Just because Bernice took one day off from her constant criticism of Luann, doesn’t make up for all the other times she’s used Luann for a punching bag. Once she doesn’t need Luann’s help anymore, she’ll revert to type.
Then he could have told the kids that mom has to go to the hospital, but he will take them to his friend Bernice’s house, and she’ll look after them for a while. I mean they could have had this conversation in the car.
All of the kids that were sitting with Bernice are younger than Alan, yet Bernice is mocking Luann for “believing a child.”