A Midsummer's Caress

Chapter 55

A/N: This is probably going to get very long as this is the last chapter to this book. We're also doing a long time skip, around fourteen years.

I want to thank everyone who's read, voted, and/or commented. It's meant the world to me. Enjoy!

Harlow couldn't believe it. Willow and Gage were graduating from high school. Kian was two years from graduating. Gemma had a big party planned for after the ceremony at the school. Harlow had invited everyone to come see her children graduate. She wasn't thrilled with the idea of Gage prospecting for the club but she knew it was inevitable that at least one of her sons would. Abel had already prospected, done his time, and had been fully patched in making his father very proud. Thomas didn't want to go that route. He had wanted to go off to college and find a career outside of working at the garage. So he was attending UCLA and getting excellent grades. He came home most weekends unless he had studying to do or there was an event on campus he wanted to attend. To Harlow's relief, Willow also wanted to attend college. She decided when she was in middle school that she wanted to be a doctor. It made her mother proud. When she got into Harvard medical school, her mother was even prouder. It was a hard university to get into!

That afternoon was the graduation ceremony and right after everyone was heading back to the clubhouse. Gemma and Harlow had decorated it with balloons and a huge banner that read "Congratulations" across it. Gemma, Harlow, and Lyla had worked on that morning on making dinner for the large family for after the graduation ceremony and before the real party began. Hearing Gage Quinn and then Willow Quinn made the entire group of bikers shout and cheer loudly. Harlow took tons of photos of her children graduating and receiving their diplomas. Willow was even in the top five of her class! She received a special award for her academics. After the ceremony was over, and plenty of pictures had been taken, everyone headed over to the clubhouse to continue the party. Lyla and Harlow got to work heating up all the food while the teens mingled with the bikers and their 'ol ladies. Once the food was ready, Gemma made a speech about how proud everyone was and how they all wished them the best going forward. Everyone knew Gage was going to prospect for the club since Quinn had told them already. He wanted to follow in his father's footsteps. Kian wasn't sure yet what he wanted to do. He wasn't thrilled with the idea of working on cars and bikes for a living but didn't know what he really wanted to do for a living either. Harlow promised him he had time to figure things out.

The women and "children" made their plates first before the men were allowed to descend upon it. Gage and Kian wanted to sit with Abel and Thomas. Gage wanted to know from Abel what to expect when he officially started prospecting. Abel told him everything including the tips his father had given him about prospecting. Some of the same things Quinn had told him. Willow was sitting with her mother and Lyla chatting about a girl's day out before she officially went off to college. Harlow was thrilled with the idea always loving getting to spend time with the girls. Quinn sat with Tig and Chibs. The proud poppa couldn't help but look over at his son from time to time and grin. At least he had one child following in his footsteps! He couldn't blame Kian for not wanting to prospect like his brother. Kian had always been one to do things his own way. Gemma had prepared two large pot roasts with diced potatoes, baby carrots, sliced onions, and chopped celery. She made a gravy out of the pot roast drippings and had sweet Hawaiian rolls to accompany the meal. She also went out of her way to get two separate cakes for the teens. A red velvet cake with vanilla cream icing for Harlow and a chocolate cake with vanilla cream icing for Gage. Everyone had their pick after the two teens got a slice of their cake. 

Everyone was having a good time, laughing, telling jokes, talking about the future. Quinn was surprised Willow had decided she wanted to be a doctor but she'd talked about that since she was in middle school. All Gage ever wanted was to prospect for the club. Abel had made it and was now a fully patched member. Gage was sure he could make it too. He just wanted to make his dad proud. Quinn and Harlow was very supportive of their children's decisions on what they wanted to do in life. Harlow wasn't very pleased Gage wanted to prospect but knew better than to stifle her son's dreams. The music blared, jokes were made, and it was a good time had by the whole extended family. None of the crow eaters were allowed to be there as this was a family-only event. It was a nice change of pace for Harlow who was used to seeing all the whores hanging around the club looking for a man. Several hours later and the party was starting to wind down. Gage had been told to come back first thing Monday morning where he'd start his prospectship. Harlow and Willow helped Gemma and Lyla put up the leftovers before Harlow had the two teens go around thanking everyone for coming to their graduation. Willow and Kian rode home with their mother while Gage rode his Harley home.