Page 76 of Finding Wonderland

“I love our little family,” Isla commented as she kissed Mason’s cheek.

“Me, too.”

“Me three,” Mason added with a smile. “What do you two think?”

Although Eleanor and Brayden were sound asleep, Mason pretended to wait for their answers. She nodded firmly; her smile still wide on her face.

“Exactly. They agree.”

“I mean,” Vera chuckled, “how could they not?”

Vera soaked in the memories of her small family and squeezed Isla’s shoulder to get her attention. She mouthed I love you, and Isla said it back. They really had the best family.

Chapter 27

Isla

2007

Birthdays were bittersweet for Isla. She had missed so many of Blake’s that it felt wrong to celebrate her other children’s big days. But Isla knew that was unfair to them. Their three kids deserved to have the best birthday parties Isla and Vera could throw, even if Mason’s sixteenth birthday party was going to be the death of Isla.

Mason had insisted she have a sleepover with her friends at their garage apartment. There were six of them total: Maddie, Walker, Emily, and the Garner twins, Jones and Mallory. And Mason, of course. They were all great kids, but when they were all together it was a loud bunch of giggling girls, which only added to the chaos that was their house with two one-year-olds wanting to be more involved in their sister’s lives than she wanted them to be. Neither Brayden nor Ellie understood that they weren’t also teenagers.

Isla and Vera had decorated the garage apartment in varying greens and blues, at Mason’s request, and blown-up air mattresses for the girls to sleep on. They’d borrowed a projector from Maggie and Vera had been trying with little success to get it centered on the wall.

“I must be doing something wrong. I can’t get this straight.”

“It knows it’s in a gay house.”

“What?” Vera huffed a laugh as she put her hands on her hips. “What does that even mean?”

“It means you can’t make something straight that doesn’t want to be straight.”

Isla’s teasing was met with an eyeroll and a dismissive wave of Vera’s hand. But she couldn’t hide the smile that was forming on her lips. Even if Vera didn’t want to admit it, Isla knew she found her jokes funny. Most of the time, at least.

“Will you drop the comedy routine and help me? I need to finish this before everyone gets here.”

“Okay, okay.”

As they worked to fix the projector, Isla let her mind wander back to when Mason was born. She’d been early, for one of the few times in her life. Isla had called her midwife, who came right over. Ben was at work, which was just as fine with Isla. Their relationship had already started to crumble, and she’d rather birth her daughter in peace anyway.

Blake had been the best big sister the whole time Isla was pregnant with Mason. She was attentive and loving and her favorite activity was reading to Isla’s stomach. Isla could still hear her baby voice saying I love you, Mason as she kissed her stomach. When it was time to deliver Mason, Blake was still by her side along with Isla’s youngest sister, Eden. Isla would never forget the confused look on Blake’s face the first time she saw seconds old Mason lying on Isla’s bare chest.

“She looks like an alien,” Blake giggled.

“Oh, sweetie,” Isla laughed, “you did too when you were first born.”

“You okay?” It was then Isla realized she had zoned out while holding the projector up for Vera to adjust the feet. She shook her head, clearing her thoughts.

“Yeah, sorry. Got distracted.”

But Vera knew it was more than that. Isla could tell by the way her eyes softened. Vera knew her better than anyone, and she always seemed to know when Isla’s mind was on Blake. Taking the projector from Isla, Vera sat it on the small table before taking her hand.

“Talk to me.”

“I was thinking about when Mason was born,” she smiled sadly. “It’s a happy and sad memory.”

“Oh, honey.” Vera pulled her into a hug. “I know birthdays are hard for you. I wish there was a way I could make them easier.”

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