dark? Come on, come and sleep with us.” And Kararaina had come running into the bedroom and nestled softly between her and Henare. Pare took another draw on her cigarette. She noticed that one of the sheets she'd washed was still a bit dirty. Too bad! Then she motioned to Kararaina to come closer to her. “Are you all right now?” she whispered, stroking Kararaina's hair. “No more tangi? No more cry?” Kararaina nodded. “You like it here? You like it here with me and Henare?” Kararaina was silent. Then she sighed, and a large tear began to form. “I miss Rangi …” “But you fullas are always squabbling all the time!” Pare laughed. “I miss Rangi …” Kararaina repeated. And she began to cry softly. “Huh? I thought you'd finished with the cry!” Pare whispered. “Never mind. Never mind …” And the sisters hugged each other tightly. “Won't be long now, then you can go home,” Pare soothed. “Mum and Dad couldn't take you down South with them. You had to go to school. Don't you like school here?” Kararaina shook her head. “It's a funny school,” she whispered. “The other kids are funny to me.” “But you've only been there for a few days,” Pare said. “You have to get used to them, and they have to get used to you. After a while, you'll get on with them and then you'll be happy.” “I miss Rangi …” Kararaina said again. Pare sighed. For a long moment, the two sisters were silent. Then Pare stood up. “No rest for the wicked,” she laughed. “I better put some lunch on for us, ay.” “Can I help?” Kararaina asked. “I can manage,” Pare answered. Then she reached into her apron pocked and brought out her purse. “Tell you what! You go and buy an ice cream. By the time you get back, the kai will be ready. Okay?” “Okay,” Kararaina answered. She took the money and wandered out the gate. And she saw the three girls playing on the pavement. For a while, she watched them. Then one of the girls looked back at her. “What are you staring at?” she yelled. Kararaina looked away, embarrassed. She walked away from them toward the shop. There, she bought herself an Eskimo Pie and slowly began licking it. Then she dawdled back along the road to the flat. The girls were still playing, so she sat down on the kerb. After a while, she got up the courage to approach them. “You're playing Four Square, ay?” she said. “What does it look like!” one of the girls snapped. He companions giggled. “There's only three of you playing,” Kararaina said. “So?” “Nothing … I just thought …” But the girls pretended not to notice her. “Do you want a lick of my ice cream?” Kararaina asked them after a while. “Oooh!” one of the girls said, screwing up her face. “You might have germs.” “I have not!” Kararaina answered. “You do too!” the same girl said, scornfully. “All you Samoans have germs.” “I'm not a Samoan either!” Kararaina told them. “I'm a Maori.” “Same thing,” one of the girls sniffed. Kararaina walked away from them. In her ears she could hear them laughing at her, saying, “Thinks we want to play with her! Thinks we want to lick at her ice cream!” And she felt tears coming to her eyes. She went through the gate, then turned. “I didn't want to play with you fullas anyway!” she yelled. Then she rushed upstairs. “Is that you, Kara?” Pare yelled. “Yes,” she answered, trying not to cry too much. “Lunch won't be long.” “All right!” Kararaina answered. She ran quickly into her room and shut the door. And there, in the small room, she let her tears fall, while the sounds of the children playing outside reached up to taunt her. After a while, she quietened. She crept