Her Last Plea✨

Chapter 37

Walking into Garrett's driveway, Mike helped Mira store her bags in the trunk of Garrett's sedan while Ara skipped ahead of them, giving everyone a hug. Marvin ran towards Alexis as fast as he could and she immediately picked him up, perching him on her hip. Delphina, meanwhile, walked in slowly, careful to not disturb the wig on her head.

Hailey held Layla as she kissed Isaac and Jay goodbye. Ara stood next to Karl, watching him out of the corner of her eye while Karl couldn't help but look at Delphina every now and then. Finished with his task, Mike walked ahead and kissed Hailey on the cheek.

He tugged a small lock of Layla's auburn hair and smiled. "How are you today, Miss Layla?"

Layla sighed sadly. "Sad. Issac and Jay are leaving me. But I still gots Karl."

Hailey laughed as Layla laid her head on her mom's shoulder. "We're a bit woeful today, if you couldn't tell."

Mike grinned and gave the four year old a kiss on her forehead and turned around to discuss office matters with Garrett and Alexis. Delphina stood on the side and watched everyone interact, feeling a little left out.

Suddenly, Hailey's eyes widened and she gasped aloud as she stared at something over Delphina's shoulder. "Isn't that......" She trailed off as everyone turned around to see what had shocked her.

Mike growled at the sight while Delphina squeezed her eyes tiredly. "Cordelia- what are you doing here?"

"Seeing my beautiful niece off to Francesc's of course!" Cordelia exclaimed, like the previous day hadn't happened at all. "Mirabelle sweetheart, come here so Auntie Lia can give you a hug."

Mira scowled and took a step back instead. "Not bloody likely."

"Mira really, I don't understand the hostility," Cordelia cooed.

"That's because you're an idiot," Mira replied with a sarcastically sweet smile, clapping a hand to her chest. She walked over to her Alexis and gave her a tight hug, carefully so as not to squish her brother who was still in Alexis's arms. "Love you," she said, tilting her head to the side as Alexis fixed the part in Mira's hair.

"Love you too, babygirl," Alexis replied, kissing the girl on both cheeks.

"Wuv you Mira!" Marvin sang.

"Love you too, Marv," Mira said, ruffling his hair before squatting down to Ara's height. "I'll see you this weekend, alright?"

Ara nodded, sniffling a bit as she wiped her tears away with her mittens. "Alright."

"It's kay, Ara," Karl said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Don't be sad."

Mira smiled at Karl and shot Ara a quick wink as she stood upright. Turning to her parents, she noticed her Aunt had managed to squeeze her way so that she was now standing between Mike and Delphina. She rolled her eyes before hugging her dad, letting a small giggle slip as he picked her up off the ground. "Love you," she said, kissing his cheek. "See you on Friday."

"Love you more," Mike replied. "I spoke to your principal last evening. Either Miller or I would  pick you up around 5 in the evening on Friday, okay?"

"Also your school knows about Miller....you know.....so remember to write her name on stuff from now on," Mike added in a whisper so that Ara or Cordelia wouldn't hear.

Mira nodded and scowled at her aunt, ignoring her attempts at a hug before standing in front of her mother, biting her lower lip as Delphina straightened out Mira's jacket a bit. "Dress shopping on Saturday?"

"Dress shopping on Saturday," Delphina replied, blinking rapidly so that she wouldn't cry in front of her daughter. "We'll find the most beautiful dress."

Mira nodded quickly, blinking her own tears away. "Promise?"

"Promise," Delphina said, smiling at the teenager.

"Umm Mom.....could Lexi come with us on Saturday?" Mira asked, hesitantly.

Delphina sucked in a breath and bit the inside of her cheeks to resist the retort that her formed on her mind. Instead, she smiled at her daughter and said, "Of course, she can. We'll take Ara along as well. Alright?"

Mira beamed at her mother, giving the older woman another hug. Giving a quick hug to Hailey, she squeezed Alexis's hand and climbed into the backseat of Garrett's car. Isaac and Jay shared a confused look at that - Mira never sat in the backseat on her own free will.

Isaac shrugged and gave his mom and sister a last hug, hi-fiving Karl, before sliding up front. Jay rolled his eyes and turned around to say good-bye to his mother.

"Keep an eye on Mira," Hailey whispered as she hugged her son a final time. "Even if she resists the process by being her usual self."

Jay nodded. "Of course, Mom."

"You're a good boy, sweetheart" Hailey said, trying hopelessly to flatten his unruly curls. "Love you."

"Love you too," Jay replied and climbed in the back beside Mira.

Garrett kissed his wife and gave a hug to Alexis, climbing into the driving seat.

The others watched them drive away as Cordelia said, "Honestly Delphi, your daughter should keep better friends than those boys."

"Excuse me?" Hailey snapped. "Who are you to say anything about my sons..... standing in my driveway?"

Cordelia was about to retort when Mike raised a hand to silence her. Alexis quickly grabbed Karl and Ara's hands and guided Hailey inside her house before things got nasty. She should have left for work by now since both Garrett and Mike would be late today.....but it would have been terribly unwise of her to leave right now, what with Cordelia around.

"Why must you always be like this?" Delphina asked, taking a handkerchief from Mike as she dabbed her eyes just as the door shut behind Alexis.

"Well, someone ought to be taking a better interest in who your daughter associates with," Cordelia continued in a snotty, breathy voice. "It's like you'll let her become friends with anyone.....it reflects poorly on our family name!"

Delphina placed a hand on Mike's arm, squinting her eyes shut momentarily as she waited for the impending explosion from her husband.

"It's not your family name, it's my name - my name - and I'm fine with her being friends with my best friend's boys. She is my daughter, not yours, and if you were wise you would disappear from my sight this instant," Mike growled at his sister-in-law, his patience wearing thin.

"I was just -"

"Go!" Mike hissed.

Cordelia narrowed her caramel eyes and turned around, stomping out of there.

Delphina sighed and said, "Well, that was one interesting morning. Let's say goodbye to the kids and go to the hospital. Okay?"

Mike nodded silently and held her hand as they walked up to the Greene's front door.