Chapter 40
Vera
2020
A long day at work followed by picking up all three kids from their various after-school activities meant fast food burgers for dinner. Vera had been too tired to cook, and with Isla working late at the bar, burgers seemed as good of a meal as they could get. After dinner, she’d helped Brayden with his math homework while Ellie helped Everleigh prepare for her spelling test. The end of the school year rush was creeping up on all of them, but Vera was ready to have the kids home for the summer.
Even if it meant more chaos than usual in the Mackenzie house. Which was nothing new for them. With two fourteen-year-olds, an eight-year-old, and two dogs under one roof, it was always crazy at their house. Not that Isla and Vera would have it any other way. The chaos that was their lives was what they had longed to have for years before they finally had it. Vera wouldn’t change a thing.
By the time she finally plopped down in bed to catch up on the reality TV Isla detested, she was almost too tired to watch it. She sank into the pillows and yawned as she started her show. Nearly an hour later, she heard the front door open. It wasn’t unusual for Isla to stay late at work, but it was rare for her to be coming home so close to midnight. The bedroom door creaked open as Isla stepped into the room.
“Hey,” Vera turned off the TV, “you’re home late.”
Isla snorted a laugh. “Yeah, well. It was a crazy night.” Slowly, Isla walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. “I need to tell you something.”
“Okay…”
Inhaling deeply, Isla blurted out, “Blake is downstairs.”
Time seemed to freeze as Isla’s words hit Vera’s heart and registered with her brain. Blake? Their Blake? The Blake they had been praying would come back into their lives for twenty-five years? She was downstairs? In their home?
It was all too much for Vera to comprehend.
“Wh—what?”
“She just showed up at the bar tonight. Out of the blue.” Isla reached out and took hold of Vera’s hand. “She found our letters cleaning out her father’s house after he died.” Her voice cracked, and Vera sat up beside her on the edge of the bed. “She never knew we sent them.”
“Oh, Isla.” Pulling her close, Vera held her as tightly as she could. “So, she’s here?”
“She is.”
“For how long?”
“I don’t know. We haven’t talked about that.”
“But she’s staying here tonight, right?”
“Yeah,” she nodded. “She was going to get a room at the inn and I told her no way.”
“No, she’s our daughter. She stays here.”
“Do you want to meet her?” Isla’s smile spread wider than Vera had seen in a while as tears brimmed her brown eyes.
Vera chuckled, bringing a smile to both of their faces. “What kind of question is that?”
Taking Isla’s hand, they walked down the stairs into the kitchen. She could see Blake in the living room, looking at the pictures on the mantle. The first thing Vera noticed was how much Blake looked like Isla standing there. Of course, she had seen the resemblance before. But seeing Blake in person made it all the more apparent.
“She looks just like you.”
“I know.” Isla smiled, nodding toward the living room. “Come on. Let me introduce you to our daughter.”
They held each other’s hands as they walked toward her.
“Blake?”
Blake turned toward Isla’s voice as she walked into the kitchen. When Vera’s eyes met Blake, she gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. After years of praying to finally meet Blake, it was really happening. She couldn’t believe all their dreams were coming true.
Isla squeezed her hand she was still holding.
“Vera, this is Blake.” She turned her attention to Blake. “Blake, this is my wife, Vera.”
Without hesitation, Vera closed the gap between them and pulled her into a hug. “It is so great to meet you.”
There was a slight hesitation on Blake’s end with the hug, and for a moment Vera worried she had come on too hard and fast for Blake’s comfort. But all fears were washed away when Blake tentatively put her arms around Vera and hugged her back.
“I’m so happy you’re here.”
“Um, yeah.” Blake stepped out of her embrace and smiled. “Me, too.”
“Are you hungry? I can fix you something to eat if you are?”
“Baby,” Isla came up behind her, wrapping her arms around her waist, “it’s almost midnight. I’m sure Blake is tired, aren’t you, honey?”
Vera could feel Isla nodding, and she resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She knew she could come across as overbearing, but it was out of love and nothing else. Her excitement over having Blake home was all she could focus on.
Blake grinned, which looked just like Ellie’s. “I am tired. It’s been a long day.”
