Chapter 39
Isla
2019
T he time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s always seemed to be packed with more events and gatherings than Isla thought was possible to attend. There were Christmas pageants for the kids at school, parties at work for both Isla and Vera, and countless gatherings with family and friends. Isla would never complain about the rushed feeling of the holidays, but she was thankful for a quiet night alone with her wife during all the busyness. Brayden, Ellie, and Everleigh were all spending the night at friends’ houses, meaning the moms could do whatever they wanted.
Granted, these days, that meant watching a cheesy Hallmark Christmas movie while eating popcorn and snuggling up under a warm blanket with the fire going in the fireplace. But honestly, there was nowhere else Isla would rather be. Being with Vera was her favorite part of any day.
“You know,” Vera said as she munched on the popcorn, “we kinda have that Hallmark type of love story.”
Isla arched an eyebrow at her, waiting for her to go on.
“I mean, you show up in my small town with this cute little kid, and you both make me fall in love with you.”
“Oh, we made you, huh?” Isla teased.
“When that little four-year-old Mason asked me over to have spaghetti with you, there was no stopping myself from falling in love with both of you.”
Vera turned her head slightly, allowing Isla to kiss her lips. Moving the popcorn onto the coffee table, Isla slowly shifted her body to lie on the couch as Vera moved on top of her. Their kissing intensified as Vera tugged at the string on her sweatpants. Isla was ready to be touched by her wife.
Thankfully, she didn’t have to wait long for Vera to put her hand down her pants and find her clit. Isla’s back arched slightly off the couch as Vera moved her lips to her neck. She moaned, fully ready for an orgasm sooner rather than later.
But she wasn’t ready for the phone to ring.
“Leave it,” Isla said through kisses.
“It might be one of the kids.” Vera paused her kissing but stayed on top of Isla with her finger on her clit as she reached for the phone on the coffee table. “It’s Mason.”
“She wouldn’t want us to stop this.”
Her comment was met with a dismissive wave of Vera's hand and an eye roll as she pulled her hand from Isla’s sweatpants. Vera answered the phone, putting Mason on speakerphone.
“Hey, Mace.”
“Mama?”
Isla and Vera knew instantly that something was wrong. They jumped up from the couch and quickly grabbed each other's hands.
“Mason? Honey? What’s wrong?”
“Chase has been shot,” Mason sobbed into the phone as Isla’s stomach fell to the floor. “Linda called and told me. I’m on my way to the hospital now, but I need you and Mom. Please,” she sobbed again. “I’m so scared. She can’t die, Mama. She can’t.”
“I know, baby.” Vera followed Isla into the kitchen as they put on their shoes by the back door. “We’ll meet you there, okay?”
“I’m just pulling in.”
“Okay, we’re on our way, Mace. I love you.”
“I love you, too, baby.”
“I love you both.”
Hanging up the phone, Vera looked at Isla. It was clear they were both thinking the same thing, but neither of them said it out loud.
“Chase is going to be okay,” Isla finally said.
“She has to be. It will crush Mason otherwise.”
Hand in hand, they headed out to the Jeep and over to the hospital. Isla’s mind kept running wild, wondering what had happened. Chase was on the police force, but it wasn’t like shootings happened often in Moonflower Cove. In fact, Isla couldn’t even recall the last one they had. How could this have happened to sweet Chase? And was she okay? Isla wished she had answers.
Parking the Jeep, they ran into the waiting room to find Mason, Chase’s family, and several officers. Mason immediately ran to Vera, nearly collapsing in her arms as Isla hugged them both as tightly as she could.
“I can’t lose her,” Mason sobbed, and Vera slowly sank to the floor with her still in her arms. They were all on their knees as Mason sobbed into Vera’s shoulder. “She’s my best friend. She can’t die. I need her.”
“Shh, baby, I know.” Vera kissed her head. “I know.”
Isla rubbed Mason’s back, knowing that’s how she liked to be comforted. She knew Mason was in good hands with Vera—literally—so she looked at Vera and nodded. Vera nodded back, silently letting Isla know she had Mason. Standing, Isla hesitantly walked over to Chase’s family.
“Oh, Isla,” Linda Monroe pulled Isla into a hug. Isla didn’t dare pull away, not until Linda did.
“I’m so sorry, Linda.”
“She’s my baby.”
“I know.” Isla tried to keep from bursting into tears as she asked, “What happened?”
“It was a traffic stop,” one of the officers stepped in to answer as Isla crossed her arms over her chest. “Chase pulled him over, and as she approached the vehicle, he stepped out and shot her. Five fucking times.”
The officer—Officer Rosolowski, according to the name tag—took a moment to compose himself.
“I heard the mayday call on the radio and rushed there. When I got there, some passersby had stopped to help her. If they hadn’t,” his voice broke, and Isla put a hand on his shoulder, “I don’t know if she would have made it.”
Instinctively, Isla pulled the young officer into a hug. He was probably Mason and Chase’s age, and her heart went out to him. After the officer composed himself, he wiped a tear from his eyes and continued.
