Happy
“Are you sure I look okay?” I turned fretfully in front of the mirror, tugging on the hem of the navy dress I was wearing.
“You look beautiful.” Frank said from where he was lying on the bed, Lola across his stomach.
“Argh, I guess I believe you.” I sighed, casting one last look over my reflection before coming to sit on the edge of the bed.
“Why are you the one having second thoughts?” Frank chuckled. “You wanted to go more than I did!”
“I know,” I wailed. “I guess I’m just nervous.”
“You have nothing to be nervous about.” Frank said, sitting up and pulling me into his arms. Lola licked my nose reassuringly and I laughed for the first time since I had started getting ready an hour before.
“There we go.” Frank murmured from his favorite spot behind my ear, pushing my hair over my left shoulder so my neck was exposed to him. He planted a kiss on my jaw and I relaxed, letting my head loll back into his chest.
“Hey! No funny business.” I sat up as his lips started to travel further south and his hand crept up my thigh. “We can’t be late.”
“Dammit.”
I stood up, a little unsteady in my heels and Frank followed suit, dusting Lola hairs off his pants. He looked so fine in his navy slacks and a striped button down with the sleeves pushed up that I had to take a deep breath before shaking my head a little and picking up my purse.
“I see you decided not to wear the combat boots!” I commented as we stepped out into the hallway.
“One time exception.” Frank chuckled. I locked the door behind us and we made our way downstairs to where my car was parked.
--
“No way, Frank did not make you pho while you were hungover.” I said in disbelief, fork suspended in midair.
“Yes! I’m not kidding!” David exclaimed, his bright blue eyes full of laughter. “In that crappy little kitchen area we had, just serving up Vietnamese broth and slicing limes.”
“Wow, the big bad Punisher making soup for his friend.” I shook my head and grinned at Frank.
“Ah, shut up, Lieberman.” He said, ducking his head to hide his smile. I laughed and Frank’s warm hand found my thigh under the table.
“Sarah, this was so good, thank you so much.” I said earnestly, turning to David’s wife. She smiled and tucked her strawberry blonde hair behind her ear.
“I’m so glad you liked it! One of my mom’s old recipes.”
I stood up and started stacking Frank’s plate on top of mine to carry it to the kitchen, waving off Sarah’s insistence that I sit down. David got up and took his wife’s dish and we made our way to the kitchen. I dropped the dishes in the sink and turned to find David studying me.
“He really likes you, you know.” He said quietly. “I haven’t seen him like this before.”
I blushed. “I really like him too.”
“Just make sure you’re aware of the risks. “ David said, and held up a hand when I started to object. “I’m not trying to talk you out of anything. I think this is great. Just remember that you need to constantly be aware.”
I nodded and said, “Thank you. From what I’ve heard, you kept him from going crazy when you guys were in that basement. I’m grateful for that.”
David snorted. “Frank’s a crazy bastard one way or the other. I just stopped him from getting himself killed prematurely.”
I laughed and we walked back into the dining room, where Frank caught my eye from his position leaned back in his chair talking to Sarah. A slow smile spread over his face and I felt myself get warm from head to toe.
“Do you guys want coffee?” David asked from behind me.
“When has Frank ever said no to coffee?” I rolled my eyes.
“He’s also never said no to rosé.” Sarah added and I saw her kick Frank lightly under the table.
“Rosé, huh? I didn’t know that was your alcohol of choice, Frank.” I teased just to watch him scowl. We moved to the living room and just as David returned with mugs of coffee, the front door flew open and two kids tumbled through, breathless from the cold air.
“Hey, kiddos!” David put the coffee on the table and held out his arms. Leo flew into them and Zack followed, both talking a mile a minute about the basketball game they’d just returned from. A girl in her late teens trailed behind them, looking exhausted.
“Ok, ok, go say hi to Uncle Frank.” David straightened up and addressed the girl. “I hope they weren’t too much trouble.”
“No, they were fine.” She said listlessly, popping her gum. David grimaced and handed her a few folded twenties, which she counted impassively. “Thanks Mr. Liebermann.” She gave a weak wave to the kids and closed the front door behind her.
Leo and Zack were crowded around Frank, Leo with an arm around his shoulders and Zack showing him something on his phone. Frank hugged Leo to him almost absentmindedly and it made my heart ache a little. She turned and eyed me shyly before whispering something in Frank’s ear.
“That’s Ella.” Frank responded audibly. “My…. girlfriend.”
I swallowed as he said the word and watched as Leo’s face lit up.
“Hi Ella!” She bounded across the room to me and I leaned forward in my chair to accept her hug.
“Hey! Your name is Leo, right?” I asked brightly.
“Yep.” Leo studied my face seriously. “Frank, she’s really pretty.”
“Well thanks, sweetheart, I’m glad you approve.” Frank chuckled and I blushed. Zack walked over to me and held out his hand formally, which I shook.
“I’m Zack.” He chewed on his lower lip and then went to sit next to his mother on the couch.
“Very nice to meet you both.” I said, making room next to me on the loveseat as Leo made it clear she wanted to sit next to me.
She peppered me with questions for the next ten minutes asking about my job, who the most famous person I’d ever met was, and when I told her about Lola, squealed so loudly I swear the windows rattled.
“A dog? I want to meet her! Dad won’t let us get a dog.” She pouted in David’s direction and he threw up his hands.
“Oh lord, here we go.” He sighed.
“Dogs are a lot of work. But how about you come by and visit Lola any time you want?” I suggested and Leo clapped her hands. She and Zack got bored fairly quickly listening to the adults talk and scampered off upstairs as the conversation moved to David’s work with a data security firm. I kept catching Frank staring at me and met his eyes a few times and squirmed slightly at the level of intensity in his gaze.
By 10 pm, I was yawning surreptitiously behind my hand and Frank announced our exit.
“This was lovely, thank you for having us over.” I gave Sarah a hug and David pulled me in for one as well, surprising me a bit.
“Any time! We’ll have to get together again soon.”
“Bye Sarah, see you later Lieberman.” Frank kissed Sarah on the cheek and they waved from the doorway as we got back into my car and Frank pulled away from the curb.
“That was fun.” I relaxed back into my seat and studied Frank’s profile. He turned his head slightly to look at me and half-smiled. “You okay?” I asked, stroking his hand where he was gripping the gear shift.
“Yeah. Just… felt like my worlds colliding a bit.” He said.
“I can understand that. David really knows you.” Frank nodded and we drove the rest of the way to the apartment in companionable silence.
I was brushing my teeth in the bathroom when I saw Frank come up behind me in the mirror. He wrapped his arms around my waist and I pulled my toothbrush out of my mouth.
“What’s up?” I asked, slightly garbled through the toothpaste suds.
“I’m happy.” Frank whispered against my neck. I leaned over and rinsed out my mouth and turned to face him, one hand on his cheek.
“Is that okay?” I brushed my nose against his.
“More than okay.” We both smiled at the memory and Frank kissed me sweetly.
“I used to feel guilty about feeling happy. Like I was doing a disservice to their memory.” He explained, holding me by my hips. I felt a lump form in my throat. “But I’ve been trying so hard… so hard to just, feel.” Frank’s grip tightened then relaxed and he cleared his throat. “I think it’s working.”
“I’m glad.” I rested my forehead against his and wrapped my arms around his neck.
“Me too.”