Love must be heartfelt. Hate what is evil, hold on to what is right. Love one another warmly as Christians, and be eager to show respect for one another.
Romans 12: 9-10
Another busy day at Newkirk's is over. Christopher Newkirk reaches for the house keys on his key ring; he has so many keys on one chain. Finally, he can open the door.
Christopher Newkirk is the proud owner of the bar, Newkirk's. With the help of his wife, Valentine, they invest every cent they own to flip a run-down shack into a neighborhood "hang-out"; to some patrons, it was their second home. Anyone who goes to the bar is welcome, and no one is considered a stranger. Once a person entered Newkirk's, they are automatically family. Along with their business venture, the couple also has time to produce a family of their own. They have a daughter named, Yvonne-Leigh, who is named after the legendary actress, Yvonne De Carlo. A son followed a couple of years later; they name their son, Archer, because it has a symbolic relation to his mother's name, "Valentine."
"Val…kids…I'm home," he calls to his family.
The lights were off except the one in the living room. As Christopher walks towards the living room, he sees his wife sitting on the couch motionless.
"Val," Christopher calls to her with concern.
He drops his bag on the floor and rushes to her side.
"Sweetheart, what's wrong? Are the children ok?"
Valentine nods her head.
"That was Isham on the phone," she said.
"Isham. Did something happen to Ish?"
"…Nothing happened to Isham," Valentine cries, as she wipes her eyes, "…but…something happened to Nevin."
"Nevin? What the hell happened to Nevin?"
Valentine begins to cry again.
"Val, tell me what happened to Nevin," Christopher exclaims, holding her arms to her sides!
"HE'S DEAD, CHRIS!!! NEVIN IS DEAD!!!!!!"
Christopher is in shock; he slowly releases his grip off of her arms.
"Baby…I'm so sorry," cries Valentine.
The news hits Christopher like a wrecking ball hitting a building; he is paralyzed by the story of one of his dear friends. Nevin is dead; the thought seems to be so unbelievable.
"Um…babe," Christopher asks in shock to his wife, "How…how did he die?"
"They found him dead in his apartment. Isham…Isham told me that…music was playing so loud from his apartment…the police had the break the door down…they found him in his bed…holding a liquor bottle. The coroner said…it was alcohol poisoning."
Christopher begins to weep for Nevin.
"…Nevin, no," he cries through his tears, "Not my ace."
He clasps to the floor, covering his face. Valentine wraps her arm around him and holds him close to her.
After calming down, he asks her, "When is the funeral?"
"They had a viewing of the body, last Tuesday, and this Friday will be the funeral. Nevin wanted you to read the Obituary."
"Me? Why me? What about his wife?"
"Nevin wanted someone who had more value to him than Sabine."
"I can't believe I'm asking this question, but…Did you call…you know?"
She turns to him and asks, "Wow, Chris, are you trippin'?"
"Probably. Otherwise, the thought of Sabine would never cross my mind."
"Why would I do something like that? It's not like the woman, and I are best friends. We are not acquaintances….no, I hate her guts."
Christopher goes for the phone.
"Who are you calling," Valentine ask?
"Sabine."
"Why would you call her?"
"Look, we need to put our differences aside for a least a minute. We just lost a wonderful man. I don't want to call her, but…she was his wife, and I'm concerned about the children. Besides, it is the Christian thing to do."
Valentine shakes her head.
The phone rang a few times.
"Hello," the person answers.
Christopher takes a deep breath.
"Hi, Sabine. It's Christopher from Newkirk's."
"…yes…?"
"Um…I'm calling to see if you and the children are ok."
"Of course! Why wouldn't we?"
"Um…because your husband just died."
"Oh, that. We're doing fine. If you think about it, it's Nevin's fault for leaving his family to be with his gay lover."
"Gay lover? What gay lover?"
"You can't be serious? Out of all the people, you didn't know that your best friend was gay?"
"Nevin was NOT gay. If you're referring to "Vanilla-Cocoa Bean," that does not make him gay."
Sabine laugh.
"You know…," Sabine starts, "it makes me laugh that men, like Nevin, try so hard to be a woman, and they come up with the most outlandish names for themselves. This…thing, he invented…"Vanilla-Cocoa Bean"…could never be a real woman. Yeah, it may have a voice, but that's all it has going on for…whatever that creature calls itself. At the end of the day, it is nothing but a "wanna-be. "
Christopher thinks to himself, 'She thinks Nevin and Vanilla-Cocoa are two different people.'
"Sabine," Christopher starts, "why are you so bitter? If he was gay, which I find hard to believe, at least he found someone willing to give him the one thing you couldn't imagine…love. A person like you wouldn't know anything like that. You're not a likable person. You're so unlikeable, a serial rapist would get repulse by spitting on you alone."
Sabine laughs and says, "Say what you want, Christopher. Of course, he was gay! I know all about Nevin dressing in drag."
"What the hell are you talking about, "mental case"?"
"You can act stupid if you want. I know Nevin and this Cocoa bitch were the same people."
"…but how---"
"A WIFE KNOWS HER HUSBAND, ESPECIALLY WHEN HE'S…CAMOUFLAGED SO WELL," Sabine giggles and continues, "I happened to stop by at your little bar one evening to confront him about his visits with his children…as well as my money. We may not have been living together, but he still had an obligation to his wife and children. Anyway, to my surprise, I see my husband dressed as a woman, not to mention singing like a woman. It was disgusting! I was so…horrified, I left the bar. It did not take long for me to launch an investigation against him."
"An investigation? Is that the reason you made it difficult for him to see his children?"
"Think about it; a man who is secretly gay finally leaves his wife and children for his gay lover…I do not feel the courts would go for that. It wouldn't surprise me if he had the AIDS virus."
"You heartless bitch!"
"Am I that heartless to protect her children from such a sinful lifestyle? I also know about his transsexual lover, their sorted love affair, and that Nevin is responsible for his lover's death. That thing probably gave the AIDS those people keep getting. Oh well, serves them both right for living in sin."
"What death? What, lover?"
"I'm talking about that other freak of nature…what was its name...Sunsette. The thought of them in bed together makes my skin crawl. By the way, tell your friends from the "Rainbow District," I forbid them to come to the funeral. I was not expecting hardly anyone to show up in the wake, but those fairies happen to fly by the parlor. They are nothing but an abomination to the Lord, just like Nevin. If I had it my way, Nevin's coffin would be nothing but a trash bag, and his final resting place would be in the city dump. My mother warned us not to marry each other; she knew we were incompatible for a start."
Christopher became so angry at her insults, he says, "…Go to hell, you hateful bitch!"
Christopher slams the receiver down on the base. He was so angry, his face was bright red.
"What happened, Chris," his wife asks?
"….I don't know why I bother? That woman is a monster," Christopher replies.
"What did she say?"
"First, she…she was so blasé about her own husband's death. HER HUSBAND, VAL!"
"SSSSSHHHHH, the children are sleeping," Valentine scolds.
"Sorry, but…she makes me so angry. Plus, Sabine was behind that investigation against Nevin."
"Is that how Nevin lost custody of his children?"
