(Strip Number 852, Original Publication Date, 11 May 1985)
Panel 1: Having looked behind her chair, Elly notices that the roses and card she found were from Michael.
Panel 2: John tells her to not be so loud because they were supposed to be a Mother's Day surprise for tomorrow.
Panel 3: Since Elly doesn't know about last week's sadistic choice (and would probably approve of John's despicable acts anyway), she's flattered that he didn't waste his money on stuff he liked and instead did his duty to get her things.
Panel 4: As she tucks him in, she thought-bubbles that he makes being an alleged mother just fine.
Summary: As we exit this particular exercise in interdomestic polecattery, let's remind ourselves of the stupid moral: "Since we didn't throw you out into the street, you exist solely to flatter us and pay us tribute because we want all the power of adulthood without the inconveniences that come with it." (This means that were the Syndicate to have named it as they did Peanuts, they would have done well to call it "WHABAM!!!!! We're SCUM!!!!!!")