They were getting ready to do their first dance. The music stopped and they were setting up. 

“Have you seen Nina?” Stephanie asked me while gathering her things.

“I think she went to the bathroom with my sisters. Why?”

“I have to change the baby’s diaper.”

“We can go to my room. Let me just get the key from Mathew.” I stood up and walked across the dance floor to the bar where Mathew was with the guys. I touched his waist to get his attention. “Can I get the key to the room?” 

He slipped his hand in his back pocket. He handed me the key. “Their about to do their dance.” Mathew told me.

“I know.” I replied. He had a beer and a cocktail in his hand. He gave me a sip before I left. 

While we were changing the baby. I looked for my key but still couldn't find it. “Do you guys want one?” She asked while she cleaned the baby.

“Yeah, probably one day.” 

“Have you guys talked about it?” She packed the dirty diaper up and set it aside.

“Kinda not really.”

“I think Mathew would be a good dad. You too of course. He just looks like he’s great with kids.” Mathew has been messing and playing with the kids here and making silly faces at the baby to keep him entertained while they ate.

“Yeah I know he wants one.”

We headed back and everyone was off of the dance floor. We sat down at our seats. The bridal party wasn’t going to be in it or do any fancy entrences. Mathew made his way over by me and sat down. He sat closer to me and put his arm around my chair. Marco and Carol started their slow dance. As they slow danced Mathew leaned over and kissed my check. I still feel weird kissing in front of my parents even though we’ve been together for seven year. Maybe it’s a culture things because my parents rarely kiss in front of us. They show affection to each other but don’t really kiss on the mouth, only the check. My aunts and uncles are the same way. Mathew doesn’t find it weird and it’s not an issue with him or his family. He tries to not kiss me on the mouth around them when he remembers and kisses me on the check. Out of habit he still does but is respectful. He put his head on my shoulder and I reached for his right arm bringing it over me. He hugged my side and I interlocked my fingers over his. 

As we watched them dance I thought about us and if we would ever get married. They finished their dance and people went up to dance with them and give them money. Mathew and I went up and I went with Marco and Mathew went with the bride and we switched before heading back. They didn’t do everything they typically did at weddings were our families are from. Marco is second gen and Carol has their own traditions. My parents kinda would have more in common socially with Marco’s grandparents than his because I’m first gen. They were getting ready to throw the groom. I remember the first time I took Mathew to one of our families' weddings a few years ago. He looked at me confused about what was happening. Now he was the first one up to throw him. Mathew, Tory, and I with the rest of the groomsmen and cousins went to toss him up in the air. 

When we were done tossing him a bit we got ready to do a tradition with running while holding hands while the grooms chosen guys hold him up. Carol was help up by her bridesmaids. They both stand on two different chairs hold up the vail making a bridge they can run under. The point is to try to knock over the groom in this case being the guys. While they are protected from falling with their helpers. Marco was held by his dad, cousin, Troy and Mathew. I got in towards the front of the line with his cousins. We tried taking him down but had no luck. 

After Marco was going to throw the band back at us to catch it. Marco turned around waiting for the count down. We all got in a group ready to catch it as the band counted down on the Microphone. Marco threw it directly at Mathew. He caught it and threw it behind him and Logan caught it. Everyone laughed and patted him on the back. After the women went and did the same, Stephanie caught the bouquet. 

After this they had to dance to a song together so Mathew took the baby. He played with him making him laugh. Making faces and saying things to keep him entertained. He really did look good with handling kids. When they were done they cut the cake and took pictures. The baby didn’t want to leave Mathew so he carried him still. He walked around with him for a few minutes. He came back by the table and danced with him. Another kid came up and asked him to sign something for him and he did. They took the baby back so he could sign easier. 

Mathew sat back down and danced and lip singed the song to me of the live music. He didn’t know it all but the words he could speak and under stand he mumbled. 

“Por que no salen a bailar?” My mom asked us. 

“Su hijo no quiere.” Mathew pointed his head at me. He joked and smiled at my mom. She laughed signaling me to go. I shook my head. 

“Bailian con el.” My mom told my sisters. They all got up and went to the dance floor. They danced together and my parents went to dance as a pair. 

“Go dance. Give me my nephew.” Nina told Stephanie. 

