Her Last Plea✨

Chapter 22

"Where the hell have you been!" Mike exclaimed as soon as Alexis entered his house that evening. "You said you were coming over after work, but work ended over an hour ago!"

"I was at work, you lunatic," Alexis defended herself, thrusting the plastic bag she had in her hand into his. "Unlike you, I didn't leave after lunch. And I also stayed back late today since I'm taking tomorrow off."

"Well, you could have called."

"I texted you," she replied with a glare. "And what were you doing all this while, stalking the bloody door?"

"Yep," Mira shouted from the living room.

Rolling her eyes at her friend, Alexis went inside and sat beside Mira on the couch, giving the girl a quick hug. "Where's everyone else?"

"Mom's resting, Ara's changing into another princess play dress and Marv's probably with her, trying to gnaw on her Barbie's plastic shoes," Mira listed. "By the way, I'm so happy we're going to your parents' tomorrow. Can you believe that Dad convinced Mom to go as well?"

"He did?" Alexis asked dubiously.

"Yep,"  Mira replied with a huge grin on her face.

Meanwhile, Mike came in after Alexis, peering into the bag she had given him. "Why did you bring ice lollies?"

"They are for your son," Alexis answered. "Mira called me this afternoon and said that Marv's been teething and that he's been miserable all day, not eating anything. So, I thought the lollies would numb the pain for him to eat something. This trick had worked with the girls so perhaps it'll work again. Although, I did bring enough for everyone."

"You're brilliant," Mike beamed at her. "I'm gonna go put these in the freezer and then check on Delphina."

As soon as Mike disappeared down the hall, Alexis turned towards Mira and took a deep breath. "School or Jayden?"

"Excuse me?"

"School or Jayden," Alexis repeated. "Which conversation do you wish to have first?"

Mira whined and dropped he head onto Alexis's lap, bringing her legs up on the couch to lie down properly. She didn't want to have either conversation, especially the latter.

"School," Mira decided finally.

"And how are you feeling about school right now?"

"I don't know," Mira replied. "I feel like whatever decision I make will be the wrong one."

Alexis started playing with Mira's sleek hair, knowing that the girl had more to say. Mira, on the other hand, turned her body slightly and buried her face into Alexis's stomach.

"If I leave, I'm gonna miss seeing my Mom being the Mom I've always wanted her to be," she admitted, her voice muffled. "But, sometimes when she's the way she is now, I feel so angry. Why couldn't she just stay the same? Making me care isn't fair, Lexi."

"Death changes people's perspectives," Alexis replied softly.

"Death triggers a maternal instinct but having children doesn't?" Mira asked, hugging Alexis around the waist with one hand.

Alexis moved her shoulders slightly, her hand rubbing soothing circles on Mira's back. "Your mother loved you the only way she knows how.......and you shouldn't hold it against her."

"Why not?"

"Because...... because people are a product of their environment," Alexis explained. "Not everyone knows how to change and rare few can actually change successfully after years of believing in just one way."