living room, she answered the phone on the third ring, " _Ja_?"... "Ah, Mamá, I'm just in the process of preparing lunch, could we talk later?"

" _Carmen, I've been trying to reach you for an eternity, and we haven't seen you since my birthday. What's going on? And don't tell me again that you're busy. You've been a teacher for almost 20 years and you've always had enough time to come over at least once a week - except... is this about Ulrike?_ "

"No, Mamá, it isn't," Carmen tried to reassure her mother, "But she's here and Frau Krüger will come over for lunch, so I really can't talk now."

" _All right, but then you must come here for dinner._ "

Nervously running her hand through her hair, Carmen thought that this day was becoming rather full, but when her mother kept lamenting about how long they hadn't seen each other and that she wouldn't take no for an answer, Carmen finally relented, "All right, Mamá, but it might be a bit later. I'm invited to Ulrike's mother's place for coffee."

"As long as you promise to come, I don't care how late it will be. And you're welcome to bring Ulrike, of course."

"All right, Mamá, I'll tell her. Can I please go on making lunch now?"

" _Está bien. Hasta luego_."

"Till later," acknowledged Carmen and, ending the call, she slumped down in her chair and groaned.

"What's up?" asked Ulrike, "Trouble?"

"That depends on how you define 'trouble'... we've been invited to my parents' place for dinner. You can say no, but I can't."

"I'm not going to say no," said Ulrike. "It'll be more pleasant than visiting my mother."

"Somehow I doubt that," said Carmen. "God, I'm already exhausted thinking about the day ahead."

Grinning, Ulrike said, teasing, "That's what you get when you avoid people for weeks - the invitations accumulate until you can't avoid them any longer."

Poking her tongue out at Ulrike, Carmen dragged herself out of the chair and went back into the kitchen.

#

When they were finally sitting at the dinner table in the corner of Carmen's living room, Ulrike hummed appreciatively and commented, "This is the best thing I've ever eaten!"

Laughing, Carmen said, "You say that about every dish I make."

"That's because you outdo yourself each time," stated Ulrike.

"I agree with Ulrike. You're an excellent cook," said Frau Krüger, and she added with a smirk, "I consider myself very fortunate to have you as my neighbour." Leaning towards Ulrike, she winked and mock-whispered, "You've made a good catch."

Ulrike chuckled and glanced at Carmen to see her reaction. Seeing her blush, she felt an irresistible urge to tease her partner, and, mirroring Frau Krüger, she leaned over and stage-whispered back, "You shouldn't say such things while we're eating. She's making the tomatoes envious."

Sitting up, Frau Krüger replied seriously, "You're right. We don't want green tomatoes, after all."

Both Ulrike and Frau Krüger burst into laughter, while Carmen, who had turned an even deeper shade of red, cried out, "You are terrible!"

"No, dear," said Frau Krüger, smirking, "We're just helping you."

"How is making me blush supposed to be helping?" asked Carmen, a bit annoyed.

The neighbour smiled. "You see, my Willem, he always loved to make me blush. But the more often I heard such comments from him, the more I got used to them, and at some point my body simply wouldn't react any more. Instead, I found myself rather enjoying the teasing, and I learnt to 'retaliate'."

Grinning, Ulrike asked, "How did he take your 'retaliating'?"

"Oh, at first he was quite baffled," admitted Frau Krüger, "But soon it became more of a sport: we'd outdo each other with teasing remarks."

Frau Krüger was in her element as she was telling stories from the 'good old days'. With a proud look and a smile on her face, she recounted that, when her Willem courted her, he always called for her with a cab - a horse drawn cab. " _Mitte Droschke hatta mir imma abjeholt. Aba ne richtje Droschke, Frollein Ulrike, mit'n Jaul vorne dran. Ja, ja, dit warn noch Zeiten_."

"That's amazing! That reminds me of the Iron Gustav," said Ulrike excitedly, thinking of the famous cab driver, Gustav Hartmann, nicknamed "Eiserner Gustav", who still lived on in the hearts of Berlin taxi drivers. Her face lit up and she asked, "He was alive when you were courting, yes? Did you ever get to see him?"

" _Den Eisernen Justav_..." Frau Krüger remembered fondly, "Oh, yes, I remember it vividly. It was 1928, the year my Willem and I were married. We saw him, first when he drove past on the Ku'damm when he returned from his trip to Paris. His horse didn't look too happy, but the Iron Gustav was tirelessly waving his hat at the crowd. An imposing man he was, with his full beard and all the decorations he had received during his trip. And then later in the evening, we saw him at Lunapark."

"Lunapark?" asked Ulrike, not aware of the location.

Frau Krüger waved her hand, "It's long gone. It was a huge amusement park, over by the lake. The Iron Gustav celebrated his return there, and we saw him, surrounded by a throng of people while he was having a beer."

"Wow, I wish I could have met him," said Ulrike. "He's sort of an idol for me."

"I rather liked the film with Heinz Rühmann," said Carmen, "But I seem to remember that he didn't like taxis. How can he be your idol?"

"That's just a legend," said Frau Krüger, "It can't be true because I know that he owned a motorised cab himself."

"Even if it's true, it doesn't matter," said Ulrike. "I admire him for his work ethics as a cab driver and for his courage to take on such an exhausting journey at his age and for his iron will to see it through. And I always liked that he has the same surname as my maternal grandparents. We might even be related, who knows?" Ulrike grinned and concluded, "Anyway, whether he liked them or not, I believe it must have been difficult for him to see that the motorised cabs were taking over."

"It certainly was," said Carmen.

"I thought it was rather a pity myself," said Frau Krüger. "I've always been partial to the horse drawn cabs as long as they existed. They had a far classier appearance. Nothing against you and your taxi, Ulrike, but a beautiful horse and a nicely crafted cab are just so much prettier to look at than any motorised taxi."

"You'll get no argument from me, Frau Krüger," said Ulrike. "A horse drawn cab is definitely a beautiful sight."

Smirking, Carmen asked, "Would you exchange your taxi for one if you could?"

Ulrike shook her head and grinned, "Nah. The Daimler is far more comfortable, especially in cold and rainy weather."

"If we could marry, I'd love to drive to church in a white wedding carriage," said Carmen dreamily.

Ulrike almost choked on her water. Carmen wanted to marry her? She had never said anything to that regard. And even if it was just hypothetically - wasn't it a bit too early to be thinking of marriage? After all they only knew each other since June and had just reunited after not seeing each other for several weeks. And here Carmen was suddenly dreaming of white wedding carriages?!

"Don't look so terrified," said Carmen, "It's not as if I can drag you to the altar anyway."

Dismayed that her shock had showed on her face, Ulrike desperately searched for something to say that wouldn't result in digging an even deeper hole for herself. "I just think it's a bit early to be thinking of marriage, even if it's not possible."

"It's possible in Denmark," said Frau Krüger with a grin, "Though they call it registered partnership. But perhaps you could go there for a ceremony? However, I agree with Ulrike that it is a bit early. My Willem was courting me for almost three years before he asked me to marry him."

Before Carmen could get any ideas, Ulrike quickly asked, "Where did you meet him?" She breathed a sigh of relief when Frau Krüger launched into recounting how she met her Willem at the café-bakery of her parents, where he was a regular customer.

"That was nice," said Carmen once Frau Krüger had left.

"She's a hoot," said Ulrike as she helped Carmen carrying the dishes into the kitchen, "And she sure has interesting stories to tell."

"Mhm," Carmen hummed in agreement. "Just put those in the sink, I'll wash them later. We have to leave in a few minutes if we want to be at your mother's in time."

" _Mist!_ I had hoped you'd forget," said Ulrike jokingly.

Carmen slapped her partner's well-muscled abs. "You are terrible! I'm sure she isn't as bad as you make her sound."

"I just hope she hasn't invited my brother," said Ulrike.

"Why?" Carmen wanted to know as they were getting ready to leave.

"He's worse than my mother," said Ulrike deadpan.

"How so?"

"I'll tell you on the way," said Ulrike as they headed for the lift.

#

"You wanted to tell me about your brother," Carmen reminded Ulrike as they finally were on the city ring road.

Sighing, Ulrike explained that her brother was a computer programmer - his third 'vocation' after finishing his degree in German studies and philosophy and trying his luck as a taxi driver. "He is a scrounger, inherently lazy and perpetually arriving late, and he usually doesn't remain in one job for long. And I will definitely never let him work for me again!"

"What was wrong with him working for you?" Carmen asked, wondering how anyone could speak so badly about their brother.

Clenching her jaw at the reminder, Ulrike explained that he had persuaded her to take the night shift, convincing her how much she would benefit from it.

"And you didn't, I gather."

"Apart from the shitload of extra bookkeeping and tax-business work that it meant, which would have been okay had it been worth it," said Ulrike, "He didn't actually drive much at all. He got the car in the evening, all right. Then he'd take one or two tours and drive home, parking the car in his area even though I had asked him not to. And then I had to call each morning to get him out of bed to bring the taxi, which didn't always go smoothly either."

"Why?" asked Carmen as she switched to the right lane in order to take the next exit that would lead them to Ulrike's place as well as to Else's, who lived in the same area.

"Because he lives in Kreuzberg," said Ulrike. "The Mercedes star was stolen the first night. The second time the star, the radio and the taximeter went bye-bye; and when the car was broken into the second time and my insurance costs went through the roof, I told him to go to hell."

"Ouch!" said Carmen, making a face. "I see how that would make you less inclined to see him. When was this?"

"1975," said Ulrike. "But before you say that's damn long ago, I'm going to tell you that he hasn't changed one bit in all that time, and I see him often enough - unfortunately - because I'm the one he calls whenever there's a problem with one of his rust buckets. Can you believe it? The man is 40 and he hasn't yet managed to buy himself a proper car, not even a decent used one." Ending her rant, Ulrike said, "You'll have to drive past my place and turn into Peter-Vischer-Straße. The part of Cranachstraße where my mother lives is a one-way-street."

"Okay," said Carmen and followed Ulrike's instructions.

As they had turned into Cranachstraße, Ulrike pointed to an empty space a few cars ahead and said, "You'd better take that space over there."

"It's far too small," said Carmen as she was parallel to the space, "Let's see if we'll find a bigger one."

"Wait!" Ulrike called out. "It's Saturday afternoon; there won't be many choices. With a little wiggling it'll fit."

"I don't like 'wiggling'," protested Carmen, "I'm used to parking bays."

"I think you're pretty good at wiggling," said Ulrike grinning. "But if you insist, I'll do the wiggling."

Laughing, Carmen said, "All right oh great wiggler," and applying the handbrake, she put the Alfa out of gear and got out.

Instead of walking around the car, Ulrike just climbed over the centre console to get into the driver's seat and carefully manoeuvred the Alfa into the empty space. As she grabbed the plastic bag from the pet shop and got out, Carmen said from the other side, "The driver in front of you won't be happy. There's even less space left in front of him."

"Tough," said Ulrike and shut the door. Checking the distance between the Alfa and the other car as she passed through the gap between the cars, she said, "I don't see the problem. He's got plenty space. He'll get out."

"I wouldn't," said Carmen as she fell into step with Ulrike.

"You'd get used to it if you lived here," said Ulrike. "Where Norbert lives it's even worse. You're lucky if you find a parking space within five minutes walking distance."

"Well, in the evenings and on the weekends it's not easy to find one at my place either, but at least there are parking bays," said Carmen.

"Here we are," said Ulrike as she turned into the short pathway that led to the front door.

"It looks a bit similar to the house where we lived with my Oma when we came here," said Carmen.

"It's a typical pre-war building, I guess," said Ulrike as she opened the massive front door.

"Yes," said Carmen as she looked around the entrance hall. "I like the high ceilings. I remember in my Oma's flat I felt like entering a castle with the large rooms and the pretty stucco."

"Oh yeah, I know what you mean. Those flats are awesome, but in this house only the entrance hall and the staircase are large and beautiful, the flats aren't as big as in other houses I've seen, and there's no pretty stucco," said Ulrike. "Come on, my mother lives in the rear building."

As they walked on the pathway between the back gardens, Ulrike pointed to the raised ground floor flat on the right, "I grew up in that flat over there. Now, my mother lives in a two-room flat on the third floor."

Carmen smiled. "Our flat was raised ground floor too. An iron staircase went from our room into the back garden. My Oma and my great-grandmother were growing vegetables there."

"They grew veggies here too when I was a child," said Ulrike as they climbed the stairs, "Nobbi and I always got to climb the old plum tree, and we'd get a basket full for helping with the picking."

As Ulrike got out her keys and unlocked her mother's door, Püppi came running to greet them.

" _Mutti? Wir sind's,_ " she called out to let her mother know that they had arrived. And bending down to scratch the poodle behind its ears, she said, "Hi Püppi, I got a new leash for you and I brought you a few treats too."

"I'm coming," called Else from the living room.

Ulrike helped Carmen out of her jacket and hung it on the coat rack.

" _Guten Tag, Carmen, wie schön, dass ich Sie endlich kennenlerne,_ " Else greeted cheerfully as she shook Carmen's hand. Taking a step back, she took in Carmen's appearance and said, "I really don't know why my daughter was so reluctant to introduce us. I was beginning to think you were some sort of equivalent to Quasimodo. But here you are beautiful as if you'd just stepped out of a fashion magazine." And turning to Ulrike she said, "Really, Ulrike, sometimes I'm wondering what's going on in your head."

"Thank you for the compliment, Frau Hoffmann," said Carmen beaming.

"Now, come on in," said Else, "Coffee and cake are already on the table."

"I've got the leash and a few treats for Püppi," said Ulrike.

Without even looking back at Ulrike, Else just waved her hand and said, "You can put them in the kitchen."

Rolling her eyes, Ulrike sighed and placed the plastic bag on the fridge. Turning around, she saw Püppi expectantly looking up at her with her soft, dark eyes. Smiling, she said, "All right, you shall have a treat too," and taking one from the bag, she gave it to the dog and finally followed the others into the living room.

As she sat down next to Carmen on the sofa, her mother complained, "I tried to get your brother to come as well, but I couldn't reach him all day."

"He probably hasn't paid his phone bill and they cut him off," surmised Ulrike as she helped herself to a piece of home-made apple cake.

"That can't be it," said Else. "He's got a well-paying job now."

"Then why did he scrounge 20 Mark from me the last time I fixed his car?"

"Because the parts he had to buy were so expensive that he didn't have any money left," said Else, "Which is also why I gave him the money to pay his phone bill."

"You gave him money to pay his damn bill?! The parts only cost 15 Mark because we got them from the junkyard."

"Why do you make him buy parts at the junkyard?" Else asked indignantly.

Clenching her jaw, Ulrike explained, "Because he can't afford new parts, and it wouldn't be worth it anyway as his poor excuse for a car won't make the next MOT."

"Well, be that as it may," said Else, "His phone bill is paid, and I'm wondering why he wasn't at home all day."

"Perhaps he unplugged the phone," suggested Carmen, thinking of her own habit.

"Why would he do that? Especially on a Saturday," asked Else.

Cringing inwardly, Carmen said, "Perhaps he is busy working?"

"Ah, but you see, Carmen, he isn't a teacher. He is just playing with computers. He doesn't have to correct homework and prepare for the next lessons on the weekend, like you do. His new job is well paid, mind you, though I'm not sure why they are paying him that much for playing around with computers while important people like teachers get paid far too little if you want my opinion."

"I don't know," said Carmen, feeling a little awkward, "I can't really complain."

"Ah, but you are _Oberstudienrätin_ , I hear," said Else, "I guess the salary is all right once you reach that level, and you've certainly worked hard to get there. Ulrike told me you've taken on a dance class as well?"

"Yes," said Carmen, smiling.

"I bet they aren't even paying you for it, or are they?" asked Else.

"No, it's voluntary," said Carmen reluctantly.

"That's very generous of you to take on extra work without even getting paid for it," said Else, "It's a shame that the government doesn't see the value of teachers and pupils interacting with each other in a less formal environment. I'm sure the pupils will greatly benefit from this dance class."

Ulrike finished her last piece of cake and leaned back. Tuning out the conversation, she smiled as she observed Püppi in her basket happily gnawing on her treat. She should have guessed that her mother would be all over Carmen, as she had already taken her side when she had spoken to her the previous day. The sole fact that Carmen was an academic in a teaching profession, with an official senior service title to boot, was clearly bringing out a sympathetic side of Else that Ulrike had hardly ever experienced.

Ulrike could understand why her mother was so enamoured with Carmen.

Becoming a teacher had always been Else's dream. Alas, she was denied the opportunity as her mother couldn't afford sending her into town to attend a high-school, even less a university.

Instead, Else had to leave school after only eight years in order to go to work so she could help support her mother and herself after her father had died in the war.

Later, once Ulrike and Norbert had started school, she had made another attempt to further her education and perhaps make her dream come true.

However, when her husband died unexpectedly when Ulrike was only nine, she had to give up all her studies and go back to work. Her studies had helped her in so far as she could get a job as a secretary at least, but she had never been able to fulfil her dream.

When neither Ulrike nor Norbert was inclined to follow a teaching career, Else had been terribly disappointed, though she had always hoped that Norbert would eventually further his degree in German studies and become a teacher.

Else would never understand why Ulrike didn't even try to find a job associated with her academic degree. Instead, she chose to work as something as primitive as a taxi driver, which in Else's opinion every idiot could do.

Ulrike was glad that her mother liked Carmen. Nevertheless, she couldn't help feeling a tad awkward sitting there watching the dog while her mother went on talking. She was going on about the importance of teachers in general and high-school teachers in particular. Then she continued by praising Carmen personally for having chosen such a demanding career that required so much hard work and dedication.

Ulrike looked at the clock.

#

Later, on their way to the car, Ulrike asked, "How about we swap parents?"

Carmen laughed and said, "I really like your mother. But I understand your feelings now."

"Of course you like her; she was gushing over you as if you were the greatest person that ever graced the face of the earth."

"You don't agree?" said Carmen cheekily.

"Oh, I do," said Ulrike. "I just think that my mother's perception is somewhat skewed, especially when it comes to my brother or me."

"It appears so, indeed," agreed Carmen.

As they reached the car, Ulrike suddenly stopped and said, "See, that's what I meant. You either get used to this or you're screwed."

Dismayed, Carmen looked at the now even smaller 'wiggle-room' and said, "Not even you can get out of there."

Gesturing to Carmen with her hand to give her the keys, Ulrike said grinning, "Watch and learn."

"All right, bragger," said Carmen, and handing her partner the keys, she crossed her arms and said, "Let's see you do it."

Ulrike blew Carmen a kiss and glided into the driver's seat.

It took her several minutes to get out, but in the end she honked twice, and with a smug grin on her face, she held the door open for Carmen.

"Show off," said Carmen, and smacking Ulrike's abs, she chuckled and got into the car.

"What've my abs done to you that you're smacking them all the time today?" asked Ulrike in a mock hurt voice.

"They're too perfect," countered Carmen. "They're making me envious. Come on, get in. I want to drive home first to feed Tabitha."

#

An hour later, they were sitting in the dining room of Carmen's parents.

Helmut and Ulrike were having an animated discussion about the current economic situation in Germany. Meanwhile her mother was reminding her why her father and Ulrike had far more reasons to complain about too much work than Carmen could possibly ever have.

"It's not like you have to work that hard for your money, after all," said Maria, "You have a safe senior service position with a fixed salary every month regardless of how many pupils you have in your class, and regardless whether the economic situation is good or bad. You even get a 13th salary without having to do any extra work!"

"I work hard too, Mamá," said Carmen. "And I am doing extra work."

"A voluntary dance class which you don't even get paid for," Maria said with a dismissive gesture.

"You just complained that I'm not doing extra work for the money I get," protested Carmen.

"I didn't complain," corrected Maria, "I pointed out why you have no reason to complain. You would get your 13th salary whether or not you did this dance class. So, if this voluntary class is too much work for you, you can simply stop doing it and it won't affect your income."

"It would affect my pupils," said Carmen.

"Indeed, they would have to go to a dance school and pay for the lessons, just as your father did for yours," countered Maria.

It was hopeless, thought Carmen; she would never win an argument with her mother. Longingly, she thought back at how much more respect and appreciation she had received from Ulrike's mother, and she secretly wished she could be back at her place.

#

It was already dark when they were finally on their way home. Ulrike had offered to drive so that Carmen could have a second glass of wine, and since she wasn't used to the Alfa yet, she was driving carefully.

"About that offer of yours..." Carmen said into the silence.

Ulrike glanced at her curiously, "Which offer?"

"Swapping parents..."

Ulrike laughed. "It does seem as if they each got the wrong daughter, doesn't it?"

"It really does," said Carmen and they both chuckled.

As Ulrike overtook an old _Trabbi_ , she thought that Carmen's Alfa was actually rather a nippy little car. Nevertheless, she would never even think of buying an Italian car for herself. A solid German car was definitely more to her liking.

"You know," said Carmen, "Meeting your mother really helped me."

"Yeah? Why?" asked Ulrike as she changed back into the right lane, "Because she stroked your ego?"

"That too," said Carmen, grinning. "But no, seriously, it helped me realise that you were right."

"I'm always right," deadpanned Ulrike, earning herself a playful slap on the arm. Chuckling, Ulrike asked, "Okay, what was I right about?"

"That we can't change the perception of others," said Carmen, "And that it doesn't matter what others think about us as long as we are happy with our life."

"True," agreed Ulrike.

"I think we are rather fortunate that we are fulfilling the expectations of each other's parents'."

"How so?"

"Well," said Carmen, "This way it was fairly easy to be accepted by them. I guess it would have been a lot harder had it been the other way around. After all, you can't help but love your own parents and vice versa, but getting along well with the in-laws is usually not as easy."

Nodding, Ulrike hummed in agreement.

"I wonder how my parents and your mother will get along," mused Carmen.

"Uh... I'd rather not think about that right now."

Placing her hand on Ulrike's thigh, Carmen asked seductively, "What would you like to think about instead?"

Grasping Carmen's hand, Ulrike gently removed it from her thigh and said, "If you could hold that thought till we get to a parking place... I believe I would love to contemplate this idea with you."

Grinning, Carmen leaned her head against Ulrike's shoulder and said, "I love you."

###

Taxi - Tuxedo

Carmen smiled as she was packing up her things in the staff room. It had been a pleasant day for a change. Her new French junior class had turned out to be rather delightful to teach, and her favourite Spanish class had been a joy as always.

When she finished packing, she walked to the coat rack and took her coat from the hanger. As she was about to put it on, her colleague, Hannelore Schneider approached her.

"Have you got a minute?"

"Of course," said Carmen, draping the coat over her arm for the time being.

Frau Schneider held out two tickets and asked, "I was wondering if you might be interested in these tickets for Aida. They are for Saturday evening." When Carmen hesitated, Frau Schneider elaborated, "I'd love to go myself, but my mother-in-law was taken to the hospital and my husband and I are driving to Cologne over the weekend to visit her."

"I'm sorry to hear that," said Carmen, "I hope she will be all right."

"I hope so too," said Frau Schneider, "But it will take at least a few weeks, and my father-in-law is so helpless when it comes to fending for himself. My husband had to organise for him to receive meals on wheels. We will have to find him a housekeeper quickly since he doesn't know how to use the washing machine either. Anyway, would you like the tickets?"

Carmen hesitated. She liked the opera, but she didn't know whether Ulrike did; and she certainly didn't want to go with anyone else. "I would love to go, but..."

"Oh, I'm sure you can find someone to accompany you," said Frau Schneider, and with a wink she added, "Might be a chance to end your single status..."

Biting back a comment, Carmen forced a smile. She realised it was getting harder and harder to pretend she was single when in reality she wasn't anymore. Suddenly, thinking of their music teacher colleague, she asked, "Have you asked Susanne Weber, yet?"

"Yes, I have. She has tickets for the very same night."

"Oh," Carmen's face fell for a moment, but when her colleague smiled encouragingly and held out the tickets for her to take, she returned the smile and said, "Well, in that case thank you, I'll accept them. It's very kind of you." If Ulrike didn't want to go, perhaps she could give the tickets to her parents. Although, her father wasn't particularly fond of the opera and her mother preferred the ballet.

"Excellent! I'm sure you will enjoy it. It's a marvellous production, I hear."

#

In the evening, Ulrike had just replaced the receiver when the phone rang, causing her to jump. Her heart beating from the sudden adrenaline rush, she took a deep breath and picked up the receiver, about to give her mother a piece of her mind for calling her again after everything had been said a hundred times. However, when she heard Carmen's pleasant voice at the other end, she stopped herself and let out the air she had sucked in.

"Hallo Schatz! _Who was on the phone? I've been trying to reach you for ages._ "

"You can blame my mother for that," said Ulrike, and not willing to keep standing any longer, she grabbed the phone and sat down on the floor in front of the sideboard. Inwardly sighing, she thought that she really should invest in a longer telephone cord.

_"Is she all right?"_ asked Carmen, worried.

" _Ja, ja,_ she's fine. She just seems to think I have the comprehension of a pill bug."

Carmen laughed. _"How so?"_

"Eh, she explains everything a gazillion times, and when I point out to her that she has already told me, she says she just wants to make sure I got everything right. And then she starts all over again." Ulrike groaned at the memory.

Carmen chuckled. _"I see._ _Listen, today Frau Schneider gave me two tickets for Aida on Saturday. I'd really love to go, and I was hoping that you'd come with me_. _"_

Ulrike just barely refrained from groaning again. She didn't mind classical music, but going to the opera was quite a different thing. She didn't really care for the singing and she'd rather not be faced with all those posh people in their fancy attire. "This coming Saturday, you say?" Ulrike breathed a sigh of relief when Carmen confirmed. "Sorry, but I can't. I have to watch Püppi. That's what all the fuss was about with my mother. She and Rosemarie are going on a weekend trip tomorrow, and since Frau Schröder is still in hospital, I'll have to take her dog."

"It will only be a few hours. The dog should be all right on her own for such a short time."

"No, she won't be. She isn't used to being alone at all."

"Well, can't you have someone else watch her? Perhaps your brother?"

"Nobbi? I wouldn't trust him to watch a gold fish, let alone a dog."

Carmen shook her head. Although she now knew some of the problems her partner had with her brother, she still couldn't understand why she kept making such bad remarks about him, _"He surely can't be as bad as you say, but never mind... don't you know someone else who could take Püppi for a few hours?"_

"Nope," said Ulrike, wrapping the phone cord around her finger, "No one to whom I'd entrust Frau Schröder's dog."

"You make it sound like she's some sort of highly valuable champion. She's just an ordinary poodle. I'm sure it can't be that difficult to care for her for a few hours."

"Says the woman who spoils her cat rotten," said Ulrike cheekily, and before Carmen could launch into a defensive argument, she went on, "Look, Püppi is 16 years old. She isn't used to children, and she's afraid of men. That's another reason why I couldn't ask Nobbi, even if he weren't so unreliable. For the same reason I can't ask Renato or Kalle or Axel. And while I would ask Marianne, she's at her _Imbiss_ on Saturday evenings." When Carmen sighed audibly, Ulrike said, "I'm sorry, _Liebling_ , but I really don't know anyone who could take her. Can't you go with someone else?"

_"No,"_ said Carmen sullenly. _"If I go, I only want to go with you."_ Then she suddenly perked up. _"I could ask Frau Krüger."_

"She's over 80! You can't bother her with a dog," Ulrike argued.

_"I can at least ask her. She had a Schnauzer when I moved in here, so she would know how to take care of Püppi."_ When Ulrike didn't answer, Carmen asked, _"If I can get Frau Krüger to watch Püppi, would you come with me?"_

Ulrike stretched out on the floor, defeated. "All right, if she takes her, I'll go." Suddenly, an image came to her mind, and, grinning, she propped herself up on an elbow and added quickly, "Under one condition." She applauded herself for being such a genius. Carmen would never agree.

_"Which would be?"_ Carmen asked sceptically.

Grinning to herself, Ulrike played with the phone cord again, purposefully making Carmen wait before she replied, "That I wear a tuxedo."

"You're joking."

"Nope," said Ulrike and sat up. "I'll definitely not wear a dress. So, either I can wear a tuxedo or you'll have to take someone else."

_"You are being ridiculous,"_ said Carmen exasperatedly, _"You are a woman. You can't wear a tuxedo."_

"Marlene Dietrich wore one," countered Ulrike.

"You aren't Marlene Dietrich! You can't show up at the opera in a tuxedo!"

"Look, _Liebling_ , let's postpone this discussion till you asked Frau Krüger, because if she doesn't take Püppi I can't go anyway."

Grumbling, Carmen said, _"All right. I'll go ask her now, and I'll call you back."_

"Okay. Talk to you later then." Putting the receiver on the cradle, Ulrike flopped on her back and groaned. If Frau Krüger agreed to take the dog, she would have to make up her mind whether she would keep insisting on wearing a tuxedo or give in and... no, there was absolutely no way she would ever wear a dress. She loved Carmen to bits, and she would like to make her happy by accompanying her to the opera, even if she wasn't particularly interested herself. But wearing a dress was completely out of the question.

#

It was still dark the next morning, when Ulrike took her mother and Rosemarie to the central bus station.

"And remember to give her one of her chew strips every day. Just one."

Rolling her eyes, Ulrike heaved the two small suitcases out of the boot. "Yes, _Mutti_."

"I already gave her one today, so you won't have to give her another until tomorrow."

"All right," said Ulrike and handed her mother her travel bag.

Arranging the strap of the bag on her shoulder, Else halted before she picked up her suitcase. "And you promise not to leave her alone..."

With an audible sigh, Ulrike said, "Yes, _Mutti_ , I promise."

"Come on, Else," said Rosemarie, "I'm sure she will manage."

Sending Rosemarie a grateful smile, Ulrike wished the two women a good trip. As they headed in the direction where a group of people were already gathered, she opened her door and let herself flop down onto the well-worn driver's seat. "Whew!" she expelled with a sigh of relief. Looking at Püppi, who was curled up in the passenger's foot well, she asked the dog, "So, what are we going to do now, hm?" When the dog looked up at her, Ulrike said, "Well, I'd say, let's have some breakfast first. And later we'll have to go shopping." When Püppi's ears perked up at the mentioning of 'shopping', Ulrike shook her head and grinned. "You're the only dog I know that loves shopping. That's very convenient, actually. You can help me choose a proper tuxedo; and in the afternoon we'll go for a walk in 'the gardens' with Carmen. How does that sound?" Smiling, as Püppi tilted her head, Ulrike said, "All right, let's go!" and she started the engine.

#

Carmen couldn't believe she had actually agreed to Ulrike wearing a tuxedo. Shaking her head, she thought it was all Frau Krüger's fault. The old lady had readily agreed to take care of the dog. She had even insisted to take Püppi overnight, so that Carmen and Ulrike could go out for a special late dinner in their evening attire after the opera. When Carmen told her that she would rather not further the embarrassment, and explained to Frau Krüger that Ulrike would only go if she could wear a tuxedo, the neighbour had been delighted. She had launched into a monologue, saying that, as good as the olden times may have been, the present definitely had its benefits. She was certain that Ulrike would look gorgeous in a tuxedo, and she strongly disagreed with Carmen when she pointed out that her partner would look far more gorgeous in a proper dress.

Shaking her head, Carmen sighed, and grabbing her bag, she left for work.

#

In the afternoon, Ulrike was waiting for Carmen to arrive when Püppi suddenly jumped up from her place next to the bed and rushed to the front door. "Is she coming?" Ulrike asked the dog and, peeking out of the bedroom, she saw Püppi standing in front of the door, wagging her tail.

When Ulrike finally heard the turning of a key in the lock, she admonished, "Don't tell her where I am, I want to surprise her." And she stepped back into the bedroom and shut the door.

"Hello Püppi," Carmen greeted the dog and leant down to pet the poodle. "Uh, uh, that's not for you," she said as the poodle sniffed at the plastic box she was holding. Wondering why Ulrike hadn't appeared yet, but thinking she was probably occupied, she straightened, placed the box and a booklet she had brought on the sideboard and took off her coat.

When Ulrike still hadn't appeared and the dog picked up one of her squeaky toys and toddled off into the living room, Carmen raised her eyebrows. Usually, Ulrike came to greet her at the door, and despite having been at Ulrike's quite often, Carmen felt somewhat reluctant to proceed on her own. She didn't want to intrude or give her partner a scare by suddenly appearing, as Ulrike obviously hadn't heard her coming. Thus she called out, " _Schatz_? I'm here. Where are you?" She was about to head for the living room when she saw the bedroom door opening.

"Ta-da!" Ulrike exclaimed with a huge grin on her face as she stepped into the hallway, spread out her arms and made a 360 degrees turn to present herself from all angles in her new attire.

When Carmen only stared speechlessly, Ulrike wasn't sure how to interpret her reaction, and raising her eyebrows, she smirked, "Now, what do you think?"

Letting out a breath she hadn't realised she had been holding, Carmen finally stepped forward and said, "You've convinced me. Gosh, you look stunning!"

Ulrike's smirk turned into a wide, happy grin, and grabbing Carmen at the hips, she pulled her towards her and said seductively, "I'm glad."

Linking her hands behind Ulrike's neck, Carmen melted into the kiss, marvelling at how much Ulrike's inappropriately manly outfit aroused her. It definitely wasn't the tuxedo itself. But the combination of her partner's body in the suit had an effect on her she would never have expected. She found herself actually agreeing with Frau Krüger that Ulrike's broad shoulders and muscular arms were probably better suited for a men's suit rather than a dress. Also, she secretly admitted, knowing but not seeing what was below the cover was almost more titillating than imagining her partner's strong body exposed in a revealing dress for everyone to see. Nonetheless, exposing said body to her view was all she could think of at the moment.

Much to her disappointment, however, Ulrike stopped her as she started to unbutton the shirt below the bow tie.

"Uh, can you hold that thought till we went for a walk with Püppi? I don't want to be interrupted by her."

Carmen pouted, but then she let her gaze wander down Ulrike's body, and reigning in her arousal, she asked, "You aren't going for a walk in this, are you?"

Furrowing her brow, Ulrike seemed to ponder the idea, "It might be interesting to see how people react." However, before her partner could protest, she shook her head, grinning, "No, worries; I'll go change."

Carmen expelled a sigh of relief. "For a moment I thought you were seriously considering embarrassing me on a dog walk."

"Awww, would I ever do that to you?" Ulrike gave her partner a peck on the cheek.

Carmen looked at her deadpan. "Yes, you would."

Laughing, Ulrike disappeared into the bedroom and called over her shoulder, "Make yourself at home; I'll be back in a minute."

Spellbound, Carmen gazed at her partner's retreating backside before she finally closed her eyes and shook herself out of the lascivious thoughts the image provoked. Taking a deep breath, she cursed the dog. Immediately scolding herself for being so mean, she headed for the living room to apologise to Püppi. "Apologising to Püppi, yeah sure," she scoffed at herself, as she realised the absurdity of that thought, "Displacement activity, that's what it is," and she squatted down to ruffle the dog's fur.

#

"Okay, I'm ready to go," called Ulrike from the hall. "What's in the box?" she asked as she put on her old black leather jacket.

"Oh, the _Spritzkuchen_! I completely forgot about them," said Carmen as she joined Ulrike in the hall. "And I've brought you a booklet so you can prepare yourself for Aida."

" _Spritzkuchen_?" Ulrike's eyes widened, and grinning she exclaimed, "I love _Spritzkuchen_!" Opening the box, she was surprised that the pastries were a lot smaller than they usually were, and they weren't all completely uniform either. Taking a slightly malformed one, she asked curiously, "Did you get these cheaper?" and taking a bite of the sticky, sweet treat, she closed her eyes and hummed with pleasure.

"No," said Carmen icily, "I made them myself."

Her eyes widening in surprise, Ulrike stopped chewing, and, quickly swallowing, she asked, "You made these? Wow! They taste just like the ones from the bakery. I didn't even know you could make them yourself."

"Of course you can make them yourself. How do you think the bakers make them?"

Ulrike shrugged. "How would I know? I suppose I thought you'd need special machines."

"Well, I don't know," said Carmen, still somewhat miffed, "Perhaps the bakers use machines and that's why they look better than mine."

"Eh, I don't mind if they don't look perfect," said Ulrike, "They taste perfect. That's what matters. And I love that they are so small. I'm sorry for my earlier comment. I really thought you got them from a bakery."

"You really like them?" asked Carmen hesitantly.

"I love them!" emphasised Ulrike, and gave Carmen a sticky peck on the lips. Noticing that Püppi was looking at them expectantly, she said to the dog, "We'll go in a minute; I'll just quickly wash my hands."

"And your face!" Carmen called after her, and fished a tissue out of her trouser pocket to wipe the stickiness off her lips.

#

As they were walking hand in hand through the labyrinth of pathways of the allotment garden area that stretched out behind the city block in which Ulrike lived, Carmen asked, "Have you ever thought about applying for a garden here?"

"I've thought about it, yes," said Ulrike, "But I don't really have the time to do it justice."

"That's a pity. Considering the jungle in your wintergarden, I think a garden would thrive under your care. Look at this one!" Carmen pointed towards a rather impressive garden to their right. A ray of sunlight peeked through the clouds and shone onto the garden as if to present it in its best light. A rose arch framed the gate, and along the garden path, which led to a beautiful wooden hut, dahlias and asters were competing with late roses, chrysanthemums and other autumn flowers in a sea of colourful blossoms. Behind the rows of flowers lay vegetable patches full to bursting, waiting to be harvested. A wooden bench under an old apple tree next to the hut seemed to call invitingly to take a rest. "Wouldn't it be nice to have a garden like this one?"

Ulrike smiled and squeezed Carmen's hand as they moved on. "Maybe I'll consider it when I retire."

"That's still 20 years away!" complained Carmen, "I thought..."

"What did you think?" asked Ulrike encouragingly when Carmen stopped.

Carmen shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I guess, I thought we could have a house together at some point... before we retire."

Gazing at Carmen in surprise, Ulrike said, "Wow, that's quite a step from thinking about a little allotment garden to having a house together." It wasn't that Ulrike was totally opposed to the idea, but a house was an acquisition for life, and they had only been together for three months. Thus, the mere thought of a house together baffled Ulrike. First Carmen was dreaming of marriage and white wedding carriages and now she was thinking of having a house together? Ulrike wondered if Carmen was experiencing some sort of midlife crisis. Why else would she want to move their relationship at such a breakneck speed that Ulrike wasn't sure if she could keep up?

Carmen wanted to kick herself for revealing her thoughts. If she kept this up, she was sure she would frighten Ulrike off eventually. She didn't even know why she was thinking such things in the first place. It wasn't as if they could marry even if it were possible - not in her position as a teacher. And even moving in together was out of the question. What if a colleague of hers showed up on their doorstep and saw that she was living with a woman? Unthinkable. She was about to reply and apologise for her thoughts to Ulrike when Püppi suddenly sprinted ahead, barking.

Not being used to such behaviour from Frau Schröder's dog, Ulrike cursed when she fiddled with the buttons to stop the flexi lead. _"Aua! Scheiße!"_ she cursed even more, as the leash suddenly reached its end and the casing was yanked from her hand and crashed to the ground. She was about to chase after the dog, when Püppi suddenly halted in front of a hedge. Jumping up and down and back and forth the dog kept barking and whining.

"Püppi _aus_!" called Ulrike and picked up the leash casing. When it seemed undamaged, she breathed a sigh of relief and followed Carmen who had jogged ahead to see what was wrong with Püppi.

Carmen grabbed hold of the dog's collar and asked, "What's the matter? Why are you barking?"

"There must be something behind that hedge," said Ulrike.

It had been raining on and off the whole day and it had just started to drizzle again, thus as Ulrike looked around, she wasn't surprised that there was no one in sight. She walked up to the garden gate to get a glimpse behind the hedge. The door and the shutters of the allotment's hut were closed, indicating that the owner wasn't around today. Ulrike leant over the gate, but she could only see the hedge and a well-tended vegetable garden - nothing out of the ordinary.

"There's nothing there, Püppi," said Ulrike, "Come on, let's go home, it's getting wet."

However, as Carmen let go of Püppi's collar, the dog shot forward with a yelp. Again halting in front of the hedge, Püppi started whining and began to dig at the soil underneath the hedge.

"Stop it, Püppi!" ordered Ulrike and pulled at the leash. Rolling her eyes, she said to Carmen, "Hold this," and handed her partner the leash, "I'll have a closer look."

"Be careful!" said Carmen as she pulled up the hood of her coat, "There might be a reason why she's always stopping in front of the hedge."

"Eh, a less prissy dog might try to get in, but that's a barberry, it's got thorns," said Ulrike as she crouched down at the gate to spy through the branches that were growing through the chicken wire fence. " _Oh Mist_! Well done, Püppi!"

"What is it?" asked Carmen.

"There's a little hedgehog stuck in the fence," said Ulrike as she got up.

"Is it still alive?"

Scratching her head, Ulrike said, "I don't know, it wasn't moving. But I guess Püppi wouldn't make such a fuss if it were dead."

"You must get it out of there!" said Carmen as she crouched down to pet Püppi, who was now silently sitting next to Carmen, her eyes fixed on the hedge.

"Yeah, well..." Ulrike looked around - there was still no one to be seen in either direction of the narrow path. "The owner won't like it, but I'll have to cut some of the branches to get through to it."

Carmen rose and asked, "Do you have hedge trimmers at home?"

"No," said Ulrike, and dug her keys out of her pockets, "But I have this!" When Carmen only stared at her, she fumbled for a moment with her Swiss army knife and finally presented with a smug grin, "It has a wood saw."

Carmen looked sceptically at the tool. "That tiny thing actually works?"

"Yep. Pretty well as a matter of fact," said Ulrike as she crouched down at the gate and began to work on the branches.

Several minutes and a few strings of colourful curses later, Ulrike emerged from behind the hedge and began searching the tools of her knife.

"What are you doing?" asked Carmen.

"I think this thing has a wire cutter somewhere," said Ulrike absentmindedly. "Ah, there it is!"

Carmen shook her head as she watched her partner dive behind the hedge again.

When Ulrike finally re-appeared with the little hedgehog wrapped in her leather jacket, Carmen said, "Oh my God, it is tiny!" Then, looking at Ulrike, she said seriously, "I will never complain about your humongous bunch of keys again."

"Good," said Ulrike while she inspected the hedgehog. "I can't really see anything when it's rolled up like this, but I thought it looked as if its front paw was injured."

"We must take it to the vet anyway," said Carmen, "It's too small to survive the winter outside and it needs to be treated for parasites."

"Really? What are we going to do with it then? Do you think the vet will keep it?" asked Ulrike as they started walking home. At least it had stopped raining, she thought as she shivered without her jacket; and Püppi was now contentedly walking beside them. Ulrike thought she was probably reading too much into it, but it seemed as if the old dog was suddenly walking more upright; and with her head held high and an occasional glance at the bundle in Ulrike's arms it appeared as though she were rather proud of herself.

"No," said Carmen, "I suppose one of us will have to keep it. You've got more space, but if you'd rather I keep it..."

"Nah, I can keep it, I guess. But I've got no idea how to care for it."

"I can't remember much either," said Carmen, "But we can ask the vet. We just need to find one who knows how to treat hedgehogs."

"Wouldn't every vet know that?" asked Ulrike.

"Not necessarily. At least they didn't 30 years ago. Of course, they may now," mused Carmen.

"What? You mean you had a hedgehog?"

"Yes, we did," said Carmen grinning. And when Ulrike asked her to tell her about it, she took off her hood and told her how José had found a little hedgehog in their neighbourhood in the winter of 1964. They hid it in one of the cellar rooms. Her parents never knew.

"For how long did you have it?" asked Ulrike.

"The whole winter," said Carmen as they turned onto the path that would lead them out of 'the gardens'.

"Wow, how did you manage to hide him all that time without anyone noticing?"

Carmen grinned, "Actually, my _Oma_ found out. You just can't hide anything from her. But of course she kept it a secret. She knew that my mother would have a fit if she found out.

It was probably the only time when we could get away with it. It was the first winter we were living in the house in Nikolassee and my grandparents and one of my aunts had come from Argentina, and they were staying with us for three months. My mother had her hands full with the relatives, so she didn't notice us creeping into the cellar all the time. We kept it in the cellar room where we stored all the empty moving boxes and left over things from the renovation \- no one needed to go in there anymore. Of course we had to make sure that we kept the cage clean so that no one would notice the smell. We had even bought a heat lamp from our pocket money."

"How did your _Oma_ find out?" asked Ulrike as they left 'the gardens' and crossed the street.

"My mother went on a three-week tour through Germany with the relatives. She was rather relieved that we didn't want to go, but since my father always came home very late, she didn't want us to stay alone in the house. So my _Oma_ moved in for that time. _Oma_ , of course, noticed us going into the cellar the very first time we went. When she saw the little guy in one of the moving boxes, she went with us to a vet and she provided us with a proper cage and books from the library. She helped us weigh it every day and encouraged us to keep a diary to make sure we would notice when something was wrong."

"And she never told your parents?" asked Ulrike as they crossed the parking area in the back yard of the building complex.

"Never," said Carmen emphatically.

"That's awesome. You must have a wonderful bond with her," said Ulrike but a touch of melancholy had crept into her voice, and caused Carmen to ask, "What about your grandparents? You never talk about them."

Ulrike shrugged as they passed her Mercedes. For a moment she contemplated leaving the hedgehog in the boot, but deciding against it, she answered, "There's not much to talk about. I never knew my father's parents. They both died before I was born. I sometimes miss my mother's parents, but they are now dead too. I didn't see them very often. They lived in a village near Potsdam, so we could only visit them every once in a while. Too much hassle getting a visa and paying the 'entrance fee', not to mention getting frisked every time. Later, once they were retired, they visited us a few times, but they both didn't feel comfortable in the city."

"That's a pity," said Carmen as she opened the entrance door and held it open for Ulrike, "The damned GDR regime has brought so much grief and sorrow to the people. It's going to take generations to heal those wounds."

"Yeah," agreed Ulrike as they ascended the stairs to the second storey.

#

Three hours later, they ascended the stairs yet again. Carmen was struggling with two full plastic bags and a bag of hay from the pet shop while holding Püppi's leash at the same time.

Ulrike cursed as the dog ran past her on the first landing, causing her to stumble. She already had a difficult time climbing the stairs by feel as she was carrying a large rabbit cage, which the vet had lent them. The hedgehog, wrapped in a towel, kept sliding back and forth in the otherwise still empty cage, and Ulrike thought the poor thing must be scared to death.

Luckily the little hedgehog had only suffered minor injuries to its front legs. The vet had been more worried about its malnourished condition, and he had given Ulrike a bunch of instructions she'd have to follow to nurse it back to health.

When they were finally in Ulrike's flat and Carmen closed the door, Ulrike set the cage down and shook out her arms to relieve the cramped feeling.

Freeing Püppi from her collar, Carmen asked, "Do you want to leave the cage here in the hall?"

Pondering for a moment, Ulrike replied, "No, I think the wintergarden would be a better place, don't you think?"

"Hm, yes, but you'll have to make room first," considered Carmen as she thought of Ulrike's 'jungle' in the wintergarden.

"Okay, I'll do that," said Ulrike, "Would you do me a favour and feed Püppi?"

"Sure, where do you keep her food?"

"In the pantry. You'll have to wash her bowl first - the green one, the red one is for dry food. In case she's emptied that too, you can give her handful from the big bag in the pantry."

"All right," acknowledged Carmen. "Come on, Püppi, let's get you some dinner."

As she switched on the light in the kitchen, Carmen noticed that the low kitchen cupboard on the left sported a new addition. Curious, she opened the door to see her initial thoughts confirmed - Ulrike had obviously bought a mini oven. Shaking her head, Carmen shut the door and headed for the pantry at the far end of the kitchen. Usually, Ulrike was a very logical, down to earth person, but when it came to things concerning the kitchen, Carmen sometimes really wondered about the logic behind her partner's thought processes.

The other day, when Carmen had pointed out that it was rather impractical to have all the spices scattered about in several different places, and that a spice rack would fit nicely onto that low cupboard, which was exactly opposite the stove, Ulrike had explained to her that she didn't want a spice rack because it was just one more item to dust.

Carmen had just finished re-filling Püppi's water bowl when Ulrike came into the kitchen and asked, "Are you done? Could you help me carrying the cage into the wintergarden?"

"Sure," said Carmen, and placing the bowl next to Püppi, she followed Ulrike into the hall.

#

An hour later, they were sitting at the bistro table in the wintergarden, watching the little hedgehog explore its new environment. Only the light from the living room and the street lanterns below were illuminating the small room.

"What are you going to call him?" asked Carmen.

"I don't know. Do you have any suggestions?"

"How about Mecki?"

Ulrike made a face. "That's about as original as calling a German shepherd Hasso."

"Püppi isn't exactly original either," argued Carmen.

Ulrike snorted, "It's probably the most stupid name you can give a female dog, but she's not my dog, and Frau Schröder didn't ask for my opinion. No offense, Püppi, it's not your fault, and you're definitely not stupid," she said to the dog who had looked up at the mentioning of her name.

"What about Tapsi? With his waddly walk, I think that would suit him."

"Tapsi," Ulrike tried the name as she watched the hedgehog eat, "Yes, I like it. All right, Tapsi it is."

Carmen chuckled, "The way he's chomping on his food reminds me that we haven't eaten yet. Would you like to go out for dinner?"

"Nah, I don't know how Püppi behaves in a restaurant," said Ulrike, and then she grinned, "But I have stocked up on frozen pizza. We could try out my new acquisition. I bet you've noticed it already."

"If you mean that miniature oven, yes, I've noticed it," said Carmen, "I've been wondering why you didn't just replace the old gas stove."

Ulrike shrugged, "I saw that thing on sale the other day, so I thought it would be a good idea. I hardly ever need a big oven, and the little one is big enough for one pizza or a serving of chips."

"It beats me, how you can remain so fit and healthy with all the junk food you eat," said Carmen.

"I've got healthy genes," said Ulrike, grinning, "Come on, one frozen pizza won't kill you. I've got pizza frutti di mare," she added, waggling her eyebrows, knowing that Carmen usually loved this variety.

Scrunching her face, Carmen asked, "Have you got something... simpler? I'd rather not chew on rubber calamari and then die of fish poisoning."

"You're being ridiculous," said Ulrike, "They really aren't that bad. But I've got a Hawaiian pizza and salami pizza also, if you'd prefer those. I have a jar of pepperoncini; we can put them on the salami pizza."

"All right," said Carmen still sceptical, and when Ulrike tilted her head questioningly, she asked, "You can only make one pizza at a time with that mini thing, right?" When Ulrike confirmed, she proposed, "How about we have half of each."

"Good idea," said Ulrike, smiling and leant over to kiss Carmen. She was glad she had managed to persuade Carmen. The pizza really wasn't bad and she was dying to try her new gadget. When they parted, she got up and said, "Okay, I'll put the first one in the oven - be right back."

Carmen truly couldn't fathom why Ulrike chose to live on junk food rather than learn to cook a proper meal. However, it was the first time her partner was expecting her to share in this fare. So far, at least when Carmen had been at Ulrike's place and they didn't want to go out, they had called the pizza delivery, or Ulrike had driven to one of her favourite restaurants to get take-away meals for them while Carmen set the table and chose a film for them to watch.

_On the other hand,_ thought Carmen, _Thinking of Ulrike in her tuxedo, not to mention her preference of boxer shorts and all the rather manly interests of hers, perhaps I shouldn't be so surprised._ After all, her father hardly ever set foot into the kitchen, and José, as far as she knew, even went out for breakfast. They were both capable of tending the _asado_ , but that wasn't in the kitchen, and Ulrike also much preferred standing at the grill with the guys rather than sitting at the table. Carmen couldn't really understand why Ulrike as a woman preferred to act - and to a degree even look - like a man. However, she couldn't deny that there also was a certain appeal to it. And, again, thinking of Ulrike in the tuxedo that covered her muscular v-shaped torso so nicely... suddenly, the idea of having a quick frozen pizza no longer sounded as appalling. She would suggest having the second pizza later...

"I love that smile of yours," Ulrike brought Carmen out of her reverie.

"Do you?" asked Carmen in a sultry voice.

"Uh huh," acknowledged Ulrike, and taking Carmen's hands, she pulled her up into a passionate embrace.

They had long migrated to the sofa in the living room, when they were interrupted by a shrill 'pling'.

"Mmmh," Carmen disengaged herself from Ulrike's lips, "The pizza is ready."

"Huh?" Ulrike stopped the movement of her hand beneath Carmen's shirt and looked at her partner in befuddlement.

"Pizza is ready," repeated Carmen, grinning, "Didn't you hear it ring? I believe that was your oven."

"Oh," said Ulrike, clearly not happy about the interruption.

When Ulrike still didn't move, Carmen gently pushed her away, "I suggest you get it out before it burns."

"Right," said Ulrike and reluctantly got up. Turning around, she pointed her finger at Carmen, "Don't go anywhere - I'll be right back."

Carmen chuckled at Ulrike's antics. It was too cute to see her partner in such a state of bewilderment.

When Ulrike opened the oven door, she noticed that the pizza was already rather brown. She quickly grabbed the pizza plate and a fork she had put on the table earlier and started to drag the pizza onto the plate. However, as she finally had the pizza on the plate, she noticed that a bit of the baking paper was stuck between the pizza and the plate. Trying to hold down the paper with the fork, she moved the plate away from the oven.

" _Ahh_ _Scheiße_!" she cursed when the paper folded upwards and caught fire as it touched the upper heating element. Reacting promptly, she turned around with the plate and held the burning paper, which was still stuck between the pizza and the plate, over the sink where a muesli dish was soaking. Accompanied by more cursing, she quickly took the muesli dish and poured the water over the burning paper. However, not taking notice of the angle of the plate, she watched in horror as the pizza refused to defy gravity and slid into the sink while she was still pouring.

Now, the pizza lay in the sink, soaked in a mix of water and burnt baking paper.

Carmen, who had come into the kitchen when she heard Ulrike cursing, burst into laughter upon seeing her partner grimacing as she stared at the mess.

Turning towards Carmen, Ulrike couldn't help chuckling as well. "I guess I haven't got the hang of this oven yet."

Taking a step forward, Carmen gave Ulrike a quick kiss and suggested, "Let's just call the pizza delivery."

Ulrike hung her shoulders and sighed heavily. "Okay."

#

"No, I can't stay the night, I'm sorry," said Carmen while she looked up into her partner's loving eyes.

"Why not?" asked Ulrike, trying to persuade her partner by gently caressing her face.

"Because Tabitha doesn't like it," said Carmen, "And I don't want to have the duvet and the mattress professionally cleaned again because she peed on it."

"Why don't you just close the bedroom door when you leave?" asked Ulrike and moved so that she was lying on her side next to Carmen.

"I can't do that," said Carmen, "It's her favourite room."

"To pee," said Ulrike dryly.

Rolling her eyes, Carmen gave Ulrike a quick kiss and got out of bed. While she was collecting her clothes off the floor, she said, "I'll be back after breakfast tomorrow. We can go for a walk with Püppi again if you like."

"Yeah, maybe she finds another hedgehog, then at least Tapsi will have someone to cuddle."

Shaking her head, Carmen wondered, "Do hedgehogs actually cuddle?"

"I'm sure they do - very carefully," said Ulrike and chuckled.

Joining in the laughter, Carmen proceeded to get dressed. Once she was finished, she sat down on the bed and ruffled Ulrike's hair, "Tomorrow, after the opera, you can stay at my place, and only one more week, then it'll be autumn holidays. Then your mother will be back to take Püppi, and you can stay at my place the whole time if you like."

"Oh, apropos holidays," said Ulrike, "My aunt has invited us to her place whenever it suits us. Would you like to go there for a weekend during the holidays?"

"She's in Bavaria, isn't she?" asked Carmen.

"Yes, she's in Regensburg."

"Sure, that would be nice. I've never been to Regensburg."

"It's a nice town," said Ulrike, "How about we add a few days and make it a week-long holiday? We could spend a few days in Allgäu."

"Not the whole week," said Carmen, "José returns from Argentina on Monday the 5th. I'm fetching him from the airport. I was going to ask if you might drive us. I don't like driving to the airport. It's too confusing for me to navigate there."

"Sure, no problem," said Ulrike, "So, would you consider going on a holiday with me on Tuesday the 6th? - Provided I can get a nice room for us at such a short notice."

"I'd love to," said Carmen. "Let's talk about this some more tomorrow. I really need to go now."

"Okay," said Ulrike and pulled Carmen towards her for a proper good-bye kiss.

#

On Saturday evening, Ulrike was waiting at the curb at the bus stop in front of the building, waiting for her colleague and longstanding friend, Kalle.

She and Kalle often helped each other out, whether it was when either one of them needed a lift or help with their taxi. They often met for lunch at Marianne's Currybude, and occasionally they went out for a beer and a game of pool. Tonight, he would take her to Carmen's place and then drive her and Carmen to the opera; and he would come and fetch them once it was over.

Since Püppi had such a phobia of men, Carmen had taken her with her when she went home to get dressed for the evening. Ulrike could only hope that the poor old dog wouldn't get traumatised from having to adapt to so many different people, even if they were all women. _Frau Schröder would probably not be happy if she knew about it,_ thought Ulrike. And she certainly wouldn't tell her mother either, _She would have a fit._

She was about to look at her watch when a taxi pulled into the bus stop and halted in front of her.

Grinning, Ulrike opened the passenger's door and greeted cheekily, " _N'Amnd Kalle, da biste ja endlich! Ick dachte schon ick muss loofen._ "

Ignoring her comment, Kalle whistled and praised Ulrike's appearance, " _Donnawetta! Schnieke siehste aus!_ "

Sliding into the passenger's seat, Ulrike raised her eyebrows in surprise and teased, "And I thought you'd crack a bad joke about my outfit."

"I wouldn't dare do that," said Kalle, grinning, as he put the automatic into drive, "Nah, seriously, the penguin look suits you. I'm just wondering how she managed to get you to the opera in the first place and to get you dressed up like this."

"The tux was my idea," said Ulrike, "I wasn't going to wear a dress to the opera, so this was my condition."

"So, she got you to go to the opera and you got her to accept the tux? Wait... did you hear that?"

"What?" asked Ulrike, when she couldn't hear anything unusual.

Scratching his chin as they waited for a red-light to turn green, Kalle said, "I thought I heard wedding bells ringing."

" _Spinner_!" Ulrike slapped his arm and insulted him, laughing.

"Ouch!" said Kalle and rubbed his mock-hurt arm.

"May I remind you that we couldn't even marry if we wanted to?" said Ulrike and added, "Not that I would consider it, mind you."

"That's a shame, really," said Kalle seriously.

"What? That we couldn't or that I wouldn't consider it?"

"Both," said Kalle, "You seem to be serious towards Carmen. I think it would be nice if you could seal this bond with a wedding."

"Says the man who just got divorced."

"It's been two years already," corrected Kalle, "And we're still friends. Our lives just grew in different directions."

"You didn't sound quite as relaxed when she told you she wanted a divorce," Ulrike reminded him of the time when he had ranted and cried on her shoulder for several weeks.

"And you probably didn't sound as relaxed when you fell off your bike the first time," countered Kalle, "Did that make you stop wanting to ride a bike?"

"Touché!" said Ulrike, chuckling.

They spent the rest of the way chatting about old times until they reached Henriettenplatz.

"I can't see her," said Kalle as he turned into Ringbahnstraße and halted, "Is she going to come down, or are you supposed to get her?"

"She's supposed to come down at seven."

"Well, we're a bit early then," said Kalle.

"Yeah," agreed Ulrike, her gaze focussed on the gap between the houses that led to the entrance of Ringbahnstraße 1. Finally she said, "Oh, heck, I'll go ring and tell her that we're waiting," and headed for the entrance door.

She was about to press Carmen's button when the entrance door opened. When she saw a female figure coming out, she did a double take and finally stared mesmerised at the gorgeous apparition that was her partner.

A wide smile spread over Carmen's face when she saw the look on Ulrike's face. It was the first time she could wear this beautiful royal blue evening dress with the nice décolleté that revealed more of her cleavage than her usual clothing but wasn't too daring either. She had bought it for a ball to which her family had been invited. However, due to her accident she hadn't been able to attend the ball, and thus the dress had been safely stored for a cleavage occasion like this. The cream coloured mink cape, though old, went decidedly well with the dress, and was perfect for the rather cool September evening.

"I gather you like it?" Carmen brought her partner out of her spell-bound state, and she spread out her arms and twirled carefully, not yet reaccustomed to the matching pumps that had the highest stiletto heels of all her shoes.

"You're beautiful like a goddess," said Ulrike.

Carmen blushed and said shyly, "There's no need to exaggerate."

"I'm not exaggerating," stated Ulrike, as she held out her arm for Carmen to link, "You've even magically grown taller than I."

Carmen laughed as they headed for the taxi, "That's just the high heels."

" _Junge_! _Junge_!" exclaimed Kalle, who was waiting at the taxi, " _Wenn ick'n Hut uff hätte, würd' ick'n jetzt ziehn_ ," and he bowed, doffing his imaginary hat. " _N'Amnd die Herrschaften_ , your humble chauffeur is at your service!"

Carmen chuckled and Ulrike snorted and said, "Wrong address, Kalle. It's _'Damen'_."

Placing a hand on his heart, he said to Carmen, "Ah, many apologies, My Lady! Your splendid outfit fooled me for a minute."

