xx


........................................... ............................................ ..


When Tamara realized she was talking to an answering machine, her heart fell. Sitting in a chair, she tried to recall to mind the things Bob Green had told her to help her get through a panic attack. Taking a deep shuddering breath, she heard Bob's voice, "Accept Tamara, Don't fight it. Breathe deeply and let it out slowly. You can do it!" Tamara took several more deep breaths and felt somewhat calmer. She remained where she was for some time, too exhausted to rise from the chair. As she closed her eyes, her thoughts turned to her mother. "I'll never see her again," she thought. "But isn't that what I want? Yet, why do I feel so sad?"

Mrs. Symonds rang the doorbell again. As she waited for some response, she once again wondered how she would be received. Would she be told to mind her own business? Even though Mark and Matthew were her grandsons, they didn't know her and she didn't know them but she would make up for lost time if everything went as she hoped. And if it didn't, at least she'd know she had tried to bring some measure of peace to her daughter. Her thoughts were interrupted as the door opened and she saw Steven standing there. It seemed he didn't recognize her at first, but as realization dawned, he exclaimed, "Why are you here?" Taking a deep breath, Mrs. Symonds refused to allow his anger to deter her. "May I come in, Steven?" she asked. Steven reluctantly allowed her to enter and once again demanded, "Why are you here?" Mrs. Symonds said, "I want you to return the boys to Tamara!" Steven laughed. "Tamara must be damned desperate to send a drunk to plead her case!" he said maliciously. Mrs. Symonds ignored the slight and, speaking softly, she said, "Tamara doesn't know I'm here, Steven. I took it upon myself to confront you because I can see what you're doing to Tamara by keeping her children from her. She is a mere shell of her former self!" "Don't blame this on me!" Steven yelled. "She deserved to lose them after what she did!" Mrs. Symonds then told Steven that he was being too hard on her daughter, and that the punishment didn't fit the crime. "You must know how much she loves her children, Steven!"

Steven opened his mouth to tell her to get out of his house but a sound behind him made him turn around. Beth was standing there, her hands on her stomach and her face contorted in pain. She seemed not to notice Tamara's mother as she cried, "The baby is coming. Get me to the hospital right away!" "But Beth," Steven said, "the baby isn't due yet! I haven't made arrangements for the boys!" This statement seemed to infuriate Beth because she screamed, "They're all you think about! They always come first, don't they! I don't care what you do with them. Just get me to the hospital!"

Steven realized he would have to take the boys with him and as he turned in the direction of their room, he felt a hand touch his shoulder. In the confusion, he had forgotten Tamara's mother was still there. "I want to ask you something, Steven," she said.

............................ .......................................... ... 



HOME  EMAIL       EPISODE 25  EPISODE 27 
 





Hosted by www.Geocities.ws





        






1