Page 49 of Blood Revealed

“Then I won’t make you wait any longer. Seal this deal with a kiss.” Elvis gives another hip wiggle. Hero grabs his new—almost—wife, planting a huge kiss to her lips. While he’s busy with that, Elvis says, “By the power invested in me through the great state of Nevada, I now pronounce these two lovebirds husband and wife.”

Hero doesn’t let her up for air until Elvis clears his throat. “Sorry, son, one more to go.” Only then does Hero releases her, pulling her deep into his side with his arm around her neck. “Now let’s turn to Miss Hannah and Raif. Tell me, Raif, do you take this exquisite young lady to be your wife? Through the sick times as well as the healthy ones? To have and to hold through thick and thin? Lean times as well as prosperous times until death do you part?”

“I sure as hell do,” I say, feeling fucking giddy and smiling like a fool.

“What about you, Hannah?” He does another swivel. “Do you take this seriously hot dude to be your husband? To have and hold through sick times as well as healthy ones? Lean times as well as prosperous times, through thick and thin, until death do you part?”

“Can I think about it?” Hannah puts the tip of a finger to her lips, and Elvis looks like he’s about to shit himself. The rest of us bust a gut laughing. Finally, she says, “Yes. A hundred thousand times yes.” She looks right at me. “I love you, babe. I’ve loved you for seven years.”

Fuck me.

“Right,” Elvis says. “Now I need you to show this little lady the ring.”

I pull the box out of my pocket and open it using my thumb. She gasps.

“Raif,” she whispers. “It’s—I don’t have words.”

“Saying you’re marrying me are words enough, baby.” I slip the rings on her finger.

After handing her off the one for me, she looks me in the eyes. “Guess this means you’re stuck with me.” And she slides it up my left ring finger.

Again, Elvis concludes the ceremony. “With the power invested in me by the great state of Nevada, I now pronounce you husband and wife, uh-huh. Raif kiss your lady.”

I take her in my arms in an attempt to show her exactly what today means to me. We aren’t new, even though we are. I’ve been waiting for years to make this woman mine and today she is. Forever.

Excitement overcomes me and I lift her up, swinging her around and yell, “I got me a wife!” We all begin laughing.

Elvis looks to Ann-Margret and says “I’m so happy to introduce for the first time Mr. and Mrs. Levi and Brinley Hendrix and Mr. and Mrs. Raif and Hannah Baxter.”

Ann-Margret begins jumping up and down clapping. She has real tears shimmering in her eyes as the sequence from her dress casts disco ball-like colors over the walls.

“I just love my job,” she says.

“Now don’t forget, you all want this legal like, head down to the Clark County Marriage Bureau. Get the license and bring it back here toot-sweet.”

“It’s our very next stop,” I assure him.

Last stop, we get our wedding photos taken before heading out. Ann-Margret takes a photo of just me and Han. Then one of Brin and Hero. Finally, one of all four of us. She snapped off shots of the ceremony as well.

“I’ll have them printed by the time you get back,” she tells us.

Hannah and Brin wave goodbye as we head outside to the parking lot. The four of us navigate the Las Vegas streets to make it to the Marriage Bureau before it closes, only to find out it stays open until midnight. The wait time isn’t bad. I think we missed rush hour. Once we get up to the window, Hannah and I fill out the form. Brin and Hero wait behind us for their turn. We finish, pushing the paper and our I.D.s to be photocopied to the worker waiting on us. From there it’s a couple more minutes before we’re granted the license. Han and I move out of the way to let the newly vowed Hendrixs fill out their form.

That done, we return to the wedding chapel where Ann-Margret greets us again. “He just finished a ceremony. I’ll rush these into him now. You can access the Clark County Clerks office on line to order your marriage certificate no more than ten days from now.”

“Thank you kindly, “I say.

“I’m just so happy for you all. This was truly a special day.” Before heading out she hands us off the wedding photos and that’s it. We’re officially married.

“There’s this bakery that serves wedding cake,” Hero tells us. “It has strawberries on top. Brin and I watched a show about it last night, I think we should go there. Then we can go to the casino, eat at that great steak place, and then I can go back to the room to fuck my wife.”

“Sounds like a plan,” I agree. “Han? Sound good?”

In response, she pushes up on her tiptoes to kiss me.

The rest of the night is spent smashing a delicious wedding cake in each other’s faces with the bakery owner taking our pictures. Then it’s gambling and dinner at the steakhouse. We finally leave Hero and Brinley at their room. I unlock the door and hold it open for Hannah.

“After you, Mrs. Baxter.” She smiles, patting my cheek as she walks by.

---