From Russia With Love - 3. Chapter 3

I was woken up by my mobile phone’s alarm playing at full volume.

Ooh my little pretty one, pretty one

When you gonna give me some time, Sharona?

Ooh you make my motor run, my motor run

I slowly opened my eyes to find that Kodi was already was up and he was singing along even after I’d switched my alarm ringtone off, and he was prancing around the room like a ballerina on speed and wiggling his butt; damn, he is so cute. Then he dragged me up from the bed to join him. If one of our parents had walked in on us right now, they would have had some brilliant material to put on YouTube. After all, it’s not every day you see two fourteen year olds, stark bollock naked, singing “My Sharona”, and putting Dame Margot Fonteyn to shame; the video would go viral.

We had a quick shower and got dressed, just as there was a knock on the door.

“Morning, Kyle. You boys ready to get breakfast?”

“Morning, Dad. Kodi’s just finishing making himself look pretty.”

“Someone mention my name?” Kodi walked out of the bathroom, primping his hair in a very exaggerated fashion.

“All right you two, come on.”

We entered the hotel’s lounge and Kodi and I headed straight for the food. We piled our plates up with eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns, baked beans, and a rather surprising but welcome find outside of the UK, black pudding. We dropped our plates off at a table and went in search of the fruit juice. Once we had our juice, grapefruit for me and apple for Kodi, we sat down at the table and started eating.

I was just starting in on my third rasher of bacon when Kodi nudged me. “Look Kyle. The cutie’s back.”

The boy who we had been ogling yesterday was today wearing a black t-shirt and jeans, and as he walked past us to the food counter I caught the distinct whiff of strawberry and my mind slipped back to the time when Kodi had turned himself into a sundae for me and I failed to suppress a grin.

Kodi saw my grin and asked, “What are you thinking?”

“Did you happen to catch that strawberry smell as he walked by us just now?”

Kodi blushed and said, “You are never going to let me live that one down are you?”

We finished our breakfast in silence, with Kodi and me taking occasional sideways glances at the boy whose name we didn’t know.

“Come on boys, hurry up and finish eating we need to get going.”

We left the hotel a little after eight o’clock, and walked the five minutes to the nearby Courcelles metro station. Although we were only going to be here in Paris for two full days, since there are seven of us Dad bought three carnets of metro tickets to save us having to queue at the ticket machines.

Kodi and I looked at our metro map, and we then showed Jess the route we would be taking to the Louvre. From where we were staying there was no direct metro train, so we would have to change at Charles de Gaulle Étoile (not to be confused with Aéroport Charles de Gaulle which is about twenty miles away). We only waited a few minutes for the metro train, which was very busy; so Kodi took a firm hold of Jess’ hand. Since Étoile station is only two stops from Courcelles, we didn’t complain about being unable to find seats.

We changed metro lines at Étoile station, and if it wasn’t for Dad expertly guiding us from the metro line 2 platform to the metro line 1 platform, we’d probably still be wandering around the labyrinth that is Étoile station until the end of time.

We only had a three minute wait for the metro line 1 train, and since we were near the start of the line 1, we all managed to get seats next to each other. Even though the train carriage was only about half full, Janet Waughrin kept a close watch over her daughter. The metro journey to the Palais Royal Musée du Louvre station only took us a quarter of an hour, and after a brief walk to the Louvre we found ourselves staring in wonder at the world renowned glass pyramid, with still about half an hour until opening time.

We found a nearby café and we each had a coffee while Jess had orange juice, just to pass the time.

We entered the Louvre, and as we were among the first to arrive, there was almost no queue; which I’ve been told in the height of summer can stretch as far as back out of the pyramid and then spanning the courtyard.

Jess and Kodi both wanted to see the Mona Lisa right away, which my dad agreed was probably a good idea, as we could then avoid the crowds and get a good look while the museum was still relatively empty.

We hurried off to the first floor of the Denon Wing and went in search of what has been called ‘the best known, the most visited, the most written about, the most sung about, the most parodied work of art in the world’.

