Page 68 of Finding Wonderland

Squirting more gel onto Vera’s stomach, Stacey moved the wand around a little until the grainy black and white image appeared on the screen. Vera scanned it frantically, looking for anything out of the normal. It was then Vera saw it.

“Oh… oh, shit,” she laughed as she put the back of her hand to her head. “How did we miss that?”

“I don’t know,” Stacey chuckled, nodding her head toward Isla and Mason. “You want to tell them?”

“Is it what I think it is?” Isla’s eyes were brimmed with tears as she looked at the screen and then back at Vera.

“It is. It’s twins.”

“Twins?” Mason gasped. “That explains why you’re already showing.”

“Thanks, Mace,” Vera laughed as she wiped a tear from her eyes. Looking up, Vera couldn’t help but laugh at Isla’s white-as-a-ghost expression while she was also smiling ear to ear. “Twins.”

“Twins,” Isla repeated with a laugh.

It was then Vera caught a glimpse of Mason wiping away a tear. Vera held out a hand to her and Mason went to her willingly. She leaned down, putting her arms around Vera’s neck.

“I was so worried something was wrong, Mama.”

“It’s okay, sweetie.” Vera kissed her cheek several times, as she often did when she was comforting Mason. “Me and the babies are okay.”

“Twins,” Mason repeated. “That’s a lot of diapers.”

“Then it’s a good thing there’s three of us and two of them.”

Later that night, Vera made her way downstairs to the recliner. It had become the only place she could comfortably sleep since laying down seemed to always give her heartburn. She’d made the recliner her second bed, and with twins, Vera was sure she would be there more often than not to sleep.

Lifting up her shirt, Vera placed a hand on her stomach. Her baby bump made her smile every time she looked at it. She knew watching it grow would mean getting her babies closer to delivery.

“Mama loves you so much, babies,” she whispered into the quiet house.

“They love you too.” Isla startled her as she came around the recliner and sat on the couch beside her. “Can’t sleep?”

“I think the fried chicken was a bad idea tonight.”

“Heartburn?”

She picked up the bottle of Tums wedged between her hip and the recliner and shook them. “Yup.”

“I’m sorry, baby.”

“It’s okay.” Looking down at her baby bump again, Vera pulled her shirt back down. She waited for a beat before looking at Isla. “Are you okay?”

Isla’s brow furrowed in confusion. “What?”

“You’ve been really quiet since the appointment.”

Vera watched as Isla lowered her gaze. Reaching out her hand over the side of the recliner, Vera waited until Isla took it before continuing.

“Talk to me, baby.”

Isla’s lower lip quivered as she knelt down beside the recliner, looking up at Vera. “I was so worried something was wrong with you or the babies. And it just took me back to last year and I couldn’t imagine going through that again.”

“Isla, honey,” Vera put her hand on her cheek, “I know. I was worried too. But things are different now.”

“I know.” Isla sniffled, wiping a tear from her eyes. “I just love you so much and I can’t wait to have babies with you.”

“Come here.” Scooting over, Vera made as much room as she could for Isla on the recliner. Isla snuggled in next to her as their legs intertwined. Taking Isla’s hand, Vera lifted her shirt and placed her hand on her stomach. “There are two babies growing in there that cannot wait for you to be their mom. And I’m so excited to go on this journey with you. I know it’s not been easy, but everything we have gone through led us here.”

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