Happier

Whereas I had thrown Abraham to the wolves and introduced him to all of my friends at once, he took a slower approach, a testament to our differing personalities.

I met the first friend at our usual bar. He was only there for an hour or so, and I charmed the pants off him. I wasn't even worried about it. Then a couple of weeks later, I met the friend's wife in the same safety of our local bar.

"I'm so excited to meet you," she rambled. "Abraham is one of my best friends, and he is so deserving of a relationship. He went on so many first dates. Either she didn't like him or he didn't like her--"

Oh really? This is all news to me. My mom once said that silence is the best way to get information. I nodded blankly as I listened.

"So I am so excited to finally see him in a relationship! He's ready, you know. He's ready to settle down and get married and have kids of his own--"

I practiced my best poker face. Don't smile, Sarah. Because if you smile, then she'll run back to Abraham and tell him that you're ready to quit your job and get fat, and that will freak him out no matter how ready he says he is.

She paused as the thought occurred to her too. "I'm not freaking you out, am I?"

"No," I said coolly. "Those are things I would eventually like to have as well."

"He really likes his bathmat," she said.

Oh. She knows that story. Awesome.

She leaned in and whispered to me, "I noticed a difference in him since he started seeing you. He's happy."

It went on like this. Two weeks later and another dinner with another couple. She was his upcoming roommate. Then another dinner and four became six: another couple. Another instance of someone whispering that he's happy.

Abraham is boastful of me. At these dinners he tells his friends the books I've read, the races I've run and other accomplishments of mine. I hear enthusiasm in his voice in the retelling; he's been listening all this time.

“I’ve been told that you’re happy,” I whispered to Abraham as we snuggled in his sheets.

“I’ve been told that about me too,” he whined. “I thought I was happy.”

“Maybe you’re just happier.”

“Yeah.”

I'm happier too.