Down the road of memories

Higher

Noah POV

A few days after Lee and Rachel's engagement party, Elle was off for a week after a final day on call. The four of us flew together to New York. The two couples had become much closer since Elle and I came back together. My brother seemed to have gotten over rule number 9 perfectly! Much to my relief and pleasure! He even congratulated me on my engagement the day after his party, subsequently calling me an asshole to avoid our mother's wedding planner madness. I knew well that after Lee's wedding, I too would have 3 months of supporting my mother before my own wedding.

The morning we left for New York, we picked Elle up from the hospital after her shift before going to the airport. She fell asleep on my lap during the flight as soon as the seat belt warning lights went off. Last night was tough for her with several car accidents due to drunk driving this holiday season. Since we had a busy schedule and I hoped Elle would enjoy it, I let her sleep on the plane. Lee had bought tickets to a Broadway show for the girls that was tonight and the girls had bought us tickets to see a basketball game at Madison Square Garden tomorrow afternoon. The girls had wedding shopping to do the next day and then we planned to spend New Year's Eve in Time Square.

Elle had already been sleeping for 4 hours when Lee sat up on his bench to see me.
- She looks so good!" He said to me when he saw me gently stroking the hair of my fiancée sleeping on my lap.
- I hope so !" I said to him with emotion in my voice. "It's intense what she does for work. She often returns completely exhausted from her shifts.
- But she's a lot more relaxed since you guys got back together, Noah. I think you're giving her space to settle down. I thought it was quick when you decided to move in together so quickly after your reconciliation but you offered her a home and a family which she hadn't had in a long time.
- I know it was a quick reconciliation but I waited for this moment for 7 years. I think we were both ready.
- And you became Superman and Wonder Women! You defend the weak and the oppressed together." Lee said to me with a wink.

I smiled at Lee's comment. It first reminded me of the superhero boxers I wore when Elle and I were dating as kids. Today, it is true that we both have vocations to take care of others in different ways and this reconciles me with the 6 years we spent apart. Despite our broken hearts at the time of the breakup, we both aimed to the highest of our abilities. This allowed us to become who we are today.

I had to wake Elle when the plane started to descend towards La Guardia airport. It was 4 p.m. and our show was at 7 p.m. We only had time to leave our luggage at the hotel and then go to the theater. Lee had chosen the piece Wicked which reminded me of the super twins craze for Halloween costumes when we were young.

The show was good in my opinion, even though I'm not a big musical theater fan and connoisseur. Lee and Elle were deep in conversation when we left the theater to go to dinner after the show. It was 10 p.m. for the people here but for us it was only 7 p.m. We had difficulty finding a restaurant that was still open! The four of us were sitting at this Italian restaurant on Broadway and I was lost in contemplation of the menu when Lee surprised me with the following conversation :
- It reminds me of the holiday shows we did in high school, Elle.
- It's true, it was one of the highlights of the year for the dance club." Elle replied with nostalgia in her eyes.
- What I remember most is the show where you were invited, Lee, to host the evening, 3 years ago." said Rachel
- It's true ! The funds were paid to Elle and Mark for their humanitarian trip to Mexico.

My smile froze at the memory of that evening :
- It's one of the few times I saw you during the first 3 years after our breakup." I said to Elle, taking her hand.
- Did you talk to each other that evening?" Rachel asked.
- I knew Noah was there but I didn't see him...

Flashback LA December, 2 and a half years after the breakup.

Elle POV

Before New Year's Eve, I joined Mark in Seattle after spending Christmas in Chicago with my dad, my brother, and Linda's family. Then Mark and I took a little detour to Los Angeles for the high school's end of year show. The current high school dance club had asked Lee to be the honorary president of the evening as a former member and they chose to donate the evening's proceeds to my humanitarian trip to Mexico.