With the Fire on High

Emoni and Malachi, along with Emma, Angelica, and Laura, are waiting in line to see Disney on Ice. Angelica warns Emoni that Tyrone will be angry if he hears that she has seen Malachi again. Malachi introduces Emoni and the others to his Aunt Jordyn, who works on the security staff for the show and was the one who got them free tickets. The show itself, according to Emoni, is “magical,” with Disney characters dancing on the ice. Afterwards, Malachi and Emoni take a cab back to her house. She drops a glass, and Malachi bandages her cut after she hurts herself picking up the shards. She tells Malachi that she likes him but that she is not interested in sex.

Emoni’s mobile phone was confiscated at school. Consequently, she only finds out when she gets home, from Mrs. Palmer, Tyrone’s mother, calling the landline, that Emma came down with a fever and that she had had to pick her up. Mrs. Palmer drops off Emma at Emoni’s house. She is critical of Emoni and ’Buela, saying that “I certainly won’t be dropping work every time you and your grandmother are too negligent to take care of Emma” (256).