Shaking her head, Ulrike introduced her friend, " _Darf ick vorstellen - die olle Flitzpiepe hier is meen langjärijer Freund und Kolleje, Karl Schmitz_."

"Eh, no need to be so formal," said Kalle as he held out his hand, "You can call me Kalle."

"And this is my wonderful partner, Carmen Bauer."

"Pleased to finally meet the woman who deprives me of my billiards buddy," said Kalle cheekily, and opening the taxi's back door for Carmen and Ulrike, he quickly added, "I don't blame you, Ulli. Spending time with a classy lady like her is certainly more entertaining than playing billiards with an old bloke like me."

On the way to the opera, Carmen noticed that Ulrike was still wearing her broad masculine diving watch. Cringing, she asked in a hushed voice, "Could you take it off, please?"

"Why?" asked Ulrike, looking at the watch which looked perfectly okay to her.

"It's not suitable for the opera," explained Carmen, "It looks cheap."

"It wasn't cheap," protested Ulrike, "It cost more than the tux, actually."

"It's of plastic and it's huge," countered Carmen.

"It's perfect to read and it's waterproof."

"We aren't going to a pool-party, we're going to the opera," Carmen pointed out.

"Kalle, what do you think?" asked Ulrike.

"Listen to your lady," said Kalle, "You know I think that watch of yours is mighty cool, but I wouldn't wear it to the opera either."

Ulrike sighed, and taking off her watch she grumbled, "All right, you win." She was about to store the watch in her pockets when Carmen stopped her.

"Give it to me; I'll put it in my handbag." As Ulrike obediently handed her the watch, she asked, "Do you have your keys in your pockets too?" When Ulrike nodded, Carmen rolled her eyes and gestured her to give the keys to her as well. "Those trousers aren't jeans; you'll rip the fabric with those keys."

"Yes, _Mami_ ," joked Ulrike as she struggled to get the bunch of keys out of her pocket.

Kalle grinned as he looked in the rear-view mirror and started whistling 'Here Comes the Bride'.

"Stop that," said Ulrike chuckling and poked her knee in the back of the driver's seat as she finally handed Carmen the keys.

"Gosh, they weigh a ton!" exclaimed Carmen, "How can you carry these in your pocket without losing your trousers?"

"That's what belts are for," said Ulrike, grinning.

Carmen stared at her aghast. "Don't tell me you're wearing a belt with a tuxedo."

"Nah, none of those stupid tux trousers came with belt loops, so I'm wearing braces."

Kalle broke into laughter as he saw Carmen wincing. "Okay, ladies, here we are. Where shall I pick you up?" he asked since he wouldn't be able to halt on the taxi rank in front of the opera.

"We'll be waiting at the corner of Krumme Straße," said Ulrike.

" _Allet klar_! See you at half past ten then. Have fun!"

#

When Carmen had handed in her mink cape at the cloak room and they were walking up the main staircase to get to their seats, Ulrike suddenly couldn't help noticing that this felt right to her. Not the two of them going to the opera or being dressed up like they were, but them walking as a couple. Even amongst all these posh people who regarded them strangely but mostly with an amused smile on their faces. She felt a silent approval coming from these strangers that she had neither expected, nor had she ever thought that she would care about it. But for some reason these people's acceptance of her in the tux as well as of her leading this beautiful lady up the stairs made her feel special as she never had before. _Weird_ , she thought as she felt her heart flutter, _Maybe Kalle wasn't too far off with his remarks_. And suddenly she wondered how it would feel to lead Carmen to the altar... not that they could, of course, and not that she would actually do it if they could - at least not yet... but the image had popped into her mind, and it left her with rather a nice warm and fuzzy feeling.

#

Shortly into the first act, Ulrike was already wondering how she was going survive this for three hours. She couldn't figure out what was going on down there on the stage, except that the guy in Roman uniform seemed to be pining over Aida. Not that she understood a word of what he was singing, as he was singing in Italian, but she thought she recognised him mentioning Aida several times, and the music as well as his gestures seemed to indicate that he was in love with her. But of course it could also be that the other guy had just told him that Aida was going to kill him and he was now praying to his Gods that she may spare him. Eh, Ulrike was tired of guessing, and she let her hand wander to Carmen's thigh in order to entertain herself in a more interesting manner.

Alas, instead of moving her thigh a little closer as Ulrike had hoped, Carmen took her wandering hand and placed it on Ulrike's thigh with a firm squeeze that clearly told her that she should keep her hand to herself.

Carmen couldn't concentrate on the opera anymore. Ulrike's touch had suddenly reminded her that she had openly displayed their relationship in public by taking Ulrike's arm and letting her lead her up the stairs. At the time she had felt marvellous, and she had revelled in the surprisingly positive attention they received from all the people around them. But just as Ulrike had touched her, Amneris had entered the stage. With her long brown hair she resembled Carmen's colleague Susanne, and she reminded Carmen that said colleague was here in the opera now. Carmen prayed to God that she hadn't spotted them yet.

Disappointed, Ulrike wondered why her partner was so adamant with her rejection. After all, it was dark and they were sitting in the first row of a box and there was no one behind them. _Oh, well_ , thought Ulrike, _perhaps she really enjoys the opera and doesn't want to be distracted_. Sighing, she leant back in her chair and closed her eyes.

#

"I can't believe you snored!" said Carmen in a hushed voice as they were heading for the foyer to have a drink and stretch their legs during the interval.

Massaging her neck, Ulrike said sheepishly, "My head must have been resting at a very awkward angle."

"How can you even fall asleep during the opera?" asked Carmen, "It's not exactly a quiet lullaby."

Ulrike shrugged, "I was bored. I couldn't understand what was going on."

"Didn't you read the booklet I gave you?"

"Uh, right, you gave me a booklet. Now I remember," said Ulrike and chuckled. "It's still on the sideboard in the hall."

"You are terrible," whispered Carmen as they joined the queue at the bar.

When they took their champagne to a bar table at the far end of the foyer, someone from behind them called out, "Carmen? Is that you?"

Carmen turned around, and although her heart sank, she put on a wide smile, "Susanne! How lovely to meet you here!"

"You look gorgeous," exclaimed Susanne as they shook hands, and with a curious glance at Ulrike in her tuxedo, she said, "May I introduce \- this is my husband, Manfred Weber. Manfred, this is Frau Oberstudienrätin Carmen Bauer, my much-valued colleague."

After they had exchanged the obligatory handshake and niceties, Carmen introduced her partner as "Frau Ulrike Hoffmann, a friend of mine."

Ulrike froze for a second. However, not wanting to make a scene, she swallowed her surprise and hurt, put on a fake grin and submitted to the charade.

"I can't believe you did that," hissed Ulrike as they were walking back to their seats.

"What?" asked Carmen, feigning not to comprehend.

"You know exactly what I mean - friend of mine."

"Look, I'm sorry," said Carmen with a soothing gesture, "Can we please postpone this conversation till after the opera? I'll take you out to a fine restaurant for a late night dinner."

Ulrike didn't care if they went to a posh restaurant or had currywurst and chips at an _Imbiss_ , she was pissed and she wanted to know why Carmen had been so mean. If this was some sort of revenge for her falling asleep earlier, it really was a cheap shot in Ulrike's opinion. Nevertheless, she gritted her teeth and agreed to wait.

#

"Uh, you don't look as if you enjoyed yourself. Was it so bad?" asked Kalle as the two women climbed into his taxi.

"It was lovely," said Carmen. "The staging was outstanding."

"I'm glad at least one of you enjoyed it," said Kalle, wondering why his buddy was making a face as if it had rained seven days in a row. "Where do you want to go now?"

"Could you take us to the Kempinski?" asked Carmen.

"Sure," said Kalle and putting the automatic into drive, he joked, "The Kempinski, huh? Do you think your taste buds will be up to the challenge, Ulli?"

"There's nothing wrong with my taste buds, Kalle," said Ulli, "They're quite used to a wider range of culinary delicacies."

"I wouldn't consider frozen pizza and currywurst culinary delicacies," teased Carmen.

"Oh but Marianne's currywurst definitely falls into that category," said Ulrike.

"Definitely," agreed Kalle, "If you haven't tried it yet, you're really missing out."

"Hm, all right," said Carmen, "Perhaps I'll try it someday."

The banter with her friend had somewhat brightened Ulrike's mood, but she still felt hurt, and she wouldn't let Carmen get away without an explanation. Carmen was obviously no longer mad at her for having fallen asleep, however if this was only because she got her revenge, Ulrike would have preferred her being mad at her. She would have apologised for her faux pas; and with some additional grovelling and pampering, she was sure she could have made it up to Carmen. Alas, now the tables had turned, and it would be Carmen's turn to do some serious grovelling and pampering.

"Here we are!" said Kalle as he passed the taxi rank and halted in front of the Kempinski, "Shall I pick you up again?"

"No, Kalle, thank you," said Ulrike, "I don't know how long we'll be. We'll just go with one of the colleagues or take the bus."

" _Allet klar_! It was nice to meet you, Carmen. I hope we'll meet again soon."

"Nice to meet you too, Kalle," said Carmen as she opened the door, "Thank you for driving us."

"Anytime. Have fun, you two!"

#

When they had ordered their drinks and late night dinner, Ulrike couldn't stand waiting any longer, "Now, about this petty revenge of yours..."

"Revenge?" asked Carmen, clearly puzzled, "What are you talking about?"

"Come on," said Ulrike annoyed, "You know what I'm talking about. I can understand that you wanted to get back at me for falling asleep, but introducing me as a friend of yours was really mean."

Carmen furrowed her brow in confusion, "I believe we have a misunderstanding here. It was not my intention to 'get back at you'. Yes, I was a bit annoyed that you fell asleep - though if you hadn't snored I might not even have noticed. But I gathered that you aren't fond of operas before we went, so if I wanted to blame someone I'd have to blame myself for dragging you along with me."

"Then why did you do it?" asked Ulrike, now even more at a loss as to why Carmen had done something so hurtful.

"Because I don't know how Susanne would react if she learnt that I'm a lesbian." While Ulrike was processing this explanation, Carmen went on, "I also wouldn't know how the other colleagues would react if Susanne went around gossiping. You've got nothing to fear, you're a self-employed taxi driver; but I'm a teacher, and I'm afraid I could lose my job."

"This comes rather out of the blue," said Ulrike. "After all, you had no scruples to seduce me in that changing cubicle when we went shopping for clothes. And thinking about it, neither did you have any problems displaying our relationship at Renato's birthday, nor did you mind walking hand in hand on several occasions. How come you're suddenly afraid to lose your job?"

The waiter came bringing their wine, and Carmen waited till he left before she answered, "In all those situations I felt safe. There was no one I knew in the vicinity, and so I didn't have to fear someone seeing us." Taking a sip of wine, she continued, "I actually thought you would understand since you were so modest in the changing cubicle."

"Excuse me!" said Ulrike, "But having sex in a public place isn't exactly the same thing as holding hands or introducing your partner as your partner."

"Would you please lower your voice," hissed Carmen, "People are already looking at us."

"Let them look, for Christ's sake!" said Ulrike annoyed.

"Ulli, please!"

"Is there a colleague of yours here?" asked Ulrike in a somewhat lower voice.

"No," said Carmen, "At least not as far as I can see."

"Then why are you so afraid of people overhearing us? There's nothing wrong with being a lesbian, and they certainly won't throw us out because of it."

"No, not because of that, but they will if you don't keep your voice down. We aren't at an _Imbiss_ , Ulli, we're at the Kempinski!"

"I knew there was a reason why I prefer Marianne's _Imbiss_ ," said Ulrike deadpan.

"And I thought it was because of her famous currywurst," teased Carmen.

Ulrike grinned, "That too."

When their dinner had arrived and Ulrike was enjoying her fried liver 'Berlin style', she pondered what Carmen had told her. "Do you really think you could still lose your job just because you're a lesbian? I mean, it's 1992; we have Christopher Street Days and gay rights movements, you even see guys kissing on TV in the Lindenstraße*."

"I don't know, Ulli, but I'd rather not chance it. If I were working with adults, I'd be less worried, but you know how people can be... and working with kids makes it a lot more difficult."

Ulrike thought about this for a moment before she answered, "I hadn't thought about it from that angle. Nevertheless, I don't like this. How do you see our future? Do you really think you can keep our relationship secret forever? Never mind that I'm not particularly fond of the idea."

Shaking her head, Carmen finished her meal and took a sip of wine before she replied, "I really don't know, _Schatz_. As you know, I've only been in one relationship before, and with her it was never a question that we would keep it secret - she was, and probably still is, working at a private Catholic school."

"Oh, well, I can certainly see how that would be a problem," admitted Ulrike.

Carmen smiled sadly, "The school never was a problem. As I said, we kept it secret. The problem were her parents. They reacted worse than mine. She couldn't take it any longer and married the man her parents wanted her to marry."

"When was this, and how old was she?" asked Ulrike disbelievingly.

Carmen made a face, "1985 and she was 27."

"Oh God!" groaned Ulrike, "You'd think she'd be more mature at that age."

"Yeah, well," said Carmen, "It took me a few years to get over it, and I haven't been in another relationship till I met you. So, you see, I really don't know what I'm going to do now. I do love you, Ulrike, I really do. But I love my job as well. I don't want to lose either. Do you think you can live with being my sweet little secret?"

"I'm not little," protested Ulrike, but then she reached for Carmen's hand, immediately drawing back when she realised that this small gesture was already betraying what she wanted to say.

Carmen understood Ulrike's reaction, and she grasped her partner's hand and squeezed it firmly while their eyes locked in a gaze so intense and full of meaning that when Ulrike finally spoke, it was only to confirm what her eyes had already transmitted, "I love you. And if that means I'll have to be your secret, then so be it."

###

*Note: Lindenstraße was the first German soap opera. It started in 1985 and is still running. It's extremely well known and one of the most successful shows in Germany. It was the first German TV series that showed a gay couple kissing in 1987.

###

Taxi - Tactics

Carmen and Ulrike were standing amongst a throng of people who were all waiting for loved ones and relatives to exit the customs area of the airport.

"There he is!" exclaimed Carmen, and waving to José, she grabbed Ulrike's arm and dragged her through the crowd in order to reach her brother.

José was struggling with a huge travel bag and two extra-large suitcases, one of which seemed to have a damaged wheel and he finally gave up pulling it and picked it up. Despite his struggles, a huge smile graced his sun tanned face as he spotted his sister and her partner.

Carmen marvelled with envy how her brother managed to look drop-dead gorgeous as if prepared for a photo shoot, while in reality he had just stepped out of a plane after an over 20-hour long-distance flight! She always felt like a grubby mess after such a long flight, and it usually took her several days to get over the jet lag.

"Hey _Schwesterherz_!"

Carmen yelped as José dropped his luggage, picked her up and swirled her around. She was about to protest, when he set her down and commented with a raise of his eyebrow, "Have you gained weight?" Not waiting for a reply, he turned to Ulrike and shook her hand with a firm grip. "Hi Ulli. Thanks for the chauffeur service," he said grinning and picked up his travel bag.

"No problem," Ulrike waved it off, and pointed at his suitcases, "Do you need help with these?"

"Yeah, that would be nice, actually. The wretched wheel isn't working properly on this one," he picked up the larger one of the suitcases, "If you'd take the other one that would be really great."

"Gosh, this is heavy!" said Ulrike as she started to wheel the suitcase, "What have you got in there? Rocks?"

José laughed, "Nah, just the obligatory gifts from the relatives and of course a stack of dulce de leche, dulce de membrillo and other things you can't get here."

"I really don't know why you must buy that terrible tinned stuff," commented Carmen.

"Because unlike you I don't fancy standing in the kitchen for ages to prepare it myself," countered José, "Not even the relatives do that, by the way."

"Aunt Mariana and Aunt Carla do," protested Carmen.

Shaking his head, José said, "No, they don't, not anymore." He stopped and put the suitcase down to pick it up with his left hand, "Boy, Father's wine bottles and the books and gifts they got for you aren't particularly light weight either. Though luckily they're not as heavy as you are," he joked and carried on heading for the exit.

Carmen followed with a frown on her face. Yes, she had probably gained a bit of weight, but was it really so much that José would notice just by lifting her up? It wasn't as if he was doing it on a regular basis, so how could he really compare anyway? And it was autumn and she was wearing heavy clothes. How could he have known that it wasn't just the clothes? Ulrike lifted her far more often and she frequently saw her without clothes and she hadn't mentioned anything.

"Boy, am I glad to be back in Berlin," said José as he caught up to Ulrike.

"Really?" she asked, "Was it that bad? You certainly don't look like if you have suffered."

"Oh, no, it wasn't bad at all," said José, "Work was a bit challenging, but it was okay. Otherwise it was great. I love Argentina, but I'm looking forward to driving my own car and living in my own flat without having to worry about relatives pestering me about this and that all the time."

Ulrike chuckled, "Now, that I can understand!"

As they stepped out into the cold autumn air, José shivered, "Ugh, the dreadful cold here was the only thing I did not miss at all!"

"I wouldn't miss that either," said Ulrike, "But I've timed the heater, so at least the car will be warm."

Once they were all seated in the taxi, José remarked from the back seat, "So, now that I'm back, you'll leave, I heard..."

"Yeah," joked Ulrike, "The streets of Berlin will be getting dangerous now that you're back, so we thought we'd rather escape to a safer place."

José laughed. "Have you both got some time now? I'd like to invite you for lunch."

"I haven't planned anything for today," said Ulrike, "Have you?" she asked Carmen.

"Frau Krüger is coming for coffee but lunch sounds fine. Where would you like to go?"

"I don't really care as long as it's not a steakhouse," said José.

Ulrike chuckled, "Fed up with asado now?"

"Not really," said José, "Only my taste buds' memory needs to fade before I can enjoy a steak here again. It just can't compare with the real thing."

"I see," said Ulrike, "How about Italian?"

The others agreed, so Ulrike drove them to a pizzeria near José's place.

After the previous night, she was still feeling a little tired and edgy, even though she did her best not to show it. Normally, she slept like a log, especially after a good lovemaking; however, she still wasn't used to the noise the hedgehog made at night. She had built him a huge play pen in the wintergarden, but that muffled the noise only marginally, thus, she had learnt to shut the bedroom door. However, the previous night she had forgotten to close it after Carmen had left, and only after an hour of tossing and turning, unsuccessfully trying to fall asleep despite the noise, had she finally dragged herself out of bed and closed the door. And although the hedgehog's sounds were barely audible then, they had carried into her dreams. Pinned to the ground, in what way she couldn't remember, she was tortured by hundreds of hedgehogs slurping and munching and scratching right next to her head, keeping her from falling asleep. When the alarm finally woke her from her nightmare, she breathed a long sigh of relief but she felt exhausted as if she hadn't slept for three nights in a row. She was very much looking forward to the trip with Carmen. Finally some peace and quiet during the night!

#

At the restaurant, once the waiter had brought their drinks and taken their meal orders, José said, "Aunt Carla and the other relatives as well, were bitterly complaining that they haven't seen you in ages."

"I was there last year!" protested Carmen, laughing.

José grinned. "Well, you know for them that's ages. They want to know when you're finally coming for a visit again."

"I don't know," said Carmen pensively, "It's going to be difficult now."

"Why?" asked Ulrike, "I'd love to see Argentina."

Carmen cringed, and while she was helplessly searching for words, José explained, "They don't know about you."

"Oh," was all Ulrike could say. She had daydreamt of visiting Argentina with Carmen, of seeing where her partner had grown up and discovering the beauty of the country together with her. But now the chances of those dreams coming true suddenly seemed to have diminished to zero. So, she would be a secret for Carmen's family as well. Somehow, this was not what she had envisioned for their relationship, and she wasn't sure if she could cope with all this secrecy.

"It was already difficult to get my parents to accept me as I am," Carmen tried to explain, "It would be even worse with the rest of the family. They are very old fashioned in their views."

"I tried to sound them out about the subject," said José, "The only one who wasn't appalled by the idea was young Diego."

"There's hope for future generations," said Carmen and raised her wine glass, inwardly applauding her cousin's 19-year old son.

"I'm not so sure," said José, "His reasoning was that he thought it was pretty hot to watch lesbian porn."

Ulrike growled but she managed to bite back a nasty comment by taking a sip of her mineral water to occupy her mouth otherwise.

Carmen buried her face in her hands and shook her head.

"Well," said José, "I guess you better prepare yourself. Alicia and Ricardo are planning to come here next year."

"My cousin and her husband," Carmen clarified for Ulrike and fell silent again.

"Will they be staying at your place?" Ulrike asked Carmen.

Carmen shook her head. "No, the relatives always stay at my parents'. They've got more space and my mother doesn't work, so she has plenty of time to entertain them."

Somewhat relieved, Ulrike asked, "For how long are they going to stay?"

"About four weeks, I guess," said José, "Ricardo is planning to take all his annual leave."

Ulrike had noticed how the subject seemed to make her partner uncomfortable. Not wanting to be the reason for Carmen's discomfort, she discreetly reached for Carmen's hand under the table and gave it an encouraging squeeze. And with a smile she said, "Don't worry. I'm sure we'll manage."

The waiter came with their meals, and Carmen wondered when Ulrike would finally have enough of all the secrecy to which she was so obviously not used. Thinking of Else's somewhat elitist views, Carmen was curious and asked, "Did you never have any problems with your family? I mean with regards to accepting that you are a lesbian."

Looking up from her pizza, Ulrike said, "No. Never."

"What did they say when you came out to them?" Carmen wanted to know.

"I never really 'came out' to anyone," said Ulrike, "My first girlfriend had been my best friend since primary school. She was at our place almost every day, including the weekends. She had five siblings, so her parents were rather relieved that they had one less mouth to feed; she even visited my aunt and uncle with us in the holidays. That didn't change after we discovered that being intimate was rather fun. We didn't go around announcing 'hey, we've slept together', and no one asked. It was none of their business."

"And your mother never bothered you about finding a boyfriend?" Carmen asked amazed.

"My mother bothered and still bothers me about a lot of things, but finding a boyfriend was never among them," said Ulrike chuckling. "She never bothered Nobbi about finding a girlfriend either, and he's been single most of his life, so far."

"Boy, you're lucky," said José, enviously. He hadn't even dared introducing any of his girlfriends to his parents after they had voiced their disapproval in front of his very first sweetheart. The girl didn't take too kindly to his parents' comments and left him right away. Of all the girlfriends he had had since then, he knew that his parents would not approve, thus he spared the women and himself the embarrassment of introducing them. So far none of his relationships had lasted longer than a few months anyway, thus the issue hadn't been too difficult to avoid.

"Yes, you really are lucky," agreed Carmen.

Ulrike shrugged, "I don't know. None of my girlfriends and partners ever had a problem with regards to that. So, for me it is actually pretty strange that your family is giving you such trouble."

"Speaking of trouble," said José, remembering Carmen's concern about her colleague, and turned to his sister, "Did Frau Weber say anything after all?"

Carmen shook her head, "No, at least not yet. She was still sick when the holidays started, so I haven't seen her or talked to her since we saw her at the opera."

"I really don't think you've got much to worry about," said Ulrike, "She has probably forgotten all about it already, and even if not, you've made it perfectly clear that I'm just 'a friend of yours'." Ulrike was still chewing on this introduction even though she did understand Carmen's reasons a little better now and had agreed to her terms.

"I hope you are right," sighed Carmen and excused herself for a minute.

Once his sister was out of sight, José picked up his glass of wine, but before he raised it to his mouth, he asked Ulrike, "So, where are you going apart from visiting your aunt?" He knew from Carmen that Ulrike refused to tell her where they would stay during their upcoming trip, and insisted on surprising Carmen. He had congratulated his sister for having regained her adventurous spirit; however, Carmen had been very sceptical. She didn't like the fact that she didn't know where they would stay and she feared that Ulrike's taste might not exactly match hers. José had hoped he could help his sister by catching Ulrike unawares. However, when he took a sip of his wine Ulrike's grin told him that she had seen through his ruse.

"Nice try, but I'm not going to tell you either. It's a surprise, and I'm sure she'll love it."

"I wouldn't be so sure. My sister can be rather picky. However, if you let me in on it, I believe I can tell you whether she'll really love it or not," he countered.

Shaking her head, Ulrike said, "Look, it's not some cheap motel, I can tell you that much. So, even if she doesn't love it, she certainly won't hate it. And, as you probably know, I had to compromise too. I'm not fond of driving such a long distance in that sardine tin of hers, be it ever so fashionable; but it was her condition and I accepted."

"That's fair enough, I guess," said José. "Though I hope she'll be fonder of the hotel you chose than you are of her car."

Ulrike raised her eyebrows. "I appreciate the sentiment; however, we're certainly going to spend more time in the car than at the hotel, at least in a conscious state, so even if she doesn't like it, she'll get the better deal."

José laughed, "I know why my father is so fond of you - you think like a business man! I'm just not so sure if you can apply that view to a relationship - especially when it comes to my sister."

"We'll see," said Ulrike grinning as Carmen returned to the table.

"What will you see?" asked Carmen as she sat down.

"We'll see if you agree. You know, your brother thinks we should take the Daimler because we will never fit both our luggage in the Alfa."

Carmen's left eyebrow rose and her lips turned into a lopsided smirk, "My brother would never prefer a clunky old ivory coloured steel box with the appeal of a panzer over a classy red sports car."

"She's right," acknowledged José grinning.

Ulrike chuckled. "Well, I had to try."

The waiter brought their desserts and they enjoyed some amiable chatter until Carmen looked at her watch and said, "I guess we'll have to leave now."

"When does Frau Krüger come over?" Ulrike wanted to know.

"At three, but I would like to change and prepare everything in time."

"Uh, would you like to have your presents today or shall I keep them till you return from your trip?" asked José.

Carmen's face lit up, "Oh, if you don't mind, you could come over in the evening, let's say around six. Then I could take one of the books with me."

"All right, no problem," said José and called over to the waiter to request the bill.

#

Once they had taken José home and were heading for Carmen's place, Carmen asked, "Are you looking forward to tomorrow?"

"Very much," said Ulrike, gently touching Carmen's thigh as she stopped at a red light.

"Are you terribly annoyed that I want to take the Alfa?"

"Nah, not terribly," said Ulrike.

"Good," said Carmen smiling. She didn't mind driving around in a taxi while they were in Berlin, but on a holiday she really preferred looks over practicality. She dearly hoped that Ulrike knew her enough by now to not surprise her with a stay at some grubby old guesthouse.

The car behind them honked, interrupting Carmen's musings. "It's green," she pointed out when Ulrike didn't react.

"Huh? Oh, sorry," said Ulrike who hadn't paid attention, and driving on, she asked, "Do you think I could take a short nap at your place before Frau Krüger comes over?"

"Sure," said Carmen, "I'm sorry I didn't shut the bedroom door. I will try to remember next time."

"It's not your fault," reassured Ulrike, "I really don't know why it affects me so much; usually I'm not this easily bothered by noise."

"True," said Carmen, "You slept peacefully through the opera and you didn't even wake up when Tabitha knocked the dish drainer off the sink the other night. The clash probably woke the whole house."

Ulrike chuckled, "I really didn't hear a thing. I must have been dead asleep."

"It is unfathomable to me how you could be so fast asleep that you didn't hear that," said Carmen, "But I can imagine why you are affected by Tapsi's sounds."

"Really? Why?"

"Maternal instinct," said Carmen grinning.

"Pfft, that's ridiculous! He isn't my baby!" protested Ulrike as she halted to back into a free parking bay.

"Of course not. But you have taken responsibility for him, and you care about his wellbeing. I think that it is a similar process in the brain like with a mother who will hear the faintest noise of her baby. Tapsi is helpless without your care, just like a baby. So, your brain probably considers his sounds relevant, while on the other hand it obviously regards music and the noise of kitchen clatter as not important enough to wake you."

"Hm," pondered Ulrike, as they headed for Carmen's place, "You may have a point."

Opening the entrance door, Carmen said, "I think it's rather cute that you care for him so much. It's nice to see a softer side of you. It makes you seem a little less tough." As Ulrike raised an eyebrow, she quickly added, "Not that I mind you being tough - on the contrary. I find your toughness very sexy."

"Do you?" asked Ulrike and followed Carmen into the lift.

"Uh huh," acknowledged Carmen and turned to Ulrike with a salacious grin, "Maybe I could lie down with you for a bit..."

"You don't sound tired," said Ulrike, feigning ignorance.

"Oh, I am not, but perhaps I can help you wake up," purred Carmen.

Trying to keep a straight face, but not entirely succeeding, Ulrike said, "Hmm, I'm not sure that's possible; how are you planning to accomplish that?"

Grabbing Ulrike's jacket, Carmen walked backwards, dragging Ulrike out of the lift. "Let me show you."

Suddenly, Ulrike froze, and staring in the direction of Carmen's flat, she cleared her throat.

"What's wrong?" asked Carmen and turned to see what Ulrike was looking at. As soon as she did so, she froze as well, the colour draining from her face, and she breathed in shock, "Tanja!"

Her pupil's face flushed and she stammered embarrassed, "Uh, _guten Tag_ , Frau Bauer. Your neighbour told me that you'd be home soon, and she asked me to tell you that she'll be back for coffee."

Ulrike stuck her hands in her pockets and remained silent, not sure how to react. This time, Carmen could obviously not introduce her as 'a friend of hers', and she was curious as to how her partner was going to deal with the situation.

"Why are you here?" asked Carmen. Her discomfort was still very obvious and she realised that she was being rude to her favourite pupil. Under normal circumstances, she would have been delighted to see Tanja, and she would have asked her in. However, after what Tanja had just witnessed, Carmen was not sure if that would be appropriate. On the other hand, she couldn't let her pupil go without asking her to keep what she had witnessed to herself. Some sort of discussion was definitely in order, regardless of why Tanja had come in the first place, so before Tanja could answer, she waved her hand and said, "You can tell me inside," and she stepped past Tanja to unlock the door to her flat.

Tanja looked uncomfortably from Carmen to Ulrike and back, but when Carmen asked her to come in and Ulrike gestured her with a smile on her face to go ahead, she picked up her bag and entered.

When they had all doffed their jackets, Carmen led them into the living room and said, "I'll make some coffee. Would you like some orange juice as always, Tanja?"

"Yes, please," said Tanja shyly.

Ulrike raised her eyebrows as Carmen quickly turned and headed for the kitchen, leaving her and the girl sitting on the sofa without any further comments. She still hadn't introduced them to each other, and Ulrike shook her head with a lopsided smirk at her partner's unusual lack of manners. "I'm Ulrike Hoffmann," she introduced herself to the girl and offered her hand.

The girl hesitantly shook Ulrike's hand, "I'm Tanja Lorenz."

"Nice to meet you, Tanja. You're a pupil of Frau Bauer's, I assume?"

Tanja nodded, "Yes. And you are... I mean, Frau Bauer and you..." she stopped and blushed in embarrassment.

Ulrike grinned and lit a cigarette, "You'd better ask Frau Bauer. I don't want to get reprimanded for giving you an inappropriate answer."

Carmen nervously waited for the coffee to run through. She could hear that Ulrike and Tanja were talking, but with the gurgling of the coffee machine she couldn't make out any specific words. She prayed to God that her partner wouldn't make things worse. Although, how Ulrike could make the situation worse than it already was, she didn't know. She only knew that her worst nightmare had just become reality, and she had no idea how to deal with it. She had often played through similar scenarios in her head, and not one of her approaches had resulted in a positive outcome.

She had baked a cake in the morning. _Perhaps I should prepare some whipped cream and offer it to Tanja and Ulrike,_ thought Carmen, and decided to latch onto the opportunity to postpone the inevitable.

"Can I have one?" Tanja asked and pointed at the cigarettes.

Hesitating, Ulrike asked, "How old are you?"

"Fifteen."

Shaking her head, Ulrike said, "In that case, sorry but no. You don't want to get your teacher into trouble, do you?"

The girl looked down at her hands and shook her head, causing her long dark hair to fall forward and obscure her pretty face. "No."

_Why on earth did she come here? It's the autumn holidays, for Christ's sake!_ Carmen thought desperately as she put the coffee pot on the tray. She would never have thought that a pupil would visit her during the holidays. Hell, she wouldn't have thought that a pupil would wait in front of her door even on a school day. That Ulrike would try to get into the house despite Carmen not opening the door was one thing, but she certainly hadn't reckoned that one of her pupils would dare to invade her privacy in such a way - especially not Tanja.

Tanja was such a polite girl. She often visited her, mainly to practise Spanish conversation, but they always made the appointment at school. She had never called on her unannounced. And it was Monday. Mondays Tanja usually went to dance studio, which would correspond with the bag she had with her... and as far as Carmen knew it was in the afternoon. It was the reason why Carmen had scheduled her dance class to be on Wednesdays even though Mondays would have matched her lesson plan better. Realising this, Carmen looked at the clock \- almost three o'clock - and she suddenly wondered if Tanja was in some sort of trouble. _Why else would she voluntarily miss a dance class?_

"May I help you?"

Carmen almost dropped the knife she had been holding in order to cut the cake.

"I'm sorry, Frau Bauer," said Tanja, "I didn't mean to startle you."

"It's all right," reassured Carmen, forcing a smile, "You could take the coffee pot and the orange juice into the living room, if you like."

"Okay," said the girl, and brushing her long hair to the back, she grasped the items from the counter.

"I thought you might like some apple cake," said Carmen, "I baked it this morning."

"Uh," Tanja gulped and blushed. "I'm sorry, but I don't really feel like eating."

Furrowing her brows in concern, Carmen asked, "Are you unwell?"

"Yes, uh, no, um I'm not sick or anything, I uh..." stammered Tanja and paused.

Seeing the girl's embarrassment, Carmen slipped into her teacher's persona and pointing at the tray on the counter and the items in Tanja's hands she said with an encouraging smile, "Let's get these into the living room first, hm?"

"Okay," said Tanja with a relieved sigh and left the kitchen.

_All right, no cake_ , thought Carmen, and quickly put the bowl of whipped cream in the fridge. She should probably refrain from cake and especially whipped cream anyway or she'd never lose weight. She wondered what was wrong with Tanja and she desperately hoped that her pupil's uneasiness was not a result of what she had witnessed.

Steeling herself, she finally picked up the tray and headed for the living room.

#

When they were all finally settled, Carmen asked into the awkward silence, "Now, Tanja, what brought you to me?"

When the girl blushed and cast a quick glance at Ulrike and Carmen, Ulrike asked, "Shall I leave?" thinking that the girl might be uncomfortable talking in front of a stranger.

Carmen glared at her partner and shook her head almost invisibly.

Sighing heavily, Tanja shrugged and said, "I don't mind if you stay. Frau Bauer probably won't believe me now anyway."

"You have never given me any reason to distrust you," said Carmen gently, "Why would I not believe you?"

"Because..." Tanja hesitated, and heaving a frustrated sigh she blurted, " _Verdammt!_ Because I came to you because I trust you and I thought that you wouldn't judge me and that I could tell you and maybe ask you for advice... but... but now I feel like a freaking clairvoyant, and you will think I spied on you or something... but I swear I didn't know. I swear it, Frau Bauer, I didn't know." With a look of utter despair Tanja looked straight at Carmen, tears streaming down her face. When Carmen blinked in confusion, Tanja buried her face in her hands and sobbed.

Ulrike shrugged her shoulders in a helpless gesture. Tanja wasn't her pupil and she wasn't sure if the girl would appreciate a comforting gesture from her.

Quickly, Carmen got up and sat down next to Tanja. Wrapping an arm around the girl's shoulders, she said softly, "I'm not sure I understand what you are talking about, but I can promise you that I won't judge you, Tanja. And I will do my best to help you if I can."

"I swear I didn't spy on you," sobbed the girl.

"I believe you, Tanja," said Carmen, "Would you please enlighten me as to what you are talking about? I really can't make sense of what you are saying."

"I want to go to another dance studio, and I thought maybe you could talk to my parents."

Surprised, Carmen asked, "Why do you want to change? I thought you were quite happy with your dance studio."

"I was... I am... it's not the studio, really."

"But?"

"Roger Friedrich, my dance partner."

When Tanja didn't elaborate, Carmen asked, "What is the problem with him? Didn't you say he is a good dancer?"

"He is, but he... he saw me and Jacqueline... and now he threatens to tell my parents if I don't sleep with him."

Carmen sucked in a breath. That was unexpected. She hadn't known that Tanja was a lesbian. Tanja had told her of her friend Jacqueline, who went to the same dance studio, but she never would have guessed that they were more than friends. As their daughter's teacher, she knew Tanja's parents, and from what she gathered, she could very well imagine that they would not take this revelation too kindly. Well, she certainly didn't need to worry about Tanja revealing her secret now, she thought sardonically.

" _Verdammtes Schwein_!" cursed Ulrike furiously. "You should report him to the police!"

"No!" cried Tanja, "Then my parents will find out."

"Not necessarily," said Carmen, "It's your word against his. You could simply say that it is not true."

Tanja shook her head. "His father is a chief prosecutor and he's my father's golf partner. When I told Roger that I would deny it, he said, 'Whom are they going to believe - a perverted lesbian slut or the son of a chief prosecutor?' No one would believe me."

"Bastard!" cursed Ulrike while Carmen sucked in a breath, her mind reeling from shock; and unable to think of anything encouraging to say, she just squeezed Tanja's shoulders in a helpless gesture.

"Will you talk to my parents, please?" asked Tanja desperately. "You could tell them that you heard of a dance studio that would nurture my talents better than my current one."

"But I don't know any better dance studio, Tanja."

"You really shouldn't be forced to change," said Ulrike, "He is the one who should leave."

"Yeah, but he would never do that," said Tanja.

Since her partner still seemed at a loss for words, Ulrike continued expressing her thoughts, "You said your parents are acquainted." When Tanja nodded, Ulrike asked, "Then how will it help you to change studios. Aren't you going to meet him elsewhere too?"

Tanja shrugged, "Probably. He lives in the same street."

" _Scheiße_!" cursed Ulrike, and lighting another cigarette she forcefully exhaled the smoke and said, "Then it really won't matter whether you leave that dance studio. He's a freaking bastard and he'll continue his blackmailing even if you leave. In fact, it would probably make things worse because it would prove to him that he has power over you."

Breaking into tears again, Tanja sobbed, "I don't know what to do."

Coming out of her stupor, Carmen hugged Tanja reassuringly and said, "Don't worry. I will talk to your parents. I will think of something." Though what she could tell them to get her pupil out of this mess, she didn't know, and she silently prayed to God that He may help her find a solution - and quickly. Handing Tanja a tissue, she asked, "When will your parents be home?"

Blowing her nose, Tanja sniffled, "Not before seven."

"All right, I will call around seven thirty then," said Carmen, and looking at her watch, she realised dismayed that it was almost three and she hadn't yet set the table for Frau Krüger's visit. "I am sorry, Tanja, but I will have to let you go now; my neighbour will be here soon." However, not wanting to send her pupil home in her still upset state, she asked, "Ulrike, I know you are tired, but would you be so kind and drive Tanja home?"

"Sure," said Ulrike, "I have to get my travel bag anyway. I might take a nap before I return."

#

"You're a taxi driver?" asked Tanja as Ulrike opened the passenger's door for her.

"Yep. With heart and soul," said Ulrike, grinning proudly.

"Cool," said Tanja and climbed in.

Ulrike settled into the driver's seat, and asking for Tanja's address, she backed out of the parking bay and headed for the address Tanja gave her. It wasn't far, only about ten minutes to drive, and glancing at the silent girl next to her, Ulrike thought about how difficult the conversation with Tanja's parents was going to be for Carmen. Damn, Carmen was already afraid that her own sexuality might come out... Ulrike didn't even want to think about what this new situation could do to her partner's self-esteem if it were to escalate. Changing dance studios was certainly not going to be a solution, that much, she thought, she had sufficiently pointed out. But what else could Carmen do for the girl? _God, she must be beside herself with worry_ , thought Ulrike. _And all because of that goddamned bastard! He should be the one worrying, the son of a bitch! Too bad that the girl doesn't want to involve the police... Someone should teach that bloody asshole a lesson!_

Suddenly, an idea occurred to Ulrike, and she asked, "When does Roger normally finish at the dance studio?"

"Not before five. He helps with the beginners' class. They don't have enough boys. Why?"

"Hmm," hummed Ulrike, "I might have an idea, if you don't mind me interfering."

"What sort of idea?"

"Do you know Tango & Cash?" asked Ulrike.

"Uh ... will I get into trouble if I say I do?"

_Ah, right_ , thought Ulrike, _it's for 16+_. Grinning, she turned to Tanja and said, "My lips are sealed."

"OK, so what has your idea got to do with Tango & Cash?"

"Well, I was thinking of their unconventional methods to deal with scumbags..."

"Um... but they are cops and they are men, and it's just a movie..." argued Tanja

"Details, details," said Ulrike, and turning into a side street she parked the car and went on, "Let me make a few phone calls, and I'll tell you if I can make it work. You've got a little time, don't you?"

"Sure, I don't have to be home before eight."

"Good. You just stay here, I'll be right back."

Heading for the telephone booth at the corner, Ulrike pulled out her wallet and searched for the piece of paper on which she kept important phone numbers.

"Axel? It's me, Ulrike."

"Hi Ulli, what's up?"

"Listen, I need your help; when do you start work today?"

"At five as usual. Why, what do you need?"

"Damn, could you get your partner to hang in an hour longer or so?"

"Probably."

"Great, here's the problem..." Ulrike quickly explained what had happened and what she had in mind, "I haven't contrived a detailed plan, yet, but if you're game, I'll let you know as soon as possible."

"Well, I'm certainly game teaching that prick a lesson!"

"Awesome! Let me just call a few others to help, and I'll get back to you in about 10-15 minutes."

"Okay. I'll try to reach Mehmet in the meantime. He's the one that teaches Taekwondo on Monday evenings. He might be willing to help too."

"Excellent. Talk to you later."

Slowly, an idea was forming in Ulrike's mind, and she dialled Kalle's number next, hoping that he was back from the dentist and not too badly incapacitated after getting his new dental bridge. Ulrike cringed at the thought. She hadn't been to the dentist in over a year, and although she didn't have any problems, she thought she should probably go for a check-up sometime soon.

" _Tach_ Kalle, it's me. How did the dentist appointment go?"

_"_ Tachchen _Ulli! It was okay, thanks. Finally, I can eat normally again. But I have a feeling that's not really why you called..."_

"True. I've got a problem here, and I'd like to ask for your help if you are up to it..."

When Ulrike had explained what had happened and what she was planning to do about it, Kalle said, _"Sounds a bit extreme, but the boy certainly needs to be taught a lesson. So, yeah, you can count me in."_

"Great!"

"But I wouldn't involve the girl in this, Ulli. I mean how old is she? 15? 16?"

"15."

"Then don't involve her. Don't even tell her about your plan, Ulli. She's too young for this sort of shit. It's not quite legal you know, and the less she knows about it the better it is, for her as well as for us."

"But I need her to show me who Roger is. I've got no idea what the asshole looks like."

Thinking for a moment, Kalle said, _"Ask her if she has a photo of him. If she doesn't, let her describe him, but don't tell her anything else. Just reassure her that we'll talk to him, and take her home."_

"Okay, I can do that."

"Good. Now, if you want to bring in Renato as well, you better get cracking, so we can figure out when and where to meet."

"Yeah, I'll first ask her where that dance studio is, then, if Renato is game, I can tell him right away where to meet; and then I'll call you back."

"Sounds like a plan. Talk to you later then."

#

Meanwhile, Frau Krüger decided she had had enough of Carmen's apologies and worrying and explanations, and in her typical Berlin tongue she said, " _Frollein_ Carmen, will you stop it already! I may be old but I'm not senile yet. I've told you I had cats before. How often do you want me to assure you that it won't be a problem to care for Tabitha? But this isn't about the cat, is it? It's about the girl who was here earlier, isn't it? Has she been up to mischief, the little one?"

"I'm sorry, Frau Krüger," said Carmen, and when her neighbour looked at her sternly for apologising yet again, she almost blurted out another apology but she caught herself and went on, "I didn't mean to annoy you. Yes, I am worried about the girl, but I cannot talk about it. I need to help her, but I don't yet know how; and I need to find a solution today."

Getting up, Frau Krüger said, "Then why are you wasting your time with me? Surely, helping the girl is more important than asking me for the umpteenth time if I really don't mind caring for your cat." Carmen rose from her chair and wanted to stop Frau Krüger but the old lady would have none of it. She grasped Carmen's arms and gently but determinedly forced her back onto her chair. "No, my dear, you stay here. You're a veritable nervous wreck. You need to set priorities and stop worrying. Relax and look at the problem from different angles and you'll find a solution, I'm sure of it." And patting Carmen's shoulder, she finished, "Thank you for the coffee and the cake; it was delicious, as usual. Now, I'll leave you to your problem solving, and don't worry, I'll let myself out, and I'll see you tomorrow morning."

"All right, Frau Krüger, thank you," was all Carmen could say before her neighbour disappeared into the hallway; and when a few seconds later Carmen heard the door open and shut again, she heaved a deep sigh.

"Now what?" she asked herself. She still had several hours before she would have to call Tanja's parents, but she just couldn't figure out what best to tell them. Ulrike did have a point when she noted that leaving the dance studio wouldn't help Tanja if Roger was living in the neighbourhood, especially since their parents were acquainted. And Tanja was terrified of her parents' finding out about her being a lesbian, so telling them the truth was out of the question. But she had promised Tanja that she would help and had reassured her that she would find a solution. _What the hell got into me to make such a promise?!_ Carmen cursed herself inwardly. _How can I help her when I can't even manage to tell my own family about me and Ulli?_ "Hm... Look at the problem from a different angle, she said," Carmen muttered to herself. "Perhaps I don't even have to call Tanja's parents. Wouldn't it be more logical to talk to Roger's parents? I wouldn't even have to tell them Tanja's name." She got up and went over to her desk. "Let's see, Tanja said Friedrich was his name. Not exactly a rare name, but she said they are neighbours," and taking the A-K telephone book, she started searching. A few seconds later, she halted her finger at one of the names. "Dr. jur. A. Friedrich, same street as Tanja's; that must be Roger's father."

Reaching for a pack of cigarettes, Carmen noticed that her hand was trembling, and it took her several tries to fumble a cigarette from the pack and light it. Taking a deep drag, she leant back in her chair and closed her eyes. _Relax_ , she thought, _this is not about me, it's not even about Tanja, it's about Roger and what he has done. Surely, his parents don't want their son to end up with a criminal record for blackmail and attempted rape; so, talking to them will solve Tanja's problem without even mentioning her._

After a few minutes of thinking about how best to approach the subject with Roger's parents, Carmen finally reached for the telephone receiver and dialled the number she found in the phone book.

_"Friedrich,"_ a woman's voice answered.

" _Guten Tag._ My name is Bauer. Am I talking to Roger's mother?"

"Yes. Are you one of his teachers?"

"I am a teacher but not of your son's."

_"Then why are you calling?"_ asked Frau Friedrich a bit testily, _"Is it about the sponsoring of the school's dance competition? Don't tell me you need even more money, I would say we have been more than generous with our contribution."_

"No, it's not about money at all," said Carmen. "Listen, I am calling in a very serious matter regarding your son, but I would rather not discuss this on the phone. Could I talk to you and your husband face to face?"

"He isn't failing his exams is he?"

"This is not about his exams, but it is a very serious and urgent matter."

_"Huh. I have no idea what you are talking about, but let me see,"_ said Frau Friedrich and shortly after she went on, _"You could come on Wednesday at five in the afternoon."_

"I'm sorry, but the matter can't be delayed and I will be on a holiday as from tomorrow, so it would have to be today."

_"How inconvenient,"_ lamented Frau Friedrich and sighed. _"Well if you really must see us today, you will have to be quick. My husband should be home any minute, but we will go out for dinner in about an hour and a half; so if you really must come it would have to be before that."_

"All right, thank you," said Carmen, "I will be at your place in about 30 minutes."

_"All right,"_ said Frau Friedrich, and once they had said their good byes Carmen hung up and leant back in her chair with a heavy sigh. "This is not going to be a walk in the park," she muttered to herself and taking a deep breath she put her hands on the armrests and pushed herself up.

By the time she reached the Friedrichs' address, Carmen had finally managed to calm her troubled emotions, so when she walked up the path to the luxury villa she was in her full teacher's mode.

Frau Friedrich was expecting her at the door, wearing an exquisite long-sleeved little black dress and unostentatious but nonetheless expensive jewellery.

Holding out her hand, Carmen introduced herself, glad that she had decided to quickly change her outfit before she left. Her camel coloured cashmere costume and the Italian designer heels could certainly keep up with Frau Friedrich's attire with regards to style as well as price.

With an appraising look, Frau Friedrich shook Carmen's hand and asked her to come in.

Carmen followed her through a long hallway, appreciatively glancing at the antique furniture and gold framed paintings. She wondered whether the Monet at the end of the hallway was an original or if the subtle wire she had spotted behind the painting was rather to protect the gilded frame. _Maybe both_ , she thought, as she entered the spacious living room and felt as if she had just stepped into a museum in which the leather couch and oversized TV looked rather out of place.

Herr Dr Friedrich was standing at an antique serving trolley, holding a cognac glass. Like his wife, he was already dressed to go out for dinner. Once his wife had introduced them he asked, "May I offer you a cognac?"

"No, thank you. No alcohol," said Carmen. "I will have to drive home."

"Ah, one cognac is allowed, but you take no chances - that's commendable," said Herr Friedrich and offered, "A glass of water?"

"Yes, please," said Carmen, and once she had taken the offered glass she followed the Friedrichs to the nearby table.

"Now, what can I do for you?" asked Herr Friedrich.

"It is about your son," Carmen began.

The Friedrichs listened politely as Carmen explained the issue, and as she took a break, Herr Friedrich asked, "And this girl, whose name you don't want to disclose, told you that my son did that to her?"

"Yes," said Carmen, "And I would rather you appeal to his conscience than involving the authorities and cause the girl further trauma."

"And you never thought she might be lying to you?" asked Herr Friedrich.

"No. I know her very well, and she was visibly distraught," explained Carmen.

"Then she must be a good actress," said Herr Friedrich, and before Carmen could argue he went on, "See, my son has more than enough girlfriends. The girls practically throw themselves at him. There is certainly no need for him to blackmail a girl into sleeping with him. Perhaps she just wanted to get back to him because he wasn't interested in her."

Biting back a nasty comment, Carmen started, "Herr Friedrich..."

"Doktor Friedrich," Herr Dr Friedrich corrected.

"Herr Doktor Friedrich," Carmen repeated icily, "I can assure you that this is not the case. Whichever reason your son had for resorting to criminal behaviour..."

"My son did certainly not resort to criminal behaviour, Frau Bauer."

"Oberstudienrätin," Carmen corrected, thinking that since he seemed to be so keen on titles he should use hers as well. "If you are unwilling to talk to your son, I will have no choice but to report it to the appropriate authorities." Of course, Carmen had no such intention, but she hoped that the Friedrichs wouldn't call her bluff; and they didn't.

Frau Friedrich remained silent but the down-her-nose look she had worn in the beginning had changed into an expression of concern. However, her husband had other means to react to threats...

"You would be ill advised to do so, Frau Oberstudienrätin," said Herr Friedrich coldly, "Because if you do that, you will lose, and I will sue you for libel on top of it." And getting up he said, "Now, if you'll excuse me; my wife will show you out."

"If you want my advice," said Frau Friedrich as she opened the door for Carmen, "If you want to help the girl you'll have to find other ways than threatening my husband. He does not take kindly to that, and he always wins."

"What if you talk to your son?" asked Carmen.

Frau Friedrich smiled sadly, "My son has long stopped listening to what I say, Frau Oberstudienrätin."

Carmen nodded. "Thank you, Frau Friedrich. Good bye."

"Damn, now I'm back to square one," Carmen muttered to herself as she drove back home. "I just wasted my time with this arrogant human being."

#

Ulrike and Kalle were standing at Kalle's taxi, their eyes fixed on the entrance of the dance studio.

"Thank God Mehmet had the presence of mind to think of those stickers to cover our name tags and license numbers. I'd never have thought of that!" said Kalle.

Ulrike casually leant back against the car, taking a drag of her cigarette. She felt calm and excited at the same time, and there was no trace left of the tiredness she had experienced all day.

"Yeah, he saved our butt with that one."

"Do you think you'll recognise him?" asked Kalle as a group of teenagers emerged from the dance studio.

"Yeah, that dance competition photo was pretty huge."

"They must be very proud of their daughter."

"Probably," said Ulrike, "But what's it worth if they can't accept her for who she is? She can't even ask them to take that photo off because she can't tell them what a piece of crap Roger is, so his smug visage will grin down at her from above the mantelpiece until she wins a bigger competition with someone else."

"Damn, that sucks!"

"Yeah. _Verdammter Hurensohn!_ " cursed Ulrike.

"Well, although I agree with you that he's a damned son of bitch, it's not his fault that her parents are stuck in the middle ages with their views."

Ulrike shrugged. "I guess not, but if it wasn't for his fucking blackmail, Tanja wouldn't have to face this problem."

"That's true," admitted Kalle.

"There he comes!" said Ulrike and pointed at a handsome looking brown-haired boy who had just stepped out of the dance studio, surrounded by a group of girls. "Bloody macho," spat Ulrike, disgusted, before she headed for her own taxi.

" _Juten Tach_ ," greeted Kalle. "Are you Roger Friedrich?"

"Yeah, why?" asked Roger. A girl on each arm, he cast a sceptical look at Kalle.

"Your father sent me," explained Kalle, his facial expression serious. "Your mother is in hospital, and he asked me to come and fetch you to take you there."

"Shit! What happened to her?" asked Roger, letting go of the girls and grasping his bag from one of the girl's hands.

Shrugging, Kalle said, "I don't know. He didn't tell me. However, he did sound urgent on the phone. So, are you coming?"

"Of course," said Roger and followed Kalle.

"I hope your mum will be all right!" "Tell her to get well soon!" the girls called after him.

As Kalle merged into the rush-hour traffic, Ulrike mumbled to herself, "Subject hooked; phase one successfully accomplished." Grinning, she put the automatic into drive and followed.

Some distance away from the dance studio, Kalle halted at a corner and Ulrike watched Axel and his friend, Mehmet get in on both sides of Roger. "Phase two initiated," Ulrike said to herself, "I hope he'll pee his pants... or maybe not... at least not yet, or poor Kalle will have to clean up the mess."

Her next stop was going to be at another corner, about five minutes away, to pick up Renato. When Tanja had told her the address of the dance studio, Ulrike knew that it was difficult to get a parking space there at the best of times; finding spaces for five cars in order to wait for Roger was next to impossible. Thus, Ulrike had adjusted her plan accordingly, and she actually liked that plan even better.

"What the hell is going on?" asked Roger when Axel told him to scoot.

"No worries," said Kalle coolly, "They're friends of your father's. I'm to take them to the hospital as well."

With a side glance at Mehmet, Roger said a tad concerned, "My father doesn't have Turks as friends. This doesn't feel right." As Mehmet raised an eyebrow at him, Roger gulped and looked away.

"Ah, but it feels right to you when you blackmail a girl into sleeping with you?" asked Kalle, looking at Roger through the rear-view mirror.

Roger flinched, but quickly retorted, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Kalle shrugged, "That's okay. You've got time to think about it; and if you can't figure it out till we reach our destination, I'm sure we can help you refresh your memory."

Roger gulped yet again when he averted his gaze from the mirror and saw Mehmet flashing him a toothy grin.

Ulrike had been right, thought Kalle; it didn't take much to scare the bully shitless. He had expected him to pick up more of a fight once he figured that he had been fooled; and maybe he would have if not for Mehmet. Kalle smirked and shook his head slightly as he watched the boy, who still looked defiant but remained quiet and kept glancing towards Mehmet. _Interesting_ , thought Kalle. Having several Turkish friends himself, he would never have thought that the kid would be frightened by the sheer presence of a Turk, especially since Mehmet looked perfectly harmless and had neither said nor done anything to threaten the boy. _Guess that with a chief prosecutor as a father he only gets to hear about the criminals and doesn't come much in contact with the nice guys_ , mused Kalle. _Probably lives in a posh area too with small foreigner percentage._ It would be a pity to strengthen the boy's fear of foreigners, but if he didn't cooperate, Mehmet might become a valuable asset in 'persuading' him to leave Tanja alone.

When Ulrike neared the appointed meeting place, she slowed down and smiled as she spotted Renato's grey Fiat Croma. She honked twice and, checking the traffic behind her, she stopped next to him.

When he opened the door, Ulrike said, "Hi Renato, I'm so glad you..." she stopped and did a double take as he slid into the passenger's seat.

"What?" asked Renato.

"Uh... where did you dig out those clothes?" She certainly hadn't expected her usually impeccably and fashionably dressed friend to show up looking like an Italian migrant who had just stepped out of a 1950s B-movie, including the traditional Italian coppola and a fake moustache.

Renato grinned. "They belonged to my grandfather. I've occasionally worn them to fancy-dress parties."

Raising an eyebrow, Ulrike said deadpan, "How original." And she drove on to catch up with Kalle and the others.

"Eh, it's more original than showing up in your everyday clothes saying you're a lesbian - at a costume party with only lesbian participants!"

Ulrike laughed. Boy, Gitti had been mad at her for showing up without costume at that party - the only fancy-dress party her ex-partner had ever dragged her to, as after that performance she had never tried again to involve Ulrike. "What can I say? I hate fancy-dress parties."

"So do I," said Renato, "But this time I thought it might be a nice addition to our plan. And it's a nice disguise. Wouldn't want Mr prosecutor's son to recognise me, after all. I've got a reputation to lose, you know."

"Do you now?" teased Ulrike but immediately went on, "Seriously, though. I intend to make sure that the asshole won't dare tell his father."

"And how are you intending to accomplish that?"

Ulrike reached into the door pocket and pulled out a small gun.

"Whoa! You're not planning to shoot him, are you?"

"Hell no! It's just a gas pistol. But with his fingerprints on it, it will serve to ensure that he'll keep the promises he'll give us, or else he'll be charged for assaulting a taxi driver."

"Ahh, clever," said Renato.

They had long left the more affluent areas of Berlin with their magnificent boulevards, touristy shopping centres and expensive boutiques. Roger was visibly getting increasingly scared as they drove through dirty looking streets with old five to six storeyed tenant buildings in desolate condition, the facades blackened from decades of soot and exhaust, occasionally 'embellished' with advertising posters, tags and graffiti. Linens with protest slogans hung from various curtainless windows; and the names of the shops and restaurants revealed the predominantly foreign population.

"Where are we going?" asked Roger, his voice breaking.

"We're almost there," said Kalle jovially.

Turning left into a side street, Kalle drove another few hundred metres before he pulled into the driveway of an obviously deserted factory site. He manoeuvred the taxi around a pile of rubble and pieces of machinery to the back of the building and halted. Surrounded by high walls on three sides and the large derelict factory building with its broken windows on the right the old loading area looked anything but welcoming.

When Kalle stopped but didn't show any inclination of exiting and instead cranked down the window and lit a cigarette, Roger asked, "What now?"

"Now, we wait," said Kalle and comfortably leant back.

#

"Initiating phase three," said Ulrike as she pulled into the driveway of the old factory.

"What?" asked Renato.

"Hm? Oh, just saying that we're now starting phase three of my plan," said Ulrike.

"Ah. How many phases does your plan have?"

"Three," said Ulrike, and looking around the factory site, she furrowed her brow and noted, "They're not here yet? That's odd."

"Perhaps they are at the back of the building?" asked Renato and pointed to the passage at the left side of the factory.

"Hm... let's check it out."

"Here they come," announced Kalle, and putting out his cigarette he opened the door and got out.

Axel and Mehmet exited too and gestured Roger to join them, while Ulrike halted parallel to Kalle's taxi, leaving a few metres between them.

Roger hesitantly got out on Axel's side, obviously more comfortable with the taxi between him and the others. However, Axel shook his head and told him to move to the other side.

When they finally all stood between the two taxis, Ulrike folded her arms and inspected Roger up and down. "So, you're the guy who needs to threaten girls into sleeping with him. You don't look that ugly, how come you can't get a girlfriend without blackmailing her?"

"I have many girlfriends," boasted Roger.

"Really?" asked Ulrike, "Then why did you try to blackmail Tanja?"

"I didn't blackmail her," said Roger, crossing his arms defiantly.

"All right," said Ulrike, and lighting a cigarette, she said calmly, "Let's hear your viewpoint. What do you think you did?"

With a side glance at Renato who was casually leaning against the taxi, focussed on cleaning his fingernails with a switchblade knife while chewing on a toothpick, Roger said, "I asked her if she'd like to be my girlfriend."

"And?" prompted Ulrike.

"She didn't want to."

When Roger wasn't forthcoming, Ulrike took a drag of her cigarette and asked, "How did that make you feel?"

Roger looked at her in confusion. He obviously hadn't expected that question. Then his gaze turned angry and he spat, "That's none of your business."

Unfazed by his outburst, Ulrike asked calmly, "Have you ever received a rejection from a girl?"

"Sure, if she was already taken," said Roger.

"I see. And that would normally cause you to back off, yes?"

"Of course."

"So, when you learnt that Tanja was taken you backed off too."

"She isn't taken," stated Roger arrogantly, "She's just fooling around with that girlfriend of hers."

Pausing with his nail cleaning, Renato looked up and raised an eyebrow at Roger. He noticed that Mehmet and Axel, who were flanking the boy, obviously weren't too thrilled about his comment either.

