His Proposal

His Proposal - 49

Jai's POV

It was fun spending the day with Aleysa. She showed me how to make cupcakes while they were cooling on the counter.

Aleysa looks at me. "We can put the icing on the cake before Chloe arrives at six." She rises from the table. "Thanks for helping me make the cupcakes."

Smiling at her, I say. "You're welcome. You taught me something that I didn't know how to cook. I suppose your mother taught you?"

She nods. "Mom used to teach me a lot of things." She looks at the photo on the wall, taken over the weekend.

Aleysa is teaching me things.

She walks over to me and hugs me. "Thanks for getting Chloe back to work. She looked miserable sitting around the house all day with me."

I hope she didn't feel miserable being at home with Aleysa.

Nate walks through the front door with a few friends and walks over to the fridge. "Hey, Jai. I want you to meet the guys I'm working with on the assignment." He points to the guys. "Frank, Jasper, Gordon and Thomas." He points to me. "This is my sister's boyfriend..."

Jasper cuts him off. "Jai Marshall, we know who he is. He was a great football player until he got injured. He started up a bunch of nightclubs called 'Lusive.'

I'm impressed that this kid knows who I am.

He walks over to me and extends his hand. "It's nice to meet you, Mr Marshall."

Shaking his hand, I say. "Please, call me Jai. It makes me feel old if you call me that."

Nate looks at the table. "Did Aleysa make those?"

"She asked me to help as well. I hope they taste great."

Nate smiles. "They will. She was taught to make this by Mom." He walks over to the stool and climbs onto it. "I remember the first time Aleysa helped Mom make it."

Aleysa climbs into my lap. "I love it when he tells stories."

Nate spins around in his chair and faces me. "It was Aleysa's sixth birthday, and Mom wanted to make something for Aleysa. So, she asked Aleysa what she wanted for a cake, and Aleysa said that she wanted cupcakes. Chocolate cupcakes were her favourites back then."

Aleysa looks at her brother. "They are still my favourite." She points at the table. "Chocolate cupcakes are on the table behind you."

"Yeah, yeah," he rises. "Back to the story. Mom put the ingredients on the table and measured things for you. You put it in a bowl and spilled flour on the linoleum floor. You walked over to the cupboard to get two eggs, and then when you walked back, you slipped on the floor. An egg flew out of your hands as you landed on your butt hard, the second egg you had was crushed under her hand." he starts laughing. "The egg that flew into the sky landed on your head, and it broke. You should have seen the yolk that fell on your face," he shakes his head. "Aleysa pulled off the yolk, and she threw it at me. Instead of hitting me, it hit Dad, who walked into the kitchen after a long day at work."

I laugh.

I don't think Mr Knight would have been too impressed with that.

Everyone in the kitchen is laughing, including Aleysa.

Aleysa shakes her head. "Thanks for sharing the story from five years ago." She looks at the ground. "I hope I can be here to celebrate my thirteenth birthday."

After that, the room falls silent.

Wrapping my arms around her, I ask. "When do you turn thirteen?"

"Next month." She looks at the sky. "Can you please allow me to celebrate my birthday with my siblings? That's all I want in the entire world."