“Okay, well,” Vera clasped her hands together and mentally went through the list of things Blake would need to feel at home in their house. The most pressing was a place to stay. “We have a guest room downstairs that is already ready for company, and you’re welcome to use that. Or,” she looked to Isla, then to Blake, a gleam in her eyes, “we have an apartment over the garage we can clean out if you want to stay longer.”
“Baby,” Isla playfully covered her mouth with a laugh and kissed her cheek. Vera knew it was Isla’s way of saying to take it slow with Blake so they don’t scare her away. Once Isla removed her hand from her mouth, she took a step around Isla. “Come on, Blake. I’ll show you the guest room.”
The trio walked out of the kitchen and down the small hallway to the guest room, which also served as Vera’s home office.
“The bathroom is across the hall, and there are clean towels in the hall closet. There’s also toiletries and everything under the sink if you forgot to pack anything. If you need anything else, let us know.”
“Yes,” Isla nodded in agreement, “we’ll be happy to get you anything you need.”
Nodding, Blake sat her backpack on the bed, tucking her hands into the pockets of her jacket. “Thank you both.”
A moment of awkward silence filled the room as Vera looped her arm around Isla’s. She wasn’t sure if Isla and Blake were ready to say goodnight or if they wanted to talk longer. Isla she could usually read, but tonight was harder. There were so many emotions Vera could make out on Isla’s face that she didn’t know which one was the primary one.
Not able to stand the silence any longer, Vera clasped her hands together.
“Well, we’ll let you get some sleep.” She looked to Isla to see if that was what she wanted, but Vera still couldn’t read her. “Our bedroom is at the top of the stairs on the left if you need anything. The kids will be up around six to get ready for school so, I’m sorry in advance if they wake you.”
The dogs. What if she doesn’t like dogs?
“Oh,” she snapped her fingers together, “do you like dogs?”
“Yeah, I do.”
“Good; we have two retrievers. One is a Golden—Holly—and she's a pregnant goofball who's probably lounging around here somewhere. And don't let her sad eyes fool you. She has definitely already eaten.”
“Noted,” Blake laughed.
“And our youngest, Everleigh, has a service dog,” Isla added. “She has diabetes, and the dog notifies her when her blood sugar drops. Her name is Nala, and she's a black lab.”
Vera didn’t pause to give Blake time to say anything. “Blake, what do you eat for breakfast?"
“Um, anything is fine. I'm not a picky eater.”
“That's good to know.”
“Baby, why don't you go get one of those warm blankets from our closet and bring it down here for Blake.”
Now she’s easy to read.
Vera took her cue and headed upstairs to get the blanket. Her mind was racing with how sweet Blake was and how she couldn’t wait to get to know her. After saying goodnight to Blake, Isla and Vera stayed up most of the night crying happy tears as Isla told her the story again of Blake showing up at the bar.
“I can’t believe she’s here.” Isla’s voice was soft but packed with emotion. She snuggled up closer to Vera in bed. “What do you think of her?”
“I think she’s great.”
“She is, isn’t she? I just can’t believe she’s really here,” Isla repeated. “Blake is in our house, sleeping, right now. I know we always prayed this day would come, but now that it’s here I feel like I need to keep pinching myself to remind me it’s true.”
“Well, it is true.”
“I hope she likes it here enough to stay for a while.” Yawning, Isla pulled the sheet tight around her shoulder. Vera pulled her in closer, loving the feel of Isla’s head on her shoulder. “I can’t wait to get to know her more. And for the kids to meet her.”
Suddenly, Isla sat straight up in bed.
“Mason.”
She didn’t have to elaborate for Vera to know what she meant. Mason had been wanting her sister back in her life for years, but they both knew how she could be. As friendly and loving as Mason was to her family and friends, she could sometimes be standoffish with strangers. And despite the fact they were sisters, Blake was basically a stranger to her. Vera rubbed Isla’s back as she sat up beside her.
“It’ll be okay. Mason has wanted this, too. She may need some time, but she’ll come around. I know it.” Vera kissed her shoulder as Isla nodded. “Now, come on. We need to get some sleep. We have to get to know our daughter more tomorrow.”