One line was written on the dollar bill, but Laurie got the message instantly. It said: “Do the daddy.” Without a doubt, the message was from Gail, her crazy, loveable mother.

“Do the daddy” was a reference to what her dad would do when he couldn’t afford to pay for the restaurant meal he’d just eaten with his pregnant girlfriend. He and Gail would make a break for it. Of course, he also “did the daddy” after Laurie was born.

Now, her mother clearly wanted her to ...