Her Last Plea✨

Chapter 38

"I'm sorry, the reports aren't looking good," the doctor said, chewing on his lower lip. "Mrs. Watson may not have three months like we'd originally thought....."

The doctor's sombre words played on a loop inside his head as Mike dropped Delphina off at one of her friend's place after leaving the hospital, making sure that the friend would take Delphina home after lunch. However, he didn't go to work like he'd said to his wife. Instead, he drove around aimlessly for an hour or so, before he found himself in front of his father's manor.

Mike stared at the wrought iron gates, wondering why he came here of all places. He hadn't been to his childhood home in years - not since his mother's funeral. Mike took a deep breath before waving at the security guard to let him enter, figuring he probably should meet his father now that he was here anyway.

Learning that his father was in his study from a servant, Mike made his way to the second floor on the west wing. Hearing familiar voices outside the door of his father's study, Mike steeled his nerves, rolling his head from side to side as the bones in his neck cracked. Hands on both the handles of the door, he wrenched the handles down and pushed them open, finding his father sitting with his in-laws, Steven and Esther McCoy, along with Cordelia, all holding coffee mugs as they sat in a circle, none of them looking up to any good.

"Hello, Father," Mike greeted with a sarcastic stare. "Steven, Esther."

His in-laws gave a curt nod, while Cordelia sat there, looking rather put out. "No hello for me?" she asked, pouting slightly.

"I believe I said everything I needed to say to you this morning," Mike tersely replied.

"Now, now, Michael. Let's not be rude," his father, Charles Watson, drawled. "In fact, we were just speaking about you, weren't we?"

Mike sighed, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. "Look - you all need to quit wasting your time on whatever it is you are planning and listen to me carefully. Delphina is dying. Quickly. If she is here next week I will be utterly shocked.

Delphina's parents appeared slightly taken aback, while Cordelia shook her head and stifled a giggle as she set her mug on the coffee table in front of her. "He's exaggerating, honestly. I saw her this morning - she looked fine."

"Fine?!" Mike questioned, bewildered. "Fine? She's gaunt, exhausted and donning a wig! Look at me you daft woman and listen to what I am saying...... Your. Sister. Is. Dying. She isn't getting any better!"

Esther cleared her throat as she used her hand to smooth her dress. "Michael, if it is as bad as you say it is, why hasn't she contacted us?"

"Because she thought she had months. She was going to meet you sometime this week or the next," Mike curtly replied. "But, we just left the hospital and I'm telling you this is happening now. You need to get ready to say goodbye."

Steven shook his head, looking down into his mug for a moment before turning his attention back to his son-in-law. "No, what we need to do is figure out what to do with the children."

Mike could hardly contain the sarcastic laugh. "There's nothing 'to do' with them, Steven. I'm not going anywhere."

Cordelia shook her head and started saying, "Yes, but they obviously will need a mother and I believe I can be the most suitable replaceme-"

"Cordelia," Mike ground out, his teeth clenched together. "Listen to my words, as I may never have the restraint to speak this slowly ever again....... I will not marry you! I will not allow you to raise my children! Why don't you bloody understand that?"

"Michael," Charles cut off whatever Cordelia was about to say. "You do not allow nannies or servants for some reason and your work is time consuming. You cannot possibly raise them alone."

"You cannot possibly tell me that you care about my children's well being, Father," Mike mimicked, shoving his hands into the pockets of his coat. "Besides, we have a plan. Delphina's plan, really, but it's a plan nevertheless."

Charles adjusted his grip on the handle of his chair, narrowing his emerald green eyes. "And what is this plan, exactly?"

"That's for Delphina to divulge," Mike replied with a hint of a satisfaction. "Steven, Esther....... please come see your daughter today. I'm begging you. The little ones are with Hailey Greene for the day and Mira should already be at Francesc's right now. To be  honest, I'd prefer you come when the children are away. Ara is already sad that her sister is going to school, and I don't need her sorrow exacerbated with whatever may transpire between you and Delphina at the house. Not today, anyway."

He watched as his in-laws exchanged glances with one another for a moment. Despite the fact that they hadn't been his favorite people these past few years, he did feel for them.....from one parent to another. He couldn't imagine losing a child, regardless of age. The animosity Mike held for his in-laws was not nearly as strong as it had been before he and Delphina agreed to divorce, despite their parents 'forbidding' said action. But, before he and Delphina had come to terms, Mike couldn't stand to be in the same room as her parents. The contempt came from all directions - the fact that they had sought his father out for an arranged marriage for their own selfish gain of being related to the Watsons, or how their horror had been more than Delphina's when their firstborn child was a daughter and not a son, and how that horror had managed to increase when daughter number two had arrived. Then, all of a sudden, Steven and Esther had the audacity to do a complete flip and become these doting grandparents towards Marvin, while his daughters stood there like castaways....... Mike knew he had reached his limit at that.

"Well?" Mike asked, exasperated at their lack of feeling regarding their daughter's illness. "Will you go?"

Steven gave a simple nod, while his wife stayed silent, patting her graying strawberry-blonde curls primly.

"I shall go with them," Cordelia declared, dramatically placing a hand on her mother's arm for what Mike assumed was support or sympathy of some kind. "After all, we need to all be in the loop on this so called 'plan' of my sister's."

Mike snorted and rolled his eyes. "Cordelia, I don't give a damn about whatever you want to do. I'll be back home at six o'clock - I better not find you in my house when I return. Or it will be nasty. Understood?"

"Michael," Charles interjected again. "Is there anything I can do?"

Stunned by the question, Mike stood silent for a moment before a wry laugh escaped his lips. "Just do what you've always done for me, Father. Absolutely nothing."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

.
✨♾️✨
.

Merry Christmas!!!
✨🎄🎅🦌⛄✨

~Mia♾️✨