"Yeah…Sabine must have told vicious lies on him, and everything else must have the support those lies to look like the truth."
"Like what?"
"The "Vanilla-Cocoa Bean" persona…Sunsette…"
"Well, what did you expect, Sweetheart? Finding humility in that woman is like digging for gold."
Christopher shakes his head.
"What else did she say," Valentine asks?
"Then, she accused Nevin…Nevin, ok …of being a homosexual. She said that Nevin was probably responsible for killing his so-called gay lover because he probably gave him…"
"Gave Nevin what? Tell me."
"…AIDS…"
"She said what??? Nevin has never been attracted to other men, and he never contracted AIDS from anyone."
"Oh, but that's not all."
"Wow, there's more," Valentine replies sarcastically.
"She tells me that the "Rainbow District"…cannot come to the funeral because they're an "abomination" to the Lord." Most of all…she think of Nevin as nothing but garbage."
Christopher is so upset he begins to cry all over again.
Through his tears, he says, "That bitch did it."
"Did what?"
"She drove him to his death."
"You think Sabine is responsible?"
"Val, he grew tired of playing her games. When he finally had enough of her, she punished him by using those three angels as pawns to manipulate him. It must have driven him to madness."
"I can't imagine being without my babies."
"Me neither. That man…was one of the greatest men I ever knew. He deserved a whole lot better than the shit that was given to him. I hope now he found his peace…because he wasn't getting it on this Earth."
"There's something I don't understand."
"What's that, my love?"
"Vanilla-Cocoa Bean"? Was she …Nevin?"
He looks at his wife, with tears in his eyes, and says, "…yeah…"
"And you didn't tell me," she yells????
"SSSSHH, Val…the children."
Valentine says softly, "I'm your wife!!! How could you????!!!!"
"I was sworn to secrecy by Nevin. You know Nevin was a private man. Isham---"
"Isham! Isham was in this too? Oh, I get it. It's a man thing, right?"
"No, Val."
Christopher sits Valentine on the couch.
He explains, "I promised him that "Vanilla-Cocoa Bean" would be a secret. Otherwise, the wrong people would have found out about his singing career, like Sabine and any other money-hungry opportunists."
"I am your wife, Christopher."
"Baby, please believe I didn't mean to lie to you."
Valentine looked away from Christopher and shook her head.
"Let me explain…"
I saw Nevin mopping the floors in the bathroom.
"Hey, Nevin," I said, "Come into my office. We need to talk."
"Sure. I'll be right there."
I was in my office, filling out some documents until I heard wrapping at my door.
"Come in."
"Hey, chief."
"Nevin! Just the man I wanted to see. Close the door and have a seat."
He sat down in my chair. He looked kind of nervous, so after reassuring him that it wasn't bad news, he calmed down.
"Ok," Nevin started, "I been doing ok. Ish let me bunk with him until I get on my feet."
"Good. Good. Now, I have watched you work around the bar, and I want to say that you have been doing a fantastic job."
"Thank you, Chris."
"No. No. I'm serious. The bar is so immaculate, Jesus himself would be speechless."
We both laughed.
"Come on. You know it's true."
"…yeah…," Nevin said bashfully.
"Since you have been doing such a great job in maintaining the bar's upkeep. I would like to give you a promotion."
"A promotion? Wow! I…I don't know what to say?"
"Just say, "Yes."
"I would, except…well…what's the position?"
"Lounge singer."
"Huh? Lounge singer. No way."
"Nev, I have heard you sing to yourself while you work. You have a beautiful voice, a little feminine but mind-blowing---"
"Chief, I can't accept your offer. As much as singing is my first love, it was never meant to be."
"Yes, it can. You can. Follow your heart; do what makes you happy. I did and look at me now."
Nevin smiled and let out a slight sigh.
"…Ok."
"Really?"
"Yeah, Chris. Let's just do this before I realized what I'm doing and renege on this whole thing."
"Ok. Now, I have given this a lot of thought. I know you're a private person, so we're going to give you an alter ego."
"Um…ok…"
"But here's the kicker…your alter ego…is a woman."
"A woman? Are you crazy?"
"Dude, dude, it going to be great!"
"Oh. It's the fact that I sound like a chick when I sing, right?"
"Well…you do."
"So this promotion is turning into a freak. Plus, you know half of our clientele is…non-heterosexual."
"So, what's the big deal?"
"I'm not gay, chief. No. This is a bad idea."
"Everyone knows you are not gay. That's a fact, but this is an act. You are pretending to be a female lounge singer."
"Man, this idea has more nuts than a candy bar."
However, Nevin thought about it; he realized I had a point. This was an act, and he knew he had no desire to be with another man.
"…ok…," replied Nevin.
"Ok," I ask?
"Yes, ok. I know that I'm going to regret asking this, but…what's my name, as this chick?"
"Vanilla-Cocoa Bean."
"Oh, that's special," Nevin said sarcastically.
"Nevin, trust me, dude. It's going to be good."
"Aww, man. This is crazy, man."
"…but it's going to be good. I'll split the profit 50-50."
"Whether it's a dead or a live audience, 50-50? No matter what?"
"No matter what. To show that I'm a man of my word and an honest businessman, this is a written agreement based on what was discussed today. I want you to read it carefully."
It took him about 10 minutes to read. I was afraid that he was going to back out of the deal after reading it. He looked up at me, handed me the paper, and sat back in the chair, with his hands folded. I was bewildered by his body language.
"One question," Nevin asked me.
"What's that," I asked?
"What about my wife? How am I going to explain this to her?"
"You don't have to explain anything to her. Anyway, she threw you out in the street and did not care about your well-being."
"She cares about my check."
"Exactly! The only thing she needs to know is that you are still working. That's it."
"…and with this new…" gig"…I will make more money."
"Nev, you have a golden voice. People will cheer. People will weep. People will---"
"--- ok. Ok. You made your point."
"So...will you do it?"
Then Nevin smiled and said, "You got a deal, boss."
With that, we shook on it.
"He was doing great! The bar was practically packed every night. Next thing I know, he wants out of the whole thing and drops off the face of this Earth….but…"
"…But what?"
"Now, I know the reason he left so suddenly."
"Why?"
"…Sabine must have lied to the family court about Nevin. She must have told him that he was gay and left his family to live his alternate lifestyle. She also mentioned someone named Sunsette. Sabine must have told them that Nevin was involved with someone named Sunsette but who was Sunsette?"
Valentine began to remember her first time seeing Nevin on stage.
"Wait a second. That woman performing at our bar was Nevin the entire time???"
"…yes…"
"Unbelievable…well, I don't know anyone named Sunsette, but I have to hand it to Nevin. He looked stunning dressed as a woman. Not to mention he had the voice of an angel…Too bad it had to end. So why didn't he make a career out of his talent?"
"He didn't care about being famous. It wasn't his thing, I guess. However… he made sure those triplets are set for life."
"What do you mean?"
"After Nevin quit singing, he left me in charge of three keys. Each key is to three different safety deposit boxes for Argentina, Mandela, and Corinthian."
"Wow…Does the children's Mama know?"
