Whisper by Chrissie Keighery Page B

sure I’m OK before they cross the road to take a tram in the opposite direction.
    â€˜Have fun,’ I sign to them when they get across the road to their tram stop. Like it wasn’t a big deal, what just happened.Like I don’t care where they’re going. Like it doesn’t push any buttons.
    â€˜You too,’ they sign, as my tram slides between us.

    Felicity and Ryan’s house is gorgeous. It’s large and angular and modern, with lots of windows.
    The front door is open, and there are balloons all around the door frame. Mum walks in first, carrying a birthday cake with musical candles. The candles make a robotic, toneless kind of music – I remember that.
    Dad trudges in behind Mum. He hates crowds, and we all know there will be one. Flawless wouldn’t consider it a proper party otherwise. He turns to look at me.
    I cross my eyes and poke out my tongue. He does the same.
    There’s no-one in the house. We pass into the kitchen so Mum can put down the cake. There are bowls of pita crisps and platters of dip on the bench. On the kitchen table is a neat pile of presents, most of them beautifully wrapped.I know that after the party, Flawless will supervise the unwrapping. She will write down what was from who and get Harry to write thank-you notes within a week.
    â€˜Hi, guys,’ Flawless says, coming in through the back door.She looks amazing, kind of like a weather girl on TV. She’s wearing a bright blue dress that crosses over her chest, and high heels studded with sparkly pink flowers. Her nails and lips are the same shade of pink.
    â€˜Oh, how sweet, Dem,’ she says, looking at the present in my hands. ‘Do you want to put it with the other gifts?’
    I finger the present I’ve brought for Harry. It’s wrapped with glossy pages from a magazine, stuck together with masking tape because I couldn’t find the regular sticky tape.It’s an action figure. I don’t want to put it on the table. I want to give it to Harry myself.
    Flawless opens the fridge to get something. While her back is turned, I stuff the present into my bag. I’ll sneak it to him when I get a chance.
    I’m looking down, so I feel the tap-tap of striding heels before I see them.
    Felicity’s mum. It’s always entertaining to see her.Her hair is platinum blonde, the skin of her face pulled tight. Today she is wearing a red pencil skirt and jacket, and she’s towing a man about Ryan’s age behind her. The poor guy looks like he’s surprised to be here, being led along by this older woman.
    Dad always gets a bit fidgety when he sees his ex-wife. I see him shove his hands into his pockets. ‘Hello, Vivian,’ he greets her.
    Vivian air-kisses Dad, completely ignoring my mum.Mum has a funny expression on her face, as though she’s eaten something that’s gone off, and has nowhere to spit it out.
    Vivian gives Felicity a stiff hug. I realise it’s a goodbye hug, though the party has only just started.
    Felicity watches her mother as she leads her boyfriend down the hall and out the front door. Vivian tosses her head, and her hair shimmers like hair in a shampoo commercial.
    We follow Felicity out into the backyard.
    It’s all happening out there. On the left, there is a marquee with a bar and high tables with stools. Felicity must have hired it all. There seem to be a lot of adults sitting around for a kid’s party.
    On the other side is a jumping castle with a giant slide.Nearby a pretty woman dressed as a fairy organises a row of children waiting to get their faces painted.
    My legs are being hugged. I look down and see that the hugger is a lion.
    â€˜Raah,’ Harry says, showing me his claws.
    â€˜Raah,’ I say out loud, hugging him back. ‘Happy birthday, Fierce Lion.’
    I crouch so that we are face to face.
    â€˜Wow,’ I say, ‘who are all your friends?’
    Harry bites a lip, surveying the