As we approached this masterpiece, I had to stifle a laugh as Jess, in all her childlike innocence, said, “Is that it? I thought it would be bigger.”

I don’t think Janet Waughrin quite knew what to do with herself. My mum looked over at me with a look that pretty much said ‘Laugh, and it’s the last thing you’ll ever do’, and Richard and my dad looked on the verge of turning purple as they tried to stifle their own laughter.

I could understand Jess’ reaction to seeing the Mona Lisa for the first time; after all the painting is only thirty inches by twenty one inches. For all the hype, the build up, and the world acclaim, to then be confronted with a portrait that, by today’s standards, is smaller than a television screen, can leave people, especially younger children, more than a little crestfallen.

We had a good look at the painting of Lisa Gherardini, wife of Francesco Giocondo, ooh’ed and aah’ed a bit and then did the touristy bit - using the special lowlight function on our digital cameras we took a few photographs of it. One of the museum staff came over pointing to the no flash photography sign, but Mum explained to him how we were able to take the photographs without using the flash.

We then hunted down, what for us kids, was really the only other absolutely must see, the statue of the Greek goddess Aphrodite, known as the Venus de Milo. So we headed straight for the ground floor of the Sully Wing, bypassing rooms and rooms of great artwork.

At least Jess was more suitably impressed this time; though seeing a statue that towers at nearly seven feet tall is sure to impress anybody.

Once we had seen the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo, I was surprised when my dad said, “Kyle, Kodi, why don’t you boys go off together and look around on your own and us grownups will stay together with Jess?”

“That would be great, thanks Dad.”

“Yeah, thanks Stuart.”

“Keep your mobile phones switched on so we can ring you if something comes up, and I want you to text me every thirty minutes just to let me know that you both are all right.”

“Will do, Dad.” Both Kodi and I ran off before anybody had a chance to change their minds.

We spent the next few hours together just strolling through room after room of artwork and sculpture and then at some point, I’ve no idea when, I slipped my hand into Kodi’s as we continued our tour of the Louvre.

After a few hours we found ourselves in the Egyptology section in the first floor of the Sully Wing. We entered one of the rooms and were looking at one of the displays, when Kodi suddenly kissed me on the lips.

I looked around and realised the only people in the entire room were Kodi and me, so I figured ‘what the hell’, and returned the favour, and then some. I slowly licked him on the lips and then forced my tongue into his mouth. Just as my hands were in his hair and I was about to really get into it, I heard a few people enter the room.

“Bugger!”

“Not to worry Kyle. When we get back to the hotel and into the privacy of our own room, you can ravish me then.”

“You have got yourself a deal. Come on, let’s finish off this tour, I’m getting hungry.” It was only after checking my watch that I realised it was nearly two o’clock; we’d spent over four hours together, just aimlessly wandering around the Louvre hand in hand.

I phoned Dad and he said to meet up at Le Café Mollien, which Dad said was near to room with the Mona Lisa, and we could have a late lunch. Since neither of us was the type to turn down the opportunity to eat, we both headed off to the café with all possible dispatch.

We sat out on the terrace and had a pleasant enough late lunch as we all traded stories about what we had seen and what we had enjoyed. Kodi embellished the story of us almost getting caught kissing in the Egyptology section, to the point where it seemed like we were rolling around on the floor naked as the day we were born and were walked in on by a group of nuns. Though the both of us thanked our parents for allowing us to have some alone time together.

We left the Louvre around three o’clock in the afternoon. As it was a clear sunny day, we walked the five hundred metres or so to the Notre Dame cathedral, instead of waiting for a bus.

We took some photographs of the outside of the cathedral, my parents took a picture of Kodi and I together with the Notre Dame in the background, and then they took one of the two of us with Jess.

We went inside and were amazed at the displays. Kodi and I had suddenly reverted to little kids; we were literally running from display to display, clicking away with our cameras.

