“Wait, you’re a doctor?” asked Bette. 

            “Yeah, well, one who hasn’t finished her residency, but yeah, I’m a doctor,” nodded Sam.  She sometimes yearned for a day in the ER, where she was sure she would have ended up, but instead, she had decided that her son deserved better and more of her time.

            “You can’t be, you are much to young,” said Bette.  Her hand clamping over her mouth as if she’d said something wrong. 

            Laughing, Sam tossed her a block, “ I was 13 when I entered college, I had two passions, taking pictures and medicine.  Working for the ad agency affords me more time with Jesse, so that’s the career that won out.”

            “Amazing, you gave up your dream for your child,” said Bette awestruck.  Looking down at Angelica, and realizing that she too, would give anything in the world for her child, even if she wasn’t her own blood.

            “Naw, I just dreamt another dream,” said Sam, thinking of Jesse’s smile and knowing it was all worth it.

            “Man hoo choos!” said the young boy that answered the door, all of eight years old, his mouth dropping into an O when he saw Shane at the door.  “MOM!  There is a chick at the door!” he yelled, leaving the door wide open and dashing into the other room.

            “Um,” began Shane, seeing the bathing suit clad kid running to the back of the house.

            “You know, you only call me MOM when you want something,” laughed Sam, scooping the boy up into her arms and walking into the living room.  “Hi…”  Sam blinked, wondering how Shane had gotten here, and why she was at her house this late in the first place.

            “Um, Hi,” said Shane. 

            “Go take a shower, I want your teeth brushed, and then come back down to say goodnight, ok?” said Sam to the boy.  The boy nodded, his hands a blur before him, Sam rolled her eyes, “You are being rude, you talk when someone else is around, Jesse.”

            “Sorry,” he said sheepishly, smiling at Shane, then winking at her.  He bolted up the half moon staircase and disappeared.