Chapter Nine: Derrick Gets Sick

Amelia walked into Derrick's room, she was wearing a green t-shirt and a pair of blue jeans, "Hey Rick, are you okay? It's almost half nine and you haven't come out of your room yet" she said anxiously. Derrick sat up in his bed, he was pale and looked exhausted, "Yeah I'm fine, just a bit of a cold, nothing to worry about" he stated as went to stand up. Amelia ran over to Derrick and put her hands on his shoulders and pushed him down so he was back on his bed, "What are you doing?" asked Derrick confused. Amelia looked at Derrick anxiously, "You are sick, you have to rest, please stay in bed unless you need to use the bathroom, I am here for you and I will take care of you" she stated as she smiled at Derrick warmly.

Derrick looked at Amelia with a confused look, "Amelia, Ani, I'm fine, it's just a bit of a cold I've worked through this stuff before, I'll be fine baby" he stated calmly before he started coughing. Amelia shook her head, "Please let me take care of you, I will help you heal" she stuttered. "Ani I promise you I'm fine, I'll just take some medication and I will be fine" replied Derrick as he tried to reassure Amelia that he was fine and didn't need her playing nurse. Amelia looked at Derrick anxiously, it's clear even though Derrick isn't that sick that Amelia still wants to help him, "I got sick really bad once after my grandma kicked me out and I was living on the streets the winter was harsh, I collapsed one day and I was struggling to breathe, I was later told I was lucky to be alive and that I should have died, my body was weak and fragile, it still is" she mumbled under her breath.

Derrick stared at Amelia warmly, "You never told me that story, you lost so much but you never told me how sick you got" he stated softly. Amelia nodded her head, "I was coughing up blood, I was always shivering, runny nose and I always had a headache, since then I'm scared of getting sick, if I get sick I'm scared I will die and death is something I fear" she stuttered anxiously as she stared at the ground in front of her, actively trying to avoid catching Derrick's eye. "You survived, that's the main part and I will never allow you to have such issues again" stated Derrick softly before letting out a huge cough. Amelia nodded her head, "Thank you, thank you all I've ever wanted is someone to love me and a roof over my head" stated Amelia as she flashed Derrick a warm smile.

Derrick smiled at Amelia warmly, "You'll always have a roof over your head now" he stated calmly. Amelia smiled, "Is your throat sore?" she asked softly, Derrick nodded his head, "Yeah kind of, why?" he asked before clearing his throat. Amelia looked at Derrick, "Would you like me to go and get you something for that?" she stuttered as she pulled her fingers anxiously. Derrick smiled at Amelia warmly, "If you want to go out and grab something for it then I don't mind but you don't have to" he stated calmly.  Amelia nodded her head, "I would like to get you some stuff to help you get better quicker, I hate it when people get sick, they aren't the same and it makes me anxious" mumbled Amelia as she tried to avoid slurring her words.

Derrick smiled, "You're sweet Ani" he stated. Amelia smiled, "I am just doing what I'm supposed to do, I'm supposed to be sweet it's how I am programmed" she stuttered, "I'm going to go get some stuff to help your body heal, just rest, get some sleep and I will be back" Amelia continued. Derrick nodded, "Thank you Ani, I love you," he said softly, Amelia bowed her head, "I love you too" she replied as she left the room and got ready to leave the apartment.  Amelia grabbed a pair of Bluetooth headphones and looked around the room, "I want to make Derrick better" she whispered under her breath as she put the headphones on and walked out of the apartment.

Amelia walked to her local set of shops there was an off-license store, a pharmacy, and a small bank branch all squeezed into one large building with a block of flats sitting on the top of those shops. Amelia walked into the pharmacy and walked up to the counter. An older woman was standing behind the counter searching through a medication basket. Amelia slid the headphones down her neck, "Hello" stuttered Amelia anxiously, the pharmacy clerk turned to face Amelia, "Hello, how can I help?" asked the older lady her voice was soft and her small smile was warm. "My boyfriend got sick, I wanted to know what the best medication is for someone showing flu symptoms" mumbled Amelia as she slurred her words together. The pharmacy clerk looked at Amelia with a confused look, "I'm sorry but I can't understand you" she said softly.

Amelia tried to repeat herself but only ended up slurring her words again, frustrated Amelia stamped her foot. "Flu" mumbled Amelia anxious that the woman behind the desk would understand what she was alluding to. The pharmacy clerk nodded, "Oh sure thing sugar, I have some medication for the flu" she stated as she rummaged through a basket of medication and pulled out a box of pills, "Will these do? You have to take one every six hours" she stated. Amelia nodded her head excitedly, "Yes thank you" she mumbled as the pharmacy clerk scanned the medication through the till, "I hope you don't mind me asking, but do you have a neurodivergence?"  asked the pharmacy clerk. Amelia bowed her head, "I would rather not answer that question if that's okay, the last person who realized I had a condition beat me up afterward" she stuttered as she pulled her fingers anxiously.

