Page 101 of Finding Wonderland

For the last few weeks of Harper’s life, Sophia, Emily, Vera, and Isla had taken turns staying with Alexis at night. Isla quickly found out that Alexis slept the best when she played with her hair. She’d told the trick to Vera, too, so they always seemed to be Alexis’s most requested helpers at night.

Vera sighed contentedly from the recliner, and Isla looked up at her. She could tell by her smile she was thinking.

“What’s on your mind?”

“I was just thinking I hope Alexis finds someone just like you to love her the way you’ve loved me all these years.”

No matter how many years they’d been together, Vera would always make Isla swoon when she talked like that. Isla smiled at her, leaning her head back on the couch.

“I hope so, too.” Looking back down at Alexis, Isla ran her hands softly over her cheek. “It’s too bad Mason can’t get her shit together. I feel they could be great together.”

Vera laughed sarcastically. “No.”

“You don’t want Alexis in our family?”

“I would love nothing more, but she and Mason aren’t right for each other. I’ve told you this.”

“Ahh, yes,” Isla softly laughed. “Mason belongs with Chase, although she keeps telling us they’re just friends, and you don’t believe her.”

“Because I know our daughter.” Vera gave Isla a look that told her she knew she was right and that Isla didn’t have to agree with her. “Maybe one day, Blake will come home, and she and Alexis can meet.”

A sad smile pulled at Isla’s lips. She missed their oldest child more than anything. Blake was the missing piece of their family, and they all felt her absence. As their kids grew up, Isla saw Blake in them and it constantly pulled at her heartstrings. Especially with Ellie. Ellie looked and acted so much like Blake that she was almost a mini-version of her oldest sister.

Even though Isla knew Vera was just musing about the future, Isla knew that one day, Alexis would find someone perfect for her. And Blake would be home. The two events didn’t have to go together, even if Vera joked they did.

“She'll probably stay here tonight, so you can go on to bed if you want. I’ll watch her and Harper.”

“It's okay,” Isla propped her feet up onto the coffee table and settled into the couch. “Let’s watch a movie.”

As she often did since Everleigh had been born, Isla fell asleep halfway through the movie. By the time she woke up, Alexis and Harper were gone but Vera was still on the recliner watching TV.

“Where’s Lex?”

“I got her and Harper settled into the guest room.”

Since Harper had been born, they’d brought Everleigh’s crib out for her when she was at their house. Vera made sure the guest room was always ready for guests.

Isla and Vera’s phone beeped with the sound of Everleigh’s diabetes app just as her service dog, Nala, came into the room. She whined and booped her nose against Isla’s leg as she was trained to do.

“It’s high,” Vera stated as she looked at the app.

“I’ll grab the insulin.”

“Mason will be here in a minute,” Vera sadly laughed as she took a treat out of the container they kept by the couch and gave one to Nala. Mason was still living in the garage apartment and had the same alerts on her phone for Everleigh’s levels as Isla and Vera did.

“I’ll meet you upstairs, Mama.”

Isla kissed her softly as Vera headed up the stairs with Nala and Isla grabbed the insulin out of the refrigerator. The back door opened as Mason rushed in with her phone in her hand.

“It’s high.”

“I know.”

Isla held up the insulin to Mason as they walked up the stairs to Everleigh’s room. Vera had woken her up to do a finger prick as she cradled her in her arms. Everleigh wasn’t much of a cuddler, not like Ellie had been, but she always seemed to know Vera needed the cuddles when her blood sugar was out of whack. They all worried about Everleigh, but Isla knew that deep down Vera still blamed herself for the diagnosis. The thought of that broke Isla’s heart as she sat on the bed beside them.

“210.” Vera showed the test to Isla.

Everleigh had been using the Dexcom to regulate her blood sugar for a few months now, which meant they had their routine almost down to a science. Vera usually held Everleigh as Isla gave her an insulin shot. Mason checked the site where she had a monitor on earlier to see if it had fallen off. Opening the drawer in Everleigh’s nightstand, Mason pulled out an alcohol prep pad and wiped the site clean on the back of her arm.

---