"That's the good part. Sabine has no clue about the keys, and if she did know about the safety deposit boxes, she would have full control over that money."
"That is good! Look, Chris, a lot has happened already. We'll get through this…just like everything else. Yes, Nevin is gone, but…we have to be strong for each other. Most of all, we cannot let evil get the best of us."
Then, a little figure slowly walks into the living room; it is little Archer Newkirk. He is wearing his little footed pajamas and dragging his glowworm.
"Mommy…I'm thirsty," Archer says softly, rubbing his eye and dragging his glowworm doll on the carpet.
She goes to aid Archer.
"Ok, Archie, let's go get so water," Valentine suggests, as she carried Archer in her arms.
"I'll be back," Valentine tells Christopher as she carried their son to the kitchen.
"Ok," Christopher replies.
He places his arms around his head and thinks to himself, 'What am I going to do?'
After she gives Archer his water and sends him to bed, she goes back to the kitchen to retrieve two frosty glasses of malt liquor. Valentine then goes back into the living room to be with her husband after filling the two glasses.
"Here," Valentine says, handing her husband his glass of beer, "I think we both need a buzz."
"You're too good to me, baby," Christopher says with a smile, taking the glass from his wife. Christopher took a drink from his glass and replies, "Nevin is gone, baby."
"…I know…Do you know anything? I'm going to throw a party for Nevin."
"A party?"
"Yeah! A party! Just because the man is dead, doesn't mean it has to be a sad occasion. It will be a celebration of Nevin's life and work…yeah…and anyone is invited."
"Do you think…we'll see Isham?"
"Why wouldn't Isham show up for his own friend's funeral?"
"He hates funerals…and he has been MIA for work, lately. We are going to have a serious talk when I see him."
"I don't know, babe. It would be a shame if he did not show up for his best friend's funeral…I don't give a damn what Sabine says…our friends will be there at Nevin's funeral…homophobic bitch…Who is she?"
"His wife…the mother of his children…"
"Yeah, but who is she really," Christopher replies, as he took a drink of his beer, "Who made her God? Narcissistic, stuck-up..."
"Yeah…she is…," Valentine agrees, "Those poor children; she brings nothing but havoc to those babies. I miss them, Von misses them, and Archie misses them. Ever since Nevin and Sabine's separation, we hardly see the triplets anymore. Now…we will never see them again…AND IT'S ALL HER FAULT!"
Valentine quickly covers her mouth. She hopes that she did not wake the children. However, she is so upset, she guzzles her glass of malt liquor until the last drop. Her husband looks at her in awe.
"Damn, Val. It's not water."
"Chris…Nevin's dead," she cried, "It's so sad."
"I should have known this was going to happen. Baby, I think you had enough."
"Sweetheart," Valentine cried, wiping her tears, "I'm fine."
"No. You need to go to bed."
"Christopher, I'm fine."
Christopher softly takes her head, "I'll make a deal with you. I'll come to bed with you…hold you in my arms…stroke your hair until you fall asleep. What do you say?"
Valentine looks deep into his ocean blue eyes and says, "I say…give it to me right here, and then you can hold me in bed."
"….Why here when we can take it to the shower?"
"…Even better."
"Alight! Let me get us a refill."
He gets up and goes to the kitchen to refill his and his wife's beer glasses. Five minutes later, after refilling the glasses, he finds his wife asleep on the couch. He shakes his head and smiles at her.
"What a lightweight," Christopher says to himself.
Christopher places the glasses of beer down on the table and carries Valentine in his arms to the bed.
Little does the couple know that their daughter, Yvonne-Leigh, lies in her bed wide awake. While her little brother sleeps in the next bed and her parents go to bed, Yvonne-Leigh cries softly to herself. Her pillow is saturated with her tears from the news of Nevin's passing. She also misses playing with the triplets, Argentina, Mandela, and Corinthian. Poor Yvonne-Leigh. She is consumed with her grief and loss but does not know how to deal with it.
Weeks later, after the break-up, Zora becomes ill. Her headache and chest pains are getting worse, and she cannot keep her food down. However, things become worst when one of her co-workers finds her on the floor. They immediately get the manager who calls 911. Everyone is significantly concerned about her. She hasn't been the same since her break-up with Anton. Her physical and her emotional being are extremely bad.
The EMTs roll her into the back of the ambulance, where she is taken to the nearest hospital. One of the EMTs tries to get as much information from Zora, but Zora is incoherent. She needs serious medical attention. When they arrive at the hospital, they take her to the E.R. The nurse approaches Zora Grant and asks how she is feeling. With little strength, she has she explain to the nurse her symptoms. The nurse does the usual procedure, takes samples of her blood, her blood pressure, her temperature...finally, she asks Zora for a urine sample. Then, she lays back down on the hospital bed to rest. Zora eventually goes into a deep sleep. When she wakes up, she is in the hospital room.
'What is this,' Zora thinks to herself, 'how did I get here?'
A nurse comes into the room to do her rounds. Besides, her white, crisp nurse uniform, she wears a pink button-down sweater. Plus, a gold chain with a medallion of Saint Agatha of Sicily and a watch. Her white nurse cap still stands out from her feathered, flaming red hair.
When she comes to Zora's bed, Zora asks, "Excuse me, nurse. But…what happened last night?"
The nurse replies, "I don't know, Sweetheart. I just started my shift this morning. Maybe they wanted to keep you overnight for more observation, but I think it would be best to wait for the doctor to see you."
The nurse continues with her duties.
Suddenly, Zora replies, "I don't mean to trouble you again, but….I'm starving -----?"
"Say no more, baby. I'll get you some breakfast."
"Thank you so much, Nurse…"
"Loisaida. Nurse Loisaida."
"That's a beautiful name."
"Thanks. Unfortunately, people have a hard time saying, Loisaida. So, I suggest that they call me "Lois." Hey! You're January and Jason's daughter, right," she replies with a smile.
"You know my parents?"
"I have known your mother since Nursing School."
"Really?"
"Yeah. We went to the Saint Agatha of Sicily School of Nursing. I knew your father through your mother; he was such a nice man. How are they doing?"
"My mother is fine, but my father died."
"I see. I'm sorry."
"It's ok. Mommy and I are doing fine."
"Anyway, I will get your breakfast. I will try to find something delicious."
"Thank you…Nurse Lois."
When the nurse brought Zora her breakfast, Zora ate it as if she was on her way to the electric chair. It is not long until her breakfast comes back to haunt her. She holds her mouth, leaps out of bed, and rushes to the bathroom. Zora then falls to her knees and buries her face right into the toilet to vomit. She then slowly lifts her head.
'Oh no,' Zora thinks to herself, 'I feel like death.'
She slowly stands to her feet and slowly walks to the face basin. She turns on the water to wash any remnants of vomit in her mouth. Then the thought dawns on her. Could it be? Maybe? She thinks to herself back on the series of events that happened in the past few weeks. Her achy body, fatigue, constant vomiting, and fainting on the floor. Maybe it is something else? Like stress or overwork. This can be a sign of stress. Zora convinces herself that it probably was stress. After all, she is still trying to get over her heartbreak over Anton. Zora goes back to her bed to rest. All she can hear is the phrase "I'm getting married," echoing in her mind. She begins to cry, but she abruptly stops because she knows it would cause a massive headache. Then, the doctor comes into the room to see Zora.
