Recovering Amy (Amy, #2)

Chapter 12: The Passive Approach

Chapter Twelve

THE PASSIVE APPROACH

Matthew waited impatiently, taping his foot on the wooden floor of the waiting room, staring straight ahead at the door that Amy and her psychologist, Lianne, had disappeared behind almost an hour ago. He was anxious for her return. He had no idea what was being said behind the door.

                The women’s magazines had been useless in forming a distraction. The fish were interesting for only half a second. His phone was beyond boring.

                Nothing could distract his mind from Amy. Was progress being made?

                At lease she’s not screaming, Matthew thought to himself, remembering the horrific scenes of the hospital. Attacking her mother… her sister… her best friend.

                Already she had made progress – Amy had been able to acknowledge that her behaviour was not healthy, and in terms of rehabilitation, that was probably the biggest step forward that could ever be made.

                The therapist’s door quietly opened, and Amy appeared, red-eyed with a fistful of tissues. Matthew stood and quickly embraced her, kissing atop her head, feeling her weakened hands resting against his chest.

                “Mr Hamilton?” Lianne asked, drawing Matthew’s attention away from Amy. “Could I speak with you for a moment?”

                Matthew slowly released Amy and helped her to sit down, her tears being released slowly once more. He then followed Lianne into her office, eager to hear all that she had to say.

                They sat in comfortable velvet armchairs around a small coffee table where it was evident that tea had been consumed.

                “How is she?” Matthew asked as he sat down.

                Lianne took a moment to cross her legs and fold her fingers over her knee, considering her answer. “She’s in a very fragile state,” she began diplomatically. “She’s halfway between the extreme of her depression and her desire to overcome this. It’s a very difficult state to work with, but if we can properly deal with it, she’ll come back stronger than ever.”

                Matthew nodded to himself, taking in what Lianne was saying. “The Friday just gone… she seemed to snap out of her depression… or something. It was the first time she’d eaten since the miscarriage.” Matthew was hopeful in what he was telling the psychologist, that this was proof Amy was healing.

                Lianne leaned forward, wearing a very serious expression. “She’s not been yet recovered. You need to understand this – you can’t be in this illusory frame of mind if you want to help her. She’s still depressed, but as I said, halfway between this and her health.”

                Matthew was taken aback, but he understood. His hope quickly faded.

                “Now, because she’s in this delicate position,” Lianne continued, flicking through one of her files, “I’m going to suggest that we take a passive approach.”

                “Passive?” Matthew questioned. He wanted to take action to make sure Amy recovered, not sit back and watch her struggle to heal herself.

                Lianne nodded. “Passive. Or, if you prefer, an indirect approach. Amy knows she needs to heal, and from what I can tell, she wants to heal. She wants to recover. Most of this she’ll have to do herself, as most of it’s about mental recovery. She needs to reset her ways of thinking so that they’re healthy – so she doesn’t seek out her own death.”