Chapter Nine
“Remind me again why we are here?” Audrey held onto Sammy’s arm as they pushed open the large doors that led to Harrah’s Casino and stepped through the velvet ropes at the security desk.
“This, my dear, is Esther’s favorite place in the world.”
“Esther was a gambler?”
Sammy let out his hoarse shoulder shaking chuckle and said, “Not just ‘a’ gambler, more like ‘a crazy, get your hands off my machine or I’ll break your face’ gambler. She spent hours here. Also spent almost all our money, many times over.”
“I have seen more than a few Esthers here,” said Audrey. “Sounds like you had your hands full.”
Sammy took Esther out of the knapsack as he paused and slowly turned around with her urn tightly at his chest. “Okay, Miss Esther. Where would you like to go first?”
“If she says ‘the bathroom’, I’ll lead the way.” Audrey said as she pointed to the restroom signs. “Gotta pee Sam.”
“Okay. We’re gonna be in the high limit slots. Her favorite machine is the Triple Diamond.”
Audrey made a beeline to the left and Sammy shuffled off to the right.
As they walked he talked softly to Esther. “There’s the buffet, honey. I remember they had the softest rolls. Remember that? And the desserts. You loved those desserts. The bananas foster, the carrot cake, the pies. Getting hungry just thinking about it. Oh I know, I know, you want to get to your machine. I’m not stopping …”
An older woman patted Sammy on the arm as she walked next to him. “Excuse me. Is that an urn?”
Sammy turned to look at her. “It sure would be an ugly a flower pot now , wouldn’t it?”
She giggled. “I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation. Your wife?”
“Yes.”
“How sweet. You must miss talking to her.”
Sammy stopped and rested for a second. “Truth is, I never got a word in when she was alive. So I’m making up for lost time.”
“My husband passed last year. He and I would talk for hours.” She looked at the urn. “I miss him dearly. I just visited him at Sacred Heart Cemetery.” She looked around and then whispered. “I still talk to him.”
Sammy shook his head and stood for another few seconds and finally said. “Well, we have some gambling to do. Gotta go.”
“Try the Poker Joker in the back corner. Harvey told me that it’s been hot tonight.”
“Harvey’s your husband?”
She laughed. “Oh heavens no. Harvey is the cashier in the high limit room.” Sammy nodded and started to turn. She continued. “My husband told me that the 7’s were gonna pay out but I never listen to him.”
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