Epilogue
Demi
"Toast, toast, it's time for a toast."
Jasmine chanted over the mic, lightly tapping her champagne glass to get everyone's attention. The room quickly calmed down as the music faded and everyone looked towards where she stood, a few feet from our table.
"Damn, 25 years huh? Who knew that the hot mess of a relationship you guys had would turn out to this? I mean a shooting, a kidnapping? The best writers at Lifetime couldn't make that shit up."
"Jazz, honey, remember we asked for a toast, not a roast ok?"
Jessica yelled from beside me, earning a round of laughter from the attendees. I turned to her laughing as well before Jasmine continued her speech.
"Ok, I'll be nice but I'm not wrong. Kids..."
She emphasized, looking in the direction of our three children, Isabella who just turned 23, Susanna who was 17 & Magnus who was 21.
"...you just had to be there. Actually, just be grateful you weren't. The stories your aunties could tell, my god. Right Lea? Right Maddie?
Dallas?..."
She nodded to each of them while saying their names, earning some nods, chuckles and raised glasses in return.
"...but let us be grateful for time because that's all you two needed. I mean look at you now, the super couple that so many of us look up to...."
I reached over and grabbed Jessica's hand, squeezing lightly as Jasmine's words resonated with me. Once upon a time, I wouldn't have dared to imagine something like this. There was a lot of intentional work I had to do to repair our relationship but I'm happy to say we turned a corner and it was fairly smooth sailing ever since.
"...you made me believe in destiny and true love because nothing and no one could keep you guys apart. You've both accomplished so much together and I'm honored to call you both, my sisters. So let us raise our glasses..."
She turned to us, raising her glass and entire room did the same.
"Demi, Jess, I love you with all my heart, and I wish you nothing less than another 25 bountiful years of marriage. To Mrs and Mrs Lovato-Wessley, or as the kids on the internet say, WessVato."
"To WessVato" the entire crowd echoed before downing their champagne. Jasmine blew a kiss in our direction before walking back into the crowd. Jess and I both pretended to catch it and hold it close to our hearts although she had to wipe a tear away first.
Lea was the next to hit the makeshift stage, stumbling a bit earning a deep sigh from Jess.
"Lea drunk already?" She whispered to me, her Jamaican accent shining through. I laughed, knowing that the next few minutes could be very unpredictable.
"Demi, remember the time you confessed your love for Jess on Ellen?..."
Everyone started laughing and I held my head down in embarrassment before responding.
"Well I do now."
Laughter erupted again before Lea continued, still laughing. Jess softly squeezed my thigh.
"...I won't go down memory lane any further and I'll make this quick because they're so many people who want to share their love for you on your special day..."
She gestured to the crowd.
"...All the challenges, the highs and the lows, the struggles and the celebrations, you have been each other's pillars of strength. Pillars, which never gave up, no matter how intense the storm was. You made me believe that matches are indeed made in heaven but the bonds are something you make on your own by simply denying to give up on each other and respecting each other's efforts..."
