"What happened, Joe?" Noelle ran towards the gutter, her anxious face paralleling to Joe's.
His tears were abundant and it never stopped. Noelle felt his huge body come closer and gave her an embrace. A hug that doesn't want to let go, an embrace that can show how much he's concerned of the current situation, like no one can do it, but Noelle.
She exchanged it with a small pat on the back and asked, "What happened? Tell me."
Joe shook his head, and said, "My mother… she's in a critical condition."
Noelle widened her eyes, and the memories of her dark past kept on surging back to her. She gritted her teeth and stopped from patting him, letting them stay like that, hugging each other, like Noelle never had any commitment in her life.
Joe cried, his tears were non-stop, and his sobs continued.
"Let us go to your mother. I have a car to spare," she offered.
It woke up Joe from his hug and separated from her. He shook his head.
"I have my own car. I'm not swinging for a ride or anything."
"Let's go. I'm fine going there by morning. Your mom still knows me, and she will understand if I come with you."
This must be how she looked like before: an image of sympathy, an enraged pity, a woman lost in her direction in life and can't even find her path way back. Noelle touched Joe's cheek, understanding that this is what it looked like to be chosen as the survivor of the struggles. His mother was a piece of her, and he can never lose her at such a young age.
"Let's go. Can you drive?" Noelle was worried. Joe nodded.
And so, they headed to separate cars. Noelle asked the hospital, and she immediately knew where it was. It was near the college where she attended to. Noelle started driving towards the dark road in early dawn, thinking about how to say that her absence in the penthouse in the morning was due to a family problem that her ex-boyfriend has.
She was sure that Cole would understand. Plus, Joe is not a stranger to her.
Noelle stepped on the gas pedal, drove kilometer after kilometer with just 3 hours of sleep, and let her mind be at peace while thinking of advice and help she could give Joe before leaving him there.
When they got near the hospital, Noelle and Joe rushed to the information area.
They were directed to the critical ICU viewing room. Noelle hurried to put on her protective measures and caps. She walked inside and halted by the door immediately, seeing the critical condition of Joe's mother.
He was the last one to come inside.
Noelle was glued to where she stood and managed a tear, somehow, falling down her cheek.
Joe was literally astounded. His mother was covered in gauzes and they couldn't decipher the face. Noelle was in doubt whether Joe can recover from this traumatizing event, as such that dwell in the middle of meeting his first love and found out that she's a porn star.
Noelle looked at him. He was literally white. His eyes didn't move or even blink.
Tears appeared, and when he slowly stepped forward, that's where Noelle had to tear up.
It has been years since she last saw her, and she never intended to see her at this state after so many mishaps in her relationship with Joe. She is a beloved mother, a woman with dignity and respect, and her pride never faded in a glimpse, because if Noelle can describe the strongest women in the world, Joe's mother was one of them.
Joe held the window, managed to croak out a simple whisper saying, "Mom…"
…
It was already 6 in the morning, and Noelle managed to send a message to Joe.
She accompanied him in the outside bench of the hospital's ICU rooms.
"Do you want some breakfast, Joe? I can order food in the drive thru."
Joe shook his head. He got awaken from the reverie he created for the past hour and looked at Noelle with almost the same annihilation she felt years ago. Noelle can see it in his eyes—the loss, the fall, the kneel, and how he should awaken in this kind of tough situation.
"No, you have done enough, Noelle. I think you should come home."
Noelle was surprised. "I can be here until lunch. I can skip work…"
"No, Noelle. In fact, you shouldn't be here. I'm embarrassed to call you. I didn't think of Mr. Rodriguez upon calling you at 3 in the morning, and in the middle of your sleep. I disturbed you so much already."
Joe laid out his weakness of dealing with his mess, but Noelle doesn't see it as one.
"Cole would never be angry. Plus, Joe, you are a part of my life. I can't just leave you and your mother here. I know how much it will cost, and I can give you the money---"
"No, Noelle. I can't accept that. I'll have to find a way to pay off the debt. I'm not asking you to pay for us, alright? No money from you," Joe quickly refused. He waved his hand away and turned in another direction. She can barely see how much Blake faced a dilemma of whether or not he should help the past Noelle.
And now, the history repeated itself.
"I'm in the situation as you before, Joe. Someone helped me. But in that help, there's an exchange. That's where I had to go to A&E and pay off my debt. My mother is in the same condition, she's in the hospital for months, and it's been holding me out to even take care of myself, because I had to pay off the bills."
Joe's jaw went rigid, and he was forced to look over at Noelle.
"Listen, I'm not here just because you called me. I'm here because I am worried and I am ready to be your shoulder, Joe. Stop being stubborn and accept my help. I'm not going to ask for anything in exchange," Noelle dropped.
Joe shook his head repeatedly. He paced back and forth while Noelle was still trying to convince him.
"C'mon, Joe, let me do this for you. You needed this!"
He stopped, turned around rapidly, and pointed at Noelle, asking, "How can I be a porn star?"