Page 25 of Finding Wonderland

Vera nodded, seeming to understand what Isla was asking. “I can, or I can stay here with you. What would help you?”

Isla was stunned by her response. It only added to the fact that Vera was different. She was special. And she was too damn good for Isla.

“Be with Mason. Please.”

“Okay,” Vera nodded. “I’ll come and find you as soon as she’s out of surgery, okay?”

“Okay.”

Before either of them had time to overthink their next move, the two embraced and quickly kissed. It was as if it was their routine every time before Vera headed off to the operating room. But the scary part for Isla was it felt so damn good and natural. How were her feelings developing so quickly and so strongly?

And how was she going to be able to keep from going insane with thoughts of Mason, Blake, and Vera all vying for her attention?

Finding a magazine in the waiting room, Isla took a seat and tried to distract herself. But the magazine was boring, and old. She already knew about all the celebrity gossip it contained. Tossing the magazine aside, she turned her attention to the TV that was playing quietly in the corner of the room. The local news was on, which gave her a temporary distraction for the hour or so she sat impatiently in the waiting room.

Until that damned commercial came on again.

Isla felt as if she couldn’t breathe. All her emotions around Blake bubbled up to the surface once again and mixed with her worries about Mason. Rushing outside, Isla barely made it to the green grass before throwing up.

She was angry with herself and at the world for not being able to better protect her children. They were her daughters. It was her job to protect them and yet she’d let one daughter be taken from her and another was in surgery.

I’m a terrible mother.

Isla felt her heart breaking for all the things she couldn’t control. She hated not being able to protect them at all costs. As badly as she wished she could go back in time and change everything that had happened over the last year, Isla knew it was impossible. One way or another, she’d have to find out how to pick up the broken pieces of her life and make them into a mosaic. She had to: for herself, for Mason, and for Blake.

“Isla!” Vera’s voice was frantic and it startled Isla from her thoughts. “Are you okay?”

It was then Isla noticed she was on her hands and knees on the ground with her purse haphazardly lying beside her. Vera helped her to her feet, then pulled her into a hug. She seemed to know exactly what Isla needed to hear.

“Mason is okay.”

“Good,” she sobbed happily into Vera’s shoulder. “Thank you.”

“The surgery went great. She did great. She’s going to be okay.”

“Thank you.”

Carefully, Vera took a step back enough to see Isla’s face. She brushed her hair out of her face and wiped her tears. It was becoming an all too regular occurrence with them.

“I’m sorry.”

Vera cocked her head. “For what?”

“That I’m such a fucked-up mess.”

“You, my gorgeous Isla, are not a fucked-up mess. You’re a beautiful human trying to handle everything life throws at you the best way you know how.” Vera kissed her forehead softly. “And, for the record, I think you’re doing a great job.”

“How can you say that? I mean,” Isla gestures to herself, “look at me. I’m a mess.”

“No.” Vera shook her head. “You’re Isla. You’re an amazing mom. Mason is so lucky to have you as her mom. I see the way you are with her; how much you love her. I know she feels that.” She paused for a moment before continuing. “And I know Blake feels it, too.”

Isla resisted the urge to hug Vera again.

“You’re too good to me. I don’t deserve this.” Taking a few steps back, Isla tossed up her hands. “I never planned on you showing up in my life, you know? I was supposed to move to this town, keep my head low, and make a life for Mason. I never planned on you.”

“I never planned on you either.”

Is she smiling? She’s smiling.

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