The pharmacy clerk nodded her head, "I understand, that'll be three pounds please" she stated. Amelia nodded and handed the woman three one-pound coins. "Thank you for your service, I appreciate your help" stated Amelia as she took the box of medication and walked out of the pharmacy.  Once Amelia was outside of the pharmacy she put the box of pills into her pocket and went to put her headphones back on when she heard someone call her name, "Well well well, if it's Amelia Fran" said a cold female voice. Amelia felt her spine tingle, she recognized the voice and didn't want any trouble, "Please Jessica, leave me alone" pleaded Amelia refusing to turn her head and face her. "What are you doing here, I thought you'd be out begging" spat Jessica, Amelia shook her head, "No, I've come to get some medication for Derrick, he's unwell and I want to help him get better" stuttered Amelia as she tried to walk away.

Jessica ran up behind Amelia and grabbed her arm, "Liar! You just want to use Derrick for money!" screamed Jessica angrily. Amelia bowed her head, "Derrick has helped me due to my unstable financial situation, I'm looking for a job in which I will be able to make my own money" she stuttered anxiously. Jessica glared at Amelia angrily, "You listen, Amelia, if you don't walk away from my brother I will end you" hissed Jessica angrily. Amelia looked at Jessica with a flat-faced expression, "Derrick has been nice to me, he took pity on me and I do feel pulled towards him, I love him dearly, but he is not feeling very well and I'm trying to take him some medication" stated Amelia anxiously. "Show me the medication, prove that you're out here to get Derrick something to make him feel better" spat Jessica coldly. Amelia grabbed the box of pills out of her pocket and handed them to Jessica, "See, I bought them to make Derrick feel better, I'm desperate to make sure he is okay, he is the only person who has been nice to me over the last ten years, I love him and need him to be okay" stuttered Amelia anxiously.

Jessica rolled her eyes at Amelia, "The little autistic girl wants me to let her run off with my millionaire brother, do you really think I'm going to believe you are in love with Derrick and that you aren't interested in his money?" hissed Jessica angrily. Amelia bowed her head, "Have you spoken to Derrick's best friend Roger about this? He was there when I met Derrick, maybe he can give you some more information since you won't listen to me or Derrick" mumbled Amelia anxiously. Jessica smirked at Amelia evilly before whipping out her smartphone and calling Derrick's best friend Roger. "Hey Jess, what can I do for you?" asked Roger over the phone, "Hey Rog, what can you tell me about Amelia Fran? How does she know my brother?" asked Jessica coldly. "I can't discuss what I know about Amelia with you, Derrick has told me not to unless Amelia gives me the consent to speak about her background, why do you ask?" replied Roger in a confused tone.

Jessica rolled her eyes at Amelia, "I'm just curious if she has a history of using people for money and emotionally manipulating people" stated Jessica looking at Amelia with an evil smirk plastered on her smug face. "From what I know even during Amelia's hardest times she will try her best to work on making sure she can do it herself and doesn't like asking for help, she's a sweet girl and she gives in to Derrick spending money on her because he's really nice to her and she wants someone to love her the way she loves them" stated Roger calmly. "Roger, you have my consent to tell Jessica about my history, I just want her to stop bullying me and to allow me to live a happy life with Derrick" stuttered Amelia as she pulled her fingers anxiously.

"Amelia Fran was born and raised in Cambridge, she lost her parents in a car accident at age nine and has been on the streets at least five times over her life, she has autism spectrum disorder and has battled with a string of mental health issues, she struggles to express her emotions and tends to pull her fingers when anxious or slur her words" stated Roger calmly. Jessica looked at Amelia with a surprised expression, "You've lived on the streets?" asked Jessica in a soft voice, Amelia bowed her head in shame, "Yes I have, after I lost my parents in that car accident I was put up for adoption due to my grandma not wanting anything to do with me when I was fifteen my grandma let me stay with her then when I turned sixteen she kicked me out, I've struggled to make sure I have a roof over my head and be able to eat at least one meal a day" sighed Amelia feeling herself get overwhelmed by the situation.

Jessica looked at Amelia with a sympathetic stare, "Can you answer me one question, Amelia?" she asked softly. Amelia nodded her head slowly, "Yes anything" she mumbled anxiously, Jessica flashed Amelia a warm smile, "What do you like about Derrick? Why do you love him?" asked Jessica softly. Amelia looked at Jessica flat-faced, "He is kind to me, he treats me like an actual person which is something I've always wanted in a partner, he respects my boundaries, he knows how to help me with my condition, and doesn't look down on me because of it, he's good looking and he makes me feel appreciated and loved, I love him because he loves me, I don't know what he sees in me, but I know I must mean a lot to him and he means a lot to me, if I didn't have Derrick I would be lost" stated Amelia as she bowed her head. Jessica looked at Amelia with a raised eyebrow, "You don't care about the fact he's wealthy?" asked Jessica confused.

