When Adam was a teen, we were almost always in conflict. It got so bad, I dreaded coming home. I felt like my only option to regain some peace was to tell him to move out. But, through a friend, I found Helen who became my coach and helped me realize that not knowing whether Adam was safe wouldn’t give me peace either. She guided me through a long and difficult process of mending our relationship and I am forever grateful.
Many years later, when Adam graduated from university, I offered to take him anywhere in the world for as long as he wanted, to celebrate his accomplishments. He chose one week divided between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. We spent more than half of our time apart enjoying our separate interests but, generally, we ate breakfast and dinner together, sharing the highlights of each day. One completely spontaneous event stands out for me. We had just checked into our Vegas hotel room and had ridden the elevator all the way back down to the lobby. Adam pointed out that we’d never had a shot together and offered to buy me whatever I wanted, almost as a dare. Not being much of a drinker, I had no idea what to order. He suggested a few liquors and I tried a Fireball, that he described as having a cinnamon flavour. He videotaped me in amusement as I sipped the tasty drink and, by the time I was done, I was feeling silly, a little off-balance, and heavy-limbed. I hooked my arm through his and we walked through the maze of restaurants, bars and slot machines that surrounded us. My heart brimmed over with joy that Adam would walk arm-in-arm and even hug me in public, especially after our turbulent past. It was only a few minutes before we tried our luck at slot machines but they were among my most cherished ever.