Epilogue

Drake

Three years later.

I stood at the grave, my hands clutching the flowers I had brought. My kids stood beside me, their eyes fixed on the stone before them. I took a deep breath, clearing my throat.

“Owen looks exactly like you,” I said, my voice quivering. “I know you're not here, but occasionally I believe you are.” I paused, my eyes hard as I looked at my kids. “He's as strong as you are. He's selfless, just like you. You would have loved him.” The words hung in the air, heavy with emotion.

“Sometimes it's difficult to believe that you're not here with us, that I won't ever hear your voice again or feel your touch. Sometimes I think it's all a nightmare, that I'll wake up and everything will be like it was before. But I never do. The truth is, life without you is hard. I find it hard to trust anyone, to open up to anyone. “

My kids ran off, giggling as they chased each other through the grass. I got up to follow them, making sure they didn't go too far. As I walked over to whe