“She’s in surgery now. They don’t know how long it’s going to take. Her knee and hip are shattered, but they’re just trying to control the bleeding now.” He paused for a moment, seemingly unsure if he should continue. So Linda stepped in for him.
“One of the bullets grazed her uterus. They’re trying to save it, but…” Linda was overcome with emotions again as she turned to her husband, who hugged her.
Isla felt like she’d been punched in the stomach. How could this be happening to Chase, her family, and Mason?
Mason.
Excusing herself from the Monroes and the officers, Isla rejoined Mason and Vera.
“Let’s go to my office, okay?”
Mason nodded, allowing Isla and Vera to pull her to her feet. They each put an arm around her waist as they walked to the elevator and rode it up to Vera’s office. It was small, as it was only used when she was at the hospital for surgeries or births. But there was a couch, and they helped Mason sit on it as they flanked her on either side. Turning to Isla, Mason buried her face in her chest.
“She has to be okay, Mom. She has to.”
“I know, baby.”
Isla had no idea how long they were there. By the time a doctor found them, the sun was starting to rise. Mason had, thankfully, fallen asleep on Vera’s lap, but they woke her when the doctor came in along with Linda. They stood, waiting to hear the news.
“So, the good news is, Chase is alive.”
Mason sobbed at his words as Isla silently thanked God.
“But her injuries are extensive, and recovery isn’t going to be easy or fast. She has many, many more surgeries ahead of her and a long road of physical therapy to recovery.”
“But she’s alive,” Mason cried. “Can I see her?”
“She’s in a medically-induced coma right now to help her body heal.” The doctor looked at Linda, who nodded. “But as long as it’s okay with her family, I don’t have a problem with you seeing her now. Just,” he paused, gazing at Isla and Vera, “prepare yourselves.”
Even with the warning, nothing could have prepared them for seeing Chase in the hospital room. There were more IVs and wires hooked up to her than Isla knew was possible. Her face was swollen, as were her hands. If it weren’t for the tubes and wires all over her face, Isla might have convinced herself she was sleeping.
“Chase,” Mason hesitantly walked over to the side of the bed. Tears were streaming down her face as she tensely reached out and took Chase’s hand, careful not to disturb the oxygen monitor on her hand. “Chase? Hey. It’s me, Mason.”
Vera was standing behind Mason, with Isla behind her. Isla gently wrapped her arms around Vera, who turned into her embrace as they watched Mason talk to Chase. With each beat of Chase’s heartbeat on the screen, Isla felt herself fully ready to come undone. Chase was like another child to them. She had been Mason’s best friend for years and was always around their house. Seeing her in such pain was almost more than Isla could bear.
After nearly an hour in the room with Chase, Isla and Vera left Mason in the room with Chase’s family as they stepped out for breakfast. Neither of them was hungry but knew they needed to eat. They called the families their kids were staying with and asked them to keep them a little longer. As Isla sat her tray down on the table, she sighed. Vera did the same.
“So,” Isla swallowed hard as she popped the top of the can of Diet Coke, “how bad is it?”
“Bad.” Vera looked up at Isla, shaking her head. “I took a look at her chart. She’s going to need a hip replacement and a knee replacement, and that’s if they don’t amputate.”
“Do you think that’s a possibility?”
“I don’t know. This isn't my specialty.” Vera winced. “I wish they had consulted me before they did the hysterectomy.”
“Baby,” Isla reached out, taking Vera’s hand in hers, “you were in no place to make that call. And you know Stacey wouldn’t have done that unless she absolutely had to in order to save Chase’s life.”
Stacy Jameson had been one of Vera’s coworkers for years and was one of the best. She’d helped Vera deliver Ellie and Brayden, so Isla trusted her as much as she did Vera.
“Chase is alive. That’s what matters right now.”
“You’re right,” Vera said, letting out a long sigh. “Everything is going to be okay.”
“It will be.”
“It has to be. Mason can’t handle much more. This almost killed her.”
Isla couldn’t protest the fact. It was true.
“But do you know what makes me so mad I can feel smoke coming out of my ears?” Vera didn’t wish for Isla to respond. “The fact that dirt bag fiancé of Chase’s hasn’t shown his grubby little face.”
No one in the Mackenzie family liked Shane; Vera was probably the least of them all. From what Isla knew, he was a perfectly fine man, but he wasn’t right for Chase. And no matter how much Chase tried to say otherwise, Isla knew she wasn’t truly happy with him—not that she’d ever tell Chase that she thought that.
But Vera did have a point. It had been Mason crying at Chase’s bedside, not Shane. Isla picked up her turkey sandwich and took a bite as she shrugged.
“Maybe you’re right.”
“About what?”
“About Mason and Chase being made for each other.”
“I just hope this makes Mason realize that.”
“Me, too,” Isla smirked, making Vera smile. “I’d love to have her as a daughter-in-law.”