Page 115 of Finding Wonderland

Isla snorted a laugh. “Yeah, well. It was a crazy night.” Slowly, Isla walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. “I need to tell you something.”

“Okay…”

Inhaling deeply, Isla blurted out, “Blake is downstairs.”

Time seemed to freeze as Isla’s words hit Vera’s heart and registered with her brain. Blake? Their Blake? The Blake they had been praying would come back into their lives for twenty-five years? She was downstairs? In their home?

It was all too much for Vera to comprehend.

“Wh—what?”

“She just showed up at the bar tonight. Out of the blue.” Isla reached out and took hold of Vera’s hand. “She found our letters cleaning out her father’s house after he died.” Her voice cracked, and Vera sat up beside her on the edge of the bed. “She never knew we sent them.”

“Oh, Isla.” Pulling her close, Vera held her as tightly as she could. “So, she’s here?”

“She is.”

“For how long?”

“I don’t know. We haven’t talked about that.”

“But she’s staying here tonight, right?”

“Yeah,” she nodded. “She was going to get a room at the inn and I told her no way.”

“No, she’s our daughter. She stays here.”

“Do you want to meet her?” Isla’s smile spread wider than Vera had seen in a while as tears brimmed her brown eyes.

Vera chuckled, bringing a smile to both of their faces. “What kind of question is that?”

Taking Isla’s hand, they walked down the stairs into the kitchen. She could see Blake in the living room, looking at the pictures on the mantle. The first thing Vera noticed was how much Blake looked like Isla standing there. Of course, she had seen the resemblance before. But seeing Blake in person made it all the more apparent.

“She looks just like you.”

“I know.” Isla smiled, nodding toward the living room. “Come on. Let me introduce you to our daughter.”

They held each other’s hands as they walked toward her.

“Blake?”

Blake turned toward Isla’s voice as she walked into the kitchen. When Vera’s eyes met Blake, she gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. After years of praying to finally meet Blake, it was really happening. She couldn’t believe all their dreams were coming true.

Isla squeezed her hand she was still holding.

“Vera, this is Blake.” She turned her attention to Blake. “Blake, this is my wife, Vera.”

Without hesitation, Vera closed the gap between them and pulled her into a hug. “It is so great to meet you.”

There was a slight hesitation on Blake’s end with the hug, and for a moment Vera worried she had come on too hard and fast for Blake’s comfort. But all fears were washed away when Blake tentatively put her arms around Vera and hugged her back.

“I’m so happy you’re here.”

“Um, yeah.” Blake stepped out of her embrace and smiled. “Me, too.”

“Are you hungry? I can fix you something to eat if you are?”

“Baby,” Isla came up behind her, wrapping her arms around her waist, “it’s almost midnight. I’m sure Blake is tired, aren’t you, honey?”

---