Troy stayed back because he didn’t know how to dance to Mexican music. I had taught Mathew to dance over the years. We did it alone at his house for jokes. Later we would do it at our place when I would put on music. My sisters also would try and teach him when we would go over so they had a dance partner. It was always funny seeing this tall guy trying to dance. Now he’s good at it. We sometimes danced at smaller families together but I didn’t feel comfortable here. One of my sisters came back after they changed the music to partner dancing music. She sat down and drank from her cup. A few minutes later Logan and Stephanie also came and sat down. Mathew and my sister followed. She also came out of breath. 

“Do you want to go again?” Mathew asked my other sister.

“No I’m still tired.” She told him.

“You guys need to work on that conditioning. You’re young you should have more energy.” He told them and sat down. 

“That’s because you’re an athlete.” She replied. “Take Nina.”

Mathew looked over at her. “Do you want to?” 

“Sure.” She set her bag on the table. 

He stood up took a drink of my water and walked over to her. 

They walked together as Mathew lead her with his hand hovering over her back. “That could be you.” I teased Troy who stared as they walked away. He turned and looked at me. Logan and Stephane both laughed. “Why are you being so shy?” 

“I’m not shy.” He told me cocky.

“With her you are.” I told him. 

They danced for a while before coming back. I spent a bit talking to Marco for a few minutes and his family. The night went on and less people were here now. It was getting around midnight and people started going to sleep or leaving. 

 Chris came to the table telling us we were heading outside in a few minutes to go smoke. Nina and I got up and went to the side door to the gardens. Stephanie stayed behind because the baby was falling asleep and she breast feeds so she couldn’t anyway. We find Chris outside already with Jace and a few of Marco and Carol's family. We were a good 20 feet away from the building in the vines' middle space.

Mathew, logan and Troy walk up. Mathew is holding his jacket in his hand. He hands me it when he gets to us. I thank him and he gives me a kiss on the forehead. 

“Should we go in further?” Chris asked.

“We’re pretty far.” Jace answered.

“I just don’t want their family seeing.” Chris replied.

“It’s fine.” Marco replied. “If anyone that cared their gone by now anyway.”

They sparked up and pasted it around the circle or around 13 of us. I stood leaning in on Mathew and he held me from behind. I saw Nina holding her self and shivering. 

“Do you want Mathew’s suit coat?” I asked her.

Before she would answer Troy gave her his suit coat he was wearing. 

“I didn’t think we would all ever get together again.” Chris told us. 

“Why not?”  Mathew asked as he puffed out the smoke handing it off to me. 

“Everyone is so busy and far away. I see Logan all the time but the rest of you.” 

“You never text me when I’m here.” Nina teased him. 

She hit the joint and passed it to Troy.

 “I didn’t know if you would be cool with me texting you.” He blushed as he told her. Troy looked at him as he passed it to him. 

“Why wouldn’t I? You have my number don’t you?” He nodded. 

“Things really have changed.” Jace interjected.

“Not that much.” Logan replied pointing at all of us smoking and we laughed. 

“We should do this more.” Marco said.

“Get married?” Troy joked and we laughed. 

“Logan’s next.” Chris replied and he smiled and winked at him. 

“We should try and get together. I missed you guys. I have new friends but it’s not the same.” Marco replied. 

We kept talking till we finished haft another one and everyone got to cold. Everyone started heading back inside. 

“Do you want to go for a walk or are you to cold?” Mathew asked me. 

“We can go.” I told him. 

We lead the way till we reached a a wooded fenced area. He picked me up and held me close to him. His arms locked under my butt. “I just wanted to hold you and kiss you.” He kissed on my neck. I giggle as his lips tickle my neck. “I want to kiss you here, and here and here and here.” He kissed up along my neck to my face. He sat me on the ledge of the wood beam while keeping his arms around me.

“Are my eyes red?” Is asked him.

“He looked at me with his eye squinting. “A little.” And he laughed leaning into me. He came up and kissed me softly. Pasionstly locking our lips and releasing. He would pull away a little letting there be space between our lips look slightly looking at my lips before doing it again over and over again. 

We stoped and stayed there. I licked my lips looking at his face. Out here you could see the midnight sky full of stars. I looked up “Do you have a wish?” I asked him. “We could see a shooting star with the sky this clear.” I looked down at him.

“I have everything I could ever ask for.” He told me. 

“You don’t want anything else.” 