Amelia shook her head, "His money means nothing to me, I want to get my own job again and focus on making my own money so I feel like I can contribute to stuff like rent and food, even if I make less an hour than my colleagues I would like to be able to not be dependant on Derrick" she stuttered as she pulled her fingers anxiously. Jessica looked down at her phone, "Roger can you tell me if Amelia has ever had her own job?" she asked softly, she was clearly feeling sympathy for Amelia and was beginning to understand her situation, "Yeah she has, she's had at least nine jobs since she was sixteen, including a waitress, coffee barista, retail assistant, dog walker, and a cleaner, none of her jobs last more than a couple months due to her disability affecting her ability to cope in certain stressful situations" stated Roger calmly.  Amelia bowed her head, "See there is nothing about me using Derrick for money, now please let me go and give Derrick the medication I bought him" she stuttered anxiously.

Jessica hung up the phone call with Roger, Amelia tried to walk away but Jessica grabbed her arm, "Hey can we talk?" asked Jessica calmly. Amelia looked at Jessica anxiously, "What else do you want me to say? You know basically everything about my upbringing and that I have struggled with many different issues, I don't know what else you want me to say" she stuttered as her eyes started to water. Jessica looked at Amelia sympathetically, "Hey, I misjudged you, you should have what you need to be happy and if my brother makes you happy then I'm sorry for trying to rip him away from you, I'm sorry for attacking you and I'm sorry for insulting and bullying you" she stated softly. Amelia looked at Jessica surprised, "Why are you being so nice? I don't understand" stuttered Amelia anxiously, Jessica nodded her head, "Derrick loves you and you clearly love him, I was trying to protect him in case you turned out to be a monster, but now I have reason to believe that I have no issue with you" stated Jessica calmly.

Amelia bowed her head, "I appreciate this, I understand why you were trying to protect Derrick and I want you to know I will do everything I can to support Derrick whenever I can, he told me about your friend Ruby passing away and how much the situation affected him if he has issues with anything then I will support him to the best of my ability, I love him and I always will" she stated excitedly. Jessica nodded her head, "Good, if you treat him right then he will treat you like a queen, if everything goes well maybe you'll become my sister-in-law" joked Jessica, Amelia nodded her head, "I like the sound of that, I do love Derrick and I'm going to go give him the medication and make sure he feels better soon" stuttered Amelia anxiously. Jessica nodded her head, "Good, now go make sure Derrick is okay" she stated as she walked away leaving Amelia on her own. Amelia was stunned and stood confused for a few minutes, "Did that really just happen?" she whispered under her breath before putting her headphones back on and walking down the street.

When Amelia got back to Derrick's apartment she handed him the box of pills when she saw him in the kitchen, "Thank you Ani" he stated calmly as he grabbed an empty glass and filled it with water. Amelia watched like a hawk as Derrick took two pills and took a sip of water, "I ran into your sister whilst I was out" she stuttered anxiously. Derrick looked at Amelia with a curious expression, "Are you okay? She didn't do anything to hurt you or manipulate you did she?" he asked in a worried tone. Amelia shook her head, "Nope, she was actually really happy that I was getting you medication and she was happy with me for it" she stated. Derrick nodded his head, "Good I'm glad, I'm just glad you're okay, do you maybe want to watch a movie or something on TV later? Obviously if you want to I know you're busy with your job search and some writing" said Derrick calmly. Amelia nodded, "I would love that but only if you are feeling up to it later, I know you're sick but hopefully you'll feel a little better later" she stuttered as she pulled her fingers anxiously.

Derrick nodded and flashed Amelia a warm and loving smile, "Yeah I would like that baby, I'm going to go for a little laydown, if that's okay with you of course?" he stated calmly. Amelia nodded her head, "Of course, it's okay Rick, I want you to get better and your body heals best when you rest, go lay down and I'll find something to do, I'll do some writing or apply for another local job, that and I will probably do a little bit more writing" stated Amelia calmly. Derrick nodded, "Are you a hundred percent on that?" he asked calmly, Amelia nodded her head and smiled at Derrick lovingly, "Yes of course, I want to make sure you're okay, so please go and rest and I'll come to check up on you later, I love you times infinity and I want you to get better" she stuttered cheerfully. Derrick nodded his head, "Okay, thank you, sweetheart, I'll see you when I wake up" he stated calmly before he started sniffling, Amelia nodded her head, "Have a nice nap, Rick, I love you" she said softly. "I love you too" stated Derrick as he walked out of the room. Amelia walked out of the kitchen and into the living room, she sat herself down on the sofa and turned on the TV before finding an anime film to watch as she tried to relax and not get worried about Derrick being unwell.