"Hey guys! My mom is coming for a visit next week!" Peter said gleefully, as he waved a letter in the air.
"Wow, that sounds wonderful. How long is she staying?" Davy asked.
"She's staying about two weeks. Actually, Nick, Chris, and Ann are coming along with her. Can everyone stay here, Mike?" Peter asked.
"I think we can arrange something. By the way, what's the occasion?" Mike asked.
"What?" Peter asked.
"Well, she's coming an awfully long way. What's the occasion?" Mike asked again.
"Oh yeah, Nick is wanting to check out some colleges out here," Peter explained.
"So, what's your mother like?" Micky asked.
"Um…she's, she's, my mom. You know, she's just my mom. I guess kind of like your moms, no different," Peter said nervously.
"Hey, I get the feeling you don't like talking about your mum," Davy said concerned.
"Yeah, did you have a bad childhood or something?" Micky asked his band mate.
"Naw, that can't be it. He sounded too happy when he told us his mom was coming to visit," Mike concluded.
"Look, she's a good mom and a nice lady. Let's leave it at that. I'm going down to the beach for awhile," Peter said as he got up and headed for the door.
"Wonder what's eating him?" Micky asked.
"I'm not sure. I've never seen him act like that before. I always thought he was close to his mother. He writes to her at least once a week," Mike replied, puzzled by Peter's reaction.
"We need to go cheer him up mates," Davy stated.
Davy, Micky, and Mike headed down to the beach. They found Peter down on the sand with his knees pulled up to his chest. He appeared to be deep in thought. Davy was the first to approach him and place a hand on his shoulder.
"What's troubling ya mate?" Davy asked very sympathetically.
Peter sighed deeply and said, "Nothing, just forget it."
"Now come on. Your mom can't be that bad, especially since you seem to have such a close relationship with her," Mike said.
"You're right, I am close to my mother, but when you asked what she was like I guess I got embarrassed. Guys, she's not like other mothers," Peter confided.
"What makes her different? Is she a Cyclopes or something?" Micky asked with a laugh. This caused Mike to slap him upside his head and give him a "smooth move" look.
"She acts like a kid, that's what," Peter said, throwing his arms up in the air with exasperation. "She's forty and wants to act like she's twenty. Why can't she act her age? She's been that way ever since her and my dad split up. Before that, she was a regular mom."
"That's it? By the way you talked, I thought something was seriously wrong with her," Davy replied.
"She sounds groovy to me. My mom is already into that 'getting her hair set once a week' thing," Micky said, rolling his eyes.
"I guess you're right, but it's embarrassing sometimes. I just don't want all of you to think my mother is strange," Peter replied.
"Look, why don't you let us be the judge of that?" Mike asked him, as he placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Well, ok. Let's go back inside. I'm hungry," Peter said as he held his stomach.
So the four friends went inside and ate lunch. All the while, Peter nervously wondered what the guys' reaction would be to his "hip" mom.