Her Last Plea✨

Chapter 51

Her phone blared on at 8:50am sharp, and Alexis instinctively swatted the snooze button with her hand as the offending alarm chimed on the nightstand. Stifling a yawn, she tried to sit up but the arm firmly wrapped around her waist wouldn't allow it. She was momentarily confused before everything rushed back into her mind. There was kissing. Oh God, she thought to herself. What did I do? Like we don't have enough to worry about today and I've gone and probably ruined everything. I should've never kissed him back. What was I thinking!

"You're doing it again," Mike grumbled.

"Doing what?" Alexis asked, her voice light as she forced herself to speak.

"Thinking," he replied. "Loudly."

She sighed, still unable to move away due to his arm. "Sorry," she murmured.

"I don't regret it," he declared, followed by a loud yawn. "Stop thinking about how you messed everything up. You didn't. I kissed you."

Alexis bit her lip nervously as her eyes focused on her ceiling. "Everything's already so complicated."

Mike moved the arm he had securely wrapped around her waist. He sat up on the bed, looking at her intensely.

"Alexis," he said quietly. He waited for a moment, watching herself as she steeled her nerves before looking at him. "I'm rubbish with emotions, but I know that what I feel in regards to you is anything but complicated. I just have awful timing."

Alexis still chewed on her lip. "But you.…you said at lunch that day –"

"I know what I said," he cut her off quietly. "Just chalk it up to a misdirection of emotion, if you will."

"Misdirection of emotion," she repeated, slightly unsure of herself.

"I need to get Mira," Mike said suddenly as he glanced over at the clock in her room. "I need to get Mira, I need to call Ara's school and excuse her until next week......"

He caught his breath and sighed. "And I need to talk to Delphina's parents and my father."

Baffled by his change of topic, Alexis sat up in bed and waited for a moment before swinging her legs over to her side of the bed. Standing, she walked over by the dresser and picked up a duffle bag to place on the top. "Since the kids already have a few clothes here, I just packed you a bag before leaving your place. Also, I texted Gary when you were sleeping and asked him to come over."

"Why did you ask Garrett to come over here?" Mike asked, climbing out of the bed. "He already did a lot this morning when he brought the kids here and then I'm sure he handled everything at the hospital after I left."

"Because, he's your friend and he doesn't want you to face everything alone. Sometimes, just say 'thank you' and accept the help you're getting," Alexis rattled on, staring at him through the dresser mirror as she tried to tame her unruly locks by refastening her hair up into a sloppy bun.

Mike yawned as he walked over towards her, standing directly behind her as he stared back at her pointed glare. "Easy, Miller," he mocked. "It was just a question."

"And I was merely giving you an answer," she replied, arching an eyebrow. "Why….why are you standing so close to me?"

Her tone in her second question was much less abrasive than the former, despite skipping from one topic to another. Mike was close enough to once again inhale the scent of her shampoo. Against his better judgment, he gently placed his hands on her shoulders and bent his neck down, watching her face through the mirror as he whispered in her ear. "Maybe I like standing close to you."