NOTTING HILL CHAPTERS 9-10

Chapter 9

New Hope

Summer ended and autumn leaves began to fall. William continued with his life, but he couldn’t escape a feeling of emptiness. Every day was the same. He lived through that winter in a dream. Nothing seemed important. And then it was spring.

‘We’ve got something for you’, said Honey, coming into the bookshop. Spike stood behind her in the doorway. ‘You’ll love me for the rest of your life’.

‘What is it?’, asked William, interested.

‘The phone number of Anna Scott’s office in London, and the one in New York. You can ring her! You think about her all the time. No you can ring her’.

William knew Honey was trying to help. He tried to look pleased. ‘Well, thank you. That’s great’.

‘It is great’, she said, smiling. ‘See you tonight’.

Honey and Spike left. William looked at the piece of paper in his hand for a minute. Then, with a sigh, he threw it away.

That evening, the friends met again at Tony’s restaurant. Tony’s dream was at an end; his restaurant was closing.

Bella spoke for them all. ‘Exactly a year ago, this man here started the finest restaurant in London’. The friends all laughed and shouted. ‘But – sadly – no one

ever came to eat here’.

‘Just a very small problem’, said Tony, smiling.

Bella continued. ‘And so, from next week, we have to find somewhere new to eat. It’s a sad time’. Tony smiled again, but the smile couldn’t hide his unhappiness. ‘But I just want to say one more thing. Tony, don’t think there’s something wrong with you. We can’t always understand the reasons why things happen. Some things succeed and others fail. Nobody knows why. Some of us get lucky, and some of us…’

‘…lose our jobs’, Bernie finished.

‘No!’, said Bella, in surprise.

‘Yes, it’s true’, Bernie replied with a sigh. ‘They’re changing everything, and there’s no place for me. Well, you know I was no good…’

‘So we go down together!’, said Tony, lifting his glass to Bernie. ‘To Bernie, the worst stockbroker in the world!’.

They all laughed and drank.

‘I’ve got something to say, too’, said Honey, standing up. ‘Er… I’ve decided to get married!’. They all looked surprised. ‘I’ve found myself a nice, strange-looking man. I know he’ll make me happy for the rest of my life’.

‘Wait a minute’, said William. ‘I’m your brother and I don’t know anything about this’.

‘Is it someone we know?’, asked Max.

Bernie looked hopeful.

‘Yes. I’ll tell you when the time is right’, she replied. She sat down again and the conversation turned to other subjects.

While the others were talking, Honey whispered softly to Spike: ‘Er, Spike… It’s you’.

‘Me?’. He looked surprised.

‘Yes. What do you think?’.

‘Well… yes, great!’. He smiled.

‘Are there any other important things that anyone wants to say?’, Max asked.

‘Yes’, William said seriously. ‘I want to say that I’m sorry. I’m really sorry for the way I’ve been for the last six months. I have, as you know, been a little unhappy’.

‘A little unhappy? There are dead people that are more fun to be with’, laughed Max.

‘But I want to make it clear that I have turned a corner. From today, I have decided to be happy!’.

‘So, all that business with the American is in the past now?’, Max asked.

‘I believe it is’. William smiled.

‘You don’t think about her all the time?’.

‘No, I don’t think I do’.

‘So you’re not interested that she’s back in London? Or that she’s filming every day in Hampstead?’, Max showed him a newspaper with a picture of Anna on the front page.

William sighed. ‘Oh, no!’.

‘So you are a little interested, then?’, said Max.

* * *

The following day, William was in Hampstead. He found the place where they were filming.

‘Can I help you?’, asked a guard.

‘Er… I’m looking for Anna Scott’.

‘Does she know you’re coming?’.

‘Er… no. no, she doesn’t’.

‘I’m afraid I can’t let you in’.

‘Oh, right. I mean, she’s friend. But… you…’

‘…can’t let you in’, repeated the guard, turning away.

Behind the guard, William saw Anna walking across the grass. She looked beautiful in a long dress and with her hair piled on top of her head. There were people all around her, ready to help her.

Suddenly, Anna looked up and saw William. Her face showed surprise. William smiled nervously. And then she walked towards him, followed by the crowd of people.

‘This is very… er…’, she started, hesitantly.

‘I only found out you were here yesterday’.

‘I wanted to ring, but I didn’t think you…’, Anna continued.

‘Anna, we have to go. They’re ready’. It was one of the film people.

