Page 48 of Shadows of Recovery

As they prepped Sophie for surgery, Jenna, Sophie’s best friend and a skilled ER doctor in her own right, scrubbed in. She joined James at the scrub sink, her eyes meeting his.

“How are we going to tell Tristan?” she asked quietly, her voice tinged with fear for their friend.

James shook his head. “I don’t know. I honestly don’t know. We need to focus on the surgery first. Tristan needs us to do everything we can for her.”

Jenna nodded, taking a deep breath. “You’re right. Let’s save her.”

James was all business, controlling the OR team with a cool, focused demeanor. As he began the delicate process of relieving the pressure on Sophie’s brain, he forced himself to concentrate solely on the task at hand. The stakes were too high for any distraction.

* * *

Meanwhile,in the waiting room, Tristan paced anxiously, his heart in his throat. He couldn’t shake the image of Sophie’s broken, bloodied body from his mind. He needed to hear something, anything, about her condition. He hated being on this side of the medical equation. When he started to join the team scrubbing in, James forbade him from doing it.

Sophie’s family arrived one by one, their faces etched with worry. Her mother was the first to embrace Tristan, her strength a comforting presence.

“How is she?” Charlotte’s voice trembled.

Tristan shook his head, his eyes filled with unshed tears. “James and the team are working on her now. It’s bad, Charlotte. She has a brain bleed, broken bones… It’s so bad.”

Charlotte held him tighter, her own tears spilling over. “She’s strong, Tristan. Sophie is a fighter.”

Sophie’s sisters, Olivia, Molly, Ruth, and Isobel, joined them, their expressions a mix of fear and determination. “We’re here for her,” Olivia said firmly. “Whatever happens, we’ll get through this together.”

He remembered saying that to his mother over his father’s death.

As they settled into the waiting room, the family began to talk about Sophie, sharing memories to keep their spirits up. They spoke of her childhood adventures, her determination to become a doctor, her kindness and resilience.

“Remember when she decided she wanted to be a doctor at ten years old?” A small smile played on Isobel’s lips despite the tears. “She set up that ‘clinic’ in the garage and tried to fix all the neighborhood kids’ scraped knees and bruises.”

Tristan managed a chuckle, the memory warming his heart even in the midst of his fear. “She always has such a big heart. It’s one of the things I love most about her.”

Charlotte nodded, her eyes shining with pride and love for her daughter. “She’s always been a healer. She’s touched so many lives with her kindness and her skill.”

As the hours dragged on, the family clung to these memories, drawing strength from their love for Sophie and each other. Tristan kept glancing at the OR doors, praying for good news, for any news. The uncertainty was agonizing, but he knew they had to stay hopeful.

Finally, James emerged from the OR, his scrubs stained with blood, a clearly borrowed lab coat failing to cover them. His face lined was lined with exhaustion as he approached the family.

Tristan stood up, his eyes searching James’s face for any sign of hope. “How is she? Please tell me she’s going to be okay.”

James took a deep breath, his voice steady but laced with emotion. “The surgery was difficult, but we managed to relieve the pressure from the hematoma. Sophie’s stable for now, but she has a long road ahead of her. We’ve stabilized her other injuries as best as we can for the moment. We need to monitor her closely for any signs of infection or further complications.”

Tristan’s knees nearly buckled with relief, but Charlotte caught him, her strength holding him up. “Thank you, James,” she whispered, her voice filled with gratitude and hope.

James placed a hand on Tristan’s shoulder, his eyes filled with empathy. “She’s fighting. Now it’s our turn to be strong for her.”

Tristan's heart pounded as he looked at his brother, his mind racing with fear and hope. "Where is she? I need to see her."

James took a deep breath, his expression serious and pained. “Sophie is still in the OR. The orthopedic surgery team is setting her arm and leg fractures. The maxillofacial team is examining her facial fractures to get a better look at the damage.”

A cold dread settled over him, but it was James's next words that truly shattered him.

“And…” James hesitated, his voice catching, “Audrey from the Institute, along with an examiner from the highway patrol and one from the FBI, are performing a sexual assault exam. After that, the plastic surgery team will repair her injuries.”

Tristan’s world tilted. He staggered, barely able to process the enormity of what James had said. "A sexual assault exam?" he echoed, his voice barely more than a whisper.

James nodded, his eyes filled with sorrow and anger.

Molly, a medical examiner and Sophie’s sister, met his gaze. “Yes. It’s procedure in cases like this, and it’s critical for gathering evidence.” Her voice sounded cold and clinical, but her expression as she wrapped her arms around her pregnant belly said differently.

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