Page 2 of Finding Wonderland

“Did you know about this?”

“Not a clue.” Taking Isla’s hand, they walked over to everyone. “What is all of this?”

“We wanted to surprise you.” Ellie gave them a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek followed by Brayden, Everleigh, Mason, and Blake—their babies.

“It was Mason’s idea,” Blake added.

“Well, we were surprised.” Vera wrapped her arms around Blake’s neck and hugged her. “How did you get all this set up?”

“Why do you think we kicked you out of the house all day?” Their only son Brayden’s comment made everyone laugh.

“This is all too much.” The emotion was evident in Isla’s voice. “We don’t deserve all this.”

“Are you kidding me?” Mason chimed in. “You two deserve this more than anyone I know. All of this,” she motioned toward everyone around her, “is because you two fell in love.”

As Vera’s eyes met Isla’s once more, they both knew what Mason said was true. The life they had built for themselves, their family, and their friends was hard fought and not without its struggles. But Vera wouldn’t have it any other way. She loved her life with Isla.

“Ah, kiss already.” It was their nine-year-old granddaughter Harper with the comment, which was followed by laughter from everyone. But Isla and Vera did as they were told. A round of applause accompanied it before Isla and Vera followed everyone into the backyard.

The scene looked like one straight from a movie. A DJ was set up on one side of the yard with a makeshift dance floor installed in front of him. Each table was covered with framed photos from their lives together while more photos hung along the back porch railing. A buffet of every kind of dessert imaginable was centered with a two-tiered wedding cake.

“This is all too much,” Vera said, leaning her head onto Isla’s shoulder. “We have the best kids.”

“We really do.”

“And the best life.”

“It’s been an amazing twenty years.”

“It’s been an amazing twenty-nine years,” Vera added with a smile.

As everyone came by the dessert table, they wished Isla and Vera a happy anniversary. It was so wonderful to see all their family and friends in one place; it happened less and less as the years went on. They found seats at a table with a sign marked Mrs. & Mrs. and happily munched on more desserts.

“Hey, Moms,” Blake called from one of the nearby tables, “why don’t you tell us a story?”

“A story?”

“Yeah,” Mason chimed in. “About how you met, or your wedding day, or something. Please?”

Vera shrugged as she smiled at Isla. They both busted into uncontrollable laughter for no apparent reason; it tended to happen more often with them lately. Life had been too damn good to them.

“Well,” Isla shrugged, still laughing, “I guess we could start at the beginning and go from there, hmm?”

“Works for me.”

Grabbing their chairs, Vera pulled them away so she and Isla could sit front and center with everyone. She watched as their family and friends all turned toward them, ready to listen.

“Do you want to start?”

“Will do,” Isla said with a warm smile.

Chapter 1

Isla

1995

Somehow ten months had passed since Isla Mackenzie’s world was turned upside down. There were times when she was legitimately impressed with herself that she was still waking up each day and functioning as she needed to for herself and her four-year-old daughter, Mason. Despite her pain, Isla had managed to secure a new apartment for them in a small coastal town in Maine. It wasn’t much and it definitely wasn’t the luxurious house she once shared with her ex. But nothing was as it once was.

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