Vegas, Baby!

18: Te Amo.

I was nervous because in less than 15 minutes I was going to get married and this time I was going to remember it. Benito and I had spent months planning everything. We had decided to get married in his hometown. Since we were already legally married, it was technically just a renewal but I had wanted an actual wedding. Laura and Carla had taken me dress shopping until I had found my dream dress. It was very simple, was made of silk and only had tiny details around the top of its skirt but I loved it and the girls did too. Since I didn't want the ceremony to be big, we had only invited close friends and family members. I had sent an invitation to Lukas and his parents as well and they had accepted. As I was waiting for the moment to enter the ceremony, Laura and Carla as my bridesmaids were doing the last touches on my hair. I had gone with a simple half pony tail.

"You look amazing." Laura commented looking at me in the mirror. Laura was by no means an emotional person but in this moment had tears in her eyes. I had to suppress my own ones as I pulled her into a side hug.

"No crying, we're ruining our make up!" Carla exclaimed, causing all of us to laugh.

"Did your mom at least tell you why she isn't coming?" Laura then asked as she grabbed a tissue from the make up desk in front of me. I just shook my head and checked myself in the mirror again. It broke my heart a little that she had chosen her new husband and family over my siblings and me but at the same time I was kinda glad she wasn't going to be there. Maybe it was for the better since whenever her and my dad were in the same room there was drama.

"At least your dad and siblings are here." Carla said, grabbing my bag and putting my lipgloss into it.

"Yeah, that's more important to me." I gave back, turning towards my friends.

My dad was patting my hand as he was walking me down the aisle. Benito was waiting at the altar and his reaction to seeing me was the sweetest thing I had ever seen. All he did was mouth 'wow' to Bernie who he had chosen as his best man. My heart was racing, when my dad handed me over to him. Laura and Carla both flashed me a smile, reassuring me. I laid my hands into Benito's, looking at him and trying to hold myself back from crying.

"You look stunning." he whispered to me, before the priest started talking. I wasn't really listening because I focused hard on not getting too emotional. Benito noticed it and started rubbing over the back of my hands with his thumbs. We had purposely decided not to do vows so we stood there for a few moments until the priest asked for objections. He waited for anyone to say something but thank god nobody did. For a short moment I had feared any of the guests could jump up. Bernie handed the rings over to us - we had gotten new ones, this time actual wedding rings. Benito's hand was shaking as he put the golden ring on my finger. It made it hard for me to put on his but when we were done we both just smiled in amusement.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." the priest said, stepping back from us. Benito wasted no time. He grabbed me by my waist, pulled me closer and kissed my lips softly. I could hear our guest start to clap which caused me to smile into the kiss. When we let go of each other, Benito wrapped his arms around me to hug me.

"Are you ready?" he asked into my hair before he pulled away from me. Nodding I grabbed his hand, then we started walking down the aisle. Our guests threw white rose pedals over our heads.

It was exhausting to me to talk to so many people. Of course, Benito and I both took our time greeting everyone and chatting with our guests. He always had his hand on my lower back which was extremely relaxing to me. Lukas was sitting in his wheelchair but he got up when we reached him and his parents. I immediately wanted to tell him to sit down again but he shot me a warning look as he opened his arms to hug me.

"I'm happy for you." he mumbled, squeezing me.

"I'm glad you could make it. How are you doing?" I gave back, when we let go of one another. Benito shook hands with his parents while I was talking to Lukas.

"I'm good, they found a stem cell match." Lukas told me happily. I gasped and hugged him once more.

"That's amazing! When's the surgery?" I asked, then let go of him. After 12 years there was finally a way of him getting healthy again.

"In two weeks." Lukas gave back and smiled. I kept talking to him for a little longer, before it was time for Benito and I to open the dance floor. We had picked Forever My Love by Ed Sheeran and J Balvin as our song to dance to. My arms were softly wrapped around Benito's neck, while his hands were gently guiding my hips to the music.

"I hope this is how you wanted it to be?" he asked nervously. "It's perfect." I told him and smiled. He returned it happily.

"Te amo." he mumbled softly. It was the first time that he said it out loud. We hadn't felt the need to say it because it was clear to both of us, so he caught me by surprise with it.

"I love you too." I responded and brought my hands to his cheeks. He slowly leaned down to kiss me all while we were still swaying to the music. Maybe it had been fate that I had met him in Vegas that night and maybe it had been fate that we had made the stupid decision to get married drunk but it didn't matter because I was happy that my life had turned out that way.

Present Day

"Is this really how you met dad?" my 16-year-old son, Elias, asks in disbelief. He's sitting on the couch next to me, his 13-year-old sister, Carla, next to him.

"We only exist because of a Vegas wedding?" Carla questions.

"I wouldn't put it that way but essentially you're right." I give back and turn a page in the photo album they had found while cleaning out the basement with Benito. They had looked through it and then had asked me and so I had told them.

"Mi amor, I'm home." I hear from the hallway. A smile spreads across my face. Even after almost 17 years together, he still has that effect on me.

"We're in the living room!" I shout back and turn the next page of the album.

"What are you guys doing?" Benito asks as he enters the room. He greets both of our children with a kiss on the head, then stops in front of me, leans down and places a kiss on my cheek.

"They wanted to know how we met." I tell him, looking up from the album. He smiles widely and sits down next to me and so he tells them his perspective. In that moment I know that no matter what I would've done, it had always been him and it will always be.

THE END.