"Wrong move" Mom chuckled as I moved a piece of chip across the board. "There's no way you can move in that direction".

"What? How? Why not? Isn't checkers the same thing as chess?" I asked in confusion.

"Yes they're similar but you'd never moved vertically in chess either. You always move diagonally" mom informed me. "You're playing something else completely"

"Okay... Maybe I'm not so good at these board games at all" I chuckled. "We should probably just play cards instead. I can't go wrong with uno or go fish".

"You always were hopeless when it comes to board games" Mom laughed.

"Yeah, but I can sure beat you at card games" I grinned.

"Want to test that theory?" Mom smiled.

"You're on" I said to her. "You clear the table, I'll go get the pack of cards. Today I had decided to come to the nursing home and spend most of

the day with my mom. Its has been years since I've gotten the opportunity to really sit down and relax and hang out with my mom. I haven't felt this relief and at peace in years. Mom and I were playing checkers as we catch up but I honestly had no idea what I was doing therefore it was best if we played cards, I was sure to beat her on that.

Picture of Amy's mom

"So mom, how has everything been you know... With your..." I trailed off as I shuffled the cards.

"My heart?" Mom finished with a slight smile. "Honey, you know you don't have to be afraid to talk about it or ask"

"I know mom, its just that I find it a little hard to talk about" I replied not looking at her. "So...? Has there been anymore issues or is it...you know... somewhat better?"

"Well it's the same as when I was just diagnosed" mom replied as she took up her hands of cards. "Occasionally tightness in the chest, shortness of breath and minor pains... But that's mostly when I exert or worry myself too much"

"I wish there was some way we could make it better" I sighed as I played the first card.

"Well Dr.Nelson had told me about possible procedures that could fix the issue but..." Mom began but I cut her off.

"Then what are they? If it would help you get better then we'd definitely have to try it" I said to her a bit excited before frowning. "It's not open heart surgeries is it?"

"There are surgical procedures that could help fix my problem but there's a none surgical procedure as well" mom informed me.

"And what is that procedure...how is it done?" I asked her quite interested.

"There's this particular procedure, its called Percutaneous coronary intervention, It is more commonly known as angioplasty or at least that's what I thought he said it's called" mom said to me. "This is a nonsurgical procedure that opens the blocked or narrowed coronary arteries"

"I still don't understand" i said confused. "If its going to do all that then how is it performed if not surgery?"

"Dr.Nelson said that a thin, flexible tube with a type of balloon thing or other device on the end is threaded through a blood vessel to the narrowed or blocked coronary artery" mom recited. "He said that once its in place, the balloon is inflated to compress the plaque against the wall of the artery and this restores blood flow through the artery"

"I'm not a doctor so I have no idea what that means really but to me it sounds quite technical" I said to her. "But that's the beauty of technology these days I guess"

"Yeah, and he said that during the procedure, the doctor may put a small mesh tube called a stent in the artery. The stent helps prevent blockages in the artery in the months or years after angioplasty" mom said to me.

"So this procedure is safe then and legitimate then?" I said to her.

"Yes but it won't be possible for me" mom said.

"What? Why not?" I asked curiously.

"Its too costly" mom announced.

"How much exactly?" I asked her.

"Sweetie, we don't have that much money right now. In fact we don't even have any money and probably won't be able to get that anytime soon" mom said to me instead of answering the original question.

"Mom, how much?" I asked once again.

"Approximately $4600" mom said to me causing me to gasp.

The amount may not sound like much to some people but to us that's a lot since we're practically broke. But if this procedure would help my mom to be healthy again I'd do anything to get that amount of money- well anything within a morally accepted field. I seriously need to get a job now and start saving up.

"Hey, look I won. I thought you said you could beat me at this game" mom laughed as she drop her final cards. She was obviously trying to lighten the mood. "Looks like I just kicked your butt".

"You just got lucky" I chuckled as I put down my card.

Mom and I talked and played some more, and I had also beaten her four times until it was getting late and I decided to leave. As I said goodbye I went and got a taxi to Katie's apartment.

I was feeling sticky and hot from spending the entire day out. The minute I had settled back in the apartment, I grabbed some clothes and headed straight to the bathroom which Katie and I shared. I took a quick shower before all the hot water run out. The hot water doesn't stay on for more than ten minutes. I was sitting on the couch eating the easiest thing I could find to prepare-Ramen noodles- when Katie got home.

"Hey babe" she greeted as she placed her bag in the couch beside me.

"Hey, how are you home so early again?" I asked in surprise at seeing her home.

"I just told Sebastian I'm tired so he should take over and head straight home" Katie said as she sat down. "Anyway, I've got some great news for you Ames"

"Really? What?" I asked looking at her.

"So I talked to George and he agreed to add you to our staffing list" Katie smiled.

"What!? Seriously!?" I shrieked excitedly. "How did you...just like that?"

"Just like that" Katie chuckled snapping her fingers. "I'm that influential. Now all you have to do is show up and I'll show you the ropes. You'll be a waitress but also helping me out at the bar".

"Katie...wow. That's great... That's...thank you" I smiled gratefully at her. "So uhm when do I start?"

"Tomorrow" Katie replied.

"Tomorrow? That quick?" I said surprised.

"Yeah, is tomorrow a bad time?" Katie asked me.

"No no, its just that... I never thought I would get a job this soon" I told her honestly.

"Well you have work at 5:30pm tomorrow sweetie" Katie said as she dug into her bag. "And I thought I'd get you familiar and coming to terms with the uniform".

"What do you mean?" I asked curiously.

"I meant this" Katie said as she pulled out the materials from her bag and giving them to me.

"What's this?" I asked as I started to unfold them and hold them up. "Oh. my. God"

I'm going to have to be parading around a bar full of drunks with all my junks practically out in the open. I was starting to wonder out of this and strip club experience, which would be worst.