Epilogue
Bailey
I’m standing at the cemetery where my birth mother’s remains are, knowing I’m finally going to say my piece and move on with my life.
It took me a long time to finally be at where I am today.
To know the people in my life aren’t going anywhere, that they love me like their own because to them I am.
Growing up, I needed that validation that every time they walked out of the house, they would come right back.
The one thing that did help me get through everything was therapy, and I’m so glad I went.
I walk towards the back, knowing that is where she is resting, and when I reach her name, I stand before it and rest my flowers down.
All it has is her name, Jenna Fisher, and her date of birth and death.
When they told me she had died years ago, I didn’t know how to feel.
My emotions were all over the place because, at the end of the day, she was still my mother, even though she didn’t do anything for me but cause me pain.
I learned through therapy that it was okay to feel sad that she was gone and to let go of all my hurt that she and Leo caused me.
I couldn't hold on to the anger. I had to learn to let it go, and once I did, I was a much happier person.
But now that I’m here, all those emotions are coming back. It’s why I waited this long to come here. I sigh and take a seat on the grass. I play with the flowers I brought, needing something to do with my hands.
“Hi Mom, I came here today to tell you I forgive you. I forgive you for not loving me like you should have, for leaving me and walking away. For neglecting me when all I wanted was for you to love me like a mother should. It took me a long time to realize it was never my fault what I went through. The nights when I cried myself to sleep hungry because you spent all the money on drugs. Or all the times you watched as Leo beat me so badly he left scars all over my body. Which I still have, by the way. I had the option of getting plastic surgery, but I wanted a reminder of what I went through and how I came out stronger than ever because of it. I graduated high school and I’m off to university to become a social worker to advocate for the kids who need it.
I no longer hold on to the pain, the anger at what you allowed to happen to me.
Because of all that you did, I found a real family who not only took me in but loved me as if I were their own.
I have a real mom, dad, and brother who love and support me.
An even bigger family who would do anything for me and have.
I am happy. Today is my eighteenth birthday, not sure if you know or not, since you’ve never celebrated it before, so I knew that today was the day I could finally come and let you go.
So this is goodbye, and I hope that wherever you are, you are at peace because I know I am. ”
With that, I get up and walk away without looking back, finally feeling that last little bit of sadness leave me.
The sun shines down on me as I walk towards my car, which my parents bought for me for my birthday.
They surprised me with it this morning. And it does not surprise see my dad standing by his bike, making me smile.
He has always been there for me, so when I walk towards him, he opens his arms and envelopes me in his arms. Even after all this time, I always feel safe with him.
They didn’t have to take me in all those years ago, but they did and became my biggest supporters in life.
They both always made sure I went after my dreams and loved me through all my ups and downs.
“Are you okay, Bailey Bee?” Dad’s gruff voice vibrates through me. His arms are my safe haven.
“I’m okay, Dad. I guess Mom told you where I would be.” Pulling back, I lean against my car, letting the sun shine on me.
He looks around the parking lot, always on high alert with our safety. “She did. I just wanted to make sure you were okay. Did you say all that you needed to say?”
“I did. It was the last piece I needed to do to be able to fully move on, and I’m glad I waited to do it.
If I haven’t said it enough, thank you for taking me in all those years ago.
Without you and mom I don’t know where I would be.
I love you guys.” My voice breaks at the end because I truly do see them both as my parents, and I can’t thank them enough for what they’ve done for me.
I watch my dad swallow, trying to keep his emotions in check. “You don’t have to thank us. You are our child, and we love you just as much as we love Kaiden. Though you are definitely my favorite, just don’t tell your mom that.” He winks at me, making me laugh.
“Your secret is safe with me, Dad.”
He walks around my car and opens the door for me, helping me inside. “I’ll follow you to the clubhouse. Everyone is waiting for us. Be safe.”
He closes my door, and I wait as he mounts his bike, starting it up.
He waits until I pull out and follows me, making me smile.
My family is waiting for me to celebrate my graduation because soon I’m headed off to university.
But the closer I get to the clubhouse, the more nervous I become because I know a certain person is going to be there, and he makes my heart flutter.
Nicholas Steele is the epitome of a bad-boy biker, and I’ve been in love with him since I was sixteen.
Let's hope I can avoid him tonight because if not, I’m bound to tell him how I feel.