Seeing Kalle slightly shake his head, indicating to her not to fly off the handle but continue with her strategy, Ulrike resisted the urge to punch the arrogant bastard and instead she asked as calmly as she could, "Ah, so they aren't really together, they're just 'fooling around'?"

Oblivious of the indignation he caused within the people around him, Roger scoffed, "Come on; how can they be together? They're both girls!"

In an attempt to curb her irritation, Ulrike flicked the cigarette butt down and ground it under her heel, imagining it to be Roger's private parts. Taking a deep breath to regain her composure, she looked back at Roger and asked, "You seem to think you're a smart guy, how come you've never heard of homosexual relationships?"

"Of course, I've heard of it," said Roger, "But it's not natural. A woman belongs with a man."

Clenching her teeth, Ulrike thought for a second before she asked, "So, in your opinion a woman - or a girl for that matter - doesn't have the right to choose with whom she wants to be?"

"It's not natural for a girl to be with a girl! It's sick!"

"Ah, so when you blackmailed Tanja you only meant to cure her, yes?"

"Exactly," said Roger with a smug grin.

Pursing her lips, Ulrike furrowed her brow as if contemplating something.

She was surprised that Roger had now readily admitted to blackmailing Tanja \- not that she had doubted Tanja's statement, but she had felt somewhat hesitant to go on with her plan as long as he was still denying his deed.

Finally, she asked with a forced conspiratorial smile, "So, you think blackmailing someone into doing something they don't want to do is going to help them 'see the light', so to speak?"

"Yeah," said Roger, "Some people just need to be forced to do what's right, for their own good."

Nodding her head, Ulrike said, "That's actually rather convenient, that you think so. It will make it easier for you to understand what I'm going to tell you."

Squinting at Ulrike, Roger asked, "What do you mean?"

Slowly, Ulrike pulled a pair of leather gloves from her jacket pockets and while she put them on, she said, "It may surprise you, but..." she looked up to see Roger's reaction, "I'm not only a friend of Tanja's, but I am also a lesbian." Ulrike couldn't help the feeling of satisfaction when she saw the colour drain from Roger's face. Looking back at her now gloved hands, she tugged at the gloves for emphasis and then interlaced her fingers for good measure. "Needless to say, I do neither agree with your judgement of homosexuals, nor with what you did to Tanja." And looking straight at Roger, she took a step towards him, causing him to stumble backwards against Kalle's taxi. Flashing him an evil grin, she continued, "But I'm an amiable person. So, here's the deal: You will leave Tanja alone, and you will leave the dance studio immediately."

"Or what?" spat Roger, the latter request obviously shocking him into defiance. "You want to beat me up? My father is going to prosecute you all!"

"I have no intention to touch you," stated Ulrike calmly, "But if you refuse to leave the dance studio, or if you only so much as look at Tanja the wrong way, I will tell your father that you assaulted me and tried to rape me."

Roger jeered, "My father will never believe that I'd go for an old hag like you."

"I have four witnesses," said Ulrike coolly, "And I have this." And reaching into her inside pocket, she pulled out her gun and checked the empty chamber. When Roger gulped audibly, she explained, "You know, Roger, my friend here works for the police," she tilted her head towards Axel, "He happens to have a key to the evidence room. Two taxi drivers have been assaulted with this gun, and they still haven't caught the pig." Levelling an icy glare at Roger, she slowly transformed her face into a menacing grin, "They'll be happy to find that the fingerprints match yours." And she held out the gun - butt towards Roger, and commanded, "Take it!"

Refusing to take the gun, Roger buried his hands in his pockets.

"Take it!" barked Ulrike.

"Or what?" asked Roger defiantly.

Raising his eyebrows, Renato stopped chewing on the toothpick between his teeth and looked from Roger to Ulrike. And thinking that maybe it was time to improvise and help his friend out with more than just his presence, he said in a fake Italian accent, "You know, Boss 'ere 'as soft spot for you. She say you should get a chance to become decent human being. Me," he pulled an apple from his pocket and seemed to weigh it in his hand, "I not 'ave soft spot for pigs like you. Boss don't 'ave daughter, but I do. Pigs like you is danger to my precious daughters." He took a step towards Roger and continued, "If we were in Sicily I'd castrate you," and with a swift motion, he cut a piece of the apple.

"But we aren't in Sicily," said Roger smugly, refusing to be intimidated.

Mehmet had had enough of the posh boy's attitude, and in a heartbeat, he was at Roger's side. Grabbing Roger's jacket with one hand and holding a butterfly knife in front of his face with the other he threatened in a fake Turkish accent, " _Nimm die scheiß Knarre, Alter, oder isch mach disch alle_."

Terrified, Roger stared at the knife until he finally reached out and grasped the gun.

"There you go!" said Ulrike, and taking the gun from his hand, she put it back in her inside pocket. "Now, remember, if I hear that you haven't left the dance studio or that you have bothered Tanja in any sort of way, I will tell the police to whom the fingerprints on this weapon belong. You got that?"

When Roger nodded, Ulrike added, "I hear you'll be 18 next week..." and when Roger nodded again, she finished, "Good. I'm sure they won't miss this for another week," she patted her jacket where the bulge of the gun was showing. "Have fun with your coming of age celebration, and don't screw up. I'm sure you don't want to spend your next birthdays behind the bars of an adult jail."

When Roger shook his head, Ulrike made an inviting gesture with her arm and said, "You may leave now."

"But I... I..." stammered Roger, "I don't even know where I am."

Axel pointed back the way they had come and said, "Walk back around the building to the street; about 200 metres to the left, at the corner, there's a bus station. The bus there will take you to Bahnhof Zoo. I suppose you know how to get home from there?"

Roger nodded hesitantly.

"Here, don't forget your bag," said Kalle and handed him the bag he had left on the backseat.

"Thanks," croaked Roger, and after another moment of hesitation he finally headed in the indicated direction.

"Phew," expelled Ulrike when Roger was out of sight, "I'm glad it's over. I'm not sure how much longer I could have taken this disgusting display of stereotyping without breaking into hysterical laughter. You guys truly missed your calling - you'd have made great actors!"

The others grinned and Kalle remarked, "You weren't bad either."

"Thanks," said Ulrike and proposed, "Hey, let's head over to Marco's, drinks are on me."

The others cheerfully agreed, and only Axel said, "All right, but I can't stay long, I really have to get to work."

"Boss, eh?" Ulrike said with a grin as they drove back to Renato's car first.

Renato raised his eyebrow, "Don't let that get to your head. I just improvised to help the girl."

"Uh huh," said Ulrike, her eyes twinkling. Then, suddenly wondering if perhaps they had gone a bit over the top, she asked pensively, "Do you think we watch too much TV?"

"Nah," said Renato grinning, "TV educates."

#

Carmen was leaning against the doorframe, nervously fiddling with her watch while she waited for José to come up with the lift. For once, she was not looking forward to her brother's visit, and she hoped that he wouldn't stay too long. In less than two hours she would have to call Tanja's parents, but even though she had racked her brain ever since she left the Friedrichs', she still hadn't been able to figure out what she could say or do to help her pupil.

When the lift door opened, Carmen quickly straightened and put on a cheerful smile to welcome her brother who struggled exiting the lift with the many bags he was carrying.

When they got settled in the living room, all of Carmen's anxiety and nervousness suddenly vanished, and were replaced by cheerful giddiness as she started to open the first bag.

"Where is Ulrike?" asked José, "I thought she'd be here."

"She drove home to get her travel bag and wanted take a nap before she comes back. She will probably return late. Why?" asked Carmen absentmindedly and then suddenly she squealed with joy as she fished a finely knitted lace shawl from the bag, "Oooh, I love this!" and she immediately wrapped the shawl around her neck and stroked it, "That's alpaca, isn't it? It's beautiful!"

"It's from Aunt Carla, and yes, I think she mentioned it is alpaca," said José, smiling at his sister's obvious delight. "I brought presents for Ulrike too. I hope she likes them. They are in the blue bag," he pointed at a sports bag next to Carmen's armchair.

"Oh, that's nice of you," said Carmen and reached for the sports bag, "What did you get her?"

"A mate tea set and a leather belt," said José.

"Ah, this is the mate set, right?" asked Carmen as she pulled a wrapped box from the bag. When José responded in the affirmative, she smiled and put the box on the table. "I'm sure she'll appreciate it. She likes mate."

She went on searching the bag and when she took out the belt and admired the multi-coloured Mapuche pattern, José said proudly, "It's of real capybara leather, and it is hand embroidered."

"It's pretty," said Carmen, running her fingers over the belt and the buckle, "And great quality. It's rather masculine, though..." she paused, and looking up at José, she grinned and said, "I bet she'll love it."

Carmen continued unpacking all the gifts José had brought, feeling giddy like a child at Christmas. She had just emptied the last bag and was sorting through a stack of books she got from her cousin Alicia when the phone rang.

"Bauer," she answered the phone.

"Hi Liebling, it's me."

"Ulli? What's up? I thought you were sleeping."

"Eh, well, sleep can wait. I have great news. You don't have to call Tanja's parents; the problem is solved."

"What?!" Carmen exclaimed in shock and grasped the edge of her desk to steady herself, but despite the wave of excitement and relief she felt, she couldn't quite believe her ears, "How did you solve it?"

_"Come over to Marco's Pizzeria and you'll find out,"_ said Ulrike cheekily.

"Uh, I can't. José is still here."

"Bring him too. We're having a bit of a celebration here."

If Carmen hadn't known her partner better, she would have thought that Ulrike had had one too many. She had never seen her quite this excited.

"All right, I'll ask him. How long are you going to stay?"

"I don't know. Marco is going to make bruschetta for us on the house, and some of us will probably have dinner too."

"Us? Who is with you? Are you with Tanja?"

"Nah, I took her home hours ago. Come here and you'll see."

"All right, all right, I'll come," said Carmen, annoyed that Ulrike wouldn't tell her more but nonetheless curious to find out.

_"Great! See you soon. Love ya! Mmmwah,"_ she finished with the sound of a kiss and hung up.

Carmen looked baffled at the telephone receiver in her hand, and grinning she shook her head and put the receiver on the cradle.

"Was that Ulrike?" asked José.

"Yes. She is at Marco's. She wants me to come over, and she told me to invite you too."

"Aw, I'm sorry," said José and got up, "But I wasn't going to stay much longer anyway. I still have the stuff for Mama and Papa in the car. "

"You want to take it to them now? But you just returned from a long distance flight," remarked Carmen, "I would be absolutely knackered."

José chuckled as they moved to the hallway. "I've slept for almost the whole flight. I'm wide awake now, so I might as well get it over and done with now and be free for the rest of the week."

Shaking her head, Carmen sighed and said, "I wish I had your energy level."

José watched his sister as she put on her jacket. "I bet my energy would be drained too if I had to put up with a bunch of pubescent teenagers all week. You just need to get out more, _Schwesterherz_ ; be among adults; be more adventurous again. Maybe the trip with Ulrike will help you improve your stamina."

"Perhaps," said Carmen, smiling. She was definitely looking forward to their short holiday. And now that Ulrike had miraculously solved Tanja's problem, she wouldn't even have to worry any longer. And she might even burn some calories with the hopefully increased amount of 'exercise'. Turning away from her brother to hide the huge grin that her last thought caused, Carmen grabbed her keys and handbag and said, "All right, I'm ready, let's go."

#

On her way to Marco's, Carmen wondered what Ulrike and Tanja might have done to solve the problem. Had Ulrike talked to Tanja's parents? Had Carmen underestimated them? Were they far more understanding than she and Tanja had feared?

_Well, I guess wonders do happen_ , she thought, grinning, as she spotted Ulrike's Mercedes and a free parking space right behind it. _Perhaps Ulli's being so confident and comfortable with her own sexuality helped them to understand,_ she thought, as she backed into the parking space.

Suddenly her stomach churned as the idea hit her that Ulrike might be celebrating with Tanja's parents. Had she told them that their daughter's teacher was her partner? "Dear God, I hope she didn't," Carmen prayed aloud and had to jam on the brakes as she almost backed into the car behind her. Her heart racing, she finished the parking manoeuver and turned off the engine. Running her hand over her face, she took a deep breath and leant back, trying to calm herself down. Staring at Ulrike's taxi, she thought, _No, she can't be that insensitive. Not after all the discussions we had. She knows what is at stake for me. She didn't even blow my cover with Susanne, and that was before I explained everything to her. No, she can't have told Tanja's parents about us._ And burying her face in her hands, she prayed, _Please, God, tell me that she didn't do that_.

After an internal battle of several moments about whether she should go inside or rather return home, Carmen finally decided to face her demons and find out whether her fear was warranted.

With a determined stride, she walked the 50 or so metres to the pizzeria and entered.

"Ah, Carmen, _Buona Sera_!" called Marco who was carrying two large plates with a variety of bruschette.

" _Buona Sera_ , Marco," greeted Carmen with a forced smile.

"Come on, the others are waiting for you in the backroom."

Carmen followed him with a confused frown. The backroom contained one large table for at least ten people, and the amount of bruschette on those plates was certainly meant for more than four people. Who else was with Ulrike?

Her confusion intensified when she stepped into the room and was swept up in Ulrike's arms in front of Marco, Kalle, Renato and two guys she didn't know.

Ulrike introduced Carmen to Axel and Mehmet, and Marco brought a glass of her favourite wine and joined them at the table - just for a bit, as he said.

Leaning towards Ulrike, Carmen asked quietly, "What are we celebrating? Is it someone's birthday?"

Ulrike shook her head and grinned. "No, we're celebrating our successful teamwork."

"Oh, what have you accomplished," Carmen asked, curiously looking at the others.

Ulrike began recounting and the others alternatingly added to the picture of what had happened. They were so cheerful and caught up in the retelling of their adventure that no one noticed that Carmen's expression turned increasingly infuriated. Thus, when they finally finished, everyone froze in shock as Carmen burst out, "Have you all lost your minds?! You're sitting here, gloating about a criminal act as if it was some heroic deed," and addressing Ulrike, she continued, "How can you be so irresponsible? You acted like an infantile jerk! If you want to play Rambo, join a theatre group or something, but don't act out your fantasies on underage children!"

As Carmen needed to take a breath, Ulrike jumped in, "An underage asshole who threatened your pupil."

"Yes, exactly - **my** pupil!" Carmen exclaimed, "She is my responsibility to deal with, not yours. Are you even aware that by bullying Roger you weren't any better than him?"

"It's different," argued Ulrike.

"It's not. The only thing he learnt from your stunt is that if you want to bully someone you better be stronger than your victim, even if it is in numbers. And did you, just for a moment, think of what happens when Roger goes to the police?"

"He won't dare," said Ulrike.

"That's what you think, and I'll pray to God he won't, but you can't know that! What if he tells his father, and he presses charges against persons unknown? If Roger memorised your registration numbers you'll all end up in jail, and Tanja's parents will learn that their daughter \- and her teacher - are lesbians. And the circumstances in which they learn about it won't be pleasant at all. Can you imagine the repercussions this will have for Tanja, not to mention for me?" Carmen's already loud voice turned into yelling as she finished, "Did any of you ever think about that?" Getting up she threw her napkin on the table and looking at Ulrike and her friends who all stared at her wide-eyed, she spat, "God, you are worse than teenagers!" and grabbing her jacket and her handbag, she stormed out of the room.

"Damn! Wait!" cursed Ulrike and raced after Carmen.

"Oh shit," said Axel, "I hope we haven't ruined their relationship."

Sighing, Kalle said, "I did warn her that her plan sounded a bit drastic. But I wouldn't have thought Carmen would fly off the handle like this, especially since we did it to help her pupil."

#

"Wait!" called Ulrike as she burst out of the pizzeria and saw Carmen striding towards her car, "Please, Carmen, _Liebling_ , wait a moment."

Carmen reluctantly halted and crossing her arms she waited for Ulrike to catch up.

When Ulrike reached her, she put a hand on Carmen's arm and said, "Please, _Liebling_ , let's talk about it. I really didn't think you'd..."

Shrugging Ulrike's hand off, Carmen interrupted, "You didn't think. That's exactly the problem. How could you be so irresponsible? After all the discussions we had."

"I'm sorry," said Ulrike with drooping arms and bowed head. She shivered as it started to rain and the cold drops hit her bare arms.

Carmen noticed and said surprisingly softly, "You forgot your jacket."

Ulrike shrugged, "Yeah, I was sort of in a hurry."

Carmen smiled despite herself, and said, "Go and get it, and then let's meet at my place, okay?"

Ulrike nodded, "Okay, thank you."

When Ulrike entered the backroom everyone looked up and Kalle asked, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah."

"Is she still mad?"

"I don't know," said Ulrike and grasping her jacket, she pulled her wallet from her pocket, "We need to talk. I just came to get my jacket and to pay for the drinks."

"Forget the drinks, mate," said Kalle, "We can take care of that."

"Nah, I've already done enough damage today," and putting a 100 DM note on the table, she said, "Get yourself something nice as compensation for the trouble I've caused."

"You haven't caused us any trouble, Ulli," said Renato, "We willingly participated."

"Yeah, any of us could have said no," Alex pointed out, "But we didn't, and I still think that arrogant bully needed to be told a lesson."

Getting up from his chair, Kalle took the 100 DM note and gently forced Ulrike to take it, "Go and buy your lady some flowers and a box of chocolates to make it up to her. That's a better investment than wasting money on a bunch of blokes who'll stick with you anyhow."

Ulrike looked at Kalle and then at the others who all nodded in agreement.

Swallowing a lump in her throat, she said, "Thanks guys, I truly appreciate your support."

"Now, off with you," said Kalle and nudged his friend, "Don't let her wait too long."

Raising her hands in a placating gesture, Ulrike grinned and said, "Okay, okay. See ya sometime next week - if she still wants to go on a holiday with me, that is. Thanks again."

The shops were closed now, but there was a large petrol station on the way, so Ulrike decided to take Kalle's advice and buy some chocolates for Carmen, and possibly a bunch of flowers if they still had any left.

She really wouldn't have thought that Carmen would be mad at her for trying to help. Granted, their way of dealing with the problem wasn't exactly legal, and despite their precautions there might be a slight risk of Roger telling his father. Nonetheless, she was fairly certain that he would not dare, and that this had been the best solution for everyone involved.

#

Carmen had already done the dishes and put away José's empty bags, and was now carrying her presents to the dining table in order to make the coffee table more presentable. She had calmed down somewhat, but she was nonetheless still furious about the stunt Ulrike had pulled. The thought of Roger telling his arrogant father, and everything coming out as a result made her stomach churn. And that Ulrike might land in jail because of her stupid actions... no, she couldn't even think about that or she would fall apart. _Think positive_ , she told herself, _nothing will happen. And perhaps Tanja will even be safe from Roger now._

When only Ulrike's presents remained on the couch table, Carmen sat down, and looking at the wrapped box and the leather belt she wondered why Ulrike hadn't arrived yet. A glance at her watch confirmed that they had parted more than half an hour ago. Just at that moment, the doorbell rang and made Carmen jump. " _Menschenskind_! I need to get a grip on my nerves," exclaimed Carmen, grasping at her racing heart as she got up to open the door.

"Sorry for taking so long," said Ulrike as she approached Carmen and gave her a quick peck, not daring to be more intimate yet in case Carmen was still mad at her. And holding out three different boxes of chocolates for Carmen to take, she explained, "I've been at three different petrol stations, and none of them had any flowers left, so I brought these for you as a little peace offering."

"Uh, thank you," said Carmen, as she hesitantly took the gifts and closed the door, wondering how she was ever going to accomplish losing weight.

"You don't like these?" asked Ulrike as she doffed her jacket and hung it on a coat hook.

"I do," said Carmen with a forced smile, "They are my favourites."

"Good," said Ulrike, smiling and let Carmen proceed into the living room.

"These are for you from José," Carmen pointed at the items on the table.

"For me? Wow, this is cool!" said Ulrike as she picked up the belt.

Carmen grinned, "I told him you'd like it."

"I do! It's really beautiful. And what is this?" Ulrike picked up the wrapped box.

"Unwrap it and you'll see," said Carmen and, unable to restrain herself, she opened the box of her most favourite confectionaries.

"Okay," said Ulrike and removed the wrapping paper. "Wow, that's pretty," she said as she uncovered a wooden box with a little pyrography of a gaucho drinking mate and a curved lettering that read "Argentina".

Carmen chuckled. "That's just a box to protect it. Look inside."

As she slid the lid open, Ulrike's eyes widened in surprise. "Wow, a real mate cup and straw."

"The 'straw' is called bombilla, and the 'cup' is called mate. It comes from mati, the Quechua word for a hollowed calabash gourd. In Argentina the drink is called yerba mate. Yerba means herb."

"Ah, thanks for the explanation," said Ulrike, "That's the coat of arms of Argentina, right?" she pointed at the painting on the calabash.

"Yes, indeed," said Carmen, surprised that Ulrike recognised the emblem.

"That's really nice of José to bring me gifts," said Ulrike. "I would like to thank him. Do you think it would be okay to call him now?"

"I don't think he'll be home yet. He was going to call on my parents."

"Oh. Do you think I can phone him later tonight? I mean, I don't want to be rude and he's probably exhausted from the flight, but if I don't call today, it'll have to wait till we get back... if you still want to go on a holiday with me, that is."

Suddenly reminded of what had transpired before, Carmen's anger resurfaced; alas after the nice few minutes they just had, she was torn between forgiving Ulrike and telling her that she could stick her holiday where the sun doesn't shine. Unable to come to a decision with her contradicting emotions, she stalled and said, "I don't think he would mind if you called him tonight, but he certainly wouldn't mind either if you waited till next Monday."

"Does that mean you'll come with me?" asked Ulrike hesitantly.

Carmen sighed. "I don't know, Ulli. I'm really not happy with what you did."

Bowing her head slightly, Ulrike said quietly, "I just wanted to help, and I thought it was a great idea..."

"To take law into your own hands?" Carmen interrupted, "That's not a great idea, it's criminal!"

"Excuse me, but the law would not have helped Tanja at all," argued Ulrike.

"Of course not, because we wouldn't have involved the authorities, because it would entail that Tanja's parents learn about her being a lesbian, and that's exactly what Tanja is afraid of. Tanja explicitly asked us not to involve the police, but that's exactly what could happen now. I know you think Roger won't tell anyone and that you've everything worked out like a pro. But this is real life, Ulrike, not an action movie. If your 'idea' doesn't turn out as you imagine it will have consequences not only for you, but also for your friends and for Tanja, not to mention for me. I know you are having a hard time to understand that for the rest of the world things aren't as easy as they were and obviously still are for you, but really, Ulrike, you'd better learn quickly that the world doesn't revolve around you and your fancy ideas. Most people learn that by the time they reach adulthood."

"Are you finished?"

"Yes."

"I know I fucked up. I can see how our actions might cause an even bigger mess. I did not mean to negate that. I simply wanted to tell you why I did it, and that I certainly didn't mean to cause Tanja or you even more trouble."

Carmen was about to interrupt but Ulrike stopped her, "Hear me out, please. You think I don't understand that there are people who are not comfortable with homosexuality and that therefore not all homosexuals dare to be out. You are wrong with that assumption. Yes, I haven't been confronted with these sorts of problems personally, and therefore it does take some effort to adjust for me. But I'm not totally ignorant, _Liebling_. I'm very well aware that things aren't as easy for everyone as they have been for me so far."

Carmen snorted, but refrained from commenting.

"I admit that my reactions may have given you a different impression. It **is** difficult to suddenly be confronted with these issues personally after having been spared from it for almost 43 years."

"If you are really as aware of the problem as you say, then why did you never think about the repercussions your plan might cause?"

"Might - that's the crucial word," said Ulrike, "And of course I did think about it. Hence I came up with a solution that would minimise the risk. Though, granted, the idea with the stickers was Mehmet's, and it might even save our butts **if** Roger tells his father, which I still think he won't."

Carmen shook her head in frustration, "You still think it was a good idea, don't you?"

"Yes and no," admitted Ulrike. "I do admit that it wasn't as great an idea as I first thought, and I deeply regret that it causes you so much worry. However, I still can't think of a better solution. Can you? Tell me, what would you have done to solve the issue? What would you have told Tanja's parents?"

Throwing her hands up in a helpless and frustrated gesture, Carmen replied, "I don't know. I was at Roger's parents' house to ask them to appeal to his conscience."

"Really?" asked Ulrike, "What did they say?"

"Uh, let's say they weren't particularly cooperative."

Ulrike made a face. "Why does this not surprise me...?"

"Yeah, well, anyway, my intention was to talk to Tanja's parents or find another way to help Tanja, but you called before I could find a solution and I don't know what I might have come up with in the end. But it certainly wouldn't have been anything illegal, and it wouldn't have involved threatening to kill a child!"

"Um, it may not make a difference to you, but I'd like to point out that the latter was not my idea but Mehmet's improvisation. And, of course, he wouldn't have harmed a hair on the bastard's head; he only made use of Roger's prejudice against Turks after it became obvious that he was not going to take me or even Renato seriously."

"And you think this will help him lose his prejudice?"

"No, certainly not," admitted Ulrike. "But since none of us dared to go any further, and Roger obviously sensed that, I'm rather glad that Mehmet did what he did, as without Roger's fingerprints we wouldn't have had anything to hold over his head."

"Neither do you have that now," said Carmen. "Or are you seriously thinking of making a false accusation and using his fingerprints against him if he doesn't comply?"

"Of course not! But he doesn't know that," said Ulrike.

Rolling her eyes in exasperation, Carmen said, "I guess it is pointless to argue with you. You seem to think that there is nothing wrong with what you did."

"I think that sometimes the end justifies the means."

"You don't even know the end yet," said Carmen, "But even if it turns out as you hope, you will still have traumatised Roger, and that is not something I would ever consider being justified."

"You do still remember that this 'poor, traumatised guy' did blackmail your pupil into sleeping with him?"

"Yes, but it didn't come to that because she asked **me** for help."

Leaning back against the sofa, Ulrike crossed her arms and said, "So, we are back to square one - what would you have done to help her. I'm truly interested in your solution."

"I already told you, I don't know," said Carmen testily.

"Okay, then think about it, however long it takes. And once you find a better solution, please let me know. I'm open to ideas. But thus far you've only criticised my way of dealing with the problem without showing me a valid alternative, and I think that's a bit unfair - especially since we don't know the end yet as you keep pointing out."

Carmen hesitated, but finally she said, "All right, I will think about it."

"Great," said Ulrike, grinning, and waggling her eyebrows, she asked, "So, are you coming with me tomorrow? We could have some more philosophical discussions."

"Uh, I'd rather not - have more philosophical discussions with you, that is."

"Well," said Ulrike and stroked her chin as if pondering, "We could also spend the holiday with totally un-philosophical, purely carnal, passionate... indoor sports."

Chuckling despite herself, Carmen threw a sofa cushion at Ulrike. "You are terrible!"

Catching the cushion, Ulrike said, "I know. Will you come with me anyway?"

Carmen smirked and said, "Whether I will come with you remains to be seen, but I will go with you on the holiday."

Ulrike laughed. "You're just as terrible as I am - I love you!" And she got up and walked over to Carmen to seal their reconciliation with a proper kiss.

When they finally broke the kiss, Ulrike said softly, "I don't like to say it, but I'd better leave now. I never got to pick up my travel bag, and I really need some sleep. And I'd like to start early tomorrow so we'll have a bit of the day left to explore after we arrive."

Carmen nodded. "All right. So shall I come and get you in the morning?"

"Yes, I guess that would be best. The taxi is better preserved on my back yard parking area than in the streets around here."

"Okay, when shall I be there? Would six be early enough?"

"Whoa, that's a bit too early. How about half past seven?"

"All right, I'll be at your place at half past seven then."

#

Once Ulrike had left, Carmen couldn't help but continue smiling. Despite not agreeing with her partner, she was still looking forward to spending the holiday with her... and the indoor sports might even help her lose some weight.

###

Taxi - Trip

Carmen was driving through the rain on her way to Ulrike's. Even though the weather wasn't exactly appealing, she was very much looking forward to spending a few days with her partner.

Ulrike had called her earlier to make sure she hadn't changed her mind. She hadn't, although she was still a little irritated about Ulrike's stunt. However, she had decided not to let it ruin their time together. After all, Ulrike had apologised and it seemed as though she had realised that she acted without thinking about the possible consequences. After having slept on it, Carmen admitted that making mistakes was part of being human, and she hoped that Ulrike had learnt her lesson and wouldn't do anything like that again.

She had sent a prayer to God that there would be no repercussions for anyone involved, and after that decided to let go of the whole incident and enjoy the upcoming holiday.

Looking at the clock, she realised that she was running a little late, all because the skirt she had chosen to wear proved to be a little tight. It was one of her favourite skirts that used to be pleasantly comfortable. Two other skirts and a pair of jeans she took out of the already packed suitcase seemed like they had shrunk in size as well, causing her to unpack and try on each and every skirt and pair of trousers she had packed except the ones she had bought recently. The result of this was that she had to exchange half of the things for better fitting ones, which was quite a challenge. She didn't know where they were going, so she had to select a range to cover all sorts of possible scenarios. When she had finally repacked, she saw that time was running out and, out of sheer frustration, she threw on a pair of slacks she didn't particularly like but knew would fit.

Halting at yet another red light, she sighed heavily and resolved that she really should watch her calorie intake. Hopefully, Ulrike wouldn't notice.

#

Ulrike had just packed a few additional things into her travel bag when the phone rang. Thinking it was Carmen, she picked up the phone and said, "Hi, I hope you haven't changed your mind, _Liebling_. I'm packed and ready, waiting for you." She froze when she heard someone clearing their throat.

" _I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not your_ 'Liebling' _._ "

Barely stifling a groan, Ulrike said, "Mutti. What is it?"

" _I just wanted to ask you to get me a few bottles of that Bavarian beer Hedwig always brings and some Allgäuer Emmentaler_."

Rolling her eyes, Ulrike responded, "Mutti, you already told me about the beer, and why do you want me to bring Allgäuer Emmentaler? You can get that here at the supermarket."

" _It's not the same_."

"It's exactly the same, Mutti; otherwise it wouldn't be allowed to carry that name."

" _Be that as it may, the one you get here tastes differently_."

Sighing, Ulrike said, "All right, Mutti, I'll get it for you."

" _Thank you. And don't forget to give Hedwig the Berliner Weiße bottles_."

Closing her eyes while taking a deep breath, Ulrike said, "No, Mutti, I won't forget it."

" _Good. Have a nice trip._ Tschüss!" said Else and hung up.

Looking at the phone, Ulrike mumbled, " _Tschüss_ ," and shaking her head, she put the receiver on the cradle and glanced at her watch. "A quarter past seven. I'd better get going." And throwing on her jacket, she grabbed her bag and keys and left.

Stepping out of the house, she realised it was still raining and quickly headed for the bus shelter in front of the house. The bus had just left, so she found the shelter empty and sat down, placing the bag on the neighbouring seat.

Watching the cars drive by, she thought back at the previous evening. Boy had Carmen been mad. Ulrike had never seen Carmen so angry, and she would never have thought that her partner would ever vent her anger quite this vehemently in front of other people. Granted, Ulrike really had not thought about the possible consequences. She was just relieved to have solved the problem. Well, actually, she had been delighted that her plan had worked so well, and felt quite proud of herself as well as of her friends. And to be honest, she still didn't know how that ugly situation could have been handled differently while maintaining the successful result. Admittedly, she couldn't be certain yet, that her way of handling the issue had been effective; but she dearly hoped that it had, and that there would be no consequences to pay.

Thankfully, when she called Carmen in the morning, she no longer sounded angry. In fact, she had sounded quite cheerful and eager to go on their trip. Ulrike looked at her watch again, _She should be here any minute._

Hopefully, her mother would be able cope with the care of the hedgehog. When Else had called, Ulrike had been tempted to repeat the instructions to her mother to give her a piece of her own treatment, but then she thought that this would be really childish, so she had refrained. Now, she wondered if it might have helped to make her mother see just how annoying that habit of hers was... _Probably not_ , she sighed.

#

When Carmen finally arrived, Ulrike jogged to the back of the Alfa in the pouring rain to put her bag in the boot. Seeing that it was already full with Carmen's suitcase and a large travel bag, she cursed as she had to squeeze her bag into the little room that was left.

When she finally slid into the passenger's seat, she quickly shut the door and exclaimed, "Whew! _Was für'n Sauwetter_!"

"It's not the perfect weather for driving, I agree," said Carmen and leant over to meet Ulrike for a kiss.

"What's this for?" asked Ulrike, plucking at the red head-scarf Carmen was wearing.

"There's a draught coming through from somewhere, and it can get a bit uncomfortable on the autobahn," explained Carmen, and leaning back, she asked, "So, you're the taxi driver, what's the best way to get to the A9 from here?"

Shaking her head about Carmen's willingness to cope with the issues of the fancy Italian car, Ulrike put on her seatbelt and said, "Turn left into Grazer Platz, and then... you know Friedenauer Brücke?"

"Yes," said Carmen and drove on just as the bus came into view behind her.

"Well, from there take the urban autobahn to Zehlendorf," said Ulrike.

"All right."

"Are the wipers always this bad?" asked Ulrike, not accustomed to the Alfa and wondering if even the windshield wipers were made for sunny Italy.

"No," said Carmen, as she merged into the traffic on the urban autobahn, "I guess they will have to be changed."

"Why haven't you done it already?"

"They weren't this bad the last time it rained, so I only had the guys at Alfa check the tyres, the brakes and the oil last week."

"You went to Alfa for a simple check-up? I could have done that for you."

"I didn't know you knew anything about Alfas."

"These checks are basically the same for every car, _Liebling_."

"I didn't know that. I only ever had Alfa Spiders, and I've been taking them to the same garage for over twenty years now."

"Wow, that's brand loyalty!"

"Well, you're loyal to Mercedes."

"Yes, but it's only my second Daimler. Before that I had several other cars. Anyway, these wipers are a safety hazard. Let's stop at a petrol station and get a new set."

"At a petrol station?" asked Carmen and glanced at Ulrike in disbelief.

"Yeah. Just drive carefully for now . . . once we leave the urban autobahn there'll be several petrol stations before we reach the A115. One of them should have wipers that fit."

"And you can change them?"

"Sure, it's a piece of cake," said Ulrike, grinning.

"You are such a show-off," said Carmen and shook her head.

Ulrike shrugged. "Aren't we all, to some degree? You always show off with your clothes and jewellery."

"Which has next to zero effect on you," stated Carmen.

"Not true. I often tell you how beautiful you are."

"Yes, but you would say that even if I wore a potato sack."

Ulrike chuckled, "Yes, I believe that your natural beauty would shine through even if you wore a potato sack. It would certainly entice me into getting that sack off you quickly in order to see more of your beauty."

Rolling her eyes, Carmen said, "You are incorrigible."

#

An hour later, they were finally leaving Berlin on the A115 with new wipers, and Ulrike started to feel like an awful whinger when she raised her voice to compete with the road noise, "It's going to be difficult to have a decent conversation with this noise."

"I'd rather concentrate on the road anyway," Carmen yelled back.

"Oh, okay," said Ulrike, and with a sigh she leant back and looked out of the window at the rain-swept landscape. Damn, this was going to be a long drive. And with the noise they couldn't even listen to the radio.

Meanwhile, Carmen was wondering if maybe she should have agreed to take the Daimler after all. She was used to driving the Alfa alone, and she mostly only ever drove on the autobahn during summer, when it was dry and hot. Also, she admitted, it wasn't quite as much fun to drive the Alfa on wet roads. Perhaps, had they taken the Mercedes, Ulrike could have driven and they could have had a conversation... or if she were driving it, at least they could have listened to music. Hopefully, Ulrike didn't mind too much that she had insisted on taking the Alfa.

Never having been one to accept an unacceptable situation, it didn't take long for Ulrike to think of something to end her suffering, and she asked, "Would you please stop at the Michendorf service area? I'd like to get my book from the travel bag."

"Sure," Carmen agreed readily, relieved that she wouldn't need to worry about Ulrike getting bored any longer.

#

When Carmen halted at the car park of the Michendorf service area, she turned off the engine and said, "I'm going to the loo, so we won't have to stop before Frankenwald. Are you going too or shall I leave the key here?"

"Nah, I'm fine, I'll just get the book," said Ulrike, "You can leave the key."

"Okay," said Carmen and left, while Ulrike headed for the boot.

Ulrike was glad that she had packed the book last, so she didn't have to search the bag in the pouring rain. " _Mann, wat'n Sauwetter_!" she cursed the weather as she slammed the boot shut, and rushed to get back into the car.

"Whew!" exclaimed Carmen as she pulled the door shut, "I should have taken the umbrella." Leaning back with a sigh, she looked over at Ulrike and asked, "What are you reading?"

Ulrike showed her the cover.

"You are reading Rambo?!"

"Yeah," said Ulrike, "You made a reference about me playing Rambo yesterday, and since I've had this book for a while now but never read it, I wanted to see why you compared me to him."

"You don't know Rambo?"

"No. You know I prefer comedies. Action is cool too, but it has to be funny. Rambo never struck me as being funny, so I never bothered watching it."

"Why did you buy the book then?"

"I didn't buy it. A passenger once forgot it in the taxi."

"Ah, I see," said Carmen, "Well, you really don't need to read this rubbish. I never meant to compare you to Rambo. The name has just become an expression for someone who uses violence to solve problems." She reached for the Perrier bottle in the bag at Ulrike's feet.

"I see," said Ulrike, "But you seem to know Rambo. Have you read the book?"

"No," said Carmen and took a sip of water before she continued, "But I had to watch the film."

"You had to?" asked Ulrike.

"Well, no one forced me," said Carmen as she put the bottle back in the bag, "But a lot of the kids were raving about it back then, and some colleagues were worried about the repercussions it might have for them because of the portrayed violence. So, to form my own opinion, I had to watch it."

"And what conclusion did you come to, apart from it being rubbish?" asked Ulrike intrigued.

"Well, there is no easy conclusion," said Carmen. "As much as I dislike the film, I think it actually shows that war and violence are not a good solution and that people who commit violence will have to pay severely for the consequences. It does portray quite vividly that the guy is suffering from severe trauma. However, I'm not sure the kids saw it that way. They seemed to be more intrigued by his survival skills and the whole one-man-against-an-army plot... and that he sewed up the wound on his own arm," she added with a disgusted shudder. "After the second film they were all buying the ridiculous survival knives, which caused another issue among colleagues, and of course, we had to forbid them to bring any sort of knives to school."

"I have one of those knives," said Ulrike grinning, "It has a compass on the pommel and some tools in the handle. Okay, now I'm even more compelled to read this book."

Rolling her eyes, Carmen started the engine and said with a sigh, "I hope you'll find it as terrible as I did. I'd rather you read something less violent like... I don't know, the life of Mother Teresa or something like that."

Ulrike laughed. "Somehow I doubt you'd like it if I emulated a nun."

Carmen made a face as she merged back into the traffic of the autobahn. "I didn't say you should emulate her sex life or rather the lack thereof, but emulating a peaceful person would definitely not hurt you."

The road noise was getting too loud again for a conversation, so Ulrike just raised her hand and said, "Okay, okay." Then she opened the book and started reading, while Carmen shook her head, hoping that Ulrike would judge the book as an adult and not get any further childish ideas from it.

#

Sometime later, Carmen was just slowing down because of a traffic jam at a construction site further ahead, Ulrike muttered, "Ugh this is disgusting," and closing the book she put it on the floor at her feet. Turning to Carmen, she asked, "What age were those kids, who watched the film?"

The traffic had now slowed to a stop-and-go crawl, and Carmen thought for a moment before she answered, "If I remember correctly, they were 10th graders, so they would have been around 16."

"God, I would have had nightmares for the rest of my life had I watched this at 16," said Ulrike and shuddered.

"What scene are you referring to?" asked Carmen.

"The one about his training where they had to slaughter cows, gut them alive and crawl into the carcasses to bathe in the blood."

"What?!" exclaimed Carmen. "I can't say I remember it too well, but I'm certain that there was no such scene in the film. My opinion would have been different for sure!" She shuddered.

Ulrike looked thoughtful. "Hm, well, books are usually more descriptive, and it was his memory, so perhaps they didn't show that."

"They did show some of his flashbacks from his imprisonment in Vietnam, and those were rather brutal as I recall, but nothing like what you said."

"Oh well," said Ulrike, "Maybe I'll watch the film someday, but the book is definitely too descriptive for my taste. I don't want to come across another of those scenes - ugh!" she shuddered again.

Smirking, Carmen said, "I can't say I'm disappointed that you don't like the book."

Ulrike poked her tongue out at Carmen and pouting, she said, "But now I've got nothing to read."

"You didn't pack any other books?"

"No, I didn't plan on spending that much time reading."

"Hm, I'd offer you one of mine, but they are in Spanish," said Carmen, and as Ulrike made a face at that, she suggested, "Perhaps you can find something to read at Frankenwald."

"Actually, I would rather propose we switch places at Frankenwald, if you don't mind."

"I don't mind," said Carmen, "I just thought you didn't like driving in the country and wanted a break from your job."

"Ah well, I guess I'd rather drive than take a chance with another book right now," said Ulrike and added, "Also, I know the way, so if I drive it's easier than pointing you in the right directions."

"All right, then let's do it that way," said Carmen, "Although, at this speed it might take us a while to get there."

"The smell is still the same," mused Carmen as they were slowly passing yet another construction site shortly after Dessau.

"Huh?" asked Ulrike, who had been watching the construction crew. It had not rained here yet, and the streets were dry, but heavy clouds already darkened the sky, and Ulrike had been wondering if the workers could continue during rain. If they couldn't, how long would it take to fix and modernise all of the dilapidated GDR autobahns, considering how often it rained especially in autumn? And in winter they would probably have to stop anyway.

"The GDR smell," clarified Carmen, "It's still the same, even though it's been almost three years since the reunification and there are fewer Trabbis now."

"Hm, yes," said Ulrike. "Well, I guess it mostly comes from the chemical factories in Bitterfeld, and I don't think those have all been closed or modernised yet."

"Obviously not," said Carmen. "It's a pity that they were quicker with closing all the _Intershops_. They should have left them. At least we could get cheap cigarettes as a compensation for having to endure driving through this stench."

"At least we only have to drive through it," said Ulrike, "Imagine all the people who have to live here."

Carmen made a face and stated, "I would rather kill myself than live here."

"Whoa! Isn't that a bit extreme?" asked Ulrike.

Shrugging her shoulders, Carmen halted at a temporary traffic light and admitted, "Perhaps. But I really can't imagine living here."

Raising her eyebrows, Ulrike said, "I'm glad you won't have to. I really find it rather shocking that you would think of suicide just because of a little stinky air."

"A little stinky air?! It's disgusting! Don't tell me you would like to live here?"

"No, I wouldn't like to live here," admitted Ulrike calmly. "But I could think of a thousand options to escape it, and suicide would definitely not be among them."

"Back in the GDR times, you would certainly not have been able to come up with a thousand options. And trying to "escape" was not much different from committing suicide."

"True, and I wasn't even thinking of this sort of "escaping" exactly because of that," said Ulrike. "Imagine if everyone in and around Bitterfeld would have committed suicide or tried to escape over the border."

"Then perhaps they would have done something about the stench sooner."

Ulrike opened her mouth to argue, but she closed it again and a moment later conceded instead, "You may actually have a point there, even if it is a gruesome thought. Nonetheless, I still don't like that you would so easily think of killing yourself."

"God! I didn't mean it that seriously," exclaimed Carmen, raising her hands in exasperation while keeping her eyes focused on the red light. "I'm not forced to live here anyway, and probably never will be, so calm down, will you!"

"Um... I am calm," Ulrike pointed out. "I'm just worried about you."

Carmen sighed and apologised, "You are right. I'm the one who should calm down. I told you I can't concentrate on talking when I'm driving. It is making me nervous."

"Um... we aren't driving at the moment, _Liebling_."

"Right, we aren't, but this is driving me nuts!" She pointed at the still red traffic light. "We could be in Frankenwald already, if not for all these stupid construction sites. And being stuck in this stench is making it even worse."

Ulrike touched Carmen's arm and advised, "If you ever want to change your profession, don't ever consider becoming a taxi driver in Berlin."

Despite herself, Carmen chuckled. Glancing at Ulrike, she promised with a grin, "I won't."

"Good," said Ulrike as the traffic light turned green, and she squeezed her partner's arm before she let go so Carmen could concentrate on the road again.

Although she had escaped their argument, Carmen was relieved when she could drive on and Ulrike turned her attention to the construction site instead of nagging Carmen about her statement.

Ulrike's strong reaction had taken Carmen by surprise and had caused her to go into a defensive mode, despite Ulrike's calm demeanour. Not that she was habitually thinking about killing herself, and her statement had indeed not been serious. But there had been times when she had considered suicide, despite her religion, and despite rationally agreeing that there were always other - better - options. However, during these times rational thinking was difficult if not impossible, as even when she thought that she was being perfectly rational, she knew somewhere at the back of her mind that she was not. This discrepancy, although unnerving, had possibly saved her life more than once.

It saddened her that Ulrike would probably never be able to understand this part of her. Admittedly, they had never talked about this issue before, so she couldn't know whether her partner might be more understanding than she thought.

Sighing inwardly, Carmen decided to put her gloomy thoughts aside and concentrate on the road that was finally free again. She accelerated with determination until she reached the100 km/h speed limit, glad that the road was dry here so she didn't have to worry about the Alfa's behaviour in wet conditions.

#

As the sign came into view that said _Rasthof Frankenwald_ was 1000m ahead, Carmen changed into the right lane and noticed that Ulrike was fast asleep. She would have considered driving on, but she wanted to refuel and she was hungry. The rest area would be a good opportunity to have a picnic, even though in the now pouring rain it wouldn't be as nice as she had anticipated.

Looking at the clock, she figured it was no wonder her stomach was growling. She had got up at five in the morning to prepare their food for the journey, and although she had eaten a little during the preparations, she hadn't had any actual breakfast and it was almost two in the afternoon now.

She slowed down as she arrived at the rest area's petrol station and stopped behind an Audi, whose driver had just got back into the car.

Ulrike woke up when Carmen shut the door. She yawned, rubbed her eyes and looked around. "Ah, Frankenwald," she muttered and tried to stretch, but found that the confined space of the Alfa was not sufficient; she had to get out. She unfastened her seatbelt, and bumping her foot against the Rambo book, she leant down to pick it up. "Might as well put this back in the boot," she mumbled to herself and got out.

"Ah, you are up," said Carmen as she put the nozzle back into the holder.

"Yep," said Ulrike. "Just putting this back in the boot, then we can change places."

"We can change places now," said Carmen and handed Ulrike the keys. "But I would like to have lunch before we drive on, okay?"

"Sure, do you want to go to the bridge restaurant or just get some snacks?"

Carmen shook her head with a disbelieving smirk. "Neither. I have much better food in the boot."

Ulrike's eyes widened, a happy grin formed on her face, and she exclaimed, "You are a treasure!" And she quickly gave her partner a peck on the lips.

As Carmen remained standing there with a huge smile on her face, Ulrike nudged her and said grinning, "Now go ahead and pay. I can't wait to see what's for lunch."

The next car in line honked, causing Carmen to jump. Blushing, she raised her hands towards the BMW in an apologising gesture and muttered to Ulrike, "I'll be right back."

Ulrike laughed as she opened the boot and put her book back in her bag. She was tempted to take a peek into Carmen's travel bag. However, after a moment of consideration, she restrained herself, shut the boot and got into the driver's seat.

She drove a few metres ahead, just so that the BMW driver could get into place before his impatience gave him a heart attack, and then she switched on the radio and started to search for the _Antenne Bayern_ radio station. When she found it, she closed her eyes and leant back with a smile on her face. Whenever she reached a point from where she could receive a Bavarian radio station, she felt like she was really on holiday.

Of course it no longer had the same impact as it used to have before the reunification. Back then it had also been a great relief to be out of the GDR, to have reached Western Germany without any major trouble. But although the borders and the experiences within the GDR were now only unpleasant memories, the feeling of freedom she associated with the Bavarian radio stations remained.

When Carmen finally returned it was still raining heavily, so she headed for the boot and got out the picnic bag before she settled back into the car.

Ulrike turned down the volume when Carmen slammed the boot shut.

"So," exhaled Carmen as she slumped into the passenger's seat and shut the door. "If you can find us a nice parking space, we can have lunch to the sound of rain pattering on the roof."

"Or we can listen to _Antenne Bayern_ ," proposed Ulrike grinning, and turned the volume up again before she started the engine. "I found it for us while you were gone."

"Sure, if you like."

"You don't sound particularly excited," noted Ulrike as she drove towards the large parking lot.

"Should I be? Is this a favourite song of yours?"

"Well, no," said Ulrike as she manoeuvred the Alfa into a parking bay, "But this is _Antenne_ _Bayern_! We are in Bavaria! Don't you find that exciting at all?"

"Hm, I find it exciting to be on a holiday with you," said Carmen. "But that is not linked to Bavaria or a radio station."

Ulrike sighed, "Okay, maybe I'm just weird. I always thought it was a great relief to finally be in Bavaria after driving through the GDR. Of course it's not the same anymore, but somehow I still feel excited when I can get a Bavarian radio station."

"Oh, that's what you mean," acknowledged Carmen. "Well, I guess I don't have the same feeling because I never drove through the GDR by car. On school trips we went by bus or train, and when I travelled on my own I always took planes."

"I thought you went on trips with José."

"Not during the GDR times," said Carmen.

"Oh, I see," said Ulrike, and wriggling her eyebrows, she pointed at the bag on Carmen's lap and asked, "So, what's for lunch?"

Smiling, Carmen said, "Let's see," and she opened the bag and Ulrike exclaimed, "Hey, what a fancy cooling bag! I've never seen one like this."

"Well, you won't get these at a discounter," said Carmen cheekily and chuckled when Ulrike poked her tongue out at her. "I actually got this one in Italy, but I've seen them at the KaDeWe too."

"Okay, okay, now get the food out already," nagged Ulrike.

Carmen laughed and asked, "What would you like? I made sándwiches de miga. There are some with avocado, red pepper and cooked ham; some with cooked ham, Gouda, lettuce and tomato; and some with smoked turkey breast and cucumbers."

Ulrike's eyes had widened with each delicacy Carmen had mentioned, and she blinked and said, "One of each, please. Gosh, you were right, that's definitely better than anything we could get here. When did you make all these?"

Carmen grinned. "I got up early." And she handed Ulrike a paper napkin, and the sandwiches, each neatly wrapped in cling film.

They went on eating and pleasantly chatting until they were interrupted by a crying toddler and the sound of his parents arguing. They had parked next to them and obviously wanted to go to the bridge restaurant which the toddler seemed to object to.

"When I was young, I would have loved to go to the restaurant," commented Ulrike, somewhat irritated at the shrieking noise, "But we never went."

"That's probably why you would have loved to go," said Carmen with a wink.

"Hm, perhaps. Man, I don't know how you can cope being around children all day," muttered Ulrike as the father grabbed the screaming boy and carried him towards the restaurant. "I would be tempted to strangle them, and go nuts because I'd have to restrain myself."

"Well, I wouldn't want to be a kindergarten teacher," admitted Carmen. "Although teenagers can be just as challenging, I think it's not as difficult as with toddlers."

Ulrike immediately thought of the previous day which seemed to contradict Carmen's assessment, but she held her tongue, not wanting to get into an argument again.

Instead, she just hummed an acknowledgement and concentrated on the taste of the sandwich. Once she had swallowed, she said, "These are the best sandwiches I have ever eaten!"

"I'm glad you like them," said Carmen and took a sip from her water bottle.

#

The rain had ceased, and the noise of the autobahn traffic became more prominent. The parking area became fuller, and more and more people were heading towards the bridge restaurant.

Ulrike didn't notice. She had decided to grab the opportunity and do some much needed stretching exercises while she was waiting for Carmen, who had wanted to go to the loo yet again.

When Carmen returned to the car and noticed her partner performing strange contortions, she rushed to Ulrike, put a hand on her shoulder to get her attention and hissed in a hushed voice, "What are you doing?"

Ceasing her movements, Ulrike straightened and explained, "Stretching exercises. It's good to prevent cramps and back pain when you're sitting in the car for many hours. You should do some too."

"I certainly won't!" spat Carmen, still in a hushed voice. "Get back into the car please and let's drive on." And she hurried to the passenger's side and quickly got in, slamming the door shut.

Ulrike stood there, flabbergasted for a moment, and shaking her head, she slowly settled into the driver's seat. Turning towards Carmen, she asked, "Would you care to enlighten me as to what this was all about?"

Carmen let out a frustrated sigh. "Please drive. People were looking at you strangely. It's embarrassing and I just want to get away from here."

Calmly, Ulrike started the engine and suggested, "They were probably looking because you made such a fuss."

"No, they were looking at you before I even got to you," clarified Carmen.

Backing out of the parking bay, Ulrike said, "Okay, so what? I'm not going to ruin my holiday with cramped muscles and back pain just because some strangers, whom I will never see again, might be looking at me."

"Sometimes, I wish I had your nerve!" mumbled Carmen, fascinated that Ulrike had the guts to not care about what other people thought. She wasn't that brave.

"Oh come on," said Ulrike as she merged back into the traffic on the autobahn. "What's the big deal about doing some perfectly harmless and healthy stretching exercises? I mean, I could perhaps understand your feelings if I did this in the former GDR, as they got suspicious about anything and everything. But this is West Germany, and even in the East we wouldn't have to fear the Stasi anymore."

"Thank God for that!" exclaimed Carmen.

"I'd rather thank Gorbi," said Ulrike.

The traffic noise prevented Carmen from answering, and she didn't really want to argue anyway as without Gorbachev the reunification certainly wouldn't have happened.

Meanwhile, Ulrike was reminded of her brother. _One opportunity less for him to get into trouble_ , she thought as she remembered how he had almost got into serious trouble with the GDR border officials. Of course, Norbert knew it was forbidden to leave the transit road, and that the transit drive had to be made without interruptions except for short stops at petrol stations or rest areas. Nonetheless, the fantastic weather had caused him to disobey the rules and go for a quick swim in a nearby lake. Unfortunately - and typical for Norbert - he forgot the time, and the 'quick swim' ended up as a time difference of two hours for which he had to answer to the border officials once he got to the border crossing point. When they looked at the time stamp on his visa and asked him where he had been that long, only his talent for finding excuses and the fact that he really did suddenly look very sick - no surprise when you are under suspicion by the Stasi - rescued him, as the border official grudgingly believed him that he had been overcome by a bad spell of nausea and stomach pain.

Ulrike still thought her brother had more luck than judgement. Nevertheless, she admitted that crossing the border had always been an unpleasant experience, although she had never got into trouble with the Stasi. She had always adhered to the rules, as stupid as she may have found them. She was definitely glad that these times were over.

#

"Don't drive so fast, Ulli!" warned Carmen, yelling to be heard.

"120 km/h isn't too fast," replied Ulrike. "There's no speed limit here."

"But the road is wet. The Alfa doesn't like that."

"I've noticed. That's why I'm only driving 120 and not full speed."

"I would feel safer if you didn't go above 80 on wet roads," pleaded Carmen.

Ulrike sighed. She had hoped she could make up for the lost time by driving as fast as she dared to with the Alfa's obviously unpredictable behaviour. Slowing down to 80 would delay them even further. Nonetheless, she didn't want Carmen to feel unsafe, so she changed to the right lane, eased up on the accelerator and said, "Okay."

"Thank you," yelled Carmen.

Once again, Ulrike cursed the Italian tin can for being built for looks rather than for usability. Why on earth would anyone build a car that you couldn't drive properly on wet roads, and that was so badly insulated that you couldn't have a conversation because of the noise, and in which you had to wear a scarf so as not to get a stiff neck or worse?

Because of the uncomfortable draught that was hitting her neck she'd had to stop at the first opportunity after Frankenwald to get a scarf from her bag. She had asked Carmen why she hadn't had the garage put in new seals already. But Carmen only shrugged and said that it was probably just a characteristic of Alfa Spiders as she'd had this issue with all her Spiders, and she added that Ulrike couldn't compare the Alfa to her Daimler; Alfas were built for Italian summers and for having fun.

Ulrike had refrained from commenting that her idea of having fun did not include neck pain caused by icy draughts. Instead she only shook her head, resigning herself to the fate of having to endure the antics of the capricious car for the rest of the week.

The only good point the Alfa had, in Ulrike's opinion, was its velocity, but that she couldn't utilise. _If only the rain would stop_ , she thought, sighing. After some consideration about which route to take, she thought, _Oh hell, I'll take the country road_. It was already half past three, so by the time they checked in and unpacked it would be almost dark anyway, no matter which route she chose. So, they probably wouldn't be doing much anymore, except for having dinner, and testing the mattresses. Ulrike grinned at that thought. Yes, going to bed early was actually a rather nice idea.

Once Carmen noticed that Ulrike took the exit to the B2 country road, she asked, "Are we almost there?"

"No," said Ulrike, "Another two hours, I estimate, maybe a little more."

"Oh, okay," said Carmen. "And you're still not going to tell me where we are headed?"

"Nope," said Ulrike, grinning.

Carmen pouted and turned to look out the window again. Her back hurt, even though she had adjusted the seat at their last stop. She was not used to sitting in the car for so many hours non-stop.

#

Shortly after Donauwörth the rain finally ceased and the sun broke through the clouds. Grey drabness made way for verdurous meadows and rape fields that appeared as glowing seas of yellow.

"Beautiful," said Carmen.

"It is, isn't it," replied Ulrike, smiling, as she followed the B2 further south, passing small villages and patchworks of fields. Different shades of green and yellow dominated between the few already harvested brown patches. The air was still cool and fresh, but at least the road was dry and the late afternoon sun let the sky appear in Bavaria's traditional colours of blue and white.

Ulrike smiled contentedly at the idyllic surrounding landscape. She loved Bavaria. In her opinion it was the most beautiful part of Germany. Not that she didn't love Berlin, she did. But Berlin was different. It was a world city and as such had other benefits she loved. Bavaria, however, smelled of holidays. The seemingly endless fields and meadows and forests, interspersed by small, picturesque villages and scattered farmsteads, the fresh air, the bigger lakes and further south the mountains, the cuisine and the beer, and all the different Bavarian, Swabian and various other dialects of the people, all this and more was what Ulrike loved and treasured about Bavaria. In the past twenty years or so she had been to almost every corner in Bavaria. She usually avoided the bigger cities, except for Regensburg, where her aunt lived. The place where they were headed was one of her favourites, and she had been in the area several times already. And even though she couldn't be sure, she was rather confident that Carmen would like it too.

About half an hour later, they had just reached the peak of a slight elevation, when Carmen cried out in disbelief, "Is that the Alps?"

Ulrike grinned, "Uh huh, nice view."

"Wow, they seem so close already!"

"Yeah, it's föhn, obviously. They aren't as close as they look."

"Are we going to the Alps?" Carmen tried again to get Ulrike to spill their destination.

"We can go there on a day trip, if you like. But we are not staying there."

"Where are we staying?"

"Has anyone ever told you that you behave like a child?" asked Ulrike cheekily. "We'll be there in about half an hour. You should be able to rein in your curiosity until then."

Carmen pouted when, suddenly, the smell of liquid manure entered through the air vents.

"Aah, fresh country air," commented Ulrike, "Gotta love it."

Carmen immediately closed the air vents on her side, and cried out in disgust, "Eeeew, close the air vents!"

Ulrike laughed. "It's already inside. I suppose we'd better open the windows - wide," and she pressed the button to let down her window.

"Noo!" cried Carmen and held her nose.

Ulrike laughed even more, and then she said, "It's gone now. It was just that one field." And she shut the window again.

"How can people stand living in the vicinity of this stench?"

Ulrike shrugged her shoulders. "I guess you get used to it."

"I could never get used to this!" exclaimed Carmen. "It's even worse than the GDR stench!"

Ulrike chuckled about the vehemence of Carmen's exclamation, but the chuckle died in her throat when she remembered their previous conversation, and she said, "I hope you aren't thinking of killing yourself if I tell you that around here it occasionally happens that you drive by a field that's been fertilised with liquid manure."

"No, I am not," said Carmen annoyed. "But don't expect me to be thrilled about it either."

"Look," said Ulrike, "I don't particularly fancy that smell either, but I think it is a small price to pay compared to the great experiences this area has to offer, with its countless lovely places and fantastic landscape, including the gorgeous Alps."

"Okay, okay," said Carmen, "It is a beautiful area, I'll give you that."

"I know this area very well," said Ulrike. "There are quite a few places I want to show you, which I think you will like. And I think you will like the place where we'll be staying as well."

"Where are we staying?" asked Carmen, smirking.

"Caaaarmeeen!!!" growled Ulrike, and both of them burst out laughing.

#

"You booked us into a monastery?!" asked Carmen, incredulously as Ulrike turned into a narrow side street at a signpost that pointed towards _Kloster Irsee_. They passed old chestnut trees that lined the street on the right side while Ulrike was looking at the parking bays on the left to find a free space.

Trying to keep a straight face, Ulrike replied, "I thought you liked Mother Teresa."

"I... well, yes, but, uh, don't you think that..."

