Chapter 241 - A Las Vegas Wedding (5)

16 March, Las Vegas, United States, several hours later

Lexi stood up, looking over the group of family and friends, before clearing her voice, waiting for everyone to look at her.

When she knew everyone was looking at her, she said "We are at that time of the night where there are the formal speeches. Where to start, who gives what speech?"

A voice, Lexi realised was Paul called out, "And who wants to let the grooms speak, they will…"

Steven added "Talk rubbish, we know your attitude at weddings Paul, you bring up the worse of everyone for a laugh."

Chester said "True, and there is no way I want that."

"Not your call Chester. You know the tradition; someone marries and at their reception we stir things up by talking about your embarrassing past. We did it at your first wedding to that piece of trash, and what makes you think it will not happen again," said Andrew drawing a round of laughter.

Once she stopped laughing Lexi said "I know we all want to talk trash to the grooms, and I will give you all the floor later to do so. And they know the tradition, as they have the final right of reply. But seriously before you all open up to annoy both of them, as the only female family member of the grooms, I figured as this was an unconventional wedding, the speech before the floor was open for comments that it had to be delivered against all traditions."

"True, and the only living parents of the grooms, would not come anyway, so…"

"That was low," responded Chester.

"But, given my parents attitude, there is no way I would want them here to ruin the happiest day of my life…" started Phillip.

Looking directly at Chester and Phillip, Lexi responded, "As I said you only have the right of reply." Lexi looked at everyone else before saying "And the gallery over there needs to be quiet. The sooner I finish speaking the sooner you all get the floor."

Looking around, Lexi knew that all their friend present would be quiet. "I will try and keep it short, so I can open up the floor, but there are things I have to say to my brother and brother-in-law. It has been a extremely journey for the two of you to get to where you have today, committing to each other legally for the rest of your lives. It has had multiple challenges every step of the way."

"You had the law of the land which demonised your relationship. It said that your feelings were illegal. You had older generations, regardless of whether they meant it in telling you that your feelings were unnatural. Your relationship survived the suicide of your closest friend who did that, rather than going through with a marriage his grandparents forced on him because of his own feelings."

"You survived the fact that Chester succ.u.mbed to the demands of our parents, grandparents and others and married Susan. While Chester kept his vows, despite his feelings for you Phillip, she made your lives difficult, not only with her constant affairs that she flaunted in everyone's face, but even now the constant harassment she engaged in with the two of you."

"You survived me, when I could not cope when my life became a disaster as of my marriage to Richard. My age, his death, the circ.u.mstances surrounding his death and the fact that it was only three weeks after I had given birth to Dominic when he died. I totally fell apart, and Chester you stepped in taking a one-month old baby into your care, pledging that you would care for him until I had gotten my life together to give Dominic everything he deserves. Phillip, you stepped in and became the biggest help that Chester had, offering to babysit Dominic whenever Chester had something else going. That, willingness from the two of you supported me to develop my career."

"You both survived your different reactions to Matthew joining the military and the stress that gave to both of you. Phillip in feeling that he had been abandoned by Matthew, and Chester your resentment of what Matthew had done believing that Matthew had not only thrown your friendship away, but the hurt he did to Phillip."

"You have both survived the challenges Phillip's cancer diagnosis, and its return has given you. I could go on and on, and even deal with your parents. These challenges would have ruined most relationsh.i.p.s, but the two of you, rather than letting any one or more than them ruining your relationship, have taken it to grow your relationship. It has strengthened it, rather than diminishing it. You have used it to create the most solid of foundations for what you both want, not just your emotional commitment to each other that could not be shaken, but the basis for your marriage to be recognised in your home."

Looking around Lexi paused for a few seconds and said "I know the everyone hates me for that speech. But it is the truth that has made you both what you are, and every one of us here would not change that for anything, hence why we all travelled here, despite everything else going on in our own lives to be here with you to celebrate. So in closing, before I open the floor to the rabble that is your family and friends, I not only congratulate you both on this commitment, but I wish you all the best, not just for today but for every day that comes and that you love each other as you have expressed in making your commitment today throughout whatever challenge comes your way in this journey that if your life together."

A round of applause came from everyone, before Matthew stood up and said "Firstly I can only echo Lexi's sentiments. My wife, has it right, you have survived challenge after challenge to get here, and that will only make you stronger as a couple. As is said say friends are the family that you chose for yourself, and I am not only proud to be family with you through birth, but to consider you both my friends."

Pausing, Matthew smiled at everyone before looking at Chester and Phillip before continuing "But that means it is open for me to make sure that this is not only about formality but ensuring that it is about the fun. That means the tales about the two of you come about. The stories I could tell…"

Laughter came from everyone, while Chester and Phillip said "You just wait…"

"When Lexi agrees a formal ceremony will happen, but it is your lot. My favourite early memory of the two of you is the total embarrassment the two of you had, when most of us caught you skinny dipping in the pool at the Yao Villa with Walter Dong. Walter simply ran into the change room, yet the two of you turned to us and said…"

"What are you looking at, in the loudest voice you could which dragged both your sets of parents and the Dong's who all figured out what all us younger children had stumbled on and decided that you had to be punished for your actions," came Steven from in the Audience.

"Well we would have been alright if the lot of you had not screamed out finding us like that," responded Phillip.

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