He shook his head. 

“Nothing at all.” 

“Nope. I have what I want.” 

“Even if I want something you don’t?”

“What ever you want.” 

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah. You're stuck with me forever.”

“Forever? Eh” 

“Yeah. You thought I was kidding when I said I want you to be with me for the rest of my life? The only way you’re losing me is if you leave.” He spoke directly while looking into my eyes.

“Since day one all those years ago you knew?” I teased him.

“From day one I knew. He’s going to be mine one day.”

“Yours?”

“Completely yours”. He kissed me. “Unless you wanna leave..” he rolled his eyes and pulled away. 

“No no no.” I pulled him closer. “Your mine.” I held his face in my hands. I leaned in and kissed him. “Don’t ever try to leave me.” I joked bitting his lip softly. He smiled as I let him go.

“Would you ever want this?” He asked.

“Get married?” I paused. “I don’t know.”

“I know we both don’t really care about this type of stuff but would you want a small event or something?” He stood up more.

“I don’t know. I don’t think so.” The whole dreaming of getting married isn’t something I’ve really thought much about. It looks pretty and I enjoyed their dance but I don’t think it’s for me. The only reason I would was for legal reasons but we both don’t come from like families where that would be an issue if something was to happen to one of us. The main reason would be for like taxes or ownership of things and accounts. “Do you want to get married?” I asked him.

“Alexis Conners does sound nice don’t you think?” He grinned.

“Why would I change my last name?” I teased him. 

“I could take yours or we could hyphenate it.”

“Alexis Conners?” I joked

“Mhm”

“I think we would probably just do a shotgun wedding. Get witness and tell everyone after. Even though our parents will kill us if we don’t tell them.”

“That’s fine with me. Should I get down on a knee?” Mathew asked 

“Now?” I asked surprised. It’s not like anything would change. We’ve been living together for almost a decade. He started getting down. 

“Stop.” I grabbed him and pulled him up.”

“Will you marry me?” He asked me I looked straight into his eyes. “I’m serious, will you marry me and make me the happiest man who’s ever walked this earth.”

“Mathew…” he was dead serious. “Do you really have to ask?” He smiled so hard and kissed me I almost fell back. “When will we do it?” 

“When ever you want.”

“Speaking of the future do you want to continue playing.” This is Mathew’s last year. After this his contract is up and will have to get renewed if he wants to keep playing. It’s been four years already and he has a strong career.

“I don’t know. I love playing but everything that comes with it, I don’t know if it’s worth it.” It’s not just the privacy aspect that’s a issue. It would be simple if it was just about playing basketball and that’s it. But being in this league you are surrounded with bad people. From the people who own the team, to the league, to the investors, and even some players that are bad people and invest their money in bad things. It’s all around it from the companies that want him to do sponsorship that he’s not interested in. The last huge deal he did was with the underwear company again. He’s worked with smaller brands he aligned with but it’s just more and more money and it’s never enough for these people. “What do you think? I know how it’s affected you.

“I’m okay with what ever you decide.”

“I want your input too. It’s not just me, it's us. ”

“I know. If you want to do another four years because you love it, I'm fine with it. With you only needing a couple of months for law school I didn’t know what you were thinking.”

“Yeah. It’s still my end goal. I don’t think I want to start a family while playing though. If I stay with the same team. I wouldn’t want our parents that far away from our kids.”

“Kids?”

“Yeah maybe one or two or threee?”

“Okay three is enough.” I told him. He laughed. Having a little Mathew running around would be nice.

“I love you.” He kissed me again and brought me down. “Let’s go back inside.”I put his arms around me as we walked together for a bit. When we got back inside I led him back to our table with our friends.

“Do you want to dance? There’s less people now?” Mathew asked. There wasn’t many people left around. A few danced, some littered around having a drink or sitting and talking. It was only a dj now playing some slow songs.

I agreed and he led the way to the floor. I threw my arms over his neck and he leaned over lowering his head close to me. We slow danced a little bit as he kissed my check softly. I turn to him and give him a kiss.

“You know you make the room stop when you come in.” Mathew whispered.

“Only to you.” I chuckled.

“No, I’m serious. You don't see it from the inside but from the outside I do.” He told me.

I smiled at him and. He straightened up and smiled. I pulled his neck back to me and kissed him. We danced a few more songs together.