My plan was to invent a relaxing bubble bath soap that would help Molly sleep.
Inventors call that "formulating."
I had decided to formulate a special soap just for Molly.
I couldn't wait to get started!
When we got home, Molly asked her babysitter if she could go to my apartment.
"Okay," said Lucy, who was watching TV with Caswell in the living room.
"You're missing a great episode of Monster Madness!" Caswell told Molly.
Sure enough, I could hear the roars of monsters and the screams of frightened people coming from the TV.
"Let's get out of here," Molly whispered to me.
A few minutes later, Molly and I were sitting at my kitchen table.
Molly looked a little better, but she still seemed pretty upset.
"I'm going to formulate a very special invention," I told her.
"It will help you relax so you can sleep better."
"I hope it works," said Molly with a sigh.
"As soon as I close my eyes at night, a scary monster appears in my mind!"
"Don't worry," I said. "My invention will fix that.
What's your favorite food in the whole world?"
Molly's face brightened.
"Cherries!" she said. "I love cherries!"
"Okay." I went to the cupboard and rummaged around until I found a bottle of cherry juice.
Molly was watching me with curiosity.
"Are you going to make me something to drink?" she asked.
"I'm going to make something even better than that!" I promised.
I got an empty jar and filled it up with soapy water.
Then I poured lots of cherry juice into the jar.
I shook up the mixture until it was all foamy.
At last I handed it to Molly.
"Here you go!" I said.
"Your very own mixture of Enchanting Cherry bath soap.
Pour it into the tub before you take a bath tonight.
It will totally relax you before bedtime!"
"Iggy!" yelled Tate from his room.
"Get in here and get your stuff!"
Boy, I couldn't wait until I formulated special bubble bath soaps so Tate could relax.
But his favorite food is granola bars.
Who wants to take a granola bar bath?
I thought about Molly's Enchanting Cherry bubble bath all through dinner.
I couldn't wait to hear about how my invention had helped her.
I had just finished getting my stuff out of Tate's closet when the doorbell rang.
"It's for you, Piggy!" Tate called.
Sometimes my brother calls me "Piggy" instead of "Iggy."
He does it just to get me mad.
I didn't get mad this time though.
After all, I'm the guy who invents things to calm people down, right?
I went to the door.
Molly was standing there in her bathrobe and slippers.
"Iggy," she said, glaring at me.
"I tried taking an Enchanting Cherry bubble bath!"
"What's the matter?" I asked.
"It was really sticky!" Molly cried. "And itchy!"
"Uh-oh," I thought, watching her scratch her arms.
I didn't want to say anything, but her skin looked a little red—as in cherry red.
My brilliant invention had obviously backfired.
Suddenly Molly gave me a pleading look.
"You have to help me, Iggy.
I don't want to think about monsters again tonight!"
My heart sunk.
I needed a new idea, and I needed it fast.
Or poor Molly would never get any sleep.
I could do it.
I knew I could.
After all, I was Iggy the incredible inventor, and my best friend was depending on me.