Her Last Plea✨

Chapter 31

"Whoa!" William cried, jumping out of the way as Ara skipped past him into the dining room. Mike followed William, carrying a slightly miffed Marvin in his arms.

"Looks like we came back in right on time," William stated, grinning at the sight of food.

He walked over and gave Alexis a kiss on the cheek. "Did you sleep well, sweetheart?"

Alexis nodded, hopping off of the counter as she took out some glasses from the cupboard above the stove and grabbed the jar of homemade juice. Marvin, meanwhile, whined and reached for Faith until she took him, consoling him about not being able to play in the car anymore as their late lunch was nearly ready to be served.

When the girls walked back in, Faith handed Ara a basket of fresh bread and gave Mira a set of potholders to wear, instructing her to carefully pull out a warm dish of freshly baked macaroni and cheese from the oven. William grabbed the beef casserole and followed the girls into the dining room.

"How about you sit with your Mommy while Nana puts the chicken on the serving dish?" Faith requested Marvin, who vehemently shook his head. "Please?"

"No!" he whined, leaning his head on her shoulder. "Car bye!"

"So pitiful," Faith cooed.

"Here," Mike said, peeling his son away from Faith's arms as he started crying. "Come on Marv - let's get you cleaned up before lunch."

"Use the guest bedroom upstairs," Faith said. "It's the second door - you know where to go."

"Yep, I know Faith. Relax," Mike replied, winking at her. Carrying Marvin - who was now sobbing - Mike left the kitchen.

"Alexis?" Delphina asked as she stood up from her chair. "Could you please go and help him? He doesn't have much patience today. Not that I'm one to talk, but -"

"Sure," Alexis interjected, pulling at the sleeves of her cardigan. "It's no problem."

As Alexis disappeared out of the kitchen, Faith placed a dish of roasted potatoes and carrots onto the island for her husband to retrieve and pulled a serving platter from a cabinet, carefully placing the chicken wings on the platter.

"Might I ask you a question, Delphina?" Faith asked, hesitantly.

Folding her arms against her chest, Delphina stood next to Faith as she watched the woman continue to garnish the wings. "Certainly."

"I know Alexis said you wanted someone to care for the children, but I'm sensing that you're hoping for more, aren't you?"

"More?"

"Between your husband and my daughter," Faith clarified.

Delphina shrugged, noncommittally. "Did you not just say that everything happens for a reason?"

Faith chuckled at the cryptic reply. "I did."

"I hate admitting it," Delphina said, picking at her brittle nails. "But she's good for him, and I think he might be good for her. As much time as I've spent disliking your daughter over the years, she didn't deserve what happened to her. Mike..…after he helped her move from Smith's house, he fumed about the situation for weeks, as if someone had physically harmed him."

Faith felt her heart tug slightly as Delphina's gaze turned to the floor. Opening her arms, she embraced the woman in front of her, hugging her as if she'd known Delphina her whole life. "I don't pretend to understand your world," she whispered softly. "What with arranged marriages and everything else, but I can't imagine it's an easy world to live in if it's all you know."

Delphina nodded, feeling guilty for seeking comfort in a woman she used to despise from afar, despite meeting her for the first time today. She'd never been hugged this way before, not even by her own mother. And despite her guilt, she liked the way it made her feel.

"I know you see it," Delphina mumbled. "Everyone bloody sees it. The way he looks at her.....no one's ever looked at me the way he looks at her."

"I don't think he realizes that's how he looks at her," Faith said, relieving Delphina of her embrace. "And I know my daughter certainly hasn't noticed."

"I know I have a horrible way of showing it, but my children are so lucky to have her," Delphina managed to choke out. "As well as you and Mister Miller. I'm so sorry I refused to meet you until now and -"

Faith hugged Delphina again, shushing her softly as Delphina cried into her shoulder. "It's alright, sweetheart," she murmured quietly. "It's alright."

"I hate that I need Alexis," Delphina cried. "I can't fucking stand it!"

"Mothers will do anything for their children," Faith said, rubbing a soothing hand on Delphina's back. "Wanting what's best for your children isn't wrong. It's what you're supposed to do as a mother."

Delphina looked up at Faith, wiping her eyes with a bent knuckle. "What I asked of Alexis is selfish."

"Only if there wasn't more there," Faith pointed out, smiling sadly. "But there is and you're right - I see it. I've seen it for a while." Pressing a gentle kiss to Delphina's forehead, she went over and picked up the serving platter with the wings and motioned for Delphina to follow with a nod. "It's just up to them to figure it out now."

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Note:

I made it up to 1K reads!😮 Yayy!! ❤️
Thanks for making this possible!!!❤️

~Mia♾️✨