Chapter 36
Chapter Thirty-Six
SIX MONTHS LATER
Ellie
Things with Henry’s parents took a major turn for the better. They’d finally accepted me, and I’d accepted them. Lillian still never apologized, but I let it go. Apologies weren’t her strong suit, and everyone knew it. The only thing that mattered was we got along. We even went shopping and out to lunch a few times. Addison was back at school, and she and Jack still saw each other. They were good together, and I missed her. We’d become very close, almost like sisters. We’d Facetime every day, but it wasn’t the same as her being here.
Henry was officially the new CEO of Walker Capital since his father retired and handed the company over to him. The family celebrated by throwing him a big bash at the Plaza Hotel, including about three hundred guests. It was an evening to remember, and I was so proud of him.
Two Weeks Later
We’d just gotten home from a fundraising event that Henry’s company put on. It was a crazy night, and I was very tired. As I was washing my face in the bathroom, Henry walked in.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m just tired.” I patted my face dry.
“You seemed overwhelmed at the fundraiser. I noticed the same thing at my celebration party.”
“You know big crowds aren’t really my thing. It’s hard to communicate with a group of people. Especially large groups of people.”
“You know, I’ve been thinking about something, and I know I’ve never asked you this, but have you ever considered getting a cochlear implant?” he signed.
“I wondered when you were going to ask me that. I’m surprised it took this long. That’s usually the number one question most deaf people get asked.” I walked away.
He walked over and stood in front of me. “And?”
“I had the implant when I was seven years old for about two months before it malfunctioned, and I had to have it removed. The doctors said in six months, I could have another implant. My parents asked me what I wanted, and I told them no. Even though they wanted me to try again, the decision was up to me because it was very hard on me the first time. When the audiologist first turned it on, I cried hysterically because I felt an electrical shock from the implant. It was hell because it kept happening. And when it malfunctioned, I was happy because I didn’t want to deal with it.”
“But technology has advanced so much since then, sweetheart. I’ve been doing a lot of research.”
I stood there in shock as I stared at him.
“You have? Why?”
“Because I think it’s something you need.”
“Excuse me? You think I need it?”
“Let me rephrase that,” he signed. “I think with today’s technology and everything I’ve read, you can live a?—”
“If you say what I think you’re going to say, you better think twice!” I spoke and signed in anger.
I watched as he inhaled a deep breath and rubbed the back of his neck.
“Is it so wrong that I want you to be able to hear my voice and the voice of everyone else who loves you?”
“Is that what this is about? You? What you want for me?”
“I just think it would be easier on you in social situations like tonight. Plus, you wouldn’t have to sign as much anymore.”
I couldn’t believe his ignorance, and it rattled me to my core.
“You mean you wouldn’t have to sign as much anymore?”
“That is not what I’m saying! A cochlear implant can fix things for you, Ellie.”
“I don’t need to be fixed! I know who I am. The implant isn’t a cure, Henry, and I’d be stuck in between the deaf world and the hearing world. Who would I be, then? I wouldn’t be deaf Ellie or hearing Ellie.”
“You’d just be Ellie! I don’t understand your reasoning. If a person has cancer, they go through chemo to get better. If you break a bone, you go to the doctor and get it fixed. When someone’s heart beats too slow, they get a pacemaker!”
Although I couldn’t hear him, I knew he was shouting.
“I am not broken!” I shouted.
“You have the choice to be able to hear again!”
“Exactly! It’s my choice.” I pushed my finger into my chest.
I saw his lips moving as he turned away from me. Grabbing his arm, I turned him around.
“You know you can’t turn away from me when you’re talking! What the hell did you just say?”
“If you had the implant, you would have heard what I said,” he signed and walked out of the bedroom.
I stood in the middle of the room as anger and hurt consumed me. It felt as if the walls were caving in, and I couldn’t breathe. I grabbed my suitcase from the closet and threw some clothes into it. Henry walked back into the room and lightly took hold of my arm.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“I’m going to stay with my mom. I can’t be here with you right now!”
“So you’re just going to run instead of talking about it?” he signed.
“There’s nothing to talk about! What don’t you understand? I am who I am, and you’re trying to change me.”
“I am not trying to change you, Ellie. I’m trying to help you.”
“I don’t need help, Henry! Nothing is wrong with me!”
“Fine. Go to your mom’s then.” He threw his hands up in the air and walked out of the room.
Tears started streaming down my face as I grabbed my phone and got an Uber. After zipping my suitcase, I took it from the bed, grabbed my laptop, went downstairs, and walked out the door. It was late, so I texted my mom to let her know I was coming over instead of just showing up.
“I’m on my way over. Can I stay with you? Henry and I got into a fight, and I left.”
“Of course, you can. What did you fight about?”
“I’ll tell you when I get there.”
The moment I stepped through the door of her apartment, tears streamed down my face. She wrapped her arms around me and hugged me for a few moments before we started to talk.
“What happened?”
“Henry wants me to get a cochlear implant.”
“Oh. Did you tell him you tried that already?”
“Yes. But he wouldn’t stop going on and on about modern technology and how things are different now. He wants me to be able to hear him.”
“In all honesty, honey, I was waiting for that, and I think you were too.”
“He’s trying to change me and change who I am.”
“Oh, sweetheart, I don’t think he’s trying to change you.”
“He actually compared my deafness to cancer and broken bones.”
“I don’t think he meant it the way you took it.”
“Are you being serious right now? Why are you defending him?!”
“I’m not defending him. But you can’t just run away, Ellie. The two of you need to talk about how you both feel about it.”
“We were and he wouldn’t listen or accept what I was telling him. He just got angrier when I told him I didn’t want it. He can’t respect my decision.”
“Listen, Ellie, I love you. But he does have a point. Technology is more advanced since you last had it done twenty-two years ago.”
“Oh, so now you think I should get it?”
“I don’t know. It’s up to you, and only you can make that decision. You were never the type of person to let other people influence you. It’s late. Get some rest, and in the morning, you’ll have a clearer head, and you can go back home and talk to him once you’ve both calmed down.”
I threw myself on the bed in her guest room and stared up at the ceiling. I had never been impulsive, but in this case, I did an impulsive thing. Grabbing my phone, and without any thought, I booked a flight to California. I needed to get out of the city and away from everyone.