Kodi, Jess and I decided to take the tower tour, but as it involved a three hundred and eighty seven step climb our parents bowed out. Just as we were about to enter the tower, Janet told Jessica in no uncertain terms to behave herself for Kodi and I.

The three of us really enjoyed the tour, probably even more so since we were without our parents.

“Kyle, what are those?”

“What are ‘what’, Jess?”

“Those.” I looked to where she was pointing.

“Those are gargoyles, Jess. Although there are different and conflicting stories about them, basically all they are are drains used to ensure that rain water is drained off of the church roof and doesn’t run down the walls and erode the stone and mortar.”

“So those are gargoyles. Aren’t they supposed to stop demons and stuff from entering the church?”

“Yes, that’s one myth, Jess. However, there is a different myth which says that the gargoyles are actually the demons and evil spirits and they are there to remind people of the end of days and of the protection which God and the Church offers.”

“So how do we know which version to believe in?”

“We don’t Jess. Different people will believe whatever they want to believe. Although, these days most people only see the gargoyles as rain water drains and don’t really think about the mythologies behind them anymore.”

Kodi and I had also wanted to do the tour of the Archaeological Crypt of the Parvis de Notre Dame, but with today being Monday, the Crypt was closed. Richard said to us that we could always come back tomorrow if we have the time.

After having spent about an hour or so looking around the cathedral, we decided we had seen enough for one day and wanted to head back to the hotel.

We looked at our metro map, but I was having a problem locating the Cité metro station where we were, until Kodi pointed to the tiny island on the map.

“It looks like we are going to have to change trains again; there is no direct metro back.” I nodded in agreement, and Jess let an audible whine.

As I looked at the map, it looked like we basically had two choices of how to get back. The first option would be to go to Barbès Rochechouart station on the metro line 4, and then change onto the metro line 2 back to Courcelles. Option B would be to take the metro line 4 to Les Halles, walk on to the Châtelet Les Halles station to take the RER line A to Charles de Gaulle Étoile, and then take the metro line 2 to Courcelles. Although option B would be slightly quicker, Janet didn’t fancy taking three trains back; especially dragging Jessica along, who was now starting to get a little cranky. So we were taken on the longer but easier route back to the hotel; Kodi and I didn’t mind, since we were sitting by the window seats we could very discreetly play a little footsie to pass the time. Although we were becoming more open and comfortable with displaying affection in public, we weren’t quite at the kissing on public transport stage just yet.

When we exited at Courcelles, the sun was still shining brightly and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky, so we decided to grab an ice cream each and we sat for a while in the nearby Parc Monceau.

We found ourselves a spot near one of the playgrounds and sat down to enjoy our ice creams. It had been a busy day, and I for one was glad to be able to sit and rest for a while. After we finished our ice creams, Kodi and I took Jess over to the playground. We decided to let Jess play on everything, while we just kept an eye on her.

After a while I felt Kodi nudge me in the ribs. “Huh?” I knew he had just asked me something, but I wasn’t listening; I was a million miles away, deep in thought.

“Kyle, I asked you what are you thinking about?”

“Promise me you won’t laugh?”

“Of course, Kyle. What’s up?”

“Well, I was watching Jess playing, and was just thinking that I’d love to have one someday.”

“A little sister? That’s nothing unusual for a single child to want. Why would I laugh at that?”

“Not a little sister, you goofball. I meant I’d love a child of my own . . . of our own.”

“Come here, you big softy.” Kodi slipped an arm over my shoulder and rested his head against mine. He whispered to me, “I love you so much Kyle, and someday God willing we will have that child. You deserve nothing less.”

“I love you too, my cariad.”

We went back to the hotel about an hour later. The first thing Kodi and I did was jump in the shower. It had been a long hot day, we had spent most of it sweating and we both probably stank to high Heaven.

As Kodi stepped into the shower he turned and shouted over to me, “Come on Kyle, commence ravishing.” Well nobody ever needed to tell me twice.