Without You (gxg)

Part 49- Present Day

Noelle had to stay in the hospital for a week. We had to make sure she was healing- her chest and her back- and she also needed some stitches and a lot of bandages for her wounds. I took off some days of work that week- and her father came to stay with her in the hospital when I couldn't. He drove 7 hours to be there with her- and so did her youngest brother. He took off that whole week of school.
Elena left after that first night. And Noelle hadn't heard from her since I was hoping that Noelle would never hear from her again- especially now after the accident. I couldn't help but blame her in my mind.
This could've been prevented. Why did you let her drive?
There was also the question to if Noelle was going to be charged with any kind of DUI. Which was something that she was really nervous about. However, since this was her first time offense, she did not harm anyone but herself, and she was going to not be able to drive for a long time because of her injuries as well, she was going to have to do something called an ARD Program- which was an Accelerated Rehabilitative Program. This would not show up as a criminal record and affect her career- but she was going to have to go to plenty of alcohol rehabilitation courses.
Which she was prepared for. She knew she needed help. I could tell that she didn't want to talk about any of it yet though. We were keeping conversation fairly light for her in the hospital. She was already in quite a bit of physical pain, and we didn't want to stress her out.
Both Olivia and Priya came over the night before she came home. Olivia, who was due next month with her baby boy, and Priya, who was very busy with pharmacy school, took the time the whole week Noelle was in the hospital to visit and check up on us. It meant a lot to me.
"So, are we ridding your place of all alcohol or what?" Priya said to me after we ate some pizza.
"There isn't too much here, actually. But yes, let's do that." I said.
Olivia laid down on the couch while Priya and I threw out cans of beer, hard seltzer, and bottles of vodka and wine.
"Will you be fine not drinking at all in the house? I would imagine you can't now." Priya asked me.
"Of course I'm fine with it. I'll do anything to help Noelle." I said.
"I still cannot believe that bitch Elena. How the fuck could she just let Noelle drive away like that?" Olivia said from the couch.
"Believe me, I have been wondering the same thing. But I haven't really asked Noelle about the actual night the accident happened. I want to wait until she comes home." I said.
But Noelle wasn't going to be able to return home for a bit- and I wasn't going to be able to stay in our apartment either. Noelle was quite weak due to her injuries- and due to this, she was going to need to be in a wheelchair for a few weeks. Our apartment was on the second floor.
Thank god for my mom and Juan. Right when I called my mom, crying, about the fact that Noelle was going to have to be in a chair, she said, "Well, then you're staying with us. I'll convert the living room into an area you can stay in. Juan and I will give you the privacy you need."
So, that's where Noelle and I went after she was discharged. And I never imagined I would be pushing my twenty three year old fiancé in a wheelchair- but here we were. It was only going to be for a few weeks. But it made me upset- however, I had to keep it together in front of Noelle. I could tell she was really hurting- on the inside and outside.
She wasn't acting like herself once we got to my parents house. She was quiet. Not really showing too much emotion. I figured it was just because of the pain she was in- and that she was just processing everything. She was polite to my parents- and grateful, but it was like her spark had gone out. I wanted to talk to her about everything- what had happened that night, where to go from here- but if I tried to bring it up, she would say she was tired.
A week after she got out of the hospital, we were on the pull-out couch in my parents living room. It was a lot- having to go to work and then come home and deal with everything going on. I had ordered a pizza for Noelle and I for dinner, and we were just watching some TV in the dark, the only light coming from the TV. Noelle wasn't saying much.
"How are you feeling right now?" I asked her, putting my hand lightly on hers.
"I'm okay." she said, eyes on the TV.
"Okay." I nodded. But on the inside I could feel my frustration growing. I wanted to talk to her. Figure out what was going on in her mind. What if she was never going to want to talk about it? "Noelle...can you please talk to me." I said.
"About what"
Are you serious?
"You know what about." I said.
"I'm pretty tired, Harley. I don't really want to." Noelle looked at me.
"Are you ever going to want to?" I asked her.
"Yes. But not now." Noelle said, and I could hear a trace of anger in her voice.
"It's always 'not now' though. That makes me think that you're going to never want to talk about it." I said.
"Did I say I'm going to never want to fucking talk about it?" Noelle snapped, "I just don't want to right now. Can you just respect that? Please, for the love of god."
I was taken aback. Noelle was not usually one to snap like that. She was level headed. Reasonable. I understood maybe I pushed her too far for a moment there. But I just wanted to talk. I wanted her to talk.
I got up. "I understand." I could feel myself tearing up, "I'm going to go sleep in my old bedroom. If you need anything just text me. I'll see you in the morning."
"Harley, wait-"
"No. Just let me be." I said, and I walked out of the living room, and started up the stairs. When I got to the top, I could see my mom. She was standing outside of her room in the dark.
"Honey, just give her some more time. She will talk to you." my mom said softly to me.
When I went into my old bedroom and laid down, I felt empty. Upset. Helpless. I knew that things would get better. But in the meantime, it was rough. I just wanted things to go back to normal.
I worried that Noelle was never going to want to talk. I worried that she would go back to drinking a lot and something like this would happen again- or worse. I couldn't stop my mind from going.
Until I somehow fell asleep.

A/: Thank you so much for reading. There is still more to come ❤️ I would say this story is going to be no more than 55ish parts.
After this one is completed, I am going to be starting another story, "Complicated". Keep your eyes out 👀