Page 80 of Finding Wonderland

“She said she wasn’t sleepy,” Vera laughed softly. Slowly, Isla knelt down and rested her head on the recliner beside Vera’s. She ran her hand over Ellie’s cheek as Vera leaned her head onto Isla’s. “I’m sorry I didn’t come up to bed. I just couldn’t send her back to bed.”

“I don’t blame you at all. I would have done the same thing.”

Turning her head, Vera kissed Isla. It was soft and quick, but still had all the passion in the world behind it.

“She asked for a puppy again from Santa.”

“Of course, she did,” Isla chuckled. “Did she mention Blake again?”

“Of course.”

“I wish that one would come true.”

“Me, too, love.” Vera kissed her again. “Me, too.”

Isla stood back up, crossing her arms over her chest. “I’ll get Brayden up. We can go get breakfast at Carlson’s.”

“Okay.” As Isla turned to go, Vera grabbed onto her hand. “Babe?”

“Yeah?”

“I love you.”

Turning back around, Isla smiled and squeezed Vera’s hand. “I love you more.”

“Impossible.”

“Whatever,” Vera waved her off with a laugh. “I’ll bring Ellie upstairs in a minute to get ready.”

“Take your time. I’m going to try to squeeze in some Brady snuggles if he’s still asleep.”

Vera watched as Isla headed back into the kitchen and up the stairs. Although she hated to wake Ellie, the clock on the cable box told her it was almost eight. Typically, the kids were up well before seven. And with needing to be at the office at nine, Vera wanted to have breakfast with her family first.

“Ellie,” Vera whispered into her ear as she rubbed her back, “wake up, sweetheart.”

Reluctantly, Ellie woke up and stretched her arms out, nearly missing Vera’s head. She grinned up at Vera with her way too cute sleepy smile.

“Morning, Mama.”

“Good morning, baby.” Vera kissed her forehead. “Do you want to go to Carlson’s for breakfast?”

“And get pancakes?” She was suddenly more awake than the second before.

“Of course,” Vera tried to match her enthusiasm. “Let’s go get ready and go, okay?”

“Okay!”

As Ellie scampered up the stairs, Vera slowly stood from the recliner and popped her back. Sleeping in the chair wasn’t nearly as comfortable as it used to be and her bones and muscles were protesting hard.

Her eyes fluttered across the four identical picture frames set along the fireplace mantle. Vera studied each of them; each one containing a picture of each child. They replaced them every few months with an updated photo of the kids.

But it was the last one she focused on. It was the last picture of Blake Isla had taken. She was five, smiling up at Isla with a goofy grin on her face.

As much as Vera loved the photo, she hoped one day soon they could change it out for an updated one.

Chapter 29

Isla