Happy Land

In November 1894, the council meets for the last time. Weaver forced them to leave their homes, wanting to rent them while he holds the deed. Despite this, Robert is optimistic, as Weaver already set a fair price to buy the land back. Luella blames herself for the breakup of the kingdom, but the others simply seem “resigned” to the fact that their community has come to an end.

As Luella leaves for the final time, she looks over the land, thinking how much “power” it has. She is hopeful that, just when Wade is done with his sentence, they will pay off the land and be able to return home again.

The next day, the four women go to the courthouse for the hearing. R.J. meets them there, introducing herself to the others. She explains that the plan is to request a pause on the eviction, given Mother Rita’s health. When Mama asks about discussing the history of the land, wondering if they will have to bring up the kingdom, Nikki realizes that Mama doesn’t believe in the kingdom. She realizes that, somewhere along the way, her family lost its sense of “wonder.”

When Mother Rita realizes that R.J. doesn’t want to talk about the kingdom, it starts an argument among them. R.J. tells them that they need to focus on the eviction notice so that Nikki has time to draw up paperwork to buy the land.

When Mama and Nikki are alone, she asks Nikki how she plans to buy the property. Nikki admits that she was hoping Mama would take out a second mortgage on her home. To her surprise, Mama admits that she did so years ago without telling Nikki. Nikki is shocked and hurt by the revelation, but before she can ask more questions, R.J. tells them it’s time for the hearing.

Luella, Robert, and William move into Sunny and Vernon’s home. Luella and Robert live in the cabin on their land. They rekindle their relationship. At the same time, Robert and William begin to heal their relationship.

Luella plants a garden, then sells the flowers in town for money. Robert begins repairing shoes. They also hear news from the kingdom, where Weaver has built a store and run electricity into the hills.

As Wade’s release date nears, Luella starts to get nervous that something will go wrong. Sunny receives a letter from him, excitedly revealing that he is coming home six months early.

When Wade returns, Luella notices small changes about him. He is taller and older, but he also has a scar under his eye, his hands shake often, and he wakes up each morning before everyone else. She worries about what he went through, thinking what it was like on the plantation before the war.

As the date gets closer to buy back the land, Luella insists that they go see Weaver. Robert initially argues, telling her that they should meet with the council first, as their meeting is just a couple weeks away. However, after Luella continues to plead with him, he agrees.

The next morning, Nikki, Mama, and Mother Rita work in the garden together. Mother Rita was given 75 days to move off the property, and Nikki feels a sense of finality as they will soon have to start moving. Nikki and Mama sit alone together and talk about the kingdom. Nikki is bothered by the fact that her mother didn’t believe it and didn’t share the story with her. She insists that, had she known the truth about her ancestry, she would’ve been motivated to do more and care more about her past and her future.

Mother Rita joins them and tells Mama that she needs to tell Nikki the truth. Mama admits that, eight years before, Mother Rita asked her for help paying the taxes on the property. Mama refused, which caused the county to go to the Thomas brothers about the taxes—it’s how they learned that they still owned the property. Mother Rita expresses her annoyance at Mama’s unwillingness to help or care about their land.

When Luella and Robert go to Weaver, they are devastated to learn that he has increased the price of the land. He is insistent that he helped them with Wade and that things have changed; he needs to care for his family and needs the money from renting the property. He gives them more time to pay, but Luella and Robert know that he will just raise the price again when they return.

Outside, Luella and Robert discuss what to do. Robert wants to ask Widow Davis’s son for the money, while Luella wants to use the money they have to buy 50 acres.

Mama and Shawnie return to DC, leaving Nikki to stay with Mother Rita and help her pack. They spend their time together talking about the kingdom as Nikki tries to learn everything she can about it. She also sells the house she was working on back home, giving her the freedom to stay with Mother Rita until she moves.

One afternoon, Nikki gets a call from R.J. She tells Nikki that she had a realization about Mother Rita’s land. In North Carolina, land has what’s called an “adverse possession” law (333). It states that if someone is living on land for over 20 years consecutively, while caring for it and making improvements on it, they have a right to claim ownership. She is hopeful that they can convince the judge that Mother Rita can make this claim, given the fact that the Thomas brothers’ father died 20 years ago.

Two months later, Nikki and R.J. go before the judge and present their case. Nikki goes to the hearing with Bryan, who grabs her hand in support. She realizes that she has started to feel something for him. He asks her what she will do if she wins the case. She says that she can’t leave her life in DC, but R.J. insists that it might be exactly what she needs.

In the end, the judge sides with Mother Rita. Although she does not get all the land, she gets the four acres that include her home, garden, and graveyard.

Back at home, Nikki finds Mother Rita in the garden. She gives her the news. She asks if Mother Rita is happy with the outcome, but Mother Rita turns the question around and asks Nikki if she is happy. Nikki realizes, “stunned,” that “all of this, all along, was for” her (339).

Luella and Richard decide to buy back the 50 acres. By Christmas, they are back in their home. Luella is delighted that Vernon and Sunny decide to move to the kingdom as well, as do a handful of other kingdomfolk. Richard opens a shoe shop, while Luella continues to sell flowers in town.

Sunny has a child, which she names William. Luella can see how happy it makes both William and Robert, as their relationship has finally healed. She notes how she loves them both for who they are and what they give to her.

Luella often walks the property. She remembers the smells and sounds of the kingdom, as well as the people who lived there. She thinks of how she hopes all of her future ancestors will know that they did their best to “give them something like home” (342).

The following spring, Nikki plans a gathering for the descendants of the kingdom. There are 85 people who gather, as Nikki tells them the history of the kingdom and Bryan gives a presentation about Black genealogy.

After Shawnie learned that Lily was a teacher, she decided to enroll in college to become a teacher as well. Mother Rita passed away just after Christmas.

Nikki and Mama walk together down to the graveyard. They place markers in the dirt, where Mother Rita instructed them to. They are waiting for headstones to get delivered to create a true cemetery.

Nikki asks Mama if it is true that Mother Rita named her. Mama takes her to a hill, where they look out over a valley filled with lavender. She explains that the flower’s true name is “Veronica.”

As Nikki looks out at the field, she thinks of her ancestors who worked there, creating their future. She promises herself that she will continue to learn about her family, read more books, and plant more flowers, walking in her ancestors’ footsteps and becoming the great-great-great-granddaughter that Queen Luella imagined.