Kiss Read online

  'It's a Millville paperweight,' he said hoarsely.

  'American.'

  'Yeah, the guy in the antique arcade said it was American,' said Miranda.

  'Millville made Jersey Rose paperweights,'

  said Carl.

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  'Have you got some then?' Miranda asked.

  'No, no. They're way too expensive,' said Carl.

  'Oh, Miranda, it's incredibly kind of you, but I hope you haven't spent too much,' said Jules anxiously. 'There, Carl! Aren't you lucky? You've got your beautiful champagne flute from Sylvie a n d now your lovely p a p e r w e i g h t from Miranda.'

  'Mm,' said Carl, holding the paperweight up and examining it from all angles.

  I knew J u l e s was t r y i n g to be tactful, mentioning my glass too. I'd tried so h a r d but Miranda h a d effortlessly trumped me.

  'It's fine, Jules. I'm glad Carl likes it,' said Miranda. 'I t h i n k it's a bit weird and clunky. OK, Birthday Boy, am I going to get a thank-you kiss, then?'

  She leaned towards him, her mouth pursed.

  Carl didn't push her away. He didn't kiss her nose. He kissed her full on the lips right in front of me.

  'Hey, stop snogging, she's my girl!' said Paul.

  'I'm not anybody's girl, I'm my own woman,'

  said Miranda.

  She was wearing dark lipstick. Some of it was s m e a r e d on Carl's lips, m a k i n g h i m look astonishingly beautiful.

  'Oooh, Thisbe, thou art a luscious wanton-lipped wench,' Paul scoffed.

  Carl quickly wiped his m o u t h w i t h t h e back of his hand. 'Thank you, Miranda,' he said.

  'So will you?' she said.

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  'Will I what?'

  'Remember me!'

  'Yeah, yeah. How could I forget?' said Carl. He looked at her, then he looked at me, t h e n he looked at Paul. 'I t h i n k this is definitely going to be a night to remember.'

  Dear Jules paid for t h e pizzas and t h e n dropped us off at the Victoria Gate of Kew Gardens. It was pitch dark in the street, but the p a t h s in the gardens were lit by little lamps and t h e big glasshouses were ablaze. There were two amazing swirly glass towers at the entrance to t h e vast Palm House, one yellow, one orange, both extending great glass tentacles at every angle. Carl peered up at t h e m , noting every bubble and twirl, his eyes following each extraordinary spiral.

  'Boy transfixed,' said Miranda. 'So how does Chihuly do it, Carl? Why don't all the woggly feelers break off the pole?'

  'He does t h e m one at a time and t h e n slots t h e m in so they stay fixed for ever,' said Carl.

  He went on explaining to h e r as t h e y wandered round the Palm House pond, their heads close together, Miranda's h a n d tucked into his elbow, slotting in so it seemed fixed for ever too. Paul and I mooched after them, disgruntled.

  'Do you like Chihuly's glass?' I asked desperately.

  ' 'S OK,' said Paul.

  'I believe you saw Carl's collection in the Glass Hut,' I said.

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  'Yeah, yeah, it's kind of weird. I mean, like, obsessive.'

  Well, that's Carl. Totally weird,' I said. I meant it as a compliment but Paul frowned at me in t h e gloom.

  'In w h a t way?'

  'In every way' I said.

  'You and Carl, you're, like, an item?' said Paul.

  'Well . . . yes,' I said. 'We've known each other ever since we were tiny. We go w-a-y back, Carl and me.'

  'So why is your m a t e Miranda making eyes at him and giving him flash presents?'

  'That's j u s t Miranda. She's so warm and generous. She's like t h a t with everyone,' I said.

  'I wish she'd w a r m up a bit with me,' Paul muttered. 'Has she said anything to you about me, Sylvia?'

  'Sylvie. Well. She's said some stuff, you know, girl talk.'

  'Do you t h i n k she reckons me then? More t h a n Carl?'

  'Definitely,' I lied.

