‘It was weird’: These days, Jade’s less sceptical about wife Jess’s psychic work
Psychic medium Jess Lynne, 35, met her now wife, Jade Vigilante, 36, an orthodontic dental technician, when they were both in year 7. Together, they’ve shared a large collection of animals named after clothing items.
“When I was starting to explore connecting to people who’ve crossed over, I used her as my guinea pig,” says Jess Lynne (left) of wife Jade Vigilante, pictured with dogs Singlet and Cardigan.Credit: Elke Meitzel
Jess: We’ve known each other since year 7. Jade always had this vibe where she never tried to fit in, but everyone loved her. I mean, in your teens everyone feels a bit awkward, but not Jade. She just stands in her truth, and people really gravitate to her.
I was 15 when we got together, she was 16. Now she’s like, “I’m so glad I put time into that pimply girl!” – but neither of us knew it would last. We’ve grown up together: graduating high school, first jobs, driving licences. We’ve bought two houses together, and we’ve had seven pets: T-shirt, Skirt [cats]; Singlet, Cardigan, Apron [dogs]; Beanie and Scarf [rabbits]. We bought our first house when we were 21. We had it for six years and we couldn’t wait to get the hell out. There was a man who tried to shoot Skirt with his bow and arrow; our neighbours were swingers; we were really scared people would come and steal the dogs. It was crazy town.
Jade does everything domestically: cooks and cleans, does the garden, all the maintenance. I make the bed! She’s so into everything – although she does always want to do it now. She’ll say, “I need to mow the lawn” and I’ll be like, “OK, I’m just reversing into the drive” – but she’s already got the car door open.
She lost her dad to cancer just over three years ago; I’ve lost my grandparents and a sister. She’d never really lost anyone, and she and her dad were best friends. But she was amazing. He only wanted Jade. She’d sit there for hours rubbing his back, lift him up in her arms and take him for walks. Now, she says her dad would want her to live and be the best version of herself – and that’s what she does. She’s recently been on this health journey where she’s got amazingly fit and runs marathons; it’s inspiring.
‘She’s totally inappropriate – she’ll fart when I’m doing a reading! – but also so kind.’
Jess
Whatever Jade’s doing, she’s always having a really good time. When we went to see Billie Eilish, we ended up right in front of the stage, and everyone’s standing there with their phones up in Billie’s face. But Jade had no phone, she was just jamming, dancing, loving it. I think Billie was just like, “Oh, thank god, someone actually being in the moment.” When she finished, she literally ran to Jade with her arms open, grabbed her hands and just held on. It was unbelievable.
She’s totally inappropriate – she’ll fart when I’m doing a reading! – but also so kind. She’s the best at buying presents: she’ll say, “Oh, I heard them say this once, so I reckon that’d be really good.” She cares what people are saying.
And she was so supportive when I set up my business [as a medium] two years ago. She was a sceptic when we were growing up: “Oh, that’s all crap.” So when I was starting to explore connecting to people who’ve crossed over, I used her as my guinea pig. I channelled her grandparents, who I didn’t know at all – I was telling her things about the house they used to live in. So I cracked her!
Jade: It was missing her grandma that made Jess investigate being a medium. At the start, me and my best mate would bag her out and she’d try to prove us wrong. It made her pretty resilient. Then she channelled my grandma, Nonnina, and took me around her house. Nonnina had this yellow kitchen bench – and Jess described it. It was weird.
When we met, she was this really short chick with long, blonde hair down her back – Jan from The Brady Bunch hair. She was really smart and got put up a level at school, and she used to be a real people-pleaser. But these days, she doesn’t take any bullshit. Her [immediate family] were very drugs and rock’n’roll – she had to deal with a lot.
I’d change her upbringing if I could because it affects her life. I think people don’t realise how much they screw up their kids. Actually, I think being a medium helps. The things she tells people, that spirits tell her – I think sometimes she needs to hear those things as well.
We started living together pretty early; isn’t that what lesbians do? Jess was super-close to her grandparents and she was living with her grandad [after her grandmother died]. She can’t cook, he couldn’t cook. So I moved in and cooked every night. She likes a hot meal with a knife and fork. I like to graze and have a tapas-type thing, but she won’t snack between meals so she needs something big. Although at the moment I’m fasting till midday, so she’s fasting, too. I offered to make her something, but she reckons she’s fine.
There was a time Jess wanted kids, but I read this thing about how a lot of teenage girls have kids because they come from households where they didn’t feel loved; they have a kid because they want love. And I remember saying to her: “Is this why you want a kid? So someone loves you?” And she was like, “Yeah, pretty much.” I’m like, “Well, I love you. And the dogs do, too.”
‘Jess’s most annoying habit is that she comes and stands in the bathroom when I’m having a shower.’
Jade
We got married when it was legalised. She’s Vigilante like me now – I mean, how could you not want Vigilante as your surname? But she does her own thing – in her medium business, she uses her middle name, Lynne. Outside of work, we both love football and music. We support Melbourne City [a league soccer club] – Jess sponsors a player there, gives money. I respect that. And Billie Eilish – that was wild. There was this crazy moment when she was holding my hands where I was like, “Who lets go first?”
Jess’s most annoying habit is that she comes and stands in the bathroom when I’m having a shower. That’s supposed to be my alone time. When I’m on the toilet, there’s a cat; when I’m working out, there’s a dog: someone’s always looking at me. It’s not romantic with the shower, there’s no conversation. She just stands there.
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