This is how I see myself

"I know you think, you know me," Elliot sighed as he looked to see Penelope dish out chicken pot pie, even if it were a hot day. She'd stayed the night to watch Pearl, and Elliot had slept right through it and breakfast. Seriously, he hadn't planned on her being here, but here she was. "But you..you really don't know me." He bit his bottom lip then, not wanting to push her away, but she needed to know the truth. "I'm not a really good Dad." He shook his head. He should have had classes for this. Why hadn't he paid attention in LIVING while back in high school. He never thought he'd have to know this stuff. Yet there was more to it than that.

Penelope didn't exactly ignore him. She got him seated and brought over the serving. There was a blueberry and strawberry salad too.

"Well, I don't cook." She smiled. "Rachel left this in the oven before she left. I just took it out when the timer went off." She made it sound they were on an even playing field.

"Its not just that." He stared at the food. He was famished, but still he knew he had more to say. "There was this accident...I was in, last..last December." He told her. "I'm lucky to be alive." He shook his head. "Its-just.." He blew out a breath. "I don't know what happened, exactly...last year." He sort of hoped Pearl would wake up and cry, but she was sleeping sound now. She was so calm around Penelope. He still found that amazing. "I-I had a lot on my mind, about Amanda. My mom wouldn't shut up about Amanda and Asa. She felt certain something was going on." He gritted then. "I just....I dunno.." His voice cracked as his throat was so parched, he knew he'd choke if he ate anything now.  "I'm really quite terrible." He wanted her to know she was just too good, yet he needed her to stay.

"I think I know what terrible is. I've been around a lot of terrible things." Penelope told him. She sat down next to him and took his hand. "I like seeing you with Pearl. I like seeing what your creativity can do. The thing is...don't look back. You just keep going forward."

"Yeah, and stop listening to my mother." He almost smiled.

"Well, my mom..thinks you're quite a catch, but I don't listen to her much, either." Penelope teased.

Elliot finally tasted the milk that Penelope had poured. He took the pot pie in big spoonfuls. Seriously, he couldn't remember the last time he'd sat down to a meal to eat.

"Things are getting better." He saw that she was still holding his hand. A smile of comfort settled within him. Yeah, things were getting better.