Wealth, Health, and Success

Chapter Three

Amelia could no longer care whether or not Dereck hated her. She came to visit him without notice. As she waited, she saw a man who looked like Dereck sweeping the lobby. He wore headphones humming to one of Dereck's favorite songs, but his energy seemed so foreign. He wasn't dressed as an orderly or patient. Instead, he wore normal jeans, running shoes, and a baseball cap and looked as if he had been working out for a month since his suicide attempt.

She had been faithful up until then, watching the man move across the entire room with such focus and mastery of the broom. Amelia had rarely seen a man so engulfed in what he was doing. There was such a simple peace to the man's presence that it calmed her heart. Until a nurse approached the man, tapping his shoulder and then pointing to Amelia. Her jaw dropped seeing the man who had such peace and joy was her Dereck of all people!

"How are you?" Dereck asked from across the room while taking off his headphones.

"Dereck!" Amelia cried out, running to embrace him.

Dereck was caught off guard by her presence. He felt unprepared as she squeezed him, feeling his muscled arms.

"I thought we had mountains to climb before you wanted to speak to me again. God moved our mountains and turned the distance to speed bumps." He wrapped an arm around Amelia they kissed while he lifted her off the ground.

"I'm so sorry! You thought I was angry at you? I thought you hated me!" Amelia blushes.

"Well, if I made any sense, I wouldn't be in therapy, right?" he joked lightly.

"Why are you sweeping?" she asked.

Dereck rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath and kicking the broom away.

"What?" Amelia asked, sincerely cupping her ear. She told herself she would listen this time.

"It's me...." He repeated even lower, kneeling down to pick up the broom with more care holding

it to his chest.

"Dereck, I am trying my best, but I cannot understand what you're saying," Amelia whined.

"I said it's my job! The Doc gave me a job to get over my hang-ups. It's like reality and therapy together. You happy now?" he groaned, hoping he would know.

"I'm only happy you're alright! I don't care whether or not you have a job as long as you're not doing anything illegal to make money. Do you think I'm happy you're here? I miss you. I thought you hated me the entire time. Not sitting in Zen-like, you discovered inner peace or something."

Tears began falling from Amelia's eyes as she innocently gazed at him.

"Well, I thought you had cheated on me either before, if not while I was in here. I feel like a jackass now." He slapped his forehead.

"That's what this was all about? I would never do that, Dereck! I'm not that type of girl." Amelia cried out, wanting to smack him.

"Well, not specifically cheating me. You never spoke to me anymore. I thought you had left me because of my job and depression. You came home and then would lock yourself up in the room. You wouldn't even look at me." Dereck explained, remembering the days before trying to strangle himself.

"Whenever I did, we would fight. You looked so hurt whenever I wouldn't support you." Amelia expressed.

Dereck grew quiet, clutching his broom tight, "Well, I guess I did hate you for a while. You hurt me so badly. It's not healthy, but only your opinion mattered to me. I had to be diagnosed as crazy for my ambitions. You wouldn't even try to understand me, Amelia. I only wanted us to start a business together. I thought it would help us focus on a life outside of money and have more time for what mattered. You didn't care at all. You shut me out completely and made me do it alone, even after my business idea saved our apartment."