Shadows of Recovery (Everhart Family #3)

Chapter 31

Thirty-One

A s Tristan gently laid Sophie down on her bed, she immediately curled up, her body seeking the safety and comfort of what had become familiar surroundings. He knelt beside her, pressing a tender kiss to her forehead.

“Renee is going to stay with you until three,” he said softly. “I have some work to do in my office, but Renee knows how to reach me if you need anything.”

Sophie nodded, a small but significant sign of trust. She didn't protest or show signs of distress as Tristan stood up and left the room. It was a small victory, but a victory nonetheless.

Instead of heading to his office, Tristan made his way down the hallway, his steps heavy. He approached Dr. Ellen Boyle’s office. She was the psychiatrist treating him, thanks to his brother’s insistence. He knocked on the door, a part of him hoping she was there and had time to talk.

“Come in,” Ellen’s voice called from inside.

Tristan opened the door and immediately sank into the chair across from her desk. The room was warm and inviting, filled with soft light and comfortable furniture.

“Tristan, what’s going on?” Ellen’s eyes filled with concern as she took in his haggard appearance.

He tried to muster a weak smile. “It wouldn’t look good if the director of the Institute fell apart, would it?” He choked on the attempt at humor, the words catching in his throat.

Ellen leaned forward, her expression serious. “Tell me what’s happening.”

Tristan took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. “I just sat through Sophie’s first CBT session. She didn’t go into detail about what Damon did to her, but what she did say… it was enough to enrage me, to horrify me. How do I support her when I don’t know if I can bear hearing more? I can’t bail on her. How does she live with that? How does she carry that kind of pain and still function? God, will she come back to me?”

Ellen nodded, understanding the depth of his turmoil. “You start by acknowledging that what you’re feeling is normal, Tristan. The anger, your fear, the horror—these are natural responses to what you’ve heard. It’s important to process these emotions, not bury them. Your career has been devoted to hearing patients’ stories. The gruesome truths. But it’s coming from a woman you love.”

Tristan’s shoulders slumped. “It’s not just Sophie,” he admitted. “There’s so much more on my plate. There’s Kay and Mimi…”

Ellen’s eyes softened with empathy. “Tell me about them.”

Tristan took a shaky breath and began to talk. At first, the words came slowly, each one a struggle. But as he spoke, the dam inside him broke, and the flood of words poured out uncontrollably. He talked about Sophie’s suffering, the guilt he felt for not protecting her, and the rage he harbored against Damon. And he failed to further protect her from Kay. He talked about his wife, Mimi, the responsibility he felt for failing her. He talked about Kay, the duty he felt to keep her working at the Institute and how he was angry she took advantage of that, and how he betrayed and hurt Sophie.

Ellen listened patiently, her presence steady as he poured out his soul. She nodded, offered gentle reassurances, and occasionally asked questions to help him delve deeper into his feelings. Tristan spoke until he had nothing left to say, his voice hoarse and his body tense from the release of pent-up emotions.

When he finally fell silent, Ellen leaned back in her chair, her expression thoughtful. “You’re carrying an enormous burden, Tristan. It’s no wonder you feel like you’re falling apart. You have a team here at the Institute, people who care about you. It’s okay to lean on them, to ask for help.”

Tristan nodded. “I just don’t want to let anyone down. I want to be strong for Sophie, let go of Kay, make peace with Mimi’s death… be there for everyone.”

Ellen reached across the desk, placing a comforting hand on his arm. “Strength doesn’t mean never showing weakness, Tristan. True strength comes from acknowledging your limits and seeking support when you need it. You’re doing the best you can, and that’s enough.”

Her words sank deep into Tristan’s heart. He took a deep, shuddering breath and nodded. “Thank you, Ellen. I needed to hear that.”

She smiled gently. “Anytime. I’m scheduling a check-in with you for four o’clock tomorrow. Is that a good time?”

Tristan nodded. As he left Ellen’s office, he felt better.

He returned to his office. His session with Ellen helped shake off the emotional weight of the morning.

A stack of charts greeted him on his desk, remnants of Kay's portfolio along with Sophie’s and her other patients’ charts. Tristan took a deep breath, knowing he had to be extra careful in his review. The first chart he opened was for Jake.

As he scanned the details, his breath caught. Kay made mistakes during Jake's preadmission process, but now he needed to check beyond the notes he’d written the night he admitted him. Any more mistakes could have serious consequences. The errors were alarming. However, they were all corrected in red ink.

"Sophie," he thought, recognizing her meticulous handwriting. Despite her mental spiral and the trauma she was enduring, she had taken the time to correct Kay's errors in the chart. She corrected the errors in every chart in the portfolio. Even in her darkest moments, she was amazing, her dedication to patient care unwavering.

With each chart he reviewed, his admiration for Sophie grew. She had not only identified but rectified critical treatment and dosage errors, ensuring the patients received the appropriate care. Tristan signed off on the corrections and entered them into the medication administration record.

He reassigned all Kay’s patients to new psychiatrists and psychologists to prevent any further mistakes. It reaffirmed his decision to fire Kay.

He then turned to his emails, dealing with the usual influx of administrative tasks and communications. As he worked, his secretary knocked and then put through a call from Brad Killian.

"Tristan, it's Brad," came the familiar voice. "How's Sophie doing?"

Tristan kept his response brief, mindful of HIPAA regulations. "She's hanging in there, Brad. We're doing everything we can for her,” he repeated his usual line.

Brad sighed on the other end. "I wish there was more we could do. After we spoke yesterday, I wanted to explain why it's been so hard to prosecute anyone on tribal land. It's complicated."

Tristan stood and began to pace. "Go on."

Brad took a deep breath. "On tribal land, the legal system is different. Sovereign immunity often protects tribes from lawsuits unless they waive it, which they rarely do. Additionally, many tribal nations have their own courts and legal systems, which can be vastly different from federal or state systems. This jurisdictional complexity makes it hard to prosecute crimes, especially when the perpetrator is a non-native. The Major Crimes Act does give federal courts jurisdiction over certain serious crimes committed by or against Native Americans on tribal land, but enforcement is inconsistent."

Tristan felt a surge of frustration and helplessness. "So, Damon could walk away from this without facing justice?"

"It's possible," Brad admitted. "But we're doing everything in our power to ensure that doesn't happen. We're coordinating with federal authorities and trying to navigate the complexities of tribal law. It's a slow process, but we're not giving up."

Tristan clenched his jaw, the anger simmering just beneath the surface. "Sophie deserves justice, Brad. She deserves to see that man held accountable for what he did to her."

"I know," Brad said quietly. "And we'll keep fighting for her. But in the meantime, she needs all the support she can get. It sounds like she's got that with you."

Tristan felt a lump in his throat. "We're doing our best. She's been through so much."

"Stay strong, Tristan. You're doing good work," Brad said before hanging up.

Tristan returned to his seat and leaned forward in his chair, resting his elbows on his desk. He thought about Sophie, her resilience and her strength. Despite everything she had been through, she still found a way to care for others, to correct mistakes, and to ensure the safety of the patients under their care.

He closed his eyes for a moment, gathering his thoughts. There was so much more to do, so many battles yet to fight, and he couldn't let himself be overwhelmed. For Sophie's sake, and for the sake of everyone who depended on him, he had to keep moving forward. He had to be strong.