Not Even Once//PT2 of Just Once Series

Chapter 44// Saving Lives, One Heart at a Time

She got mostly positive responses on her tweet, other than the very small minority of haters who still believed that Alice killed Vik. Which certainly, was not true. Simon had had to tell them a few times that they needed to stop. They never seemed to listen.

"Alice! Could you go and work with Freya and Lewis in the office please?" Josh called from his room.

"I'm already here!" She laughed, smiling at Freya.

"He's a keeper, isn't he..." Freya giggled before turning back to the computer.

"Oh yeah..." Alice said, sarcastically.

Alice and Freya had somehow become best-friends along the way. They did everything together. From work to clubs to just chilling at home.

Then suddenly Alice's phone rang, a number she didn't know. She decided to answer it, even though it could have been a crazy fan.

"Hello?" Alice asked cautiously, trying not to sound like herself.

"Is this Alice Emily?" A British woman's voice, a little over the age of thirty.

"Yes, this is she. Who are you?"

"I'm Alena, I live in Liverpool... You're husband saved my sons life."

"What? Vikram?" She asked, standing. Freya copied her, standing as well.

"Yes. Yes, Vik, as they told me his name is. My son, Alex, had a heart condition, a-and there was no way he was going to live unless he got a donor... Vikram was that donor. He saved my sons life."

"Oh my god... So... So... Alex? He has my husbands heart?" Alice began to shake.

"Yes, and I wanted to thank him-or, you. I couldn't get a hold of his parents, they'd always hang up on me at the mention of his name. I can understand that."

"They've been so, so touchy on that subject. I don't blame them, I have been too."

"Yeah... It must be so hard."

"Everyday is a struggle. It's hard to even think about it when it's not you." Alice was happy. Her husband had been kind enough to donate his organs to save a boy he didn't know.

"Well, I just wanted to thank you, and him, for what he's done. He saved a life."

"Thank you, for telling me! I hope one day I can meet Alex, or Vik's parents and family can meet Alex. Again, thank you."

"You're most certainly welcome, Alice. I have to go, but I would love to talk to you some other time..."

"Yeah, keep my number... I'm always down to talk!"

"Okay, I'll talk to you later, then?"

"Definitely. Bye!" Alice placed her other hand on her phone.

"Bye!"  

Alice hung up, sitting back down in her chair.

Not only did Vik indirectly save people he didn't even know in his lifetime, he was saving people in his afterlife. Vik always seemed to be helping, no matter what.

Freya sat in the chair next to her, speaking, but Alice couldn't hear anything. Alice was staring at the screen in front of her, smiling.

Hours passed, and many orders were shipped, not much being said between the people working. Flowing as if they were a well oiled machine. Josh was to thank for that, of course. He was so touchy with their teeshirt business.

Freya left around eight at night, Lewis following close behind. Alone, Alice sat in Vik's room. It was dark and lonely, the smell of her late husband still loomed in the air. It'd been a few years since they'd moved out, which is what surprised Alice about how it still smelled like him. Maybe it was her imagination.

Somehow, Alice's phone slipped off the bed, and pulled her headphones out. She slid her hand under the bed and went to grab her phone when she felt something, a paper of some type. She picked it up in her hand, and the phone in the other once she'd found it.

To lazy to get up and switch the light on, she turned on her phones flashlight, opening the letter.

Dearest Alice Emily,

Definitely Vik's handwriting...

I don't know why I'm writing this, or even why I think I should...
It's 5:30 in the morning and you're next to me, sleeping. October 17th, 2019.
I feel as if something is going to go wrong. Way wrong. And I'm going to have to leave you and baby Emilia alone. I guess I'm writing this to give you consent. It's okay, I won't be mad if you end up marrying Simon or JJ or even Ethan. In fact, I encourage it. Emilia needs a father, and any of them could do a fine job... I know you loved Simon as much as you loved me once, so if you need to, you have my permission. Marry him. I love you, Alice. Please don't miss me too terribly much.
Love with all of my heart and soul,
Vikram; your husband.

Alice was heartbroken. A small letter was enough to make her feel so many emotions, and sad was one of them.

Vik knew he was going to die. Vik knew that October 19th would be his last day on earth and maybe that's why he stayed all day in the hospital even when he was so tired he could keep his eyes open. Tragically enough, that is why he did it. Alice knew, in her heart.

She burst into tears, hands shaking. She made her way to her brothers room, having to pass Jide and Tobi along the way.

"Alice? What's wrong?" Tobi asked, placing his arm around the small of her back as to keep her from falling down.

"Vik-" She started, but found herself stumbling over words and sentences. It was hard for her to comprehend that her husband knew he was going to die, but refused to tell her nonetheless.

"Vik what?" JJ asked, standing in front of her.

"He-he-letter!" She struggled to hand the small piece of paper to her friend. By this time, Josh had heard the commotion and had joined the two darker boys in the hallway.

"What's going on? Alice?" Josh asked, hugging his sister. Alice just watched Jide read. Even his fave twisted up into confusion and sadness for his late friend.

"Oh my god." JJ's accent was thick, as if he, too, was struggling with holding back tears.

"What?" Tobi and Josh said simultaneously.

"Vik-Vik knew he was going to die..."