Spotting a free parking bay around the corner, Ulrike chuckled and came to her partner's rescue, while she manoeuvred the Alfa into the rather narrow bay, "No worries. It isn't a monastery anymore. The brewery still exists, and they still use the old traditional methods to brew really nice beers. There's also a brewery museum from which you can have a look into the brewery. The former monastery is now a conference and training centre. The baroque church is beautiful and has a unique feature I think you might find interesting as well. We're staying at the hotel that's attached to the restaurant. The restaurant is excellent and rather exceptional with regards to the menu as well as atmosphere."

"All right, that sounds interesting," admitted Carmen hesitantly.

"Great! So, let's check in."

#

Once Ulrike was finished unpacking, except for the Berliner Weiße bottles which she left in the bag, she lay down on the bed and watched Carmen unpacking her suitcase. Her eyebrows rose in bafflement and she asked, "Liebling? When are you planning to wear all these?"

Interrupting her activities, Carmen looked at Ulrike, a neatly folded evening dress in her hands and said, "I just like to be prepared, and you didn't tell me where we would stay, so I didn't know what sort of clothes would be appropriate."

"Ah, I see," said Ulrike, seeing that Carmen had a point. Perhaps she should have at least told her partner that she would only need casual wear.

Twenty minutes later, Carmen finally finished unpacking, and sat down on the double bed, "Phew!"

Ulrike who had been patiently waiting stretched out on the bed asked, "So, how do you like it?"

Carmen looked around before she said, "It is definitely better than what I had feared..."

"But you don't particularly like it, nonetheless," stated Ulrike, somewhat disappointed about Carmen's lack of excitement.

Turning towards Ulrike, Carmen assured, "It's not that I don't like it. The rustic style is certainly interesting, but it requires some getting used to."

Tilting her head, Ulrike asked, "How so?"

"Well, for starters, I will have to refrain from thinking about what creatures might be living in and behind these hand-hewed beams."

Looking at the old support beams on the ceiling and the sloping wall on the window side of the attic room, Ulrike said, "Except for the odd spider, and maybe a fly or mosquito, which you will occasionally find in every room, especially in the country, I don't think anything lives there. They probably sealed them or did whatever to insure that insects won't destroy the ancient beams."

"Hm, well, even though it looks completely different, for some unfathomable reason the rustic style reminds me of the house where I grew up. But I guess I can't compare them really. I suppose there won't be any tarantulas or snakes hiding behind those beams," Carmen said, and continued, "And the room does look perfectly clean."

"Uh, no, luckily you won't find creepy things like that in a German hotel," affirmed Ulrike. "This place has always been very clean whenever I stayed here. And I think the ancient beams and brick walls make for a really cosy atmosphere."

"The bed appears to be really cosy," said Carmen and she leant over to give Ulrike a kiss, alas, they didn't get very far before Carmen broke the kiss and slumped face down next to Ulrike. "Ouch, my back hurts," she complained, her voice muffled by the cushion.

Raising her eyebrows, Ulrike commented, "Uh huh. That's what you get when you refuse to do stretching exercises. I bet the people who looked at me strangely have long forgotten about me, but you will get to feel your body's complaints for quite a while. Now tell me, what's worse, being stared at for a few minutes, or being in pain for the rest of the day?"

Turning her head, Carmen made a face at her partner, and Ulrike grinned and said, "I love you anyway," and she leant down to share a proper kiss this time.

#

As they entered the vaults of the monastery brewery restaurant, Carmen grasped Ulrike's arm tighter and whispered, "It is dark in here."

"Yeah, it's romantic, isn't it?" asked Ulrike.

"If you find medieval cellars romantic, perhaps," responded Carmen still in a hushed voice, but Ulrike didn't hear her, as she led Carmen to the far end where she had spotted a free table next to the open fireplace.

"This is one of my favourite places," said Ulrike, as she sat down with a happy smile. "I like to hear the crackling of the fire, and it's cosy and warm."

"I suppose you and I have different ideas about the word 'cosy'," said Carmen.

"Awww," said Ulrike, and reaching for Carmen's hand on the table, she encouraged her, "You just have to get into the spirit of this medieval atmosphere."

" _Nobed mitanand_ ," greeted the waitress in her traditional Bavarian dirndl as she brought the menus, and asked if she could bring them something to drink.

"Yes," said Ulrike, "I'd like a Kloster Urtrunk."

"I'll just have a glass of water for now," said Carmen.

The waitress acknowledged their order and left.

Ulrike only quickly browsed the menu before she decided, "I already know what I want."

"Yes? What did you choose?" asked Carmen, who was still studying the menu.

"I'll have the roasted pork knuckle with beer gravy, potato dumpling and coleslaw. It's one of my favourites, and it's typical Bavarian. I always have roasted pork knuckle at least once when I'm in Bavaria."

"Hm, I'm not so fond of it. It's too fat for my taste," said Carmen, "How is the roast wild boar?"

Making an appreciative gesture, Ulrike said, "Excellent! I'll probably have that tomorrow."

"All right, then I will try it," said Carmen.

The waitress came with their drinks and took their orders, and when she left, Ulrike put her hand on Carmen's and said, "It's nice to be here with you and to share this experience. I really do like it here. I love the medieval flair and the rustic Bavarian food, and the beer really is exceptional."

"I didn't know you fancy the Middle Ages," said Carmen.

"Only the good parts," said Ulrike, "Only the good parts." And she toasted Carmen with her beer, "Here's to our first holiday together!"

Smiling, Carmen used her glass of water to touch Ulrike's stein. "I do enjoy being here with you. I'm sorry if I have been a bit grumpy today."

"It's okay," said Ulrike, "I haven't been on my best behaviour either. I guess the long drive has affected both of us. That it took almost twice as long as it normally would due to all the constructions and the bad weather was really unfortunate. But now we are here, and I hope after a delicious dinner and a good long sleep we'll both feel better."

"I'm sure we will," agreed Carmen.

During the evening, Carmen discovered that Ulrike had been right with her praise. The food was indeed excellent, and the wine she had ordered was really good too. And while Ulrike was counting off the choices they had between the many attractions in the vicinity as well as opportunities for day trips, Carmen slowly began to enjoy the unusual atmosphere. And she was actually glad that Ulrike had insisted on making it a surprise, because had she told her about it, Carmen was fairly certain that she would have objected, and then she would never have experienced this ambience which Ulrike so loved. And that would have been a real pity, thought Carmen, as now that she had opened herself to this adventure, she began to see why Ulrike liked the place so much, and she even began to find it romantic, in a rustic, medieval sort of way.

#

At night, when Carmen had fallen asleep, nestled in Ulrike's embrace, Ulrike looked at her partner and smiled fondly. Although her arm was falling asleep and it really wasn't particularly comfortable to sleep like this, it somehow made her feel content and happy. _It certainly helps that there is no hedgehog and no cat to disturb us_ , _and that neither of us needs to get up early tomorrow_ , she thought, and closed her eyes with a contented sigh.

When she awoke the next morning, Carmen was again snuggled close to her. _Mmmh, nice_ , thought Ulrike, and a smile appeared on her face as she remembered the previous night.

It had started with an argument when Carmen saw her coming out of the bathroom in men's flannel pyjamas. Ulrike argued that it was cold and the pyjamas were warm and comfortable, and Carmen wouldn't have to see much of it anyway as she had said that she was exhausted and wanted to go to sleep.

Alas, Carmen had shown no mercy and threatened that she would not share the bed with her if she didn't take it off.

Shocked for a moment, Ulrike had finally said, "All right, I'll do it for you," and she promptly took off her pyjamas and joined Carmen in bed. "Now, what are _you_ going to do to keep me warm?"

Carmen's nonverbal response had kept them up well after midnight.

Carmen had definitely kept her more than just warm. Ulrike grinned at the memory, but the grin faded as she wanted to move a little and noticed that her right arm, on which Carmen was lying, was numb up to her shoulder. Grumbling about the discomfort, Ulrike tried to extract her limp arm from under Carmen's head without waking her.

Carmen mumbled something unintelligible, followed by a loud groan as she attempted to move, "Ow! Ow! Gosh, I'm hurting all over."

"And my arm is asleep. Good morning," said Ulrike, and after giving her partner a quick kiss, she sat up and started massaging her arm to get her sensations back.

"Good morning. Gosh, I'm sore," muttered Carmen, and before Ulrike could comment, she added, "Don't tell me. I know what you want to say. And I'm still not going to do weird exercises in public places."

Ulrike shook her head and offered, "Well, you could do some exercises with me now. I can show you a few things that might help."

"Exercises early in the morning? No thanks," said Carmen.

"It's not that early. It's past eight already," countered Ulrike.

"But I only just woke up, so it's early for me," argued Carmen, "I'd rather take a shower. Maybe that helps. Do you mind if I shower first?"

"Go ahead. I'd like to do some training before I shower," said Ulrike and quickly added, "Ah, just let me go to the loo first." And she jumped out of bed and headed for the bathroom.

"Since when do you train in the morning?" asked Carmen.

Halting at the bathroom door, Ulrike explained, "Since I figured that I won't have time for it at any other time while we are on holiday. So, I have to do it in the morning."

"Well, you could take a break from training while we are on holiday," suggested Carmen.

"Nope," said Ulrike, "You know I work out almost every day. And I've already skipped yesterday and the day before. I don't want to lose muscle," and she vanished into the bathroom.

"I wish I had your determination," muttered Carmen and sighed. So far, Ulrike had not commented on her weight gain, but she really should do something about it if she didn't want Ulrike to lose interest in her. Maybe she should take Ulrike up on her offer and exercise with her. Perhaps it would even be fun to do it together. So, when Ulrike came out of the bathroom, Carmen asked, "Would you still consider doing exercises with me?"

"Sure!" said Ulrike, delighted that her partner would join in.

"Okay," said Carmen and got up. She got out a pair of sweatpants, a bra and a T-shirt from the wardrobe and, heading for the bathroom, she said, "I'll be right back."

"All right, I'll get the equipment out," said Ulrike and opened her compartment of the wardrobe. Grabbing the skipping rope she had brought, she looked around... damn, this room was definitely too cramped. The single rooms she had stayed in previously were a little roomier. _Hm, well, we'll just have to improvise_ , thought Ulrike and put the rope back. Instead, she grabbed the power twister bar, threw it on the bed and shut the door. Then, she went over to the desk and shoved the two chairs in the space between the window and the bed.

Stepping out of the bathroom, her hair pulled up into a bun, Carmen said, "All right, I'm ready."

"Great," said Ulrike, and looking at the cleared space she stated, "It's still a bit narrow, but it'll have to do. We'll have to take turns, though. We'll start with burpees for cardio."

"What's that again?"

"I'll show you," said Ulrike and did so... "Now you. Come forward a little or you will bump your feet on the corner. Okay... now stretch upwards... now bend down and put your hands in front of you..."

Carmen groaned, but Ulrike went on, "Now jump back with your feet... good... now walk forward to the previous position... get up and put your hands over your head again. Great. My turn."

After she had done the 10th burpee, Carmen sat down on the bed and panted, "Gosh... this is... exhausting."

"Don't stop," said Ulrike while she continued on her own. "Do squats. That shouldn't be too difficult for you. Your legs are quite strong." And finishing another burpee, she added, "Come on, you can do it."

Groaning, Carmen got up.

"Do it on your side of the bed, then I can do push-ups in the meantime."

" _Jawoll, Frau Oberstabsfeldwebel_ ," acknowledged Carmen jokingly.

Ulrike grinned, "Am I'm too pushy?"

Carmen chuckled. "Well, the way you sound makes me think you'd do well in the army."

"Nah," said Ulrike and got down on the floor for her push-ups, "I wouldn't want to train for war. I'm a pacifist."

"Really?" asked Carmen as she remembered what Ulrike had done to Roger, and she thought that especially that stunt, among other things, did not exactly make her partner look like a pacifist. However, not wanting to cause an argument again, Carmen started doing her squats.

"Yeah, really," said Ulrike, only slightly strained while continuing her push-ups. "I wish everyone could just live in peace and harmony. I definitely wouldn't want to be ordered to kill innocent people. But I like bodybuilding because I like keeping my body strong and fit. But you don't have to if you don't like it. I just thought it might help you, and I think it's fun to exercise with you."

Taking a break, Carmen sat down on the bed and shook out her burning legs. "Well, this is not really my cup of tea, but I'm game to try. At least while we are on holiday."

"Okay," said Ulrike smiling, "Then let's change places. Now I do squats, and you do push-ups... or knee-push-ups, if you prefer that."

"I really don't like push-ups," said Carmen, "Can I try that?" she pointed at the power twister bar, "José has one like that. It looks easier than push-ups."

"Um, that's a 50 kg tension bar," said Ulrike. "I doubt that's easier for you than knee-push-ups. But you can try of course."

"I would like to try," said Carmen and reached for the bar on the bed.

"Wait, I'll get behind you," said Ulrike, and when Carmen got up, Ulrike stepped behind her partner. "Use the straps, please."

"Gosh, you are making a fuss," said Carmen, slightly annoyed, but did as Ulrike had told.

"This thing is more dangerous than it looks," explained Ulrike, and added, "Show me that you can handle it, and I'll stop making a fuss." And as Carmen had positioned herself, Ulrike grabbed the bar from behind, just to make sure her partner wouldn't injure herself. "Now press."

"Uhh... it's not working," said Carmen.

Ulrike grinned, and she was glad that Carmen couldn't see her. "Try again," she encouraged her partner, and when she felt Carmen's muscles tensing, she helped by pressing the bar herself.

"Oh, now it works," said Carmen.

"Now hold it in this position," said Ulrike as the bar was bent, and she started to ease up on the pressure, but when Carmen couldn't even hold the position for a second Ulrike immediately tensed her grip again, and moved the bar in a straight position.

"Okay, you have convinced me," said Carmen, "I'll do the stupid knee-push-ups."

Ulrike chuckled, and took the bar from Carmen's hands. "We can get you a 20 kg one, _Liebling_."

Making a face, Carmen said, "No, thanks," and she got down on her knees.

"Awww," said Ulrike. "If you use the right level, they can be quite fun." And she demonstrated by doing various exercises with the bar.

"I feel like a wimp, compared to you," said Carmen, frustrated, when she sat down on the floor and watched Ulrike after she had done two push-ups.

Ulrike stopped her exercises and turned to look at her partner with a serious expression. Taking a deep breath, she asked, "If one of your pupils would say she feels like a klutz compared to you after her first dance lesson, what would you tell her?"

Casting her eyes downwards, Carmen muttered, "That she shouldn't compare herself to me because I've been dancing since I was eight years old, and she is just a beginner."

"Mhm," acknowledged Ulrike, "And I have been seriously training since I was twenty. Now, what would you tell her if she sat on the floor and kept looking miserable instead of continuing with her dance training?"

Carmen sighed and replied, "That she would never get better if she didn't practise."

"So, adhere to your own advice and continue," said Ulrike. "Come on, practise makes perfect. One, two..."

Carmen groaned, "You are merciless."

"Yup," said Ulrike, grinning, and she put the bar on the bed and continued with the squats she still hadn't done.

#

After a hearty breakfast, Ulrike lit a cigarette and asked, "Have you decided where you would like to go today?"

Lighting one of her extra slim cigarettes, Carmen looked out the window and said, "The weather seems to be really nice today. Could we go somewhere closer to the mountains?"

"Sure!" said Ulrike. "Would you like to see Neuschwanstein Castle?"

"Yes, that would be nice!"

"Afterwards, we could drive across the border to Austria and have lunch in Reutte."

Carmen's face lit up, "That's nice. I have never been to Austria."

"You haven't?" asked Ulrike, surprised. "Well, then that's definitely a must! Austria is really lovely. We must go there on a winter holiday some time. It's awesome!"

"Hm, I don't know, I don't like the cold, and I can't ski."

"I can't ski either, and usually I prefer the warmth as well, but a winter holiday in the mountains is really something you should experience at least once in your life. It can be very romantic too. We could go on a ride in a horse-drawn-sleigh, and sit by the open fireplace..."

"You really fancy open fireplaces don't you?" asked Carmen, amused.

Grinning, Ulrike said, "Absolutely!"

"Well, maybe we can do that someday," Carmen offered reluctantly. "But for now, I will be happy to see Austria in autumn."

"And that you will, _Liebling_ ," said Ulrike, and reached for Carmen's hand.

Before they left, Ulrike looked at Carmen, who had just put on a rather thin jacket, and said, "I would suggest you put on a thicker pullover and a warmer jacket."

"I didn't pack a thicker pullover," said Carmen, "And I only brought this jacket."

"With all the many clothes you packed for all possible occasions, you haven't brought anything suitable for outdoor use in cooler temperatures?"

"No," said Carmen. "You didn't tell me that we are going into the mountains."

"Well, unless you buy some proper clothes, I suggest we don't go into the mountains. It's even colder up there. But where exactly did you think we were going? I mean, it's autumn in Germany, and you knew we would be visiting _Tante_ Hedwig and that she lives in Regensburg. Did you think we drive to Regensburg via Sicily?"

"No," said Carmen annoyed. "I don't know what I thought, all right? I thought I had covered all possibilities, but obviously I haven't. If I have to, I will buy something warmer. For now I'll see if can manage with these."

"Okay," said Ulrike, "I'm sorry. I guess wanting to surprise you wasn't such a good idea, after all."

"It's all right," said Carmen and caressed Ulrike's cheek, "I actually like that you made it a surprise. I have come to enjoy this new adventure."

"Have you?" asked Ulrike and pulled Carmen into an embrace.

"Mhmm," hummed Carmen and leant in for a kiss.

#

"Uh oh," said Ulrike as they drove through Hohenschwangau on their way to the parking lot. A crowd of people was waiting in front of the ticket centre, and more were on their way from the parking lot. "Looks like it could take hours to get a ticket. How keen are you on visiting Neuschwanstein?"

"Hm, maybe we can come back later and if it is still full we could have a coffee in one of these restaurants while we are waiting?"

Driving past the entrance to the parking lot, Ulrike halted in a no-parking spot and explained, "The thing is, you get a ticket for a specific time, so if you want to go up to the castle, I suggest we get the tickets now, because by the time we get them, they will probably be for some time in the afternoon."

"Oh, so we would have to wait several hours to get the tickets and then wait again several hours before we can go up?"

"Yeah, unfortunately," acknowledged Ulrike. "I wouldn't have thought that it would be this full during the week. But I have never been here during school holidays, and it was always earlier in the morning."

"Oh well," said Carmen, "It was nice to see it from here. Let's drive on. I don't want to spend the entire day here."

"Okay," said Ulrike and merged back into the traffic. "It's a bit early for lunch though, so how about we have a coffee and a walk at the Forggensee?"

"That's the lake we passed on the way here? Yes that sounds lovely," said Carmen.

Half an hour later they were walking hand in hand along the lake and Carmen was raving about the beauty of the scenery with the view across the lake to the opposite side where the white fairy-tale castle nestled in the foothills of the Alps, surrounded by woods.

"I'm glad you like it," said Ulrike.

Carmen halted and stepped in front of Ulrike, looking deeply into her eyes, "Thank you for bringing me here," and she touched Ulrike's cheek and leant in for a long sensual kiss.

After the kiss, Carmen remained in the embrace and leant her head against Ulrike's shoulder. Ulrike held her close and whispered, "I love you."

Looking up, Carmen said, "I love you too."

A falling leaf interrupted them as it touched Ulrike's cheek and landed on her shoulder. Carmen took the yellow maple leaf and smiled absentmindedly. Then, with the leaf still in her right hand, she stepped aside, linked her left arm with Ulrike's and indicated to continue walking.

"What are you thinking?" asked Ulrike gently.

For several moments, Carmen remained quiet, and Ulrike wondered if she had not heard her question, but just as she wanted to repeat it, Carmen began to speak with a thoughtful voice, "I am thinking about how free I feel, here with you, without having to worry all the time about someone seeing us together." And she smiled at Ulrike and squeezed her arm. "It is wonderfully relaxing."

Ulrike thought about this for a bit, and then she asked, "Do you always worry when we are in public in Berlin?"

"Most of the time, yes," said Carmen, while she twirled the stem of the maple leaf between her fingers. "Though, admittedly, I sometimes forget to worry, but then I usually worry afterwards, and sometimes I can't sleep because of it."

Looking at her partner with surprise and concern, Ulrike said, "Why did you never tell me that it is that bad for you?"

With a lopsided smile, Carmen replied, "I don't want to lose you because of my fears."

Ulrike's chest tightened, and she assured Carmen, "You won't lose me, _Liebling_ , and certainly not because of your fears." And to emphasise her statement, she extracted her arm from Carmen's grip and put it around Carmen's shoulder, holding her close while they slowly kept walking.

Carmen quietly snuggled against Ulrike, her fingers still twirling the leaf. A couple passed them, the young woman flashing them a happy grin, and even the guy smiled.

"Did you see that?" asked Ulrike.

"Mhmm," acknowledged Carmen.

"And here we are in Bavaria, in the country. I really don't think it would be such a big deal, especially not in Berlin. Perhaps if you were a teacher in a small village here things might be different, with the people primarily being Catholics."

"I am a Catholic," Carmen pointed out.

"Uh, right," said Ulrike, "I still can't quite comprehend how you can be a Catholic and a lesbian. Shouldn't those be mutually exclusive?"

"Not for me," said Carmen. And because the walking became uncomfortable in their current position, Carmen nudged Ulrike's arm from her shoulder and took her hand instead, before she continued, "I can't help being a lesbian; it's the way God made me. So, it can't be against His will. And we both love each other. I don't believe that could ever aggravate Him. That probably most Catholics think differently is another matter, though."

"Nonetheless," said Ulrike, "Berlin isn't primarily Catholic; it's mainly Protestant with a whole lot of other beliefs, not to mention a huge number of atheists. It's a mixture of many different cultures."

"Of which most would condemn our relationship," countered Carmen.

"Well, not in my circles, they wouldn't," argued Ulrike.

"That's something that still amazes me," said Carmen. "Aren't Renato and his family Catholics too?"

Ulrike shrugged, "I have no idea. I never asked him." Furrowing her brow she noted, "But I think most Italians are Catholics, aren't they? And they have a crucifix hanging in their flat, so I suppose they are Catholics too."

"And they never had a problem with you being a lesbian?"

"Never."

"How long have you known them?"

"Hmm, let me think... When he took over the hair salon, Michele wasn't yet born, and I think it was the same year I moved into my current flat... that was 1980... so I've known him for 12 years."

"And since when does he know that you're a lesbian?"

"Since day one," said Ulrike grinning. "When he opened his salon he had a special offer on the first day where everything was half the price, so Gitti and I both went. He was aghast when I asked him to do a men's cut, and Gitti explained to him right away that it was pointless to try to convince me of any other style. And so we all began to chat while he was grudgingly cutting my hair. He never once had a problem with me being a lesbian, but he still hasn't got used to my preferred hairstyle even after 12 years."

Carmen laughed. "That is so funny! And Kalle?"

"Kalle - I've known him for 20 years. We met at _Marianne's Currybude_ when it was still running under a different name. Marianne took over a few years later... '74 I think."

"And they never had a problem either?"

Ulrike shook her head, "Marianne doesn't judge people. In her eyes we're all human beings who share the same planet, and we all try to make the best of our time here, each in their own way. It doesn't make any difference to her whether she's serving a guy in a suit or an old scruffy alcoholic - she treats everyone the same. I guess that's what people like about her. And Kalle - Kalle sometimes even seems to forget that I'm a woman, so for him it's perfectly natural that I prefer women," Ulrike laughed.

Carmen remained silent, and after a few moments, she shivered and said, "It's getting cold. Let's go and have a nice hot coffee."

"All right," said Ulrike, refraining from commenting, but thinking that perhaps they should stop somewhere in Füssen later so Carmen could buy some proper clothes. And laying her arm around Carmen's shoulders again, she turned them around and they headed towards the café.

Later, at the café, they were looking out the window onto the lake and the mountains, when Carmen said in a contemplative voice, "Somehow your 'circles' sound a lot more appealing than mine."

"Hey," chided Ulrike gently, "They are your friends too now."

Carmen smiled sadly, "Thank you, that's nice of you to say. But it's like a different world to me, and I don't know if I fit in. I'm not used to those sorts of circles."

Ulrike raised her eyebrows. "You mean you aren't used to people who accept you as you are?"

"Well, that too," said Carmen and blushed.

"What else?" asked Ulrike, and when Carmen fiddled with the maple leaf she had put on the table but remained silent, Ulrike spelt it out for her, "You mean because we're working class, don't you?"

"You're not working class!" protested Carmen, "You've got a degree."

"Uh huh," said Ulrike, "But, as my mother keeps pointing out, I don't need a degree to be a taxi driver. I'm a one-woman business in the service sector with a not bad but nonetheless precarious income, so by most people's standards I belong in the working class, and so do my friends. I never thought you'd have a problem with that."

"I don't have a problem with it," assured Carmen, "Not in the way your mother does. I'm just not used to socialising in those circles, and I feel out of place."

Raising her eyebrows, Ulrike asked, "You don't feel out of place with me, do you?"

"No, of course not," said Carmen, "But that's different."

"Did you feel out of place at Renato's birthday?"

"Yes, a little," said Carmen.

"You never told me that," said Ulrike, surprised, "What made you feel out of place there? You've met Renato and Marco before, and we've eaten at Marco's many times."

"Yes, but then we were paying guests and not in a separate room together with all their family members," explained Carmen and quickly went on, "Don't get me wrong. They were all lovely and I think they are really nice people. It's just that I'm not used to such casual gatherings with people I don't even know."

Ulrike sighed, "I did tell you that you'd be a bit overdressed with the red dress, but I love that dress and I don't think it was a problem as everyone thought you looked gorgeous."

Carmen blushed, "I know. I don't think I've received as many compliments in my whole life as I did on that evening."

Ulrike grinned, "The Italians have got taste, and they aren't shy when it comes to expressing their appreciation towards a beautiful classy woman. Everybody loved you, and they were delighted to learn that you speak their language. What made you feel out of place? Don't you like receiving compliments?"

Shaking her head, Carmen said, "I do. It's not that. I meant the casual attitude. No one really seemed to care that there were strangers among them..."

"There were no strangers," Ulrike interrupted surprised.

"Well, you're not a member of the family, and I certainly was a stranger to them."

"No you weren't. You were with me, and that makes you part of the family too... not in a relation sort of way, but in a being included sort of way. And the casual attitude... I'd have thought that Argentinians were a bit more like Italians in that regard."

"Not my family."

"I think your family is a lot more casual than you give them credit for," said Ulrike, "Their dress code for example doesn't seem to be as rigid as you thought."

Carmen made a face. "That only applies to the men and to you. Why they treat you like a man I will never understand."

"Probably because I don't behave like a girl," said Ulrike with a cheeky grin.

"Why don't you?" asked Carmen and took a sip of her coffee.

"What? Behave like a girl?"

"Yes, I've always wondered about that."

Ulrike snorted, "Why would I?"

"Because you are a woman."

Ulrike shrugged, "So? We aren't in the Middle Ages anymore where you had to stay within the given norm if you didn't want to be burnt at the stake. We are all equal now. Boys can play with dolls, and girls can play with cars without anyone having a fit about it."

"Theoretically, you may be right, but the boys and girls I'm teaching are mostly still behaving within their typical gender roles," said Carmen, "And I have never ever seen a boy play with dolls."

"Norbert played with dolls," stated Ulrike.

"Your brother played with dolls?"

"Yup," said Ulrike and as she couldn't suppress a grin, she explained, "He had to... as an exchange for me reading him stories."

Carmen chuckled and said, "I don't think José would have agreed to such a deal."

"He would have had to if he were my brother," stated Ulrike. "I would have made sure of it."

Again, Carmen laughed, "I can imagine that, _Frau Oberstabsfeldwebel_."

Ulrike snorted. "I admit, I can be a little bit bossy, occasionally."

"Uh huh," said Carmen. "But you are a pacifist..."

"Yes, I am," said Ulrike and quipped, "If everyone would just do as I say, there'd be peace on earth."

Carmen broke into laughter and Ulrike joined in, causing the people around them to gaze and shake their heads.

#

In the afternoon, Ulrike and Carmen left Reutte and drove towards the Plansee. Carmen had bought warmer clothes in Füssen which Ulrike thought were hugely overpriced, and afterwards they had a delicious Austrian lunch in Reutte.

Carmen was still fascinated by the closeness of the mountains and the beauty of the scenery, but what she saw now made her call out in awe, "Wow! This is gorgeous!"

The crystal clear water of the lake and the majesty of the surrounding mountains were truly breathtaking.

"It gets even better," said Ulrike and asked, "Would you like to go for a walk?"

"Yes, I would love to," said Carmen. "It would be a pity to just drive past."

"All right," said Ulrike, "Then I'll park at Seespitze. Look the boats are still going. We could walk till Plansee and come back via boat."

"Oh, that would be lovely."

"Then that's what we'll do," said Ulrike, smiling, and slowed down to manoeuvre into a parking bay.

They climbed up the slight slope until the narrow trail evened out and Carmen stopped to catch her breath and take in the magical scenery. "This is so beautiful."

"Mhmm," agreed Ulrike and she put her arm around Carmen as they looked down at the crystal blue lake. A cool breeze whispered through the trees, and the clear air smelled of pine needles and autumn leaves.

A group of five hikers, coming from the opposite direction, disturbed the peaceful quiet as they forced Ulrike and Carmen to move out of the way in order to let them pass.

"Disgusting!" commented one of the hikers.

"What?" asked another one.

"He means the lesbians we just passed," explained a third one.

Three of the hikers turned around and looked at Ulrike and Carmen, and then one of them asked, "How do you know they are lesbians."

Carmen's face had flushed crimson and she would have liked to hide under a rock.

Feeling Carmen's discomfort, Ulrike said, "Come on. Let's move on," and she took Carmen's hand as they continued towards Plansee.

"How can you be so calm?" asked Carmen.

Ulrike shrugged. "There's no reason to get upset."

"But..." Carmen started to protest.

"But one of them said that he finds lesbians disgusting, yes, I heard that. And I can see that this upsets you. However, he is entitled to express his opinion, even if we don't agree with it."

"But he said it within earshot, and I'm sure he did that on purpose," argued Carmen and let go of Ulrike's hand to have her hands free to emphasise her words with gestures.

"Probably," agreed Ulrike, casually putting her hands in her pockets. "But nobody threatened us."

"Words can hurt too," countered Carmen.

"Surely, they can, but you don't have to let them."

"I don't understand how you can be so indifferent about it."

"Because I couldn't care less about his opinion," said Ulrike, and asked, "How would you feel if the other guy had said, 'He means the jacket that lady wore'?"

"That doesn't make sense," said Carmen. "Nobody would find a jacket disgusting."

"Why not, maybe he is allergic to feathers, so he finds down jackets disgusting."

"That's ridiculous, even if he was allergic, he doesn't have to wear it," Carmen pointed out.

"No one forces him to be homosexual either," said Ulrike with lopsided grin and a raise of her eyebrow.

Carmen saw what Ulrike meant, but she refused to let go. "That's not the same. You can't compare a down jacket to being a lesbian."

"The difference is only in your head," said Ulrike. "But okay, here's another example: How would you feel if the other guy had said, 'He means the lady with the brown eyes'?"

"I would feel the same," said Carmen.

Ulrike stopped and looked at Carmen in disbelief, "Why?"

"Because it would refer to me being a foreigner," explained Carmen.

"What?! How would you get to that conclusion? And you aren't a foreigner, you're German."

"I am not pure German," said Carmen, annoyed that Ulrike didn't understand her. "And people can see that."

Ulrike searched her partner's face, trying to comprehend, and she realised that there were deeper running issues than Carmen's angered expression showed at first glance. Taking a deep, calming breath, Ulrike asked gently, "Have people treated you badly because of this?"

Relaxing somewhat, Carmen slumped her shoulders and said, "Not physically, if that's what you mean. But with words and looks and subtle hints, even if you think that's nothing."

"I didn't say it's nothing," said Ulrike softly, and she opened her arms to offer a hug, and when Carmen accepted, Ulrike pulled her close. As she caressed her beautiful long hair, she said, "I just tried to explain to you why it didn't affect me, because you wanted to know. And I guess I tried to get you to see it my way because I don't want you to feel hurt just because some backward retard is uttering half-witted grunts in your direction."

Despite of herself, Carmen had to chuckle about Ulrike's description. "Thank you! I will try to remember this. Perhaps it will make it a little easier the next time some backward retard utters half-witted grunts in my direction."

Ulrike snorted. "Had I known that it just needs a bit of colourful language to help you, I'd have saved us the whole argument."

"No," said Carmen seriously. "It was good that we talked about it. I do understand your point of view now. I'm just not sure if I can ever manage to be as indifferent as you are in such situations."

"That's okay," assured Ulrike and gently caressed Carmen's cheek. "I love you anyway."

"I love you too," said Carmen, and after glancing in both directions, and letting a biker pass, she leant forward to share a kiss with her beloved partner.

#

Back at the hotel that evening, Carmen and Ulrike were enjoying a cigarette after dinner, with a stein of beer and a glass of wine.

"I have been wondering," said Carmen.

"About what?" asked Ulrike.

"Do you have any weakness at all? You always seem to be strong and cool as if nothing could ever get to you."

Raising her eyebrows, Ulrike replied, "There's a lot that can irritate the hell out of me. Ongoing bad weather for example, and bad drivers, especially those who behave as if they own the road, and of course people who threaten you or me or anyone I know."

"Ah, well, yes, but that was not what I meant," said Carmen, and took a drag from her cigarette while she pondered how to express her thoughts. Finally she asked, "Isn't there anything you are afraid of or that makes you feel insecure?"

"Hmm, I don't particularly like spiders and worms and such, but I wouldn't say I'm afraid of them, it's rather a severe disgust. Although, if someone threw worms at me, I'm pretty sure I would panic, so, in a way, I guess you could call it a fear."

"Okay, that's a fear we share," said Carmen, shuddering, "Anything else?"

Thinking for a while, Ulrike said reluctantly, "I guess I'm sometimes insecure when it comes to you and our relationship, because we haven't been together that long, and I can't predict your reactions all the time. Like the other day, I really wouldn't have thought you'd react that negatively. It rather shocked me. And of course it got to me, because I don't want to lose you. And the thought of my good intentions resulting in you leaving me was almost unbearable."

As Carmen realised how genuinely concerned Ulrike had been, suddenly her own anger and worry about the incident seemed so far away as if it had happened years ago instead of just two days, and covering Ulrike's hand with hers, Carmen said softly, "I'm not leaving you. I suppose it will take time to truly get to know each other. And I think this holiday is a good way to deepen our relationship."

"I think so too," said Ulrike, and she turned her hand and took Carmen's hand between both of hers, and leaning slightly forward, she pulled Carmen's hand towards her face and gently kissed her fingers.

Carmen slowly extracted her hand from her partner's grasp and whispered, "There is a couple at the other table staring at us."

Ulrike sighed and asked, "Why does this bother you so much? We aren't doing anything criminal or even indecent. Some people would disapprove of a hetero couple showing affection in public too, but I don't think any hetero couple would care about that. Why should we?"

"Because we are not a hetero couple," stated Carmen.

Sighing again, Ulrike said, a touch frustrated, "I'm only really aware of this making a difference since I met you."

Carmen smirked, "Going by your behaviour, it doesn't look like you are really aware of it."

"True," said Ulrike, "But you keep reminding me of it. To me we are simply a couple in love, whether we are two females or two males or two yetis, shouldn't make an iota of difference."

Carmen chuckled despite herself. "But it does. And two yetis would be stared at even more."

"They shouldn't," insisted Ulrike.

"Come on," said Carmen, "Don't tell me you wouldn't stare if there was a yeti couple sitting over there," she pointed at an empty table next to them.

"At first perhaps," admitted Ulrike, "After all, you don't see a yeti every day, so it's kind of natural that you take a look. But if I saw them exchanging lovers' gestures, I'd leave them alone and mind my own business."

"I really don't believe you would be that considerate if you saw a yeti," said Carmen, and continued, "But be that as it may, the yetis would probably still feel like I do, because you were watching them, even if you turned around after satisfying your curiosity."

" _Liebling_ , if yetis went into public places, they would have to expect that people would look at them, as people are rarely confronted with seeing yetis. But that doesn't mean the yetis have to feel bad about it. Some people, like me, would just watch out of curiosity, not because they mean any harm. Some people would certainly start talking badly about the yetis because they resent them for whatever reason. Perhaps they even begrudge them that they are showing affection in public because their own partner would never do that, or they don't even have a partner. But as long as the yetis aren't threatened, there would be no reason for them to feel bad, in my opinion. My advice to the yetis would be - keep showing yourself in public places, so people get used to seeing you. Once people get used to yetis, they will stop staring, except maybe for some backward retards, but you can just neglect those."

"I wish this yeti here could follow your advice," said Carmen and emptied her glass of wine. "But I'm not sure I will ever manage that."

"Practise makes perfect," said Ulrike with a wink.

#

Later that night, Ulrike lay awake with Carmen sleeping in her arms. She thought about what she had learnt about her partner that day. She would never have imagined that Carmen had experienced any sort of bullying because of her heritage. How could anyone treat her badly just because she was not purely German? She had never heard Renato or anyone of his family say anything about having been bullied for being Italian, nor had she ever witnessed anyone bullying one of her non-German classmates in her own school days.

Of course, she knew that it happened. But just as with discrimination about homosexuals, she had never witnessed it, nor heard it from anyone she knew before she met Carmen. She had witnessed classmates making fun of other kids for various other reasons though, and she had more than once stood up for the victims. One of them, Lilli, became her best friend, and later her first girlfriend. After Ulrike had had a fight with the main perpetrator, and won, Ulrike had had to answer for her behaviour in the head-master's office; and neither her father nor her mother had been thrilled to learn about the incident. _But it was worth it!_ thought Ulrike, as Lilli had never been teased again - at least not as long as they were together. Ulrike didn't know what had become of Lilli. When Lilli's father died, the family moved to Lilli's uncle in Baden-Württemberg. They remained in contact via mail for a while, but that petered out after a year or so, as Lilli was now occupied caring for her younger siblings, while her mother worked in a factory to support them all.

Ulrike's musings were interrupted when Carmen mumbled something unintelligible and turned around.

_Poor Liebling!_ thought Ulrike, and turned onto her side to hold her sleeping partner close, spooning her. _Did you have no one who stood up for you? No wonder you are so afraid of discrimination_

#

The next morning, Carmen wanted to refrain from joining Ulrike's morning fitness program, but Ulrike would hear none of it. She was on a mission now. In her opinion Carmen desperately needed a boost for her self-esteem, and doing a proper work-out was one of the best ways to accomplish that. So, she talked to Carmen until she had finally persuaded her to participate, even if grudgingly.

Over breakfast, Carmen groaned and said, "I feel like a horde of elephants trampled over my body. I don't think I can do much walking today."

"Nonsense!" said Ulrike, "You'll feel better once we walk a bit in the fresh air. We can visit Bad Wörishofen, have a walk in the _Kurpark_ first and then walk around town. It's a really pretty little spa town. And there are lots of nice cafés and restaurants, and a gazillion benches, so we can take breaks, if you really need it."

"All right," sighed Carmen, "That sounds doable."

"It is," assured Ulrike, "Believe me."

#

Carmen marvelled at the beauty of the spa park that appeared in a blaze of colours, with the red and gold and yellow autumn leaves of the trees, and the many roses that were still blooming in the rose garden, which was one of the largest in Germany as Carmen learnt from Ulrike.

They sat down on one of the countless benches, and Ulrike put her arms on the backrest and stretched out her legs. "Isn't it beautiful?" she asked, and inhaled the cool, fresh air that smelled of autumn with a hint of roses.

"It is," said Carmen. "I'm glad you persuaded me to come here."

"Are you feeling better?"

"A little," said Carmen, "Although I'm still hurting all over, but I'm no longer as exhausted."

"No pain - no gain," said Ulrike, grinning.

Carmen shook her head and rolled her eyes, "You really missed your calling; you should have been a trainer, if not in the military then at least in a gym."

"Now there's a thought," said Ulrike, "If, for some reason, I couldn't be a taxi driver anymore, I could open a gym. I think, that could be fun, actually."

"I guess you would have mostly male clients, though," said Carmen. "I don't think many women would put up with your rigorous training."

"It all depends on your goals," said Ulrike. "If you are going for strength, you'll need determination and generally rigorous training. If you just want to do a little cardio, you could do aerobics or such things, and I certainly wouldn't teach that myself, I would hire someone else. I'm wondering why you are hurting so much though, especially as your legs should be used to training with all your dancing and being on your feet at work. And you do swimming too, don't you?"

"I haven't been swimming since the accident in summer, and before that I hadn't been doing it that often anymore either," confessed Carmen. "And except for the dance lessons with the kids, which aren't particularly strenuous for me, I haven't been dancing either. My legs are still used to standing, yes, because I'm doing that all day at school, and I'm used to slow walking as I do that quite often, so my leg muscles haven't deteriorated as much as they might have otherwise; but I'm no longer used to any serious exercising. And I have never particularly trained my upper body, outside of the occasional swimming."

"Oh," said Ulrike, positioning herself sideways on the bench so she could face Carmen. "I wasn't aware you were that untrained. I actually thought your endurance was better than mine, and your thighs feel pretty strong to me."

Carmen blushed, and leaning forward, she whispered in Ulrike's ear, "That's probably just because you measured their strength with your face."

Ulrike chuckled. "That's not what I meant," and she squeezed her partner's thigh above her knee.

Carmen hissed and smacked Ulrike's hand. "Ouch! That hurt!"

Ulrike laughed. "I'm sorry. But I made my point; your thighs do feel strong."

"They aren't strong, they are fat," Carmen muttered.

Looking at Carmen, who had turned away from Ulrike, gazing at the rose arches, her jaw tight, Ulrike said, "Don't you think I can distinguish between fat and muscle? You have a gorgeous well-proportioned figure, _Liebling_. Yes, your body-fat percentage is certainly higher than mine, but that doesn't mean you can't be strong at the same time." When Carmen didn't respond, Ulrike asked, "What's wrong, _Liebling_?"

How could Carmen explain all the different feelings that were assaulting her? She was relieved that her partner obviously didn't mind her weight gain, but she couldn't share the sentiment, and she didn't feel strong either. She was in pain, and she cursed herself for letting Ulrike persuade her to participate in the stupid exercising. Exercising for a bodybuilder! She had never aspired to become a bodybuilder, and she still didn't. Nonetheless, she was mad at herself for having neglected all her former fitness activities for such a long time that she was now feeling the consequences so severely. She felt old and tired and she would have liked to just crawl into bed and hide under the blankets until she felt better. But of course she couldn't do that to Ulrike. Her partner didn't deserve that. She had done nothing wrong really; she was loving and encouraging and went out of her way to make this holiday together a wonderful experience for them. That she was a little overzealous when it came to bodybuilding was not something Carmen could fault her for. After all, she could have said no, and she could have stopped at any point during the exercises. She was sure that Ulrike would have accepted that.

" _Liebling_ , what's wrong?" asked Ulrike again, worry creeping into her voice, and she grasped Carmen's arm to get her attention.

Shaking her head to get her thoughts back into the present, Carmen said, "It's okay." And with the best smile she could muster, she asked, "Can we move on? I'm getting cold."

"Sure," said Ulrike, sighing inwardly that her partner didn't want to talk about what was upsetting her, but respecting her wishes. Squeezing Carmen's arm, she got up and held out her hands.

"Thank you," said Carmen with a genuine smile, and she grasped Ulrike's hands and let her pull her up. As she stumbled a little, Ulrike caught and steadied her, and Carmen leant into the embrace. And for a moment, she did not care if people were staring at them, she just relished in the feeling of being held by Ulrike's strong arms.

They remained in the embrace for quite a while. Ulrike was not sure what else she could do for her partner right now, so she just held Carmen close until she was ready to move on.

#

Later, they were strolling on the lively spa promenade, with its many shops, restaurants and cafés, beautiful flowerbeds and the idyllic narrow creek that was running in a neat channel alongside the promenade, in the picturesque historical centre of Bad Wörishofen. Carmen was delighted, even though she kept complaining about her aching legs and had made them stop twice to take a break at one of the many cafés.

Ulrike, meanwhile, was beginning to feel her arms as more and more shopping bags were weighing her down. And when Carmen dragged her into a jewellery store, Ulrike shook her head, thinking, _Here we go again, and suddenly she is no longer exhausted_. At least the things Carmen might buy here wouldn't add much to the weight Ulrike was already carrying. She wondered how anyone could be so exuberant when it came to shopping, but she was glad that her partner's mood had improved, and if that was the result of her extensive shopping spree, then far be it from her to complain. She sat down on an antique armchair that was situated near the entrance and after setting down the shopping bags she shook her arms and flexed her fingers to get rid of the uncomfortable feeling while she watched Carmen as she chatted with the jeweller.

Carmen was in her element. Since her childhood, when she bought sweets for José and herself, shopping had always been a balm to her soul. How fortunate that this quaint little town had so many nice shops with good quality goods. She had already bought herself a pair of comfortable hiking boots, and in a country style shop she had acquired a dress and two blouses, a cardigan and two embroidered scarves, as well as a shirt for Ulrike. The latter had taken her some persuading and Ulrike had only agreed when Carmen accepted that she get one in the men's section. She had also bought a few presents for her family and for Frau Krüger.

Now, she was looking at a collection of sapphire rings, and trying one of them on, she asked Ulrike, "What do you think?"

Ulrike sighed inwardly and got up to take a closer look. "It's pretty," and in a low voice she asked, "Do you really need another ring?"

"No," said Carmen, and with a disarming smile she added, "But I want one."

Unable to refrain from rolling her eyes, Ulrike said, "Then by all means, take that one and let's go. I'm getting hungry."

"All right," said Carmen and turned to the jeweller, "I'll take this one. And could you make it quick please, my sweetheart is getting impatient."

" _Selbstverständlich, die Dame_ ," affirmed the jeweller politely and took Carmen's credit card.

Ulrike blinked and her jaw slightly dropped. Had Carmen really just called her sweetheart in front of a stranger?

As the jeweller vanished for a moment to give the ring some extra polish, Carmen smiled at Ulrike and whispered, " _Nu guck nich wie'n Auto_ ," referring to Ulrike's still stupefied expression, "It doesn't suit you." And she winked and turned around again as the jeweller returned and showed her the ring, this time sitting in a little box.

Coming out of her initial shock, a face-splitting grin formed on Ulrike's face as she watched Carmen and the jeweller.

"Perfect. Thank you," said Carmen.

The jeweller shut the box and put it in a bag, while Carmen signed the receipt.

Taking the receipt, the jeweller thanked Carmen, handed her the bag, " _Vielen Dank. Hier ist Ihr Ring,_ " and wishing them both a good time in Bad Wörishofen, he said good bye.

" _Auf Wiedersehn_ ," said Carmen, as Ulrike gathered the shopping bags and said good bye as well.

When they were outside, Carmen said to Ulrike who was still grinning, "Please, don't get your hopes up. Although I admit that it felt really good, this was a special occasion."

Sobering, Ulrike asked, "How so?"

"Because I knew he would be polite and discreet," said Carmen. "He is a jeweller, and an expensive one at that. I just spent 1500 DM at his shop. If he wanted that money, he damn well better treat me appropriately and keep his thoughts, whatever they may be, to himself."

Carmen was getting hot. It was almost noon and the sun was shining, so she took off her new down jacket and squeezed it under her arm, mildly annoyed that she had brought the cumbersome item on this beautiful day.

"You spent 1500 DM on that ring?!"

"Yes," said Carmen with a smile, "Well, 1487 to be precise."

"That's crazy," said Ulrike refraining from commenting further on the price of the ring, as, after all, it was Carmen's money and she could do with it whatever she liked. "But I see what you mean." Of course, she saw what Carmen meant. With the jeweller, Carmen was in the better position. Had he said anything nasty, Carmen would simply have turned around and left the shop without buying anything; and of course, as a good businessman, he would never risk that. Even so, Ulrike wondered why Carmen couldn't apply this attitude to any situation. She was, after all, not dependent on those hiking guys either, nor was she dependent on her job - at least not financially. Okay, Ulrike somewhat understood Carmen's issues with regards to her job, since she loved her job as well, and would hate it if she had to quit because of some ignorant idiots. But that her partner obviously felt insecure in other situations here in Bavaria \- far away from Berlin and anyone she knew - and couldn't feel as self-assured as she did with the jeweller was something that saddened Ulrike. She hoped that with time Carmen would become more confident.

#

"Look, the beer garden is open," said Ulrike as they came to one of her favourite restaurants in town. "Would you like to eat outside?"

"Yes, that would be nice," said Carmen. Although she thought that beer garden furniture wasn't particularly comfortable, the weather was too perfect this day to pass on the opportunity of eating outside in October.

"I already know what I want," said Ulrike as they sat down at the only free table.

"Yes? What are you having?" asked Carmen.

"Weißwürste and a pretzel," said Ulrike.

"Hm, I haven't tried Weißwurst yet, but I love Bavarian lye pretzels, so perhaps I will give it a go," said Carmen and added with a grin, "I'm in an adventurous mood."

"Great! If you like, I'll show you how to eat them properly," said Ulrike.

"Why? Is there anything specific about eating Weißwurst?"

"Yeah. You don't eat the skin," said Ulrike. "You can either eat it the proper Bavarian way, by sucking the meat out, but I guess that's not for you," she laughed as Carmen looked very sceptical, "I don't like that either. The other way is, to cut them lengthwise and roll the meat out of the skin. I'll show you. It's not difficult once you get the hang of it."

"All right," said Carmen slowly, and she almost regretted her choice. However, once she had her first bite after freeing the meat from the skin more or less successfully, she was glad she had taken up the challenge. "Mmh, they are really good. And I love this Bavarian sweet mustard. Do you think they sell it anywhere in Berlin?"

"Hm, your beloved KaDeWe probably does," said Ulrike. "But I have to go shopping anyway before we drive to my aunt. My mother insists that Allgäuer Emmentaler tastes better when you buy it here." Ulrike rolled her eyes and continued, "So, you could get yourself a jar or two if you like."

"Oh yes, I think I will," said Carmen, and after taking a sip from her water, she said, "I have been wondering... perhaps I'm just imagining it, but it almost seems as though there are only old people, and mainly women at that, everywhere here, except for the waitresses and sales people."

Ulrike grinned, and said jokingly, "Yeah, I guess the average age here is probably around 80. I don't mind that. I think it's actually a benefit, as there is no hustle and the atmosphere is very peaceful and relaxing."

"That's true," said Carmen, and Ulrike continued, "It's the town of Father Kneipp, and I guess mostly old ladies swear by his hydrotherapy. My mother uses some of the products they sell with his name since she attended one of the health spas here."

"Did you learn of this town from her?" asked Carmen.

"No, she learnt of it from me," said Ulrike and chuckled. "She wasn't too fond of the cure, but she loved the town, so she forgave me for sending her to a torture treatment."

Carmen laughed and said, "It is a very pretty town, and it's great for shopping!"

"I'm not sure I have ever bought anything here," said Ulrike, "But it has a lot of lovely places and good restaurants."

Once they had finished eating, Ulrike proposed, "How about you go and get the car while I stay here with the bags?"

"Oh no," said Carmen, "I'm not sure I could even find my way back to the car, and I definitely don't know how to get here, since I can't drive through the pedestrian zone. How about we call a taxi?"

Ulrike made a face, "Believe me, the driver would not be thrilled to get such a short fare."

"I will give him or her a generous tip to make up for it," offered Carmen.

Ulrike sighed. "All right." She really did not want to carry all the shopping bags all the way back to the car.

Back at the car, Ulrike asked, "Where would you like to go next?"

"I don't know," said Carmen. "What would you suggest?"

"Well, we could go visit one of the many beautiful churches in the area, or visit another town or some lovely country place..."

"Now, I don't want to do any more walking if possible," said Carmen. "Couldn't we just drive around a little and then have a coffee at some nice place somewhere, maybe with a view of the mountains?"

Ulrike thought for a moment and then suggested, "Okay, how about we drive to Garmisch-Partenkirchen? We could take the route via Landsberg am Lech, then drive south on the B17 which is part of the Romantic Road and continue on the B23 which is to some extent part of the Romantic Road and also of the German Alpine Road, so we could enjoy the great view while we are driving."

"That sounds wonderful," said Carmen. "How long does it take to get to Garmisch?"

"About 1.5 hours, I think. We can have a coffee there and then see where we want to go before we head back to the hotel."

"Perfect."

#

As they were nearing Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Carmen was so enraptured by the spectacular view of the Alps that Ulrike suggested they drive through Garmisch and up to Eibsee and take the cable car up to the Zugspitze.

Ulrike was not particularly fond of the idea of taking a cable car over which she had no control while they were swaying at uncomfortable heights, and she had kind of hoped that Carmen would decline and just agree to have a coffee at Eibsee. Alas, she was once more surprised by her partner.

Carmen thought it was a fantastic idea. She had been to the Andes twice, and she loved the view from cable cars, and of course from the mountain peaks. The majesty of nature never ceased to amaze her. And even though the Zugspitze was less than half as high as the highest Andean mountains, she still thought it would be beautiful to be at the top and have a look at the surrounding Alps. With the cloudless sky the view should be magnificent.

For the next twenty minutes Ulrike listened with interest to Carmen's stories about her experiences in the Andes, and she was amazed at how adventurous and courageous her partner could be. She herself had only ever been to places in Germany and Austria, not counting the visits to her grandparents in the GDR. Renato had offered more than once that she could stay at his family's place in Italy, but as much as she loved watching documentaries and reading books about other countries, she was not comfortable travelling to countries where she didn't know the language. Thus, she had always managed to find an excuse. Though, last year she had actually accepted the invitation, because Kalle would go as well. But then, one day before they had planned to leave, her mother had been taken into hospital, and she kept telling Ulrike that she was sure she was going to die, so Ulrike had cancelled, and Kalle went without her. Her mother's lethal illness had turned out to be a rather harmless gallbladder infection, and she was out of hospital after a few days. Ulrike had not been pleased about the missed opportunity, especially when Kalle returned and raved about the great time he had had in Italy.

Well, thought Ulrike as she turned into the parking lot in Eibsee, perhaps she could go there with Carmen someday.

"Oh, it's beautiful," said Carmen delighted, as she saw the blue-green lake surrounded by mountains.

"It is, isn't it? Would you like to go for a walk around the lake?" asked Ulrike. After all, Carmen had put on her new hiking boots at the car, and she had donned her down jacket again.

"No, I want to go up there!" said Carmen who had already spotted the cable car station.

Sighing, Ulrike followed her partner.

Ten minutes later, they had boarded the cable car and were moving upwards.

Ulrike gulped audibly as they were slowly floating above the treetops, causing Carmen to tear her eyes away from the stunning view.

"What's wrong?" asked Carmen as she saw Ulrike's pale face.

"Nothing," said Ulrike through clenched teeth.

Carmen barely suppressed a chuckle as she noticed her usually so courageous partner gripping the rail as if she were holding on for dear life. "What are you afraid of?"

"Isn't that obvious?" asked Ulrike.

"No, not to me," said Carmen while she admired the gorgeous view. "But if you mean you're afraid that we might crash, then how come you are still leaving the house. There are far more people killed on the road each day than people dying in cable car accidents."

"I just don't like heights," admitted Ulrike. "Especially not when there is no solid ground beneath my feet."

"So you don't like flying either?" asked Carmen surprised.

"No. I have successfully avoided it thus far."

"But you wanted to travel to Argentina with me? How did you think we'd cross the Atlantic?"

"I thought we could take a ship," said Ulrike.

Carmen chuckled, "That would take several weeks - one-way."

"Oh," uttered Ulrike, trying to focus on Carmen instead of the first approaching pylon. "I wasn't aware it would take that long. Didn't you come to Germany by ship?" Ulrike flinched as they passed the pylon so closely she feared they would smash right into it.

"Yes, but that was 1958," acknowledged Carmen, totally unaware of Ulrike's predicament as she marvelled at the stunning mountain panorama, completely unfazed by the pylon. "My father didn't want to pay the higher price for a flight, and we had time so it didn't matter that it took three weeks. But really, even if time didn't matter, I can think of a thousand better things to do in six weeks than being on a ship all day and night with nothing else to see but water in whichever direction you look."

"I thought that would actually be a rather impressive experience," said Ulrike, already dreading the second impending pylon, and the quickly approaching mountain. _Don't look down. Definitely don't look down_ , Ulrike told herself, fearing she would throw up if she did.

"It's impressive for the first day or two, but then it gets excruciatingly boring," said Carmen and turned back towards Ulrike, who was staring at the nearing pylon as if hypnotised, and she noticed the beads of sweat gathering on her partner's temple. Pulling a paper tissue from her pocket, Carmen put an arm around Ulrike, "Come here." And as Ulrike turned into the embrace, Carmen wiped her face and said, " _Schatz_ , why didn't you tell me that it is this terrible for you? I wouldn't have insisted to take the cable car."

"I didn't know. I've never been on a cable car before," croaked Ulrike and buried her face in Carmen's shoulder.

" _Ach je! Mein armer Schatz_ ," Carmen expressed her sympathy, not even noticing the curious looks they were attracting. "I'm so sorry."

When they finally stepped off the cable car and Ulrike's feet stood on solid ground again, she took several deep breaths while Carmen reassured her with a firm grasp on her shoulder.

"Okay," said Ulrike and straightened, "Let's go and have a look at the Alps."

Baffled at how quickly her partner shook off her discomfort, Carmen said, "If you would rather relax a little longer..."

"Nah," interrupted Ulrike, "We came here for the view, so let's not waste time here," she gestured at the cable station.

"All right," said Carmen, "If you are sure."

"Sure, I'm sure," said Ulrike, grinning. "Come on!"

They went up to the viewing platform, where some remnants of snow in the corners were an indication of the far lower temperatures at this height. Carmen was delighted, and even Ulrike was mesmerised by the spectacular 360° panoramic view. On this clear and sunny day you had a view over 400 mountain peaks in four countries, Austria, Switzerland, Italy and of course Germany. Most of the peaks were dusted with snow that shone dazzling white in the afternoon sun - a breathtaking image against the clear blue sky.

Once they had looked in all directions, Carmen bought a few souvenir postcards for her family and for Frau Krüger; and when she learnt that there was a post-box here at the top and that the postcards would even get a special postmark, she decided to write them right on the spot.

When Carmen was finally done, Ulrike asked, "Would you like to have a snack at the Münchner Haus now?"

"Later," said Carmen and pointing at the summit cross on the nearby peak, she declared, "I want to go up there!"

"You are kidding," said Ulrike, who did not feel any inclination whatsoever to climb the highest peak in Germany with only a thin rope between her and the deadly abyss.

"No, I'm not kidding. Now that I'm here, I want to get to the highest point too. Why do you think I put on the hiking boots?"

Ulrike sighed. "I thought you wanted to go for a walk around the lake."

Carmen tilted her head and said, "We can walk around lakes anytime, but climbing the highest point in Germany is a special occasion. Look, there's a ladder and there are ropes, you'll have solid ground beneath your feet. It's not dangerous at all."

"No, thanks," Ulrike refused. "If you want to do it, go ahead. I'm not going to play mountain goat!"

Searching Ulrike's face, Carmen hesitated for a moment, before she said, "All right."

" _Viel Spaß_!" Ulrike wished her fun.

"Thanks," said Carmen and was about to turn around when she thought of something. "Oh, since you are staying here, would you hold my jacket till I'm back?"

"Sure," said Ulrike and helped Carmen take off the bulky jacket.

She watched Carmen walk towards a group of alpinists to ask how she could get to the summit cross. They pointed in the direction they were headed, and Carmen joined them on the way, laughing and chatting.

Suddenly, Ulrike felt alone, and she cursed herself for being too chicken to accompany her partner. Sighing, she turned around and leant against the railing, looking down into the abyss where Carmen would soon appear to master the climb up to the summit cross.

For some reason, Ulrike had no problem looking down from this point, because the railing was sturdy and the terrace beneath her feet was solid. She had never had a problem climbing the old plum tree in the back yard as a child either. But even just imagining she were to climb on the narrow ridge with only a thin rope as a hand hold was far beyond her comfort zone; and realising that she had to ride the dreaded cable car again to get back down caused her to shudder.

Even though she had never felt an inclination to fly or to ride in a cable car, she had not known she would react quite that strongly to the cable car ride, and it bothered her.

Finally, she spotted Carmen among the crowd of fellow summiteers as they began their climb to the peak.

It was embarrassing to see Carmen climb on the ridge with such ease as if it was the most natural thing in the world. To think that she had been embarrassed about her lack of fitness... and just a while ago she had declared she was too exhausted to walk... and now she was climbing up that precarious looking ladder as if she would do it every day. Dumbfounded, Ulrike followed Carmen's progress on her way to the summit. Now, she could better understand how Carmen felt when she watched Ulrike doing bodybuilding exercises with ease. It was definitely not a pleasant feeling. _Damn!_ thought Ulrike as her competitive streak suddenly came out in full force, _I should practise what I preach. I can do this!_ And with determination, she strode towards the spot where Carmen and the alpinists had gone to get to the ridge.

A sign that warned of danger and cautioned to only continue with mountaineering equipment caused her to stop in her tracks. She gulped, but then she thought of Carmen who had done it without any equipment. Determined, she headed down the stairs, trying not to freak out about the fact that she could see the abyss through the steps.

