Protected

Ready

I went into the bathroom, which had transformed from a hair and makeup studio to a full-fledged nail salon. There were two reclining chairs, the barber kind, and nail polish was all over the counter, along with the design pens and the nail polish remover and the cuticle-pusher-back-thingie, and all of the other nail polish torture devices.

"We're going to do your nails," Topanga said, plugging in the nail dryer.

"I thought that I was going to-" I started feebly.

"You don't have to do everything yourself, baby girl," Mom said, gently steering me to one of the chairs. I sat down, reluctantly, and let Mom recline the chair so that my feet were up on the counter. 

"How did the boys' photo shoot go?" Riley asked.

I giggled, "Great. They were posing," I said.

"I can't wait to see those photos," Riley said, smiling serenely.

Topanga started to put a coat of white nail polish on Riley's fingernails. My Mom showed me the pattern they were going to do on our nails: White, with a flowery design in pink and blue. 

Riley fell asleep in the chair, and Topanga finished her nails. I slipped them into the nail dryer and turned it on, which didn't even wake Riley up. Topanga started on her toenails, and it only took half an hour to finish those, too. 

Now it was my turn.

My Mom started on my fingernails, with bright white nail polish. The whole process only took another half hour. 

I held my arm out to admire the flowering design, which was really beautiful. My Mom and Toganga had picked it out. Riley, still snoozing in her chair, had another ten minutes until we had to leave. We let her sleep, with Topanga carefully guarding her so she wouldn't mess up her hair, clothes, or her makeup while she slept.

I ran up to the bathroom and started pulling items from the cabinet, before running back into Riley's bedroom to get more stuff. I was compiling the ultimate wedding emergency kit for Riley.

I put all of the items in a sparkly mint green makeup bag and stuck it in my purse. When I was finished, I had a mini sewing kit, safety pins, a mini first aid kit, chocolate, and hair ties. It was pretty meager, but we should be safe, because the venue was only ten minutes away.

I zipped up my purse and went into the bathroom, where Riley was still sleeping beautifully. Topanga looked up when I walked in.

"Time to go?" she asked.

"Yeah," I replied. I walked over to Riley and poked her arm.

"Riley," I said. She didn't stir.

I rolled my eyes, "We have to go. I don't have time for this," I said.

"RILEY," I shouted.

Riley jerked awake and jumped up.

"I'm married?" she cried.

I burst out laughing, "No, Riles, not yet. But you will be in an hour and fifty minutes, so let's go," I said. I grabbed her arm and towed her down the stairs, with Topanga and my Mom close behind. 

"Ready?" I asked quietly, but we both knew I wasn't just asking about whether or not she was ready to go to the garden. 

She nodded, "As ready as I'll ever be," she said, and we walked out the door.