The Manny Files book1 by Christian Burch Read Free Book Online Page A

and located the gatewhere Mom and Dad’s plane would be arriving: B-7. Just as we found B-7, Lulu pointed at the plane that was pulling into the gate. I had the same feeling of excitement in my stomach that I get when
The Sound of Music
comes on television. Like I have to pee and throw up at the same time.
    Strangers began walking out of the little door that delivered them off of the plane.
    Grandmothers. Men in suits. Crying babies.
    They all looked like they had been left in the dryer too long, with tired faces and wrinkled clothes.
    I thought to myself.
Why don’t any of these businessmen have no-iron shirts? They’re so convenient.
    The man and woman standing next to us greeted their son wearing alien antennae on their heads. They held up a sign that said WELCOME BACK TO EARTH, SON. They told us that he had been in Los Angeles going to college.
    I wish I had alien antennae on my head.
    I heard Lulu squeal and saw her run into Dad’s arms. He looked really tan. Belly ran to Mom, while India and I jumped up and down, holding our signs. The manny jumped with us.
    People stared at him.
    I waited until it was my turn to be hugged, which was usually after Belly.
    I hugged Mom, who always smells like tea and sandalwood. I love that smell. I can always tell if she’s been in a room, because the room smells like her.
    I let go of Mom and shoved my way past Lulu, who was already telling Dad about the things the manny had done.
    “Hey, kiddo,” Dad said, with watery eyes and a sound in his voice like he needed to blow his nose. He hugged me and said, “Nice tie.”
    I thought,
If he likes the tie, just wait until he sees the feng shui coffee table.

8
Pretty Enough to Give to the Queen off England
     
    I’ve always wanted to make breakfast in bed for Mom on Mother’s Day. Actually, I’ve always wanted to be served breakfast in bed on my birthday, but serving it to Mom would be almost as fun.
    Lulu made a vase for Mom at pottery class. Lulu just started taking pottery class this week because she had Thursdays free. Her schedule after school is way busier than mine:

    Monday—Piano
    Tuesday—Origami
    Wednesday—Book club
    Thursday—Pottery
    Friday—Future Congressional Leaders of America
     

    My after-school schedule looks like this:

    Monday—
    Tuesday—
    Wednesday—
    Thursday—Take trash to curb
    Friday—
     

    India made certificates for Mom to use like money. They say “Redeemable only at Bank of India.” Mom can give India a certificate anytime she wants, and India will do whatever the certificate says. Do the dishes. Give her a hug. Rotate the tires on the Eurovan.
    I told India that she should make one that says “Drop Belly off at the orphanage.”
    She laughed, but she didn’t make one.
    Belly made something for Mom at the Tomato Plant Preschool. Her teacher, Miss Kim, had all of the children pour pink plaster of paris in a pie tin and then press their tiny handprint into it. Belly’s handprint will complete Mom’s set. We all made them when we were at the Tomato Plant Preschool. Lulu’s has her name written on the back of hers in cursive. Lulu could write her name in cursive in preschool. Her hand was as big as mine is now. She gets mad when I show her that my hand fits perfectly in it.
    India colored a rainbow in the middle of her handprint with markers. She also sprinkled glitter all over it so that it would sparkle.
    Mine is just a plain handprint in pink plaster.
    Lulu always points to it and says, “Look how little and cute his hand was.”
    I think she’s just trying to get even with me because she has the same size hands as the Statue of Liberty.
    Ms. Grant had our class plant seeds in Dixie cups to give to our mothers. I raised my hand and asked if I could plant mine in a fancy mint julep cup to make it more elegant.
    Ms. Grant wouldn’t let me.
    We planted our seeds three weeks before Mother’s Day so that they would be perfect little plants by the time we took them home. We watered