What If (His Proposal Alternate) Unedited

Texts From Jai Part I

It's been a week since Jai left for his business trip and he's been texting me on and off since he left. He would text me in the morning asking how I am and then in the evening asking how work was.

I'm glad that he hasn't asked me out again, but he did tell me that some of his friends got a hold of his phone and sent that to me without him knowing.

I roll over in the bed as my phone goes off. I grab the phone and see that it's 5:30am.

Stupid time difference. Why does he have to text me so early in the morning?

I open the message from Jai.

Jai: Are you awake?

Me: Not really. You just woke me up. It's 5.30am, here.

Jai: Sorry, I forgot the time difference from New York and Los Angeles.

So, that's where he's been all week. Doing business in New York. I thought he would go elsewhere to do business.

Me: Are you going to tell me what you're doing in New York? Or is it a need to know basis?

Jai: I'm selling a few businesses and properties that I own in New York. I want to expand my clubs in the California area before moving it to Las Vegas.

Looking up I see Aleysa's awake and her face is pale. "Who are you texting?" she asks.

I hold my phone up to her. "I'm texting my boss. Since he put my number into his phone I've heard from him."

A smile spreads across her face. "He likes you, sis." She pauses for a moment before saying. "I'm glad that you have someone like him in your life."

I shake my head. "It's too early for that, Aleysa. Besides, I don't see anything happening between us until I open up to him, but I'm not sure when the right time will be."

She touches my arm. "Soon, will be the right time. It's not healthy for you to keep this to yourself, Chloe. You also need to have your own life. I may be sick, but that doesn't mean you have to hide behind my illness and stay with me at the hospital."

I stand up and move to her bed. "I don't want to be anywhere you're not Aleysa. I spent a long time away from you for my job and living my life. Now, I want to get to know my siblings more."

She wraps her arms around me. "Chloe, I need you to go home. Look in the closet on the top shelf, there's a book. It will tell you everything you need to know about me and it also has a list of things I want to do before I die."

Why can't she just think positive? Like she's going to get through this like she did the first time. I hate all the negativity that's pouring from her.

I sigh. "Fine, I'll go home and get some rest before coming back here with your book. Then we can see what you'd like to do. Maybe, doing the things on the list will make you want to live."

She shrugs. "Maybe," she looks at the ground. "I have a few things that I need to add to the book when you bring it back."

I kiss her cheek. "I'll see you this afternoon." I grab my bag and phone and walk out of the room.

At home I walk through the front door of the two bedroom apartment I brought from the sale of the parents place.

Looking around the room I see papers all over the floor and a cup of milk on the table that has turned green. The house smells like musk and I walk over to the window. I open all the windows, before I start to clean.

The front door opens and I see my brother standing there with a friend. "What are you doing home, Chloe?"

I cross my arms. "That's none of your business, Nate. Why the hell aren't you at school?"

"It's free period. I thought that I'd stop by the house and play a few games with my friends, but it looks like that isn't an option since you're home now."

"Get inside, Nate. You can play games today, but tomorrow if you have a free period you'll be using that time to study. I'm not going to let my brother flunk out of his senior year."

Nate and two of his friends walk into the house and they walk over to couch. They make themselves comfy and start playing call of duty. "Chloe, can you get us some food?" my brother asks.

I pick up the magazine that's on the floor and I hit him on the back of the head. "I'm not you're slave, Nate. You can get off your ass and get it yourself."

He starts grumbling before standing up and heading in the direction of the kitchen. He returns a couple minutes later with a bag of chips.

I forgot that we had that. I better look in the fridge and see what needs to be thrown out. I don't want to deal with a fridge that smells when Aleysa returns home.

I clean out the fridge and I find rotten fruit, mouldy cheese and milk that's past its expiry date. I throw it all in the bin and tie the back once the fridge is cleaned out. I try and lift the bag, but it's too heavy for me.

Walking to the living room I look at my brother and say. "Nate, can you take the garbage out before you go to school?"

"Sure." He turns his attention back to the game he's playing with his friends and I see an explosion as one of the player's moves through a building.

I turn away from the TV and make my way to Aleysa's room. I see blood still covering her bedding. I tear the blankets and sheets off her bed. I put them in the corner of the room.

I'll bag them before I leave.

I walk to the closet and reach up onto the top shelf. My hand touches a book and I pull it down. On the cover is a picture of the family. It was taken during one of my visits home during the holidays.

A smile spreads across my face as I see Mom and Dad looking at each other with so much. Standing next to Mom was me and I'm holding Aleysa. On the other side of Dad is Nate and he isn't smiling as all he wanted to do that day was to spend time with his friends.

Dad told him 'No,' and that didn't set well with Nate that he tried to ruin the day for everyone.

When we started to ignore him he would mutter cruel things about each of us until I snapped at him and told him that he should go to his friends place.

Dad wasn't happy when I sent him away, but he didn't say anything about while we were out. He wanted to have a good day as well. When we got home that was a different story.