you are free to be happy

The title of this post is my new favorite quote... "you are free to be happy", or, "you are free to be, Happy"...

So enough of my writing about Happy dying, I am learning to move on and am beginning to be able to even think about her without breaking down.  So many wonderful memories that will absolutely last me a lifetime.  I do, however, have one more anecdote to share pertaining to my lovely grandmother and the countless gifts and memories she left me.

All summer long I drove back and forth from Charleston to Gastonia to help care for and be with my family.  One weekend, as I was packing to leave for my parents home, my father called me and told me not to come.  He told me that he was confident that Happy would be adamant that I actually stay in Charleston and enjoy some of my summer.  This was during the time when Happy was rallying at Covenant Village, and so after some heavy duty convincing on his part and letting me talk on the phone to her, I reluctantly agreed to stay in town.

On a wild goose chase to see some guy she liked at that moment, my roommate decided we would go a bar that we both hate.  Said boy preceded to completely ignore my roommate, and so we decided to have a stand off and talk to as many people as possible.  The night was a blur and I got pretty drunk, but when drunk I am chatty Leigh so I had no problem talking to whomever.

That was the night that I met D.  While I dont necesaarily remember it all, I do have record that we both sent some pretty playful witty messages back and forth that night, and he asked me to have drinks later in the week.  Apparently I made a good impression, because he asked me the next day when we could hang out.

The day before we were to meet up, however; was the night doctors told my family that Happy would not make it through the night.  Doctors told my parents she would be gone within an hour, and there was no way I could make it home in time.  I stayed put, and all night prayed that she would go smoothly.  I tried to tell her from 300 miles away that I loved her and would always remember her and would see her again.  Poised to take off the next morning for Gastonia, of course, she ate a half cup of yogurt and rallied, and so instead of going home, I stayed in town and carried on with plans to meet up with new boy.

We did, and we hit it off.  It's weird to say, but if he were a girl he and I would be best friends...I could tell this after 30 minutes of talking to him.  We talked about everything... and I had so much fun despite his weird friends and my roommate hating the life out of me for dragging her along as moral support.  Since that night, we talked pretty much daily, and I can honestly say that he made me feel more comfortable than anyone I've ever met.

Two days later, Happy died.  I felt relief and pain, and my roommate held me while I cried after I found out.  I went home and we buried her, told her good bye, and then I came back to Charleston after a few days.  The entire time I was away, D messaged me, constantly asking how I was and how my family was holding up.  It was so helpful to have someone to talk to that made me happy during this time.  Someone to distract me.

When I back to Charlesotn, my roommate asked me how things were going with this new guy.  I told her how he kept me fairly grounded while I was at home for the funeral., and how I felt like I'd known him for years and years even though it had only been days.

K lit up and then said something so poignant that has absolutely stuck with me "You know how your grandmother was so adamant about you finding someone?  In a way, it is like she hung on long enough for you to meet someone who made you feel that way...It's almost like she wanted you to meet him......"