When Life Happens

Chapter 1- nigel’s funeral and secrets are a bruin’

21 year old Nihana Lee, princess of versallie, walked down the hall of the palace wearing her long black dress with the lace quarter sleeves. She had her hair halfway pinned up and the rest hanging down her back. She walks to Nickolas room and checked on him and to make sure he was ready. Nickolas was sitting in his chair in the corner by the window with sadness running across his face. She went, sat next to him, and placed her hand on his hand. Nick inhaled and exhaled heavily.

“nihana…” said nick. He looked over at the window and then looked down at his shoes that hasn’t put on yet.
“is this what it feels like to lose your best friend?” nihana looked at him and sighed.
“yes Nickolas… it feels like your whole world has come to an end when you lose the one person you trust.”
“but this my twin and second quad to be born… why did it have to be us? Why him? Why nigel? Sissy, I feel so weird without him being alive.” Tears started to fall down nick’s face. He reached out to hug his sister and when he embraced her, he cried even more.

When nihana was a baby, Nickolas, nigel, noel, and Nathan were thirteen. They did everything together especially fishing and playing football. They were the quads who were inseparable. Then when they all got older and started raising their own families, nigel and Nickolas went into the air force. But even then they weren’t around each other all the time. Nigel never was married and had no children, just his brothers and sister.
Nickolas looked at his clock and saw the time. “I guess I better put my shoes on and head out the door to the church, huh..” nihana smiled at nick. He put his shoes on and headed out of his bedroom behind his sister. They go down the stairs and out the main door to the family cars. When they arrive at the church and lined up to go in, nihana looked to her left and saw a woman with a set of twins walking into the church. She has never seen them before since nigel didn’t have many friends or girlfriends. But they started walking in to view the body. As they got closer to the pulpit, the tears started to fall down Nickolas and noel’s cheeks. She looked towards the front and saw Nathan tear up for the first time in a very long time. they all took their seats.

The choir started singing the song, “walk around heaven”. They get halfway through the song when sis. Tula jumped up and ran to nigel’s casket screaming, “LAWD!!! WHY YOU TAKE MY MAN FROM ME? WHY?? LAWD!!!! WHY?!!!!” sis tula was about late 50’s early 60’s in age and was always flirting with nigel. Nigel didn’t like sis tula all for the simple truth that she was the worst Sunday school teacher to his sister. Every time nihana would show her love and affection to her brother, Sis. Tula would get so jealous and angry to where she turns redder than a baboon’s rear end. Nathan looked at sis. tula and then looked up at the pulpit where his brother, Antonio was sitting since he was asked to do the eulogy. Antonio’s head just dropped. Isaiah and alex were sitting behind noel; watching him shake his head in disgust and embarrassment. Who in their right mind let this crazy woman in the church when they knew she was going to do this?

The ushers came from the back of the church, grabbed sis tula and escorted her back to her seat with a whole box of tissue and sheet, just in case she decide to fall out on the floor and her dress fly up. Not everyone wants to see cellulite at a funeral or anywhere in that matter. They proceeded with the service. It is time for the eulogy and Antonio stood at the pulpit, shaking. “ praise the lord everybody…” everybody responded. “ we are to celebrate, salute, and say our last goodbyes to a person who was a beloved member in my family.. my younger brother, Nigel Omar Lee. He was truly a blessing to our family. He is God’s child first, our brother second, and Air Force soldier last. Even though he never married and he has no children, his legacy will live on in all us, the Lee family, and in all of the people he has touched through his militant duties as a soldier in the versallie military. I thanked God for placing nigel in our lives 34 years ago when he was born. I thanked God for letting him to be healthy enough to serve his country and his family. I am thanking God now for his life, eventhough it was cut short. Let this be a lesson to everyone, especially the young generation, that life is too short to take it for granted. God didn’t have to let us live. He didn’t have to send his only son down on this earth to be crucified on our behalf for our sins. Christ didn’t have to get on the cross. He could have just turned and walked away but he didn’t cause he had that much love for us that he didn’t want to see us die. There are two things, two blessings God has given us over and over and over again called grace and mercy. We keep taking him for granted. He tells us to go one way and we do the absolute opposite. We need to stop playing around with God because God isn’t playing with us. Let us not forget my brother and don’t look at his death as a time of misery… but look at it as an opportunity..an example of what we as Christians must do in this life before we pass on into our new life in Glory with Christ. What I mean by this is we need to get priorities together; spending time with Lord, praying, fasting, reading His Word, leading and helping the lost find their way to knowing who Christ is…”

