Mom and Bear had a heated argument that afternoon after she shared what had happened. Bear was upset, insisting she should have been stricter with the narrator, while Mom tried to tell him to calm down. The narrator stayed in their room, hoping the fight would end soon. Eventually, Mom announced she was running late for work, and she left abruptly, slamming the door behind her.
The scene captures a tense family moment, highlighting conflicts between the characters. It reflects the narrator’s desire for peace amidst the argument and the underlying strains in their family dynamics, as described in James Patterson's book, Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life.