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Tamara watched in silence as her mother walked towards the telephone to call a taxi. 'Should I let her go?' Tamara asked herself. 'Do I really need her in my life after all she's put me through? What if she starts drinking again?' She looked at her mother standing in the doorway with Mark and Matthew each holding one of her hands, and Tamara knew she couldn't let her go. Rising from where she was seated, she went to her mother and, putting her arms around her, she said, "Please stay, Mother. I need you." Tears welled up in her mother's eyes as she held her daughter close. Offering up a silent prayer, she thanked God for giving her a second chance.

The following afternoon, as Tamara waited for her mother to return from the park with the boys, there was a knock on the door. She opened it to find Bob Green standing there. Before Tamara had the chance to invite him inside, Bob said, "I'm so sorry I wasn't home when you needed me, Tamara. I was out of town and came right over when I heard your message on my machine." "Come in, Bob," Tamara said, "I have a lot to tell you." Tamara told him about the happenings of the past few days. "My mother is staying with me now," she said. "And Bob, I'm going to start practicing again. Too much time has gone by. I have to get out there again and face my fears, because I know I'll never recover if I remain inside the house." Bob was delighted. "That's wonderful, Tamara!" he exclaimed. "You know I'll help you all I can, In fact, there's a group meeting tomorrow night where I'm the guest speaker. I can take you if you like." Tamara said she would attend the meeting and, as Bob rose to leave, he put his arms around her and held her close.

Tamara sat at the back of the hall listening as the group members talked about their fears. She could relate to what they were saying...she had experienced the terror...the unrelenting symptoms and the every-day uncertainties. When the meeting was over, Tamara mingled with the other members. She discovered that one of the women lived quite close to her. They made plans to help each other...to work together to overcome the disorder. Tamara was excited, yet at the same time she feared going places with a stranger. But as she and her new friend talked, Tamara realized that her friend was just as frightened.

Tamara and Helen made great progress. They went shopping at nearby stores, eventually venturing further each time they went out. Many of Tamara's days were still fear-filled and there were times when she felt like giving up, but she knew that if she wanted to recover, she would have to continue going, despite her fears.

As the days passed, Tamara found that she was able to walk alone to the stores close by with little anxiety. The day she got back behind the wheel of her car and drove around the block was the day she knew that she could triumph over the disorder. Helen had also progressed to the point where she was able to go alone and when she applied for a job and was accepted, Tamara hugged her friend as they both wept.

Bob Green was very happy for Tamara. He knew how hard her struggle was and his admiration for her deepened. They had developed a closeness in the past months and, although they were taking things slowly, they both felt their relationship would one day blossom into something bigger. Bob's love gave Tamara a new strength as well as a purpose in life.

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