Page 91 of Shadows of Recovery

Sophie's grip on Tristan's hand tightened. "I heard a motorcycle and smelled gasoline. Then a man walked into my office. All in black leather. A gun. A dementor fromHarry Potter. He... he smiled at me, but it wasn't a kind smile. It felt... wrong."

Tristan's jaw clenched, but he remained silent, letting Sophie continue at her own pace.

Chris's voice remained calm. "You're doing great, Sophie. What did you feel in that moment?"

"I felt a cold chill run down my back," Sophie said, her voice trembling. "I knew something was wrong, but I couldn't move. I felt paralyzed."

Chris nodded. "Thank you for sharing that, Sophie. Let's pause here and return to our breathing exercise. Focus on your breath, in and out, and let yourself feel the support around you."

Sophie closed her eyes again, focusing on her breath. The tension in her body gradually eased with Tristan's steady presence beside her.

After a few moments, Chris spoke again, "You're doing very well, Sophie. Let's try another step. Can you describe the first words the man said to you?"

"‘Hello, Sophie. Miss me?’ That’s when I realized it was Damon Whitlock. It was like he enjoyed seeing me afraid."

Chris nodded, his expression empathetic. "That must have been very frightening. You're incredibly brave for facing this. Let's pause and use one of the grounding techniques we discussed. Can you name five things you can see in the room right now?"

Sophie looked around, her voice gaining strength as she named the objects. "The stress ball, the blanket, the candles, Tristan, and you, Chris."

"Good," Chris said, smiling softly. "Now, four things you can touch?"

"The chair, Tristan's hand, my clothes, and my hair."

"Excellent. Three things you can hear?"

"The hum of the air conditioner, Tristan's breathing, and your voice."

"Two things you can smell?"

"The candles and... Tristan's cologne."

"And one thing you can taste?"

"My own saliva."

"Perfect, Sophie. You're doing great." Chris’s voice was filled with genuine praise. "Let's take a short break. You've made incredible progress today."

Sophie nodded, tears streaming down her cheeks. She felt both exhausted and relieved, having confronted some of her darkest memories. Tristan pulled her into a gentle embrace, whispering soothing words in her ear, "You did amazing, Sophie. I'm so proud of you.”

James, who had been quietly observing, stepped forward. "You've shown so much strength today, Sophie.”

She looked up and gave them a soft smile. Despite the fear and pain, she had a team of people who cared about her and were committed to helping her heal.

As the session came to an end, Chris said, "We'll continue to take this step by step, Sophie. Remember, you're in control.”

Sophie nodded.

* * *

Exhausted from confronting the memory,Sophie drifted into a much-needed nap. Tristan, feeling a mixture of pride and worry, made his way to his office. He had a full schedule, including meeting with a new physician he recently hired for the Blackwell Institute.

A knock on the open door drew his attention. "Come in," he said, offering a welcoming smile.

Dana Riddell stepped inside. She was a short, curvy blonde woman with a confident air about her. She took the seat in front of his desk, returning his smile with a professional one of her own.

"Thank you for seeing me, Tristan," Dana began. "I wanted to go over the results of the exams on the patients who needed medical care, including those on anti-addiction medications. But we also have patients with heart disease, GI issues, kidney issues..."

Tristan nodded, appreciating her thoroughness. "Of course, Dana. Please, go on."

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