Spies In Disguise: The Skills and the Spies (#2)

Chapter 17: Spies Supervise Brothers While Adults Test Gadgets

When Mom and Dad return, I tell them about the box of gadgets when Ryan's fooling around in his room.

"We're going to test out the gadgets on Saturday," Mom replies. "Everyone on my side of the family's coming over to celebrate my birthday with me that day."

Well, that's good news for me, because that means that a lot of people will be able to help me get Mom's birthday celebration ready.

"Right...so that means that you cannot do the cooking...because it's your birthday!" I exclaim.

"But I want to cook on my birthday," Mom frowns. There goes Mom's stubborn attitude.

"We can talk about this later," I say hastily, and Mom heads upstairs. When Mom's out of sight, Dad says to me, "We are not letting Mom cook on her birthday!"

"Thank you for agreeing with me!" I exclaim. "But are we going to cook for her birthday? You can't really cook much, and I don't really know how to cook!"

"Well, we can get her relatives to cook while I take her out to choose her birthday cake," suggests Dad.

"That," I beam. "is a MARVELOUS IDEA!"

"Also, we're testing the gadgets with Aunt Alicia and her family, they'll eat lunch with us here on Saturday," Dad adds. "They have different gadgets than us, so we can learn about each other's gadgets. They're going to come to our hours earlier with their gadgets."

"Yes!" I exclaim. That means Maddie and I will be able to talk for a long time! Oh wait, I can see a problem.

"Won't Uncle James and his family come to our house early?" I realize. "They always show up extra early!"

"Then we'll just them that we're busy, and that they'll have to come later," shrugs Dad, like it's no big deal.

"Okay," I shrug.

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All the plans for Mom's birthday are made, and Dad and I managed to buy Mom's birthday presents.

Since it's Friday, the day before Mom's birthday, I have to get Ryan to make the card for Mom.

"Hey Ryan!" I exclaim, running down the basement stairs. Ryan's playing videogames...as usual. "Are you done your homework?" Ryan's not allowed to play videogames before he does homework, but sometimes, he plays before doing homework.

"Yeah!" he exclaims.

"Can you do me a favour?"

"What's a favour?"

"Can you help me do something?"

"What is that something?"

"Can you make a birthday card for Mom's birthday?"

"No!"

I groan, and think to myself, He just doesn't want to stop playing videogames. And then I tell him:

"Just write the card, and I'll decorate it myself!"

Ryan reluctantly pauses his videogame, and I give him the blank card and a pen. Just as he's about to write something on the card, I say to him:

"Do a good job on writing the card, because you're not doing it for me, you're doing it for Mom, and you want to make Mom happy, right?"

Ryan nods, and writes "Dear Mom, Happy Birthday! Love, Ryan" as neatly as possible, and then quickly hands me the card and pen as though they're made of fire.