One Year On Broadway

A moment of silence descended on the theater.

Mama Euralie cried out, calling to her little girl, her voice raw and full of the anguish of losing her child. My heart broke with her.

All I could hear were the sniffles of audience members as well as my own. How close we’d come to losing Jessica. We’d made it through the darkness with her still beside us. Papa Ge had been merciful.

And then, the gods took pity on Ti Moune and transformed her into a tree. Her spirit of love and forgiveness were free to forever change the island’s traditions, breaking down the wall separating the island’s two distinct worlds. I thought of my parents and the courage they had to come to Jesse and genuinely apologize for what they’d said and done. I thought of Jesse, forgiving them with all his heart because of his love for me.

Forgiveness.

I could scarcely imagine the strength that took.

Memories and emotions flooded me. I didn’t want this moment to ever end. I wanted to drink in all this beautiful energy of love and forgiveness forever, but all too soon, the ninety minutes had passed, and the show was over. Jesse, Ryan, and I jumped to our feet in a standing ovation. I was crying and laughing and cheering all at the same time. I even saw Ryan wipe his eyes as Jesse and I held each other.

The ushers began to shoo everyone out of the theater. It was much easier to walk through the sand and up the stairs knowing that we would be back on this island in just a few hours.