‘Listen, William. It’s not going well – and it’s our last day’.

‘Yes. Right. You’re clearly very busy’.

‘But wait. There are… things to say’.

‘OK’, William said.

‘You could drink tea. There’s lots of tea’. She smiled at him, as she was taken away.

‘Come and watch’, a woman said to him. ‘Do you like Henry James?’.

‘This is a Henry James film?’, he asked, remembering his conversation with Anna a year earlier.

The woman left William with Harry, a sound man.

‘You can listen if you like’, Harry said, pointing to some headphones.

William put them on. Then he sat in a chair to watch the action.

Anna and another actor were making conversation, waiting for the filming. William could hear everything through the headphones.

‘So I ask you when you’re going to tell everyone. And you say…?’, Anna said to the other actor.

‘Tomorrow will be soon enough’.

‘And then I…’

‘Who was that man you were talking to just now?’, the other man asked.

‘Oh – no one. A man from the past. I don’t know what he’s doing here. It’s difficult’.

William’s heart stopped. What was he doing there? He took off the headphones and have them back to the sound man.

‘Thank you, Harry’.

‘Any time’, Harry smiled.

William walked away.

Chapter 10

Just a Girl and a Boy

‘What’s happening?’, Spike asked.

‘I’m throwing out some old videos’, William replied. Some of them were, of course, Anna’s films.

‘You can’t do that! These are great films. You mustn’t do it! I won’t let you!’.

‘Right. Let’s talk about the money for your room…’

‘Ah… right… I’ll help you. You’re right. We don’t need all of them!’.

The next day, at work, William was at his desk when Martin called to him.

‘Excuse me, William, there’s a package’, Martin said.

‘Well? You work here, don’t you?’, he replied.

‘But it’s not for the shop. It’s for you’.

‘OK’, William sighed, getting up from his desk. ‘But tell me… What exactly do I pay you for?’.

William walked towards the front of the shop and stopped suddenly. There, in front of him, was Anna. She was dressed very simply, but was as beautiful as always.

‘Hi!’, she smiled.

‘Hello’.

‘You left…’

‘Yes, I’m sorry. I had to leave. I was in the way’.

‘Well… how have you been?’, she asked.

‘Fine’, he said. ‘Everything is exactly as it was before. When they change the law, Spike and I will marry immediately. Very different from your film star life’.

‘Oh, no. all that means nothing. I had no idea how meaningless it all was. But I know now’. She looked nervous. ‘Yesterday was the last day of filming. I’m leaving soon and I wanted you to have this’. She pointed to a large, flat package covered in brown paper.

‘Oh. Thank you. Shall I…?’.

‘No. don’t open it now’.

‘OK. Well, thank you. I don’t know what it’s for. But thank you’.

‘I had it in my flat in New York. And I just thought… But I didn’t know how you to call you…’, she began hesitantly. ‘I was so rude to you last time. So it was in the hotel. But then – you came. So I thought… I thought…’

‘What did you think?’, he asked softly.

The shop door opened and Mr Smith walked in.

William looked up. ‘Don’t even think about it. Go away immediately!’.

‘Right. Sorry’, Mr Smith said in surprise, closing the door behind him.

William turned back to Anna. ‘You were saying?’.

‘I have to go away tomorrow. And I wanted to ask you… Do you think I could see you a little… or a lot, maybe? Can you ever… like me again?’.

William was surprised at her words. He didn’t know how to reply. ‘But yesterday, the other actor asked you about me. A man from the past, you said. I heard it all through the headphones’.

‘But I never tell other actors about my love life!’.

Martin was back. ‘Excuse me, it’s your mother on the phone’.

‘Tell her I’ll ring later’.

‘I tried that. But you said that twenty-four hours ago and she’s still waiting. Her foot was purple then, and it’s now turning black’.

‘OK’, William sighed, walking to his desk. ‘Look after Miss Scott, Martin’.

Martin smiled nervously at Anna. ‘I loved you in Ghost. It was a wonderful film!’.

‘Is that right?’, she said, surprised.

‘Yes. What’s Patrick Swayze like in real life?’.

‘I’m afraid I don’t know him very well’.

‘Oh? Wasn’t he friendly when you were making the film?’.

‘Well… I’m sure he was friendly – to Demi Moore. She was the other star of Ghost. Anna smiled.

‘Oh. Right. Sorry. I’ve never been very clever…’. William returned. ‘Er… it was lovely to meet you. I love your work… and Demi’s, of course’. And Martin left them.