"Good morning, Ms. Grant," the doctor greets, "I'm Dr. Brighton."
"Good morning, Dr. Brighton."
"How are you feeling today?"
"I feel the same way I did for the past few weeks…crappy."
"Well, we viewed your test, and the "crappy" feeling you have is entirely normal for a woman in your situation."
"I figured that I mean…I've been under a lot of stress and overworking from my job."
"Well, I can tell you this…it's not stress. And if you are working too hard, relax. It's not good for the two of you."
"Excuse me…Two?"
"Ms. Grant, you're pregnant."
Zora is in shock. She cannot and doesn't want to believe it.
"…Are…you sure?"
The doctor nods his head.
She sinks into her pillow and takes a deep breath.
Zora finally asked, "…How far along am I?"
"You're in your third month, and it's a single birth which means, you are carrying one fetus. I highly suggest that you take care of yourself and your baby. I'll have the nurse check your temperature and your blood pressure. Before you get discharged, which will probably be later on today, I'll write a couple of prescriptions for you, but you have to take them to the pharmacy before you leave the hospital. Is that clear?"
"Yes…doctor."
"Until then, relax."
"Sure."
The doctor leaves the room.
"A baby. I'm going to have a baby."
Zora places her hands over her stomach. She thinks to herself about the times she and Anton made love. Planting kisses on each other's bodies. Laying naked in each other's arms, skin to skin. He would whisper, 'My soniye, I love you.'
With tears in her eyes, she wonders, 'What am I going to do? How could you do this to me, Anton? I need you so much.'
Zora is so scared. She is facing a huge responsibility with no support from Anton. Then the door opens; it is Fabiola and her mother, January Grant.
Zora's mother, January Grant, does not have a problem with interracial dating. Zora's father, Jason Grant, would not have a problem with the relationship either if he was still alive. Tragically, he passed away in a car accident, when Zora was four years old. Since her husband's death, January Grant plays the dual role of a working mother and father. It is difficult for January, but Zora had a happy childhood, nonetheless; all they had is each other.
"Zora," January exclaims, rushing to her bedside, "I got in late, but the hospital left me a message on my answering machine. What the hell happened to you?"
She looks at Fabiola and her mother, stone-faced, and says, "I'm pregnant."
"YOU'RE WHAT," her mother exclaims!
"I'm going to have a baby."
"Oh, boy," Fabiola says with shock, as she sat on the bed.
"I'm scared! I don't know what to do. I can't get an abortion, and the father of my unborn child is getting married to another woman."
"Wait for a second," Zora's mother says, still in shock, "Are you telling me…that Anton's the father????"
"You mean…," said Fabiola.
"Yes. Anton is about to make another girl his wife and make ME his baby mama," confesses Zora.
"Does he know he is the father of your baby," ask Fabiola?
"NO! Anton doesn't know I am pregnant…and he's not GOING to know about the baby. What difference does it make? Another woman is going to be his wife, not me."
"Oh no," exclaims January, "I am going to get a hold of his parents and tell them their son knocked up my daughter!"
"Another thing," starts Fabiola, "He's marrying someone else, nena. You have to face that reality and let it go."
"I know. I know…but I don't want to complicate things for Anton."
"Him!? HIM," January retorts, "What about YOU? He has complicated your life by knocking you up and dumping you. You're pregnant with HIS child, and you need all the help you can get from HIM. Besides, he has a right to know about his baby."
"HE left ME," Zora cries.
"And you don't have the right to take his baby away from him because he broke your heart. That sounds like some bitter-baby-mama drama. As soon as we get home, I'm calling his parents."
"Mama, no," Zora cries!
"I could care less about the fact that he's getting married to another woman. You didn't make this baby by yourself. He is the father, and he is going to take responsibility for his actions."
Fabiola is so overwhelmed by the news that she had to sit down on the bed.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door; it was Nurse Loisaida.
"Ok, nena," Loisaida says, coming back into the room with a tray of food, "I brought something muy rico por…January! Fabiola!"
"Loisaida," January and Fabiola exclaimed!
"How are you," Loisaida ask?
"Well…we just found out that my daughter is pregnant," January confesses, with slight disappointment.
"Oh. Nena, don't feel bad," Loisaida says, "There are lots of single parents in this world, and they are raising their children just fine, like me. Bueno, I hope you can keep this food down. Otherwise, eat toast only. "
Fabiola then replies, "Look, Zora…you're going through a lot right now. There's a lot of things you have to take into consideration. Important things that don't include your unrequited love for Anton. Whatever you need, nena---"
"----I know you'll be there for me...but Fab…I… I don't know anything about children."
"Do you think your father and I knew how to take care of you? Babies don't come with a book of instructions. Look…right now, just take care of yourself and my grandchild. You're not alone. You have me…and another thing, baby, we may be Catholic but…we're not perfect," January started, "People make mistakes, especially Catholics. Yes, you made of mistake of getting pregnant without being wed. Hey, you probably made the mistake of having sex before being wed, but it's too late to change it. You're having a baby…um…Did you think about------"
"No," Zora exclaims, "I can't do that. Kill an innocent life? This baby hasn't done anything."
"Good, because thou shall NOT kill," January said, "Every life is precious, despite the circumstances."
"Ok. How about putting the baby up for adoption," Fabiola suggests.
"Well…that could be an option," Zora agrees.
"Yeah. You could help a couple who can't have children. You would be giving them a blessing."
"Hold on girls…," January says, "This is my grandchild. Let's not be too hasty on what to do with the baby yet. We have to weigh our options first. I'm still going to talk with Mr. and Mrs. Braganza."
Zora sighs and says, "There's so much to think about."
"Take one day at a time. We'll be with you every step of the way," assures January.
People slowly pour into Holy Chalice Catholic Church. Nevin touches a lot of people's lives. Not only family and friends attend the funeral, but the regulars from Newkirk's bar, as well as the clergy he had worked with before his death, come to say their "good-byes."
Despite Sabine's…" order," those from the "Rainbow" district show up to pay their respects, but they had to keep a low profile. Nevin's parents fly from out of town to attend the funeral. The couple keeps to themselves; they are unsocial and keep and low profile.
However, Sabine Nereid, the widow of the late Nevin Nereid, walks regally with her triplets at the toe. Sabine makes sure that she and her children do not look like an everyday family of poverty. Instead, Sabine and her children dress the part of a grieving family of a tycoon. Sabine's face is entirely caked with make-up. Her black floppy hat with a C.Z. diamond brim covers her neat, sleek hair, which is pinned in a bun. Her fashion jewelry, which consisted of earrings, matching bracelets, and necklaces, is made of Marcasite. Sabine's black faux fur jacket and faux leather gloves do her no justice in covering her fitted black dress, which shows the curves and cleavage of her body. The finishing touch of Mrs. Nereid's outfit…black hosiery with black stilettos.
