Page 91 of Condemned Soul

“Church!” I call out and when my brothers start to step forward I shake my head.

“Not just you. All of ya.” I look at all the old ladies and the kids that are here too, then turning around I start leading them all toward the chapel. Each footstep I take feels a little easier to make, knowing that they’re behind me and when I take my new place and stand at the head of the table I wait until everyone’s inside, crammed in close and surrounding the table before I start.

“I wanted to call ya all together before people start arrivin’.” I reach into my cut and take out the envelope that was included with the letter Jimmer wrote me.

“This letter is addressed to family.” I look at Ella who dries a tear from her eye and smiles at me encouragingly. I know she had a letter from her dad too, so this that I’m holding was meant for everyone.

“Let’s see what he had to say.” I swallow bravely as I open it up.

To everyone who matters,

I guess since you’re reading this I’ve finally met my maker and I hope Jessie got you all rounded up so I can give you one last order.

DON’T BE SAD.

I mean that.

Yeah, I’m gone, but I went out on my terms, the same way that I lived my life, and for that, I have no regrets.

I’ve watched all of you come together over the years. I’ve seen you fall in love, and I’ve watched you fight for it. You’ll never know how honored I was to have played my tiny part in that.

Everyone deserves to have a love story in their lives, and this club and what we made it, was mine. It’s a story that will continue through all of you and long after we’re gone.

So, don’t be sad for me. Jimmer Carson got his happy-ever-after. He found it in all of you.

Love you all

Jimmer

I can barely see the words for the tears in my eyes when I get to the end, and when I look up at the family that Jimmer created I lead by example and smile.

“You heard what the man said,” I tell ‘em.

Rogue winks at me from where she’s leaning over Grimm’s shoulders and when I look at Troj he nods his head.

“Let’s go celebrate all that he achieved.” I pick up the gavel and slam it, and Skid nearly knocks me off my feet when he slaps me on the back.

I hold back as I watch everyone leave with tears in their eyes, but smiles on their faces, just how Jimmer would have wanted it.

“You ready, Prez?” I look at the last person left in the room and reaching out for her hand I tug her closer.

“I’m ready.” I smile at my wife before I lift her off her feet and kiss her lips. Because, with her at my side, I feel like I could face just about anything.

* * *

The sun shone while we laid Jimmer Carson to rest beside his daughter. Tears spilled and hearts broke, but we stood united, not just as a club but as a family. Brothers from all over showed up to pay their respects. Brothers who all look at me differently now. The clubhouse filled with people, all who have stories to tell. Stories about a man who took a vision that he had and made it happen and, in doing so, changed lives.

I look across the room to my wife and watch her laugh with the president of our Nevada charter as he tells her about the time him and Prez got locked in a chicken farm for a night. I watch Jimmer’s grandkids play with kids from other charters, and as I step over to the bar where there's a framed photo of our founder, wearing his cut and watching over us all, I raise my glass to him one last time.

Eight Months Later

I lift my little girl’s car seat out the back of the car and carry her across the cemetery, placing her down in the space between Jimmer and Hayley’s headstones.

“I got someone I want you both to meet.” I look at her proudly, wondering how something so fuckin’ perfect was given to me.

“Her name’s Hayley and I’m gonna make sure she grows up knowin’ all about the brave, incredible person we named her after.” I picture Hayley smiling in my head. She never gave up on trying to make me smile when I first came to live with her. She sacrificed her life so I could have one with Maddy and without her, my little girl wouldn’t be here. I wipe a tear from my eye when I remind myself of that.

“We’ll tell her about that man who her daddy always aspired to be,” I look across to Jimmer’s name. “The man who he sets out every mornin’ to make proud. The club’s never gonna be the same without ya both. But knowin’ that you're watchin’ over us makes it a little easier.” I kiss two fingers and place them on Hayley’s headstone, pull out a cigar from my cut, and lay it across the top of Jimmer’s.

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