‘Sorry about that’, William said.

‘That’s OK’.

William thought very carefully and then spoke slowly and seriously. ‘Anna, I’m an ordinary sort of person. I’m not often in and out of love…’. The words were not coming easily. ‘Can I just say no to your kind offer?’.

Anna continued smiling, but the hurt showed in her eyes. ‘Yes, that’s fine. Of course… I… of course. I’ll just go, then. Nice to see you’.

‘Anna, the fact is…’. He felt he must try to give words to his feelings. ‘With you, I’m in real danger. My heart will never get better if it’s broken again. And I know that will happen. There are too many pictures of you, everywhere, too many films. You’ll continue with your life and I’ll be… finished’.

‘I see’, Anna said softly. ‘That really is a real no, isn’t it?’.

‘I live in Notting Hill. You live in Beverly Hills. Everyone in the world knows who you are. My mother doesn’t always remember my name’.

‘OK. Fine. I understand’. There seemed nothing more to say. But Anna tried one last time. ‘It’s not real. You know… being famous. I’m also just a girl. Standing in front of a boy. Asking him to love her’.

William looked deeply into her eyes. Was he doing the right thing? Then she kissed him lightly.

‘Bye’, she said, as she left.

* * *

There were no pictures on the walls of Tony’s restaurant. The kitchen

equipment was gone. Chairs were piled up, waiting to go. The friends met there one last time.

‘What do you think? Did I do the right thing?, William asked them.

‘Of course you did”, said Honey quickly. ‘I mean, she’s nothing special’.

‘That’s right’, agreed Bella. ‘And everyone knows that all actresses are crazy’.

‘What do you think, Tony?’, William asked.

‘Never met her and never wanted to’.

‘Right. Max?’, William turned to his oldest friend.

‘I agree with the others. And who wants to go out with someone who doesn’t eat meat?’.

‘Great. Excellent. Thanks’. William felt happier. His decision was the right one. Then Spike arrived.

‘I was called and I came. What’s the problem?’, he asked.

‘William has just refused Anna Scott’, Honey told him.

‘What? Are you crazy?’, spike shouted at William.

Bella was looking carefully at the painting next to William’s chair. ‘That isn’t the real Chagall painting, is it?’, she asked him.

‘Er… yes. I think it is’.

Bella’s eyes widened.

‘And she really wanted to go out with you?’, Bernie asked.

‘Well… yes’.

‘That’s nice’.

‘What?’, asked William.

‘Well, it’s nice when someone wants to go out with you’, replied Bernie a little sadly.

‘It was quite sweet, really’, said William, remembering. ‘I mean, I know as an actress she can say lines very well. But she said – and these were her words – I’m just a girl. Standing in front of a boy. Asking him to love her’. The room went very quiet. ‘Oh, no!’, William said, his head in his hands. ‘I’ve made the wrong decision, haven’t I?’. He could see his friends’ agreement in their eyes. ‘Max, how fast is your car?’.

William, Bernie, Honey and Spike jumped into Max’s car.

‘Where’s Bella?’, asked Max.

‘She’s not coming’, replied Honey.

‘Oh yes she is. She’s not missing this!’. And he found Bella, picked her up and put her in the front. The wheelchair went in the back with Spike.

The London traffic was heavy, as usual, but they got to the Ritz at last. William and Bernie ran to the front desk.

‘Is Miss Scott staying here?’.

‘No, sir. I’m afraid she isn’t’. It was the man who was at the desk a year earlier.

‘Or… er… Miss Flintstone?’.

‘No, sir. I’m afraid not’.

‘Er… Bambi? Or… I don’t know… Beavis or Butthead?’.

The man at the desk shook his head. William sighed deeply. It was no good – it was too late. But as he turned away, the man spoke.

‘There was a Miss Pocahontas here in room 126, but she left an hour ago. I believe she’s giving a press conference at the Savoy Hotel before her flight to America’. He smiled.

William jumped up and kissed him. ‘Thank you, thank you’, he shouted.

Bernie, in his excitement, kissed the man too.

Back in the car, they drove as fast as possible to the Savoy Hotel. But the traffic was moving slowly, and at one crossroads they came to a complete stop. Time passed and they all got more and more nervous.

Spike jumped out of the car. ‘I’ll get us through’, he shouted, shutting the door. And then he was in the middle of the road, stopping cars and buses and making a path for Max’s car. ‘Go, go, go!’, he shouted.

