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At the end of the jetway, I hear the telltale electronic bells and whistles of everyone’s last chance at McCarren Airport or Harry Reid as it’s now called. The slot machines that occupy the gate cul-de-sacs where people wait to leave this place are noisy at all hours. I never thought about what Vegas meant to me. It’s always been a place you go, never a place you stay. But I’ll always keep Vegas as a part of me now.

I see the beauty and light beyond the neon and glitter. This airport now means I get to see her. It will never be anything else. In those moments when I couldn’t fly private, and rushed on the first airline that would have me to get to her side. And the misty melancholy of leaving her here. Leaving a piece of myself here. But now we’re both complete, and I welcome the airport revelers and the good faux vibe smells of Cinnabon mixed with the fetid grease traps in need of cleaning. Bring it on. It’s the perfume of my life now.

She takes my hand and drags me towards baggage claim. She’s giddy as she checks her phone. I hear a lot of notifications. We’re practically running.

For the first time in my life, I’m not frantic to be legally bound to someone because I know I’ll always be bound to her. We’re an intricately woven spell that will never be broken.

She jumps on the escalator and turns around.

“Kiss me.” She commands as the iconic Vegas sign floor mosaic comes into view at the bottom of the escalators. Vegas enjoys reminding you where you are. There are signs everywhere in case you forget, even for a second.

I lean down and kiss her as I was asked. It’s sweet and soulful.

“Do you trust me?”

“Loaded question.”

“Marry me.”

“In due time.” I laugh that she’s proposed again. I kiss her nose.

“Right now.” She kisses me again, but I don’t close my eyes as our escalator almost reaches the bottom.

As baggage claim comes into view I spy folding chairs set up and a white archway. There are people standing and cheering, and she’s beaming at me from the step below.

My mom stands at the bottom of the escalators and there’s a crowd of strangers forming around the spectacle. Mom hauls Makenzie in for a hug. I can’t focus on anything as it’s all gibberish in my brain. My mom opens my palm. I watch as my mother takes off my grandmother’s rings, and I form a tight fist around them and fight some tears. I kiss her cheek, and she nods.

Mak smiles larger and brighter than the sun, as I place the heirloom diamond on her finger and kiss her. She puts her newly ringed hand on my cheek. I smile and pocket the wedding ring.

Then she’s whisked away, and a large arm gets flung over my shoulder.

“Bonjour, asshole.”

“What the fuck is happening?” I yell as Hayden hugs me hard.

Lizzie rubs her belly. “Your real wedding and get on board with it because I’m dealing with one super bitchy cranky tired boy and our upcoming son as well.”

Hayden looks at his wife and says, “Ha. Ha. Come on! You’re no freaking picnic right now, Mrs. I think I want some ice cream, can you get up and go get it?” I grin as they bicker. They’re pretty cute at it.

Maggie throws her arms around me. “I KNEW it!” I hug her back. She’s a ball of sunshine, always.

“What did you know, little Miss Optimist?”

“I knew you were hers. From the moment her face lit up answering that phone. And I knew you’d forgive her.”

“We forgave each other. Now, if I’m supposed to be getting married, where the hell did my mom take her?”

I’m handed a drink by my father. Robbie and Claire are at his back. I hug them both tightly, then my father. I look around, and Colt is wrangling his children, who are six and twelve.

Hayden says, “Law’s a little busy, but he’s here.”

He flashes his phone, and it’s on FaceTime. He’s in the dugout at the All-Star game.

“Sup, assface? Hot Bod Squad reporting for duty. Make this one count. Who’s got odds? Mak’s original bet is null and void due to the dumbass perfect baggage claim wedding. Let’s double down. I take five years max.”

My father intercepts, “NO BETTING. This is the one.” He puts his hand on my shoulder. “Son, she’s an admirable woman and not just because she helped make you a more complete man or took me to task. She did it on her own. Just so you know. I did not interfere, but I reached out to an old college friend. If she stays on course with her GPA for the first year of med school, there’s a free ride to Tufts Medical School for next year. She could go Harvard too, but Tufts has a better family med program. And you should know, she earned it. She’ll have to keep producing to stay there, but this is the kind of woman you want at your back.”

Claire hoots and claps. Maggie shrieks. Even if she's mad we all know how intelligent she is, I'm beaming with pride.