Finally outside again, she got to a gate with another warning sign. She looked at Carmen's jacket which she was still carrying. She couldn't possibly put it over her own jacket and it was too bulky to tie it around her waist, but if she kept it in her hand she would only have one hand to grasp the rope and climb the ladder.

Her thoughts were interrupted when an elderly lady asked her in a strong Bavarian dialect if she was also waiting for her husband. "Wartn Si aa af Eana Mo?"

"Uh, no," said Ulrike, "I would like to follow my lady, but I don't know if I can manage the climb with her jacket."

The woman obviously needed a moment to process this information, but then she said, "Go follow her. I will hold the jacket for you." And when Ulrike hesitated, the woman added, "I'm not going to steal it, dear. I will tell my husband that we will wait for you here."

"All right," said Ulrike, and quickly taking Carmen's purse from the jacket pocket, she stuffed it into her own and explained, "She'd kill me if I left this to a stranger."

Smirking, the woman agreed and took the jacket, "Now off with you!"

"All right. Thank you. I'll be back as soon as possible."

"Take your time," warned the woman, "We don't want you to break your legs!"

Steeling herself, Ulrike opened the gate and began to climb down to the ridge.

Carefully, she moved forward step by step, both hands on the steel rope. She was so focussed on each step that she did not notice the people who were on their way back. Thus, when she was at the lowest - and narrowest - part of the ridge, she flinched when suddenly a crowd of people appeared seemingly out of nowhere blocking her path. Sweat breaking out on her forehead and palms, she held on for dear life as the throng of people climbed around her, pressing her closer towards the rope - and the glaring abyss. Squeezing her eyes shut, she fought against her growing desperation and the tears that threatened to spill. _Scheiße, Scheiße, Scheiße!_ she thought, cursing her situation and her stupid desire to prove that she could do it. At this moment, she would truly have preferred to feel like an embarrassed coward, waiting for her courageous partner to return.

When the group had finally passed, she took a deep shuddering breath and slowly moved on, profoundly grateful that no one was behind her, so at least she didn't feel pressured. A harsh, cold wind was starting to blow, making the rope feel icy against her bare hands. At the end of the ridge, the rope ended on this side and she had to take a step to the other side where another rope began. Now the climbing began. With one hand still grasping the rope, with the other bracing herself on the rocks, she set one foot in front of the other and carefully climbed up to the ladder.

She breathed a sigh of relief when she could finally grasp the rails of the ladder with both hands, the formerly so precarious appearing ladder now a welcome anchor in this terrifying experience.

Breathing heavily, she pressed herself against the ladder and shut her eyes, trying to calm down. This was a ladder, a solid steel ladder. Surely she could manage to climb a damned ladder. She had done it countless times. If only she could forget that she was close to 3000 metres high on a bloody mountain. _Don't think about it. Do not think about it! It's a sturdy ladder, and getting up there is a piece of cake!_

After what felt like an eternity, she finally straightened and opened her eyes. And summoning up all her courage, she started to climb up.

When she had mastered the ladder and got to a small plateau, she noticed an old man in a Bavarian jacket and knee-breeches sitting on a boulder. Thinking that he might be the husband of the old lady, she greeted him with the standard Bavarian greeting, " _Grüß Gott_! Are you okay?"

" _Griaß Eana God_!" the old man raised his hat and returned the greeting in his Bavarian dialect and replied, "Yes, yes, just taking a breather."

"All right," said Ulrike and smiled at him. "I'll move on then."

She waited for a group of people to pass her and then carefully took a step forward. However, as she glimpsed around the corner, she instantly reared back and pressed herself against the hard rock, one hand cramping in a painful grip around the cold steel rope. Breathing heavily, she knew there was absolutely no way she would go any further. There wasn't even the semblance of a path, just the side of the steep mountain cliff and the steel rope that led to the top. She would rather die than move around that corner.

"Have you lost your courage?" asked the old man.

_Fuck courage_ , she thought, _this is suicidal_! "Yeah," she replied.

"I managed it despite my old age," he said. "You're a young woman. You can do it too."

Slowly, Ulrike turned around to face the old man, and pressing her back against the rock, both hands now gripping the rope, she shook her head and said, "No. I take my hat off to you and my courageous lady up there, but I rather remain a coward."

"Nonsense! You're not a coward. You're just more sensible than I am. I'm an old fool. I fear I've exhausted myself with the climb," said the old man, and gesturing at his legs, he stated with dismay, "The muscles aren't as strong as they used to be."

"Oh boy, what are we going to do now?" And looking back the way she came, she quickly shut her eyes and croaked, "I don't even know how I'm going to get back."

Suddenly, Ulrike heard crunching noises from around the corner, and as she turned her head, she flinched back as suddenly someone stepped onto the plateau.

"Ulli! You are here!" exclaimed Carmen, visibly surprised and delighted.

"Yeah, well..." started Ulrike, but she didn't get any further as Carmen hugged her fiercely and kissed her on the mouth, obviously not caring about the old man.

When Ulrike did not return the embrace, as her hands were still grasping the rope, Carmen leant back to look at her partner. She jumped, when she heard the old man clear his throat.

"Ahem, I don't want to be a spoilsport, but I believe we'd better get off this mountain," said the old man, and pointing towards a large cloud formation that had appeared seemingly out of nowhere, he continued, "This doesn't look good."

Carmen looked in the direction the man was pointing and gasped as she saw the growing mass of clouds rolling towards them. "Thank you for the warning! Ulli, we have to get down!"

"Uh, okay," croaked Ulrike, and she turned around to face the rock. However, looking down towards the ladder and the ridge below, she gulped and her voice breaking, she squeaked, "I can't."

"You have to!" said Carmen sternly. "There's a thunderstorm approaching, and believe me, you don't want to get caught in it here."

Damn, this was embarrassing. Of course, Ulrike knew rationally that they had to get down, but she couldn't bring herself to move even a centimetre towards the abyss.

"Ulli!" Carmen urged her partner.

Suddenly, Ulrike felt a strong grip on her arm, and the old man said, "I've got you." And then he suddenly barked, "Move!"

Shocked out of her paralysed state, Ulrike moved a step away from the old man, and before she could start thinking again, he told her to move on, " _Weida, weida_!"

Slowly, but steadily, Ulrike climbed down to the ladder, the old man always keeping her arm in his grip until she reached a point where he could no longer support her without risking his balance. "Go on, the first rung is right beneath you," he encouraged her.

Carmen followed the two, alternating between looking at the approaching clouds and Ulrike and her own next step. The clouds had almost reached them now, and the wind was getting stronger and colder. Carmen shivered without her jacket, and her fingers were hurting from the icy cold.

When Ulrike reached the bottom of the ladder, the clouds engulfed them and the wind was whipping icy snowflakes against Ulrike's face. As painful as it was, there was one advantage which Ulrike welcomed - surrounded by clouds she could no longer see the abyss. She waited until she felt the old man next to her. "Can you see my partner?" she yelled against the howling wind.

"No," he yelled back and grasped Ulrike's arm again, "But we'll wait here for her."

"Thank you!"

"No worries," called the old man and he squeezed Ulrike's arm.

"You don't need to hold me anymore," shouted Ulrike, "See that you keep yourself safe!"

"All right," he acknowledged and let go of Ulrike's arm.

"Ulli?!"

"Yes," yelled Ulrike, "I'm here."

"Okay, let's move on," urged the old man.

Her face and her hands burning, Ulrike carefully climbed down. She could now barely see where she was stepping, so despite the biting cold, she took her time to make sure the ground was stable beneath her foot before she put her whole weight on it.

Meanwhile, Carmen was cursing herself for having taken off her jacket, and she wondered where it was, since Ulrike didn't have it anymore. She hoped it was still wherever Ulrike left it. The snowflakes stung like icy needles on her face and bare hands, and they accumulated in her hair despite the wind whipping it in all directions. She had tried to secure it by stuffing it into her pullover, but with only one hand it had not worked, and she had not dared to let go of the rope to use both hands. Her pullover was drenched by now and the accumulating layer of snow on it made it heavier too. Damn, she had never been this cold in her entire life!

In the Andes she had been with her uncle, and he had made sure they were properly prepared. Both times it had been summer, and the weather, though cold at these heights had been fantastic. And although the climbs had been far more challenging than this little climb, there had been nothing that had tarnished the memorable experience. And she had been twenty years younger!

Suddenly, she heard a muffled curse and bumped right into the old man. He had obviously stumbled and fallen to his knees.

"Are you all right?" asked Carmen, putting her hand on his shoulder.

He uttered another string of curses as he struggled to get up on the slippery, snowy rocks.

Quickly making sure she stood steady on both feet, Carmen let go of the rope and grasped the man's arm with both hands to help him up.

"Thank you!" he shouted, and waited till Carmen had grasped the rope again before he moved on.

He stumbled two more times, and Carmen, despite struggling herself, helped him up.

When Ulrike finally reached the bottom of the platform on the other side, hands reached for her and helped her up. As soon as she stood safely, two men stepped around her to help the old man up, while Ulrike found herself embraced by the old woman, "Dear God, I'm so glad you made it. Are you all right?"

"Yes, I'm okay," said Ulrike. "I'm just cold and exhausted."

The woman let her go and handed Ulrike Carmen's jacket, then she rushed to her husband, immediately giving him a lecture about climbing on mountains in his old age. She had told him that it was a bad idea and he should skip it, but no, he didn't listen.

Ulrike finally found her bearings and turned around to look for Carmen. The two men were just pulling her up, and Ulrike hurried towards her and wrapped the jacket around her.

Her teeth shattering, her whole body shivering, Carmen leant into Ulrike's embrace.

"Let's get you all inside!" said one of the men, and they all followed them up to the Münchner Haus.

An hour later, they were all sitting around a table in the warmth of the Münchner Haus, wrapped in blankets while their clothes hung over various chair backs to dry.

Carmen had an additional towel turban on her head and warmed her hands on a mug of mulled wine while she listened to the others' chatter.

They had shared a simple but hearty dinner, and for once Carmen did not complain. Neither the historic and rather simple, rustic ambience seemed to bother her, nor the grumpy remarks of the hut warden nor the fact that some people were looking curiously at them when Ulrike put her blanket around Carmen and kept rubbing her. And although she had not been pleased when she learnt that they had missed the last cable car and would have to stay overnight, she had accepted it without complaint. She was simply glad that they had escaped their adventure without any serious repercussions, although she wondered if she would ever get truly warm again.

Ulrike had called the hotel to inform them of their predicament and that they wouldn't return before mid-morning the next day. She was finally feeling her fingers again, and although she was still far from being comfortable, she was happy to be alive and vowed to never ever get up on a mountain again, be it by cable car or otherwise. She was a bit worried about Carmen because she was still feeling cold despite her down jacket and three blankets, one around her bare legs and two around her upper body, but she hoped that her partner would soon feel better as well.

They had made friends with the old couple, Herr and Frau Huber, and the two mountaineers, Sepp and Toni, who had helped them, and even the hut warden joined them for a friendly chat as things quietened down.

Frau Huber thanked Carmen for the umpteenth time for helping her husband, and Carmen replied, "Your husband saved my partner, so let's call it even hm?"

"Eh, I didn't really do anything," Herr Huber waved off Carmen's comment.

"Yes you did," said Ulrike. "I don't know if I could have made it without your help."

"Your lady could have done the same thing, she's quite a strong and courageous woman, your Carmen," he argued, "Might just have taken her a while longer to summon up the courage to bark at you to get you out of your frozen state." He winked at Carmen, an amused smile beneath his bushy moustache.

Carmen blushed, and Ulrike furthered her embarrassment as she countered, "Oh, I don't know, she can be quite fierce when I piss her off."

Herr Huber laughed, "I don't doubt it. Never 'piss off' your lady, or you'll never hear the end of it!"

"And don't climb on mountains when you're over 80!" added Frau Huber sternly.

Looking at the ceiling, Herr Huber sighed audibly, clearly indicating 'see what I mean?'

Carmen and Ulrike chuckled, and Sepp commented, "And don't climb on mountains when you're suffering from fear of heights either."

"Oh, don't worry; you'll never see me on a mountain ever again!" vowed Ulrike.

"Aw, but I love the mountains," said Carmen. "I think you should do something about this fear."

"I thought so too," stated Ulrike. "But the mountain clearly disagreed."

"I beg to differ," said Herr Huber. "The mountain did nothing to you. We're all safe and sound - except for my precious hat that's probably reached the Eibsee by now. And the weather actually helped you with your fear, didn't it?"

Hesitating for a moment, Ulrike replied, "Be that as it may, I'd rather continue appreciating the mountains from the bottom." And to Carmen she said, "I'm sure we can find other things to do that we both like."

Herr Huber couldn't help himself and commented, "If you haven't found those already, I'm not sure why you're calling her your lady."

Frau Huber smacked her husband on the arm, although even she could not suppress an amused grin as the others were roaring with laughter, while Ulrike and Carmen both flushed crimson.

The evening progressed with a lot of joking and laughter; and even Carmen began to feel warmer after her third mulled wine. At some point one of the mountaineers at the other table pulled out his harmonica and began to play tunes of traditional mountaineering tunes and other Bavarian and German songs. His friends began to sing to the tunes and soon others joined in. Even Herr Huber participated with his deep bass voice despite still being wrapped up in blankets.

Ulrike and Carmen didn't know any of the songs, and Frau Huber couldn't sing if her life depended on it, so they just enjoyed the cordial atmosphere and contented themselves with listening to the songs.

When the evening came to an end, and the warden wanted to close for the night, they all gathered their clothes, which were only partly dried yet, and moved down to the dorm in the cellar.

Carmen was not at all pleased when she saw that they would have to share not only the room but also the bunks with several others who stayed overnight. She had already strongly suspected that this mountain hut would not meet the level of comfort she was used to for the past decade, but she had not imagined that it would be this bad.

They had been assigned numbers which would place them in the middle of one of the communal bunks.

When Frau Huber noticed Carmen's discomfort, she offered, "We can change places, if you like. We got the two places near the wall."

Relieved, Carmen accepted the offer, "Thank you so much!"

"That's all right, dear," said Frau Huber. "We've often stayed in this and other mountain huts; haven't we Alois?"

" _Ja_ , Else," agreed Herr Huber. "And it's always been nice, hasn't it?"

" _Ja_ , nice memories they are," said Frau Huber with a smile and crawled onto the mattress.

Ulrike let Carmen sleep at the wall, so that she would only have Ulrike next to her. Then she spread their jackets out on top of their blankets, as they were almost dry and would provide some additional warmth. Once everyone had settled in and the lights were out, Carmen cuddled close to her partner.

Ulrike sucked in breath and whispered, "Gosh you are cold!"

"Y-yes," shivered Carmen. "I think I'm going to freeze to death."

Ulrike whispered close to Carmen's ear, "I could make you warmer, if you can be quiet."

Carmen shook her head and whispered, "No."

Ulrike didn't know if Carmen meant she couldn't be quiet or if she just didn't feel comfortable to engage in the suggested warming-up-activity, especially with all the other people around; but it didn't really matter. She wasn't that comfortable herself with the idea and had only offered it as the only solution she could think of to get Carmen warmer rather quickly. So, she just held Carmen close, trying to provide as much warmth as she could, and, against all odds, Carmen fell asleep rather quickly.

#

The next morning, Ulrike and Carmen were the last to wake up, and they found themselves covered by two additional layers of blankets.

"Good morning," said Frau Huber, who was in the process of putting on her jacket.

"'Mornin'," croaked Ulrike, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Mmh, good morning," groaned Carmen.

"I hope you are feeling better," said Frau Huber. "We let you sleep in as long as possible. You'll have a few minutes before you'll have to leave the room." And turning to leave, she added, "We're having breakfast upstairs."

"All right, thank you," said Ulrike. "We're coming." And with determination, she threw off the blanket and cried out in shock, "Waaah, shit this is cold!!!"

Carmen let out a similar scream, and they both agreed that body odour was definitely preferable to death by cold, and decided that they would postpone the shower till they were back at the hotel.

They dressed as quickly as possible, lamenting the fact that their jeans as well as Carmen's pullover were still damp, and headed upstairs.

"Good morning, you sleepyheads," greeted Sepp, he and Toni already ready to leave.

"Gosh, you're leaving already? It's still dark outside!" said Ulrike.

"The sun will rise in a few minutes. I want to prepare the camera and take a few shots," explained Toni.

"Ohh, I want to see this," said Carmen, despite dreading the cold.

"You're welcome to join us," offered Sepp.

"All right," said Ulrike hesitantly, "I'll just let the Hubers know."

It had snowed overnight, and an ankle deep layer of pristine white snow greeted them as they stepped out the front door.

"Beautiful!" breathed Carmen.

"Yeah," said Ulrike, "But I fear our shoes will never get dry again."

"Who cares?" said Carmen and followed Toni and Sepp.

Grumbling, Ulrike followed as well, not at all happy about the fact that the snow was creeping into her runners with every step. She wondered about Carmen's carefree attitude, especially after she had been so cold the previous evening and night. And why had she been so hesitant to go on a winter holiday the other day? At least they would be better prepared on a planned journey in winter.

Nevertheless, despite all the discomfort, once the sun rose, even Ulrike was entranced by the stunning beauty of the golden sunrise over the Alps.

Leaning against Ulrike, Carmen enjoyed the impressive natural spectacle until she could no longer ignore the icy cold and she shivered.

"Let's go back inside and have breakfast, hm?" said Ulrike.

Carmen nodded. "Yes," and with a last glance at the magical scenery, she turned around, and they trudged back to the Münchner Haus.

Over a hearty breakfast, they exchanged addresses and phone numbers with the Hubers as well as with Toni and Sepp, and Ulrike offered that if they ever came to Berlin, she would, of course, drive them around for free.

The Hubers declined. They had never been fond of cities and preferred to stay in country areas close to the Alps. However, if Ulrike and Carmen ever came to the Starnberg Lake, they should visit them by all means.

Sepp thought that his wife would probably be thrilled to visit Berlin because of the shopping opportunities, and Carmen said she would be delighted to show her around.

"I've actually wanted to go to Berlin for ages," said Toni, "I'd love to see the Berlin wall, or what's left of it."

"There isn't much left," said Ulrike. "But I can show you the places where they left parts of it as well as other historically interesting places."

"That would be awesome," said Toni. "Perhaps I can manage next spring."

"Cool," said Ulrike and looking at her watch, she turned to Carmen, " _Liebling_ , I think we should leave now. I told _Tante_ Hedwig that we'd be there for lunch, and we still have to pack, and I need to get the cheese for my mother."

"Do you think we can make it to Regensburg before noon?" asked Carmen.

"Probably not," said Ulrike, "But lunch will be at one, and I think we can manage that if we leave now."

"All right," said Carmen, and saying good bye to their new friends, they headed for the cable car station.

Yet again, the cable car ride was torture for Ulrike, and she was greatly relieved when they finally stepped onto solid ground again.

There was only a fine layer of snow at the Eibsee, and with the clear blue sky and the sun shining, the temperature was surprisingly mild compared to the Zugspitze's peak. Despite this, Ulrike and Carmen were glad when they finally were on their way to Irsee, the heater at full blast.

"How do you feel?" asked Ulrike as they were driving through Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

"Great!" said Carmen, "Now that I'm finally warm. I almost thought that would never happen again."

Ulrike chuckled. "Yeah, it was bloody cold up there!"

"Yes. What an adventure!"

"Indeed. And we made new friends," said Ulrike.

"I wouldn't exactly call them friends. I don't think we'll ever hear from them again," said Carmen.

"Don't be so pessimistic," scolded Ulrike. "I'm going to write each of them a postcard once we're back in Berlin."

"Good luck," said Carmen. "I've done that a few times with people I met on holidays. No one ever wrote back."

"Hm, not all do, I'll give you that," admitted Ulrike, "But I'm still sporadically in contact with a couple of people I met on holiday."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Robert, a guy I met at the Wörthersee in Austria. He has visited me twice in Berlin. He emigrated to the USA though, so I haven't seen him in over ten years, but we write two or three times a year. And then there's Volker and Wiebke, a couple from Hamburg, whom I met at the Chiemsee. I've visited them a few times in Hamburg and at their weekend house in St. Peter-Ording. They've been to Berlin once too, and their daughter, Inke, stayed at my place for a week last year."

"Wow, I really don't know how you do that," said Carmen, impressed.

"What? Meet people?"

"Well, not only meet people, but actually become friends with so many people."

Shrugging her shoulders, Ulrike said, "I don't know. I suppose it's my irresistible charm."

Carmen snorted.

"What? You don't think I'm charming?" asked Ulrike with feigned indignation.

Carmen chuckled and said, "You know I love you, _Schatz_ , but charming is not exactly an adjective I would use to describe you."

"So, what was it about me that caused you to make the first move?"

"Temporary insanity caused by midlife-crisis?" suggested Carmen and laughed when Ulrike now seriously looked indignant. "I really don't know what gave me the courage, Ulli. I have never made the first move before. I know I was attracted by your strong hands first, and when I looked into your eyes in the mirror I was lost."

"Hm, well, I don't think any of my friends is particularly interested in my hands or my eyes," said Ulrike. "I guess I'm just a rather extroverted person and I like socialising with friends."

"Yes," agreed Carmen, "That's probably it. Although I do like being with friends occasionally, I am far more introverted, and I also like being alone. Perhaps people feel that somehow."

"Perhaps," Ulrike conceded, "But maybe you just haven't met the right people yet."

"Maybe," said Carmen. "It would be nice if the Hubers would stay in contact. They are a cute old couple."

"Yeah, they are," agreed Ulrike. "Ah, look there's a supermarket; let's stop so I can cross the stupid cheese off my list."

#

Two hours later they were finally on their way to Regensburg. Ulrike had called her aunt to tell her that they might arrive a little later as they were only just leaving and it had started to rain - the story as to why they were leaving so late, she would explain later.

"Your aunt lives in a house, yes?" asked Carmen.

"Yes, a rather big one with a view onto the Danube," explained Ulrike. "They always wanted children; that's why they bought the big house. But for some reason they couldn't have children, so they only shared it with their dachshunds."

"Your aunt has dachshunds?"

"She has only one now - Trudi. My uncle used to breed them and train them for hunting. He was a hunter himself. When he died two years ago, my aunt sold all their dachshunds to hunter friends of my uncle's because she couldn't do them justice as they were trained for hunting and would go crazy without work. She only kept Trudi from their last litter. Gosh, she was so tiny, and my uncle thought she would never make a good working dog. So, when he died a few weeks later, _Tante_ Hedwig thought Trudi would be perfect for her as a companion dog. She's quite a handful though. I fear my aunt doesn't have my uncle's skill when it comes to obedience training." Ulrike chuckled. "But damn, I love that dog, and I'm looking forward to seeing her again."

"Have you ever had a dog yourself?" asked Carmen.

"Yes. When Nobbi and I were kids, we had a Cocker Spaniel named Lumpi," said Ulrike.

"Lumpi," Carmen chuckled. "Cute. And after Lumpi?"

"He was the only dog I had," said Ulrike. "I'd love to have a dog again, but since I have to work, it would be cruel to the dog."

"Well, yes," said Carmen, "Cats are easier in that regard. Although I am hoping that Tabitha behaves while I'm gone. I really don't want to cause Frau Krüger more trouble than necessary."

"I believe Frau Krüger can hold her own pretty well," said Ulrike, grinning.

"Well, but you know Tabitha..."

"Yeah, but I also know Frau Krüger. My bet is on Frau Krüger."

"You are biased," said Carmen.

"Hah! If I were biased, I would bet on Tabitha," countered Ulrike, "Because she really can be a bitch!"

"So, why are you betting on Frau Krüger?"

"Because, that lady is so resourceful, I'm sure she'll think of something to prevent Tabitha from causing trouble."

"Well, we'll see," said Carmen. "I hope you are right."

#

" _Hallo_ , Ulrike," greeted _Tante_ Hedwig when Ulrike stepped out of the car. "It's good to see you, dear." The cheerful elderly woman engulfed her niece in a warm bear hug, and then turned towards Carmen, "And you must be Carmen. What a pleasure to finally meet you."

" _Guten Tag,_ Frau Wagner. Nice to meet you too," greeted Carmen politely and offered her hand for a handshake.

_Tante_ Hedwig would have none of it, "You can call me _Tante_ Hedwig, as everyone in the family does," and instead of taking the offered hand, she drew Carmen into a hug as well.

Carmen was surprised at how different _Tante_ Hedwig was from Ulrike's mother. Despite them being sisters, there was no resemblance at all between them, neither in looks nor in behaviour. While Else was the same height as Carmen, Hedwig was almost as tall as Ulrike; she was rather rounded, while Else tended more towards being slender; and while Else wore her grey hair in a rather old fashioned perm, Hedwig had hers tied into a neat bun at her neck. Also, except from her bun, Hedwig did not appear particularly austere like Else did. Instead she seemed like a jovial and outgoing person with a healthy rosy complexion. And with her dark green loden skirt and a blouse with an embroidered mallard couple, she looked indeed like a hunter's wife, thought Carmen.

"Come in, come in," said _Tante_ Hedwig as Ulrike went to the boot. "You can unpack later, the dumplings are ready and I'm keeping the roast warm."

"Okay, I'll just get _Mutti's_ cheese, to put it in the fridge," said Ulrike.

"Cheese?"

"Yeah, she wanted me to bring Allgäuer Emmentaler," clarified Ulrike and grabbing the packet, she closed the boot."

Looking at the package of cheese as they all went inside, Hedwig said, "Else can get the exact same one in Berlin."

Ulrike rolled her eyes and said, "That's what I told her, but she insisted it tastes different when I buy it in Allgäu."

Smirking, _Tante_ Hedwig shook her head and said, "My, Ulrike, sometimes you can be as obtuse as your _Onkel_ Herbert - God rest his soul! She certainly meant a different brand, one you can't get in Berlin."

"Well, she didn't say that," protested Ulrike. "She also told me to get her a few bottles of that beer you always bring, but they didn't have it at the supermarket. You don't happen to have a few bottles?"

Hedwig laughed while Ulrike was greeted by a whining and tail-wagging Trudi. "Else wanted to make really sure, didn't she? She called me the other day to tell me to give you a few bottles for her."

Ulrike groaned. It just figured that her mother had been nagging her sister as well. She obviously didn't trust her daughter with even the simplest task. But Ulrike didn't dwell on thoughts about her mother as she was now sitting on the floor in the hallway, cuddling Trudi, who beslobbered her face in joyful excitement.

"Come," said Hedwig to Carmen, "I've set the table already."

Carmen followed Hedwig into a large wood-panelled kitchen. An upholstered corner bench with a table for at least six people dominated the room. Several pairs of antlers in various sizes and taxidermied native birds adorned the long window side, while a shelf with pewter mugs and plates crowned the window on the short side. A room-high green tiled stove provided cosy warmth on this chilly October day.

"Ulrike, are you coming too?" called Hedwig.

"Yes, yes, I'm coming," said Ulrike and ruffling Trudi's fur a final time, she wiped her face with her sleeve and got up, intending to join the others.

"Wash your face!" called Hedwig from the kitchen.

Rolling her eyes, Ulrike called back, "Yeees."

Carmen chuckled. From her place at the kitchen table she had witnessed Ulrike's deed with disgust, however, _Tante_ Hedwig couldn't have seen it from her position at the oven, but she obviously knew Ulrike's antics well enough to issue a warning without needing a visual.

"She just used her sleeve to wipe her face, didn't she?" asked Hedwig as she put the roast on the table, and as Carmen nodded, still chuckling, Hedwig stated, "My, that girl will never learn manners! She's just like my Herbert in that regard."

Carmen was truly glad that Hedwig had interfered. She knew she wouldn't have dared to say anything as not to compromise her partner in front of her aunt, but ugh she would have had trouble eating with a beslobbered Ulrike sitting next to her. Sometimes Ulrike really could be a pig.

"Mmmh, it smells good," said Carmen as Hedwig started serving the roast with potato dumplings and red cabbage.

"Pork roast with crackling and dunkel beer sauce is one of Ulrike's favourites," said Hedwig. "I always make it at least once when she's here."

"Ah, that's good to know," said Carmen, thinking that if she liked it, she might ask Hedwig for the recipe.

"What is good to know?" asked Ulrike as she finally entered the kitchen.

"That pork roast is one of your favourite meals," said Carmen.

"Ah, yes it is," said Ulrike, "But only in Bavaria."

"Why only in Bavaria?" asked Carmen.

"Because most of the things I eat in Bavaria are special to me. I wouldn't want to eat them anywhere else. I associate them with holidays, and Bavarian landscape and Bavarian dialect. They make me think of forests and mountains and especially pork roast makes me think of _Tante_ Hedwig and dachshunds and _Onkel_ Herbert. If I had it anywhere anytime it would no longer be special."

"Wow, I never knew you put so much thought into food," said Carmen.

"Neither did I," said _Tante_ Hedwig. "I always thought you didn't have it at home because it was too much work for Else and you to make it yourselves."

"Oh, it would definitely be too much for me, and I don't think _Mutti_ would be thrilled to attempt it either," acknowledged Ulrike, and with a smile at Carmen, she continued, "Carmen would probably manage, she's a great cook and makes the fanciest things."

Carmen blushed and focussed on cutting a piece of roast on her plate.

"But," Ulrike continued, "I'd really rather you don't make anything Bavarian for me."

"All right, I won't," said Carmen.

"What sort of 'fancy things' do you cook?" asked Hedwig.

"Eh, they aren't really fancy. Ulrike is just exaggerating," said Carmen. "For Ulrike a medium boiled egg is fancy."

Ulrike laughed. "True, but what you do is _really_ fancy. Like the _Spritzkuchen_ you made, or the Alfajores - gosh, those are phenomenal! Or that milanesa whatchamacallit, that's to die for!"

"Spritzkuchen I know, of course," said Hedwig, "But what are these other things?"

While Carmen explained, Ulrike could no longer resist Trudi's hypnotising dachshund eyes and she secretly slipped her a piece of pork roast. She knew very well that she should not do this; that salty human food was not good for dogs, and with any other dog she had always managed to stay firm, but with Trudi it was different.

Ulrike had been here on holidays when the tiny little dachshund was born, and for her she was the cutest of the whole litter. She had not liked how her uncle had talked about Trudi, and although she had of course been sad when he died, she had also been overjoyed when Hedwig told her that she would keep Trudi. And the little dachshund had eventually made up for her initial deficit in size and had grown into a normal sized, perfectly proportioned red longhaired dachshund - with a look that, although typical for all dachshunds, had a special magical power that melted Ulrike's heart.

Nonetheless, she only ever gave her one single piece of whatever meat they were having, and Trudi seemed to know this, as once she had got that one piece, she always stopped begging and quietly moved into her basket.

#

After they had finished lunch and unpacked their luggage, Ulrike and Carmen accompanied Hedwig and Trudi on a walk. Behind the house, a large meadow stretched out, upwards until it ended at a forest that climbed up to a strung-out range of hills. The sky was overcast, and the air was chilly, but at least it did not rain. Hedwig had now donned a dark green loden cape and a felt hat of the same colour, looking even more like a hunter's woman, sans rifle. Trudi was charging ahead off leash, occasionally sniffing at interesting spots.

Ulrike was just telling Hedwig about their adventure at the Zugspitze when Trudi suddenly barked and raced forward into the woods.

Hedwig blew a whistle, but as she had already feared, Trudi did not listen. So, they all hurried uphill in the direction of where the dachshund had disappeared. Together they searched the forest, but the dog was nowhere to be found.

"Trudi!"

"Truuudiii!"

They all called out for the dog, but the dachshund remained missing.

When Ulrike reached the path at the top of the hill and looked around, she stopped in her tracks and shook her head at the sight that greeted her.

The dachshund was happily groaning as she was rolling around in a pile of fresh horse droppings, blissfully unaware that she was being watched.

"Ewww, that's disgusting!" exclaimed Carmen as she reached Ulrike.

Huffing and puffing, Hedwig caught up to them. "Trudi!" she called sharply and she strode forward but then leant on Ulrike's shoulder to take a breather. "My, this dog is wearing me out!"

Meanwhile Trudi had finally noticed the arrival of her human friends, and forgetting about the horse droppings, she trotted towards them, tail wagging and sat down in front of Ulrike, looking up at her, a huge grin on her soiled face.

" _Mensch_ Trudi _, du bist vielleicht ne Marke_ ," Ulrike commented on the dog's funny eccentric behaviour.

"You can say that again," said Hedwig. "I tell you, I've already had to bath this dog more often than all the other ones combined."

"Oh come on, you're exaggerating," said Ulrike, defending her favourite dachshund.

"Perhaps," said Hedwig as she put a leash on Trudi to get her home without another incident. "But in over 40 years of owning and breeding dachshunds, there has never been one as badly behaved as Trudi."

"Well, that's probably because _Onkel_ Herbert trained them," suggested Ulrike as they were moving downhill.

Raising an eyebrow at Ulrike, Hedwig said, "You think I haven't learnt one or two things about training dogs during all this time?"

"I didn't say that," said Ulrike. "I'm just thinking that _Onkel_ Herbert must have had a few tricks up his sleeve that you may not know about."

"That might be true," sighed Hedwig. "I wish I could ask him."

Putting an arm around her aunt's shoulder, Ulrike said, "I know."

And they went the rest of the way in silence, even Trudi no longer misbehaved.

#

Since Ulrike had offered to bath Trudi, Carmen asked Hedwig if she could help in the kitchen.

"There isn't much you can help with, dear," said Hedwig. "I'll just brew us some coffee and I have baked _Zwetschgendatschi_." Hesitating a moment, she opened the cupboard and said, "Well, I guess you could set the table if you like."

"Sure," said Carmen, and she took the plates Hedwig handed her.

"I hope you don't mind that Ulrike is occupied with Trudi," said Hedwig questioningly.

"Not at all," said Carmen. "It's nice to see how much she loves Trudi."

"Well, that's good to hear," said Hedwig as she put the cups on the counter. "You seem to be far more suitable for Ulrike than Gitti ever was, if I may say so."

Carmen felt weird being compared to her partner's ex, and she didn't know how to respond. But she listened intrigued when Hedwig rambled on...

"Gitti never liked it when Ulrike played with the dogs, and she always complained when Ulrike went on walks with her uncle and the dogs. She never went with them, although neither Ulrike nor my husband would have minded. But she preferred going to pubs in the city, dancing, partying all night. I don't know how Ulrike managed to put up with her for so long." While Carmen arranged the cups and silverware, Hedwig put the cake on the table and brewed the coffee, all the while chatting. "But being alone wasn't good for her either. Although, she never complained, mind you. I bet she was too afraid to end up with another Gitti. I'm glad she found you. You seem a lot calmer and far more mature than Gitti. And I can see that you're good for Ulrike. She has this certain fire in her eyes again. I haven't seen that in ages."

Carmen smiled at Hedwig as she ended her ramblings. "Thank you, for telling me this. I'm certainly not a party-goer, and I love going on walks. I have a cat myself, and I like dogs too, although, I admit that I would not have offered to bath Trudi in that state she was in."

Hedwig laughed. "Not many people would fancy bathing a dachshund that has rolled in poop. I don't either, but since my Herbert is no longer here to do it, I have to regardless of whether I like it or not. I'm glad that Ulrike is not as prissy as we are!"

Chuckling, Carmen said, "Yes, it certainly comes in handy."

#

In the evening, they all sat in the living room, watching a German television series they all liked. _Tante_ Hedwig was knitting in her comfortable armchair, and Carmen and Ulrike sat on the large sofa, with Trudi partly lying on Ulrike's lap.

Carmen no longer focussed on the TV. A content smile on her face, she allowed herself to relish in the peaceful atmosphere that wasn't even tainted by the taxidermied forest animals, though she still thought they were horrible. But for some reason she could not explain, there was an air about the house that seemed to say 'You are welcome here', and it made her feel relaxed in such a profound way as she had never experienced before.

All the worries and sorrows that were usually lurking in the background, just waiting to ambush her thoughts as soon as the slightest opportunity arose, were suddenly no longer there, or if they were, they were of no importance. Nothing mattered at this moment but the here and now, the feeling of her beloved partner next to her, the comfort of the cushioned sofa, the pleasant warmth that radiated from the voluminous brown tiled stove. Even the slight snoring of the dachshund and the rhythmic clicking of Hedwig's knitting needles, which Carmen noticed despite the noise of the TV, were not distracting but rather enhanced the cosy atmosphere.

She was roused from her blissful state when Ulrike and Hedwig chuckled about something on the TV.

Ulrike noticed that Carmen had not laughed and she looked at her and asked, "Everything okay?"

"Yes, very much so," said Carmen softly, and she squeezed Ulrike's hand for emphasis. "I just didn't pay attention"

"Ah, okay," said Ulrike, smiling, and turned her gaze back towards the TV.

Later, Ulrike made herself comfortable in bed while Carmen was in the bathroom, when she heard the tell-tale clack-clack-clack of Trudi's approaching steps on the wooden floor. Grinning, she folded up the blanket and the dachshund happily took the nonverbal invitation and jumped onto the bed. With a few content groans, Trudi positioned herself in Ulrike's arms, and Ulrike covered them both with the blanket, ruffling the dog's fur as she hugged her close.

None of her uncle's dogs had ever been this close to her. Oh, she could walk them and play with them, and they liked cuddling on the sofa, but they were nonetheless clearly attached to her uncle, and none of them would ever come to bed with her. She didn't really know why Trudi was different. After all, she didn't see Ulrike any more often than any of her uncle's dogs did. But for some reason Trudi had always shared a special bond with her. From the day she was born, Ulrike felt that Trudi was special. Even though she had been so weak and tiny that her uncle hadn't even been sure she would make it. Perhaps it was for this very reason that Ulrike had fallen in love with the little dachshund. She was different, in a way. And she was so frail and helpless that Ulrike felt she needed a lot more love and care than the others.

Because of Trudi, Ulrike had granted herself a prolonged holiday back then. She had always been welcome at her aunt's place for as long as she liked; the house was certainly big enough, she even had her own room here. That summer she had stayed for four weeks, and then two days before she had planned to leave, her uncle had a stroke. Of course she had postponed her journey home to help her aunt with the dogs. Her mother had come too, with Nobbi. Ulrike screwed up her face when she recalled that the first thing her brother had said to her was, "Could you look at the brakes, please, I think there's something wrong." Not even a "Hello," or "How's _Onkel_ Herbert", no, his first words had been about his wretched rust bucket! Not the same one he was driving now, mind you. The one he had then had given up the ghost a few months later if she remembered correctly. Why her brother could not manage to save enough money to get a car that lasted a bit longer than just a year or two was beyond her.

Trudi groaned, obviously sensing that Ulrike had tensed up.

Nuzzling the dog's ear, Ulrike muttered, "You're right, thinking about Nobbi doesn't do me any good." Her thoughts drifted back to memories of Trudi, and by the time Carmen returned from the bathroom, Ulrike - and Trudi - were fast asleep.

Carmen stopped in her tracks as she saw the image in front of her. Her first thought was an image of Trudi soiled with horse poo and she shuddered with disgust. But quickly she reminded herself that Ulrike had bathed the dog, and in any case, the view of her partner sleeping with the dachshund in her arms was far too cute to complain. She gazed lovingly at the two until she finally shook her head and climbed into bed next to Ulrike.

#

The next day right after an early breakfast, Ulrike and Carmen went to explore the old town of Regensburg with its many medieval Patrician buildings, Romanesque and Gothic churches, and the 12th century Stone Bridge.

It also had a lot of nice little boutiques and jewellers, as Carmen discovered with delight. However, since most of the historical centre was a pedestrian zone, they had parked the Alfa in a car park at the edge of the centre, so when Ulrike told Carmen in no uncertain terms that she was not willing to lug countless shopping bags around for the rest of the day, Carmen reluctantly refrained from going overboard with the shopping.

Despite her greatest efforts though, she was not able to restrain herself entirely, and since Ulrike still refused to help carrying the bags with her newly acquired possessions, Carmen had to pay the consequences herself. Initially, this hadn't been a problem, but now her arms were getting heavier and her back was killing her. Nudging Ulrike, she said, "This café looks nice. Let's have a break, hm?"

"Again?!" asked Ulrike and looked at her watch, "We only just took a break half an hour ago."

"Well, I need a break," said Carmen as she strode off towards the café.

Sighing heavily, Ulrike followed. This was getting annoying, and she wondered if she should help Carmen after all. On the other hand, she really could not fathom why anyone would buy so many unnecessary things, especially since you could probably get most of them just as easily in Berlin. She had sort of understood with most of the things Carmen bought in Füssen and Bad Wörishofen, because those were either useful for their holiday or they were things she couldn't get in Berlin. But why on earth did she have to buy two cashmere skirts and two pairs of trousers? Not only were they hugely expensive brands she could most certainly get in Berlin, but also Ulrike knew the extent of her partner's wardrobe. That lady could open a boutique with all her clothes and shoes! Why anyone would have that many clothes and shoes was already beyond Ulrike's comprehension, but why Carmen would even add to these masses truly baffled her.

Ulrike's complete wardrobe fit in a closet that wasn't even half the size of Carmen's bedroom closet, and there was still a lot of room left. And the most expensive item was the down jacket she was wearing. She had bought it several years ago in the men's department of a special sportswear shop. And although the zip no longer worked smoothly and she had had to darn two of the pockets already, she still loved this jacket. It was warm, and had more pockets than she could ever use. Of course Carmen was not so fond of Ulrike's beloved jacket. In Füssen, she had tried to convince Ulrike to buy one like the one she had bought, but Ulrike would rather wear hers till it fell apart than squeeze herself into such an impractical formfitting jacket with only three far too small pockets. She had given in and bought some pyjamas in the women's department, but she steadfastly refused to budge on the jacket.

"Are you coming?" asked Carmen as she was about to open the door to the café.

"Yes, yes," replied Ulrike and hurried to catch up.

Looking at Ulrike as they were drinking their coffee, Carmen said, "I know what you want to say."

"Yeah? What?" asked Ulrike.

"That you have warned me not to buy so much."

Slowly shaking her head, Ulrike said, "Nope, that's actually not what I wanted to say."

"No?" asked Carmen surprised. "What then?"

"I was actually going to offer to take your bags to the car while you have a look at the cathedral. I'll drive around and park somewhere east of the centre, and we can meet for lunch at the Weltenburger am Dom."

"Hm, how much further is it to the cathedral?"

"It's just around the corner," said Ulrike.

"Then why would you walk all the way back?" asked Carmen. "We can visit the cathedral, have lunch, and then take a taxi to the car, just as we did in Wörishofen."

"Look," said Ulrike, "As much as I love driving a taxi, I don't particularly fancy paying for one if it's not necessary. I have seen the cathedral many times, and you are struggling with the bags, so I'm offering to take them back and get the car, then you can visit the cathedral without having to carry the bags, and we won't have to pay for a taxi."

Carmen smiled. "Why don't we compromise? You carry the bags for the rest of the way and I pay the taxi. Then you won't have to walk back, and I won't have to carry the bags."

Groaning, Ulrike accepted, and she hoped they wouldn't come across any more shops that caught Carmen's interest before they got to the cathedral.

#

"I suppose you don't fancy any more walking?" asked Ulrike as they were back in the Alfa.

"Not particularly. Why? What did you have in mind?"

"Well, we could drive to the Walhalla, have a look at the busts in the temple and then enjoy the great view down onto the Danube and surrounding area. But we can't park at the top, so we'd have to walk a bit uphill from the parking area."

"Hm, how long does the walk take?"

"Honestly, I can't remember. I would estimate, perhaps five or ten minutes, but it's been awhile since I've been there. I just remember that the walk from the back of the hill is a lot easier than the one from the Danube side. For that one you have to climb a seemingly endless number of steps. It's a gorgeous experience, but even I wouldn't fancy that after all the walking we did today."

"Well, five or ten minutes doesn't sound too bad. Let's do it," said Carmen.

"All right," said Ulrike, smiling, and started the engine.

They took the Nibelungen Bridge over the Danube to get to the northern shore, and Carmen admired the view of the river and the city with its beautiful cathedral as she looked back. And as they continued on towards the Walhalla, Carmen noted, "Bavaria really is a beautiful part of Germany."

"Indeed," said Ulrike. "If I weren't so tied to Berlin, I'd love to live here."

"Really? Hm, I don't know. I think if I were to choose another place to live, I would go back to Argentina."

"Oh? I thought you weren't happy with the politics there."

Carmen made a face, "So what? I'm not happy with German politics either. Do you base your love for Bavaria on Bavarian politics?"

"Nah," said Ulrike, "Okay, point taken. Although, I don't think Bavarian politics is really that bad."

"Don't tell me you would vote for the CSU," said Carmen.

"I don't vote for any party because they all suck one way or another," stated Ulrike.

Carmen sighed. "I guess you're right. I suppose I always vote for the lesser evil, rather than not voting at all."

"Oh, I do vote," stated Ulrike, and she explained with a grin, "I always put a cross for each party that has at least one programme point I agree with."

"I see," said Carmen. "But I don't know if voting invalid will accomplish anything."

"Probably not, but what does your voting for the 'lesser evil' accomplish?"

"Nothing, really," admitted Carmen, "Even if the party I vote for wins, it usually turns out to be worse than before."

Ulrike nodded, "Yep, that's the way it is. And that's why I'm not going to help any of them to get elected until there is a party I fully agree with."

"I don't think that will ever happen, unless you founded one of your own," said Carmen.

"Yeah, well, unfortunately I'm not that much into politics that I would want to make it a fulltime job. So, I guess, I'll just keep protesting in my own insignificant way. But enough of politics; we're here," said Ulrike as she turned into the parking area. "Let's enjoy the beautiful scenery and glorious people of German history."

The sky had cleared up, and the sun was shining, lighting up the autumn foliage of the forest in a sea of gold and yellow, as they walked the trail uphill towards the Walhalla.

They weren't the only tourists on the trail. Quite a crowd of people were swarming upwards while others passed them on their way back.

When they finally reached the top, Carmen and Ulrike halted to take in the view of the impressive white limestone temple framed by the blue and white Bavarian sky. Modelled after the famous Parthenon in Athens, it looked imposing with its Doric columns sitting on a massive stone base.

"You could think we are in Greece," said Carmen.

"Yeah, except that this temple is still intact."

"Well, it is a lot younger, isn't it?"

"Yes, of course," agreed Ulrike as they walked the rest of the way to the temple. "Want to have a look inside?"

"Sure," said Carmen as they climbed the steps up to the colonnades.

"Okay, the entrance is on the other side. There's an entrance fee though. So, I'll stay outside, since I've already been inside two or three times, and there isn't really that much to see. But it's worth seeing it at least once, in my opinion."

"Okay," said Carmen, and as they reached the front side, she exclaimed, "Wow, the view really is beautiful!"

"Mhm," agreed Ulrike as she leant against one of the columns and looked down across the Danube valley.

"All right. Are you going to wait here?" asked Carmen as she turned her gaze to the huge entrance doors.

"Yep, sure."

Half an hour later, Ulrike was already beginning to wonder what was taking Carmen so long, when her partner finally stepped out of the temple.

Carmen walked over to Ulrike and said, "That was interesting."

"It must have been," said Ulrike, "You've spent quite a long time in there."

"Really? It didn't feel that long to me. I have been reading all the plaques too."

"Ah, okay, I did that the first time too. I wish we could sit down a bit, but the stone is bloody cold."

"Hm, maybe we can manage for a few minutes? I would like to enjoy the view and rest my legs at least for a bit before we walk back down."

"Well, my butt is already frozen, but I guess it can take a few more minutes."

"Frozen meat keeps fresh longer," joked Carmen and sat down on the stone step.

Ulrike snorted. "Gosh, I didn't see that one coming!" And sitting down next to Carmen, who grinned at her, she said, "You seem to be in an exceptionally good mood. How come?"

Raising her eyebrows, Carmen asked, "Do I need a reason for being in a good mood?"

"Uh, nope," said Ulrike. "It's really nice when you're being humorous."

Leaning against Ulrike, looking into the distance, Carmen said, "It's really nice being here with you. I mean not just exactly here, but on this holiday; just the two of us with no work or family or other responsibilities distracting us."

"Mh, that's true," agreed Ulrike and leant her head against Carmen's as she held her close.

"It's a pity that this is our last day."

"We still have tomorrow."

"Not really," said Carmen. "We'll have to leave after breakfast. I don't want to risk getting home too late. I need to be at school early on Monday."

"Oh well, then let's not think about tomorrow, let's enjoy today."

"Hm, agreed," said Carmen and snuggled closer.

They sat like this for quite a while before Carmen noted, grumbling, "Mmm now my butt is freezing too. Let's go home. To your aunt's I mean."

Getting up, Ulrike reminded, "But it won't be just the two of us there."

"I know," said Carmen, "But I like your aunt, and Trudi loves you. I don't know how often you visit them, but going by Trudi's behaviour it is far too rarely, and she would certainly love to spend more time with you."

Gently putting her arms around Carmen's waist, Ulrike said with deep felt emotion, "Have I told you lately that I love you?"

Carmen smiled. "Yes, and I love you too."

Ulrike pulled Carmen closer, and they shared a tender kiss, not caring about the crowd of people that were milling around them.

They were interrupted by a click and a flash.

"What the..." started Ulrike seriously annoyed.

"Take it easy!" said a guy with a Polaroid camera in his hands, a bigger camera around his neck, and a large bag slung over his shoulder. "I'm sorry, I just couldn't let this opportunity pass. No worries, you'll get the photo, of course," and he took the photo from the camera. Before handing it to Ulrike, he asked, "May I see it first?"

Sighing, still somewhat annoyed about the interruption, Ulrike said, "Sure," and they waited till the photo was ready.

"Beautiful!" said the guy, and with a wide grin he presented the photo to Ulrike and Carmen.

"Oh, it really is beautiful," said Carmen as she looked at the image of the two of them kissing next to one of the columns, the beautiful landscape and blue sky in the background. And as Ulrike agreed, Carmen took out her purse and offered the guy a 10 DM note.

"No, no," he waved her off, "I don't expect any payment. I just can't bear missing an opportunity. That's the only reason why I have this camera. But if you would like me to take some professional photos of you, I'd gladly accept. You make a really nice couple. Here's my card."

Ulrike took the business card he offered, and asked Carmen, "What do you think? Shall we let him take a few photos of us here?"

Carmen nodded enthusiastically but the photographer interrupted, "Oh, no not here and now. I'm only here on holidays. I don't have the right equipment with me."

Pointing at the camera around his neck, Ulrike said, "You've got a camera there, no?"

"Yes, but..."

"Look, Herr Kühn, we're here on holidays too. We're from Berlin, and we're leaving tomorrow. And I'm not sure we'll ever get to Cologne," she pointed at his card. "Think of it as an opportunity. You can make the best of the equipment you have, and take some nice photos of us, or we're off. What do you say?"

Looking at his bag, he hesitated for a moment, and then he said, "All right, deal. The equipment I have with me is not perfect for these sorts of shots, but I might be able to improvise a little to get a few nice images. I'll see how they turn out, and I'll send you an offer depending on the quality. "

"Sounds like a plan," said Ulrike.

Thus, they spent the following hour moving around in the colonnades and on the front steps of the Walhalla, positioning themselves and adjusting their postures according to the photographer's directions until Carmen really couldn't take it anymore, and she said, "I believe that's enough. I'm getting tired and my feet are killing me."

_Thank Goodness!_ thought Ulrike, who had not dared voicing her annoyance about being ordered around.

"All right," acknowledged Herr Kühn, "The film is almost full anyway."

Ulrike handed him one of her business cards. "If you ever need a taxi in Berlin..."

"Hey, that's cool," said Herr Kühn, "I have actually planned on going to Berlin next spring. I have a car, but I could use some insider tips on where to get not so common interesting shots."

"Well, I'm not a photographer, so I don't know how much I can be of help, but if you give me a few hints as to what sort of things you would find interesting, I'll see what I can do."

"Hm, I'll think of something," said Herr Kühn, and suddenly his eyes lit up, "Maybe we could do a photo story - a day in the life of a Berlin taxi driver - or something like that."

Ulrike furrowed her brow, "I'm not sure that would make for an interesting story."

"Oh, I think it would," said Herr Kühn. "I'll think about it. And I'll let you know."

They said good bye and Ulrike and Carmen headed back towards the parking area.

On the way, Carmen noted, "It really never ceases to amaze me how quickly you make new contacts. It doesn't seem to matter where you go or what you do. You just seem to attract people like a magnet."

"Actually," Ulrike argued, "Herr Müller seemed to be far more attracted by you, _Liebling_. For which I'm not blaming him. You're definitely the more attractive one to photograph."

Waving off Ulrike's comment, Carmen said, "But he wants to make a photo story with you."

"Come on," said Ulrike, "That's just a crazy idea of his. I'm sure he'll get a thousand other ideas between now and spring. He needs a guide to show him interesting places, and I bet it's all the same to him, whether that be me or you."

"I don't think it's all the same to him - I wouldn't know what places to show him," said Carmen.

"Neither do I," said Ulrike, "Unless he gives me some more specifics."

"I wouldn't even want to guide a stranger," admitted Carmen.

"See, that's the difference between us. Guiding strangers is part of my job and I love it, if I know what they are looking for."

"And that's why it would not be the same to him if I were to be his guide."

"Well, if you put it this way...," acknowledged Ulrike.

"Still, you aren't running around with a plate that says, 'Hey, I'm a taxi driver from Berlin, and I love meeting new people'. So, how you manage to attract people, without them knowing anything about you, is still a miracle to me."

Ulrike grinned. "I just say - irresistible charm."

"I'm beginning to believe you," said Carmen.

#

They spent the rest of the day with _Tante_ Hedwig and Trudi. Ulrike and Hedwig taught Carmen a new card game, and later Ulrike and Carmen went for a walk with Trudi while Hedwig prepared _Apfelküchle_ for them. In the evening they sat in the living room chatting while Hedwig knitted.

The next morning after breakfast they packed and squeezed everything in the boot - which had already been a challenge the other day because of all the newly acquired things - and when they were finally ready to leave, Ulrike had a hard time saying good bye to Trudi, as usual.

Apart from the expected stop-and-go traffic at the many construction sites, the drive home remained uneventful.

When they finally reached Berlin in the evening, Ulrike noted with surprise that Carmen was taking the route towards Halensee, and she said, "Um, _Liebling_ , wouldn't it be more practical if you drove to my place first?"

"Not really," said Carmen. "If you don't mind, I would like you to come to my place and help me carry the luggage, among other things."

"Uh, okay, I don't mind helping you with the luggage, but isn't it a bit late for 'other things'? I thought you have to get up early tomorrow, and I don't have my car."

"I'll pay for a taxi for you," said Carmen. She hadn't actually thought of what Ulrike was insinuating, but she had come to a decision about something else, and wanted it to be a surprise, so she did not correct Ulrike. And after all, she wouldn't mind engaging in 'other things' as well.

Ulrike thought that all this going by taxi was getting a bit much, but on the other hand, who was she to complain. After all, if not for Carmen's affinity for using taxis, they might never have met. And, depending on how late it would get, perhaps she could call Kalle to pick her up, and go play a few rounds of pool, then Carmen wouldn't even have to pay.

To Carmen's and especially Ulrike's dismay, there was no free parking space close to Carmen's place, and Ulrike cursed as she lugged the heavy suitcase and travel bag across the cobble stone road.

"I'm sorry," said Carmen, who was carrying three bags herself, "Finding a parking space here gets harder and harder."

Ulrike only hummed in response, refraining from pointing out that the parking wouldn't really be a problem if Carmen had limited her luggage to a more reasonable amount. But she had known about the extent of Carmen's luggage when she agreed to help, and she knew that finding a parking space was difficult at Carmen's place, so it wouldn't be fair to put the blame on Carmen. If anyone was to blame it was herself.

When they finally reached Carmen's door, Carmen was surprised to find her security lock already open and she only had to turn the key once in the main lock. "Either Frau Krüger forgot to lock the door or she's still there," Carmen mumbled.

"Don't be alarmed, _Fräulein_ Carmen. I'm here," called Frau Krüger from the living room.

Carmen rushed inside, and when she saw Frau Krüger lying on the couch with Tabitha fully stretched out on top of her, she scolded, "Tabitha!"

" _Nu schimpfen Se mal nich_ ," Frau Krüger told her not to scold the cat, "It's all right. The little one has just missed you so much."

Ulrike snorted, "Doesn't look like it to me. Looks rather like she's really happy where she is."

Finally, Tabitha turned her head to face Carmen and Ulrike, and slowly, she stood up, arched her back and jumped down and, not deigning to look at Carmen or Ulrike, she languidly sauntered past them and disappeared into the kitchen.

"See, you shouldn't have scolded her," said Frau Krüger as she sat up.

Ulrike shook her head. "That cat is impossible."

Being torn between being polite and remaining with Frau Krüger, or following her beloved cat, Carmen finally decided to let Ulrike deal with her neighbour and headed for the kitchen. "Tabitha, I'm sorry, Tabitha."

"So, did you have a nice holiday?" asked Frau Krüger.

"Yes, very nice, thank you," said Ulrike, and added, "I'll be right back," and she quickly put the suitcase and travel bag on Carmen's bed before she joined the neighbour on the sofa.

Surprised, Carmen noticed that Tabitha had not only her usual bowls with water, dry and wet food but an additional two bowls, one with what seemed to be cooked chicken and one that was empty but smelled suspiciously of fish. Tabitha sat regally in front of the empty bowl and looked up at Carmen. Carmen crouched down, and talking to her in a soothing voice, she ruffled the cat's fur.

Tabitha humoured Carmen for a while but when she had enough, she got up, walked over to the fridge and sat down.

"Is there something in the fridge for you?" asked Carmen. Opening the fridge, Carmen blinked when she saw an assortment of plastic boxes. Just on a hunch, she opened the freezer as well. It was chock-a-block full with frozen meat and fish.

When she finally returned to join the others, Ulrike was just telling Frau Krüger about their adventure at the Zugspitze.

"Gosh, I'm glad you got off so lightly!" said Frau Krüger.

"Yeah, I guess we were really lucky," said Ulrike, "We didn't even catch a cold. With Carmen freezing so much, I had worried that she might get pneumonia or something. But the next day we were both fine again."

"Ah, _Fräulein_ Carmen, thank you for the postcard. I received it yesterday."

"Oh, that was quick!" said Carmen.

"Yes," agreed Frau Krüger. "By the way, and please don't take it amiss, I have put fresh linens on the bed. Tabitha obviously didn't like being alone, especially at night, so I decided to stay with her to keep her from turning the place into a pissoir with shredded furniture."

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry she caused you so much trouble," said Carmen.

"It wasn't much trouble, dear," reassured Frau Krüger, "Your bed is rather comfortable, if I may say so."

Ulrike chuckled. She knew the old lady would prevail over Tabitha's antics, even if it meant that the cat would win as well, in a way.

"Nevertheless, I will of course pay you for all your expenses."

Frau Krüger waved her off, "Don't worry about it... But, if you would offer to prepare some culinary delight with the remnants that Tabitha didn't like, once you find the time, I wouldn't say no."

"I will gladly do that, Frau Krüger!"

"Well then, I don't want to keep you any longer," said Frau Krüger, and got up. "I'm sure you must be knackered from the drive."

"I admit, I am rather tired, and I need to get up early tomorrow," said Carmen and got up as well to see her neighbour to the door.

"Then you should go to bed soon," advised Frau Krüger, and to Ulrike she said, "I hope you will tell me more about your adventures soon, Fräulein Ulrike."

"I'd love to," said Ulrike.

"Splendid," said Frau Krüger and headed for the door. "Oh, I almost forgot," and she turned around and handed Carmen the keys.

"Thank you, Frau Krüger. Good night," said Carmen and Ulrike wished a good night as well.

"Good night, you two," said Frau Krüger and left.

"Now, where were we?" asked Carmen, and straddled Ulrike's lap.

Ulrike's eyes widened and she quipped, "I thought you were tired."

"Humour me," said Carmen.

"Gladly," said Ulrike and let herself be pressed into the back of the sofa as they shared a sensual kiss. She broke the kiss when she felt Carmen pressing the keys into her hand. "Huh?"

Folding Ulrike's fingers around the keys, Carmen held her partner's fist with both hands and looking deep into her eyes she said, "I want you to have these."

Searching Carmen's face, Ulrike asked, "Are you sure?"

"Yes," said Carmen with utter conviction. "This holiday has shown me how much I really feel for you; and how much at home I feel with you. I never ever want to shut you out again. I love you."

Baffled for a moment, Ulrike just gazed at Carmen until she finally said, "I love you too," and she pulled Carmen into another kiss to celebrate this new stage in their relationship.

###

Taxi - Telephone

Carmen was gathering her things, having just finished giving class 10A their Spanish lesson. Her throat dry from talking, she was looking forward to having a drink in the teacher's room when Tanja, one of her students, approached her.

"Have you got a moment to talk?"

Looking at the clock, Carmen said, "All right, but only for a moment."

"Thank you!" said Tanja. "First, I wanted to thank you. I don't know what you and Frau Hoffmann did, but whatever it was, it worked! Roger has left the dance school and he's avoiding me like the plague." Tanja grinned.

Surprised, Carmen said, "That's wonderful to hear!" She looked at the clock again - As happy as she was for Tanja, she really didn't have time to chat now. "I'm sorry, but I really have to hurry. Was there anything else?"

"Yes," said Tanja, her face sobering, "I wanted to ask if Silke and I could visit you in the afternoon."

