July 2nd, 1964
Layla woke up and sighed. The sun was shining through the windows and she couldn't even describe how much she missed Ringo then. She sat up and looked at the time. It was early, 6.15. earlier than even Lucy ever woke up. Layla got up and went to check on Lucy anyway. She was still sound asleep in her room. She was still wearing her tutu and her new ballet slippers and her tiara were hanging off the her bed post safely. Layla smiled and left her daughter's room to check on Maria.
When she wasn't in her room, Layla went to the living room. Maria was sitting on the couch drawing a picture on the couch. Layla sat down next to her and Maria looked up.
"Morning," Maria mumbled without looking up.
"Good morning," Layla said curling up on the couch, "Whattcha drawin'?"
"Lucy," Maria said erasing a mistake she'd just made, "From last night." The night before Lucy had treated Layla and Maria to her own version of Swan Lake. She was so adorable that Maria promised to draw her. "I wish I'd brought my pastels with me. Lucy's hair isn't the same without the red color." Layla giggled and sat up to look over Maria's shoulder.
"I have no idea how she ended up with red hair." She said scrunching her nose up, "Her father was a brunette." Maria laughed and let Layla look at the picture. "Can I keep this?" Layla asked. Maria nodded and ripped the page out of her notebook. She handed it to Layla and smiled. The page under Lucy was under caught Layla's eye.
"Who's that?" She asked. Maria smiled and touched the drawing.
"It's my little sister Jenna." She said before she turned the page to start drawing again.
"She's cute." Layla said. Maria nodded and started doodling again. She stopped short and grinned at Layla. "What?"
"You're getting married today." She said as Lucy ran in. She had her slippers back on.
"Mummy, is Richie back yet?" She asked excitedly. Layla shook her head and picked her up into her lap.
"Nope, he won't be back until the later." Layla said, "You won't see him until the wedding." Lucy sighed and Layla kissed her forehead.
"Can I wear my tutu?" Lucy asked hopefully. Layla shook her head seriously and Lucy groaned.
"Hey Lucy," Maria said putting her pencil down, "If you want I can fix your hair up pretty with your tiara." Lucy gasped and nodded quickly. Layla stood up and looked at the clock.
"Do you want breakfast?" She asked heading for the kitchen.
"Yes please." Lucy said. Layla went into the kitchen and shut the door behind her, "What's in there?" Lucy nodded to Maria's book. She smiled and handed it to her.
"See for yourself." She said. Lucy turned the pages back, going through drawings of dancers on stage practicing, to the coffee shop Maria liked to get coffee from. When she got to the pictures she'd drawn in Florida, Lucy smiled.
"You're good at drawing Georgie." Lucy said. Maria smiled as she went on, looking at more drawings of Jenna playing outside, and other people Maria knew back home. "I like your drawings." She handed the book back to Maria and smiled.
"Me too." Maria agreed.
After breakfast, Weslyn came over with Mandy and they all got ready together. Mandy helped Lucy with her dress, which was light blue and twirly, as she called it, while Weslyn and Maria helped Layla into her white dress, which was simple and about knee length. She looked gorgeous.
When Lucy was dressed, Maria put up her hair, using the tiara. After her hair was put up, Weslyn put a little bit of makeup on her and then Lucy was getting excited.
"You look magnificent." Layla said picking her up into her arms.
"You look pretty too, Mum." Lucy said. Layla kissed her cheeks and Weslyn happened to snap a picture of it.
"OK, so we're ready, but you three aren't even close!" Layla said rushing them to change. Weslyn went into the bathroom and put on her pink dress. She fixed her hair into curls and put on her shoes before she applied her makeup just right. This may be Layla's wedding, but lets not forget this was the first time she'd be seeing Paul after nearly two months of touring. Once she was ready she went out to wait for Mandy and Maria with Lucy and Layla.
When Mandy appeared the girls oohed at her purple dress, strappy black heals, and her half up half down hair style. "Gorgeous." Layla complimented. "Now all we need is Maria."
Maria poked her head into the room shyly then. Weslyn smiled and waved for her to come in. None of the other girls knew what Maria had planned to wear tot he wedding and they were all dying to know.
"C'mon, you perform on a stage for a living, you can do this." Mandy teased. Maria blushed as she finally entered the room. Her dress went just below her knees. It was a bright, happy yellow color with a white sash tied around her waist. It was strapless and she was wearing a pair of white flats to match. Her hair was left completely down. Weslyn noticed she still hadn't had a hair cut and it was even longer than the last time she'd seen her.
"Maria, you looked really pretty." Lucy said smiling up at her. Maria smiled and shrugged.
"Well don't we have a wedding to get to?" She asked. They all nodded and hurried out the door.
Once they reached the church, Maria was pacing. She didn't really have any reason to be nervous, but Layla looked much too calm about this.
"Calm down Maria, if I didn't know any better I'd think you were the one getting married." Layla said giggling, "What are you so nervous about?"
"I don't know." Maria siad wringing her fingers in front of her, "How are you so calm?"
"I was nervous yesterday, and this morning, but I'm fine now. I'm more excited." Layla said, "But what are you so nervous about? All you have to do is walk down the aisle with George and sit down."
Maria's eyes got wide and she covered her face, "Oh my gosh, I forgot all about George!" She squeaked. She was panicking now.
"How could you forget George?" Weslyn asked with a laugh, "He's your date." Maria shrugged and started pacing fast.
"I don't know! I guess since I haven't seen him that he just slipped my mind!" Maria said. Mandy grabbed her shoulders.
"Calm down, Maria." She said looking her in the eyes, "It's just George."
"But I haven't seen him in six months." She whispered, sounding terrified. Mandy shrugged and smiled comfortingly.
"I doubt that he cares about that." Mandy said. Maria nodded and took a deep breath, "Relax." Maria nodded again and she looked at her mates.
"OK, right. . ." She said, "Why am I freaking out? You're the one getting married!" She pointed to Layla and stopped pacing, but Weslyn knew she was still nervous.
"Right let's go, it's almost time." Weslyn said holding the door open. That was when Lucy ran in.
"Mum, Daddy's coming! He said he wants to see you!" She said shoving Layla into the bathroom. The door was easing shut when Maria saw George walking after Ringo, trying to stop him. He stopped when he caught a look at her through the cracked door. Ringo busted in and Maria's eyes got wide with surprise.
"I'm glad we were all decent." Mandy said under her breath.
"Where's Layla?" he asked. Maria gently pushed him to the door.
"She's in the bathroom getting ready, now go. She'll meet you at the alter." She said pushing him out. She waved to him playfully as George caught up. He grinned at her and she grinned back before shutting the door. She took a deep breath and leaned her back against the door. That wasn't so hard.
