Whatever Occurs: Life, Love, and Loss

Spencer Kenneth Venston

Nika arranges Spencer's funeral for July 11th at 1 PM. The service would be at the First United Methodist Church, internment would be at the Aberdeen Cemetery Association (Fern Hill Cemetery), and reception would be at Ocean Shores Convention Center. She also plans on who will welcome everyone, say the opening and closing prayers, share thoughts, and summarize his life before open sharing.

You, Ethon, Beaudry, and Malyssa work on writing Spencer's obituary, along with his epitaph. You all figure out who is going to write what. You write out the introduction, Ethon writes the summary, Beaudry states Spencer's accomplishments, and Malyssa jots down when and where his funeral will be.

Bryan and Nolan gather pictures, videos, and songs for a slideshow they wanted to create in honor of their father. Beaudry, and your nephews, Brad and Quinton Venston are three of the six casket bearers; along with Jeremy Cox and his brothers, Gordon and Porter. When the Cox brothers find out that they are the casket bearers, they get emotional. They share their memories with Spencer.

Malyssa finds a poem to print onto the programs. She goes to the local newspaper's office to submit the obituary, along with a picture. She crashes on the couch when she gets back after being stuck on Interstate 5 for almost an hour both ways.

Bryan and Nolan work on writing his eulogy.

Braylee and Tessa still have no clue what is going on, because they didn't just watch their uncle die in the hospital. Their parents did.

With this nasty turn of events, you try to make everything else flow as smoothly as possible before you and your family have to leave for Glasgow to visit your mum on her last days.

Keith Jordanson drives to Aberdeen to see you and your family while you're finalizing plans for Spencer's funeral. He expresses the sadness he feels. Then he's in tears.

"We were best friends! I prayed for him every day for every second of the day that God would pull him through. And he was JUST at that baseball match!"

"I appreciate your kind words, Keith. I barely just met you, and I feel like you're a very kind and caring person."

"I can say the same for you, Mrs. Venston. He told me a few weeks ago that his grandma Cece wasn't doing very well. Is she your mother?"

"Oh please, call me Kayla! Yes, Cynthia Mara is my mum. She's had a fifty some year battle with lupus. She's really sick right now, and doesn't have very much time left to live as a result."

"Oh no. I'm so sorry about your son and your mom. I really want to pay Spencer my last respects."

"You're heading the opening and closing prayers," Nika butts in.

"That is such an honor to me, Nika. I don't go to funerals hardly at all, because of how they emotionally drain you."

"Nika has NEVER been to a funeral before. She didn't think the first funeral she and her two sons would go to would be her husband's!" You add.

"Oh my word. Now that's a HUGE kick in the teeth!"

Nika speaks with reassurance, "I'm not a widow, my husband is just a man with angel wings."

You, Ethon, and Keith can't help but smile.