so be it

There the three of them were, Asa, Amanda and Derrick, staring at the old LTD in the garage.

"I think we should get rid of it." Asa pushed his hands in his jeans' pockets harder. It was a lot colder out here than he wanted to admit. Of course, the old junker wasn't going to start.

"Elliot would totally flip. Besides its his. I couldn't." Amanda shook her head, no.

"Well, you need a car that's going to get you back and forth from your student teaching to the University, back to the school." He reminded her. They had to do some serious talking with the Education Department, but at least the high school liked what they saw already in Amanda's work in chorus. And as luck would have it, the high school music department was losing one of their old timers by summer. If Amanda assisted on a teacher's aid salary, she just might land the real deal by summer. "I'm not saying it has to be brand new." After all, Elliot had totaled his car he drove to work. This was just his baby he coudn't get rid of. It was still out if the insurance would pay for a new car. It was kind of iffy. And it was winter. Cold. Windy. Icy and down right nasty in the heartland. The things that made one old. Even cars.

"I'll just have to work with what I've got." She shrugged. But her car had been through one fender bender already in the last couple of years. Her older brother was always having to come over and take a look at it. Even Asa had pampered it with oil changes and the like with some help from Kyle.

"I don't trust that car." Asa shook his head, no. "The heater doesn't even work." He shot her a look.

"Well, maybe you should talk to Elliot." Amanda told him as she shivered under her thick sweater. Finally, they were making their way across the snow covered yard back inside the kitchen.

"Yeah, well, we both know what that's like. He just goes mute. Gives you that stare that he doesn't even know who you are." Asa went to put on some tea.

"He just feels guilty." Derrick finally spoke up. "OK, maybe he's a little crazy. You just have to act like, you know, nothing happening. Everything is fine. I guess." He smirked.

Amanda slightly smiled.

"We can't waste our time with him." Asa decided. "I say we get this god awful car out of the garage. Park it on the street. Have it impounded, if so be. Get you something that's safe and works, so you can put it in the garage."

Amanda rolled her eyes and got the cups ready.

"I'll co-sign, all right?" Asa looked at her, but he knew she didn't believe him. She poured hot water into the cups and acted as if she weren't listening at all.