"Silke Scholz?" asked Carmen surprised. Silke was a rather quiet girl who was new to the class, and although her Spanish wasn't bad, Carmen would not have thought she would be interested in private Spanish conversation lessons.

"Yes," said Tanja, "There is a problem, which I would like to address as the class' representative, but I don't want to discuss it here at school, if that's all right with you."

_Not another problem_ , thought Carmen with an inward sigh. She was glad that the Roger-issue had been solved without repercussions - hopefully. She really was not looking forward to being confronted with yet another problem. Also, she had invited Frau Krüger for dinner, and she had a teachers' conference to attend which would probably not end before half past three, if that. So, whatever the problem might be, she would rather postpone this talk if possible. "Can it wait till... for a few days? I don't have much time today."

"It won't take that long," reassured Tanja, "And I would rather talk about it as soon as possible."

Carmen was really getting antsy now. Her next class would start in five minutes and she hadn't even had a drink yet.

"Please," added Tanja for emphasis.

Carmen sighed, "All right. If you can make it short, you may come at half past four."

Tanja's face lit up. "Thank you, Frau Bauer!"

As Tanja hurried from the classroom, Carmen wondered when she would ever learn to say 'no' instead of letting herself be talked into things she wasn't prepared for. How was she going to manage both the girls and preparing dinner for Frau Krüger? She realised she didn't have to worry about the shopping at least, as Ulrike had agreed to do that.

_Oh my God_ , thought Carmen, covering her mouth with her fingers. She had forgotten about Ulrike! The last thing she needed right now was another of her pupils finding out about her relationship with Ulrike! However, her partner would arrive before the girls around four, and she now had her own keys so she could just let herself in. Damn! Perhaps giving Ulrike a set of keys had not been such a good idea, after all.

Groaning, Carmen realised she had her pupils to focus on for now, and she decided to push her worries aside for the moment. She could think about it all later. Grabbing her bag, she rushed to her next class as there was now no time left to have her drink.

#

In the afternoon, Ulrike was in an exceptionally good mood. Her morning already went extraordinarily well, earning her more money than she sometimes made in a whole day, but her latest fare had been the icing on the cake - a nice couple which she drove from Tempelhof airport to a place about an hour north of Berlin. The couple had paid a fair price plus a generous tip; and they'd had such a good chat that the couple asked Ulrike to drive them back to the airport when they left from the husband's grandmother's place in a week. Of course, Ulrike had happily agreed.

Now, Ulrike was on her way back to Berlin, humming to 'Always Look on the Bright Side of Life'. She had time now. There was no need to take on another fare. She could easily get the groceries for Carmen and would probably be a bit early. Good that she had the keys now. Carmen had told her to let herself in if she wasn't home yet.

She had been so surprised when Carmen gave her the keys, she almost couldn't believe it. Their short holidays really had done wonders with regards to strengthening their relationship. Falling asleep and waking up together, spending all day in each other's company, and not being interrupted by anyone or anything, had been heavenly.

Nonetheless, despite all the impracticalities and annoyances that living apart entailed, neither Carmen nor Ulrike were keen on moving in together anytime soon. Carmen's flat was too small for two people permanently living there, and Ulrike's flat, though big enough theoretically, could not really be adapted to fit their two very different styles.

No, if they ever wanted to move in together, they would have to rent a bigger flat or buy something. And although Carmen seemed to play with the idea of having a house together, Ulrike was still reluctant.

Looking at her financial situation, Ulrike knew that she could not afford buying a house, especially not in the west part of Berlin. She would need more than half of her savings for the next taxi. And Carmen would never move into the former GDR even if it was in the east part of Berlin or somewhere really close to the Berlin border. And, admittedly, Ulrike wasn't too keen on it herself either. Thus, if they were to buy a house in an area that Carmen liked, it would mean that Carmen would have to pay, as with the square metre prices in those areas, Ulrike's finances would barely suffice to contribute more than the equivalent of a bathroom. This was something that Ulrike was exceedingly uncomfortable with; even though Carmen would probably not mind it, considering how she seemed to spend huge amounts of money without batting an eyelash. But Ulrike loved her independence, and she was not ready to give it up - at least not yet. Hell, they hadn't even been together for half a year yet.

However, another holiday together would definitely be nice, she thought. Perhaps she could persuade Carmen to go on a winter holiday after all. And if Carmen really didn't want to go to Austria in winter, perhaps they could drive to Italy or Spain. Though, it would be a long drive, and Carmen would probably prefer taking a plane. Ulrike shuddered. Heck, she would have to convince her partner that driving was a lot more fun, as they would see a lot more. To Italy, they would cross through Austria; and to Spain they would cross through France. Yes, considering that Carmen didn't fancy the cold, maybe Spain was the better alternative for the winter holidays. They could spend a day or two at the Côte d'Azur before continuing on their way to Spain.

Ulrike's happy thoughts were interrupted when she noticed an elderly woman frantically waving, and she slowed down. The woman stood on the side of the country road next to a grey Trabant with an opened bonnet. Trees were lining the road, and behind them nothing but harvested fields as far as Ulrike could see. There were no houses in the vicinity, and the last village she had passed several minutes ago.

The old woman looked harmless enough, thought Ulrike, and since she wasn't in a hurry, she activated the hazard flashers and halted behind the Trabbi. When the woman came to the driver's side, Ulrike cranked the window open and asked, "Can I help you?"

"Thank you so much for stopping!" said the woman. "My husband is having a look at what's wrong, but he doesn't know much about cars, I'm afraid. Our son usually takes care of Schorsch."

Ulrike had a hard time not to burst out laughing when the woman referred to their car as Schorsch, the same name as the Trabbi in the German comedy film with Wolfgang Stumph.

"Since you are a woman, I don't suppose you can help with the repair, but could you perhaps tow us to the next telephone so we can call our son?"

Before Ulrike could respond, a grey-haired man called, "Margot, I think I found the problem," as he came towards them, waving a piece of black rubber band. And addressing Ulrike, he said, " _Juten Tach_. You don't happen to have a spare of these, do you?"

" _Nee, ick bin ja nich vom ADAC_ ," Ulrike answered in the negative. "But you should be able to get to the next village without a fan belt."

" _Nee_ ," the man disagreed. "The engine stopped running and it won't start."

"How long have you been driving without the fan belt?" asked Ulrike.

"I don't know," said the man, scratching his balding head, but the woman protested, "I told you that noise wasn't normal!" and to Ulrike she clarified, "The noise started about half an hour ago. I told him we should stop at a garage, but he insisted we could make it to Berlin."

Oh boy, thought Ulrike, and addressed the man, "You should have listened to your wife. I'm afraid the fan belt is now the least of your problems. Are you a member of the ADAC or any other automobile club?"

The man shook his head.

Ulrike sighed. "Do you happen to have a tow line with you?"

Again, the man answered in the negative.

"Then I suppose it would be best if one of you stays here and I drive the other to a telephone."

"All right, I'll come with you," said the woman and went around to the passenger's side.

Ulrike addressed the man, who stood there somewhat forlorn, gazing at the shredded fan belt in his hand, "And you, put up a warning triangle! You have one, I hope."

Looking at Ulrike, the man said, "Yes. Right. I totally forgot to put it up," and he hurried back to his Trabbi.

"All right, let's go," said Ulrike as the woman fastened her seatbelt.

#

As Carmen finally arrived home, it was already a quarter past four. Ulrike would most certainly be there already, thought Carmen as she walked down the street towards her home. She had not seen the taxi anywhere, but Ulrike had probably just parked even further away. She wished she could have contacted her partner beforehand. But in the morning she couldn't reach her, and even if Ulrike was already at her place, she would never answer Carmen's phone. _Here's another idea for a birthday present_ , thought Carmen. There were only two days left for her to buy one of those new portable telephones, as Ulrike's birthday was on Saturday, but she was sure she could find some time on Friday right after school. She had already bought a gift, but such a telephone would be a tremendous help, as she would be able to reach Ulrike during the day. Relieved to have solved the problem for future occurrences, she filed the idea away.

However, it wouldn't help her in the here and now. Gosh, she couldn't ask Ulrike to leave, that would be utterly rude! Perhaps, she could find a way to persuade her partner to wait in the bedroom for the time her pupils were there. It would still not be nice, but maybe she could think of something to make up for the inconvenience. She would certainly do her best to make a really nice dinner.

Thinking of dinner, Carmen had an idea - maybe she could ask Ulrike to stay at Frau Krüger's until her pupils left. Ulrike liked the neighbour, and it would surely be more entertaining than staying in the bedroom. Yes, thought Carmen with a smile on her face, that was a great solution, and she was certain she could get Ulrike to agree.

The smile instantly left her face when she spotted Tanja and Silke at the front door. Damn! Now there was no chance to deal with Ulrike ahead of time. With an effort, she forced herself to smile politely as she greeted her pupils.

" _Hallo_ Frau Bauer," greeted the girls, and Silke asked, "Is it really okay with you? I mean, I don't want to bother you in your free time."

Not even thinking about using the chance to avoid the probably awkward situation ahead, Carmen touched the girl's shoulder and reassured her, "It's all right, Silke. Come on in." She unlocked the front door and held it open for the girls.

#

Meanwhile Ulrike was rattling off expletives, inventing new ones when she reached the end of her repertoire, as she found herself stuck in rush-hour traffic.

She had tried to call Carmen from a phone booth, but Carmen had not answered.

Damn, why had she offered to help the old couple?! Grumbling, she admitted that she did not really regret helping them, even though she had only received a thank you in return. However, that it had taken up so much of her time bothered her tremendously. Admittedly, it wasn't the woman's fault that it had taken them so long to find a telephone, and neither was it her fault that her husband meanwhile found someone who towed him to the next garage. That the husband hadn't waited for them was annoying, and that Ulrike then had to wait for their son to arrive at the spot where the Trabbi had broken down, so as not to leave the woman on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere. But from the conversation she'd had with the woman during that hour, she knew that the old bloke would have to suffer for his thoughtless deed, and she did not envy him. Despite the circumstances, she had to grin when she remembered the tirades the woman had released about her husband. At least the guy had the decency to call their son to tell him where he was and that he should get his mother first. Thank goodness that the son had one of these new portable radio phones. If she wasn't so averse to adapting to all such fancy new gadgets, Ulrike would have been tempted to get one of those phones herself. Today it would certainly have come in handy. But these things were obscenely expensive, and she really wasn't up to dealing with this new technology. Sighing, she looked at the clock - a quarter past four and she still had to go shopping.

Spotting another phone booth, she quickly decided to move into the free space in front of it in order to call Carmen again.

#

As Carmen tried to unlock her door, she noticed with surprise that she had to turn the key twice, and the security lock was still locked as well, so Ulrike was obviously not there yet. Raising her eyebrow, she wondered why, but at the same time, she felt profoundly relieved. Again, she lamented the fact that there was no way to reach Ulrike, but at least she could tell her as soon as she arrived.

"Come in," she said to her pupils as she opened the door and switched on the light, and the girls followed her into the narrow hall.

"You can hang your jackets up on the coat rack," she offered, as she put her bags on the floor and crouched down to pet Tabitha who was already waiting.

As the cat cast an appraising look at Silke and finally moved towards the girls to inspect the stranger, Carmen suddenly had an idea what to do about Ulrike, and straightening she took off her own jacket and told the kids, "If you could give me a minute... please, go ahead and make yourself comfortable in the living room. I just have to check something with my neighbour. I'll be right with you."

"Sure," said Tanja, and urged Silke, who was ruffling the cat's fur, to follow her.

Grabbing her keys, Carmen left to ring at Frau Krüger's door. When the neighbour opened, Carmen explained her predicament and asked if she would be agreeable to having Ulrike stay at her place till the kids were gone.

"Now, don't you worry, _Fräulein_ Carmen. Of course, she may stay here," said Frau Krüger.

Touching the old woman's shoulder, Carmen said, "Thank you so much, Frau Krüger. I'll put a note on the door, telling her to ring here first, if that's all right with you."

"Of course that's all right. And don't bother with the note, I'll write it for you. Now, stop worrying and don't let your pupils wait any longer."

Again thanking the neighbour, Carmen hurried back to care for her pupils, sending a quick and silent thank-you prayer heavenwards.

Once she finally sat down with the girls, she asked, "Now, how can I help you?"

With a quick glance to Silke, who had suddenly become interested in a tiny loose thread on her sleeve, Tanja started, "It's because some of the class are mocking Silke for playing the bandoneon."

Surprised, Carmen asked Silke, "How are they mocking you?"

There was a slight pause before Silke mumbled, "They sing sailor songs of Hans Albers behind my back." She finally looked at Carmen and said, "But I've never even played one of those songs. I mainly play tango and other Latin American rhythms. My great grandmother was from Uruguay."

Before Carmen could voice her pleasant surprise, Tanja chimed in, "We thought that, if you agree, perhaps Silke could join our dance class and play the bandoneon for us. Then the others could see what she is really doing, and if they like her performance as much as I do, perhaps they would stop teasing her."

"That's a splendid idea," said Carmen. "Of course, you may join us."

"Thank you," said Silke shyly.

"There's one other problem."

"What is it, Tanja?" asked Carmen.

"Her father doesn't allow her to take the bandoneon to school," explained Tanja. "And we thought, perhaps you could talk to him?"

Carmen turned to Silke. "Why does he not allow it?"

Silke sighed heavily. "It's a family heirloom from my great grandfather."

Pondering for a moment, Carmen finally said, "In that case, I wouldn't advise you to take it to school either. However, I believe the school has a bandoneon. I will ask if I can borrow it for you for the dance class."

"Uh," Silke hesitated. "I've only ever played mine. I'm not sure if I'll be able to perform adequately if the school has a different one."

Carmen looked curiously, "Are there such severe differences? Excuse me, but I've never seriously played a musical instrument."

"Yes, there are," said Silke, and as she rattled off the various kinds of bandoneons and in what way they differed from each other, Carmen became more and more confused by all the technical terms she had never heard of, and laughing, she held up her hands to stop Silke.

"All right, all right. I can't say I understood any of your explanations, but I do understand that you need a specific sort of bandoneon." When Silke nodded, blushing, Carmen proposed, "How about you write down the type you have, and I will find out if the school has a similar one. If you can't use the school's one, I will talk to your father. How does that sound?"

"Great!" exclaimed both girls.

Happily grinning, Silke said, "Thank you so much, Frau Bauer!"

"You are welcome," said Carmen, and she got up to fetch a piece of paper and a pen for Silke to write down the specifics.

"Can I use the loo, please?" asked Silke.

"Of course," said Carmen, and pointing towards the hall, she said, "First door to the right."

#

Shopping bags in one hand, keys in the other, Ulrike finally arrived at Carmen's and spotted the note on the door. Curiously raising her eyebrows, she reached for the note when the door opened, causing her to halt in mid-motion.

"Oh, hi Frau Hoffmann," greeted Tanja grinning.

Retracting her arm, Ulrike said, "Hi Tanja," and stepped to the side to let the girls pass.

Shocked surprise visible on her face, Carmen stammered a last good-bye and ushered Ulrike in.

Entering, Ulrike grabbed the note and shut the door behind her.

#

"Who was that?" asked Silke as soon as the door was shut.

"Frau Bauer's friend," said Tanja hesitantly.

"You mean friend as in 'girlfriend'?"

"I didn't say that," said Tanja evasively.

Silke shrugged, "No, but there was a sports bra on the drying rack in the bathtub that certainly wouldn't fit Frau Bauer, and there were two toothbrushes in the mug..."

With a threatening look, Tanja took a step towards her classmate and hissed, "If you tell that to anyone, I'm never going to help you again!"

Raising her hands in a defensive gesture, Silke promised, "Okay, okay. I won't."

#

"I'm sorry for being late, _Liebling_ ," apologised Ulrike and handed Carmen the note.

Her shoulders slumping, Carmen sighed and said, "That was meant for you."

"Oh?" asked Ulrike surprised, and taking the note back, she unfolded it and read.

Without another word, Carmen took the grocery bags from Ulrike's hand, went into the kitchen and started unpacking.

Ulrike followed her partner and hugged her from behind. "Sorry, that was bad timing."

"Yes, it was," said Carmen as she put a bottle of wine on the counter. Heaving a sigh, she turned around in the embrace and admitted, "But it's not your fault."

Ulrike searched her partner's troubled face, trying to judge whether or not she would be up to more intimacy right now.

Appreciating that Ulrike was giving her time to regain her composure, Carmen finally smiled and leaned in for a kiss.

When they parted, Carmen leaned heavily against her partner and mumbled, "I'm so bad when it comes to handling these situations. At least you weren't already here when we arrived. That would have been even more awkward."

Caressing Carmen's hair, Ulrike said, "I wouldn't worry too much, _Liebling_. The girl may not necessarily draw the conclusion. I could be just a neighbour after all, and Tanja already knows anyway. Or are you afraid Tanja will tell her?"

Carmen shook her head. "No, I don't think she would. Being in a similar situation, I'm sure she knows that it is better to keep it to herself." Glancing at the clock, she sucked in a breath and cursed, "Heavens! How am I going to manage preparing dinner for six o'clock? And I have to call Frau Weber, the music teacher," she explained to Ulrike. "I have to ask her if we have a bandoneon at school that Silke can use tomorrow at the dance class."

"What the hell is a bandoneon?" asked Ulrike.

"Uh... it's some sort of squeezebox," said Carmen.

"OK, how about you call Frau Weber, and I go and tell Frau Krüger that dinner will be a bit later and we'll fetch her when it's ready?" offered Ulrike and added, "And perhaps I can help you with the preparations - chop onions and vegetables or something?"

"Are you sure?" asked Carmen. "I wouldn't have asked you, knowing that you hate cooking..."

"No problem. I'm sure I can manage the chopping part," said Ulrike with a wink.

"Ulli, you are a treasure!" said Carmen, and she gave Ulrike a peck on the lips.

#

"I knew you could create something delicious with the leftovers," said Frau Krüger.

"Yeah, this is really nice," agreed Ulrike.

Blushing, Carmen pointed out, "I wouldn't have managed without Ulrike's help."

"Oh come on," protested Ulrike, "My help with the chopping only saved you time. The cooking you did all by yourself."

"Fräulein Carmen, you really need to learn to accept praise where it's due," admonished Frau Krüger.

Having her mouth full, Ulrike nodded in silent agreement.

"Yes, well," said Carmen uncomfortably and changed the subject, "Now, where am I going to get a bandoneon for Silke?" She explained her pupil's predicament to Ulrike and the neighbour, ending with the unfortunate fact that the school only had a concertina, which was, as Frau Weber told her, a similar instrument but still quite different from a bandoneon. Heaving a frustrated sigh, she took a sip of wine and leaned back.

"Why don't you just talk to her father?" asked Ulrike. "Don't you think he'd be agreeable if he learns that it might stop the teasing of his daughter?"

"I don't know whether he might be agreeable," said Carmen, "But I don't really want to talk him into it, because personally, I wouldn't take a family heirloom to school either, and I can't ensure the safety of the instrument."

"Why would there be such a safety risk," asked Frau Krüger. "Wouldn't she only need the instrument during dance class?"

"Technically, yes," said Carmen, "And I wouldn't be so concerned if it was just that. But she'd have to take it with her to school in the morning, and there are seven school hours plus breaks before the dance class begins, and that, to me, seems like too big a risk."

"I see," said Frau Krüger, and suddenly her face lit up. "Couldn't _Fräulein_ Ulrike fetch the instrument from Silke's home and deliver it at dance class?"

Her mouth full, Ulrike nodded and once she had swallowed, she agreed, "I could do that."

Carmen shook her head. "Theoretically, one of her parents could do that. But as far as I know, they are both working, so they couldn't bring it and they wouldn't be at home for someone to fetch it either."

"Can't she just leave the thing in the teachers' room?" asked Ulrike.

"Again, theoretically, she could," said Carmen. "But in this special case, it being an antique heirloom, I fear the headmistress would not allow it due to insurance policy reasons." She took a sip of wine and then looked at Ulrike. "Do you happen to know a store that sells musical instruments?"

"Several," said Ulrike. "I don't know if they sell bandoneons, but I can find that out for you. You want to buy one for the girl?"

"Not exactly," said Carmen, finally looking relieved. "I want to donate it to the school, so Silke can use it. Would you buy one tomorrow morning and bring it to school before dance class?"

"I can do that," said Ulrike. "Do you know what these things cost?"

"I have no idea," said Carmen. "A few hundred Marks, I suppose. I'll give you a thousand; that should suffice. Perhaps you can even get a case for it too."

"Whoa! Isn't that a bit too generous?" asked Ulrike. "Can't the girl just play the recorder or something?"

"That would be beside the point," said Carmen. "She is teased for playing the bandoneon, and I want to support the girls' being proactive with regards to helping themselves. I think their idea is good; to stop the teasing by showing these kids that a bandoneon isn't just for playing sailor songs and that Silke's bandoneon playing can actually become an integral and fun part of our dance class."

"If she is really as good as she claims," Ulrike pointed out.

"Oh, I trust that she is," said Carmen, "I doubt she would have agreed to play in front of the kids who tease her if she wasn't sure she could make an impression on them."

"Hm, good point," conceded Ulrike.

"Fräulein Carmen, I think you are doing the right thing," said Frau Krüger. "Money shouldn't be an obstacle if it comes to the wellbeing of kids."

Ulrike remained silent. She could think of several other options to help the girl, and none of them involved spending money. But she didn't want to argue any further; it wasn't her money, after all, and if Carmen would rather spend her money than talking to the girl's parents or the headmistress or even the bullies, then that was her prerogative.

#

The next day, however, Ulrike found herself again questioning Carmen's solution of buying herself an easy way out. She had spent the whole morning driving from one music store to the next, as none of them had had a bandoneon of the sort that Silke needed.

The store she just left had exactly such an instrument, however it cost over four thousand Deutschmarks and it wasn't even new. She didn't know whether Carmen would still want her to buy it at that horrendous price, and she didn't dare call her at school, even if in this particular case it was sort of school related. Thus, she had told the clerk that she would have to think about it.

Slumping into the driver's seat of the taxi, she slammed the door and cursed, " _Mist, verdammter_!" Lighting a cigarette, she forcefully exhaled the first drag as she flopped against the backrest.

If only she could call Carmen, she thought. The clerk had told her that she would hardly get a bandoneon of that specific sort in a similarly good condition for a lower price, as most of them were re-imports of pre-war exports to South America.

If it were her decision, Ulrike would definitely choose to save her money and try all other options first, but Carmen expected her to show up with a bandoneon in front of the school at half past two. It irked her that her partner seemed to think she could solve every problem with money, especially when there were other options... like talking to the headmistress. There had to be a possibility at school to safely lock away the precious heirloom.

However, Ulrike suspected that Carmen would probably rather avoid talking to the headmistress, even if it cost her a fortune. For a brief moment she considered lying to Carmen and telling her that she hadn't found a suitable bandoneon; but she really didn't want to lie to her partner, and after all, it wasn't her business to save Carmen money. However, thought Ulrike as she watched an old couple passing on the pavement, it was her business to support her partner to the best of her ability, and she finally concluded that Carmen would probably be more upset if she didn't turn up with the instrument than she would be about the price. Sighing, Ulrike shook her head and started the engine. Luckily, there was a branch of her bank around the corner.

#

Half an hour later, Ulrike double-parked in front of the school, as there wasn't a single free space anywhere in sight. She only had to wait a few minutes until the school-bell rang, and shortly after the first pupils surged out of the building. A grey-haired woman and a bespectacled young man exited as well, probably colleagues of Carmen's, Ulrike assumed. They exchanged a few words and then parted ways, the young man striding towards an old 2CV that was parked just a few cars ahead of Ulrike.

Seizing her chance, she took her foot off the brake and let the taxi roll forward.

Just then, Carmen stepped out of the building, and spotting the taxi, she hurried towards it.

The young teacher, thinking Carmen was hurrying towards him, quickly reversed back into the parking space and got out, causing Ulrike to mutter a string of curses as she stepped on the brake.

"Frau Bauer, what's up?"

Having been focussed on Ulrike, Carmen hadn't even noticed her colleague, and she looked befuddled at the young man before she caught up and explained, "Oh, I'm sorry, Herr Fröhlich, I'm just waiting for the taxi," she pointed to Ulrike. "I'm getting something delivered for the dance class."

He looked at Ulrike who was getting impatient as two cars were already waiting behind her, not able to pass her in the narrow street. "Oh! I'm sorry," said Herr Fröhlich, "I thought you wanted something from me," and raising his hands towards Ulrike, he added, "I'm already gone." He quickly wished Carmen a nice day and got back into his car, hurrying to make way for Ulrike.

When she saw Ulrike struggling to free the case with the bandoneon from the seatbelt with which she had secured it on the passenger's seat, Carmen quickly opened the door and exclaimed excitedly, "Oh, you got one!" and leaning into the car, she added in a calmer voice, "You are a real treasure."

"Wait till you hear the price," said Ulrike, "Perhaps that'll dampen your enthusiasm."

Curious, Carmen looked at Ulrike. "Why, what did it cost?"

"Four thousand two hundred," said Ulrike, handing Carmen the bill.

Raising her eyebrows, Carmen let out a whistle and said, "Gosh, I didn't think it would be that expensive. Thanks for fronting the extra money. I will give it back to you this evening."

"I take it you're okay with the price?" asked Ulrike and added, "It's identical to what your pupil wrote down, but the shop man said he'd take it back if you don't like it. So, if you don't agree with the price, I'll just give it back and say you didn't like it."

"No, no, that's all right," said Carmen. "If it is exactly like Silke's as you say, then she should be able to use it, and that's what counts."

"All right, then," said Ulrike, glad that she had made the right decision; "I hope she'll appreciate it. See you later?"

"Yes," said Carmen as she looked at her watch. "I should be home in about two hours. Come to my place? This time you can truly let yourself in! I will not accept any work-related visitors today!"

"I'll be there," acknowledged Ulrike with a grin.

"You know I would kiss you now if I could," said Carmen with a regretful tone.

Ulrike nodded her understanding. "I know."

The school bell rang, announcing the end of the break, and Carmen quickly picked up the bandoneon. "Thanks again!"

"My pleasure!" said Ulrike before Carmen slammed the door. Lighting a cigarette, she watched her partner hurrying towards one of the side entrances.

She admired Carmen's dedication to her pupils. And even though she thought that it would certainly benefit Carmen if she didn't rely on money as much as she did, Ulrike also knew that her partner was genuinely a very generous person, and she could appreciate that. Pensively, she manoeuvred out of the parking space, and as she drove down the narrow street, she grudgingly admitted that she herself was probably somewhat lacking in the generosity department. "Hm, perhaps I should work on that," she conceded; and noting that she hadn't even bought Carmen flowers in a while, she headed for her favourite flower shop.

#

When Tabitha jumped off her lap and a few seconds later she heard the key turning in the lock, Ulrike switched the TV off and got up, admiring the cat's sense of hearing.

"How did it go?" she asked Carmen who was bending down to pet Tabitha.

A huge smile on her face, Carmen straightened and took off her jacket, stating, "It went marvellously! Silke couldn't get over the fact that the bandoneon was exactly the same as hers. And she did fabulously, playing tango tunes for us." She embraced Ulrike, sharing a sensual kiss with her.

When they parted, she turned towards the kitchen, intending to feed the cat, when Ulrike noted, "I've already fed her."

"Oh, thank you," she replied, surprised; and picking up her bags, she ventured into the living room to put them next to her desk chair, meanwhile she continued chatting, "The kids were all very impressed, and when she started singing to one of the songs, everyone stopped dancing. When Silke noticed, she was embarrassed at first and stopped, but all the kids told her to continue." She turned back to Ulrike, who was smiling at her, and stated, "It really was a great success! Thank you so much for your help!"

"My pleasure!" said Ulrike, "I'm glad, it worked out so well."

"Ooh, you bought flowers!" exclaimed Carmen as she noticed the bouquet on the table, "That's so sweet of you, thank you!"

As Carmen embraced her, Ulrike felt almost shabby for not having bought her partner flowers for so long, and she vowed to do it more often, if just to see the smile on Carmen's face.

"Can I take you out for an early dinner?" asked Carmen, leaning back a little to look into Ulrike's eyes, "I'm hungry, but I'm not in the mood to cook."

"Isn't there still some leftover paella from yesterday?"

"Yes, but that's not enough for the two of us," said Carmen. "I'd have to make something on the side, and I'm really not up to standing in the kitchen now. My feet are killing me."

Refraining from commenting that her partner's feet might feel a lot better if she didn't insist on wearing high heels to work, Ulrike offered, "Well, I've had a late lunch, so I'm not really hungry. How about you just get comfortable and I'll heat up the paella for you?"

Raising her eyebrows in surprise, Carmen asked, "You would do that?"

Ulrike looked at her strangely, "Sure, why not?"

Tilting her head, Carmen hesitated for a moment before saying, "All right, then I will accept your offer and say thank you, once again," and giving Ulrike a quick kiss on the lips, she headed towards the bedroom. "I will change into something more comfortable."

"You do that. I'll be in the kitchen," said Ulrike, smiling.

A few minutes later, as she was stirring the paella in the pan, Ulrike thought about the joy Carmen had radiated when she recounted the success of the dance class. It was nice to see her partner so enthusiastic. Ulrike was very glad that everything had turned out so positive for the girl, and she wondered whether any of her solutions would have worked out as well. Perhaps, if Silke had taken her own bandoneon, she would have been so worried about the precious heirloom that she couldn't have performed as well. So, maybe Carmen's idea had been the better one, after all - at least in this particular case.

#

Saturday morning, Ulrike had already been shopping for her birthday lunch with her mother, her brother and Carmen. She had just put the pot with the peeled potatoes on the stove and lit the gas burner, when the phone rang.

Thinking it might be her aunt calling to congratulate her, she hurried to answer the phone. Her face fell when she heard her brother,

" _Hallo_ Ulli, _ick bin's_ , Norbert..."

"Nobbi..." Ulrike started in a low, threatening voice, " _Wenn de jetzt absagst, denn kannste von jetzt ab Sie zu mir sagen..._ " she told him that if he was cancelling now, they were no longer on a first-name basis.

" _I'm not_..." Norbert tried to interrupt but Ulrike went on telling him that in future he could ask someone else to repair his rust bucket, " _Und zum Repariern von deine Rostlaube kannste dir in Zukunft ooch 'n andern Doofen suchen_."

" _Ulli! I'm not cancelling_!" Norbert protested loudly.

"What?"

" _I'm not cancelling_."

"Oh... then why are you calling?"

" _Uh... the 'rust bucket' quit on me, can you come and help me? I'm at_ Platz der Luftbrücke _, at the bus stop at the corner of_ Dudenstraße _and_ Mehringdamm."

"Take the bus," said Ulrike dryly.

" _Ulli, please, the car is at the bus stop. I pushed it to the very end, but I can't leave it there - they're going to tow me_."

Breathing a heavy sigh, Ulrike asked, "Okay, so what's wrong with the rust bucket?"

" _I don't know. I was on my way to your place when right before crossing_ Dudenstraße _it suddenly didn't react to the gas and then the motor just stopped working. I used the momentum to turn into the bus stop. I tried to start it again, but it won't_."

"Just a silly question... you do have petrol in the tank?"

" _Uh... I think so_."

"What do you mean, you think so? What does the fuel gauge say?"

" _It's broken. The needle doesn't move at all_."

"Well, it won't move if the tank is empty."

" _It can't be_ that _empty_ ," protested Norbert, " _I just refuelled it_."

"When?"

" _Uh... the day before yesterday,... I think_."

Knowing that her brother rarely - if ever - refuelled his car to the brim, she asked, "How much did you put in?"

" _I don't know... I spent five Marks_."

"That's not even four litres," calculated Ulrike for him, "How long did you think that'd last you? Go to the next petrol station and get some fuel."

" _I don't have a spare can_."

"Then buy one."

" _Uh... I don't have enough money with me. And what if it's not just an empty tank? Couldn't you please come?_ "

"Nobbi, I've just put the potatoes on the stove."

" _Pleeease Ulli! I'm totally stranded here. I was lucky I could find a few_ Groschen _in the car to call you_."

_God, what did I do to be punished with such a brother?_ Ulrike cursed inwardly and grumbled through gritted teeth, "All right. I'll come."

" _Thank you!... Oh, and happy birthday!_ "

"Yeah, _du mich auch_ ," Ulrike mumbled an insult and hung up. Walking into the kitchen, she turned off the gas burner, hoping that the forced break wouldn't harm the potatoes. Then she wrote a note for Carmen and her mother, telling them that she was getting Norbert and would be back as soon as possible. Luckily, both her mother and Carmen had keys, as Carmen was probably already on her way, and she certainly didn't want to call her mother because that would only end up in a lengthy discussion, costing her even more time. Putting the note on the side board next to the telephone, Ulrike grasped her keys and left.

#

Not even five minutes had passed since Ulrike left when Else arrived with Püppi at the front door. Struggling to balance a large box as well as her rather large handbag and the leash in one hand, she pressed the doorbell.

When the opener didn't sound, she furrowed her brow, and ringing again, she muttered, "What is taking her so long to open the bloody door?" She knew she was half an hour early, but really, her daughter should be expecting her and open the door, and not let her wait outside with the cake and the dog. Could she have had an accident in the kitchen? She wouldn't be surprised if her daughter managed to injure herself or set the kitchen on fire while cooking.

"What a nuisance," she grumbled, and bracing the box against the door so she wouldn't drop it, she fumbled for the keys in her handbag, glad that the dog calmly remained standing at her side.

#

On her way to _Platz der Luftbrücke_ , Ulrike cursed her brother for being a pain in the behind, even on her birthday. Not that she usually cared much whether it was her birthday or not. Years ago they had even stopped giving each other presents for Christmas and birthdays, as Norbert always forgot to buy presents in time anyway, and her mother always complained that the growing consumerism would someday bring the doom of humanity. However, her mother valued their little family-get-togethers, and even if Ulrike wouldn't have minded quitting those, right along with the presents, this time she would have appreciated it if her brother had behaved like a decent human being.

On the other hand, she thought, perhaps it was better if he presented himself like his usual, messed-up self, straight away. That way Carmen might perhaps understand better why Ulrike was not as fond of her brother as Carmen was of hers. So far, Carmen was still looking forward to finally meet Norbert, and she was adamantly refusing to be prejudiced by Ulrike's opinion. And while Ulrike appreciated that character trait of Carmen's, she was beginning to look forward to Carmen getting a first-hand impression of her sorry excuse of a brother.

"Ah, there he is," she muttered to herself as she spotted the rusty beige VW Jetta, aka rust bucket No. 13, or was it 14 already? Ulrike had lost count.

#

When Carmen arrived at Ulrike's at five minutes to twelve, she was surprised when not Ulrike but Else opened the door.

"Hello Carmen," greeted Else and shook Carmen's hand as she entered. "My daughter isn't here. She chose to wait till the last minute to get her brother."

Carmen furrowed her brow. "I thought he had a car himself?"

"He does," admitted Else, "But it broke down. For what does she have a taxi, I ask you? She knows his car isn't the newest. Had she driven him in the first place, his car wouldn't have broken down on the way here."

Barely managing not to roll her eyes, Carmen refrained from commenting, as she was certain that it was hopeless to argue with Else's skewed logic. Instead, she asked, "Do you have an idea as to how long it will take her?"

"Heaven knows," said Else, "If she insists on repairing the car herself instead of towing it to the next garage, as every normal person would do, I fear it could take a while. I suppose, we could make us a cup of coffee while we're waiting."

Thinking that Ulrike would most certainly try to fix her brother's car herself, Carmen agreed and followed Else into the kitchen.

#

On her way home, Ulrike was cursing her brother for being such an idiot, and more importantly for always relying on her to fix his problems. Of course, she could have said no - theoretically. But not only would her mother have her head if she didn't help him, she herself would feel bad too. She considered herself a helpful person, and not helping her own brother was something she just couldn't square with her conscience.

By the time she arrived home, she had managed to tone her annoyance down somewhat, and when Püppi greeted her at the door with a happily wagging tail, she couldn't help but smile.

Carmen had followed Püppi to the door to greet Ulrike and wish her a happy birthday, and after sharing a birthday kiss with her partner, she said, "That didn't take as long as I feared. Could you repair his car?"

"There was nothing to repair, he just ran out of fuel," replied Ulrike, grumpily, and bent down to take off her shoes.

"So, where is he now?" asked Else, as she joined the two in the hall.

"On his way here. He'll be here shortly... I suppose," said Ulrike.

"Why didn't you drive him?" Else wanted to know.

Visibly puzzled, Ulrike said, "Why would I do that when he's coming with his own car?"

Before Else could answer, Carmen reached in the bag she brought, and taking out a large and a small parcel, she said, "Would you like to unwrap your presents now?"

Grateful that Carmen had saved her from an argument with her mother, Ulrike smiled and took the offered parcels. "Aww, thank you _Liebling_." She was about to venture into the living room, when Else reminded her, "What about your potatoes? Aren't you going to make lunch first?"

Shooting Ulrike a compassionate look, Carmen explained, "We didn't dare finish the cooking, because we didn't know when you'd be back."

"I've already told Carmen that it would be good if she'd teach you something about cooking," remarked Else. "Hopefully, you're more willing to learn from her than from me."

Trying not to get into another argument with her mother, Ulrike put the parcels on the side board and said, "Look, if the potatoes are bad now because they were in the water for..." she looked at her watch, "...about an hour, I'll just throw them away and peel new ones, no big deal."

"It's actually good that you put them in water," said Carmen, "They would have oxidised, had you left them exposed to air."

Raising her hands and shoulders, incomprehension written on her face, Ulrike asked her mother, "Then why are you complaining about my cooking?"

"Because," stated Else, "Kassler with boiled potatoes and Sauerkraut seems to be the only thing you can manage. It's the only meal you ever make whenever I'm here."

"I thought you liked Kassler," countered Ulrike.

Rolling her eyes, Else huffed, "I do, but it would be nice to have something else for a change."

Fed up with her mother's criticism, Ulrike spat, "This is not a restaurant, if you don't like what I cook, you can either lump it or leave."

"Jeez, don't be so touchy. It was just a suggestion," said Else, and looking at Carmen, she asked, "Is she like that with you too?"

Carmen was saved from answering by the ring of the doorbell.

"Guess that's Nobbi," grumbled Ulrike and went to open the door.

"I wonder what took him so long," said Else.

Leaving the door ajar so her brother could enter once he had climbed the stairs, Ulrike strode through the hall, and passing her mother and Carmen, she said, "I'll be in the kitchen."

"May I help you?" asked Carmen.

"Nope," said Ulrike, waving her off, "I think I can manage on my own."

"I didn't mean to imply you couldn't," said Carmen gently.

Glancing back at her partner, Ulrike managed a weak smile and said, "Okay. But I'd still rather be left alone now."

"All right," said Carmen with a nod, and Ulrike quickly disappeared into the kitchen as she heard heavy steps on the stairs, followed by a short bark of Püppi.

" _Hallo_ Püppi," Norbert greeted the dog as he entered, and he crouched down to scratch the poodle behind its ears.

"There you are at last," scolded Else, "What on earth took you so long? And just look at you!"

"Hallo Mutti," said Norbert and looking at Carmen a grin spread across his face. "You must be Carmen, right?"

Smiling at the bearded man with his shoulder length hair and small round eyeglasses, Carmen shook his offered hand.

"Couldn't you have dressed like a decent human being for once?" asked Else.

Looking down at himself, Norbert shrugged and asked, "Why? What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

Heaving an exasperated sigh, Else pointed out, "Those needle cord trousers look like you've slept in them, and that shirt is just plain awful."

Raising his eyebrows, Norbert stated, "You bought me this shirt to wear to family gatherings."

"Yes," agreed Else, rolling her eyes, "But that was twenty years ago!"

Carmen barely managed to suppress a chuckle.

Norbert shrugged his shoulders. "So? It's as good as new, since I really only wear it to family gatherings."

No longer able to suppress a grin, Carmen said cheekily, "Perhaps, if you keep it a bit longer, it might come into fashion again."

Norbert grinned in response and asked, "Why do we keep standing here, anyway? Is lunch not ready yet?"

Ulrike, who had heard him, growled from the kitchen, "It would be ready by now if it wasn't for you, you nitwit!"

"How about we sit down in the living room?" asked Carmen, trying to prevent the situation from escalating.

"Yes, let's do that," agreed Else and went ahead.

#

Ulrike was glad that she had escaped her family for a few minutes, however, standing there watching the boiling potatoes was beginning to bore her to death, so she decided to set the kitchen timer and join the others in the living room.

As she sat down next to Carmen, Norbert was just telling them that he was working on a science fiction novel.

"What became of your computer job?" asked Else.

"Oh well," said Norbert, "They fired me. I'm getting unemployment benefits."

"Why did they fire you?" Else wanted to know.

When he didn't answer right away, Ulrike couldn't help suggesting, "He probably didn't turn up at work."

"I did!" protested Norbert, however, he admitted, mumbling into his beard, "I may not always have turned up at the time they expected."

"Uh huh," said Ulrike, shaking her head at her brother's stupidity.

"It's not my fault that everyone expects me to be at work at ungodly hours," Norbert tried to defend himself.

"You didn't work at night either," Ulrike pointed out.

"I did!"

"Sorry, but I don't consider two fares a night as working."

"I was still studying, I had to learn!"

"Stop it. Both of you," Else interrupted the old argument.

"Is this the first book you are writing?" asked Carmen.

"No," said Norbert, turning to Carmen who seemed to be so much nicer and more understanding than his own family. "I've written two novels and a bunch of short stories."

"Really?" said Carmen surprised, and looking to Ulrike, she said accusingly, "You never told me." Turning back to Norbert, she asked, "Would you write down the titles for me? I'd like to buy and read them."

"Uh," Norbert hesitated before answering, "Only one short story has been published so far. But the magazine went out of print. I'm still searching for a publisher."

Ulrike just rolled her eyes, and was saved from further listening to the discussion when the kitchen timer sounded.

She doubted her brother would ever publish any of his books. That he had managed to get that short story published was pure chance, in her opinion. She had read all his stories, and although they were not horrible, Ulrike could not imagine a publisher actually buying them. Mind you, due to his German studies, they were flawless language-wise, except for the odd typo, but they were lacking in so many other ways that Ulrike didn't think anyone would bother reading further than the first two or three pages. Being his sister, and having been asked for an honest opinion, she had suffered reading all of his stories till the very end. Each time, she had told him afterwards what she thought was lacking, however, as far as she knew, he had never bothered to change any of the things she mentioned. He had usually already been fascinated by the next project, whatever that was at the given time. It was still a miracle to her, how he had ever managed to accomplish his degrees in German studies and philosophy, even if it took him three years longer than it should have.

#

"Don't worry about the dishes," said Carmen as Ulrike got up and started to clear the kitchen table, "I'll do them later. How about you finally open your presents?"

Ulrike smiled. "Okay, thank you!" and she went ahead to get the presents and proceeded to the living room, the others following her.

Carmen was glad that there had been no further arguments during lunch, and she was looking forward to seeing Ulrike's reaction when she unwrapped her presents. For once Carmen had tried not to go for pretty but rather for practical with the choice of her gifts, and she hoped that her efforts would be rewarded by Ulrike liking what she got.

Sitting down on the sofa, next to Ulrike, Carmen became increasingly nervous and started fidgeting with her skirt as Ulrike carefully opened the smaller of the presents.

Ulrike raised her eyebrows as she read the brand name on the white cardboard box she had just freed from the wrapping paper, and turning to Carmen, she asked disbelievingly, "Cartier?"

"Wow," said Norbert and leant forward in the armchair to get a better look, while Else almost fell from hers in her attempt to get closer.

God, Ulrike hoped Carmen wasn't proposing to her. She didn't know what she should answer in that case. She certainly didn't want to hurt Carmen's feelings, but neither did she feel ready to make a commitment - at least not yet; even if in their case there would be no contract to sign.

Carmen smiled nervously and said, "If you really hate it, we can take it back and exchange it for one you like."

"Well, open it already," said Else annoyed.

With a decidedly awkward feeling, Ulrike fumbled to open the box and took out a red case that seemed too big for holding a ring. Encouraged by that, she opened the case.

Norbert let out a whistle while Else could no longer restrain herself and moved next to Ulrike. Reaching for the case to get a better look, she said appreciatively, "Now, that's a pretty watch, and so much classier than your monstrosity."

"Uh, but I rather like my watch," said Ulrike defensively, hoping not to sound too ungrateful.

"I know," said Carmen, "And I'm not expecting you to take it off in everyday situations. I just thought you could use a more stylish one when we go out. But as I said, if you don't like it, we can take it back."

Relieved that Carmen didn't expect her to exchange her beloved watch for the luxury timepiece, Ulrike reassured Carmen, "No, no, for that purpose I really like it. I appreciate that you didn't go for a feminine watch. I like the octagonal shape and the little screws."

"Hehe," Norbert chuckled, "Yeah, the design fits you."

"You mean because of all the screws she's got loose?" asked Else dryly. "I don't think those tiny screws will help."

Ulrike rolled her eyes, and Norbert said, "Uh, no, that's not what I meant."

"Heavens," Else looked at the ceiling, "You wouldn't know a joke if it bit you in the butt, would you?"

"Maybe you need to work on your sarcasm," mumbled Ulrike.

"Tsk," Else made a dismissive gesture and asked, "Aren't you going to open the other package."

Carefully setting the case with the watch on the table, Ulrike took the larger package and unwrapped it.

"Whoa! A portable phone," exclaimed Norbert.

Looking at Carmen, Ulrike breathed, "These things cost a fortune."

With a lopsided grin, Carmen said, "Don't worry about it." She thought it was funny how Ulrike knew the value of the phone, but didn't seem to have been affected quite as much by the watch which had cost more than twice as much. For Carmen the price of an object hardly ever played a role in her decision making. She knew she was lucky in that regard, and that with only her teacher's salary she would not be able to be quite as negligent about price tags, even if her pay cheque as an _Oberstudienrätin_ was quite a bit higher than that of the average teacher.

Puzzled, Ulrike looked at the charger and the brick shaped phone in her hands, and asked, "How does it work? I mean, there's no cradle..."

"It doesn't need one," said Norbert. "A colleague of mine at the computer firm had exactly the same model. You just press the green button and then put in the number. You'll have to put 030 for Berlin too."

"Why?"

"I suppose, because you are calling from the mobile into the landline network," said Norbert.

"I see," said Ulrike, even though she wasn't sure she really understood. "Is this affecting the calling costs?"

"Of course!" said Norbert, but before he could elaborate, Carmen interrupted him.

"Don't worry about it, _Schatz_. The contract is in my name, so I will receive the bill."

"And that's supposed to reassure me?" asked Ulrike, with that information even more reluctant to ever use this new telephone than she had already been.

"Yes," said Carmen. "You are free to use it as much as you like. Even though I mainly thought it would be a good thing to have so we can reach each other more easily."

"I think that is very thoughtful and most generous of you, Carmen," said Else. "You rarely find those qualities in a person nowadays."

And while Else kept gushing over Carmen and her excellent choice of gifts, Ulrike tuned out her mother's voice, wondering if Carmen would find it very ungrateful if she told her to cancel the contract for the phone as she really didn't see the need for her partner to pay for such a luxury item, even if it might have come in handy a few times in the past.

#

When Norbert and Else had finally left, and Ulrike and Carmen were in the kitchen, doing the dishes, Carmen noted, "I think your brother is a nice guy."

Ulrike shrugged, while she was drying up a plate. "I never said he wasn't."

"Well, from what I have heard about him so far, it sounded as if you didn't have much good to say about him."

"I don't," agreed Ulrike and put the plate on the kitchen table behind her.

"But he is nice," Carmen pointed out again.

"Yeah, unfortunately," said Ulrike, causing Carmen to stop in mid motion and stare at her, the dishwater dripping from the plate and the dish sponge she was holding.

Ulrike chuckled at Carmen's shocked expression and explained, "Well, if he was a big arsehole on top of everything, it would be easier for me to tell him to kiss me where the sun don't shine."

Carmen was about to say something, but Ulrike put a finger on her partner's lips and said, "Can we stop talking about my brother, please? I'd rather spend the rest of my birthday with more enjoyable things."

"Like doing the dishes," said Carmen with a smirk.

"Like doing the dishes with you," Ulrike emphasised and she leant in to kiss her partner.

When they parted, Carmen noted with a glance down Ulrike's front, "Now I've made you wet."

Without looking at her wet T-Shirt, Ulrike acknowledged, "Indeed, you have," and waggling her eyebrows suggestively, she asked, "How about we postpone the dish-washing?"

Carmen laughed. "That is not what I meant. But I rather like your suggestion." And after putting the plate and the sponge back in the sink, she let Ulrike drag her into the bedroom.

#

"Mmh," Ulrike hummed as Carmen snuggled close to her, "I'm beginning to like my birthday."

Looking up at Ulrike with a raised eyebrow, Carmen asked, "Only just beginning?"

"Well, it's not even half past five yet. I was hoping we could go out, and maybe have dinner at Marco's."

Propping herself up on one elbow, Carmen caressed Ulrike's face and said, "I'm sorry, _Schatz_ , but I have to go home. I need to feed Tabitha, and I still have to correct the homework of the 9B."

Ulrike's face fell. "I thought you did that yesterday."

"I started with it yesterday, but I'm not even halfway finished yet," explained Carmen. "I will probably not finish today either. So, tomorrow I will have to do what I can't manage today, and I will also have to prepare the exams for the Spanish advanced course. We could meet tomorrow for lunch, though."

Ulrike made a face, obviously not happy with Carmen's revelation.

"I'm sorry, _Schatz_ ," said Carmen and gave Ulrike a peck on the lips. "I really am," she emphasised and started to get dressed.

"Sometimes, I wish I was a pupil of yours. You seem to spend more time with them than you do with me."

Carmen raised an eyebrow and remarked, "If you were my pupil, the last half hour wouldn't have happened."

Conceding Carmen's point, Ulrike stretched out on her back, and looking at the ceiling she stated, "They should only allow monks and nuns to become teachers. At least they don't have a private life."

Looking at Ulrike, Carmen said, "I'm sure they have a private life too. That they live celibate lives doesn't mean they can't have friends, and ..."

Propping herself up on one elbow, Ulrike interrupted, "Okay, okay, let me rephrase that - at least they don't have relationships that suffer from lack of time."

Carmen sat down on the bed, visibly disturbed. "Does our relationship suffer from lack of time?"

"Well, I do," said Ulrike. "It's not exactly a pleasant feeling that you don't even have time on my birthday."

"I have been here for almost six hours," said Carmen quietly.

"Yeah, but most of that time my mother and Nobbi were here too," argued Ulrike, "I had hoped that we could spend the rest of the day together - just the two of us."

Tilting her head, Carmen asked, "Didn't you say you wanted to go to Marco's?"

"It was just a suggestion. And even then it would be just us. Marco has to work. It's not like he would sit down with us to chat."

"Well, as I said, I'm sorry," said Carmen a tad frustrated. "I had planned on finishing the corrections on Friday, but I went to get the phone for you, and it took longer than I had anticipated. So, from my perspective I am spending quite a lot of time for you, even if not with you."

"And I'd rather you spend it with me," said Ulrike.

Sighing heavily, Carmen conceded, "I will try to keep that in mind."

Sighing as well, Ulrike grumbled, "That's fair enough, I guess."

"I have to go now," said Carmen and then she asked hesitantly, "Are we okay?"

Ulrike nodded, even though it was obvious that she was still far from being happy with the situation. "Yeah, go and do your wretched homework," and she added cheekily, "I hope it's so bad you'll wish you could be with me instead."

Carmen snorted. "You can rest assured; since it's homework from the 9B your hope will be fulfilled."

Once Carmen had left, Ulrike got up, refusing to spend the rest of the day sulking in her flat. Instead she headed for the phone, and dialled a number she knew by heart.

"Hey Kalle, have you got any plans this evening?"

#

"Blimey! You're on fire today," exclaimed Kalle when Ulrike yet again pocketed two of her balls with one shot, resulting in only one ball remaining before she could pot the eight ball. Kalle still had five balls to pocket, and he realised that his chances of winning were dwindling.

They had the backroom with the pool table all to themselves, as usual in recent years.

It had not always been like this. When they had first discovered this corner pub, some twenty years ago, the backroom had been packed full with people, and they had to share the only pool table with at least one other pair or group, alternatingly taking breaks so the others could play as well. Nonetheless, it had become their favourite pub as it was within convenient walking distance for both Kalle and Ulrike, and they could have a beer or two without having to worry about how to get home.

The last four or five years though, less and less people came here to play pocket billiards, and the backroom was hardly used at all, except for the occasional celebration.

And while the barkeep kept complaining about his declining business, Kalle and Ulrike rather enjoyed the change. They could play without breaks for as long as they liked, the dreadful German schlager music was muffled by the closed door, and the air was a lot better too. Just every now and then, the barkeep came in to ask if they needed anything or a guest would cross the room on his way to the toilets. And each time the door opened, a cloud of smoke, mingled with the strong smell of alcohol, wafted into the backroom along with the booming music until the door was shut again.

Ulrike just grinned as she looked at the pool table, pondering her next shot.

Shaking his head, Kalle said, "I don't know how you do it. When I'm frustrated I can hardly concentrate enough to hold the cue straight, but your focus and concentration seem to increase proportionally to your level of frustration."

Laughing, Ulrike said, "I guess they do," and she got into position to shoot. Letting the cue ball ricochet off a cushion, it kissed the last remaining ball exactly as she had anticipated sending it into a corner pocket, and came to a stop in a perfect position for her to play the eight ball.

Making a face, Kalle remarked drily, "I prefer playing with you when you're happy."

Snorting, Ulrike positioned herself and, compliant to the rules, potted the eight ball into the same corner her last ball had gone.

Straightening, she looked at Kalle with a grin and said, "Next round's on you."

Rolling his eyes, Kalle sighed, "Yeah, yeah, like the previous two. If you keep going like this, I'll be broke by the end of the night."

"Aww, poor you," said Ulrike, and putting an arm around his shoulders she guided him to the table in the corner. "If you're broke after spending what - ten Marks; fifteen at the most - then maybe driving a taxi isn't the right job for you."

Lighting a cigarette, Kalle looked at his buddy and retorted, "And if you're frustrated because Carmen showers you with expensive presents, then maybe she isn't the right girlfriend for you."

"I'm not frustrated about the presents," corrected Ulrike.

"You aren't? Forgive me, but you didn't sound exactly enthusiastic about them."

"Well, I'm not. But they're not the reason for being frustrated."

"But?"

"That she would rather spend her time buying presents than correcting her stupid homework so she can spend the evening with me."

Raising an eyebrow, Kalle asked cheekily, "You don't like winning at billiards?"

"That's not the point."

"Ah, you don't like spending time with me then."

"Kalle, I love spending time with you, and you know that," said Ulrike annoyed.

"But you'd rather spend your time with Carmen than with me."

Ulrike made a face. "Can I plead the fifth on that one?"

Kalle raised his hands and said, "Stupid remark, I'll take it back."

"Thanks."

"I still don't get why you're so frustrated. We're having a good time, aren't we? You used to enjoy our time together when Gitti was doing stuff on her own. What's different with Carmen?"

"Well," said Ulrike slowly, taking a drag of her cigarette before she continued, "Gitti loved going to parties and discos, I didn't. So I was glad whenever I could escape that torture."

"But you'd love helping Carmen correct her homework."

Ulrike opened her mouth to give a retort, but closed it again when she saw Kalle's point.

Kalle grinned and asked, "So what's _really_ the difference?"

"Hell, I don't know," said Ulrike, and she emptied her glass of beer.

"Mind if I venture a guess?"

"Be my guest," said Ulrike with an inviting gesture.

"You like being in control," stated Kalle, and before Ulrike could protest, he continued, "I'm not saying you're a control freak, because I don't think you are. But you like having at least some sort of control. Like, for example, I can already say that your next drink won't be another beer but a non-alcoholic drink, probably a coke or a _Fassbrause_ *." When Ulrike nodded, he continued, "I believe that's the difference."

Frowning, Ulrike asked, "How do you mean?"

"Well, while Gitti was fun to be around with her easy-going, extraverted personality, she really wasn't in your league." Ulrike wanted to protest, but Kalle kept going, "Correct me if I'm wrong, but I would say you've never been as attached to her as you seem to be to Carmen."

"Perhaps," conceded Ulrike somewhat grumpily, "And your point is?"

"My point is that, with Gitti you even felt in control when she did whatever she wanted, because, perhaps unconsciously so, you felt superior to her, which is not the case with Carmen." Ulrike narrowed her eyes, but she let him talk.

"Carmen is far more your equal in many ways, and moneywise she even tops you. I can see how that would make you feel insecure. When Gitti went to a party, you could be generous and let her go chat with her "silly" girlfriends, you felt in control by saying "No thanks, I'd rather play billiards with my old buddy, Kalle". But Carmen isn't chatting with girlfriends; she's working - academic work, no less. And your strategy no longer works, because if you'd tell Carmen to have fun with her homework while you go play billiards, you'd feel like you are the inferior one. However, if you ask me, Carmen is a far better match for you, but if you want to keep her, you'd better get a grip on yourself." Leaning back, he folded his hands and waited expectantly for what Ulrike had to say.

Ulrike looked at him for a while before she stated, "I don't like you anymore."

"Aw," said Kalle, feigning a sad face. However, understanding that this was just Ulrike's way of letting him know that his assessment had been spot on, he got up and offered with a wink, "I'll still buy you another drink, buddy. Coke or _Fassbrause_?"

" _Fassbrause_ ," grumbled Ulrike.

#

On Sunday morning, Ulrike squinted at her alarm clock after she was awakened by the ringing of her phone. "Who the hell calls at eight in the morning on a Sunday?" she grumbled. She was about to put the cushion over her head when suddenly she realised that it could be Carmen. Perhaps she had managed to get her work done and wanted to meet early. Quickly, Ulrike jumped out of bed and hasted into the hallway, cursing, when she bumped her foot on the doorframe. Her face contorted with pain, she yanked the receiver up and said, as calmly as possible, "Yes?"

" _It's me_ ," she heard her mother's voice. Alarmed, as her mother never called this early, especially not on a Sunday, she asked, "What happened?"

" _Nothing happened_ ," said Else, " _I just realised that I don't have the number of your new phone, so I wanted to ask what the number is_."

"How the hell should I know?" asked Ulrike.

" _It's your phone_ ," stated Else, " _Normally, people know their own phone number_."

"Mutti, I didn't buy it, and neither did I sign the contract, I haven't even seen the damned thing since I unpacked it yesterday. Ask Carmen."

" _Well, can't you ask her? Or is she not up yet?_ "

"She's not here, I..."

" _Did she leave already?_ " Else cut Ulrike off.

"No, she left yesterday evening. She had to work. I don't know whether she's up yet, but I actually learnt from you that it's rude to call before ten on a Sunday morning."

" _And so it is_ ," agreed Else. " _I will call her later_."

"But you thought it was okay to wake **me** up for no other reason than to ask for the stupid phone number?"

" _You're my daughter, that's different_."

"I like to sleep in on Sundays just like everybody else, and you've never called me this early before. What makes the phone number so important to you that you couldn't wait for a decent time to call?"

" _Look, I'd love to chat with you, but I really don't have time now. I have to go with Püppi. Call me later, if you like._ Tschüs."

" _Tschüs_ ," grumbled Ulrike and hung up, shaking her head, thinking that her mother's behaviour was getting increasingly strange. She hoped it wasn't the beginning signs of dementia or some other psychological issue. Her mother was only sixty-five, and physically she was still fairly fit. And while her mother had always had a tendency to be pain-in-the-arse annoying, Else's recent demeanour made Ulrike wonder about her mother's mental health.

_Oh well_ , thought Ulrike, sighing, _Since I'm already up, I guess I could just as well start the day_ , and she headed for the bathroom.

#

Carmen couldn't concentrate. She still had half a dozen essays to correct. She just couldn't help that her thoughts kept drifting back to Ulrike's disappointment the previous day. " _Verdammt_!" she cursed, and got up, heading for the kitchen to get herself another cup of coffee - the third one this morning.

She never used to get stressed over deadlines, and almost always managed to finish her work far ahead of time. However, today she felt increasingly pressured. If she didn't manage to get the work done till noon, she would not have much time to spend lunch with Ulrike, as she still had to prepare the exams too. She knew, Ulrike would not be thrilled, and she really didn't want to disappoint her partner again.

Alas, as she returned to her desk, her desperation grew, and when she found herself reading the first sentence of the essay in front of her for the third time, she threw her pen on the desk and leant back, running her hands through her hair. Massaging her temples in an attempt to prevent the slight throbbing developing into a full blown headache, she stared at the piece of paper on the desk, and suddenly she wondered why she was torturing herself to please her partner. Obviously, nothing she did was good enough for Ulrike anyway. She really had gone out of her way to find presents that her partner would appreciate, never mind that she also spent a fortune on them, but still it seemed that Else and Nobbi had appreciated the gifts far more than Ulrike did. She had spent half a day at Ulrike's, despite all the work she still had to do, but that had apparently not been enough for Ulrike either. Why her partner was being so ungrateful, she didn't know; but she did know that if she kept worrying over displeasing Ulrike, she would never get her work done.

Coming to a resolution, she took a deep breath, leant forward and grabbed her pen.

