Page 5 of Pieces into Place (Moonflower Cove Romance #16)

Isla

S pending time with her kids was something Isla always enjoyed. She loved getting to hear about their day and what had been going on in their lives. Isla could listen to her kids talk for hours about anything. Her love for them was as deep as could be, and she hoped all five of them felt it.

Since Ellie and Everleigh still lived at home, they typically got most of Isla’s attention these days.

Ellie was thriving in college and Isla loved hearing about all her classes and the spring musical.

She was so much like Isla that she couldn’t help but wonder if her life had turned out differently if she would have had a college experience like Ellie’s.

As for Everleigh, she had struggled to adjust to being the only kid left at home.

With Ellie in the garage apartment and often not at home, Everleigh had to find new ways to entertain herself that didn’t involve tagging along with her older siblings.

She FaceTimed Brayden at college usually once a day, and Isla was beyond thankful they were maintaining their relationship.

Brayden was flourishing in college, just like Ellie, but Isla missed having her baby boy home with her.

Just like she missed Blake, even though they were in the same town.

Isla sighed, knowing now wasn’t the time to let her thoughts of Blake cloud her mind. She had a playdate with her newest grandchild and couldn’t wait to see him. It felt like just yesterday that Mason was telling her she was going to have a baby.

“Mom?” Mason snuggled into bed as Isla slowly woke. She put her arm around Mason and pulled her close as she yawned. “Are you awake?”

“I am now,” Isla chuckled, kissing Mason’s head. “What time is it?”

“Seven-thirty.”

“I love you, but why are you in my bed so early when you don’t live here?”

“Because I need to tell you something.”

Isla’s eyes shot open as she looked at Mason. She had a huge grin on her face, and Isla instantly knew what it meant. Sitting up on her elbow, Isla looked down at Mason.

“Is it what I think it is?”

Mason nodded, tears welling in her eyes.

“Mason,” Isla pulled Mason close to her as she clung to her baby girl. She kissed her repeatedly as Mason giggled. “Oh, baby. I’m so happy for you and Chase.”

“Thanks, Mom. I can’t believe I’m pregnant.” Mason put her hand on her stomach as Isla put her hand on top of it. “I couldn’t wait to tell you.”

“I’m so glad you woke me up.”

“Mama got me in this morning for some blood work before she left the hospital.”

Vera had been on-call the night before, which only happened once a month these days. Isla was thankful for that as she got to spend almost every night wrapped in her wife’s arms.

“I can’t believe you’re pregnant.”

“I can’t believe our baby is having a baby.” It was then Isla noticed Vera leaning on the doorframe, watching them. Isla motioned for her to join them as she and Mason made room for her on the bed. Vera lay down beside Mason as she kissed her cheek. “She’s going to be the best mom.”

“Just like her mama.”

“Please,” Mason groaned, “don’t put that pressure on me. No one could ever be as amazing of parents as you two are. The only reason I know I can have a baby is because I know I have you two and Chase in my court all the time.”

“Always, baby.” Isla kissed her cheek again.

Although Alexis technically had Isla’s first grandkids, there was just something different about Mason being pregnant.

Isla knew it was because it was her baby having a baby.

It felt crazy to think that the baby she carried inside of her for nine months was now a mom herself.

She felt overwhelmed with emotions each time she thought about it.

During her pregnancy, Mason seemed to have reverted to her childhood days when she wanted nothing more than to cuddle with Isla and Vera.

Rarely a day or two went by that Mason wasn’t at their house just wanting to be held.

Isla knew it was because she was scared; she’d been the same way when she was little.

And each time Mason needed her, Isla and Vera were there for her.

Isla sighed at the memory of helping Mason so much during her pregnancy.

She’d gone to ultrasounds, felt the baby move, and been in the delivery room.

It was a stark contrast to how Blake’s pregnancy was going so far.

Blake hadn’t told Isla or Vera they were trying for another baby until the day of the embryo transfer.

And Isla had her suspicions she wouldn’t have told them then if they hadn’t needed a babysitter for the kids.

She tried hard not to hold any grudges toward Blake or Alexis over that. Isla knew they weren’t Mason and Chase. Her relationship with them was different, and that was something she was going to have to learn to accept before it drove her crazy.

Even more so than it already had .

