In love with a stripper.

The difficult choice

As Chloe walked into the house, she noticed that the lights were dimmed and the TV is turned off. The house was quiet, with no signs of life. She saw Aaliyah on the couch, her face pale and tear-stained. Chloe's heart sank as she realized that something terrible had happened. She walked over to Aaliyah and gently shook  her awake. Aaliyah's eyes fluttered open, red and puffy from crying. Aaliyah stretched and let out a muffled yawn. "What happened?" Chloe asked. Aaliyah took a deep breath and said "Grandma's gone." Chloe's eyes widened in shock and disbelief.

The little pouch in Chloe's hand fell to the floor. She was gobsmacked. Although Chloe and Oma didn't get along quite well, this incident shattered her. Oma didn't like the fact that Chloe had chosen that lifestyle. Yes, they weren't rich but at least Oma could afford the meal of the day so she felt it was inappropriate for her granddaughter to live that kind of lifestyle as an excuse. Before the sudden sickness of Oma, she was able to connect with an old friend who employed Aaliyah in her little grocery shop. Aaliyah was in her final year in high school and wanted to save up for college. Although the earnings from that job weren't much, she was still determined to make her college dreams come true. Oma had promised to sell the little gold bracelet her mother had given her to support her granddaughter but when the unfortunate happened, they had no choice but to sell it, hoping that Oma would come back stronger.

Chloe had then joined her friend in the world of stripping—not against her will though. She had always fancied the extravagant lifestyle her friend, Rose lived. In her few months of stripping, she was able to make a name for herself at The Buss Club. Not only was Chloe pretty and flexible, but she was sexually enchanting and appealing too. She whined and danced around the pole like a pro.
For the past two months before Oma's passing, Chloe could singlehandedly cater to the three of them—Oma, Aaliyah, and herself. She was able to afford quite a number of the drugs needed for Oma's recovery. Oma still had no idea of the lifestyle her granddaughter was living, not until her neighbor who came to visit her at the hospital revealed. The lousy neighbor had told everything to Oma at the hospital, in the presence of the surprised Aaliyah.
Oma tried all she could to talk to her granddaughter but all proved futile. This made her forbid Chloe from visiting her at the hospital.

It was indeed a rollercoaster of shock, grief, and confusion for her. She was just trying to process it all. She sighed heavily, hugged her sister, and comforted her. She needed to be strong for Aaliyah even though she was shattered too. It pained her that she couldn't spend Oma's last days on earth with her. The mere thought of that broke her entirely. Chloe disengaged from the hug and wiped the tears of her sister. She walked into the kitchen, and brewed coffee for herself and her sister.

"You look so much like hell right now, Liya." She shouted from the kitchen . "Go upstairs, change, and come back for your coffee." She continued. Forgetting herself, Aaliyah tried to stand up, ready to go upstairs when she yelled in severe pain. Chloe rushed out to the living room—only to see her sister on the floor.
"I twisted my ankle." She yelped. Chloe helped her stand up and ushered her to the couch in their small living room."
Chloe shook her head, frustratedly and marched to the kitchen again. She brought the hot coffee to her sister and urged her to take a sip.

"You're already running out of temperature, Liya." She exclaimed after placing her right finger on Aaliyah's forehead. She proceeded to take the coffee from her sister after that realization and gave her enough water. Big sister Chloe gave Aaliyah a towel bath with lukewarm water and urged her to rest.
She'd call Doctor Newman tomorrow—her client at her workplace. She kissed her sister good night and walked herself into her bedroom. This whole development was driving her insane. She didn't expect her day to be ruined at the last minute. Her night at the Buzz club went quite well. She really enjoyed herself tonight, only for her to come home to hear this godforsaken news.