Page 16 of Finding Wonderland

“Are you sure?” Slowly, Vera reached out and wiped a tear away from under Isla’s eye. “Your tears tell another story.”

Isla’s lower lip quivered and Vera had to fight her instinct to pull her into a hug. She didn’t know if they were that kind of friends yet.

“Things have just been tough recently. Moneywise and otherwise. I feel like I’m failing her because I can’t give her everything she wants.” Isla wiped away more tears as she finally made eye contact with Vera. “Then I see how happy she is over a lunchbox and I remember that she’s a good kid and she’s going to be okay. Even if it feels like I’ll never be okay again.”

“Hey, come here.” Pulling Isla into a hug, she gently rubbed her back as Isla shed a few more tears. It wasn’t a sob; more just sad, pent-up tears finding their way to the surface finally. “You’re a great mom. Mason seems like an awesome kid and I cannot wait to have dinner with the both of you.”

“You’re sweet.” Isla pulled back, wiping the rest of the tears away. “I promise I’m not always like this.”

“I believe you.”

“It’s just been a lot this last year.”

“I can’t imagine what you’re going through.”

Vera paused, unsure if she should continue talking or just letting things stop there.

But Vera was never one to keep her mouth shut.

“I’m here if you ever want to talk.” She smiled. “Friend to friend.”

Isla narrowed her eyes at her as she smiled. “We’re friends?”

“Aren’t we?” Vera laughed.

“We are.”

“Good.”

Looking more at ease again, Isla picked up the flowers and smelled them once more. She motioned for Vera to follow her, which she did, as they walked to the kitchen. “Dinner’s ready; I have the spaghetti staying warm on the stove and garlic bread is in the toaster oven.”

“It smells delicious.”

“It’s frozen,” she shrugged.

“As are most of my meals,” Vera joked. “I don’t have much time to cook for myself with my schedule. And besides, it’s hard to cook for just one.”

Taking an empty glass vase from under the kitchen sink, Isla filled it halfway with water before setting the flowers inside. Vera watched from a few feet away; her hip leaning up against the countertop. She sat the flowers on a small card table she had decorated with a paper tablecloth with fall leaves on it along with brightly colored napkins. Wiping her hands on her jeans, Isla smiled at Vera.

“Well, you’re always welcome to dinner here.”

“Thank you. That’s very sweet of you.”

For a moment, time seemed to stand still. It was as if both were afraid to move or speak another word in fear of ruining whatever was happening between them. Vera wondered if Isla was feeling the same thing. Their bodies felt like magnets as they closed the space between them and their lips nearly touched until they heard Mason ask, “Is dinner ready yet?”

Snapping back into reality, they parted ways faster than rats when the lights came on. Vera tried to casually lean up against the counter as Isla grabbed two wine glasses out of a cardboard box. She held them up to Vera, who nodded.

“Red okay?”

“Red is perfect. Thanks.”

Finally taking a full breath, Vera wondered how hard it would be to make it through dinner without wondering how Isla’s lips would have felt on hers.

Chapter 7

Isla

Isla’s head was spinning with thoughts of Vera. Had they almost kissed? Did Vera want to kiss her? More importantly, did Isla want to kiss Vera? The short answer to the latter was yes. She did indeed want to kiss Vera. And she probably would have if Mason hadn’t interrupted their moment alone.

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