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edge. ‘He’s fallen in!’ He was drifting away from the land.
    â€˜What can we do? What can we do?’ Shakila cried.
    She ran into the water up to her knees screaming, ‘Raza!’
    There was no time to lose. Kelsey pulled off her sneakers and jumped in. She had to reach him before he drifted too far away. The water was a different colour from a swimming pool but it was still water. She tried to swim freestyle to Raza but soon found it was much harder than swimming in a pool. The water had a mind of its own. By the time she was close enough to grab Raza, he was gulping water and coughing. He tried to climb up to her shoulders and Kelsey couldn’t keep afloat with his weight dragging her down.
    â€˜Shakila!’ she screamed. But as she opened her mouth the river water rushed in and she coughed as much as Raza. She went underwater and struggled to surface again.
    â€˜Look!’
    Kelsey could see Shakila at the water’s edge – she was pointing at something in the water. A plank was drifting toward them . Kelsey tried to hold Raza around the neck like she was taught in swimming lessons but he struggled and screamed too much. She reached for the plank as it drifted close. She missed and tried again. Finally she clasped one end. She pulled Raza onto her hip with one hand, then steadied the plank as he climbed on. He lay down and Kelsey put her arms around him to keep him safe. She trod water hanging onto the plank to catch her breath. Then she slowly pushed it back to shore.
    Shakila was there to pull them out.
    â€˜Raza? Raza? Are you okay?’ Shakila was crying.
    â€˜Kila,’ he whispered. Then he coughed and muddy water dribbled out of his mouth.
    â€˜ Alhamdulillah , praise God.’ Shakila hugged Raza. ‘You saved him.’



W hen Kelsey spoke to Nanna Rose that afternoon she didn’t mention Raza.
    â€˜Is anything wrong, Kels?’ Nanna asked.
    â€˜Just tired.’ Kelsey’s voice sounded flat and quiet. She didn’t want to say how ill she was starting to feel. Instead, she asked about the story.
    â€˜Will Rubi get better, Nanna?’
    â€˜I hope so, as long as Asher can buy her some medicine.’
    â€˜But that means Rubi has to give up Amy Jo.’
    â€˜Yes, but she will understand I think. It is important to get better and she has loved the doll. It was kind of Asher to give her that experience, don’t you think?’
    Kelsey thought about it. Would it be better not to see the doll and then Rubi wouldn’t miss her? Or would the memory of Amy Jo make Rubi happier?
    Asher let Rubi keep Amy Jo for two days. He crawled into the cardboard box to sleep with Rubi on the second night. He waited until morning before he told his sister the news.
    â€˜I have found a man in the bazaar who may give me a good price for the gudiya . I will be able to buy you a new shalwar qameez to wear and medicine for the whole year. Your lungs will get better now.’
    Rubi smiled but there were tears in her eyes. She took a clip from her hair and fastened it into Amy Jo’s.
    â€˜Why are you doing that?’ Asher asked. ‘That was Ummie ’ s hairclip. It’s the only thing you own.’
    â€˜I want the gudiya to have something of me since she has helped me so much.’
    Asher nodded and gently lifted Amy Jo from Rubi’s arms. Since Amy Jo couldn’t make tears she blinked her eyes instead. She would have liked to see Rubi get well, and to hear more songs.
    â€˜You’re a good doll,’ Asher said as he carried her. ‘You’ve made my sister happy. That alone will help make her better. I’m sorry to sell you but we have to live. I hope you understand.’
    Amy Jo blinked her eyes at him as he walked to the bazaar.
    The bazaar was full of stalls with bright, pretty cloth blowing in the wind and huge hessian bags brimming with coloured spices. Asher was jostled by the crowds and Amy Jo thought she