The Last Toast

a short story of second chances

On one final New Year’s Eve at Marlowe & Hart, Vincent and Joanne Torian sit down for what they believe will be their last shared tradition—a quiet meal marking the end of a marriage worn thin by time, silence, and unspoken regret. As midnight approaches, old wounds surface alongside memories of first kisses, family laughter, and the life they built together. Between clinking glasses, unexpected honesty, and the electric hope of a turning year, they discover that love doesn’t always disappear—it waits, patient and resilient, for the courage to choose it again. The Last Toast is a tender, life-affirming story about second chances, enduring connection, and the quiet power of beginning anew.