Thirty minutes had gone by and the Holy Ghost had filled the church up to the roof. The ushers were running around catching folk so they wouldn’t fall and hit their heads. There were some of missionaries who hats done flown off around the church because they shouting so hard even the floor boards were rocking. The musicians were playing and getting ready to slow things down when uncle micah, uncle jeremiah, and uncle ezra all jumped and started this shouting party all over again. This time, you have chase running around the church and you would never expect Isaiah out of all people to shout in church. The holy ghost slapped Isaiah in his face and Isaiah jumped up like a rat run up his pant leg and had a pure field day. The spirit was so high people were shouting in every corner of the church; it went from Antonio to Nathan to Kenneth, back to Isaiah and Antonio, jumped to nihana and chase and their friends, and then back down the line. The musicians slowed down again and when everyone thought it was done, sis. tula go hollering again.

Nathan looked at Antonio who took his glasses off and placed his forefinger on the bridge of his nose; closed his eyes in annoyance. Nickolas and noel started scratching the back of the heads and chase wrote a note to his sister. It said, “and its round two…. Watch her head..” nihana looked confused for a second but quickly figured out what he meant. She tapped noel and gave him the note which was passed to Nickolas and the rest of the brothers. Antonio opened his eyes and saw what was about to happen. Nathan looked at Antonio and followed his eyes to sis. tula. “oh lord. Not her again. Father, please calm her down before I do..” Nathan looked over and watched start shouting along with the rest of the people who were just thirsty for attention. She shouted and shouted and was slinging her head back forth and in circles. Nathan looked at Antonio as he count down from three and looked at sis. tula. As soon as Antonio reached one; off flew her hat and wig and she was left with a stocking cap with a few dollar bills sticking out of it. Antonio quickly got up and walked out the door the men bathroom. Nathan took out his cloth from his pocket and threw it over his face. Noel and Nickolas just froze and smiled; in fact the whole church was about to burst with laughter after watching this hot mess play out.
While all this commotion was going on, the pall bearers came to wheel the body out the church and into the funeral car. The family were walking out the church and piling into the cars to go to the grave site. Nihana began walking towards the car when in the corner of her eye, she sees a woman walking at a firm and steady pace towards the car. She turns her head to get a better view and long behold; its Latoya Derickton. Latoya is the daughter of Thaddeus Wellington, founder of Wellington Pharmaceuticals INC. and Nigel’s ex girlfriend.

Seven years ago, Nigel was getting ready to propose to her when he caught her with another man. That man wasn’t just any other man neither but Nigel’s best friend, Monte Derickton. Three weeks after nigel broke up with her, Monte and Latoya announces their engagement. I guess they thought that was suppose to make nigel jealous and cause him and the whole family to retaliate. But that plan failed. The reason behind this drama was because the Lee family have been investigating the wellington company for sometime now. They believe that the wellington company is a link for the increase of illegal activity in their country.

Nihana turns her back to the car door as Latoya walked closer towards her. She was really thinking and hoping Latoya would trip over the curb and break the heels off her “super expensive” shoes and maybe expose every one of her unmentionables to the world. Antonio turns around and sees Latoya walking to their car. He quickly walked over to Nathan and grabbed him by the shoulder. They both looked over to their wives and immediately walked towards them for they spotted Latoya and were ready to for round two of royal rumble.

Latoya stood in front of the car, in the princess face. Nihana stood up tall with grace and integrity. Her hands were behind her back and her were stern but calm. Latoya eyes were looking straight into nihana’s, then moved down and back up. With her arms crossed, Latoya began to speak.

Latoya: (with attitude) Nihana!
Nihana: (with a calm attitude) Latoya.
(Latoya and Nihana stared at eachother. Latoya kept rolling her eyes up and down at nihana.)

