going the extra mile

"Honestly, I think he's gonna love it." Elliot was all smiles, as he cheered Penelope and Max from down below. They were in the rafters in the attic while he was in Asa's room where they were putting in the ceiling fan.

He noticed right away that Amanda's things were still here. It was as if she'd just left this morning for school.

It made him feel a tad creepy. But he tried his best to steady himself on the ladder as the two got the ceiling fan situated. It was a kind of surgery that took at the most five minutes. They were done and back downstairs in another five. Now they'd test the fan to see if it worked.

It did. They cheered. It was the final fan. Now each bedroom had a ceiling fan.

"Should we clean up in here?" Elliot asked Max.

"No, just leave it alone." Max clicked off the light and shut the door behind him.

"Do you really think Asa is OK?" Elliot was a little puzzled.

"I think so. I've asked him to see a grief counselor with me, but he hasn't yet. Not that he gets defensive about it. He just says he doesn't have time." Max shrugged. "But..now..now he wants to get this fellow he works with, to go to this group counseling thing at the hospital."

"Well, maybe he will." Elliot crossed his arms, wondering if he should try to go too. Funny, he didn't think he needed it, but what if he did.

"Do you think I need to go to counseling?" Elliot asked Penelope later when they stopped off at the local diner for cake and coffee. They'd invited Max, but he was on his laptop with Daisy.

"What do you think?" She asked back as she stirred her creamed coffee.

"I dunno." He shrugged as he dug his fork into his red velvet cake with cream cheese icing. "I feel depressed sometimes, but..." He didn't know how to finish the sentence. "Its like, I want to be a better friend to Asa. I do. Yet, I dunno if I've exactly forgiven him." He sighed.

"Maybe you two need to talk...." she shrugged. "With someone."

Elliot nodded as if that might be a good idea.