Page 21 of Shadows of Recovery

Sophie nodded, tears welling up in her eyes. "Yes, I'm sure. The way he looked at me, the way he acted... He called me Sophie. I couldn't place him at first, but then it all came back."

She wiped away a tear, her voice breaking as she continued, "I remembered. Before you came to my rescue. That night at the bar, he was relentless. He tried to buy me a drink, and when I refused, he got angry. Jenna pulled me away just in time. Later, you found out he had spiked my drink."

"Did he do anything to you in the ER?" Tristan’s face turned ruddy.

Sophie shook her head."No, not exactly.”

Tristan frowned. "What do you mean?"

She hesitated, then sighed. "He followed me around, staring, making me uncomfortable. It’s nothing I couldn’t handle, but it was unsettling.”

“Was the father admitted?” He tensed.

“To telemetry. That’s also an issue. Trace, the father, arrived in very rough shape. His wife called the ambulance. She said his primary told her he could manage him at home. All he was on was ten milligrams of Lasix and a bunch of supplements. He was a mess. Drowning in fluid. Electrolytes out of balance.” She took a large sip of wine. “How do you do it, Tristan? How do you deal with the stupidity caused by other physicians?”

He stared up at the ceiling. "It never gets easier. But I focus on the ones we save, on the lives we change. And I try to remind everyone to give each patient their best."

Sophie looked up at him, her eyes reflecting a mixture of admiration and love. "You're incredible, you know that?"

Tristan chuckled softly, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I think you're pretty incredible too, Dr. Everhart."

They finished their dinner, cleaned up, and moved into the living room to relax and watch some TV, but Sophie was distracted. Her thoughts kept drifting to the Blackwell Institute, the place Tristan had built on a sprawling hundred-acre estate in Spring Hill—a true haven for those in need of healing. It was a testament to his dedication and compassion, and she admired him even more for it.

"Tristan, I need to talk to you about something," Sophie said suddenly, her voice tinged with hesitation.

Tristan turned to her. "What is it?"

"It's about us," Sophie began, her fingers nervously twisting a strand of her hair. "You mentioned that the staff at the Institute knows about our relationship.”

“It’s a little hard to hide when we’re living in a home across the driveway.”

“I’ve been thinking about how we navigate that while working together. Even though the deputy director is supervising me, it still feels... complicated. No one has said anything, but I don’t want anyone to think we’re hiding our relationship or I’m getting special treatment.”

Tristan nodded, his eyes full of understanding. "I get it. I want to make sure you feel comfortable. What are you thinking?”

Sophie took a deep breath, appreciating his willingness to listen. "I think it would help if we were more transparent with the ER staff. I know they already know, but they need to know we're committed to maintaining professionalism at work."

Tristan smiled, squeezing her hand. "I think that's a great idea, especially if you are more comfortable. We can have a meeting and address any concerns. Your talent and dedication speak for themselves, Sophie. No one can deny that you're an incredible physician."

She felt a surge of gratitude and love for him. "Thank you for always being supportive."

"Always," he replied, his voice earnest. "We're in this together, no matter what."

* * *

A few days later,Tristan called for a brief pre-shift and post-shift meeting with the ER staff. The atmosphere was a mix of curiosity and anticipation as they gathered in the conference room. He stood beside Sophie, his hand resting lightly on her back.

"Thank you all for coming," he began, his tone warm and authoritative. "We wanted to address something important today. As many of you know, Dr. Everhart and I are in a committed relationship. We've taken steps so there's no conflict of interest with the administration, but we also want to be completely transparent with all of you."

Sophie took a step forward, her gaze steady and confident. "I want you all to know that I'm dedicated to providing the best care possible, and I value your support and collaboration."

There was a moment of silence before Connie, the young resident, spoke up. "Dr. Everhart, we all respect you and the work you do. Your relationship with Dr. Blackwell doesn't change that. And, to be honest, if you were trying to keep the relationship secret, well, it’s good your medicine is better than that.”

As a murmur of laughter swept through the room, a wave of relief washed over her. Tristan gave her an encouraging nod, his pride evident.

That evening, they returned to Tristan's home, now their home. As they settled on the couch, he turned to Sophie, his expression tender. "You were amazing today.” His fingers traced patterns on her arm.

"So were you.” She leaned into him. "I think we're finally finding our balance."

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