Epilogue – Drake
Twenty-five Years Later
The wedding isn’t the first for the next generation of the Steel Souls, but it carries the greatest significance. Lord and Phoebe’s oldest son, Jesse, is marrying Sin and Faith’s oldest daughter, Natalie, uniting our family by blood rather than by choice.
Tonight is also the night I step down as the president of the Steel Souls and let Jesse take over for the next generation, which has grown by leaps and bounds, so much so that we’ve had to purchase more property and extend our compound to accommodate the boom.
I glance at Cass, her beautiful eyes filling with tears—my tough old lady getting caught up at the ceremony. It doesn’t help that our oldest son is the best man and our oldest daughter is one of the bridesmaids. Seeing them both up there only emphasizes how grown up this generation of children is.
It feels like only yesterday they were all racing their mini dirt bikes around the compound—now they’re grown men and women, getting married and starting families of their own.
Like always, Cass senses my feelings. She squeezes my hand and leans over to whisper in my ear, “You’ve been a good father, husband, friend, and president. You made the right decision—it’s time you step down and let Jesse take the lead.”
Lifting her hand to my lips, I place a soft kiss on her wrist. “I know. It’s just hard to imagine them as grown-ups.”
“Pretty soon, we’ll be grandparents, helping raise the third generation of the Steel Souls.
” I follow Cass’s gaze to our oldest, standing at the front of the church in her maternity bridesmaid dress.
At nineteen, she met and fell in love with a biker of her own, just like her mom, and in a few months she’ll be a mother herself.
“I love you, Cass, forever.” I pull her close, needing to feel her against me even after all these years.
“I love you, Drake, for all the days of our lives.”
-The End-