Her daughters, Argentina and Corinthian Nereid wore matching black dresses with white lace trimming. They also wore white lace tights with patent leather black Mary Jane shoes. Her son, Mandela Nereid, wore a black pin-stripe suit with a crisp white shirt and black and white oxfords. Sabine and her children sit at the fourth pew, in front of the church. Despite their appearances, Sabine is stone-faced, but the children are sad.
"I don't want to be here," Argentina confesses softly to Corinthian, "These statues are so big and scary; I want to go home."
"I know. I wish I had my doll, but mommy took it away from me," Corinthian replies.
It is not long until Sabine's family arrives at the church. Jabari Montague and his brother, Malcolm Jr. Montague, accompany their mother, Hyacinth Montague. Hyacinth Montague is the matriarch of the Montague family. She treated Nevin like another son. Also, it is strange that Nevin has a closer relationship with the Montagues than his wife.
They walk to the front of the first pew, but they quickly notice Sabine and the children. Someone calls her name, but for some reason, Sabine cannot hear anyone; mentally, she is a million miles away. However, when she feels a poking on her arm, she is startled by the touch.
"Mommy, mommy," Mandela calls to his mother.
Sabine turns to her son.
"What is it, boy," Sabine asks angrily?
"Uncle M.J. wants you," Mandela replies with fear.
She looks up and sees her brother looking down on her.
"How are you doing," Malcolm Jr. asks.
"I'm fine. I just want this to be over so I can get on with my life," she replies, looking forward, stone-faced.
Malcolm Jr. rolls his eyes, takes a deep breath, and says, "Well, mama is having a get together at the house and---"
"I'm not going."
"…Ok. I'll just take the children---"
"---You are not taking my children either."
"Why can't the children come to their grandmother's house?"
Sabine sternly says, "I said, you can't."
"Ok…I know your anger is not towards me, but Sabine…you and the children shouldn't be alone now. You guys need some support and comfort."
"I AM their support and comfort," snaps Sabine.
"Could we please go to grandma's house, mommy? Please, mommy," Corinthian asks her mother.
"I said NO! Don't start on my nerves in God's house," she scolds her daughter.
Sabine becomes so frustrated with her brother, she gets up and grabs Malcolm Jr. to the corner of the church.
Malcolm Jr. says, pulling his arm away from his sister's grip, "First of all, don't ever pull on my suit, and second----"
"----Second of all, don't preach to me about my family's well-being. We are fine, dealing with Nevin's death. Speaking of your suit, it's a hand-me-down."
"Oh, really?"
"Yes!"
"My nieces and nephew don't look like they're handling it well. Did you ever explain to them about death and dying?"
Sabine laughs and says, "That's the reason I pay for the Catholic school. They teach them about stuff like that."
"YOU, Ms. Thang, are unbelievable. The father of your children is dead. Your children are scared and confused, and you leave it to Catholic school to do your parenting."
"Hey! I'm a GOOD mother. I work hard at my catering business to take care of my family. Besides, I was the breadwinner when he was just a busboy at that disgusting bar."
"I see you take care of yourself too," Malcolm Jr. says, leaning back with his arms folded, "But I hate to break it to you, baby, it's not about you, and this is not a soap opera."
"It is about me. I'm the grieving widow and single mother struggling to raise three children, BY- HER-SELF. You don't know the trials and tribulations I tackle every day. You're insensitive, like everyone else."
"Here we go…' Selfish, Self-centered Sabine'. Let me ask you something? Doesn't this get old...tired…boring? A lot of people are sick of it."
"Sick of what?"
Malcolm looked at his sister as if she spoke another language.
'Is this chick for real,' he thinks to himself?
There is a short pause until Malcolm finally says, "If you have to ask, you will never know."
Malcolm Jr. walks away to join Jabari and Hyacinth.
"What's going on between you two," Hyacinth wonders.
"Nothing, mama," Malcolm Jr. replies, as he sat in his seat.
"Don't you lie in God's house," Hyacinth whispers sternly?
Malcolm Jr. softly confesses, "I told Sabine about the get-together, and she got mad. Then she said that she and the children will be fine by themselves. I'm telling you, Mama…those children need someone, but it's not their mother."
"M.J. is right, mama," Jabari agrees, "That woman makes a sinner look like a saint. You should see them. Manny, Tina, and Cori look miserable…I'm going back there to get them and---"
"---Jabari, don't you dare," Hyacinth softly commands, as she grabbed his arm, "I don't want any more drama between my two sons and my only daughter."
Hyacinth continued with a sigh, "Your father, God rest his soul, and I tried to give all of you the best. We sent you to the best colleges. Sabine was dying to go to that Saint Elizabeth of Hungary School of Culinary Studies. I was so proud of her that day when she graduated with high honors. Your sister is so brilliant, and beautiful…but her heart is so small. I will always love your father; I…miss him more and more every day, but when your father left this Earth, he left Sabine…broken. Now she walks around as if the world owes her something."
"Mama, you can't blame yourself for Sabine's demons," Malcolm assures his mother.
"Oh, I know it's not my fault. Besides, you have a point," says Hyacinth, "These are Sabine's demons, and she has to deal with them."
"Drama is already in God's house, and she's sitting behind us," Jabari whispers.
"Enough. If your sister wants to make her husband's funeral about her fine, we will not give the devil any satisfaction…We are dignified Catholics. Remember that. Is that clear?"
"Yes, mama," the two men softly say in unison.
"You let me handle your sister," Hyacinth says.
"Did you get to see Nevin's parents," Malcolm Jr. ask?
"I'm pretty sure they are here. I hope Mr. and Mrs. Nereid are here. They are like ghosts. The children hardly know them."
"I wonder what his childhood was like; it must have been pretty lonely."
"No. Mr. and Mrs. Nereid wasn't so thrilled when he got married. I don't think they wanted him to marry period. I guess…Nevin thought he could escape his loneliness through marriage…but his adulthood was pretty lonely too. I know that when the children were born, the children became his refuge. Then, when he started working at that bar, his loneliness was gone. Your sister didn't like that. She wanted to keep that man to himself, just like his parents."
More guest attends the funeral. The clergy of Holy Chalice Church make their way to the front of the church and sit by the alter, looking over at the open casket, where Nevin lay peacefully. Flowers decorate the coffin as the pictures illustrate his life. Valentine and Christopher attend without the children.
It is a bittersweet service. Father McDougal leads the service with an opening prayer. Other prayers follow; songs are sung. Then Christopher reads the Obituary. As he read, Christopher looks at Nevin from his blind spot. He becomes choked up for a minute, but he quickly gathers himself and continues the reading.
As Valentine watches her husband at the pulpit, she wonders, 'Sabine should be up there, reading the Obituary, not Chris. What a horrible wife? How could Nevin marry someone so selfish?'
Valentine cannot hold back her tears. Then, a figure wearing a navy blue pin-striped suit walks down the aisle towards Valentine. She feels a hand on her shoulder; she turned abruptly.
"Do you mind if I cut in," Isham Mejia asks?
"Isham, I'm so glad you came," Valentine replies happily.
He slides inside the pew with Valentine.
"Where's Orchid? Did you see her," Isham ask?
"No, I didn't see her."