Latoya: so.. you not going to greet me?
Nihana: I prefer not to but how are you anyway?
Latoya: I would be great if you genuine greet me with the curtsy I deserve.
(nihana is getting annoyed)

Nihana: Latoya, I don’t have to do such thing. Let just get to the real question… what are you doing here?
Latoya: ( flipping her hair and popping her lips) so you saying Im not welcome to nigel’s funeral..
(nihana closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She slowly exhaled to calm herself and her temperament.)

Latoya: you know…(smirk) you haven’t changed a bit. Just look at you. Still playing the goody two shoes church girl who doesn’t do anything wrong. You are so pathetic. You think you just so righteous in “God’s” eyes…
Nihana: and you think that you are perfect..

Latoya: oh I don’t think im perfect, I know im perfect and will always be perfect. Look at me. My house, my car, and my husband along with my perfect beauty is perfect. You…princess…Is not perfect. You have a palace and maybe a few cars….but unlike you, I am wife material. You will never be. You are not pretty nor smart. Helpless and hopeless more suits you. No man in their right mind who ever want you…you are just undesirable…

Nihana: LATOYA! I just lost one my brothers and you come to his funeral just to try to start drama. But you have the audacity to call me...(pause. Nihana began to think. she loosely crosses her arms) You know what? I am not getting ready to be drawn into this dramatic scene that you are trying create here...on church grounds. so will you excuse me? I have a burial to attend to.

Angry but yet calmly, Nihana gets into the back seat of the family car and closes the door. Latoya with her dramatic self, turns her head around as if she was saying, " who do she think she is? did she forget who I am? I was talking and she...huh?" But before she could even say anything else, her husband, Monte, drives up in the latest model of a BMW. He was blasting the music of his favorite rapper who calls women derogatory names. She starts walking to her car and as she walked with "high fashion" stilettos on; in sank her heel into the soft dirt and down she tumbled. Everyone sees it and began to laugh. The teenagers from Antonio's teen class recorded her falling flat on her face and immediately started posting it up on social media. Nihana peeps out the window and whispers to herself, "And it is written in Bible, You will reap what you sow."

Latoya struggles to get up and got into the car as soon as she reached for it. Monte revs the engine and drives off down the road away from the church. Antonio and Nathan quickly got into the same car with their sister and drove to burial site where they said their final goodbyes and laid Nigel to rest.


After the funeral, The Lee Family were all sitting in the palace parlor; playing a game of Uno and talking about the chain of events that happened earlier. They began to tear up with sadness for a few minutes and then start laughing and enjoying each others company. Nihana, Kenneth, Chase, and Kenya were walking back in the parlor. Kenya had plates and Kenneth had cups in a basket. Nihana had made a few pots of tea and Chase had cookies and a mixed berry pie. They sat the things on a table. Antonio looked over and said, "ah yes! The family tradition of pastries and tea. Just what we needed after a..um... eventful day." Nathan inhaled and exhaled and then glanced over to his brother Antonio. He had a concerning look on his face that had Nathan concerned. Nathan walks over to Antonio and sat in the chair next to him.
"Nathan. I'm fine."
"So you know why I came over here."
" Yes. but I don't want to discuss it right now."
Nathan knows something is troubling his brother but he let it go for now. They both go and get some of the pie and a cup of tea.

About an hour went by and its late at night by this time. Everyone is stuffed with sweet delicious baked goods and tea and began to feel sleepy. Kenneth stood and stretched and said, " I must retire for the night. I have to work at the academy tomorrow. *sighs heavily* I dread to go there sometimes and its not because of the kids." Kenneth walks out the parlor and to the stairs that leads to his room. Shortly after, the rest of the brothers follow suit. Nathan picks his sister up off the couch that she dosed on while her twin brother, Chase walked Kenya and Elizabeth to their cars.

Nathan walks to their sister's room and placed her in her bed. He covered her up with her sheets and quilt, let the room, and closed the door. He walks down pass Antonio's room and slowly walked back. Antonio's door is cracked open. He peered into his room and sees a picture of Nigel hanging from a piece of tape on the wall. Right next to his picture was a picture of a woman with two children. Nathan was confused. Why is Antonio taping a photo of their dead brother on his wall? and who is this woman and the two kids? Nathan backs up from the door and walk to his room. He closes the door and plopped on his bed. He started thinking and thinking until he drifted off to sleep.