My brother is happy. I hadn't realized it until lately, but he was never happy before. Even as a kid, I don't think he was entirely happy. Don't get me wrong; there are things that have always brought joy into his life, like his kids, but real happiness has been just out of his reach.
He had all the markers of adult happiness: he had a good job, a house, terrific kids, and friends. From the outside, he probably did look happy. When he was sober, I probably assumed he was happy, too. But I didn't realize how unhappy he'd been until I saw the switch flip in February, and watched him soak up a massive tidal wave of happiness.
Her name is Francis, "but please, call me Frankie."
She's a friend of TK's ex, Becky (yes, that Becky, Char's former best friend) and they met when Frankie showed up at TK's in early February to pick up the kids. He says it was instant attraction and I don't doubt it on his end, but there must have been something because she kept finding reasons to show up at their place.
When Char and I met her, we liked her almost instantly, but we both harbored some doubts.
She knows what he's been up against, though. He's been honest with her about his addictions and why he's here instead of living near his kids. He's been upfront about his past relationships and she hasn't run screaming. He's also been clear about the fact that he could disappear in the middle of the night without any notice if he feels like he's about to slip and asks me to slap his ass back into rehab.
She's fine with it. She doesn't drink around him. She doesn't hold his past against him. And if he runs off to rehab again, she just wants one of us to let her know. She's also determined to help him get healthier than he's been; while he's done very well in his fight against alcohol and drug cravings, he hasn't done as well where food and fitness are concerned. He was getting too thin, but in the last couple of months she's cooked for him, convinced him that he'll have a much easier time keeping up with him if he actually eats. She's getting him to take long walks--I tried getting him into the gym but all he ever really did there was flirt with some of the women there. She's getting him to care more about himself.
He did care enough about himself to ask for help in the first place, but Frankie has tapped into something deeper, and he's just incredibly happy right now.
We had dinner with them last night, and when she and Char wandered off to the ladies room, I felt myself channeling my dad and in my best imitation of him, leaned across the table and told him, Jaysus, boy, don't you fock this up.
He doesn't want to, but I don't think he realizes that Char and I really don't want him to.
Frankie's a keeper. For no other reason than she makes him happy.
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