  'Well, tell you what, let's try separating them, because they're j u s t going to rabbit on about glass all evening.' He took a deep breath. 'Hey, Miranda, wait for us!'

  'Come over here. Come and look at the boat on t h e lake,' she shouted from t h e d a r k n e s s .

  'A boating lake – great idea!' said Paul, hurrying towards her.

  I was left stumbling after t h e m in the dark, 184

  lonely and left out. Then Carl bobbed out of a b u s h and seized hold of me.

  'Doesn't the glass in the boat look wonderful!

  And see all those round floating ornaments like giant glass figs? Chihuly calls t h e m walla wallas – mad name, but don't you think they're brilliant!' Carl felt in the dark for my face, putting his lips to my ear. 'We'll float t h e m up and down the rivers in Glassworld, thousands of them, then all the children can paddle their boats and collect t h e m in a Glassworld walla-walla water race.'

  'Carl? There you are!' Miranda said. 'Oh my, look at the lovebirds!'

  'We can be lovebirds too,' said Paul. 'I wish there were more boats. I'm ace at rowing. Feel my pecs!' He raised his arms.

  'You keep your pecs to yourself,' said Miranda.

  She consulted h e r m a p of t h e gardens. 'Let's go and find this sun piece that's meant to be even more fantastic'

  We walked along to the Princess of Wales Conservatory, jostling each other in the dark, d a r t i n g forward a n d swapping places as if we were performing a complicated dance. We stood still when we glimpsed the enormous glass sun, t h e t h o u s a n d yellow spirals shining. Carl clutched my h a n d in excitement, the way he used to when we were children.

  'We'll have a huge party at the palace and the glass sun will shine over us,' I whispered.

  He didn't say anything because Paul and 185

  Miranda were pressed up close within earshot, but he squeezed my hand. We made our way all round the floodlit conservatory, spotting the tall glass reeds amongst the real cactuses, blue bird shapes stretching their necks out of the water, green glass grass everywhere. It wasn't just Carl who was enraptured. There were large crowds going Oooh and Aaah, and flashes from cameras.

  'Let's go outside in the dark for a bit – this is doing my head in,' said Paul.

  'Oh, for goodness' sake, Paul, can't you see how much this means to Carl?' I said.

  'OK, OK, you stay with him. Miranda and I will go and get a b r e a t h of fresh air,' said Paul, grinning.

  Carl t u r n e d away from the sun. 'OK, I'm ready, let's go.'

  'No, we'll stay, Carl!' I said.

  'No, it's fine, really. I've h a d a good look,' said Carl. 'Come on then, you guys.'

  I could have shaken him. He followed Paul out of the conservatory with a craven look on his face. Paul t u r n e d m o m e n t a r i l y a n d r a i s e d his eyebrows at me in exasperation. Miranda also looked irritated. She strode forward in her black buckled boots, Paul in pursuit, Carl keeping close and me stumbling after t h e m as Sylvie-tag-along.

  'Miranda? Wait! Look, let's explore a bit,' Paul said, taking hold of her arm and trying to steer her into the trees.

  'No, it's this way,' said Miranda.

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  'But we've j u s t seen the whirly things and the boat,' said Paul.

  'Past them. We've got to see the Temperate House. Come on, the gates close in an hour.'

  'Oh, flipping heck,' said Paul – or words to t h a t effect.

  'Hey, mate, we can go off exploring if you like,'

  said Carl. 'Maybe we've seen enough glass.'

  I stared at him. He never used the word mate and mocked anyone who did. And I knew he was desperate to see and marvel at each Chihuly piece.

  'No we haven't!' said Miranda, seizing him by t h e arm. 'For God's sake, you moron, it's the best bit! They've got the Cherry Walk all lit up!'

  It was like walking into a carnival dream-world. The trees were lit with coloured lamps so they glowed royal blue and emerald green.

  There were strings of fairy lights and fire-eaters swallowing flame and men