I hope she shows up at the bar. We are going to need a lot of help from the party."
"Yeah, me too. Anyway, how are you holding up," Valentine asks?
"Ok. It hasn't been easy, losing your best friend to a…to a bottle."
"I feel sorry for Nevin," Valentine whispers, "All his life, he lived in torment by people who theoretically loved him. His parents…his relatives…his wife…"
"You know, Val, Nevin had a gift that made him happy…and he wanted to share that happiness with the world. The people who shunned him didn't matter, and even as they sit in this church, they still don't matter. However, the people who loved him matter a great deal. Plus, he did have a family who loved him. Besides his children, we were his family, the "Rainbow District" was his family, and many others who came to pay their respects were his family."
Valentine pats her eyes dry and smiles.
"Maybe you should go up there and say those words to everyone else," she suggests.
"I agreed to come to my buddy's funeral. Saying a few kind words would be pushing it. Funerals creep me out."
"You're right, Ish. Nevin did not die in vain. He made his mark in the world, and now, God has called him home. Hey, are you coming to help Chris and me with the party later?"
"Of course."
Meanwhile, Sabine gazes at the casket. Although she has a look of anguish, her heart is breaking.
'Why couldn't you love me, Nevin,' she thinks to herself, 'You loved everyone else but me. I was your wife. I was the mother of your children…you left me all alone to be with your damn gay lover.'
Sabine's lips become tighter, as she tried to fight her tears.
'I hope the two of you live happily ever after in hell,' she thinks to herself.
Other people who are the closest to Nevin, speak on Nevin's behalf, as well. During the procession, volunteers gingerly carry the casket into the hearse. Close friends and family go into their vehicles to meet at the burial site. Others, like Mr. and Mrs. Newkirk and Isham Mejia, leave after the funeral. They have to finish putting on the finishing touches for their party.
"Mrs. Montague, you have my condolence," expresses Christopher.
"Thank you, dear. Nevin was like another son to me," Hyacinth replies with a heavy heart.
"He was like family to all of us as well."
"He touched all of our hearts. Did you speak to Sabine?"
"Yes, ma'am. I spoke to her the other night, but when I spoke to her but…well…"
"I understand. Sabine's going through a lot now. It's best to leave her alone."
"It would have been nice if she attended our party."
"Party? What party?"
"The gang and I are throwing a party to pay tribute to Nevin."
"That sounds wonderful. I hope it goes well."
"Thanks, Mrs. Montague."
The drive to the cemetery seems like an eternity; the sky is clear and blue while the sun gives off its eternal glow. The cars finally arrive at the burial site. Everyone gathers under the tent to say their last "good-byes" while the song "El Shaddai" plays in the background. As they lower Nevin into the ground, some people softly weep, but the one person who should have displayed the most emotion showed little emotion…Sabine. She sits stone-faced, watching the body of her late husband descend into the ground. Sabine then rises from her seat and quickly grabs her children. They all darts to the limo until the mother stops them in their tracks. Sabine is annoyed.
"Hello, baby girl," greets Hyacinth, "What's the hurry?"
Sabine takes a deep breath.
"No hurry, mama," says Sabine, "The burial is over, and we're going home----"
"---I would like to take the children with me for a while."
"Why," Sabine asked sternly?
"No need to be on the offensive. No one is trying to take your babies. I'm just want to spend some time with them, perhaps a week----"
"A week? Oh no. I don't think so. What about the school, Mama? I need to go take them to school--"
"--- one of your brothers or I will take the triplets to school. It's no problem. They are my grand-babies. You know that I'll take good care of them."
"Yeah, like you did with me?"
Hyacinth looks at her daughter and shakes her head.
"Your brothers told me you were going to do this."
"Do what, mama?"
"Make Nevin's funeral about you."
"Mama, look…everyone is so damn focused on Nevin like he was a god or some saint. I'm the grieving widow. What about me? Nobody stopped to think about how this is affecting me!"
Just when Hyacinth is about to put Sabine in her place, she looks at the situation from a different angle. Her daughter has lost her husband. She remembers feeling hurt and alone, when her late husband, Malcolm Sr., passed away. Plus, Hyacinth does not want to embarrass her daughter in front of her children. So, Hyacinth has to stop herself and breathe.
She calmly replies, "You're right. You are the grieving widow. I also know that this is a traumatic moment for you, and you are not ok …but if you want to be alone, I will take the children."
Sabine is bewildered; she cannot believe that her mother made this statement to her. It is so gentle…understanding…emphatic…like a mother. Sabine gives it some thought that maybe she does need some time alone to grieve.
"… Ok, fine…the triplets can go with you," Sabine surrenders.
"Good."
Hyacinth turns her attention to the children and says, "Ok. Who wants to go to "nana's" house?"
"ME," the triplets shout while jumping up and down!
"Ok, babies," replies Hyacinth, "Run along to your uncles."
"They need a change of clothes," says Sabine.
"Either Jabari or M.J. will get their bare necessities. Now, go on and take care of yourself."
Sabine walks to the car. Before stepping inside, Sabine turns around and sees that her children are hovering around Hyacinth. She then goes into the car with a heavy heart, and the chauffeur drives her home.
Christopher, Isham, Valentine, and the bust boy, Johan Howard, are throwing their celebration at Newkirk's, in Nevin's memory. Christopher is putting the finishing touches; balloons and streamers decorate the bar. Suddenly, the regulars and other patrons come pouring into the bar; some of the regulars who also attended the funeral invite their friends. They are amazed by the scenery of Newkirk's.
"Hey, what's going here," one of the patrons asks Johan.
"Nevin passed away," Johan says to the patron, "He was a bust boy before me."
"Aw, man! My condolences."
"Thanks, man. I wish I knew Nevin personally; he seemed like an awesome dude."
"Yeah…he was."
"Anyway, instead of grieving, we are going to celebrate. It's kind of like a "going-way" party," Johan cheers.
"…I don't get it, but whatever. A party is a party!"
"Alright! I'll pour you a beer."
Suddenly, Orchid rushes into the bar, thinking she is late for work.
"Hey! Where have you been, mama," Isham asks?
"I….I had to run a few errands. I am sorry," Orchid replies.
"It's fine with me, but you have to answer to the boss and the boss lady. There have been wondering where you were."
"Well, where are they?"
"I don't know where Chris is, but Val is over there, cleaning tables."
"Ok. Thank you."
Orchid rushes to Valentine's table. Unfortunately, she runs so fast, she bumps into Valentine.
"I'm so sorry," Orchid apologize, "I didn't mean to be late."
"You should be more careful. This isn't a drag race. Where were you?"
"…The trains were late. I'm sorry."
"Fine. Fine. You're here, so…that's all that matters. Grab an apron and start taking orders."
"Yes, ma'am."
Orchid rushes off to get ready for her shift.
Valentine watches the young woman rush like a bat out of hell.
'I hope she doesn't get into any more accidents,' Valentine thinks to herself, shaking her head.
Valentine then continues cleaning the bar tables until a voice called to her.
"Hello, "Queen of Hearts, " a voice calls to her.
She stops and turns to see a regular and good friend.
