Finally Seen

Dad tells Lina on the way home that Virginia had a miscarriage, and that Pete works hard to farm in honor of the baby that was lost. The next day, Mom, Lina, and Millie pick up Carla and head to the 99 Cents store for small plastic toys to hide in bath bombs. As Mom cooks dinner, Dad comes home with an inflatable hot tub from a yard sale.

Mom, Lina, Carla, and Millie take Hazel’s bath bombs to her house. Hazel invites Millie to stay, but Millie decides to stay with Lina and Carla and enjoy their sleepover and bath bomb tub.

The girls excitedly don swimsuits; Dad fills the tub with warm water; they enjoy a citrus rainbow bath bomb. Mom enjoys the tub too. The next day Lina tries to tell Lao Lao about the hot tub, but Lao Lao sadly remarks her bath days are over. Lina reassures her that she still can enjoy activities like that.

Finn then video messages. He is in a suite at the Bellagio, a fancy Las Vegas hotel. He is irate because his father will not leave the room since the Rams football team lost the game. His father comes out of his bedroom. Finn and his father argue about Finn’s lack of interest in sports. Finn’s father, losing control, takes Finn’s copy of Fumble Lina loaned to him and throws it in Finn’s uneaten pizza.

Finn does not attend school the next day. Lina makes a drawing of what Finn’s weekend should have been like and leaves it on his desk. Lina shares her graphic novel with Mrs. Ortiz. Mrs. Ortiz thinks Lina’s story strongly represents many immigrants’ struggles. She says she will speak to administrators about the bathroom stall. She tells Lina she is ready to return to the regular classroom for English.

Finn messages Lina to thank her for the drawing. Mr. Beezley stops by to remind Mom about the rent and asks how much more they need. When Mom tells him, he says they cannot count the security deposit and will need more than double what they thought. Mom is devastated and says that will be too hard. Lina tells her what was truly too hard was being left in China and waiting to be sent for. Mom cries, apologizes, and hugs her. They say they love each other.

Lina is excited to listen during the read-aloud. Mrs. Carter recaps that a classmate said a cruel thing and made an unkind gesture at Cat, the main character in Flea Shop. Lina’s classmates call the comment and gesture racist, but Jessica argues that they misunderstood the gestures. Many students tell her she is wrong and offer evidence from the text. Mrs. Carter tells them she is glad they are “fired up.”

Mom is in high spirits after school; she wrote a business plan and wants to seek a partnership to help promote the bath bombs. This way they will secure investment money they can use for rent. Millie is happy too—she made a new friend named Mallory. At home, Millie makes a TikTok to advertise the business plan and Lina makes graphics for it, including a drawing of her mother as a strong leader.

During the read-aloud the next day, Jessica’s mother and Principal Bennett arrive. Mrs. Scott challenges Flea Shop because, she claims, it includes inappropriate ideas and content to which no one relates. She says Jessica felt upset that other students disagreed with her. She calls the book “divisive” and “isolating trash” (251). She says immigration should be a subject taught at home, not in schools. The principal apologizes but tells Mrs. Carter to collect the book until the school reviews it.

Mrs. Hollis tells Lina and Finn at lunch that an emergency school board meeting will determine the book’s fate, asking them to speak out. Lina decides she must “protect [her] right to see [herself] in books” and agrees to speak (255).

Mom is concerned that Lina’s speaking out may jeopardize their ability to attend Winfield or their green card application, but she gives in when she sees Lina’s passion. Lina hopes she is brave enough to speak in her two minutes at the meeting.

At the meeting, Mrs. Hollins recaps the book’s plot. Mrs. Scott says she wants to direct the worldview her child is taught. Mrs. Carter says it is her job to expand students’ view of the world. Carla’s mother and Finn’s father speak, echoing views that books should cover a wide range of experiences so that reading opens students’ eyes to different perspectives. Lina, terrified, gets up to speak.

Lina tells the audience how she has many questions about living in the US, including if her family will make rent, if she will see her grandmother again, and if the other girls will stop commenting about her on the bathroom wall. She explains that the character in the book has similar questions; consequently, Lina does not feel alone. She says the book shows what her experience is like being new to the US, and that the book has just as much value in showing others someone else’s experiences unlike their own. Everyone cheers.

Lina, Millie, and her parents get tacos from Rosa’s truck to celebrate Lina’s courage. Mom tells Lina that she can come to her with any school concerns. Lina asks Mom why she had to stay in China. Mom explains that she wanted everything to be “perfect”; she wanted a strong, stable environment for Lina. Mom tells Lina how guilty she has felt. Lina explains about the “i” in guilt, and they embrace.

On Monday, the students are allowed to continue Flea Shop. Mom has great news at pick-up: Cindy’s Ice Cream wants to partner with them if they can make ice cream flavors into bath bomb scents. Lina knows Carla will be capable of helping with that request. Mom takes them to Los Angeles so she can meet with a lawyer to form a real company ready for investors. Mom is eager to ask about the status of their green card application as well.

Mr. Thurman, the lawyer, is happy to help with the paperwork to form a company. When he searches for the green card application, however, there is no such submitted form. He asks if Dad ever signed a paper to start the process. At Pete’s farm, when Dad asks Pete pointedly if he ever applied for Dad’s green card, Pete claims he only said he would consider it. Then he goes into the garden “like [they are] invisible” (277).

With Millie and Mom asleep on the living room mat, Dad and Lina go for a drive. Dad says no matter the “droughts” of hard times and challenges, living in the US is worth continuing because of its afforded freedoms. Dad surprises Lina by driving her to the beach. She runs on the sand and watches the waves. Lina also looks out to sea and apologizes to Lao Lao for leaving her but says she is happy in the US and eager to see how things grow there for everyone.

They stay at the beach until dawn, then go to the farm. Dad tells Pete he is there to collect his last pay. Pete admits that he chose not to complete Dad’s green card application because the lawyer told him he would then have to pay Dad a farm manager rate. He claims he cannot afford the pay and lied to keep the farm going. He associates his actions with his grief for his lost daughter, but Dad tells him, “You don’t get to put this on your daughter. That’s not fair to me or to her” (283). Dad refuses Pete’s offer to stay on, saying “I think I’ll find my own path now” (238).

Two weeks later, the family is about to leave for the open house night at school when Mr. Beezley arrives. Mom hands him the full amount of back rent. He is stunned. At school, Lina’s teachers praise her progress. Lina chats with Finn, who went to San Francisco with his father for sightseeing. Mrs. Muñoz and Carla attend; Mrs. Muñoz plans to have Carla enroll at the school on a permit since she now works in Winfield at a florist shop. Dad mentions job prospects. Mom says she will try to get a green card under a category for “extraordinary ability in business” (287).

Lao Lao calls to say she loved Lina’s graphic novel, which she shared with friends. The principal announces that the book fair’s guest author, chosen by students, will be Catherine Wang, author of Flea Shop. Lina is thrilled. In line for free ice cream, Jessica lets Lina go first. Lina orders Rocky Road without any English mistakes. Jessica holds a copy of Drama, and Lina recommends Sunny Side Up. Lina and Millie eat their ice cream, and Lina thinks hopefully about the future.