6. Mud Puddles for Mom

Chapter 6 Mud Puddles for Mom "Where did they come from?" Brian asked. "We used to play with them in the tub when we were little," Bradley said. "I think Mom kept them up in the attic." Brian stared at his brother. "You think she really is a…" "Yes, I do," Bradley said. "And it's your fault!" "What did I do?" Brian asked.

"Oh, nothing, only getting Mom hypnotized," Bradley said. "But then she got un-hypnotized!" Brian argued. "Can I help it if Hypo messed up?" Josh poked his head into the bathroom. "Showers, you guys," he said. "I want this bathroom in ten minutes. And leave it clean!" A half hour later the family was in the car heading for town. Their dad was taking them to a restaurant called Lily's Pad. It was on the Indian River at the end of Oak Street. The three boys were sitting in the backseat. Their mom turned around. "You boys look nice," she said. "Thanks for getting ready so quackly." Brian burst out laughing. "What's so funny?" his mother asked. "You said quackly, Mom, instead of quickly," Brian said. "Did I?" their mom said. "How strange." Mr. Pinto glanced up at the sky. "I don't like the look of those clouds," he said. "I'll bet it rains before we get home." "Oh, too bad," his wife said. "I wanted to sit out on the duck."

"You want to sit on the deck, hon," her husband said. "Not on the duck." "Oh, yes, silly me," Mrs. Pinto said. "Here we are," Mr. Pinto said a few minutes later. He parked at the end of Oak Street. The restaurant was straight ahead, near the riverbank. A wooden deck faced the water. There were tables and chairs on the deck, but no people. "How lovely!" their mother said. "There are ducks on the river! I love watching them swim!" Brian grinned. "Me too, Mom!" he said. "I think ducks are just wonderful!" "Oh, brother," Bradley muttered. The Pinto family stepped inside the restaurant. A sign just inside the door read: HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! Bradley noticed that there were a lot of families already eating. A man wearing a white shirt and a tie approached them. "May I seat you for lunch?" he asked. "Yes, please," Bradley's mom said. "By the windows, please."

The man bowed. "Right this way, folks!" He took them to a booth with a view of the river. He placed five menus on the table. "Happy Mother's Day. Your server today will be Mandy." "Oh, look," Bradley's mother said. "Aren't the ducks cute? Let's save some fries so we can feed them after lunch." "What will you have, boys?" their father asked. "A rare cheeseburger," Josh said. "With fries and pickles." "Me too!" said Brian. "Only I want mine well done. Rare burgers are gross, with all that blood left on your plate." "Well, talking about blood is even grosser," Josh said. "Cool it, boys," their father said. Bradley chose his favorite, macaroni and cheese. A young woman wearing an apron walked up to their table. "Hi, I'm Mandy," she said. "Have you had a chance to look at your menus?" "Yes, thank you," Mrs. Pinto said. "Boys, why don't you order?" Bradley, Brian, and Josh placed their orders.

"Can we have Cokes, Mom?" Josh asked. "No, three milks," their mother told Mandy. "And I'll have the vegetable plate and a large glass of water. In fact, bring us a pitcher of water. A large one!" Brian kicked Bradley under the table. When Bradley looked at him, Brian grinned. Bradley ignored him. His father ordered clam chowder and a fish dinner. "May we go out on the deck to feed the ducks?" Brian asked when Mandy brought their food. "After we eat," their father said. He glanced out the window. "Here comes the rain!" They all ate. Thunder and lightning boomed and flashed. "We're gonna get soaked when we leave," Josh said. "So what's a little water?" their mother said. "I love getting wet in the rain. It'll be fun!" Bradley stared at his mother. He couldn't believe his ears. Was this the same mother who never let Bradley or Brian play outside in the rain?

After lunch, the Pinto family went out onto the deck with their leftover fries. The rain had let up, and the ducks were hungry. Bradley watched his mother feed the ducks. She was talking softly to them, too. Bradley couldn't make out the words, but they didn't sound like English. They sounded like… duck noises! When the fries were gone, the family hurried toward the car. Bradley noticed a big puddle on the driveway. When they were little, he and Brian would've jumped right in and splashed each other. "Window seat!" Josh yelled, and ran toward the car. Brian ran after him. "Other window seat!" he called over his shoulder. Bradley turned around to wait for his mother. His mouth fell open. She was standing in the middle of the puddle, splashing muddy water in all directions.