‘I love you’, laughed Honey out of the window, as the car shot off towards the Savoy.

‘Excuse me. Where’s the press conference?’, William asked the man at the desk.

‘Can I see your press card?’.

William quickly showed him a card.

‘That’s a video club card, sir’.

‘Yes, I write for the club’s magazine’.

‘I’m sorry, sir…’

Bella arrived at the front desk, pushed by Honey. ‘He’s with me’, she said.

‘And you are…?’

‘…writing about the best London hotels for people in wheelchairs’, she said, smiling.

The man looked at her for a minute, and then sighed. ‘It’s in the Lancaster Room. I’m afraid you’re very late’.

‘Run’, Honey shouted to William.

The Lancaster Room was crowded with reporters and photographers. At the front sat Anna behind a long table, looking a little sad. Jeremy, from the film company, was next to her.

‘Yes… you, Dominic’, said Jeremy, pointing to a reporter.

‘How much longer are you staying in Britain, Miss Scott?’.

‘No time at all. I fly out tonight’, answered Anna.

‘And that’s why we have to stop soon’, said Jeremy. ‘Any last questions?’.

A number of hands went up and he pointed to one.

‘You’ve decided not make another film for a year. Is this because there’s talk about Jeff and another famous actress?’.

‘No’, she replied, simply.

‘Do you believe the stories?’.

‘It’s really not my business now. But I will say this. Stories about Jeff and women are usually true’. She smiled.

The next question came from a reporter standing next to William.

‘Last time you were here, there were photos of you and a young Englishman. So what was that about?’.

‘He was just a friend. And I think we’re still friends’, she said slowly.

William’s heart was jumping. Could he speak? Could he say what he wanted

to say? And then his hand was up and Jeremy was pointing at him.

‘Yes. Miss Scott. Is there any chance of you and this young man being… more than friends?’.

Anna looked up at the questioner. She saw that it was William.

‘I thought so. But no, I was told not’, she said quietly.

‘And if this man…’, William started.

Jeremy spoke: ‘No. it’s just one question each’.

‘No. let him’, Anna said. She turned back William. ‘What were you saying?’.

William continued. ‘If… this person…’

‘His name was Thacker’, said one of the reporters helpfully.

‘Thank you’, William smiled. ‘If this Mr Thacker gets down on his knees and asks you to think again… what then?’.

Max, Bella, Bernie and Honey all waited, open-mouthed, for her answer.

‘I think my answer will be… yes!’. Her smile lit up the room.

‘That’s excellent news. The readers of Horse and Hound will be very happy’.

Anna turned to Jeremy and whispered something.

‘Dominic, would you like to ask your question again?’, said Jeremy, pointing to the reporter.

‘Yes. Miss Scott, how long are you planning to stay in Britain?’.

Anna looked at William questioningly. He returned her look, smiled and mouthed the word ‘yes’.

‘For a very long time’, smiled Anna.

Suddenly, the reporters realized what was happening. They crowded round William, asking him questions. Photographers took pictures. Max and Bella kissed. Bernie kissed a woman standing next to him. Everyone was smiling and laughing.

Spike arrived at last, red-faced from running. ‘What happened?’, he asked Honey.

She put her arms around him and held him tightly. ‘It was good, Spike. It was so good’.

* * *

How did it all end, this love story between the biggest film star in the world and an ordinary bookseller from Notting Hill? Well, it is too early to say. But the signs are good.

The wedding was a quiet one with family and close friends. Tony made a wonderful cake. Max danced wildly around the dance floor, looking like James Bond in his white dinner jacket. Honey’s legs didn’t reach the floor as she danced in Spike’s arms. And Martin stood at the side, smiling nervously. Everyone had a good time.

Soon after the wedding, William went with Anna to the opening night of her Henry James film. As they stepped out of the car in front of the cinema, people screamed with excitement. Photographers pushed forward to get the best picture for the next day’s newspaper. To William, all this was new and strange. But Anna held his hand tightly and guided him through the crowds.

We leave the happy lovers on a sunny day a year later, in a garden in Notting Hill. All around them are sings of life and love. Children are playing, watched by their mothers. One is holding her new baby. An older woman walks past with her husband. They are smiling and talking softly. On a simple wooden seat, William sits reading. Anna is lying next to him, looking out over the gardens. She looks calm and happy. From time to time, her hand moves slowly over the baby growing inside her.