Once in a while I’d walk to the Sahara to have a meal in the restaurant where my mom worked, so we could see each other. Other times I’d meet Gram, my mom, and my mom’s boyfriend, Steve, at one of the other casinos, where I hoped we could get lost in the crowds. Occasionally, but not too often, I’d show up at a small casino called the Eureka, where Mom liked to play video poker after she finished her work shift.