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A knock on the door. The door opened a foot. Three boxes slid inside. Each on top of the other.
The disturbance woke Amira from an afternoon snooze. She slipped out of bed and walked barefoot in her pyjamas across the soft carpet. She knelt down and picked up the boxes.
All three were of different shapes, sizes and weights. Each made of the same black laminated cardboard, tied with pink ribbon.
She carried them to a nearby writing desk and loosened the ribbons. She found the top box filled with a range of cosmetics, still in their wrappers.
Amira put it to one side. The second box contained a pair of black designer high-heeled shoes in her size.
The third and final box was flat and wide. Amira opened the lid to reveal a folded dress wrapped in crepe paper.
A small, square note la
