Sorry to break it to you guys,, but we girls work as a team... Fleshing out more of the Fallen Earth world that Tukiko and I write about.. This is the first part of a serie whereby I trace the course of the lives of some of the younger people in New Flagstaffe ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Let’s go to The Waffelhus!” It was Monika who suggested it. “I’m kinda bored with Beau’s Bar.” She added. Uwe hurrumphed. “Why?” Uwe’s intertia was well know among the little group of friends Because SHE always wins the Pool game?” Meike put in, pointing at light hearted finger accusingly at Silja who merely shrugged with a grin. “Can’t help if I’m fantastic all the time, can I?” “Yeah an’ I’m tired of going home with the ‘Blue nose of shame’ its bad for my skin.” Meike added. Silja laughed. “OK then, I’ll drive.” Outvoted, Uwe sighed. “Ok then. Waffelhus it is.” He followed the girls to Silja’s car and climbed in the back seat with Monika. Monika shook Uwe knee encouraging him “It’ll be fun, things are getting a bit dull around here. Anyway, you should be glad to be hauled around with three devastatingly beautiful ladies like us. I mean a road trip with waffles at the end of it. Paradise!” The other two girls laughed in agreement with Monika from the front seats. Uwe sighed in resignation as Silja headed the car south towards hope at sub-light speed leaving a cloud of dust spiralling behind. Uwe really enjoyed being with the girls, he thought to himself as the barren desert sped by, leaving his comfort zone further behind. Monika, Meike and Silja of course were great fun to be with, and all good looking, good fun to be with. Except of course when the girl talk took over and the subject matter was far over his head or to be honest outside his expertise. Having said that, Meike had a lethal wit, and Silja had irony down to an art form. Most times he felt included in a group of girls. He felt easily accepted in the bunch, most of the time. But he did feel easier in familiar surroundings like Beau’s, But Hope Springs though? Hope Springs hove into view in no time at all. “I’m gonna get the ‘Storspecielvaffel’ y’know? The huge one with strawberry jam and cream? And all those sprinkely things… mhhh.” Silja announced. “Store?” Uwe grumped. “Is it made in a shop?” “ Nahhhh.” Meike turned around.to face Uwe, both hands coming around the seat-back to demonstrate. “ Hyle named it. Stor means big, huge, giant! Its a Danish thing, she speaks Danish so it got it’s Danish name…” She grinned, making expansive gestures with her hands to Uwe. “I’m having one too!” “ Ahh that explains the ‘hus’ bit then.. instead of house?” Uwe pointed out the obvious much to the amusement of the girls. A few minutes later the car slid to a halt outside Hope Springs Waffelhus followed closely by the cloud of dust thrown up by Silja’s speed. They waited until the dust cleared then piled out and into the diner, trooping up to the counter to order. “Hi Thies!” Silja leaned on the counter. “Can we get three Storespecielvaffel please? Oh an’ one of those big sausagey things over there for Uwe!” Meike snorted at the obvious innuendo. Uwe rolled his eyes. Monika elbowed Meike’s ribs. “Stobbit!” she hissed. The bunch piled into a booth while Theis prepared their order. “You did want the big sausage thing didn’t you, Uwe?” Silja asked. “Uh huh.” Uwe groaned. “ I mean it wasn’t just a joke ‘coz of how Theis is. Really!” She grinned. “Shame really.” Monika sighed. “‘Coz he is reealllly cute y’know… has me sliding off my seat just looking!” Uwe looked blankly at Monika for a few long moments before the penny dropped. He rolled his eyes upwards and pulled a face. “Uurgh,” When Theis brought the food over, Uwe failed to make eye contact with the waiter. A point not missed by the girls. The giggling started when Theis was safely out of earshot. They were giggling at Uwe’s reaction. “ Aww stop it.” Silja put her hand up to quell the mirth “ Uwe’s shy. We all know that, that’s what makes him so nice.” Nice? Uwe thought to himself. Nice!? Is that what they think?. He straightened his back and set about his sausage with a shrug. The conversation drifted around the table passing many many subjects but always dominated by the girls. Of course it was. It went on with Uwe interjecting from time to time only. Most of the time