#

After a short lunch with Carmen, that had - adding insult to injury - been interrupted by Else, and fiddling with the stupid new phone, Ulrike had decided to take on a few fares before spending the rest of the day home, alone. Frustrated about Carmen's lack of time, she wasn't really in the mood for company. On Sundays, most of her friends were spending time with their families anyway, and she certainly didn't feel like getting another assessment from Kalle.

She was just heading for one of her favourite taxi ranks when the new phone rang, causing her to almost jump out of her skin, barely managing not to bump into the car driving in front of her.

Her heart racing, she muttered a string of colourful curses and fumbled for the phone on the passenger's seat as she steered the car into the taxi rank.

"Yes?"

Wincing, she tore the phone from her ear when Else yelled, " _Hello? It's me! Is this working?_ "

Still holding the phone a hand's width from her ear, Ulrike asked, "Why are you yelling?"

" _You mean I don't have to?_ "

"Obviously not," said Ulrike.

" _Amazing, this new technology. Can you give me Carmen?_ "

"No. Carmen is working, and so am I," said Ulrike.

" _Oh. Where are you?_ "

"At the taxi rank in front of the Kempinski,"

" _Oh, you have a customer?_ "

"No, I'm waiting for the next customer."

" _Oh, so you aren't actually working right now,_ " stated Else.

"I **am** working. Waiting for a customer is part of the job. Would you say to a cashier that they aren't working when there's no one at the counter at the moment?"

" _Well, how long do you have to wait?_ "

"I don't know, Mutti. There's a colleague in front of me. Could take anywhere from five minutes up to thirty, or so. Usually, it doesn't take very long here."

" _What are you going to do if it takes half an hour or more?_ "

"Listen to the radio; read a book..."

" _What sort of books are you reading?_ "

"At the moment I'm reading a book Carmen recommended to me, it's..."

" _Oh, well in that case I shouldn't keep you from reading._ Tschüs _._ "

Puzzled, Ulrike looked at the phone, thinking that her mother's infatuation with Carmen was starting to get ridiculous.

Little did she know that, only a few days later, her annoyance over Else's infatuation with Carmen would fade into the background, while a new habit of her mother's would threaten to drive her insane.

#

" _Mutti_! Would you please refrain from calling me during work hours if it's not an emergency?"

" _Oh, come one, it's not like you have any important work to do - you're just gallivanting around with your Mercedes_."

Enough was enough, thought Ulrike, and ended the call with a quick, "I have a customer. Tschüs." She didn't have a customer, yet, but she was third in line at the Tegel airport, and she really didn't want to be caught having an argument with her mother. Looking at the phone, Ulrike thought that, neither did she want to hear the cursed thing ringing yet again with customers in the car; and grasping the phone, she got out of the car and headed for the boot.

Only fifteen minutes later, she had just stopped at a red light, Ulrike cringed when suddenly the dreaded phone started ringing. Looking at the two businessmen in the rear view mirror, Ulrike said, "My apologies, I've put the phone in the boot, I didn't think it'd be loud enough to be heard in here."

"I hope it's not an emergency," said the older man on the right. "If you need to check, that's not a problem, we've got time."

Shaking her head, Ulrike said, "It's not an emergency, it's just my mother. Ever since I got this phone as a present, my mother seems to have developed a need to share everything with me immediately - even if it's only an article she just read in the pharmacy's health care magazine."

The passengers chuckled, and the younger man on the left proposed, "Then perhaps you should switch the phone off when you don't want to be disturbed?"

"I didn't know that was possible," said Ulrike intrigued.

"Of course it is. No one wants to be available all the time," said the young man.

"Awesome! Now, I just need to figure out how to do that."

"I'll show you when we're at the hotel."

"Thank you so much. That will save me hours of fiddling," said Ulrike gravely; and to show her gratitude, she switched off the taximeter even though they still had a few minutes to drive until they reached the passengers' destination. "The rest of the way is on me."

"You didn't have to do that," said the grey-haired guy, as Ulrike drove on.

"Really," added the younger one. "Your heartfelt thank you was more than enough."

"Oh no," disagreed Ulrike, "You can't imagine how valuable your help is for me!"

"Oh, I can imagine," said the young man grinning. "It's for a reason that my mother doesn't even have my mobile number."

"How did you manage to keep it from her?" Ulrike asked, envious.

"I told her it's strictly for business."

"Ah well," said Ulrike with a sigh. "I couldn't do that. My mother was present when I got the phone from my partner as a birthday gift."

"Oh my, that's unfortunate," the young man expressed his pity.

#

Carmen sat at her desk and stared at the phone. Why did Ulrike not answer the phone and why did she not call back? She had left her a voice message over an hour ago, telling her that she had to meet with the mother of one of her pupils, and that Ulrike could either come and have dinner with her three hours earlier than they had arranged, or they would have to postpone to another day.

Soon, she would have to leave. If Ulrike didn't call till then, she had no way of letting her know beforehand, and Ulrike would be greeted by Tabitha only. Sure, she could leave her a note on the table, but damn, instances like this had been the reason why she bought the phone for Ulrike in the first place. And now her technophobic partner had probably conveniently forgotten the phone at home. " _Verdammt_ , Ulli!" Carmen cursed aloud, and getting up, she pointed at the phone as if it were Ulrike, and admonished, "Don't you blame me again for not spending time with you! This one is your fault!"

#

Ten minutes late for their scheduled time, Ulrike rushed out of the lift, heading for Carmen's door. Unlocking the door, she noticed with surprise that Carmen was not at home, and wondering, where her partner might be, she opened the door.

Greeted by darkness, she almost fell over Tabitha as she searched for the light switch.

" _Scheiße Mann! Wat musste denn ooch im Weg rumsteh'n!_ " Ulrike cursed and scolded the cat for being in the way when Tabitha loudly complained and darted into the bedroom.

Seeing no note in the hallway, Ulrike ventured into the living room, but there was no note to be seen either. Thinking, it would probably be useless, she still peeked into the bedroom where Tabitha sat on the chest of drawers, glowering at her.

"I'm sorry, okay?" said Ulrike. "But I can't see in the dark like you." Looking around and again seeing no note, she asked, "You don't happen to know where Carmen is, do you?" Not expecting an answer, she turned back into the living room, wondering if her partner had even been home yet.

"Hm, obviously yes," she mumbled to herself as a quick glance behind Carmen's desk in the far corner of the room revealed her school bag, and on the desk sat a pile of exercise books. Frowning, Ulrike squinted at a piece of paper on top of the pile. With the desk lamp switched off, it was too dark in this corner to really make out words, but the beautiful artistic handwriting was unmistakably Carmen's.

Feeling like spying, but hoping to find an explanation about Carmen's whereabouts, Ulrike hesitantly stepped behind the desk, switched on the lamp and reached for the note.

_Oh, this is for me anyway_ , thought Ulrike and relaxed as she read on.

As she finished reading, she let her arm sink down and looked at the ceiling, heaving a desperate sigh. If only her mother wasn't being such a pest. She wouldn't have switched off the damned phone, and she would have received Carmen's call. How the hell she could check her voice message thing, she didn't know, as up until now she hadn't even known that the phone had such an option inbuilt.

Well, she couldn't help that now. And since Carmen didn't want her to stay and wait for her, but rather wanted to postpone to another day, it would be yet another evening spent apart. And more and more Ulrike wondered if this relationship with Carmen was really what she wanted.

It was not that she didn't love Carmen; because she did. But at this instant she was beginning to wonder if it was really worth all the effort.

Disheartened, she scribbled an apology under the note, switched off all the lights and left.

###

*Fassbrause: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fassbrause

10 Taxi - Traditions

"Why don't you move in together?" asked Renato, "That would solve your problem of spending the night alone in your flat."

"Yeah, and instead it would create a ton more. No thanks," replied Ulrike.

They were sitting in the kitchen of Renato's hair salon, the last customer having left half an hour ago. With their son Michele being on a class trip for a week, Renato and Luisa were not in a hurry to get home. Both of them were getting worried for their mutual friend, as lately Ulrike's otherwise cheerful nature had increasingly changed into one of gloom and frustration.

Ulrike felt at a loss. For the past four weeks, Carmen had hardly had any time for her. Oh, she had offered Ulrike to join her on her Christmas shopping sprees for her Argentinian relatives, but for Ulrike that offer was about as appealing as getting her toenails ripped out. Thus, she had thankfully declined, and was trying to come to terms with the fact that she had a partner she hardly ever saw, not to mention spent any noteworthy amount of quality time with.

Luisa joined them at the table with a fresh cup of coffee and asked, "Do you love her?"

"Sure," said Ulrike, and wanted to say more, but Luisa was quicker and asked,

"Does she love you?"

Closing her mouth, Ulrike hesitated for a moment before she answered, "I believe so, yes."

"Then I don't see why you wouldn't want to move in together," said Luisa. "In my opinion, that's the natural progression of a relationship. You love each other, you get to know each other, you move in together."

Ulrike made a face and joked, "You forgot getting married and having kids."

Raising an eyebrow at her friend, Luisa said, "I didn't think you'd want that."

"I don't," said Ulrike, "Not even if I could. I was just kidding. Excuse me, but your opinion sounds rather traditional, and I'm not really the traditional type."

"No shit!" remarked Renato with his typical desperately disapproving look at Ulrike's preferred hair style and clothing.

Ulrike grinned. "See, he understands."

"Nah," Renato disagreed, vigorously shaking his head, "I'll never understand why you purposefully make yourself look unattractive."

"To you it's unattractive, to me it's practical, and to Carmen it's obviously attractive or she wouldn't have initiated the relationship," countered Ulrike and added, "Though why she ever started the relationship in the first place, knowing that she hardly has any time to spare, is beyond me."

"I wonder how other teachers do it," mused Luisa.

"Yes," agreed Renato, "Michele's homeroom teacher is married, and his sports teacher is too, isn't he?"

Luisa nodded, "Yes, he is, and his wife is a teacher too, so for them it must be twice as hard to find time for each other. But somehow they seem to manage."

"Yes," said Renato and pointed out, "They live together."

Ulrike just rolled her eyes and took a sip of her latte macchiato.

She had, of course, pondered this option herself countless times. However, so far the conclusion of those musings had always been the same: As things were, she would only consider buying a house with Carmen if she could contribute, at the minimum, three hundred thousand DM. That would probably not even cover half of the costs, but at least it would be a considerable amount. Yet, more than half of her savings she would need for the next taxi, so she still had two hundred seventy thousand DM of savings to earn. That wasn't impossible but it wouldn't be any time soon. Maybe if she kept working as much as she had for the past month, they could spend their retirement together.

But what to do in the meantime? Could she endure this less than satisfying relationship for the next twenty years?

"What does Carmen say? Does she not want to move together either?" asked Luisa.

Ulrike shrugged. "I don't know. I guess she would, but I don't think it's a priority for her either. She says, she's doing her best to make time for us, but at the moment she's just too busy with work and stupid Christmas shopping."

"Have you done all your Christmas shopping yet?" Renato asked with a grin, knowing that Ulrike was not happy about the fact that she had to find presents not just for Carmen but for Carmen's family as well.

Groaning, Ulrike replied, "Don't remind me!"

"You still haven't bought Christmas presents?" asked Luisa. "It's only two weeks till Christmas! When do you want to start? On Christmas Eve?"

"No," Ulrike growled through gritted teeth, glowering at her. When that earned her a disapprovingly raised eyebrow from Luisa, she continued in a somewhat friendlier tone, "I'll do it eventually - before Christmas Eve." Frustrated, she ran her fingers through her hair and added, "Really, all these family traditions are a damned pain in the arse!"

Renato shook his head. "You are the only person I know who doesn't like Christmas."

"Kalle doesn't either," said Ulrike.

"Just because he is single now and has to spend it alone," remarked Renato.

"Well, we did invite him to our place, but he declined," said Luisa. "He said it would be too much kerfuffle for him with all our family around."

"Yes," said Renato, "Because he prefers a quiet Christmas. But he used to enjoy it when he was still married."

Knowing he was right, Ulrike grumbled, "I wouldn't mind Christmas if I were all alone."

"You just don't want to go shopping," said Renato.

"That's the worst part of it," admitted Ulrike, "But it's not the only thing I hate. In Carmen's family they even go to church on Christmas Eve!"

"So do we," Luisa pointed out.

"Really? I didn't know that," said Ulrike.

"Most people do," said Renato.

"Hm," Ulrike pondered, "I guess so. My aunt goes too, and when she spends Christmas here, my mother accompanies her, but Nobbi and I never did. Gitti never went either. This Christmas my mother and Nobbi are visiting my aunt over Christmas. Even Rosemarie is accompanying them. They wanted me to come as well. Luckily, with Carmen's family as an excuse, I could decline."

"I thought you liked visiting your aunt," said Luisa surprised.

"I love visiting my aunt," agreed Ulrike, "Usually. But this time I'll be glad to get some distance between my mother and me."

Renato chuckled. "Is she still pestering you on your mobile?"

"No. Thankfully, she stopped that immediately after she received her last phone bill. But now she insists it's my fault that she has to pay a fortune to the Telekom, and she wants me to pay half of her bill."

"Which, of course, you won't do..." concluded Renato.

"Of course not!"

"Maybe it could buy you some peace with her?" suggested Luisa.

"Hah! If she wants war, she can have it," spat Ulrike. "I'm definitely not going to pay her for torturing me. I told her to stop calling me. I told her it's expensive. She wouldn't listen. She'll have to pay the consequences all on her own - literally."

"How can you be so hard on your own mother?" asked Luisa.

"Come on. She may not be rich, but she certainly won't have to eat at the soup kitchen if she pays the bill herself."

"Neither would you if you paid half of it," countered Luisa.

It was no use. This was one of the few instances when Ulrike had to accept that her friends' opinion differed from hers, and neither of them would be swayed. To them family meant everything, and they would always do whatever they could to prevent the family from breaking apart. Ulrike, however, would not budge. Although she did feel some sort of responsibility towards her small family, she stubbornly refused to contribute to her mother's telephone bill, and she felt entirely in the right.

Dissatisfied not only with her friends, but also with so many other issues in her life, Ulrike slumped into the driver's seat of her taxi. Disgruntled, she stared at the photo in the little frame she had glued to the dashboard. It was one of the photos Herr Kühn, the photographer, had taken of them at the Walhalla. It almost seemed to Ulrike as if she only really had a partner during school holidays, while in the much longer periods in between, she seemed to be doomed to an existence of a grass widow most of the time.

It was bad enough, that Carmen didn't even want to go on a weekend trip with her during winter and Easter holidays, as at those times she even had work to do during the holidays. But at least then she would have more time for Ulrike, and they could go on walks or to the cinema - at least that was what she had promised.

It was a pity that they could not be on holidays all the time, thought Ulrike. Although, on the other hand, she had to admit that in the long run she would most certainly be unable to enjoy a life without work - which reminded her that it was time to hit the road in order to pick up Frau Krüger.

It was the eightieth birthday of Frau Krüger's friend; and since said friend was still recovering from a hip replacement surgery, a friend of theirs had offered to provide a cold buffet for dinner, while Frau Krüger would contribute cake and whipped cream from her favourite bakery. Thus, Frau Krüger had hired Ulrike to drive her to the bakery and then to her friend's place in the early afternoon, and pick her up again at half past seven in the evening.

The address where Frau Krüger's friend lived was only a ten minutes' drive from Ulrike's home, and Ulrike had been quite impressed to learn that the big pre-war tenement building had once been owned by Frau Krüger's husband.

Now, Ulrike was nearing the end of the cul-de-sac and as she glanced towards the entrance of the last house on the left, she saw Frau Krüger just coming down the stairs. She waved at her as she drove past, towards the turning circle, although the old woman could probably not see her in the dark. She had just completed the turn when sudden movement caused her to look in Frau Krüger's direction. Witnessing a guy snatching the handbag from Frau Krüger, Ulrike stopped the taxi, pushed the door open, and chased after the thief.

Using her momentum, Ulrike grabbed the guy's arm and threw all her weight against him. They both toppled to the ground, causing Frau Krüger to cry out in alarm, "Fräulein Ulrike!"

With a blow to Ulrike's face, the thief managed to wrestle himself free, and not caring about the handbag which he had dropped in the fall, he struggled to his feet, raced towards the u-train entrance and vanished beneath the surface.

Rushing towards Ulrike, Frau Krüger exclaimed, "Good heavens! Fräulein Ulrike, are you all right?" And she grasped Ulrike at the shoulder as she saw her holding the left side of her face.

Shaking herself, Ulrike blinked and said, "Yeah, I'm okay," and reaching for the handbag next to her, she handed it to Frau Krüger, "Here's your bag."
"Thank you so much, Fräulein Ulrike," said Frau Krüger while Ulrike picked herself up from the pavement and dusted off her pants.

"Gosh, look at your pretty shirt and pants; they're all torn and dirty!"

"No worries," said Ulrike, "At least you got your handbag back. Let's drive you home, shall we?"

"Yes, of course," said Frau Krüger, and they headed for the taxi.

On their way to Halensee, Ulrike repeatedly assured Frau Krüger that she was all right, but the old neighbour was obviously still shaken, and kept fussing over the incident.

"Of course I will pay for your expenses," stated Frau Krüger.

"That's not necessary, Frau Krüger," assured Ulrike. "Neither the pants nor the shirt were new. And they weren't that expensive anyway."

"Even so," remarked Frau Krüger, "I won't have you coming to my rescue, get hurt and pay for your ruined clothes on top of it. I couldn't square that with my conscience."

"All right, all right, Frau Krüger," Ulrike gave in, "I just don't want you to think I did it for the money."

"Pfft," huffed the old woman, "I know you didn't do it for the money, Fräulein Ulrike. You're a true hero. Not afraid to risk your life to help someone in need."

Ulrike wanted to argue, but the throbbing on the left side of her face increased, and the swelling around her eye began to impact her vision. Her right knee and elbow were burning, she had probably scraped them during the fall, and her ribs hurt as they'd had collided with the guy's knee. Thus, she just let the neighbour talk, hoping that she would manage to get home before the swelling became worse.

When she finally halted in front of the building, she switched on the light as she noticed Frau Krüger rummaging in her handbag. "You really don't need..."

"Fiddlesticks! It's the least I can do," Frau Krüger interrupted and pulled a 100-DM-note from her purse." However, as she handed Ulrike the note, she froze in mid-motion when she saw Ulrike's left eye. "Good heavens! Fräulein Ulrike!"

"What?" asked Ulrike.

"Your eye. Why didn't you tell me?"

"Eh, it's just a bit swollen," said Ulrike, "It'll heal."

"Just a bit swollen? Maybe you should take a look in the mirror. How can you even see through this eye?" She didn't wait for an answer and went on, "You can't possibly drive any further! Look, the guy over there is just leaving. You take his parking space and come with me."

Ulrike wanted to protest, but Frau Krüger would have none of it, "No arguments! This needs to be treated!" And she ushered Ulrike to take the vacated parking spot.

Ulrike would have refused, but her eye was almost swollen shut by now, and she grudgingly admitted that driving home in this state would be grossly negligent. Hopefully, they wouldn't bump into Carmen. After having taken a peek into the rear-view mirror, she really did not want Carmen to see her like this.

#

"You go ahead and lie down on the couch in the living room," ordered Frau Krüger as she took off her coat, "I'll get an ice-pack for you."

Ulrike did as she was told, except that she just sat down.

When Frau Krüger returned with a washcloth filled with ice cubes, she handed it to Ulrike and scolded, "You should lie down."

"No, actually it's better to stay upright," said Ulrike.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," assured Ulrike.

"Oh, well all right then," said Frau Krüger and sat down in her arm chair. "Neither my Willem nor I ever had a black eye. Bruises we have had, but nothing as bad as what you're spotting. Gosh, Fräulein Ulrike, you really should have told me. We could have cooled the eye at my friend's place."

"I didn't know it was that bad," said Ulrike and emphasised, "Honestly."

"I believe you," said Frau Krüger and pondered, "Probably the adrenalin. I've heard it causes you to feel no pain."

"Yeah, probably," agreed Ulrike and groaned. Damn, every movement hurt like a bitch.

Looking at Ulrike with compassion, Frau Krüger suddenly got up and said, "I'll go and have a look if Fräulein Carmen is home yet."

"No!" exclaimed Ulrike, and added groaning, "I don't want to worry her."

"Nonsense! She's your partner; she needs to know," said Frau Krüger in a tone that brook no argument.

"She won't be pleased," whined Ulrike.

"She won't be pleased either if you don't tell her, believe me," stated Frau Krüger and left the room.

#

After a long day, Carmen was finally stretching out on her sofa, trying to relax a little before she went on correcting the tests of her French beginners' class. She hadn't got very far after school, her thoughts too occupied with an incident at school. Her colleague, Susanne Weber, had finally asked questions about Ulrike and her unusual attire at the opera. Carmen had dreaded this conversation ever since they had met that evening, but after so much time having passed, she had forgotten all about her fears, and Susanne's questions had caught her off-guard. She believed that she had weaselled herself out of a possible disaster, but she wasn't entirely sure.

On top of that, she'd had a meeting scheduled in the evening with the parents of her worst pupil of the infamous 9B, Matthias, and whenever her thoughts weren't occupied with the Susanne-incident, they drifted forward to the dreaded meeting, which had then proven to be even worse than she had anticipated.

She already knew from previous meetings, back when she'd had the boy in English, that with those parents, especially the father, it wasn't really a surprise that their son was venting his frustration elsewhere - like in her class, and she could even feel a bit of compassion for Matthias. Nevertheless, she had to deal with his parents since his behaviour as well as his lack of interest in general resulted in his marks being abysmal. However, his parents obviously didn't feel the slightest bit of responsibility for their son's behaviour nor for his bad marks, and they blamed it all entirely on Carmen.

In this particular case, Carmen did not take the accusations personally, knowing that her colleagues suffered the same fate with these people. None of them had yet been able to get through to either Matthias or his parents. Alas, as long as his marks were just about enough to move up, and his behaviour - though disruptive and rude - not bad enough to be expelled, they could not avoid the responsibility of talking to his parents.

And as if all that wasn't enough, her relationship with Ulrike was suffering as well. Carmen knew she had been cranky lately due to her workload and Ulrike's frequent complaining about her lack of time. But she could not help the workload, and she could not help that Ulrike didn't like to go shopping. However, she admitted - at least to herself - that since they had run into Susanne at the opera, she was feeling more reluctant than ever to go out with Ulrike. The holidays had been bliss in that regard. At least she didn't have to fear meeting a colleague or pupil of hers. And even afterwards she had felt a lot more secure. But with Susanne now suddenly remembering to ask about Ulrike, Carmen's fear had increased tenfold, and she wondered if their relationship was really worth all the trouble and the risk of being outed, perhaps even lose her job if the worst case happened.

However, despite all her worries, she realised that she still loved Ulrike, and she would have loved to spend more time with her if she could - even if rather not in public.

Alas, there was one more instance for which she occasionally needed time and over which she felt increasingly guilty, and that was visiting her Oma. Ulrike had never directly asked her if she was ever visiting her Oma, and Hertha had stopped asking when she would finally meet Ulrike after a while. Carmen had been reluctant to introduce the two, thus she had never mentioned it to Ulrike when she visited Oma Hertha; she had only ever said she didn't have time.

She'd had her reasons why she had avoided Ulrike meeting her Oma for so long. At first she had been reluctant because she didn't know how Ulrike would take Oma Hertha's typical blunt behaviour. And although she was fairly certain by now that Ulrike would not leave her because of anything Oma Hertha said to her, she was still not entirely sure how Ulrike would react. And to make things worse, Carmen now actually feared the possibility of Ulrike and her Oma getting along. What if they got along so well that she would lose her beloved Oma's attention? It had been embarrassing to admit these emotions to herself, and she knew it was childish to feel that way. She had never felt like this with her brother. But then again, José had even less time to visit Oma Hertha than she did. However, as much as she reprimanded herself for being childish, there was one fact that kept her from getting over her fears. A fact which neither her Oma nor Ulrike knew about - yet. It was surprising, actually, that Oma Hertha hadn't found out yet. Obviously, she just hadn't thought about asking - neither her nor her parents. Alas, in two weeks it would all come out when the two would be at her parents' place on Christmas Eve. And Carmen knew she would have to face her Oma's and maybe also Ulrike's displeasure about keeping it secret from them.

Unable to relax, Carmen groaned and buried her face in a sofa cushion. She had to correct the tests. How was she going to accomplish that when she couldn't concentrate?

A sudden ring of the doorbell startled Carmen, and she had to take a deep calming breath before she got up to open the door.

#

Rushing into Frau Krüger's living room, Carmen asked, "Gosh, how bad is it?" and she sat down next to Ulrike, grasping her arm.

"It looks worse than it is," assured Ulrike.

"Let me see."

"OK, but don't make a fuss," said Ulrike.

"Oh my God!" exclaimed Carmen when Ulrike lifted the washcloth from her eye. "You need to go to the hospital."

"Nah. It's just a black eye," reassured Ulrike and winced when she put the washcloth back on the eye.

"But it's swollen shut," said Carmen, "What if the eye is injured?"

"It's not," said Ulrike. "He didn't hit my eye. I don't know why it spread this far, but with the cooling it's already getting better."

Getting up, Carmen started to pace the room, scolding, "Why do you always have to play Rambo? Why couldn't you call the police? For what do you have a damned mobile phone?"

"Now, now, Fräulein Carmen," said Frau Krüger and interrupted Carmen's pacing by laying a hand on her shoulder. "I know you must be worried, but what your Ulrike did was a truly heroic deed. There's no reason to fault her."

However, Carmen was not reassured that easily, and it took all of Frau Krüger's persuasion skills to calm her down.

#

The next morning, Ulrike winced as she looked in her bathroom mirror. "Holy shit!" Carefully, she touched the huge black eye she was sporting and cursed yet again when it hurt even worse than it looked. At least the swelling had receded and her vision was fine, however, she couldn't possibly go to work like this. She'd scare away her customers.

Grumbling, she decided to take a day off and catch up with her bookkeeping.

However, by midday she was all done with the bookkeeping, and after spending the rest of the day watching TV and old video tapes, she was bored out of her mind. Since Carmen had already told her that she didn't have time - oh surprise - not, Ulrike decided to call Kalle.

"Hey Kalle, feel like spending the evening with me and save me from death by boredom?"

Kalle laughed, " _Sure. Can you hang on for an hour or so? I just wanted to make something for dinner_."

"No need to make dinner," said Ulrike. "Just bring a six pack and we'll order something nice - I'll pay."

Kalle whistled. " _Sounds like fun! I'll be there in a few_."

Arriving at Ulrike's, Kalle did a double take when Ulrike opened the door. Pointing at her black-eye, he asked, "Whoa! Disagreement with or over Carmen?"

Making a face Ulrike said, "Neither. Come on in already."

They proceeded to the living room where Ulrike had laid out several flyers from delivery services. "Let's order food first, then I'll tell you the story how this happened."

"I can't wait to hear it," said Kalle grinning, and settling down on the sofa, he took a look at the flyers. "You okay with pizza? I'm not really into all the fancy Chinese and Indian stuff."

"Sure, pizza is fine with me," said Ulrike, and Kalle happily grabbed the flyer of Marco's restaurant.

Once Ulrike had ordered, she lit a cigarette and started retelling her story.

"Now, for Frau Krüger I'm a hero, while Carmen would rather strangle me for playing Rambo," Ulrike ended her story and took a sip of beer.

Kalle chuckled and said, "If it's any comfort to you, for me you are a hero too. But it seems that Carmen tends to become worried rather easily."

"You can say that again!" agreed Ulrike.

Grinning, Kalle suggested, "Maybe you should tell her to spend more time with you, then she could personally keep you out of trouble."

Ulrike snorted and said, "You know, I might actually do that, just to see her reaction."

"Am I assuming right that you're still having an issue with your time management?"

Sighing, Ulrike admitted, "Unfortunately, yes. Although... Frau Krüger may have helped us at least a little bit."

"I'm beginning to like the old lady, despite not knowing her. Do tell! How did she help you?"

"Well, she's very direct, you know," said Ulrike and recounted how Frau Krüger had intervened when Carmen had a go at her for playing Rambo yet again. "And once Carmen had calmed down, and we were all just sitting there, I with the icy washcloth still on my face, Frau Krüger stated totally out of the blue that she'd noticed that I was hardly ever visiting anymore, and she asked if that was the reason for Carmen's outburst."

"But it wasn't, or was it? Why did she think that?" asked Kalle.

Ulrike grinned despite blushing and said, "She didn't exactly say why she thought that, but knowing her, her mind was going in the direction of Carmen being frustrated because she's not getting enough indoor-activity, if you know what I mean. The walls are rather thin and her bedroom borders on Carmen's." And seeing Kalle just sipping from his beer, a devilish glint flashed in the corner of her eyes and she added as on a side note, "She once advised Carmen to tell me to drink buttermilk to enhance my stamina."

Kalle almost choked on his beer.

Chuckling, Ulrike said, "Yup, that was about my reaction when Carmen told me about it."

"Blimey!" exclaimed Kalle between coughing. "How old did you say the lady is?"

"Eighty-five."

Kalle shook his head in disbelief. "That's crazy."

Ulrike laughed. "Yeah, she's pretty cool. Anyway, what I was going to say... Carmen told her that that was not the reason, but that she was just worried about me and didn't want me to pull such stunts. But Frau Krüger being her typical self, didn't leave it at that, but she deduced that we were seeing each other at my place. She didn't actually ask, but I couldn't help grunting in the negative. Of course Carmen shot me a warning look, but that was too late. Now, Frau Krüger was like a dog with a bone, and she didn't let go before she... well we actually, had figured out that there was a big misunderstanding between us."

"Which was?" asked Kalle curiously.

"Carmen really doesn't have much time at the moment, and that I didn't like joining her on her shopping sprees for which she did make time was not her fault, after all. So far so clear. However, even if she has a lot of work right now, she still needs to eat, and she did have Frau Krüger over a few times. I didn't know that, and it's actually surprising that Frau Krüger didn't mention anything then. Anyway, while I would love to spend time with Carmen, even if it's just for a short lunch or dinner, I may have given Carmen the impression that it was a bother for me to drive all the way to her place just to have dinner. It isn't, but I admit that I have complained a few times that she only had so little time. However, had I known that the only choice I have is either short times, but those rather often, or almost never seeing Carmen, I'd have kept my mouth shut."

"You wouldn't have," stated Kalle, and stopping Ulrike from arguing, he went on, "You may think so now, because after hardly ever seeing her for such a long time, you're grasping at every little chance to see her. But in the long run it won't be enough for you. You've been complaining about her lack of time for weeks now. Even Marianne said you need to find something to occupy yourself with, apart from work, so you won't be so dependent on her company."

"I'm not dependent on her," said Ulrike angrily. "But what kind of relationship is that when you never spend time with each other?"

Kalle shrugged and said, "If you lived together, you could at least spend the night together."

Ulrike groaned, "Not you too. Renato and Luisa already pestered me about that. You already know my reasons."

Raising his hands, Kalle said, "Yes. I'm just saying. You don't need to explain it to me again. Just think about it."

"Don't you think I've already done that?"

"Well, see if your new agreement works out for you, and if it doesn't - you can think again," said Kalle, and looking at his watch he muttered, "I wonder how long that pizza is going to take yet."

"They said it might take an hour," said Ulrike, glad that Kalle dropped the subject. She had not invited him to receive another lecture. She just wanted to spend some leisure time with him. And thinking that it might be an easier topic, she said, "I still don't have any Christmas presents for Carmen and her family. You don't happen to have a good idea for a present for Carmen, do you? She seems to have everything she needs and then some."

It was really too bad that Carmen didn't even want to go on a weekend trip. That would have been a nice gift, thought Ulrike. But then again, perhaps Carmen being Carmen, she'd appreciate something pretty just for her over any sort of activity they could enjoy together? Ulrike wasn't sure, and "pretty" gifts were really not her forte.

She had wondered if Carmen would appreciate some pretty lingerie. Even though Ulrike didn't care what Carmen wore, she knew that her partner liked these things. But then she remembered that she'd have to unwrap it in front of her family, so lingerie was off limits anyway. Ulrike was almost tempted to just buy her some pretty house plant and attach a two hundred DM gift voucher for the KaDeWe. But perhaps Kalle had a better idea.

"How about jewellery?" asked Kalle. "All women love jewellery."

"I don't"

Kalle waved her off, "You're not really a woman; you don't count."

When Ulrike raised her eyebrows at him, he conceded, "Well, maybe you are a woman biologically..."

"Maybe?" Ulrike interrupted.

"Well, I can't say for sure. I've never seen you naked."

"And we'll keep it that way!" Ulrike pointed out.

Raising his hands in a defensive gesture, Kalle said, "No objection from me, buddy! All I wanted to say is that even though you may be a woman, you're not normal. I mean, I know several men who are more feminine than you are."

"Do you, now?"

"Yeah. Just take Renato and Marco," said Kalle and counted off on his fingers, "Neither of them is capable of fixing a car. Both of them can cook. They are both more concerned about their appearance than you've ever been - as far as I know. And Marco even wears his hair longer than you do. And I don't think either of them ever received a black eye from a mugger."

"All right, all right," Ulrike stopped him, "Be that as it may. That doesn't get me any closer as to what I'll get Carmen for Christmas. And I have thought about jewellery myself. But really, Carmen's taste with regards to jewellery is a tad too extravagant for my budget."

"Oh come on, rings aren't **that** expensive. Even you should be able to afford a nice one."

Ulrike shook her head. "I've been to a jeweller's store the other day, just out of curiosity... I tell you, I almost fainted when I saw the price next to the watch Carmen gave me as a birthday present. Not to mention that when we were on vacation, Carmen bought a ring for over a thousand DM just on a whim. I'm definitely not willing to spend over a thousand DM for a ring."

"What did the watch cost?" Kalle asked curiously.

"You don't wanna know," said Ulrike, embarrassed.

"Come on, tell me."

Leaning over to Kalle, she whispered in his ear as if she didn't even dare saying it aloud.

Kalle whistled and exclaimed, "The lady's got style, you gotta give her that!"

"Believe me," said Ulrike earnestly, "Had I known the price of the thing, I'd have told her to take it back.

"Why?"

"Because I feel like I should be putting it in a safe, and not wear it out in public! How am I supposed to feel comfortable wearing something that cost more than I usually earn in a month?"

Kalle shrugged his shoulders. "Same way you're driving around with a Mercedes that cost more than a year's salary."

"That's different," argued Ulrike.

"Well yes, it is," said Kalle, "The chances of damaging the car in an accident as a vocational driver are far higher than damaging a watch you are only going to wear a few hours every once in a while."

"I haven't had an accident in over twenty years," said Ulrike grumpily.

Kalle nodded understandingly and said, "But you're prone to smashing your watches."

Narrowing her eyes, Ulrike thought for a moment before she grudgingly admitted, "Not really."

"So you're afraid someone will rip it off your arm, like the guy did with the handbag of Frau Krüger."

"I got the bag back, so, no, that's not the issue," admitted Ulrike.

Smirking, Kalle said, "So, in reality there's no reason to be uncomfortable wearing that precious watch. The real reason why you're uncomfortable is because Carmen is showering you with expensive gifts while you'd rather just give her flowers you picked by the wayside. But you feel obligated to match the value of her expenses because you don't want her to view you as a penny-pincher."

Looking at Kalle with narrowed eyes, Ulrike stated, "Kalle, you're a dick."

Kalle grinned, "You're welcome. You can pay me in pizza for my great psychological assessment."

Ulrike snorted and shook her head about her best buddy.

"So, what are you going to buy her for Christmas?"

Ulrike groaned.

Chuckling, Kalle asked, "Want some more advice?"

"Yes please, you seem to be on a roll."

"Stop worrying about the monetary value. Carmen isn't stupid. I'm sure she knows that you can't afford spending as much money as she does. And since she already seems to have everything she needs, and she can afford buying anything that strikes her fancy, why not give her something that she wouldn't think of herself?"

"Like what?"

"Well, for example you could pay for a dance class you do together."

Ulrike made a face. "She already knows how to dance, why should I pay for lessons for her?"

"Does she know all dances?"

Ulrike shrugged. "How would I know?"

"Well, you could find out, no? If you don't want to give her a clue, ask her parents or her brother."

"I don't know," said Ulrike doubtfully. "I don't know anything about dancing."

"That's the purpose of going to a dance class," countered Kalle, and when Ulrike rolled her eyes, he said, "Remember Dirty Dancing? With your figure and your muscles, I'm sure you'd make a mean Patrick Swayze."

Ulrike snorted, "And if I drop her, I'll tell her to blame it on you, yes? Carmen isn't quite such a light-weight as Baby was. I'm not sure I could lift her over my head."

Despite her doubts, Ulrike was beginning to like the idea, and Kalle, knowing his buddy, noticed and said, "So, perhaps this would be a good way for her to lose weight? Most women seem to want to lose weight, even if they look fantastic. And I'm sure you don't start with the extra tricky stuff, so I wouldn't worry too much about the lifts."

Ulrike pondered for a moment, and then said pensively, "I rather like the idea, Kalle. I'm not sure yet if I really want to do it, but you've definitely got me intrigued."

Kalle smiled at his long-term buddy, and when the doorbell rang, he exclaimed, "Ah, here comes the pizza."

#

Unfortunately, the black-eye proved to be unpleasantly persistent, and after staying at home for over a week, Ulrike was greatly relieved when she looked in the mirror and there was only a slight yellow hue still visible below the eye. Finally, she was looking forward to see Carmen again.

She had given up visiting her partner for dinner after being there the Saturday after the incident. Carmen obviously couldn't bear the sight of the black-eye without being reminded of Ulrike's 'reckless behaviour', and not even Frau Krüger's continuing praise could keep her from going on and on about the issue. The rest of their precious time Carmen had been whinging about her fear of losing her job because her colleague had asked a few questions. At the time Ulrike had not been able to muster up any compassion. She thought her partner was severely overreacting, and it annoyed her tremendously that Carmen couldn't even put her worries aside for the little time they spend together. And for the first time since they met, Ulrike was actually relieved when she could leave after just an hour.

Afterwards, Ulrike felt sorry for her lack of compassion, and luckily they had reconciled their differences - at least to a degree - over several talks on the phone. Nonetheless, Ulrike had been stubborn, not wanting to risk another annoying dinner, and insisted that they not see each other until the eye would look more presentable again.

She had seen Kalle several times, and even Renato had looked in on her, but apart from that she had pretty much holed herself up at home. Not even wanting to go shopping, she was living from food delivery services and hadn't bought any Christmas presents either.

She had been pondering Kalle's idea of a dirty dancing course for Carmen - and herself, but decided against it, because firstly, with Carmen having so little time, she thought it was probably not a good idea to book a course with a fix schedule, and secondly, she'd rather not look stupid in front of Carmen.

However much she wracked her brain over the presents, she just couldn't come up with any good ideas, especially not for Carmen, thus she had put the subject on the backburner, yet again; and since she couldn't do any serious training either with her bruised body, she had resigned herself to the life of a couch potato for a week.

On Tuesday, she had almost been tempted to have cable TV installed, as the weekday's programme of the only six channels she was getting proved to be mind-numbingly boring. Alas, the earliest appointment for an installation she could have got was in the second week of the next year. She had thankfully declined, rather saving the expenses, because by then she wouldn't have needed it anymore.

This unfortunate fact, however, had turned into rather a brilliant help with regards to Christmas presents for Carmen and her family. Out of sheer boredom she had succumbed to watching children's programmes, and lo and behold there was the idea that would save her the pain of going shopping! They were showing how to fold origami items. Since she didn't want to go to the library with her black-eye, she asked Kalle as soon as she could reach him to borrow all origami books he could get. The rest of the week she had spent practising and in the end creating origami items from DM-notes - a shirt for José, a butterfly for Oma Hertha, a little house for Helmut, a flower for Maria, and a cat and a mouse in a basket for Carmen. Once she was finished, she felt utterly content, as she had not only solved her problem of finding Christmas presents, but also saved herself from being bored out of her mind at the same time.

And today, Carmen would finally have a whole day to spend with her, and her eye looked almost fine again! Life was good! Grinning at herself in the mirror, Ulrike brushed her hair and got ready to drive to Carmen's.

#

For Carmen the past week had given her a lot of time to think. And after several talks with Ulrike on the phone, she had come to the conclusion that it would be better to tell Ulrike all about Oma Hertha as well as about the fears that plagued her, rather than waiting for the bomb to drop on Christmas Eve. If Oma figured out her reasons, she would in this case probably not shy away from confronting her in front of the whole family - including Ulrike. And Carmen would rather know Ulrike was in her corner before that happened.

Thus, when they were having lunch at her place, after a long and peaceful walk in the Grunewald forest, Carmen finally gathered all her courage and started, "You know that Oma Hertha will be there at Christmas, right?"

Nodding, Ulrike hummed, "Mhm," and swallowing the bite she had just taken, she said, "Yes, you've told me. Why?"

"Well, I haven't told you yet that... um... how shall I say it?... well, my Oma can be rather blunt."

When Carmen didn't elaborate, Ulrike said, "I've gathered that from a few comments at your parents'."

"Well, you might want to prepare yourself for being embarrassed by her."

Raising her eyebrows, Ulrike asked, "How so?"

"As an example," said Carmen, "The Christmas after I had the fallout with my parents... that was 1987, Oma gave my mother a book, a translation of Sappho's poems, with the remark that since my mother's view was so backward, she might like to brush up her knowledge of classic literature."

As Ulrike chuckled, Carmen added, "And my father got a beautiful book about Michelangelo, whom he admires greatly. My Oma gave it to him with the offhand comment that by the way he was gay."

"He was? I didn't know that," said Ulrike.

Grinning, Carmen said, "My father protested too, but my grandmother said, 'Read the poems in the book, those that he wrote to Cavalieri, they speak for themselves.'"

"Wow, I think your Oma sounds pretty cool."

"Wait till she gets to you," said Carmen, "I don't know how she does it, but she always manages to get us presents that are fitting and offensive at the same time. And once she discovers a weakness or flaw in your personality or in your thoughts, which she always does no matter how much you are trying to hide it, she'll mercilessly pounce on it."

"Uh, so I'd rather do my best to stay on her good side, eh?" remarked Ulrike.

Shaking her head, Carmen pointed out, "That won't help you. In fact, she simply ignores people she doesn't like. She says they aren't worth her time. But if she likes you, she'll find you the best present to confront you with your demons, even if it's sometimes just some seemingly silly thing to tease you. And, believe me, she's good at that. She knows things about you of which you never told anyone, least of all her. I tell you, the woman must be psychic or something."

Snorting, Ulrike asked, "So, what did she figure out about you?"

Visibly uncomfortable, Carmen hesitated before she said, "For instance, she knew that I was a lesbian before even I admitted it to myself."

"Really? Wow," said Ulrike, but then she stopped and furrowed her brow, thinking. "Wait, didn't you tell me you came out to your family when you had a partner? Or was it your Oma who outed you?"

Carmen shook her head. "No, she didn't out me. She was subtle enough that I actually thought she had let me off the hook for that birthday. 1981, I think it was. Her gift was a two-week trip to Greece. Island-hopping. Including Lesbos. Her only comment was that she thinks I need to broaden my horizons."

Ulrike grinned. "Subtle."

"Yes. I didn't even catch on when she asked me afterwards if I had finally found 'someone' I liked."

"So, when did you catch on what she meant?"

"Six years later, when I came out to my family. Her comment was: Took you long enough to figure that one out."

Ulrike laughed. "I think I like her already!"

"We'll see what she has up her sleeve for you," said Carmen with a smile. However, inwardly she was battling the feeling of dread that her worst fear might actually come true. And her resolve to tell at least Ulrike what she had kept from her for so long crumbled to pieces.

#

Later, they had just started doing the dishes, when the doorbell rang.

"Are you expecting anyone?" asked Ulrike.

Grabbing a dish towel, Carmen said, "No," and rushed to the door. "Who is it?"

" _It's me, José,_ " her brother's voice sounded over the intercom.

"Oh, okay," said Carmen and pressed the button to let him into the house. Opening the door and leaving it ajar, she went back into the kitchen and put the dish towel on the counter. "It's José. We can finish here later."

"Okay, I'll just finish drying these glasses for us," said Ulrike.

Shortly after, José entered, and when he spotted Ulrike standing in the kitchen as he was hugging his sister, he sighed inwardly. Damn, now he couldn't ask Carmen what he could buy for Ulrike as a Christmas present.

"Hi there, long time no see," greeted Ulrike.

"And yet recognised," joked José. "Hi Ulrike, how's things?"

"Splendid," said Ulrike, and watching him take off his black down jacket, she remarked, "Hey, cool jacket."

"Thanks. I just bought it last week," said José.

"I guess I should get myself a new one too, but I hate shopping," said Ulrike as they all ventured into the living room. "It looks nicely warm and comfortable."

"It is," said José, and made a mental note. There was his idea for a Christmas present for Ulrike! "I wish I could wear pants like this too. Man, I tell you, the cold is killing me."

"Does your overpowered canary not have a proper heating?" teased Ulrike, and took one of the home baked almond biscuits Carmen had put in a bowl on the table.

"I'm driving the 911 in winter, and the heating is fine, thanks," countered José, "But unfortunately the closest parking space I could get was around the corner, at least three minutes to walk."

Shaking her head, Ulrike grinned, "Gosh, you Argentinians are nesh! I thought they have winter in Argentina too."

"They do," said Carmen, "But the winters aren't as cold as here; at least not in Buenos Aires."

"I see," said Ulrike and suggested grinning, "Well, you could get yourself a skiing suit."

"Yeah," said José, "But wearing something like that here in the city would look super awkward."

"If you are past pre-school age, yeah, I guess it would," agreed Ulrike, chuckling.

"Was there a specific reason, why you came today?" asked Carmen, hoping that her brother wouldn't stay too long, as she'd actually had other plans for the afternoon with Ulrike.

"Uh," said José, and stalled, lighting a cigarette. Thinking quickly, he decided to just not answer the question directly and said, "I was just on my way back from taking Oma to her friends' Christmas party. She asked how you and Ulrike were doing. I told her I don't know but that Ulrike will be celebrating Christmas with us. She grinned rather devilishly and told me that she already knew that. She also said that she's pleased that she will finally meet her, not to mention rather curious since you seem to avoid introducing Ulrike and she wonders why that is."

"So she grilled you," stated Carmen.

"Nah, she already did that before I went to Buenos Aires," said José, chuckling.

"What did you tell her?" asked Carmen, fearing the worst.

José shrugged. "I told her that I think Ulrike is mighty cool."

"Why, thank you," said Ulrike, grinning.

"What else did you tell her?" Carmen wanted to know.

"Uh... let's see... I told her about our trip to Brunswick and how Ulrike came to your rescue."

Carmen groans. "Thanks a lot. Now, I will get a coupon for a session with the best psychiatrist in town to overcome my trauma."

Ulrike and José laughed, and José said, "I don't think so. It's far too long ago for that, and she knows you're fine now."

"So, what do you think she's cooked up this time?" asked Carmen.

"I haven't got the faintest," said José. "You're seeing her far more often than I do, ask yourself what incriminating details you told her and try to deduce from that."

"Have you ever guessed what she'll come up with?" asked Ulrike.

Carmen shook her head and sighed.

Grinning, José said, "It's not that we didn't try, but whatever we got in the end, it's never been even remotely related to the things we thought we'd get. I tell you, the woman knows everything, and I've really no idea where she gets her information from. She should have been a profiler or private detective or something like that."

"Yes," said Carmen, "Miss Marple is her hero. She even met Margaret Rutherford when she was in London with a friend of hers, back in the 60s I think."

"Wow," remarked Ulrike. "I love the Rutherford Miss Marple films. How was she in real life?"

Carmen shrugged, "I don't know. Not even Oma knows, though she is so totally smitten with her that she will tell you that she's the most wonderful person that ever graced the face of earth."

Smiling, Ulrike said, "Well, if she met her, she at least got an impression of her. How cool!"

"Well, as much of an impression as you can get when you don't understand a word of what the person is saying."

When Ulrike looked confused, José elaborated, "Oma doesn't speak English. Which didn't keep her from somehow tricking her way backstage after she had watched Rutherford perform - not understanding a word. She wanted to see her hero up close, and when Oma wants something, she gets it."

Ulrike laughed. "Your Oma is so cool!"

"Yeah, she's cool as long as you're not the victim of her 'coolness'," said José.

#

On the 24th, Ulrike grabbed the bag with the Christmas presents and headed out the door.

The day before she had done some last-minute shopping after Carmen had told her that she would have to wrap all the presents and put name tags on them, as it was tradition for any normal German family. Ulrike's family had never been 'normal' in that regard. The presents for her and her brother had always been on the table or next to it - sans wrapping paper or name tags. Neither her father nor her mother had ever cared for the 'needless waste'; and although she knew that for other families their very own 'tradition' sounded peculiar, she hadn't even thought of wrapping the origamis. Good thing she'd had the presence of mind to ask Carmen about their traditions. She had bought origami papers of different colours and sat late into the night, creating fancy little boxes and name tags.

It had actually been rather fun to make the little boxes, so Ulrike didn't really mind that tradition. However, there was no way she was going to accompany them to midnight Mass, and fortunately, Carmen had given her a way out by asking her if she would drive Oma Hertha home around ten, as she wasn't going to Mass either. She had happily agreed. According to what she had learnt about Carmen's Oma, the woman was a hoot, and it was certainly a lot more fun to drive her home, wherever she might be living. Ulrike had forgotten to ask, but it didn't matter. She'd prefer driving her all the way to Argentina over going to Mass, if that were possible.

And with a spring in her step, she headed for her taxi.

#

When Ulrike arrived at Carmen's, her partner was already waiting for her at the corner in her brand new camelhair coat, two large shopping bags in her hands.

"Gosh, it's cold," said Carmen as she placed the bags on the backseat.

When Carmen sat down next to her and closed the door, shivering, Ulrike kissed her hello and then remarked, "It's minus two degrees. Even I'd be cold with naked legs and just those torture instruments on my feet."

"My legs aren't naked, I'm wearing tights," Carmen pointed out. "And I'm not wearing winter shoes unless I have to walk through snow or mud."

"Your choice," said Ulrike, as she headed towards Nikolassee. "But then don't be surprised if you're freezing your butt off. You look gorgeous, by the way."

Making a face, Carmen said, "First you are lecturing me about my choice of attire and then you compliment me on it?"

"It wasn't my intention to lecture you," said Ulrike. "I was just expressing my opinion that I find it imprudent to wear such clothes in this cold. That does not negate the fact that you look gorgeous in them."

"It's still a weird way of complimenting a woman," said Carmen.

"That it may be," Ulrike admitted. "I hope you'll forgive me my weirdness."

Snorting, Carmen shook her head and said with a smirk, "All right, just this once."

#

"Merry Christmas," they greeted, as Maria opened the door.

"Merry Christmas you two. Come on in, it's cold," said Maria and ushered them in, closing the door behind them before she hugged them in greeting.

"Let me take these," said Maria and took the bags Carmen and Ulrike had set on the floor. "You just go ahead; the others are in the dining room. I'll put these under the tree."

As they entered the dining room, Ulrike was mesmerised by the Christmassy atmosphere. The ceiling lights were turned off, the room only illuminated by two wall mounted uplights, and a variety of candles all over the room. There were big golden candles in Advent arrangements that were decorating the table, a candle arch in the window as well as countless tea lights and a bunch of candlesticks on the large antique sideboard. Instrumental Christmas music was playing softly in the background, and the table was set with fine bone china and sterling silver cutlery, accompanied by precious crystal glasses.

"So, you're my granddaughter's lover, huh?" remarked Hertha as they shook hands. And giving Ulrike a once-over, she commented, "Well, I must say, she's got taste."

Mortified, Carmen scolded, "Oma!" while the others were laughing and Ulrike, though feeling decidedly awkward, couldn't help but grin. After all, she had been warned.

Clearing her throat, Ulrike said, "Thank you, Mrs..."

"Eh, no need to be formal with me," said Oma Hertha, "You can call me Oma or Hertha, whatever you prefer."

"Thank you... Hertha," said Ulrike, and she noticed surprised that for some unfathomable reason the familiarity didn't feel as weird as it should have normally. The stocky old woman radiated a relaxed confidence, and combined with the mischievous glint in her eyes, Ulrike felt captivated.

With a heavy heart, Carmen observed Ulrike's fascination for her Oma.

"Carmen, dear," said Maria, "Would you help me serve up dinner, please?"

Shaking off her gloomy feelings, Carmen turned towards her mother and said, "Sure."

#

Ulrike had never had such an opulent Christmas dinner. Of course she'd had roast goose before, but this one was with a chestnut filling; and there wasn't only red but also green cabbage, and not just potatoes but also three different varieties of dumplings, and of course the obligatory gravy. At her aunt's place, Christmas was celebrated a bit more traditional, and the goose was often replaced by pheasant, but still, even though she loved Christmas at Aunt Hedwig's place, it couldn't compare to this almost decadent feast.

Humming her appreciation, she swallowed and complimented Maria on the outstanding meal.

"Thank you," said Maria. "That's nice of you to say. I suppose the rest of my family is taking it for granted by now, as they never say anything."

Shrugging, Hertha said, " _Jibt nüscht zu meckan_."

"You and your Berlin praise," said Maria, rolling her eyes.

Ulrike chuckled. For many Berliners saying that there was nothing to complain about meant the highest form of praise. Ulrike only used this expression with some of her buddies.

"You know I love everything you cook," protested Helmut.

"I do," admitted Maria, "But it wouldn't hurt to hear you say it every once in a while."

For Hertha all this talk about praise was obviously too boring, and she leant over to Ulrike and asked, "You are a butch, right?"

Ulrike almost choked on her drink.

And while the others chuckled, Carmen groaned, "Oma!"

Recovering, Ulrike cleared her throat and said, "I never actually thought about it, but I guess I might fit that term to a degree."

"How do _you_ even know that term?" asked José grinning.

Hertha looked at him, annoyed. "I've already known that term when your father was still in diapers, lad. My sister went to school with Marlene Dietrich, and my best friend once dragged me to this weird lesbian bar..." Turning to Ulrike she went on, "But there's something I've always wondered about, and my friend couldn't answer it because she was a femme – how does it feel to wear a strap-on?"

For the first time in her life, Ulrike felt her jaw literally drop, and blinking, she gaped at Hertha, utterly speechless.

The others seemed to have lost their voices as well, only Helmut's violent coughing was disturbing the silence.

"What?" asked Hertha. "If you want to learn something, you've got to ask."

Finally, Ulrike broke into roaring laughter, and between gasps she said, "Gosh, Oma, you are one of a kind, if I may say so."

Meanwhile Maria leaned to her husband and whispered, "What is a strap-on?" which resulted in Helmut gaping at his wife and finally murmuring, "I'll tell you later."

#

After dinner, they all waited until Maria gave her okay to come into the living room.

Again, Ulrike was mesmerised as she entered the room and was engulfed in a strong but pleasant mixture of scents from pine needles, burning candles, gingerbread and frankincense. Here too, the ceiling lights were turned off, and the room only illuminated by candles and fairy lights. The floor-to-ceiling Christmas tree with all the packages and parcels beneath it dominated the room, while various Christmas decorations and candles in classy candleholders adorned tables and furniture.

"Wow," breathed Ulrike as she took in the magical, Christmassy ambience.

Smiling, Carmen observed Ulrike, finding it utterly adorable how her partner looked around with wide eyes, full of wonder, as if she were a small child that had not yet experienced forty-three Christmases. Shaking her head slightly, Carmen thought it was a shame that Ulrike's family had robbed her partner of the magical experience of a traditional Christmas. Though on the other hand, she admitted that, had Ulrike been used to more traditional Christmas celebrations, she would now not have been able to enjoy the sight of her partner's childlike joy. And that would have been a pity.

Once they were all sitting, Maria started to hand out the gifts, one at a time.

Each time they waited expectantly to see what the recipient would discover, followed by ohs and ahs and various comments once the present was unwrapped.

As Carmen had predicted, Oma Hertha's gifts were the highlight of the evening, and not really because of their nature, but rather because of Oma's explanatory comments that accompanied them.

José, she said, finally needed to find himself a wife, so she bought him a year's subscription to a bodybuilding centre in his vicinity. And since he had mentioned that he admired Ulrike's muscled body, she thought that he might find a girl to his liking at such a place. The gift-card for the subscription was accompanied by a set of aftershave, cologne and deodorant, which Ulrike recognised as the brand she was using.

Raising his eyebrows, José asked if maybe she had mixed up the name tags.

"Interesting," said Oma Hertha, "But no, that's actually a lucky coincidence. I thought you might prefer this one because with the one you use you stink like a pimp; and that's certainly not helping if you want to find a proper girlfriend."

Ulrike laughed when José made a face. She actually agreed with Oma in the scent department, but would never have dared to comment on José's poor - though probably rather expensive - choice of aftershave.

"This one is for me," announced Maria, her face showing a mixture of curious expectation and dread, and she sat down on the armchair to unwrap the rectangular parcel. "I can already guess that it's a book," said Maria.

"That's not hard to guess," remarked José, "You always get books from Oma. I wonder what it is this time."

Maria stared disbelievingly at the book she had unwrapped. "A painting course for beginners?"

"Yes," said Oma Hertha, "I thought you might need an inspiration for teaching painting to beginners. Look inside."

Puzzled, Maria opened the book and took out a folded piece of paper. Picking up her glasses that hung from a chain around her neck, she started to read, her expression showing her increasing confusion. Finally, she looked up and said to Oma, "I don't understand. You want me to attend an art class for beginners?"

"No," said Oma, "I've set up a beginners' art class for you to teach. There are six participants, and they'll be coming to your lessons once a week for three months, starting in January. The dates and address are on the paper. I've paid for the room and materials, so it will be free for the participants. I thought you could make some use of your talent and give something back to people who are not as fortunate as you are."

"You give me an obligation to do voluntary work as a Christmas present?"

"If you want to see it like this, that's your choice," said Oma Hertha. "I'd rather you see it as an opportunity to grow - free of all costs."

"Really, Oma, I don't know what to say," said Maria, obviously not pleased with her gift.

"That's all right, dear," said Oma Hertha, "You can thank me once the course is finished."

Wow, thought Ulrike, that was nasty but fitting indeed, and she wondered what Hertha had thought up for her.

Carmen was feeling no small amount of glee over the gift of her mother, and she was inwardly applauding her Oma. Alas, when Helmut took over handing out the presents, as his wife was still occupied digesting Hertha's well-meaning attack, Carmen froze when her father read out the name tag, "This one's for Carmen and Ulrike," and he handed the gift to his daughter.

The envelope looked harmless enough from the outside, thought Ulrike as Carmen passed it to her to open.

Pulling a folded piece of paper from the envelope, Ulrike couldn't believe her eyes when she unfolded it.

Delighted, Carmen exclaimed, "A gift certificate for a course in dirty dancing!" That was definitely not anywhere close to what she could ever have guessed. Did her Oma actually let her off the hook this time?

"Yes," said Oma Hertha, "I thought it'd be a nice way for you to lose some weight, and to share some activity with Ulrike, other than sex." And leaning over to Ulrike, feeling her bicep, she remarked, "Good. José didn't exaggerate. You'll manage the lifts, I'm sure."

Carmen was not happy that Oma had basically called her fat, but she did actually like the present, if not for one minor issue... "Uh, do they know that we're both women?"

Nodding, Oma said, "They do, and it's not a problem at all. They said you aren't the first homosexuals who attended their lessons. There are other pairs, gays as well as lesbians, though not in this particular course."

Shaking herself out of her flabbergasted state, Ulrike asked Carmen, "Won't it be a problem for you to fit it into your busy schedule?"

Before Carmen could reply, Hertha intercepted, "I'm sure Carmen will be able to make time for this one hour per week once Christmas is over, won't you, dear?"

Carmen nodded. "Yes," and she got up to hug her Oma. "Thank you!"

#

As the evening wore on, Carmen and Ulrike went out onto the terrace to get a bit of fresh air and have a cigarette. Ulrike was wearing her new down jacket, and Carmen sighed, unable to comprehend how Ulrike could love that very manly monster of a jacket.

"Your Oma is amazing," said Ulrike. "You probably won't believe me, but I actually thought about giving you a dirty dancing course as a present. I just thought it might bother you if I interfered with your time schedule."

Carmen shook her head, "It wouldn't have bothered me, and I do believe you. I told you she knows everything. I don't know how she does it."

"Well, she doesn't know it from me," said Ulrike, "And I hadn't told it to anyone of your family either."

"It's probably a coincidence that you thought about it too," pondered Carmen, "She knows I love dancing, and a 'dirty' dancing course is just typical if you know how Oma's mind works. And if I didn't know that I haven't told her, I'd even find it rather telling that she chose that particular dance school."

"Why is that?"

"Think of the location," said Carmen. "It's on the top floor of the _Europa-Center_."

Ulrike shrugged, "Still doesn't tell me anything."

"As I said, I haven't told her. But it would be typical for Oma to confront you with your fear of heights if she knew about it somehow."

"I don't have a problem being on the top floor of a high-rise building. As long as there's stable, solid ground beneath me, I don't care."

"Hm, right," said Carmen, putting out her cigarette, "Well, I just thought it would be typical for Oma."

Putting out her cigarette as well, Ulrike nodded and said with a grin, "After experiencing this evening, I can imagine how you got that idea."

As they turned to go inside, José stepped out, and closing the terrace door behind him, he stepped close to Ulrike and said in a low voice, "I've put the Ébène stuff in the bag with your presents."

