Her Last Plea✨

Chapter 3

"You need to go to bed princess," Alexis said to Arabelle. "It's almost your bedtime."

"But Lexi, I'm not sleepy at all," whined the 6 year old. "Please, can't I play one more game with Mira?"

"Alright, you get half an hour more with your sister and then it's sleep for you missy."

Asking Mirabelle to keep an eye on her younger sister, Lexi entered her spare bedroom to check on Marvin. The 2 year old was fast asleep inside his travel crib. Lexi gently removed some of his honey blonde curls from his face and smiled at his innocence.

Mike hadn't called all day nor had he received any of her calls. She was dreading the worst when she heard a knock on her front door.

Just as Alexis opened the gate, a harried looking Mike entered her flat. Squealing at her father, Arabelle launched herself at him.

Hugging his younger daughter close to his chest, Mike looked over at Mirabelle and asked, "Still mad?"

"Yep."

"Are you gonna get over it any time soon?"

"Nope," she replied stoically.

Sighing Mike said, "Mira, I need to have an important conversation with you. If you wish to be treated like an adult then please behave like one. "

"Michael!" Alexis hissed angrily. "Don't lecture her about behaving like an adult when you clearly aren't behaving like one yourself! She's only 13, what's your excuse?"

Not finding the energy to argue, he set Arabelle down on the couch and asked Alexis to accompany him to her study.

"She's coming home," he blurted out as soon as the door closed behind him.

"Home? As in home - home?"

"Yes."

Alexis's eyes widened and her lower lips started to quiver. "How....how long?"

Mike started pacing as he replied, "3 months, 2 months, I don't bloody know Miller!" His emotions were at the verge of exploding and it took all his strength to control himself.

"She's dying," he gasped out.
"She's dying and my children - what will happen to my children Miller? She might have been an absentee parent over the years but she's still their mother. How am I going to raise three kids alone?!"

Quickly crossing the distance between them, Lexi embraced him tightly. "Mike, hey Mike, you won't have to do anything alone. It'll be okay," she whispered in his ear.

"My children are about to lose their fucking mother Miller!" Mike spat out. "How is any of this okay?".

"I didn't say it is okay. But it will be okay one day, " she replied soothingly. "How's Delphina doing now?"

"She was going off to sleep when I left. I'll have to go tomorrow to get her released. Could... could the kids stay here tonight and maybe, if it's not too much trouble, could you take them over to my place tomorrow morning?"

"Of course. You don't even have to ask."

Letting go of Alexis, Mike sat down on a chair. "I need to talk to the girls about the situation and I also need to have a separate conversation with Mira about school. See if she wants to go back or transfer to somewhere closer to home," Mike said tiredly.

Mirabelle attended ST. Francesc's Boarding School in Philadelphia. It was the same school that her parents and grandparents on both sides had gone to as well, and her paternal grandfather was even one of the board of directors at Francesc's currently. It was the school where her siblings were sure to go to once they would turn 12 respectively. It was at Francesc's where Mike had met and befriended Alexis and their other best friend, Garrett Greene. Hence, Alexis knew how hard a decision it would be for both father and daughter regarding her going back next week.

"Look, break ends next week. We can inform the principal about the situation and then take a decision later. We could pull some strings and convince the principal to allow her to visit home every weekend. Or if she wants to she can transfer to some other school. But that's a decision for later, okay?"

"That sounds like a good enough plan," Mike said squeezing his eyes tightly.

"Good enough? When have my plans ever been just good enough?" Alexis asked in a teasing tone.

Rolling his eyes, Mike let out a small laugh. "Fine, they're always brilliant. Happy?"

Smiling slightly, Lexi asked, "Do you want to tell the girls together or individually?"

Unsure, Mike bit his lower lip. While he knew that Arabelle would cry and be confused about it all, Mirabelle's reaction was the one he was most worried about. She had his 'quick-to-anger' temper and also had her easy outbursts that were common for a teenager. Telling her alone would be a disaster but telling them together might ensure that Mira wouldn't react too badly so as not to scare her little sister.

Since he was taking a while to reply, Lexi said, "Let's tell the girls at the same time and then you can have a chat with Mira while I talk to Ara separately. Okay?"

Nodding Mike exhaled heavily. "Will you please be in the room when I talk to them?"

"Yes Mike, of course I'll be there. You aren't alone in this."

Together they went back to the living room, both worried about the outbursts and floods of tears that were surely coming their way.

Michael steeled himself, wondering yet again why life had brought him and his children to this stage. For the first time in their lives, his daughters were about to find out that despite everything, Daddy had failed to keep his promises. For the first time, they'll find out that Daddy wasn't the Prince Charming, the knight in shining armor that they thought him to be as he had failed to save their mother.

For the first time, Mike would be the one who'd have to break his daughters' hearts and tell them that Mommy was going to die and there was nothing he could do about it.