"Hue! I'm so glad you're here," Valentine exclaims, with an embrace.
"Likewise, my love. How are you doing?"
"Well…you know…"
"Yeah. I closed the boutique for the day; I could not be my sunny self for my public. So, I put a reef of flowers on the door, so people will know that there had been passing. However, we are all living …one day at a time. Get it?"
"…Oh!"
They both laugh.
Hue begins to cry.
Hue Bruckner is a regular patron of the Newkirk's and a resident of the "Rainbow Quarter." He is also a proprietor of his establishment called the "Betty Bop" Boutique.
"Oh. Hue, don't cry."
"No. No. I'm fine," Hue reassures Valentine as he dries his eye with his handkerchief with a gentle pat.
"It's ok to cry. We're all hurting by this loss. That's why the gang and I are throwing a party."
Hue stops patting his eyes and looks at her strangely.
"I don't get," he says through his eyes.
"Instead of lingering on the lost. We are celebrating Nevin's life and work."
"…Ohhhh!!!! Now I get it! That's a wonderful idea, but…he was just a bust boy."
"Well…Nevin was more than just a bust boy."
"What do you mean? I don't understand."
Valentine motions Hue to come close to her.
She whispers, "Nevin was a lounge singer named Vanilla-Cocoa Bean."
"Vanilla-Cocoa…Oh. Oh! I remember!"
"Remember? Don't tell me Chris told you, too?"
"Oh, no, dear. Sunsette told me."
"Sunsette…You know, my husband mentioned a Sunsette the other night. Who is this
Sunsette?"
"This question is, "Who was Sunsette?"
"Was?"
"Yes. Sunsette was my best friend…well…he was my best friend. She was born male, but she wanted to be considered a female. Anyway, she was like a sister to me…who, I believe, died for love."
"Love?"
"…Honey, you're starting to sound like a parrot."
"Oh! Sorry."
They both laugh.
"That's quite alright, but seriously, Sunsette was Nubian. Smooth, dark chocolate-brown skin, full luscious lips, and a fit, lean figure. To the untrained eye, she could pass for a woman."
"So….transgender?"
"Yes, "Sunsette" was transgender."
"Oh. I see."
"Sunsette and I would come to see Vani---, I mean, Nevin, perform practically, every night. I tell you; that man had a voice that would place envy on the nightingales. Of course, Sunsette was a bigger fan than I."
"So…how did she die…for love?"
"Sunsette died under the knife, trying to undergo a sex change for a man who did not love her."
"Oh, my goodness! That's terrible! Poor Sunsette. How did she discover Nevin and "Vanilla-Cocoa Bean" were the same people?"
"Well, one night….dreaming sweet dreams, my doorbell rang…"
"Alright, alright, I'm coming," I called out, struggling to put on my bathrobe.
I mumbled to myself, "…just when the king of the jungle was about to rip the loincloth off me."
I turned the hallway light to unlock my door, and Sunsette came barging into my apartment. She was in tears, and her mascara ran down her face. She was such a mess!
"I cannot believe it. I'm such an idiot," she cried.
"Sunsette, do you have any idea what time it is? I have to open my boutique early in the morning."
"I'm sorry, darling, but I…, I still cannot believe it. I…I'm in shock."
"About what?"
"Vanilla-Cocoa."
"…The singer? What about her?"
"Not her. Him."
"…what…Ok. What about him?"
"He's not gay."
That had gotten my attention.
"…Oh…wow…that woke me up," I said, with wide eyes, "Have a seat and tell me all about it."
"Well, remember when we all left the bar?"
"Yeah…"
"Well, "Vanilla-Cocoa," and I went back to my place for a little…nightcap. I could tell he was totally into me. Plus, we were both somewhat intoxicated. Anyway, we were having a good time. Laughing and joking..."
"Ok. So what happened?"
"We were sitting on the couch. I sat side-ways facing Nevin. He was so gorgeous. I bared my heart and soul to him. I told him that I admire him and that he was blessed with a wonderful gift for being a sultry songstress. He was very flattered. Then…"
"Then, what?"
"…I kissed Nevin. It was the most magical five seconds of my life."
"You kissed him?"
"…yes…," Sunsette said as she began to cry again.
"Where? On the lips?"
Sunsette nodded her head.
Hue let out a gasp.
"How did he react to the kiss," Hue asked?
"Well, after five seconds of locking lips with me, he must have realized he was locking lips with…me."
"Was he shocked that he was kissing a woman or kissing a man?"
"I don't know, darling. So he pushed me away and shook his head. He…he was shocked…and he seemed very uncomfortable. "Vanilla-Cocoa" leaped off the couch and darted to the door. I tried to apologize for being so forward, but he was too upset. I begged him to stay until…"
"Until…"
"…Nevin told me he had to get home to his wife and children."
"Oh, no!"
"He said that he was sorry if he misled me even though I kept apologizing for my behavior. So, I let him go. After he left, I…, I cried."
"So what do you want me to do? I mean, don't get me wrong, my heart goes out to you and it's very devastating news but Sweetheart …if it wasn't meant to be, it wasn't meant to be."
"Sunsette looked up at me and said, "…This is the reason I came to you. You are my voice of reason."
"Um…glad to be a service?"
"Hue, you are right. I should be ashamed of myself, behaving this way. It's not like he is the last man on Earth. Besides, there will be other men…many, many men…"
"...yes, dear. Many gay men who would date a transgender woman."
"Darling, you are the only one I know who can talk me off the ledge of a building, and you did it!"
"Ok …that's good…are you sure you're ok or going to be ok…"
"Yeah. I think so."
"Good…well, you can camp on my couch for the night. I would hate to have you wandering the horrible streets."
"Thank you so much."
"Remember, I have to open the boutique, so when I leave, you leave."
"I am fine with that."
"Good. Now, if you will excuse me…I go back to my gladiator dream."
"Good night."
"Good night, dear."
"…I thought that was the end of it," Hue continues, "Apparently, I didn't talk Miss Sunsette off the ledge, after all. A few weeks later, she came into my boutique, beaming from here to Mars."
"Hue Bruckner, I have wonderful news," Sunsette announced.
"Oh, do tell," I urged.
" "Vanilla-Cocoa," and I made up, and we are friends."
"Friends? You and "Vanilla-Cocoa" are friends?"
"Yeah!"
"Oh, ok."
"I'm so glad he's not mad at me anymore. He's willing to let the past pass. Besides, I missed coming to see his performances. His singing is like food to my soul, and my soul was starving."
"Ok…but you do know…"
"Yeah. Yeah. Nevin's not gay. I know, but…that doesn't mean we can't be friends…OR I have to stop being his fan…"
"I want you to be careful."
"Careful of what?"
"Letting your emotions run away with you."
"Darling, you worry too much."
"I worry because you are my friend and I love you--"
"—and I love you for that, Hue, but you have nothing, absolutely nothing, to worry about. I'm fine."
"This was not good," Hue continues, "I was beginning to worry about my dear friend; I feared the worse. She was thrilled that she and Nevin were friends…but her behavior appeared to be someone getting married. I didn't want to be a nag, so I kept a close eye on her. Whenever she wanted to go to a performance, I accompanied Sunsette. So one the night of one of his performances, I went to speak to the siren, myself…"
"Miss Bean" was taking five at the bar, so I saw my chance to have a little chat with her."