"You don't like it?" asked Ulrike.

José shrugged. "I like it on you. For myself," he said grinning, "I prefer to 'stink like a pimp'."

"Pity," said Ulrike, "I actually agree with your Oma; that stinky stuff you're using is repulsive."

Making a face, he asked Carmen, "Do you think so too?"

Hesitating, Carmen said, "Well, it is rather obtrusive. But if you like it..."

"Well, shit," said José. "Why didn't you ever tell me that? Yeah, I rather like it. But maybe I should try and find something else, seeing that everybody seems to hate my smell." Running his hand through his hair, he cursed, "Bugger! Maybe Oma is right after all, and that is the reason for attracting the wrong women."

Pursing her lips, Ulrike nodded and said, "Yup, I guess she might be right about that."

#

Around ten Ulrike and Oma Hertha said Good Bye, and Carmen confirmed to Ulrike, "Yes, breakfast at your place tomorrow. I'll be there around nine."

"Okay, see you then," said Ulrike, "Have fun at the Mass," and she turned and followed Oma Hertha who was already heading for the taxi.

Opening the passenger's door for Hertha, Ulrike put the bags and her new jacket in the boot and then sat down behind the wheel.

"Now, where are we headed?" asked Ulrike.

"Well," said Hertha, "Since I now have a taxi driver in the family, and the night is still young, I'd like to go to a place I haven't seen in decades."

It did not sound like a question, and Ulrike was somewhat amused that Hertha didn't even ask if she would mind. After all it was Christmas, and rather late at that, and she wasn't at work. However, she was game for Hertha's antics, and asked, "All right, where do you want to go?"

"Just drive on towards Havelchausee."

Curious, Ulrike asked as she started to drive, "What do you want at Havelchaussee at night? Wouldn't you rather go there during the day? I'd drive you of course."

"Thank you," said Hertha, "But it is especially because it is night that I want to go there now."

"Ah, well then," said Ulrike, puzzled but reluctant to interrogate Hertha, and she turned into Spanische Allee.

Hertha remained awkwardly quiet for a while, and Ulrike wondered if she should start a conversation, however, as she turned into Kronprinzessinnenweg, Hertha suddenly said, "I've never shared this with anyone," and she looked at Ulrike.

Glancing at Hertha shortly, Ulrike asked, "What do you mean?"

Turning her gaze ahead onto the dark, tree-lined street, Hertha said, "It was our secret."

Puzzled, Ulrike glanced at Hertha before focusing back on the road.

A distant smile on her face and her eyes obviously seeing something Ulrike couldn't, Hertha seemed to be in a peculiar mood, and Ulrike decided to wait and let her divulge more information in her own time.

When they reached Havelchaussee, Ulrike slowed down to the required 30km/h tempo limit and mused aloud that it was a good thing she was driving a taxi, as the road was closed during the night, except for taxis.

Hertha smirked and with a raised eyebrow she said, "That's why it's a good thing to have a taxi driver in the family."

"Oh, I see," said Ulrike, shaking her head in amazement of the old woman's logical thinking.

After about five minutes, Hertha told Ulrike to watch out for the access road to Grunewald Tower.

"What do you want at Grunewald Tower at night? It's closed."

"It's Christmas Eve, so the restaurant is open till at least ten," Hertha pointed out, "And then they still have to wait till the last guest left before they can start cleaning up."

"Maybe so," Ulrike conceded, "But they won't let us in, nor will they serve us anything at this hour."

"I believe we've had enough to eat and drink to last us for days," said Hertha. "No, I don't want to go into the restaurant, but they have the keys to the tower."

Ulrike really had no idea why on earth Hertha wanted to climb up the tower, however as she turned into the access road, a sounder of wild boars crossing in front of them caused her to step on the brake. "Damn! That was close," cursed Ulrike.

"Whew!" exclaimed Hertha as they waited for the wild boars to pass, "You've got quick reactions. Can't complain there."

"Thanks. You were right," said Ulrike, "There's still light in the restaurant."

Hertha just gave her a smug look, causing Ulrike to snort. And she realised that she had been right as well - with her assumption that driving Carmen's Oma home would certainly be more entertaining than going to church, at least for her.

Parking the taxi, they got out of the car and headed for the restaurant.

Trying to open the door, Hertha found it closed and knocked.

"They aren't going to open," said Ulrike, shivering because she hadn't thought of putting on her new jacket.

"They will open eventually," said Hertha and knocked again.

Finally, a guy in his twenties in a waiter's uniform opened the door and without a greeting told them rather rudely that the restaurant was closed.

"Oh, I know," said Hertha, "And I'm sure you've still got a lot to do before you can go home to your family, so I really don't want to steal your time for too long. However, I would really like to climb up to the top of the tower."

" _Der is ooch jeschloss'n_ ," the waiter stated that the tower was closed as well.

"Look," said Hertha, and pulling her purse from her enormous handbag, she took out a 100-DM note and said, "I'm willing to pay you for the inconvenience."

When the guy was still reluctant, Hertha sighed and said, "You know, I didn't want to talk about it, as I'd really rather not think about it, but I have a brain tumour, and I only have a few weeks to live. The tower is very close to my heart. It's where my dear late husband proposed to me. I would so love to go up there one more time before I die. You'd really be doing me a great favour if you let us have the keys just for one hour or so."

Ulrike was utterly shocked. Why hadn't Carmen ever told her? Why had Hertha not said anything? Shit, and the woman wanted to climb the tower. She gulped, when the guy finally agreed to give them the keys. _Shit, shit, shit_ , she cursed inwardly. Carmen would kill her if something happened to her beloved Oma while she was climbing all those stairs.

#

"I'm not sure if this is such a good idea," said Ulrike when they stepped through the door into the darkness of the circular staircase; the only illumination a shimmer of moonlight that shone through the narrow window and reflected on the cast iron spiral stairway. Ulrike had no idea if there was a light-switch somewhere or if the staff controlled the lighting, if there was any at all.

"Afraid already?" asked Hertha as she rummaged in her handbag.

"What? No, I'm not afraid at all," said Ulrike. "I'm just worried about you!"

"Ah well," said Hertha, "No need to worry about me. I'm prepared."

"Are you just doing this to cure me from my phobia? Then we can turn around right away. I am not afraid as long as I have solid ground beneath my feet."

"Shut up, will you," said Hertha, and lighting a big torch she climbed ahead, lighting the way.

Once they reached the end of the stairs, Hertha leant against the door and held out her handbag, and said, panting, "Do me a favour. Carry this for me."

Taking the bag, Ulrike scolded, "We should go back. This was a stupid idea. It's far too exhausting for you."

"Stop fussing. I'm fine," stated Hertha, and taking a deep breath, she opened the door and stepped out into the cold night air. Waiting for Ulrike, she lit the way to the next door, which led to the main staircase. Here the stairs were not spiralling, but straight, and Hertha continued the climb.

"You really shouldn't tax yourself so much, especially not in your condition," berated Ulrike when Hertha stopped at almost every landing to catch her breath. But Hertha would hear none of it. Saving her breath for actual breathing, she just waved Ulrike off and continued.

Nevertheless, Ulrike continued grumbling and cursing, even though she was getting puffed herself now.

When they finally reached the top Ulrike was quite breathless, and she panted, "Why won't you understand that I'm worried about you? For heaven's sake! Carmen will never forgive me if you die on me because I let you climb up here."

Heavily panting, Hertha leant against a column and commanded Ulrike to stop with just a gesture.

Several minutes later, once she felt capable of talking again, she asked, "Do you really think someone with a brain tumour could climb up all these steps?"

Furrowing her brow in puzzlement, it took Ulrike a moment to process the meaning of Hertha's words, and when she finally did, she gaped at her in disbelief. "You lied?"

"Eh, lying is such a strong word. I gave him a reason to let us up here."

Shaking her head, Ulrike said, "Doubling the money would probably have accomplished the same thing."

"Probably, but I didn't have another hundred Mark with me," said Hertha.

"What if he had seen through your lie?"

Smirking, Hertha said, "He didn't. And neither did you."

"Yeah, well, I didn't really think about it. I'm not a doctor after all."

"Neither is he. He's a waiter. The risk of him calling me on it was negligible. And the worst that could have happened would have been that he wouldn't let us up here."

Shaking her head, Ulrike said, "Well, you could have at least told me sooner."

Tilting her head, Hertha grinned and said, "I could have. But it was entertaining to hear you muttering curses all the way up."

"Splendid," said Ulrike and shook her head. Really, Carmen had not exaggerated; the woman was - something else.

Leaning against the railing, Hertha looked out over the dark waters of the Havel and the Grunewald forest below; and she let her gaze wander further, taking in the Berlin city lights and the illuminated Funkturm in the distance, sparkling in the crisp clear night.

After a while, she walked a few steps to the side and closed her eyes. "This is where he kissed me the first time. It was in the evening of 4th November, 1922. It was dark already, and the full moon was shining down on us... and two months later, also in this spot, he asked me to marry him."

Opening her eyes, she glanced at Ulrike, and seeing her rather forlorn look, she said with a grin, "This is also the place where Helmut was conceived."

She laughed at Ulrike's dumbfounded expression, and when she saw Ulrike scanning the platform in disbelief, she explained, "Times were different then. I was living with my parents, and so was he. We weren't married yet, so it was unthinkable to get intimate in either of our rooms. We had been coming to the restaurant almost every weekend for over a year.

"Wait," said Ulrike, "Didn't you just say that he proposed to you two months after your first kiss?"

"That's right," said Hertha, and explained, "Back then you didn't kiss people on the first date. He courted me for almost a year before he dared kissing me. Anyway, since we had been coming here for so long, we knew all the personnel and we knew the owner. Erich never told me how he did it, but he managed to get a spare key for the tower from the owner. We couldn't have come here this late at night before we were married, of course. My parents would never have allowed me to come home so late. So, every Sunday morning we got up at five in the morning and drove here, long before the restaurant would open and the first day trippers would arrive. He had a Benz, my Erich," and nudging Ulrike's arm, she added, "But it looked very different from those of today, of course. You don't see these cars on the street anymore."

"Yes, I know," said Ulrike, shivering. She was truly interested in hearing Hertha's revelations, but the cold was beginning to creep through her clothes.

"You should have put on your new down jacket," said Hertha scoldingly, but then she relented, "Well, I suppose we should climb down anyway to return the key to the poor guy. He's probably waiting anxiously to get home."

"Yes," Ulrike agreed, and they slowly made their way back down the stairs.

#

Once they were back in the taxi, Hertha said, "I see we've still got time, so we can drive to another place before we call it a night."

Again, Ulrike was amused that Hertha didn't even ask if she minded, but now that she was warm again, she was actually curious as to what else the old woman had up her sleeve. "So, where are we headed?"

"Just drive on and turn right into Heerstraße. I'll let you know where to turn next," said Hertha.

"We always took this route after we'd been at Grunewald Tower," remembered Hertha. "We often went there, even after we were married." When they passed the opera house, she made a sweeping gesture with her arm and said, "During the war, everything here was destroyed; there was nothing left but ruins and rubble."

Ulrike didn't know what to say. Hertha's sudden change from her happy memories to an image of devastation had caught her off-guard.

Hertha didn't seem to expect any comments, as she went on, "We lost our home, and so did my mother. We all lived with the in-laws then. Erich had to close his practice. He had to work at the military horse hospital. His Benz had been confiscated, and more often than not, public transport wasn't working. So, almost every day we had to walk all the way to work, through streets full of rubble, lined by ruins and blackened skeletons of buildings; only the odd one in between that had withstood the bombings, sans windows, remained. Sometimes the rescue workers and salvage crews had only just begun their work, and we had to walk past dead bodies of humans and horses, climbing over piles of rubble and parts of wrecked vehicles and machinery. It wasn't pretty, I can assure you," remarked Hertha.

Feeling decidedly awkward, Ulrike just nodded, and Hertha continued, "We always walked together, my Erich and I. He always took me all the way to work, even though it meant that he had to make a detour of half an hour. He wouldn't let me walk alone during this time, and he wouldn't let go of my hand. I'm not sure if it was more to support me, or if he needed my support; probably both. You didn't think much during those times, if you could at all help it. You were glad that you were still alive, and you had to function, no matter what. And any little thing that helped ensuring that was welcome. There was no room for breaking down."

Suddenly, Hertha stopped her story and said, "You can turn into the next street on the right, and then follow it to the end."

Befuddled by the sudden change of subject, Ulrike asked, "You want me to drive to the end of Müller-Breslau-Straße?"

"Yes."

Glancing at Hertha, Ulrike said, "The Schleusenkrug is definitely closed now, or do you have keys for that?"

Hertha chuckled, "No, but I don't want to go to the restaurant."

"Where do you want to go?" asked Ulrike as she parked the taxi at the end of the dead end street.

"You'll see," said Hertha with a wink. "Take your new jacket."

Wondering what the old woman was up to, Ulrike complied and got the jacket from the boot. "Should I take my torch?"

"No," said Hertha, "We don't want to attract attention."

Ulrike froze in mid-motion. She had been about to slam the boot shut, but now she was standing there with her hand on the still open lid, gaping at Hertha.

Tilting her head, Hertha asked, "What?"

Recovering, Ulrike asked, only half joking, "Should I take my wheel brace?"

Hertha grinned, "That won't be necessary."

Shaking her head, Ulrike closed the lid as quietly as possible and fell into step with Hertha.

They went through the tunnel below the railway line, following the path that led them past the restaurant, and then turned right. It was dark; no streetlights were lighting the way here, and Ulrike wondered how the old woman could even manage to walk here without stumbling, when she herself felt rather insecure, and this although she was over forty years younger and wasn't lugging a huge handbag around!

"Here it is," whispered Hertha and turned towards a narrow old gate in the fence.

"That's an entrance for zoo staff only," Ulrike whispered back.

"That's why I know of it," said Hertha smugly and produced a key from her handbag.

"You work at the zoo?" asked Ulrike disbelievingly while Hertha unlocked the gate.

"Don't be ridiculous. I'm eighty-seven years old," scolded Hertha, and opening the gate, she gestured Ulrike to follow her.

Hesitating, Ulrike asked, "How did you get the key?"

Hertha rolled her eyes, and although Ulrike couldn't see it, she could very well imagine it when Hertha said impatiently, "I know the keeper of the hippos. Come on in already."

Finally following Hertha inside, Ulrike asked, "Is there anyone you don't know?"

"No," said Hertha deadpan, and closed the gate; "At least not anyone of importance to me."

Ulrike kept close to Hertha as she led the way through the labyrinth of pathways. Usually, Ulrike had a good sense of orientation, but finding her way through the zoo in the darkness was a tad too tricky for her liking; and the unusual noises coming from the animals only added to her uncomfortable feeling.

Finally, Hertha stopped at a bench under an old oak tree, and rummaging in her handbag, she pulled out an insulating blanket and unfolded it. Then, tugging at Ulrike's sleeve she sat down and said, "Have a seat."

Ulrike raised her eyebrows and complied. Now she finally knew why the woman was lugging that enormous handbag around - she was obviously prepared for all possible events.

Hertha patted Ulrike's hand and pointing towards the bare branches above them, she said, "This is our tree. It's one of very few things that haven't changed. This tree was a witness when Erich and I met the first time - here under this tree."

They sat in silence for a while before Hertha continued, "I often come here at night to remember the good times."

"Carmen said you have an annual ticket for the zoo," said Ulrike.

"I do," acknowledged Hertha.

"Why are you buying a ticket if you have a key?"

"Because I also like going here during the day; and I couldn't use the key then. That Willi provided me with the key wasn't exactly legal. If people see me using the key, they'll ask questions."

"I see. And why do you keep going here at night?" asked Ulrike.

"Because it's quiet. It is easier to remember when there aren't hundreds of people around. Erich and I were both helping here during the war. He was a vet. Not here at the zoo. As I said, he was stationed at a military hospital for horses, but we both helped here as volunteers. He died somewhere over there during an air raid of the allies. Everything has changed, so I can't tell the exact place."

"But he wasn't buried here, was he?"

"Yes, he was. He was buried together with others, humans and animals, somewhere on the zoo's grounds. There's no way to tell where exactly, but it doesn't matter. I'm glad he found his rest here. Here is where his heart and soul were, here where we met the first time, where we went as often as possible. Here, surrounded by all the exotic animals we both felt as if we had escaped the world out there," she pointed in the vague direction of Hardenbergplatz, "And here he died as he was helping our animal friends in a time of dire need. To me he was a true hero. So, at night, when it is quiet, I go here to remember him, while during the day I come here to keep our tradition."

"You must have loved him very much," said Ulrike quietly.

"I still do," said Hertha, and after a moment of silence, she looked at Ulrike and said, "And Carmen loves you. Do not stop being you just because she requests it. She loves you for who you are, not for whom she wants you to become based on her fears and insecurities."

Ulrike was speechless. Hertha's comment had been so unexpected it had felt like a punch in the gut. Not that she had thought that Carmen didn't love her, no, she knew Carmen loved her. However, with the emotionally charged preface Oma had given her this evening, this otherwise harmless comment became a statement of monumental proportions.

Hertha didn't wait for Ulrike to respond. When she saw that her comment had had the obviously desired effect on Ulrike, she got up and said, "Let's go home, it's getting cold."

Quietly, Ulrike followed Hertha as they went back the way they had come. By sharing her past, Hertha had taught Ulrike something about appreciation; and Ulrike felt a fondness in her heart that she had never felt before.

#

On the way back to the car, Ulrike was musing about Hertha's revelations, and how they affected her view on her own relationship with Carmen. Surely, the difficulties that they had to face were nothing compared to what Oma Hertha and her Erich had to endure. And perhaps she should really be more patient with Carmen, especially with regards to her work.

Nonetheless, she wondered, wouldn't it have been more appropriate to take Carmen on this nostalgic journey through Berlin? Why had Hertha gone through all this effort only to tell her not to change? Wouldn't it make more sense if she tried to get Carmen to accept her as she was and stop trying to change her?

And as if Hertha had listened in on Ulrike's thoughts, once they had passed the gate again, she continued to talk, "Carmen hasn't lived through two world wars, Ulrike. She has always lived a very sheltered life, and she's afraid of everything that's beyond her comfort zone. Feeling safe is all very well, but you can't protect yourself from every possible danger. Life per se is dangerous - it always ends with death. And imagine if no one ever took any risks, where would we be today? I'm sure with you as her partner, she will understand that eventually; she just isn't used to heroes - yet."

"Funny, that you're using the word 'hero'. Did you get that from Carmen?"

Hertha laughed, and she waited for the train to pass above them before she said, "No. Carmen hasn't breathed a word about the lesson you taught that homophobic guy; and she didn't tell me about your black-eye incident either."

Ulrike stopped in her tracks and gaped at Hertha.

Hertha chuckled at Ulrike's perplexed look.

"How do you know about it if not through Carmen?"

"I have my sources," said Hertha, grinning.

"Which are?"

"Gosh, you are persistent! I like that," said Oma Hertha and smacked Ulrike's arm.

Ulrike chuckled as she opened the passenger's door for Hertha.

Putting her jacket back in the boot, she joined Hertha in the taxi, and raising her eyebrows, she asked, "So? Who is the ominous source?"

Hertha laughed and said, "Signora Moretti."

"Moretti?" Suddenly Ulrike's eyes widened and she asked, "Renato's wife told you?"

Shaking her head, Hertha said, "No, not his wife, his mother. Signorina Rossi, now Signora Moretti, once was a lodger at our place, and we have remained friends ever since."

"You are friends with Renato and Marco's mother? But... Carmen never mentioned that she knew her when she was at Renato's birthday party."

"Carmen doesn't know her," said Hertha. "She moved out before my son moved in with his family. Carmen has probably seen her a few times when she was a child when Signora Moretti came for a visit, but she probably didn't make the connection. Signora Moretti wasn't a hundred percent sure either, it was after this party that she asked me whether my granddaughter had a friend called Ulrike."

"I can't believe this!" exclaimed Ulrike. "I've seen her several times since then, and she didn't breathe a word about knowing you... but now I know why she always gave me this weird mischievous grin."

Laughing, Oma Hertha said, "We both thought it would be more fun for us if you and Carmen didn't know, especially since you and Renato are such good friends and you both seem to be frequent guests at Marco's pizzeria."

"You spied on us?"

"Tsk, spying would mean we collect information purposefully and secretly," said Hertha, "We just like to talk about our families. And Lucia truly enjoys that she now learns things about Carmen - and you - that I don't know about."

Ulrike shook her head and said, "I wouldn't have thought that Renato would tell his mother about what we did."

"Renato didn't tell her, Luisa did. She's very fond of you, though she's beginning to think you're a bad influence on her husband." Hertha chuckled at Ulrike's exasperated reaction, and reassured her, "No worries, Lucia has talked her out of this nonsense."

"And who told you about my fear of heights? I'm pretty sure I haven't told Renato or anyone of his family; and Carmen said she didn't either."

"My daughter in law did," said Hertha grinning. "She's just as bad as her daughter when it comes to taking risks. She was outraged about Carmen dragging you over that ridge." As Ulrike was about to protest, Hertha waved her off and said, "I know. You did it purely of your own volition." Hertha sighed, "It took me a while to get the correct version out of her. My daughter in law has a habit of interpreting things in her own special way."

"I know what you mean," mumbled Ulrike, "My mother is the same, in a way."

"Anyway," said Hertha. "I think you should get rid of this stupid fear. It doesn't suit you."

Ulrike made a face, but since this talk with Hertha was far too interesting, she didn't even think of starting to drive, so they just sat in the taxi and Ulrike asked, "For Carmen and José you seem to be some sort of omniscient enigma. How come you're so openly telling me about all your sources?"

"You asked," stated Hertha matter-of-factly, "They never did."

Ulrike couldn't believe it. "They never asked you how you knew something?"

"Nope. Never."

Shaking her head in disbelief, Ulrike said, "I thought that would be a perfectly normal reaction to wonder how you knew something."

"Oh, I'm sure they do wonder. They just don't do it in my presence."

"They do indeed wonder a lot, I can assure you. How weird, that they never thought of simply asking you."

"It is, isn't it?" said Hertha, and yawned.

Taking that as a cue, Ulrike started the engine and asked, "All right, I guess we should call it a night. So, where shall I drive you?"

"Menzelstraße," said Oma Hertha.

Surprised, Ulrike asked, "Is your tour not over yet? I thought we'd drive to your place now."

"And so we will," said Hertha, "Menzelstraße 20, that's where I live."

Glad that she wasn't driving yet, Ulrike looked at Oma Hertha and said with a disbelieving grin, "You're kidding me, right?"

"No," said Oma Hertha, "I've been living there since 1975."

Reversing out of the parking space, Ulrike said, "Now I know why Carmen was so strange when she said she'd rather meet for breakfast tomorrow at my place. I bet she wanted to give me time to digest this."

"What are you talking about?" Oma Hertha asked, audibly confused.

"You don't know?"

"I hate to say it, but I'm completely clueless," admitted Hertha.

Ulrike laughed out loud and said, "So Carmen didn't tell you either? And neither did your buddy, Lucia, eh?"

"What?" Oma Hertha asked impatiently.

"Oh boy, that's hilarious," said Ulrike and broke into laughter again. When she finally calmed down, she explained, "My mother lives almost exactly parallel to you in Cranachstraße. And I live Grazer Damm, in the block that is also exactly parallel to your part of Menzelstraße. We may have met countless times without knowing during this past half year."

Pursing her lips, Hertha hummed her agreement.

"Gosh, they got us good with this one."

"Hm, Lucia yes," said Hertha. "I'm sure she'll have a good laugh the next time we talk. Carmen? Not so much."

"What? Why?" asked Ulrike.

Hertha seemed to ponder for a moment, before she asked, "When will you get up tomorrow?"

"Huh?" Ulrike asked, and when she took a quick glance at Hertha and she noticed that the old woman had a mischievous glint in her eye, she suddenly thought she knew what Hertha was up to. "Oh, you're baaad! I know what you're planning."

"You'd be the first person to ever guess my plans," stated Hertha. "Carmen has tried to guess what I'm up to since she was a child. And she's not stupid. She just seems to be unable to think the way I do. What do you think I'm planning?"

"Well, you'll come to my place tomorrow so that when Carmen comes you're already there, having breakfast with me."

"You think that would be 'baaad'?" asked Hertha.

"Well, it would certainly surprise her, no?"

"Nah, it wouldn't," disagreed Hertha. "Carmen may be a bit dense sometimes, however, even she will almost certainly expect to find me at your place tomorrow."

"You think so, really?"

"After all those years, I'd be disappointed if she didn't," said Hertha. "But you and I seem to be cut from the same cloth. You're just still a bit wet behind the ears, and you don't know me yet, so I'll cut you some slack."

"Thank you! So what are you up to?"

"Listen, and learn."

#

The next morning, Ulrike sat at the set breakfast table, waiting for Carmen.

The previous night, Oma Hertha had explained to Ulrike the reason as to why she was not going to let Carmen get away with just a simple surprise. Carmen had not kept them in the dark in order to surprise them and have a good laugh, as Lucia had obviously done. Carmen's reason had been an entirely different one, Hertha was sure. She suspected, that Carmen had not told them out of fear, and that she didn't trust Hertha to be capable of properly assessing the situation and behave accordingly; and that was not sitting well with her at all.

Ulrike thought that Hertha was probably right with her suspicion, since Carmen had waited almost till the last minute to warn her about Hertha. And although she herself would have been more lenient with Carmen, she agreed to help Hertha in her endeavour of teaching her granddaughter a lesson.

Early this morning they had then gone over the plan Oma Hertha had cooked up. Ulrike didn't think that Carmen would really react the way Oma Hertha predicted, but Hertha had asked Ulrike to trust her; and to play it by ear if anything didn't go quite the way she thought. She had also encouraged Ulrike to continue her acting no matter what until Hertha decided it was the right time to let Carmen off the hook. Ulrike had agreed to Hertha's plan; and although she was still doubtful about Hertha's predictions, she was determined to play her part to the best of her abilities. With her memory trip the previous night, Hertha had given her a lot to think about; and she felt a tremendous appreciation for the old woman and her treasure of wisdom. She would do her best not to disappoint Hertha.

As soon as she heard the key turn in the lock, Ulrike did her very best to tap into her recently discovered acting skills and when she heard the door shut again, she called, "Good morning, _Liebling_! I'm in the kitchen."

Carmen hesitated as she took off her coat. Ulrike sounded more cheerful than she had expected. Nevertheless, she was fairly sure that Ulrike was not the only one awaiting her, and she dreaded the lecture she would almost certainly receive. Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself and headed for the kitchen.

Ulrike knew that Hertha's prediction had been spot on when Carmen didn't respond and instead looked around the kitchen as if she was expecting another person to be there with her, puzzled to find only Ulrike.

"What's the matter?" asked Ulrike.

Carmen narrowed her eyes, still not responding, when suddenly a hint of glee flashed across her face, and she turned around and headed for the living room.

Ulrike almost chuckled out loud. Controlling herself, she got up and called after Carmen, "Hey! _Liebling_ , what's wrong?"

Carmen came out of the living room, looking even more puzzled than before, but then, instead of finally acknowledging her partner, she strode towards the bedroom and stepped inside.

Ulrike followed her and grasping her arm she asked, "Carmen, you are worrying me. What's going on?"

Finally, Carmen looked at Ulrike and said with almost a whisper, "I could have sworn I'd find Oma Hertha here."

Ulrike almost lost it. Carmen had handed her an opportunity she could not pass, and looking at her partner as if she had lost her marbles, she asked disbelievingly, "In my bedroom?"

Carmen flushed red and hastily explained, "Oh my God, no! That's not what I meant. I meant here at your place."

"Why would she be here?" asked Ulrike, and crossing her arms, she leant against the door frame.

"Well, um, because you drove her home," stammered Carmen, and when Ulrike just kept staring at her as if she were worrying about her mental health, she asked, "You did drive her home, didn't you?"

"Ye-es," said Ulrike, "To **her** home."

"Well, of course to her home. That's what I meant," said Carmen, irritated.

"So, what? I'm still not getting why you would think she'd be here."

"Well, because of where she lives," said Carmen.

"Why? Is there anything special about that house that I should know? Looked like a normal tenement building to me."

"I don't mean the house, but the address," said Carmen annoyed. "Weren't you both surprised to find that she lives so close to you?"

"I don't consider a roughly fifteen minutes' drive close," stated Ulrike, gleefully noting that the old woman's predictions had been almost exactly to the point.

"Come on," huffed Carmen, "It doesn't even take five minutes from here to Menzelstraße."

"Menzelstraße?" asked Ulrike, managing to look confused.

Now it was Carmen's turn to look strangely at Ulrike, "Yes, Menzelstraße. That's where you took Oma Hertha last night, remember?"

Ulrike shook her head. "No, that's not where I took her."

Carmen was at a loss. "I don't understand. Where did you take her?"

"Burggrafenstraße. I don't remember the number... fifteen maybe?"

"Why did you take her to Burggrafenstraße?"

"Because that's where she wanted me to take her."

"But that's not where she lives," said Carmen. "She lives Menzelstraße 20."

"Really? How cool! Why did you never tell me that she lives so close?"

Instead of answering, Carmen furrowed her brow, and said, "This all doesn't make sense."

Touching Carmen's arm, Ulrike suggested, "Come let's sit down in the kitchen. Maybe you'll just need some breakfast and coffee."

Wordlessly, Carmen followed Ulrike.

As they sat down at the table, Ulrike complained, "I haven't even got a kiss from you yet."

"I'm sorry," said Carmen, and she leant in to rectify her lapse.

However, in the middle of the kiss, she suddenly leant back and said, "My God, perhaps she is developing Alzheimer's."

Okay, thought Ulrike, this was unexpected. However, by now she was so much into her role that she could continue the act without batting an eyelash, and she said, "Nonsense. She appeared perfectly fine to me."

"You don't know her," explained Carmen, "As far as I know, strangers don't always notice when a person has Alzheimer's."

"Carmen, she had a key," Ulrike remarked.

Halting for a moment, Carmen finally said, "She grew up in Burggrafenstraße. Perhaps she still had the old key."

"Carmen, your Oma is almost ninety. Even if she grew up there and still had an old key, it would no longer fit. It was definitely a post-war building."

"Did you wait till she was inside?"

"I accompanied her to the door; she opened it with a key; we said good-bye; I waited till she was safely inside. So, the key fit and she obviously knew what she was doing."

"But what is she doing there? She doesn't live there."

"How the hell should I know? Perhaps she's caring for a friend?"

"That late at night?! On Christmas Eve?"

"Why not? Or perhaps she's staying at her friend's place, looking after some pet?"

"Ulli, something isn't right," said Carmen and got up. "Please, let's drive there."

"What do you want there?" asked Ulrike. "If she doesn't live there, as you say, then her name won't be on the doorbell. So, how would you know where to ring?"

"I don't know yet," said Carmen, getting more and more agitated. "I want to see where exactly you took her."

"All right, all right," reassured Ulrike. "Can I have breakfast first? I'm really hungry."

"Ulli, I can feel that something is not right! Perhaps she is now wandering the streets, trying to find home. Perhaps she needs us somehow."

"She has my number," said Ulrike while she was spreading butter on her toast, "If she needs us, she can call."

"Ulli!!!" Carmen shouted beside herself. "What the hell is wrong with you? I thought you were getting quite chummy with Oma yesterday, and now you don't seem to care at all." And bursting into tears, she pleaded, "What if something happened to her? Please! She may be the most wicked and embarrassing witch I've ever known, but I love her, and I don't want to lose her. Neither to you nor to... whatsoever! Please! I would never forgive myself if something happened to her. It's all my fault. I should have told you where she lives; then you would have noticed that something wasn't right. But I... at first I was afraid she might scare you away, and when I realised that you'd probably get along quite well, I became afraid you'd be seeing her more often than I can because you live so close, and I don't have so much time... and... and... now that you know that Oma lives around the corner, you'll be angry when I don't pass by at your place when I'm at Oma's but I really don't have that much time right now, and she means the world to me. I love you too, Ulli, please don't doubt that, but..." she stopped and buried her face in her hands, sobbing.

Getting up, Ulrike approached Carmen and taking her into her arms, she said, "Calm down, _Liebling_. It's all right. I'm not angry at you, and nothing is going to happen to your Oma. I promise."

Tears running down her cheeks, Carmen grabbed Ulrike's shirt and cried, "You can't promise that!"

"Yes, she can, because I'm here," stated Oma Hertha as she stepped out of Ulrike's office.

Flabbergasted, Carmen stared at Hertha and breathed, "Oma?" Then she threw her arms around Hertha and sobbed, "God, I'm so glad you are all right!"

Holding Carmen for a while, Hertha finally stepped out of the embrace, and patting Carmen's cheek, she said reassuringly, " _Nu komma meene Kleene_. Come on, my little one, let's go and sit down." And she led Carmen into the living room.

Sitting down on the sofa, Carmen blew her nose, and then taking a deep shuddering breath, she asked, "Why did you do this to me?"

"Oh, I'm sure that, once you calm down and think for a moment, you'll be able to answer that yourself," said Oma Hertha.

Looking down at her hands in her lap, Carmen mumbled, "Yes, you wanted to get back at me for not telling you."

"No," said Hertha gently, "We didn't want to 'get back at you'."

Carmen looked up at Hertha and Ulrike. "You didn't?"

"No," said Ulrike, "I thought it was actually a funny surprise when we discovered it."

"Then I don't understand," said Carmen.

"Oh my, little one," sighed Hertha. "You may have succeeded in fooling Ulrike, but you should know me enough by now to know that you can't fool me."

"I don't know what you mean. I didn't try to fool you. I just... I... I didn't dare telling you because..."

"Because I'm the most embarrassing wicked witch you've ever known?"

Turning crimson, Carmen whispered, " _Oh God, you heard that? I didn't mean_..."

"Yes you did," interrupted Hertha. "And if you think that I can't take it if you're being honest with me, then you really don't know me - and that I find very sad, actually."

Carmen hung her head and murmured, "I'm sorry."

"Oh Carmen, Carmen, what am I going to do with you," said Oma Hertha, shaking her head. "I'm not asking you to be sorry. I'd rather you'd learn to trust me. Look, although I am wondering how you couldn't know what Ulrike would do, I can't really scold you for not trusting her yet. A good relationship isn't built over night, and after only half a year you haven't even established proper foundations yet. Both of you still need to figure things out, find common ground, set boundaries, establish trust et cetera. But that you don't trust **me** enough to know that you mean the world to me as well, and that I would never even **try** scaring away the person you love, that really saddens me. Not to mention that you don't even seem to trust me to know what I'm doing. Do I really appear that senile to you?"

"No, you don't," said Carmen sheepishly. However, looking up at Hertha she tried to defend herself, "You say that I should trust you that you wouldn't even try to scare away the person I love. Well, pardon me if I beg to differ. The way you behaved yesterday wasn't exactly what I would consider a normal way for an Oma to introduce herself to the partner of her granddaughter."

Hertha smiled, and raising an eyebrow at Carmen, she pointed at Ulrike and said, "She's still here, is she not?"

Annoyed, Carmen said, "Yes, but you didn't know her yet. What if..."

Raising her hand, Hertha interrupted, "What if I told you that I know more about Ulrike than you think?"

Carmen was about to protest, but suddenly she shut her mouth, and after a second she said, defeated, "I would believe you."

While Carmen was occupied fiddling with some non-existent lint on her sleeve, Hertha winked at Ulrike and mouthed, _'see?'_

Ulrike shook her head with a disbelieving smirk. Her partner didn't even seem curious about where Hertha got her knowledge from. She simply accepted that her Oma obviously knew everything.

Hertha just couldn't help grasping this opportunity to tease her granddaughter, and she asked, "But it never occurred to you to ask me what I know, even though you've known me for almost all your life?"

"I'm sorry," Carmen mumbled contritely.

Ulrike could barely squash the urge of covering her face with her palm.

Gently squeezing Carmen's arm, Hertha said mildly, "You've still got a lot to learn, my little one."

Knowing exactly what Hertha meant with her comments, but seeing with her own eyes that Carmen interpreted them in a totally different way, Ulrike could no longer restrain herself; and she buried her mouth and nose between her hands, shaking her head. She marvelled at how skilfully Hertha was teasing Carmen by giving her clues that she knew Carmen would not get, even if they were blatantly obvious to anyone who recognised them. And she knew she would have to stay alert in Hertha's presence. The woman was sly!

###

*Disclaimer: The 'secret' entrance to the zoo does not exist in the way it was portrayed; it only looks like that on some maps of the zoo, that's how I got the idea. However, the footpath on which Ulrike and Hertha are walking is several metres above the zoo at that point. You can look down on the animals from there. The staff access road/tunnel that leads to the farmyard of the zoo on the other side of the train tracks runs beneath the footpath.

###

Recipes

Empanadas

Ingredients for the filling:

200g minced beef (or veal, or chicken)

2 chopped hard-boiled eggs

3tbsps. lard (or 30g Speck)

1 hand full of chopped black olives (or stuffed green ones if you prefer)

(Optional: 1 hand full of raisins)

1 chopped onion

2 cloves of garlic

½ tsp. paprika powder

Salt, pepper, sugar, marjoram (or oregano)

Ingredients for the dough:

250g flour

150 ml milk

100g butter

Salt, sugar

(Optional: yolk of 1 egg)

Preparation of filling:

Heat the lard. Sautée the onions in the lard. Add garlic and minced meat. When the meat loses its red colour, add the rest of the olives, raisins and spices, and adjust spicing according to your taste. When the meat is slightly browned, set it aside and mix in the chopped hard-boiled eggs. Then let everything cool down.

Preparation of dough:

Mix the flour with the salt and sugar and alternately add warmed milk and warmed butter.

Let the dough rest for at least half an hour.

Roll out the dough and cut into circles (size of a dessert plate).

Put filling on half of the slices (ca. 1-2 tbsps. on each), moisten the edges with water, fold over the other half, and press the edges together.

(Optional: Brush the top of the empanadas with egg yolk.)

Put the empanadas in the preheated oven (200°C) till they are golden brown (ca. 15-20m).

Lentil stew with sausages

Ulrike's way:

Buy a tin of lentil stew with sausages, take a tin opener to open it, pour contains on a soup plate, put plate in the microwave, heat for about 2 minutes (depending on your microwave). Add one or two tablespoons of vinegar.

Carmen's way:

Ingredients for four people:

2 Tablespoons butter or oil

1 Onion (chopped)

2 Carrots (peeled and diced)

1 Celeriac (chopped)

1 bay leaf

2 Big potatoes (peeled and diced)

1 Leek (chopped)

250g Lentils (soaked)

1 Tablespoon mustard

1 Litre vegetable broth

4 Wiener sausages

Salt and pepper

Sugar

1 Bunch of parsley (finely chopped)

Vinegar (depending on your taste ~1-2 tablespoons)

Heat the butter or oil in a pot and add the onions, carrots, celeriac and the bay leaf and cook them till they are glossy.

Add the lentils, potatoes, leek, vegetable broth and mustard. Bring to a slow boil and then let it simmer for 20-30 minutes.

Cut the Wieners, add them to the soup, and cook for another 5-10 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper.

Sprinkle with parsley, and add sugar and vinegar according to taste.

Panna Cotta

Ingredients for four persons:

500g Cream

50g Sugar

1 Vanilla pod

2 Leaves gelatine

Serve with strawberries or other fresh fruits.

Soak the gelatine leaves till they are soft.

Slowly heat the cream with the sugar, stir till the sugar has dissolved.

Cut the vanilla pod and scrape out the seeds. Add seeds and pod to the cream.

Let it simmer for about 10 minutes.

Take pot off the stove, let it cool a little, then take out the vanilla pod and add the gelatine leaves. Stir until the gelatine has dissolved.

Pour the mixture into small cups and let it chill in the fridge for at least 5 hours.

Once firm, turn each panna cotta upside down onto a plate and garnish with fruits.

Berlin Currywurst:

Currywurst is a well-loved take away food in Germany, especially in Berlin, but it usually isn't something you'd make yourself. However, if you grew up in Berlin, you might occasionally get the odd craving for Currywurst, and if you're not anywhere near Berlin then, it might be difficult to get one that tastes 'just right'. Nowadays, Ulrike might simply buy the ready-made Currywurst from Meica which you only need to nuke, but I'm not sure if that's available outside of Germany, and also the resemblance to the original is only close enough to satisfy you when you're really desperate. Thus, even Ulrike might resign herself to making it from scratch if the craving struck her outside of Berlin. So, here's one way to get a taste of one of Ulrike's favourite foods:

Ingredients for the sauce:

200 g Tomato purée (Tomato paste for Americans. The thick, highly concentrated thing is meant here)

175 g Apple sauce

500 ml Water

1 Tablespoon salt

1 Tablespoon paprika powder

1 Tablespoon onion powder (you can also use 1 finely chopped onion)

2 Tablespoons curry powder

Mix the tomato purée (paste), the apple sauce and the water in a sauce pan, and cook the mixture shortly. Add the spices.

Tips:

\- If you're using a chopped onion, cook them till they are soft and translucent and then add the other ingredients to the onions.

\- If your apple sauce is very thin, use a little less water (if the sauce still seems to thin, let it simmer till it thickens more)

\- If your apple sauce isn't sweet enough, you could add a bit of sugar.

Almost every _Imbiss_ (~ snack bar) in Berlin offers a slightly different sauce, as they often make it themselves, and they usually keep the recipe secret. So, this recipe can only offer a basic similarity, and you're free to improvise according to taste.

Other possible additions to experiment with could be: chilli powder, pepper, lemon juice, Worcester sauce, mustard, garlic, tabasco sauce, honey, cayenne pepper.

Some people use orange juice or apple juice instead of apple sauce, in that case you'll need less water and perhaps a bit of sugar.

As for the sausages: If you can't get German Currywurst, try getting German Bockwurst, pork sausages, or franks.

Make slight cuts into the sausages (at the points where you'll cut them later) and deep fry or just fry them with plenty of oil.

Cut them into bite size pieces and pour sauce over them. Sprinkle with curry powder (and with cayenne pepper if you like it hot.)

Serve with French fries or just a plain bread roll.

Alfajores:

125g Corn-starch / cornflour (not to be confused with cornmeal)

100g All-purpose flour

1 Teaspoon baking powder

1/4 Teaspoon baking soda

1 Pinch of salt

150g Butter (softened)

75g White sugar

2 Egg yolks

1/2 Lemon (just the lemon zest)

1/2 Tablespoon vanilla extract

300g Dulce de leche (see recipe below)

50g Shredded coconut

-Mix the corn-starch, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set it aside.

-Beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the egg yolks one at a time; blending each into the mixture before adding the next. Then add the vanilla extract and the lemon zest.

\- Gradually add the flour mixture.

\- When the dough is cohesive enough, form it into a ball, wrap it with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge to let it chill for 30 minutes.

\- Preheat the oven to 180°C and arrange a rack in the middle.

\- Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface, about 0.5 cm thick. The dough will crack, but you can easily put it back together. Cut out small rounds with a cookie cutter or a small glass. Continue pressing the dough together and rolling it out to cut more rounds until all of it is used. (Try to make it an even number of cookies.)

\- Place the cookies on baking sheets, about 1 cm apart.

\- Bake in the preheated oven for 7 to 10 minutes. They should be set but not browned.

\- Remove the cookies from the oven and immediately place them on a wire rack to cool.

\- Once cooled, flip half of the cookies upside down and spread a generous amount of dulce de leche on each. Gently press a second cookie on top until the dulce de leche oozes out a little, and roll the sides in shredded coconut.

Dulce de Leche

Buying the dulce de leche ready-made is the easiest. However, if you can't find any to buy, here are two ways to make it yourself:

3 L Milk

1 kg sugar

1/2 vanilla pod

1 teaspoon baking soda

\- Boil the milk in a large pot or saucepan. Strain it through a cheesecloth and return it to the pan.

\- Add the seeds of 1/2 vanilla pod to the milk. Stir in the sugar and lower the heat to medium-high. Stir constantly until the sugar is dissolved. Once the mixture begins to boil, add the baking soda. Stir until your arm falls off the mixture thickens. Test thickness by putting a teaspoon full of the dulce de leche on a plate, tilt the plate a little, if the dulce is only very slowly running down (a bit slower than honey would) it's ready.

\- Take the pan off the heat and continue stirring till the dulce cools.

**!!!** The cooking time will vary depending on the size of the pot and on how daring you are with the heat. It can take anywhere between 45 min and 3 hours. The larger the pot and the higher the heat, the quicker it will be ready - but you'll run the risk of burning it, especially if your arm gives up before it's done **!!!**

**Tip** :

If you keep it thinner, it's fantastic for pouring over ice-cream or mix into cakes.

Either consistency is delicious as bread spread.

If you cook and stir it even longer and let the mixture cool in small dollops, you'll get chewy caramel-like candies.

Variant for lazy people who don't fancy stirring till their arm falls off:

\- Buy a can of sweetened condensed milk.

\- Remove label.

\- Put a rag in a pot (so that the can won't rattle) and the unopened can on top, then fill with water till the can is covered.

\- Let it simmer for 2-3 hours.

**!!!** Watch out and replace water as needed. The can MUST be covered with water the whole time, otherwise you'll run the risk that it explodes and you can scrape the dulce de leche off your kitchen furniture **!!!**

\- After 2-3 hours, take out the can and let it cool.

\- Open with a can opener and indulge 

Carmen's pan fried bread rolls

150 ml water

20 g yeast

1 tsp. sugar

250 g flour

1 tsp. salt

\- Mix the water with the yeast and the sugar and let it rest for 2 minutes.

\- Add the flour and the salt.

\- Knead the dough until it's no longer sticky. (It's easier if you use a machine with a dough hook first.)

\- Let it rest in a warm place (e.g. on/next to the heater) for 30 min to 1 hour. (1h is better, but 30 min is okay too.)

\- Form 4 bigger or 6 smaller rolls and put them on a tray with baking paper.

\- Brush or spray water on the rolls and let them rest in a warm place for another 30 min to 1 hour.

\- The rolls will now be sticky again, so brush them with flour again, get them off the paper and roll them in flour.

\- Pour oil (like canola or sunflower) in a pan - at least so much that the bottom of the pan is covered - and heat it.

\- Put the rolls in the pan and flatten them a bit.

\- Fry them from all sides (first top and bottom, then stand them upright so that the sides can be fried too.)

Tip: These rolls are also very delicious when you add the following herbs/spices to the dough (before kneading): 2 cloves of pressed garlic, 1/pinch cumin, 1/2 tsp. rosemary, 1/2 tsp. Thyme, 1/2 tsp. oregano, 1/2 tsp. basil, a handful chopped black olives. For these rolls I'm using olive oil to fry them.

Carmen's Milanesa Napolitana

2 thin slices of meat (typically beef, but you can also use veal, chicken or turkey)

n/a flour

1 egg

n/a bread crumbs

n/a olive oil

2 slices of cooked ham

100 ml tomato sauce/salsa

250 g (2 balls) mozzarella (sliced or grated)

\- Arrange three soup plates, one with the flour, one with the egg (whisked), and one with the bread crumbs

\- Coat both sides of the meat slices with flour

\- Dredge them through the egg from both sides

\- Cover both sides with bread crumbs

\- Fry in olive oil

\- Put a slice of ham on each milanesa, spread the tomato sauce on top and cover with mozzarella

\- Put the milanesas in the oven at 200°C till the cheese melts

\- Serve with salad and/or chips (French fries)

Fried liver Berlin style

1 slice of liver (veal or beef)

flour

oil, butter or ghee

1/2 onion

2 or more sliced rings of an apple

Potato puree

nutmeg

salt, pepper, sugar

Slice the half onion into fine rings and season them with salt and pepper.

Cut two (or more) rings off an apple and remove the core (and the peel if you prefer).

Cover the liver with flour on both sides and fry it for about 2 minutes on each side.

Fry the onion and apple rings.

Put sugar on the apple rings and let it caramelise.

Meanwhile make the potato puree (if you make it from scratch, you'll have to boil the potatoes and prepare the puree before starting on anything else... I make instant puree, so it only takes half a minute and thus can be done last). Season with salt, pepper and grated nutmeg.

Spritzkuchen

200ml water

100g butter

200g flour

4-5 eggs

oil

sugar coating

Boil the water with the butter.

Switch off the heating plate. (Or keep on low gas flame)

Stir in the flour till a smooth lump has formed.

Let the lump cool a little; then put it in a bowl and add the eggs one by one till a sticky dough forms.

Put a star shaped spout on an icing bag and fill the bag with dough.

Heat the oil in a pot.

Cut long strips of baking paper. (They have to be long enough so that you can hold them while putting the other end in the hot oil.)

Squirt circles of dough on one end of the baking paper strips.

Slide a skimmer beneath the baking paper and hold the other end of the paper with your other hand. Carefully manoeuvre each cake into the hot oil and remove the baking paper.

Flip the cakes once and fry them till they are golden brown. Put them on a paper towel to soak up the excess oil and let them cool.

Mix powdered sugar with lemon juice and milk/or water and coat the Spritzkuchen with it.

Tip 1:

Use a metal skimmer - plastic ones will melt in the hot oil, believe me ;-)

Tip 2:

Spend a bit more money and buy a proper icing bag. The cheap ones are obviously not made for dough like this, and it will produce an awfully sticky mess if the bag bursts and you try to change the bag and refill it.

(The second bag refused to hold fast... probably a bit of the dough got somewhere where it shouldn't have, so the bag kept slipping from the spout and I ended up forming balls with a spoon. It worked, but by then the oil was so hot that the kitchen was full of smoke and the cake balls looked like chocolate cookies after just a second in the oil. Thus...)

Tip 3:

Don't let the oil get too hot. The cakes should fry in the oil for a few minutes, and if it's too hot they will burn on the outside within a second but still be raw inside.

The photo only shows half the amount of cakes you get with these ingredients. The second half was just not particularly photogenic :D

Bruschetta

Tomato topping:

300g date or cherry tomatoes (finely diced)

1 small onion (finely diced)

2 1/2 cloves of garlic (very finely chopped or minced)

3 Tablespoons of olive oil

2 Tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

1-2 pinches of salt (more or less to taste)

1 pinch of pepper (more or less to taste)

1 pinch of sugar

1-2 pinches of dried oregano

1-2 pinches of dried thyme

1-2 pinches of dried basil (or 3-5 fresh basil leaves, finely sliced)

A tiny bit of chilli (or more to taste)

Ham topping:

3 slices of Parma ham (or other raw ham)

2 leaves of rocket salad

Mozzarella + capsicum topping:

2 red capsicums (sweet pepper/bell pepper) (sliced and fried)

1 ball of buffalo mozzarella (or fior di latte / cow's milk mozzarella) (sliced)

Olive oil

1-2 leaves of rocket salad

For the bread:

3-6 slices of Pane Pugliese or Ciabatta or Baguette (number depending on size, 6 being for baguette sized slices)

3 Tablespoons of olive oil

1/2 clove of garlic (finely chopped or minced)

Grated Parmesan to taste

Finely dice the tomatoes and the onions and put them in a bowl. Mix in the finely chopped or minced garlic and the rest of the tomato topping ingredients.

Slice the red capsicums and put a pan with a bit of olive oil on the stove to preheat.

Slice the bread into ca. 1cm thick slices. Brush one side of each with olive oil and put a bit of the finely chopped or minced garlic on each. Put the slices on a baking tray (or baking grid covered with baking paper) and toast them on the top rack of the oven at 200°C for about 6-8 minutes until the edges are lightly browned.

Put the capsicum slices in the pan to fry.

Slice the mozzarella.

Wash the rocket salad and put it in a sieve to drain.

Take out the bread slices, put them on a plate and add the toppings. Sprinkle some grated Parmesan on top.

If you like, you can decorate the plate with some fresh basil leaves.

You can add the leftover rocket salad to the leftover tomato topping and serve it as a nice tomato salad.

Yerba Mate

Traditionally, Argentinians drink their yerba mate with a bombilla from a hollowed calabash gourd - the mate.

To prepare the mate, the gourd is filled about 1/2 to 2/3 with yerba leaves. Then, the preparer will put their hand over the opening, turn the mate upside-down and shake it so that the finer leaves will end up at the top and the larger ones at the bottom. This way the finer particles will not clog the holes in the bombilla.

Then the mate is carefully turned upwards and by gently shaking, the yerba will finally end up resting in a sloped pile against one side of the mate.

Now a little water (cool or warm but not hot!) is gently poured into the mate, just enough to wet the yerba without disturbing the carefully prepared pile. The wetted yerba will then cautiously be pressed against the mate to further stabilise the pile.

Once this preparation is finished, the preparer inserts the bombilla into the empty half of the mate, leaning it against the pile, and gently pours hot water into the mate, letting it run along the bombilla as not to disturb the yerba pile. The water should not be boiled but only reach a temperature of 70° to 95°C.

Which temperature is preferred depends on region and taste. In general towards the hinterland the yerba mate is drunk hotter and sweetened with either sugar or stevia while at the coast it is drunk less hot and pure (unsweetened).

The mate is now ready for drinking and it can be refilled many times before it loses its flavour.

Traditionally, mate is drunk at social gatherings with friends and family. To offer a drink of mate to a guest is a sign of politeness and hospitality.

Only one mate and one bombilla is used for the whole group.

The preparer usually drinks the first fill as it is deemed unacceptable to offer it to anyone. Often the first brew will even be spit out. After refilling, the preparer passes the mate to the first person, who will drink until the slurping noise signals that the mate is empty. The guest doesn't need to rush but hogging the mate for too long is considered impolite and the 'hogger' will receive a gentle warning from the others like "¡El mate no es un micrófono!" (The mate is not a microphone.)

Once the person emptied the mate, they will hand it back to the preparer, who will then refill it and offer it to the next person.

Apfelküchle (apple fritters)

50g flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 pinch of salt

75ml milk

1 egg (separated)

2-3 apples

Clarified butter (or oil) for frying

Cinnamon and sugar mix

Separate the egg.

Put flour, sugar, egg yolk and milk into a bowl and stir until you get a thick batter. Let the batter rest for half an hour.

Peel the apples, remove the core and cut them into thick slices. (You can sprinkle a little lemon juice on top of the slices so they don't turn brown, but since they will be covered by the batter, it won't matter really.)

Heat up the clarified butter in a saucepan or a high rimmed frying pan (the fritters should be able to swim). Be careful to not let it get too hot.

Beat the egg white until it is stiff.

Gently fold the beaten egg white into the batter.

Dip the apple slices into the batter so they are fully covered and gently put them in the pan.

Turn them around after a minute or two. Once both sides are golden brown, take the fritters out and put them on a piece of kitchen paper to drain the excess fat.

Sprinkle the fritters with a mix of cinnamon and sugar.

**Tip** : If you have leftover batter but no more apples, you don't have to throw it away. Just put scoops of the batter into the pan with a spoon or small ladle. Fry them from both sides - they will puff up into balls. They are very nice, even without apples :)

Bavarian lye pretzels

Confession: I wanted to include a recipe for lye pretzels. But when I read up on it, I lost my courage as I didn't want to risk my most precious body parts by experimenting with sodium hydroxide (NaOH); especially since I can easily buy lye pretzels here ;-)

For those of you who can't get them where you are... well, I'd suggest a trip to Bavaria. It's really worth a visit, not just for the food :D

You say, a trip to Bavaria is beyond your travel budget and you can't get lye pretzels where you are but you desperately want to try them? I can certainly sympathise - they are delicious! Nonetheless, I'm still not comfortable even just adding a recipe here, however there are lots of lye pretzel recipes in English on the internet, and there are even really good YouTube videos on how to make lye pretzels. But I want to issue an important warning: **Be careful and wear chemical-resistant gloves and goggles for protection! Lye can cause nasty chemical burns and you could lose your eyesight if you get lye into your eyes.**

There are more things to consider, like the right way to prepare the lye solution and which materials you can safely use for handling it. Please, read up on those safety precautions before you consider using NaOH lye.

My advice: Leave the making of lye pretzels to the professionals.

**Tip** : There are also recipes which use bicarbonate (NaHCO3) instead of sodium hydroxide. The taste of those pretzels is supposedly fairly similar, though not the same; and those pretzels don't brown as much. However, using the bicarbonate method is far less dangerous.

Käsekuchen (cheese cake) bottomless

200 g butter

250 g sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla sugar

6 eggs

1 kg quark (if you can't get quark, you can use cottage/farmer/curd cheese, but it's not the same)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

100 g flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

Butter and flour for the spring-form

Cover the bottom of the spring-form pan with baking paper.

Grease and flour the pan.

Cut off a piece of aluminium foil that fits the pan and put aside for later covering the cake.

Preheat the oven to 170°C.

Put butter, sugar, and eggs in a bowl. Whip until the dough is slightly foamy.

Mix the baking powder with the flour. Slowly add to the dough, then add quark and lemon juice.

Stir until the dough is smooth.

Pour the dough into the spring-form pan.

Put the cake into the preheated oven.

As soon as you can see the first brown spots, cover the spring-form pan with the aluminium foil.

After 60 minutes test with a skewer (insert skewer into centre of cake - if it comes out clean, the cake is done; if not, bake for another five or ten minutes.)

Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool.

**Tip** : The cake is super fluffy and yummy when you eat it warm. Once it cools down, the consistency is denser but it's still delicious :)

**Paella** **á la Carmen** (for three people)

150 g (basmati) rice

Olive oil

1 big red bell pepper (cubed or sliced)

300g chicken breast filet (in small pieces)

300g beef filet (in small pieces)

200g lamb filet (in small pieces)

200g fish filet (in pieces) (e.g. coalfish, monkfish)

50g shrimps (peeled)

100g peas (tinned)

150g cocktail tomatoes

1 onion (cubed)

5 cloves of garlic (chopped)

1 tablespoon parsley (chopped)

1 pinch cayenne/chilli powder

ca. 1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon turmeric/curcuma

1 lemon (quartered or sliced)

Cook basmati rice (or any other rice you have available) according to what the package says.

Cut the filets into small pieces. Cube red bell pepper and onion. Chop the parsley and garlic cloves. Drain the peas.

Fry the chicken, beef and lamb filet pieces in olive oil for a few minutes. Add the fish filet and shrimps as well as the bell pepper, peas, onion and garlic and let simmer for another few minutes.

Drain the rice and mix with the fried ingredients. Add curcuma, salt and cayenne powder. Fry for another two minutes.

Cut the lemon in quarters or slices and halve the cocktail tomatoes.

Put paella on plates and decorate with lemon, tomatoes and parsley.

**Tip** : You can also slice the bell peppers; fry them first and put them aside for further decoration before you start frying the other ingredients.

Almond biscuits

50g sugar

100g butter

100g flour

50g ground almonds

1 pinch salt

Mix all ingredients and make a ball from the dough.

Wrap the ball in cling wrap and put it in the fridge for one hour.

Knead into rolls or cylinders and cut into ca. one centimetre thick slices.

Put baking paper on a baking tray and place the biscuits on the tray.

Bake for 12 minutes at 180°C.

German Christmas Dinner: Roast goose with chestnut filling, red and green cabbage, two kinds of dumplings, and potatoes à la Ulrike

1. Option: Get a girlfriend who loves to cook, or whose mother loves to cook. :D

2. Option: Forget about Christmas, make a sandwich, go to work and reap the benefits of other people's Christmas craze. :D

3. Option: Have currywurst or some other fast food as dinner.

4. Option: Try to get an invitation to a friend's Christmas dinner.

5. Option: Go to a proper restaurant of your choice.

6. Option: You really want to cook a Christmas dinner for yourself? Honestly? All right, well, forget about the goose, it's far too much for one person anyway. Instead, make do with a packaged frozen half duck, preferably on a tray and already seasoned. Choose either potatoes or packaged dumplings in cook bags. Buy a gravy mix for poultry or roasts and red and green cabbage in a jar or frozen. (Nowadays you can even get chestnuts peeled and roasted in a bag. Ulrike didn't have that option in 1992 - at least I can't remember ever seeing such chestnuts back then in Berlin.) Look at all the instructions on the packages and prepare accordingly.

###

Thank you for reading this eBook!

If you enjoyed the book, it would be very nice if you'd leave a short review.

My Smashwords author page: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/SophiaDeLuna

My website: www.sophiadeluna.com

Other books by Sophia DeLuna:

Taxi series:

Taxi (Book 1)

Taxi - Trials (Book 2)

Taxi - Trauma (Book 3)

Taxi - Timing (Book 4)

Taxi - Talk (Book 5)

Taxi - Tuxedo (Book 6)

Taxi - Tactics (Book 7)

Taxi - Trip (Book 8)

Taxi - Telephone (Book 9)

Taxi - Traditions (Book 10)

Fantasy short stories:

Footprints in the Sand

Desert Wind

Fénya and Elynor

A Matter of Faith

An Unusual Gift

Alternatives

The Fool

Other short stories:

Summer Holidays (young adults, short story)

A Christmas to Remember (short holiday story)

Fire and Ice (short love story)

That's What Friends Are For (short story)

Novels:

Hidden Secrets (science-fantasy novel)

Laments and Liaisons (romance-mystery novel)

Children's stories:

Once upon a Dragon (children's fantasy story)

The Witch and the Fiddler (fairy tale, short story)

The Little Owl (children's and language learners' short story / English)

Die Kleine Eule (children's and language learners' short story / German)

A kis bagoly (children's and language learners' short story / Hungarian)

