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afternoon. OK?”
    “Fine.” She’d been doing as much already.
    “One other thing, though I’ll speak more about it tomorrow night when you come in. This is a self-help program. We’ll be teaching you techniques of self-relaxation. You know, deep breathing, muscle-relaxing, mind-clearing.”
    “Interesting.…” It had never occurred to Alanna to do that.
    “It will be, and it should help. I’ll be on duty every night, should you want to talk. And there will be the other participants. You’ll meet them tomorrow as well.”
    “But … what will I have to do with them?” This was a totally new thought.
    Again Ellen was well prepared for the question. “I like to see this as a kind of halfway house. You may have no cause to talk with the others. But they’re here with a problem similar to yours. The therapeutic value of talking with others can often be greater than talking with me.”
    “I see.” She pondered the possibility. As a loner, she was hesitant. “Are they all from the greater Baltimore area, too?”
    “Uh-huh. There are two men and two women. I dare say you may find you’re already acquainted with one or two.” If she knew something Alanna didn’t, there was no time for guessing. “You may even develop legitimate friendships.” The doctor glanced at her watch. “Which reminds me, I still have to brief two more. Let me explain what else I want you to do.”
    “There’s more?” Alanna had begun to feel saturated.
    “Just a little.” Ellen opened a drawer and withdrew an official-looking notebook with several blank charts in front. “I want you to keep a running log of your thoughts and activities from the time you arrive here at night until the time you leave in the morning. There is also a place to summarize your feelings about each day. I’m interested in general problems, aggravations. At night I want you to enter your periods of sleep and wakefulness. For the latter, concentrate on your thoughts upon awakening. If you leave the log here during the day I can go over it to keep pace with your progress.” She paused, then grinned sheepishly. “Sound awesome?”
    Alanna grinned wryly. “I suppose I’ve faced greater challenges.” Challenges. Where had she heard that word before? Her grin faded quickly.
    “I’m sure you have. And, considering your corporate achievements, I’m sure you’ll meet this one as well.”
    It was a compliment that Alanna accepted graciously, if with mild embarrassment. After all, Ellen Henderson must have received her share of accolades to be in the position she now held.
    “Any other questions, or would you like me to show you to your room?”
    Sorting it all out, Alanna grew apprehensive. “Ah … tonight. When I’m all wired up, what happens if I wake up in the middle of the night?”
    “If you lie awake for more than ten minutes, ring for Sylvia. She’ll unhook everything so you can get up. Walk around. Go into the lounge. Help yourself to some milk in the kitchen. Read a light magazine or a book. Pure escapism. Concentrate on relaxing. Don’t go back to bed until you’re really sleepy. You could try filling out the log.” She patted the notebook with a knowing glance. “That’s bound to put you to sleep!”
    By the time Alanna had been shown over the lab and then to her room it was nearly ten. Not only was she armed with her log and sleep charts, but Ellen had given her questionnaires to complete, full of in-depth items relating to her childhood, her upbringing, her educational and occupational histories. Settling into the easy chair by the darkened window, she sighed. Exhaustion had its way of creeping up, suffusing weariness through her body. Perhaps she had been more tense about this than she had imagined. Her lips curved into a wry grin. When it came to the office she was in her element, able to face most every problem with aplomb. Something like this—a more personal situation—was another matter.
    The pile of forms lay unheeded on