The only inclusion Isla had with Blake’s pregnancy was knowing she was pregnant. She doubted she’d be invited into an ultrasound, much less into the delivery room. Isla was trying to accept that. After all, Blake had every right to do what she wanted to do when it came to her pregnancy.

All Isla could do was hope and pray that someday, hopefully soon, things would change for her and Blake. She desperately wanted to heal their relationship and hoped soon Blake would want that as well. Until then, all Isla could do was savor the time with the kids that wanted to spend time with her.

Parking the Jeep in Mason’s driveway, her heart nearly melted at the sight of Mason holding Silas on the front porch as she waved his hand. They had on matching plaid shirts and Mason’s hair was pulled back in a ponytail. Silas had an adorable beanie as he grinned at Isla.

Mason had been the best mom, just like Isla knew she would. She’d struggled some postpartum with depression but her wife Chase, Isla, and Vera had all stayed right by her side through it all. Now that Mason was on the other side of it, Isla could see how beautiful motherhood looked on her.

“There are my babies.” Isla hurried up the sidewalk to the porch as she pulled them both into a hug. Silas reached out for her as Isla took him in her arms. “Are you glad Grammy is here?”

“I’m glad Mommy is here.” Mason wrapped her arms around Isla’s waist, resting her head on her shoulder. Isla kissed the top of her head as she rubbed her back.

“Come on. Let’s go inside before the little man gets a cold.”

Heading inside, Isla and Mason walked to the living room, where they sat on the couch beside each other.

Silas nestled into the crook of Isla’s arm as she put the other arm around Mason.

Holding two of the most important people in her life made Isla emotional.

It was a privilege to not only be Silas’s grammy but to be Mason’s mommy as well. Even if she was thirty-three now.

“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.

A lot of 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.”

“All of us.”

“Forever,” Mason giggled, which caused Silas to stir awake. He cried softly as Mason gently touched Silas’s cheek. Silas turned toward her hand, making Mason smile. “He wants lunch.”

Handing Silas to Mason, Isla watched as she expertly lifted her shirt and latched him onto her breast. There was something so beautiful about watching her daughter with her son.

Mason looked down at Silas with such love and he looked up at her with the same look in his eyes.

She talked to him softly as he nursed and Isla soaked in the sight.

Isla rested her arm on the back of the couch as she twirled Mason’s hair around her fingers. Mason shifted to lean into her, putting her head on Isla’s shoulder.

“I’m so proud of you, Mace.”

“For what?”

“For everything. For being yourself. You’re an amazing kid and it’s been an amazing privilege to watch you grow into this extraordinary mom for Silas.”

“I learned it all from you.”

“And Mama,” they both added in unison, making them laugh. After a few minutes of silence between them, Mason cleared her throat as she looked up at Isla.

“Mom?”

“Hmm?”

“Blake will realize that too one day. I know she will. I know she didn’t get to experience what it was like to be a Mackenzie growing up, but she has all the love that comes with being part of this family.

Eventually she’ll get it. She’ll be a Mackenzie one day and all the pain will have been worth it. ”

Isla didn’t stop the tears from falling from her eyes as she pulled Mason closer to her.

“Thank you for saying that, baby.”

“I mean it too. It’s not just empty words to make us feel better.”

Mason’s use of the word us wasn’t lost on Isla. She had as much pain over Blake’s absence and reluctance to relate to them as Isla did. Their pain might look different on the surface, but underneath it was all a pain of Blake not being fully in their lives. Not the way Mackenzies were used to.

But for the first time in her life, Isla realized something that made her heart hurt even more. Blake had never been a Mackenzie. Not legally. She was a Calloway, then a Holland. It seemed like such a simple thing; it wasn’t as if a last name could change your life. Still, the reality hurt Isla.

Does Blake feel the same way?

Isla almost asked Mason the question in her mind before Mason seemed to answer it.

“I think she wants that. To be a Mackenzie.” Mason adjusted Silas as she sat him up on her knee to burp him.

“I can’t explain it, but I can see it. The way she’s always just on the outside of things.

Family events, birthday parties, dinners.

She wants to be more present, but something is holding her back.

I think the baby will help her cross whatever line only she sees. ”

“You do?”

Mason nodded. “I know how pregnancy affected me and made me want to be closer to you and Mama to learn everything before this one came out. I hope and pray every day Blake will be the same way.”

“Me, too, baby.” Isla kissed the top of Mason’s head as she tried to keep her composure. “Me, too.”