Joker
The party is in full swing. All of our family and friends are here to celebrate our baby girl graduating with honors.
I have no idea where the time has gone, but here we are at Bailey Bee’s birthday and graduation party.
My little girl is not so little anymore, and she is going off to university soon, and I couldn’t be more proud of her with how far she has come.
The first time I heard her call me dad, I cried like a baby, and I’m not afraid to admit that.
Don’t get me wrong, we have had our ups and downs, but I wouldn’t trade my family for anything.
My son, who's so much like me it's scary. He takes his role as protector seriously and watches over his sister and mom when I’m not around.
I know when he is older he will be a patched member; that's all he can talk about. Hell, all of my brother's sons want to be in the club. They are the next generation and are just waiting to take over from us. We still have a few more years of that happening. Madison is still a sweet angel who has put up with a lot of my shit, though she blames me for her gray hair, but I know she loves me. Hell, I wouldn’t be Joker if I didn’t keep them all on their toes.
Just yesterday she banned me from the bakery again.
I went in there with the intention of dropping off lunch for her.
Instead, I took her to her office and just ate her for lunch and made her orgasm twice.
Which made her burn a cake. I'm definitely not sorry about that, and by the look on her face when I left, she wasn’t either.
Speaking of my wife, I watch her walk towards me, and even after all these years together, I still find her just as beautiful as the first day I met her. She walks to my side as I put my arms around her as we watch our family.
“It was a good day.” She sighs, holding onto me.
“Yeah, it was angel. I can’t believe Bailey Bee is eighteen and leaving us to go to university already.”
She looks up at me and smiles. “She’s going to be okay, Joker. We made sure we taught her well to keep herself safe, and she knows she can always come to us if she’s in trouble.”
“I know that it’s just going to be hard letting her go. Especially not being able to scare all those guys away from her while she’s at school.” No guy is good enough for my baby girl, that's for damn sure. Besides, anytime any of them have asked her out, she declines every single one of them.
Madison just laughs, used to the shit that comes out of my mouth by now. “Oh, I don’t think you have to worry about that, anyway.”
I look down at her, and I don’t like that look in her eyes. She knows something I don’t. “What’s that supposed to mean?” She just laughs and points to where Bailey is standing.
I watch as Nicholas, who is Kira’s brother, walks up to Bailey and hands her a gift. My eyes narrow as he whispers in her ear and kisses her cheek. If it weren’t for Madison keeping her arms around me, I would be marching over there right now. “What the fuck?”
Bailey’s face goes red as she opens her gift and lifts out a necklace with a heart and key.
I watch as he takes it from her and helps her put it on.
And I know in that instant exactly what Madison was talking about.
Bailey is in love with Nicholas, who is now a member of the club.
Even when they met, they were super close, but I noticed something shift when Bailey turned sixteen, and I should have figured it out then.
I look down at my wife. “You knew about this?”
She nods her head. “I had my suspicions, but she told me one night when we were having girl’s day. I also know Nicholas won’t do anything until Bailey is finished school; he knows this is important to her.”
I let the tension in my shoulders drop. “He told me that today, and he plans on talking to you tomorrow, so at least hear him out. For Bailey’s sake.”
“Fine. It doesn’t mean I have to like it. Fuck, where did the time go? One minute they were little, and now not so much. Hey, maybe we can have one more, what do you say?” I wiggle my eyebrows up and down.
Madison smacks me on the arm, laughing. "Yeah, I don't think so, Callum O'Reilly. Get that thought out of your head this minute before I get Grandma Silvia to come over here and tell you all about her garden and how to plant them properly."
I shudder at the thought. I love Grandma Silvia to pieces, but because I like to joke around, the girls have gotten me back by sicking Grandma Silvia on me with different things.
I now know a lot of useless crap I will never need.
“That’s just mean, angel. I will get you back for that later tonight.
” I whisper in her ear and watch as she shivers, which makes me smile.
“I’m looking forward to it. Love you, Joker.”
I kiss the top of her head and sit back with her in my arms. “I love you too, angel.”
As the night goes on, I watch all my family and friends, the people who I love the most. We may be rough around the edges, but we would do anything for each other, and I couldn’t have formed a better family than with this bunch right here.
With my wife beside me and my kids across the room laughing with their family and friends, I know I did something right in my life because I am well and truly blessed, and I wouldn’t give this up for anything.