"Um, "Vanilla-Cocoa"…."
"Yes?"
"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Hue Bruckner."
"…Um…Hi, Hue Bruckner."
"Please, call me Hue."
"Ok…Hue…Can I help you with something?"
"Yes. I need some clarity on something."
"What's that?"
"Sunsette."
"Oh. Look, if you happened to be his boyfriend-----"
"----No, no, no. It's not like that. And with much respect, "HE" refers to be considered a "SHE."
"Sorry. Anyway, Sunsette and I are just friends and nothing much."
"Oh, I'm very much aware of that…it's just that…well…she…somehow sees your friendship with her…going to a higher level."
"Oh, no. I…I straighten this whole thing with her. I thought I made it clear to her; we can only be just friends."
"Well, please let her know; I would greatly appreciate it. Anyway, it wishes the subject matter was a little more pleasant, but it was a pleasure chatting with you."
"Likewise."
Then, we parted.
"Sunsette was in awe by Nevin," Hue says, "She thought she was watching a demi-goddess, weave her enchanting rhapsody on stage."
Hue sighs and continues, "Then, she came up with this ridiculous idea. She has been playing with the idea for a while of going through the procedure to be…a woman. Don't get me wrong, I support, my friend, but I believe she did it for the wrong reason… Unfortunately, it became her demise. We were having dinner at the "Bedford Bistro"…"
"So…how have you been these days," I asked.
"Oh. You know, pretty well," Sunsette replied.
"Are you and Vanilla still friends?"
"Nevin. Vanilla-Cocoa's real name is Nevin."
I stopped eating and paused.
"The bust boy," I asked?
"Yes."
"Are you telling me that mild-matter bust boy is a flamboyant songbird?"
"Oh yeah…but, please…I was sworn to secrecy. No one must know of Nevin's real identity."
"Oh, sure, love. I'll take it to my grave. I…I still can't believe it."
"Anyway, Nevin and I are good friends. I value our friendship…"
"I sense a "but"…a BIG "but"…"
"Well, I figured…that the reason I can only be friends with Nevin is the fact that…"
"THAT HE'S STRAIGHT LIKE A NO. 2 PENCIL. We went over this Sunsette."
"AND…I'm not fully a woman."
I looked at her, very crossed.
"What is going on the little head of yours now," I enquired.
"I'm going to do it…thanks to him."
"Are you going to undergo sex change?"
"Yes. I have been playing with the idea anyway, and, well, Nevin is that little push that I need to make it official."
"I knew it."
"What?"
"You are letting your emotion run away with you. Did you tell…Nevin?"
"No."
"Sunsette"…I did not want to say anything, but…please…please don't undergo the procedure for a man who does not love you."
"I'm not! I'm doing this for me! I always felt like a gorgeous woman trapped in…a somewhat sexy man's body. After the surgery, I won't have to feel that way anymore. And who knows. Maybe something more will happen between Nevin and me."
"Well, Sunni… you're a big girl, and you have made your decision. You have my blessing and my support. Would you mind if I accompanied you when you go through the procedure?"
"I would love that," Sunsette said, as she took my hand.
"So I went with Sunsette to the hospital for her procedure…I waited for hours and hours in that waiting room…and…she didn't make it."
"Oh, no."
"…The doctors told me that she lost so much blood during the procedure…I tried to hold it together but I couldn't. I bawled like a baby."
Hue forces himself to laugh to stop himself from crying.
"Look at me," Hue says, patting his eyes with his handkerchief, "I'm still bawling like a baby."
"Hue, if you want to cry, cry," Valentine replies, "Today, is a bittersweet day for everyone."
"She has been gone for a while…you would think that I would be over this by now. Anyway, I…I had help from our other friends to make the funeral arrangements since her relatives made her an outcast. We were not allowed to have proper service in the church. So…we gave the beautiful Sunsette a beautiful funeral at the funeral parlor…but the casket had to be closed."
"I'm sure Sunsette would have been honored."
"Honored. The heartless bastards would have never allowed us to have service there if we did not agree to not have an "open-casket" service. No one had the chance to see Sunsette's beautiful face."
"I am sorry, Hue," Valentine says, apologetically, "Why didn't you come to Chris and me?"
"I didn't want to make a big scene."
"Nonsense. You are family."
"Valentine, you are truly a sweetheart, but I was able to sue that hospital for malpractice."
"Did you win the case?"
"The case is still pending. I know it has something to do with…well…our lifestyle. I did not want my dear friend to end up in a potter's field with an unmarked grave. She deserved better than that. So I paid out of pocket for the funeral."
"That's terrible. The hospital is the ones who were negligent."
"I know. I know. However, there is still this horrible stigma towards homosexuals. We are considered sinful…strange…unwholesome…Plus, to make matters worse, society thinks, that anyone who is gay automatically has AIDS. Even though many of us are dying from this deadly virus, it doesn't mean it's our punishment."
"If you do win, what do you plan on doing with the settlement?"
"Well, I would like to put together a safe house for gays, lesbians, bisexuals, AND trans-genders. I figured Sunny would have wanted it that way. Even though being attracted to your gender is no longer considered a "mental disease," society is still not ready to view us as equal."
"Hue, Sunsette was blessed to have a friend like you; you are truly a saint. How many people attended the service?"
"A good number," Hue says, "Her family wasn't there, but she had other loved ones there. Nevin must have eventually found out about Sunsette after the procedure because the next thing I know, Nevin was given a "farewell" performance."
Valentine says, "Yes. We were all dumbfounded."
"Do you think…Nevin blamed himself for Sunsette's death?"
"I don't know. No one knows what was troubling Nevin. Maybe there are many things, but I do know that his wife made his life a living Hell."
"Well, dear, Nevin is no longer in pain."
It is getting late, and the party is finally coming close. The patrons leave the neighborhood bar, Newkirk's, little by little. While the staff does their part to clean and close the bar, Christopher urgently needs to talk to Isham.
"Hey, Isham, Christopher starts.
"Hey, Chris! Awesome turn-out, wasn't it?"
"Yeah…great turn-out. Um…we need to talk."
"Talk? Chris, I know exactly how you're feeling. I lost my best too, but we'll get through this. I'm here for you, man."
"Are you sure?"
"Of course, why would you ask me such a question?"
"I ask because…well…you have been acting strangely for a while. You have been coming into work late or haven't been coming into work. Is everything ok?"
Isham laughs, "…yeah, man. Look, I took this thing hard too."
"No. This has been happening since Nevin was still performing at the bar."
"Chris, I'm fine. I was going through some personal problems, but everything is great now."
"Judging from your behavior, they are still going on with you. Look, man, I don't want to act like your mom---"
"---THEN, DON'T! I told you. I'm fine."
Isham resumes cleaning the bar. Christopher can tell by his behavior that Isham was not ok. However, he leaves the issue alone because Isham is getting irritable.
"…ok. I guess you are fine. I…I'll let you finish cleaning."