Vulnerability & Trust

NOTICE: I have officially left this site. This story has been locked and will not be continued.

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**TRIGGER WARNING:** This story deals with a serious and sympathetic portrayal of severe schizophrenia. This story will attempt to handle the subject as delicately as possible, but if you have personal trauma or sensitivity towards this, you may find this story distressing due to the frank discussion of it! This story is not looking to demonize psychosis! It intends to portray it with sympathy towards the afflicted!

The doctor leaned back against her desk, staring over her clipboard at the buxom girl sitting in the chair in the center of her office, a bright smile on her face. Dr. Kelly Thibodeau eyed her with scrutiny and careful visual study of her body language that could only come from her extensive research, experience, and doctorate in psychology. The form on Dr. Thibodeau's clipboard concerned the girl sitting before her.

With a raise of her eyebrow, the doctor spoke frankly. "You do realize that I'm your cousin... right, Iceland?"

The girl sitting in front of the doctor's desk burst out giggling. "Oh, c'mon! You know I'm qualified!"

If not cousins, one might mistake the girls for sisters. They were both black with dusky skin, raven hair, and curvaceous and shapely builds. Major differences were that Dr. Thibodeau was taller and had a more toned body, was older, was less well-endowed (though still had a respectable bust), and had brown eyes. At 5'8", she was tall for a woman, with her lab coat hiding some surprisingly toned arms for someone of scientific pursuits.

With her black crocks, blue jeans, and cream-colored button vest, it was largely the black-framed glasses, lab coat, and the picture ID hanging from her neck that made it clear that she was the head psychological researcher and psychiatric therapist at Monarch Hospital of Health and Human Studies, a learning hospital that often took on cases to make medical breakthroughs. Being freshly in her thirties, Dr. Thibodeau looked good for her age. A black and a gold bracelet on her left wrist, a black choker, and two gold dangly earrings accessorized her casual-yet-professional outfit, while her messy hair was tied with a simple gold band into a loose pony tail that reached her lower back, numerous loose strands framing her face. A wedding band on her left ring finger spoke of her marital status.

Dr. Thibodeau knew that her cousin, Iceland Bryant, was more then qualified. She was still young and in college and much like her professional cousin, had chosen a psychology major. She was a bright girl in both brains and disposition, but she definitely needed an internship for the extra credits toward her degree. There might've been some ethics involved with hiring her cousin as an intern, but...

Well, to be honest, Dr. Thibodeau didn't know Iceland that well. They maybe only met a few times growing up due to living halfway across the USA from each other. She also had quite a positive reputation in the academic and medical community so that if concerns were raised, she could bring up her extensive history of professionalism as proof that this wasn't nepotism. Besides, it wouldn't even be a lie. Cousin or not, if she took Iceland on as an intern, she had every intention of treating her like any other intern.