he sat and simply listened and tried to keep concentrating. The problem being that Silja was sitting opposite. He always liked her. He liked her a little more than the other two to be honest. She was different. Ok she had a clone collar. But that was nothing. The rest of them were one-lifers. Natural born. With parents and the whole deal. Uwe, Meike and Monika were the offspring of New Flagstaff’s burgeoning middle class. Daughters and son of high ranking officials, Chief of Police or Manager of the bank. Uwe’s father owned a prospering grocery business. So they all this in common. Except Silja. But Silja. Uwe found himself drawn to her, the way she laughed, the way she moved, the way she spoke in that really weird accent? As the girls animatedly discussed this or that around him, Uwe’s thoughts were firmly set at the girl opposite. A fact not un-noticed by Meike. Uwe excused himself and headed for the rest room. “He’s got the hots for you Sil…..” Meike pointed out when Uwe was out of sight. “Nahhhh…” Silja dismissed. “He has! Big time!” Meike enthused. Silja felt her face go very red. “See? Looks like our girl’s kinda liking our Uwe too!” Monika grinned. Silja went even more red. “Haaaaa !” Meike pointed out Silja’s now cherry face. Silja wished a hole would open up she she could hide. “Okayy he’s nice….” Silja admitted. “But he’s never gonna ask me out is he. He’s too damned shy!” Meike and Monkika shrugged at each other. Sil was right. “Shhh he’s coming back!” Silja attempted to rub the redness out of her face and the other two shrugged at each other and tried to look innocent. Uwe looked at the girls as he sat down at the strangely quiet table. “ Wassup?” “Ohh nothing.” They all said. “So, what we doing tomorrow night?” Meike attempted to restart the conversation. “Beau’s?” Uwe said, predictably. Monika and Silja looked at each other, Silja about to protest but a hard stare from Monika stopped her. “Yeah but we’ll meet up at the Plaza about seven. Ok?” Monika looked over at Meike. Meike understood and nodded. Silja missed it. But agreed anyway. Uwe just went along with it, as usual. “Plaza at seven then.” Later, Silja dropped her friends off at home one by one. Meike was the last out. She leaned back into the car. “So seven at the Plaza huh?” Meike confirmed. Silja nodded. Meike grinned. “Oh.. and wear your finest fines hun.” She winked. “Never know what might happen hmm?” Uwe was first to arrive at the Plaza. It was almost seven but he knew the girls would be late. They always were. But his family were German, and punctuality was mandatory. To his surprise the girls came into view at seven on the dot, all arm in arm and almost marching in step. They came closer. It was Silja that stuck out. Uwe stared for a moment. She looked amazing. Her clothes, make-ups. She shone and it looked as if the other two had not really bothered. Not that Uwe noticed of course. “Hiiii” they all said and the hugs were passed around. Again. Sil smelled.. wonderful. It was Monika that gave the ‘bad news’ “Uwe hun, me and Meike have to go, her aunty is sick and they want some help with her, sorry hun.” Uwe’s face fell a little and the expectation became confusion. Why did they not just phone and call the night off if they weren’t staying? “I’ll stay.” Silja smiled, “Right ! Thats settled!” Meike agreed somewhat rapidly. She quickly links arms with Monika and they both turned back the way they had come. “See ya’s!” Back turned, Monika winked and smiled at Sil. Unseen by Uwe, of course. Silja watched the other girls go then looked at a confused Uwe. “ Sooooo?” she coyly wiggled her toe in the sand, hands behind her back. Uwe looked at her, and shrugged… “Beau’s?” “Yeah sure.” Silja smiled. “But maybe we walk around the Plaza little first?” Uwe didn’t get it. Naturally. “Err ok.” “You know. Watch the sunset, watch the people. That sort of thing?” Sil got a little closer and lightly touched his fingers with hers Uwe looked confused, eventually he found the look in her eyes. As he did he felt her hand take hold of his. “Oh…” he said. Almost in a whisper, realisation dawning slowly. “You knew? About Monika’s Aunty? “Which Aunty...” Silja let a thin but wide smile spread across her face. “ Come on. Let’s walk a bit.” She felt Uwe’s hand take a firmer grip on hers.” Uwe’s grin was wide. “You sneaky…….”