NOTTING HILL CHAPTERS 7-8

Chapter 7

Alone Again

William looked out of the window of his house, lost in his thoughts.

‘Talk to me, William. This is me, Spikey. Tell me what’s wrong’.

William never usually spoke about his feelings. But this time he needed to talk to someone – even if it had to be Spike!

‘Well, OK. There’s a girl…’, he began hesitantly.

‘Aha! A girl. I thought so. Speak, friend’.

‘She’s someone who… can never be mine. I’ve been close to her, but I can never be as close again. And I really miss her’.

Spike looked thoughtful. ‘Yes. That’s a problem. I missed a girl at Swansea station once. I got the time wrong. I left five minutes before the train arrived!’. He laughed.

‘Thanks’, William sighed. ‘Very helpful’.

That night, William ate with his friends at Tony’s restaurant. They were the only people there, as usual. They often ate there, because Tony was an old friend. This was his first restaurant. He was trying hard to make it a success.

On the front page of Bernie’s newspaper was a picture of Anna and Jeff at Heathrow Airport.

‘You didn’t know she had a boyfriend?’. Max found this hard to believe.

‘No. did you?’, William asked, surprised. The looks on their faces showed that everyone knew. ‘You all knew? My life is destroyed because I don’t read Hello magazine?’.

‘Anna’s a big star. She’s world-famous, and you’re just an ordinary person. It’s unimaginable. But don’t worry! I have the answer to your problems…’. Everyone looked at Max with interest. ‘Her name is Tessa and she works in our

office. She’s a bit strange, but she’s very clever and her kisses are unbelievable’. Bella put her head on the side and looked at him. ‘Well, that’s what people tell me’, he finished quickly.

* * *

So a few days later, the friends sat together again at the dinner table in Max and Bella’s kitchen. William was worried.

The doorbell rang. As Max answered the door, the others could hear the visitor

S loud, excited voice.

‘I got lost. I didn’t know where I was! Everything around here has the word Kensington in it – Kensington Park Road, Kensington Gardens, Kensington Park Gardens…’

Max introduced the visitor as they came into the kitchen. ‘Tessa, this is Bella, my wife’.

‘Oh, you’re in a wheelchair’, said Tessa brightly.

‘That’s right’.

‘And this is William’, Max continued.

‘Hello, William. Max has told me everything about you’, she laughed.

‘Has he?’, replied William nervously.

‘Some wine, Tessa?’, Max offered.

‘Oh, yes please. Let’s get drunk, Willie!’.

William looked even more worried.

* * *

A few weeks after Tessa’s visit, Max and Bella had another dinner party. This time they invited a woman called Keziah to meet William. She was pale and thin, and she sat nervously at the table.

‘Meat, Keziah?’, Max asked, reaching for her plate.

‘No, thank you. I only eat fruit’.

Max and Bella looked at her, and then at William.

‘Only fruit?’, William asked.

‘I believe that fruit and vegetables have feelings. So cooking hurts them. I only eat things that have fallen from the tree. Then they’re already dead’, Keziah explained.

‘Right. Right. Very interesting. So these potatoes…’

‘…were murdered. Yes’.

‘Murdered? Poor potatoes. Terrible’, agreed William. ‘Oh, when will this evening end?’, he thought to himself.

* * *

So Tessa and Keziah came and went. Neither was a success, but Max didn’t give up. A month later, Rosie sat at the table with William, Bella, and Max. Rosie seemed very nice. She was pretty and well-dressed, and there was nothing unusual about her. She seemed intelligent and friendly. To his surprise, William even liked her.

‘Great coffee!’, she said.

‘Thank you. I’m sorry about the meat’, Max said.

‘Don’t be sorry. I thought it was really… interesting’.

‘Interesting means terrible’, she replied.

They all laughed.

‘Maybe we’ll meet again some time’, she said to William, as she was leaving.

‘Yes. That sounds… great’.

‘Well?’, asked Bella, when they were alone.

‘She’s perfect – perfect’, William replied.

‘But…?’, Bella looked at him carefully.

William spoke quietly. ‘I think you’ve forgotten. It’s difficult to find someone you love. Someone who will also love you. The chances are very small. Look at me. Except for the American, I’ve only loved two girls in my life. And both times it ended badly’.

‘That’s not fair’, Max said.

‘No, really. One of them left our marriage more quickly than you can say Indiana Jones. The other’, he said, looking at Bella, ‘married my best friend’.

‘But she still loves you’. Bella smiled at him.

‘Yes, as a sister loves a brother…’

‘Well, I never wanted you in any other way!’. They all laughed. ‘I mean, I loved you – you were terribly funny. But when you kissed my ears…’

William spoke quickly. ‘And thirty years from now, I’m still going to be alone’.

‘Do you want to stay the night?’, Bella asked.

‘Why not? At home there’s just a crazy Welshman waiting for me!’.

As the evening came to an end, Max carried Bella upstairs to bed. William sat in a chair, eyes wide open, feeling very lonely.

