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He snapped,"I only cared about her kidney."
The diner stayed, in the familybut Sarah took James's house and a hefty alimony.
James had completely given up on his own health,gaming all night.His kidney failed again.
Overnight,Mom's hair turned white,running between the hospital and diner to care for him.
She begged him to rest,to stop gaming.
"If I don’t play now,should I wait til after I'm dead?"he sneered."Like Claire,slaving for money,dying with no one to bury her?"
He said these things to bring out the guilt in her,relishing her pained expression.
Mom waved, exhausted."Do what you want.I'm done."
But she still fussed over his needs.
At the diner,health inspectors arrived,citing violations and sealing it.
"Impossible!Our diner's fine!"
She blocked the door,but they warned her,"Obstruct us,and it's not just a fine for you—you'll go to jail!"
She fought but failed.
The diner's hygiene was always poor—they figured it wouldn't kill anyone.
Rats and roaches roamed in the kitchen.
Once,a rat startled me,and I screamed.
Dad caught it,cooked it,and served it as a"today’s special."
Spiced and fried,customers raved.
I vomited all day and got scolded for being weak.
Mom gave Dad money to bribe the inspectors,but nothing came out of it.
With James's medical bills draining their savings,Mom took a job as a waitress.
Serving customers,she was berated by her boss."Move faster!Dawdling because you don't want this job?"
A lifelong boss herself,she'd never been humiliated like this.She argued back."Think you're so important with your money?No need to look down on me!"
She cursed the boss,quit with her pay,and left proudly.
But at the hospital,facing James's bills,she regretted it."If that man hadn't nagged,I wouldn't have snapped."
She ranted for an hour,cursing the place to fail,even reporting them to the health department.
Seeing James gaming again,she exploded."All you do is play games,giving up your health!I'm slaving at my age,getting scolded,for you!"
James fired back,"Don't take it out on me!You ate those remedies when you were pregnant,caused my illness,and killed my son!You brought this on yourself!"
Mom slapped him,anguished."I gave everything for you.Even when your sister died,I dug out her kidney for Tommy.Anyone can call me cruel—but not you!"
He hadn't expected her to hit him."You just wanted a son to bury you.Too bad—I might die first."
Regret hit her."Son,I'm sorry.I shouldn't have hit you.I'll do anything I can to make you healthy again.You will be healthy again"
