Mental Health and Taming Shrews
Amber and Dan had moved again—Amber no longer felt safe in her beloved lake house, and it was now a rentable asset within the Blue Serene Lake Resort portfolio. She and Dan now lived in another sprawling, high-security mansion on a large estate. That was where Amber and Gladys now sat, in the home's large back sunroom, going over specs for the mental health clinic network.
They were not the only ones in the room, but they were certainly the two most important. They had just sat through two PowerPoint presentations and been given three packets of new information. It wasn't that they hadn't already received all of today's data via email prior to the meeting, but they still took the time to review each piece meticulously.
Amber had a set of blueprints on the table before her and two sets of budget spreadsheets in her hands. The online services were already live and helping clients, having seen an unprecedented number of people worldwide seeking services since the launch. They had already been forced to add six more languages, a fact that had Amber's need for perfection on edge. She felt the omission was a blunder and was determined to add as many languages—and providers who spoke them—as possible to their system.
While Amber dived headlong into the physical locations, ensuring the environment and experience were optimal for effective mental health work, Gladys focused on the services. Gladys looked up from her stack of resumes—therapists, clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, and other social workers—and rubbed the bridge of her nose. She caught a glimpse of Amber; her back was straight, her baby bump was now so prominent, and her focus was as unwavering as it always was.
Gladys smiled. "You are just as intense as you were when we were young." She laughed. "Remember when you were determined to save all the whales because they didn't return to the coast when we went to visit?"
Amber smiled, raising her chin in pride. "I still fund my coastal watchdog foundation. We recently extended our area of conservation up and down the coast, and we started initiatives on the West Coast just last year."
Gladys smiled, shook her head, and looked back at the photo of a licensed social worker. "Never change, Amber. Please."
"We all have to change, Gladie, but I know what you mean." Amber looked up from a spreadsheet with a smile. "Cristina sent gifts back from Asia. I think she is spending money more than enjoying a honeymoon."
Gladys laughed. "I know. She sent me the most beautiful carved mahogany changing table I have ever seen." She shrugged. "Maybe shopping is her way of enjoying herself."
Amber pursed her lips and looked at her friend. "You know she is a gifter; it is her love language. David will make sure she has fun and doesn't just worry about what we need. Did you find a good candidate to head the online psychiatric services?"
"I think so. We just need to actually speak to him to ensure he is the right fit."
"Okay. Tell me how it goes."
Gladys looked up with a frown. "What do you mean?! You need to be there, too."
Amber shook her head without looking up. "No, I don't. You don't have the educational background, but you have the experience of having been in therapy. It gives you a unique insight, and we need to trust the staff we have hired to help us with this as well." She looked up with a laugh at her friend's expression. "Send me his information and I will give my opinion."
"Call and talk to him as well, Amber." Gladys quickly emailed the information packet on the doctor she was considering. "I told Christopher that I want to be at the actual birth, not just at Nina's."
Amber looked around the room as if to ensure no one was eavesdropping. "And what did he say?"
Gladys shrugged. "I could tell he was relieved, but he was actually upset about the entire thing." She looked at her old friend. "He cried, Amber." She paused, looking down at her hands. "He has apologized many times to me over the years, and I always felt they were hollow apologies. But this time…"
She looked up, tears glistening in her eyes. "I really do appreciate Jessica, even though it was done for selfish reasons. He is going to talk to her today." She sniffed and shifted the papers in front of her. "Sorry. We are meant to work today."
Amber shook her head and reached out to touch her friend's hand. "Never apologize for your feelings. This is what we are here for; it is what we are building. How can we help others if we don't help ourselves?"
Gladys smiled. "You know, I think I got the courage to talk to Christopher after we saw Jessica with her fiancé at Chez Prim. I saw her belly and was upset that I couldn't touch it and talk to her about the twins. Then the way she was with Albert…" She giggled quietly. "I didn't know your elder sister could actually be tamed, but thank goodness she has. Maybe she will leave both of our husbands alone now."
The two women lightly laughed together, both hearing the genuine hope within the laughter. Amber looked at Gladys with a soft smile. "We can only hope. But you are strong, and Christopher loves you. You two can make it through anything."
Gladys smiled with a sigh. "When I got sick and I waited too long to harvest my eggs, I thought I would lose him forever. His family was horrid, even though I had followed their chosen doctor's advice. It taught me—you taught me—that my first instincts truly are the best." Tears glistened in her eyes again.
"You did what you thought was right, Gladie. You can't punish yourself for making an informed decision. Besides, I know firsthand that Jessica's pregnancy is healthy and stable. I've been to a few of her doctor appointments when her Albert was busy."
Gladys released a breath she hadn't known she was holding. "That's good to know." She smiled brightly.
Amber returned the smile, her mind drifting to her own baby and then back to the idea of Jessica being tamed. She shook her head inwardly. Albert did seem to be a godsend, but it was hard for her to imagine a version of Jessica that was truly tamed.