"I don't know if I'd go that far," Bobby said, holding John close as he chuckled softly. "For one, my actual counseling would probably be pretty crappy. But I can listen." And even if John's position was very different from his own, that didn't mean he couldn't empathize.

He loosened his grip as John pulled away, offering him an encouraging smile. "I hope so. And if I can help make your days better...just let me know how, okay? Name it." Because all things considered, his own life and mood had improved significantly since John re-entered his life. If he could give some of that back, he wanted desperately to do so.