up Some girls don’t want to wear one but I do It’s my choice I’ve been wearing one since fifth grade Cassidy frowned But this is a camp for girls No boys allowed Ainsley knocked on Cassidy’s head Hello in there Colby comes to some of our campfires doesn’t he Colby is a reporter for the Storm Cliff Times And Dr Samuels I reminded Cassidy And his son Brent Ryleigh’s eyes lit up Clyde comes too When he’s in town Clyde Collins is Aunt Jane’s boyfriend He’s away on business trips most of the time I love wearing my hijab I said It makes me feel proud to wear one with my nani my ammi and my cousins Do you always match your scarf to your clothes asked Cassidy 8
I try to My nani sews them and surprises me with new designs and colors all the time She’s the best grandmother I touched my scarf This purple one matches our camp shirts perfectly Cassidy agreed Yesterday you wore a green one to breakfast It matched your pajamas Sometimes we go to breakfast in the Pavilion in our pj’s As long as we’re dressed by eight thirty Aunt Jane doesn’t care I fed Silver Moon a piece of apple and then pulled out a purple ribbon from my pocket I brought this so I could color coordinate with her too I quickly braided her mane and weaved the silky ribbon through it When I looked over at Ainsley she was brushing Minka Minka is a black Percheron mare Eighteen hands tall She’s big and bossy Almost done said Ainsley Ryleigh led Butterscotch a palomino quarter horse stallion out of his stall He’s her favorite 9
Let’s go I’m dying to hear the news But Butterscotch had other ideas When he saw Silver Moon he whinnied softly as he dipped his head into the stall and nuzzled her True love I said Ainsley attached a lead rope to Minka’s halter True love can wait We’re late Cassidy stood with her hands shoved in her pockets Which horse are you taking asked Ainsley Cassidy stiffened and shifted her weight from foot to foot You could hang with us I said Silver Moon won’t mind Cassidy let out a long sigh Thanks She reached up and tucked a strand of my hair under my hijab It was something my ammi would often do My stomach fluttered I miss my ammi I blurted out My mom is so far away 10
Ainsley and Ryleigh glanced at each other Call her said Cassidy Ainsley rolled her eyes You’re not gonna whine about missing your parents now are you We’re late My heart was heavy I’ve never whined about missing anyone before Call them repeated Cassidy She can’t said Ryleigh They’re in Pakistan on a business trip But they’re also celebrating Maha’s wedding I said She’s my cousin I tied the end of the ribbon together and swatted a fly away from Silver Moon’s ear My parents are doctors They’re working most of the summer in a lab They said it’s not a pleasure trip But going to a wedding sounds like a pleasure doesn’t it Everyone nodded I cried when they said I couldn’t go My ammi told me to save my tears for the hungry and the 11
