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Opening the drawer, I push aside pens and old papers to find it but it’s not there. Digging through the scattered office supplies, I realize with growing concern that the necklace is gone.
Carefully moving things back to their original places, I push the drawer closed and exit his office, electing to pretend I was waiting for him in the hallway. I have more questions now than ever, so I brace myself for the inevitable confrontation.
When Dr. Thornton finally appears, I offer him a forced smile, masking the turmoil raging within me. He eyes me up and down as he approaches, lingering on the files in my arms. Something about the way he looks at me sends a shiver down my spine.
“What can I do for you today, Sienna?” he asks, his tone clipped.
“I came by to drop off these,” I hold them up, summoning my inner strength. “Also, I had more questions about the Haven Center. Can I come in?”
Dr. Thornton opens his door and silently waits while I step inside.
“What do you want to know?” he asks, leaning back in his chair. He has an aura of indifference, but his hands grip the pencil he’s holding so hard his knuckles are turning white.
I drop the files on his desk and sink into the worn sofa as I try to figure out where to start. “I guess I just wonder what happened to make it shut down? I’ve been getting vague answers from everyone about funding. I don’t understand how a place like that could stop getting funding.”
He stares at me for a long moment. The stubble on his cheeks has grown since the last time I saw him, and he’s got dark circles under his eyes.
Finally, he speaks. “I really don’t know. I was away when it closed down. I was told that there was some mismanagement of funds or something along those lines. It was terrible for the community, but I didn’t want to let it get in the way of my research or my commitment to the boys, so I stayed.”
I nod, chewing my lip. “I know, it’s just such a shame. Do you think maybe it would be worth trying to reopen it again?”
Dr. Thornton pinches the bridge of his nose. “I’m not sure, Sienna. I know they’ve tried to open the Haven Center before, but it was unsuccessful.”
“Bastian and his brothers told me about that,” I say, trying to seem casual. “They said they had worked with Emily to reopen it but when she died, they just gave up on the dream.”
“Yes. It was all very tragic,” he agrees, sounding impatient. “I’m afraid that’s all I know though. Is there anything else I can help you with?”
“They also told me what happened with you and Emily,” I say, slowly standing up. “I don’t understand why you didn’t just tell me the truth.”
Dr. Thornton flinches, hands shaking as he speaks. “Is that why you came here?” His eyes bore into mine, turning watery. “You think I don’t regret the things I’ve done? I didn’t want you to judge me before you knew the story. It was a mistake and I live every day knowing I was the reason that Emily … took her life. Nothing can fix that.”
“Are you sure about that?” I press, my voice tinged with desperation. “I know you miss them, and they miss you too. I can help you.” I don’t know why I’m pushing so hard to fix this, but I know I can’t leave here until I try.
“I’m sorry, but there are some mistakes that can’t be taken back,” Dr. Thornton insists. He sighs and scrubs his face with his hand. “Sienna, you’re a kind, compassionate girl but as psychologists, we know that seeing something like that changes a person inside.”
“Sir, those boys are hurting more without you. They need their father back!” I don’t understand why he can’t see how much more he’s hurting them by staying away. If he would just talk to them …
Dr. Thornton's voice cracks as he wipes his eyes with a tissue, his words heavy with resignation. “There’s nothing that can be done,” he murmurs, the weight of his sorrow palpable in the air between us.
Frustration boils over. “Don’t you care about them at all?” I ask, all but shouting now. Does he not want to fix things?
“Enough!” Dr. Thornton thunders. “You’ve overstepped. Please leave my office. I can’t bear to talk about this any longer.”
I grab my bag and flee, his words burrowing under my skin. My heart is heavy and my eyes start to sting. I know I’m about to cry, so I duck into the bathroom and let out a muffled sob into my fist.
“Fuck,” I curse, my voice coming out ragged. A surge of frustration and helplessness washes over me, threatening to drown out my resolve. I've always been the fixer, the one who tries to mend broken things, but now I feel utterly powerless. How can I help when everything I do seems to make things worse?
Why does everything have to be so complicated? All I want to do is help my boys. They deserve to have their father back in their lives, but Dr. Thornton is so sure that there’s nothing that can be done.
I don’t understand what’s changed. The first time we met, I remember him telling me how he’d do anything to fix what happened. Now he seems to think it’s beyond fixing.
I sniffle and wipe my eyes, cleaning myself up so Caleb won’t be suspicious when I come out. Dr. Thornton’s story doesn’t add up and I’m starting to think I need to do some more digging. Any father worth their salt would only care about seeing their children happy, and he knows it would make them happier to have him around.
If this situation was just about Emily, I would leave it alone, but I think there’s something else going on. Every time I bring up the Haven Center, Dr. Thornton seems like he’s avoiding giving me real information. I think that it must be connected in some way. I just don’t know how yet.
Walking back out to the car, I spot Caleb leaning against the side of the Firebird, texting on his phone.
“Hey,” I say, trying to pretend I haven’t been crying. “I’m ready to go.”
