Page 7 of Pieces into Place
“Is Chase working?”
“Yeah, she gets off at three, though.”
Mason’s wife, Chase, worked at the Moonflower Cove Inn at the front desk. She loved the job and Isla was so thankful she had an amazingly supportive staff around her. They had helped her and Mason out tremendously since Silas was born. Along with Mason’s coworkers, Isla knew they had the best support system around them.
“That’s good.”
“Are you staying for dinner?”
“I don’t want to impose.”
“Mom, please.” Mason rolled her eyes, looking just like her teenage self from years ago. “You never impose. And I know Mama is working today, so you all three should come over here for dinner. I’m making chicken piccata.”
“So fancy.”
“I’ve been trying to expand my cooking skills since I’m home with Silas more right now.”
“Very smart.”
“And it gives me lunch for when I’m at work.”
“How has it been being back at work?”
“It’s been good. I’m thankful that I have my own business and can work on my own schedule and bring Silas to work with me. That’s so helpful with the feeding and pumping schedule we have down to a science right now. And if I have a meeting or something, Chase can get him because her work is understanding, too.”
Mason owned a service dog training business called Mason’s Mission. She’d founded it years ago after Everleigh was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. The amount of people Mason and her company had helped over the years never ceased to astound Isla and she was so thankful Mason had a job she truly loved. It made all the difference, especially when kids were involved.
“That’s definitely a plus. Mama and I did the same thing with Ellie, Brayden, and Evie when they were little.”
“Speaking of your youngest,” Mason pulled back just enough to see Isla’s eyes, “she told me about breakfast the other day.”
Isla should have known that Everleigh would have told Mason about the incident around Sunday breakfast. The two always told each other everything. Mason was basically Everleigh’s third mother, anyway. She put her hand on Isla’s knee.
“Is it Blake still?”
“Yeah,” Isla sighed. “I’m sorry, honey. I know this has been ongoing for, well, most of your life.”
“It’s okay, Mom. I get it. And I feel it too. Maybe not as intensely as you do, because Blake is your daughter.” Mason’s voice hitched in her throat as she put her hand on Silas’s stomach. He’d fallen asleep in Isla’s arms and was resting peacefully. “I can’t imagine if someone took Silas from me. I honestly don’t know how you stayed sane enough to keep me alive after that.”
“We had Mama.”
“Not immediately after.” Mason arched an eyebrow at her, looking like a mini-Vera. “I know I was a kid, but I remember that time, Mom. It didn’t just happen to you.”
Isla was too overcome with emotions to say anything as Mason continued.
“I know how hard that was for you. For us. I remember sleeping in your bed every night after that until we moved to the Cove because I was afraid Ben would come back and take me, too.”
Hearing Mason talk about that time in their lives would never not make Isla emotional. They had overcome so much together and Isla knew that had brought them as close as they were now. It hadn’t been easy, but they’d made it through together. Well, with Vera’s help.
Alotof Vera’s help.
“I’m so sorry, honey.” Isla put her arm around Mason’s neck as she pulled her in to kiss her cheek. “I hate that you ever felt that way.”
“It brought us Mama, so I guess that’s the silver lining, hmm?”
Isla laughed. “Exactly. We don’t deserve Mama.”
“Not at all, but she’s stuck with us.”
