Page 30 of Pieces into Place
“I love you, Blake.”
“I love you, too, Mama.”
The word flowed off Blake’s tongue so easily she hadn’t caught she’d said it until Vera reacted to hearing it. Vera looked like she finally heard the secret of life, and it made Blake realize how much being a mama meant to Vera. Well, not justamama, buthermama. Blake was slowly beginning to realize it wasn’t just Isla that had been longing for Blake’s return for thirty years.
Vera had been waiting as well. And that realization began to change everythingfor Blake.
Chapter 11
Isla
The drive to Vera’s office felt like an eternity. Even though both Blake and Vera had assured her everything was fine, Isla still couldn’t calm her nerves. Granted, that had been par for the course all day. Isla had been a nervous wreck since Blake had texted Vera two days ago and asked her to lunch.
“Oh, my god.” Vera gasped at her phone as she sat up on the couch. She covered her mouth with her hand as she looked at Isla, then down at her phone again. “Blake just texted.”
“Is she okay?”
“Yeah. She just asked me to lunch.”
“What?” Isla gasped as she sat up beside Vera, looking at her phone. She read the text from Blake, then read it again before looking at Isla. “Vera, this is amazing.”
“It is. I hate to say it, but I think you yelling at her at the party kicked her in the ass.”
“That or Alexis yelled at her after.”
“Very possible as well,” Vera chuckled. She clutched her phone to her chest as she smiled at Isla. “This is the start, though. I can feel it. What we’ve been waiting to happen for decades is finally happening.”
“We’re going to get our daughter back.”
Isla wasn’t too proud to admit that she was slightly jealous Blake had asked Vera to lunch instead of her, butshe was just thankful Blake was reaching out. There was a moment after the party that Isla worried she went too far over the line to ever get Blake’s forgiveness for how she’d been acting. When she saw Alexis and Blake on Thanksgiving, though, there was something clearly different between them. Blake looked happier, more at ease than Isla ever remembered her looking at a family event. Even Alexis looked more relaxed instead of constantly being on edge of how Blake was acting. She hoped that meant the two of them had talked and worked through whatever issues they’re having.
And now, Isla couldn’t help but feel like Blake and Vera’s relationship had taken a turn as well. The mere fact that Blake had been willing to let Vera perform an ultrasound spoke volumes to Isla. Vera had been so crushed when Blake had decided to use Avery instead of her. Isla held her as she cried after finding out. She’d kept it together well enough when Blake and Alexis told them they were pregnant, but when they were alone was when Vera came undone.
“I don’t understand why she wouldn’t let me be a part of that.”
“I don’t know, honey. I couldn’t tell you.”
“It hurts because I’ve delivered all our grandbabies and now I’m going to be missing this one. I know that’s so selfish of me to say. It should be Blake’s decision. But it still hurts.”
Neither of them had ever told Alexis or Blake how they felt. Isla assumed it was better not to, while Vera wasn’t one to rock the boat when it came to work. She trusted Dr. Jacobs, and that was all Isla needed to know.
Parking her car beside Vera’s SUV, Isla let herself into the back door via the keypad. She’d memorized Vera’s code years ago and knew no one would care if she snuck in. As she reached for the door handle, she heard Alexiscalling her name as she ran toward her across the parking lot.
“Did Blake call you?”
“Yeah, she said her and Vera were doing an ultrasound and wanted me here. I assumed you were already here.”
“Blake called me once they were here. Isla,” Alexis smiled from ear to ear, “I think it’s finally happening. I think she’s finally ready. After the party, Blake and I had a fight.”
“Oh, Lex. I’m so sorry. That was all my fault.”
“No, honestly, it had been alongtime coming. But we got everything out in the open and Blake really opened up to me. I kept hoping she would talk to you or Vera, but I know she’s been so nervous. There’s so much water under the bridge between you all.”
“But we’re not going to let Blake drown.”
“Never.” Alexis shook her head. “When she told me she asked Vera to lunch, I almost fainted.”
“Me, too,” Isla sadly chuckled. “Vera was so excited, though. Blake really made her day with that.”
