getting in the calm

Elliot felt he was in limbo. But he had his art. He was on a tangent. It was a way to keep to himself. And seriously, he couldn't remember the last time he'd had so much fun. He wanted to do a painting for Penelope's apartment. He probably would have painted her a mural if she'd let him, but then he hadn't asked, he had a massive canvass to work on, but he'd started small. Mainly with color. He painted a rose. A huge one. But it just didn't seem quite right so he'd given it to Amanda as some sort of celebration to getting the teaching position at the middle school. Although, he couldn't quite be sure she was happy with it, but then again she wasn't in the happiest mood. It wasn't the position she wanted.

Elliot kept up with the flower theme. A part of him wanted to do something for the baby, but he wanted to wait. Hope that everything went all right. Amanda wasn't going to any baby classes. This time around it was a major appointment. A surgery that was schedule in a week or so. She'd wanted to have the baby before the 4th, but they wouldn't let her.

Still, it was best to keep focused on the art. He suddenly had found himself. And then he thought of Penelope who went to the local holiday parade with him. Some of his students spotted them. They seemed pleased to see the two together. Awkwardness prevailed. Penelope looking at him as if he needed to speak up, yet she said things like. "Oh, I just thought I should tell your teacher, hi, you know.." Then she got a bit silly. It ended in laughter. It was good to be out with her, and yet he understood this was not the time to start up a relationship.

So here he was dabbling a little of this color and that..trying to find the perfect blue, letting the colors form on the canvass. Still, he just couldn't be sure Penelope would like anything he did. He tried not to dwell on that fact. But as the quietness settled in, he could hear soft laughter coming from the kitchen. Could it be?

Elliot peaked in on Sam and Rachel. Yeah, it could be, he thought. Sam was falling in love.

"No, I'm not." Sam was rather defensive about this when Elliot asked him later when they were alone. "We are just friends. She's a friend helping a friend. That's all."

Of course, Elliot's lips turned on the corners as if he didn't believe a word he said.

"No.. Its not happening." Sam winced harder. "Not with her. She..she just needs to get out from under that thumb she's under. Be on her own. That's what she needs."

"If you say so." Elliot still wanted to smile about it.

"You're one to talk, look at you, you have got it so bad for that policewoman. And it shows." Sam remarked.

"OK, ok..ok.." Elliot didn't want to get into it about Penelope. He didn't want to dare say it, but this had to be longest he'd ever gone with out sex..since..since he was fifteen, he suppose. But, maybe this was a good thing. It was just, what if it would never be quite the same after the accident?

He just couldn't get depressed about it. No, he had a found a passion and he just needed to nurture it. He'd always loved art. And that made him happy.