CHAPTER 9

As soon as I got home from school and downed a bag of chips (and the apple that Mom said I had to have if I wanted the chips), I went over to see my next-door neighbor, Mrs. Rogers.

“Now, there’s a lovely face I haven’t seen in a while,” she said when she opened her door.

“I’ve been busy making plans to save the mosque!” I told her.

“Save the mosque? Well, that sounds heroic. What are you saving it from?”

“Oh no, when are they coming? I’ll put it in my calendar,” said Mrs. Rogers.

She is always unexpectedly hilarious. She surprises me every time I see her, and I am not an easy kid to surprise, because my imagination has already thought of everything. It’s so much better now than when we first moved in and she didn’t like us.

After we finished giggling, I told her about the real situation.

“So, I actually came over to ask you if I can do some chores for you and get paid,” I said, smiling my best smile.

“Sure. You can start by washing my car.”

Mrs. Rogers’s car was one of the surprising things about her. My nani doesn’t drive, and I’ve never seen any other people driving, but Mrs. Rogers still drives her car all the time.

She looked at me as if she was reading my thoughts, which I’d kept to myself because Mom and Dad say it’s not polite to call people old.

“I’m as sharp as a bat, you know,” she said. “Don’t be fooled by this wrinkly skin.”

She handed me $8 and I did the best I could, which must have been not too bad because Mrs. Rogers seemed pleased once I was done. I had imagined helping me, which made it way better, especially when my fingers were cold. Why were they teeny-tiny? Because normal-size Stormtroopers would just be normal and that’s only half as fun.

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•  •  •

Back at home, Mom was exhausted.

“I can’t wait to get off my feet!” she kept saying as she stirred the lamb korma we were having for dinner.

I thought. I knew how I could make her feel better and earn some money at the same time. She did everything for us all day long. She deserved a

So while she finished cooking, I went upstairs to get things ready.

I thought for the very best spa experience, I’d have to stimulate all five senses. I got some of Mom’s lotions and face creams out and put them on her bedside table. Then I went downstairs to get some cucumber. I saw a cardboard box from a package Mom had opened earlier with those soft white things in it for protection. Perfect. I grabbed that.

Next, I went into Maryam’s room for one of her Lindor chocolates, which I know she keeps hidden in her bedside table.

She screamed at me, of course.

“Sorry.” I grinned like I was the yellow emoji with all the teeth showing. “It’s just that I’m trying to make Mom feel relaxed, and a chocolate treat is part of it . . . so I was wondering if I can have one of yours to give her?”

To my

she softened up right away and threw one at me with a smile.

“Thanks!” I said.

Teenagers are super weird.

Next, I made a sign and stuck it up in the hallway.

Well, I couldn’t be stuck rubbing people’s feet every day. I still wanted to play with my stuff sometimes.

“Mom! Come to my spa.”

“Your spa???”

“Yes, come, come. Quickly!”

Mom came upstairs, although she was very confused. I made her lie down on her bed and quickly plonked the cucumber slices on her eyes. I had seen that somewhere on TV.

Mom squealed, reaching for the cucumbers. “What is that?”

“It’s cucumber, Mom. Just be still and keep those on your eyes. I’m going to relax your tired feet now.” I put the box of white things on the bed and stuck both her feet into it.

Mom giggled a bit.

Next, I got a dollop of cream and started rubbing it on her face.

“Um, wow . . .” said Mom. But she sounded like it wasn’t wow, so I had to step things up.

“Open your mouth.”

“Ummmm, OK. What are you going to put in it?” she asked.

“Just open it! And keep your eyes closed. I’m stimulating all your five senses.”

I shoved the chocolate through her hesitating lips.

She relaxed a little bit, I could tell. She likes Lindor.

Then I remembered I hadn’t stimulated the hearing sense. I cranked the volume up and hit PLAY on my iPad. It was “Sunflower” from the Spider-Verse movie.

Mom

“Oh. Oh . . . OK. Sorry, I wasn’t expecting that, sweetie,” she said, and pretended to be relaxed.

“I’m going to massage your feet now,” I announced.

I tipped out some lotion. Lots of it.

“Oh, that’s cold,” said Mom. But then after a while, she added, “It does feel good, actually. I needed that.”

Oops, I forgot the fifth sense. Smell. I ran to the bathroom and got the air freshener. I thought seven quick squirts should do the job.

Mom coughed a bit and choked out, “Ummm, can I go downstairs? I need to check the curry.”

“No, you have to stay like that for two hours,” I explained. Well, nobody can relax properly in ten minutes. “Dad’s home now. I’ll ask him to check it.”

Mom said, “Ooooookay . . .” and gave in.

She didn’t end up staying two hours in the end, because we had to have dinner. I was glad anyway; I didn’t realize how slow two hours can be when you’re rubbing someone’s feet.

Mom gave me $10 instead of the $3 I had written on the sign for the spa. As soon as the bill hit my hand, Maryam appeared from nowhere with a scowl on her face.

she said. She was referring to me. “You think you’re clever, but last night I saw you trying to open a wall to get into the bathroom.”

“Yeah, right!” I said. This was such a hilarious thought. I chuckled super loud.

But Maryam wasn’t chuckling with me. She was looking at me as if she was a rhino and I was getting in the way of its water hole.

 I knew that face. She was up to something.