emma hugs her knees to her chest, rocking back and forth on the floor. this is more than i can bear today. i don't know what to do. with her face buried in her knees, emma knows she must do something or she will never get up. all i have to do is pick up the phone. her lifeline of salvation sits next to her with a number perfectly poised to be relayed from tower to tower until it reaches help. i just have to push send and i won't be alone. amazingly and seeming to act of its own accord, her hand reaches for the phone and suddenly the number is no longer poised. it is an arrow loosed and aiming for the target. bull's eye! "hi, it's me. emma. i'm really not doing well right now and i just need someone to talk to. do you have some time?" "anything for you, you know that. what's going on, emma?" emma takes a breath and tells all. the pain and the hurt finally burst to the surface and spill out in healing tears. her savior gathers each drop to be wrapped in a coccoon of empathy, like a swaddled baby, and slowly emma feels safe and warm. "thank you. you don't know what this means to me" "you're welcome, emma. you can call me anytime." "bye. and thanks again." for the longest time, emma doesn't move. paralyzed? frozen? she doesn't know. when she finally does move, she realizes in suprise that she's still hugging her knees. her lifeline of salvation still sits next to her with a number perfectly poised. i just have to push send and i won't be alone...