Josh ran upstairs to tell Molly's mom about Molly's accident.
Mrs. O'Donnell rushed down the stairs in front of our building.
Molly tried to get up.
But she couldn't stand on her right foot.
"Ow! It really hurts!" she cried.
"Don't try to stand on it!" said Molly's mom.
"I think we'd better take a taxi to the hospital."
Mr. Calabria went out to the street and stopped a taxi.
Then Molly, her mom, and Caswell got inside.
Caswell waved to us as the taxi sped away.
He was still licking his lime ice pop.
Josh, Jenny, and I ran upstairs and told my mom about Molly's accident.
A short time later, Mr. Chen came to our door.
Josh and Jenny's aunt, Lydia, was with him.
I had met Aunt Lydia before.
She looked like Mr. Chen, but she was taller.
She also laughed a lot.
She laughed now as she leaned over to hug Josh and Jenny.
"I want you to meet someone," she said.
"He's waiting for you downstairs."
She smiled at me.
"Iggy, you can come too!"
We went downstairs to Josh and Jenny's apartment.
There, sitting on the kitchen table, was a cage with a brightly colored parrot!
"This is my parrot, Tufty," Aunt Lydia said.
She smiled at Josh and Jenny.
"I am moving to California," she explained.
"I can't take my Tufty with me so I'm giving him to you two."
Jenny's eyes lit up.
"Can we really keep Tufty, Dad?" she asked.
Mr. Chen nodded. "Aunt Lydia says he's quiet and well-behaved."
Bunch sniffed at the cage and wagged his tail.
"Bunch likes Tufty!" said Josh.
Aunt Lydia opened the birdcage.
Tufty flew to Jenny and landed on her shoulder.
"And Tufty likes me!" cried Jenny.
Tufty was quiet, but he was lots of fun.
We played with him while we waited for Molly to come home from the hospital.
Finally we heard a car pull up.
We ran to the window and saw a taxi.
Molly climbed out slowly.
She was wearing a big boot on her foot.
Josh, Jenny, and I hurried downstairs to meet her.
"I broke a bone in my foot," said Molly.
"The doctor says I have to wear this walking boot until it heals."
"If it doesn't heal, Molly will need an operation!" said Caswell.
Molly nodded, looking upset.
"The doctor would have to put screws in my foot!"
"With Mr. Calabria's screwdriver?" asked Caswell.
Molly rolled her eyes.
"No, Caswell," she said.
"The doctor isn't going to use Mr. Calabria's screwdriver."
Molly frowned. "I don't want an operation!"
We told Molly about Tufty.
Then we all went upstairs to Molly's apartment.
Molly walked very slowly, taking one step at a time.
"Remember what Dr. Chang said, Molly," said Mrs. O'Donnell.
"You have to take care of your foot.
And if you keep your spirits up, that will help your foot to heal quickly.
Then you won't need an operation."
"What does 'keeping your spirits up' mean?" asked Jenny.
"It means staying happy and cheerful," said Molly's mom.
"It's hard to be cheerful with this walking boot on," Molly complained.
"It makes my leg hot and itchy."
She leaned over and scratched her leg.
"Iggy, think of something to help Molly stay cheerful," said Caswell.
"Yeah!" said Josh. "You have to invent something for her."
"Something wonderful," added Jenny.
"And different," said Molly.
Everyone was looking at me.
"Oh boy," I thought.
My friends really believed in me and my powers of invention.
Now I had to think of something to help Molly!