Admission

She feels faint while approaching the podium. Her hands grip the sides as she surveys the audience. The eyes wander to the foreheads of the onlookers - as the instructor suggested. Her head drops and she covers her mouth as a dry cough erupts - it echoes through the large room.

"Good evening." The voice is soft, too soft, as she addresses the audience. Bill, her sponsor, rushes to her side and adjusts the microphone. A few words of encourage are whispered in her ear before he departs.

"Good evening." She repeats the opening line while tapping the electronic device. The audience cringes with each tap and she mumbles an apology.

"My name is Margaret, or Margie as my friends call me." The words are hard to find, but a warm sensation covers her as the audience responds in unison "Hello Margie."

"I'm sorry, can I get some water." She motions to a nearby table and a cup is suddenly placed in her hand. The audience remains silent as the water quickly disappears. The sound of the cup hitting the table is alarmingly loud.

"Well, uh, I guess you know why I am here, why we all are here." A panic erupts in the center of her body and quickly spreads, she has lost her nerve. Her eyes meet a close friend at a nearby table and her nerve returns.

"That's right, I'm an alcoholic." The words are reassuring. She has said it many times to herself but never out loud to another person - so many people. The smiles of the audience fill her up as she continues her story.

"It all started when I was ...."