Chapter 8

Behind the Blue Door

The following morning, William walked home. He thought about Max and Bella and how much in love they were. And he thought about his own life. What was he doing? Where was he going?

He arrived home and got ready for work. As he was looking in the mirror, the doorbell rang.

‘Who’s that at this time of day?’, he thought. ‘Probably the postman’. He went

downstairs to answer it.

He opened the door, and his heart jumped. It wasn’t the postman – it was a beautiful woman in dark glasses. Unbelievable.

‘Can I come in?’, Anna asked.

‘Come in’.

Her hair was a mess and she looked tired and unhappy. But to William, she looked wonderful.

He took her into the kitchen and Anna poured out her story.

‘The photos were taken years ago’, Anna explained. ‘I was poor… It happens a lot. That’s not an excuse, I know. But it’s worse than that. While one man was taking photos, another man was filming me. I didn’t know anything about that. Now it looks like a dirty sex film. And, well, they’ve sold the pictures and they’re everywhere’. Anna looked ready to cry. William shook his head.

‘And now I don’t know where to go’, Anna continued. ‘There are crowds of reporters outside the hotel. I just need to get away from them’.

‘This is the place’, William said calmly.

‘Thank you’, she said quietly. ‘I’m only in London for two days. But the British press are so… It’s the worst place to be’. She was very unhappy. ‘They’re terrible pictures. They make me look like…’

‘Don’t think about it. Now, would you like tea? A bath?’.

‘Oh yes, a bath’.

Five minutes later, Spike came in though the front door, looking excitedly at the pictures of Anna in his newspaper.

‘Wow! Look at that! Wonderful!’, he said to himself, as he walked upstairs.

He opened the bathroom door, still reading. He went over to the toilet without taking his eyes off the newspaper.

‘Are you Spike?’, a voice said from behind him.

Spike looked up, then turned his head slowly. He couldn’t believe his eyes. There, in the bath, was Anna Scott! He quickly left the bathroom, calmed himself down, then opened the door again.

Anna saw his face come slowly round the door, his mouth hanging open.

‘Hi’, she said, smiling.

‘I just wanted to be sure’. Spike backed out and closed the door again. ‘Oh thank you, thank you’, he whispered, closing his eyes.

After her bath, Anna looked calmer.

‘I’m really sorry about last time’, she said to William in the sitting room. ‘Jeff just flew in. I thought we were finished’.

‘No, that’s fine. I don’t often get the chance to clear away the dirty plates of a Hollywood star. I enjoyed it very much. How is he?’.

‘I don’t know. One day, I couldn’t remember any of the reasons that I loved him. And how are you – and love?’.

‘Well, there’s a question… without an interesting answer’.

‘I have thought about you’, she said, looking into his eyes.

‘Oh no, no… no’. William’s heart ached. It was too painful. He didn’t want her to continue. But she did.

‘But there’s a problem. When I try to be with someone ordinary, it never

works’.

‘Of course, I completely understand. Thank you for telling me that’. William felt uncomfortable and changed the subject. ‘Is that the film you’re doing?’, he asked, pointing to some papers in her hand.

‘Yes. We start filming in Los Angeles on Tuesday’.

‘Would you like me to help you learn your lines?’.

‘Will you?’. She looked pleased. ‘It’s all talk, talk, talk’.

‘What’s the story about?’.

‘I’m a difficult but clever young officer who, in about twenty minutes, will save the world’.

‘Well done, you!’.

William found the language of the film almost impossible to understand. But he read the other parts for Anna, and she practised her lines. They had great fun. As the day passed, Anna seemed to forget about her problems.

‘So what do you think of the film?’, she asked, when they stopped.

‘Exciting. It’s not Jane Austen or Henry James. But it is exciting’.

‘You think I should do Henry James?’.

‘I’m sure you’d be great in Henry James. But… I mean… this writer’s quite good, too’.

‘Yes’, she said. ‘Nobody in The Wings of the Dove says: Tell the Pentagon we need black star cover!’.

‘And I think that’s a pity’.

Anna smiled her widest smile. He really was helping.

Later that evening, they sat down to eat.

‘I can’t believe you have that picture on the wall’, she said, looking at a cheap copy of Chagall painting.

‘You like Chagall?’, he asked.

‘I do. That’s how love should feel. A big, dark blue sky…’

‘With a fish falling from it’.

‘Yes. Happiness isn’t happiness without a fish falling from the sky’.

Spike brought pizzas to the table. ‘Right. For the Queen of Notting Hill, Carnival Calypso – hot chicken and fruit… and a little more chicken’.

‘Great’, said Anna, looking at her plate.

‘Spike, did I tell you that Anna doesn’t eat meat?’.

‘Ah… well, I’ve got some vegetable soup from last week. If I take off the skin, it’ll be perfect’.

After the meal, Spike left to meet his friends in the pub. William and Anna were alone, at last.

‘You’ve got big feet’, Anna said.

‘Yes, I’ve always had them’.

‘You know what they say about men with big feet?’.

‘No, what’s that?’.

‘Big feet…’. She stopped and looked him in the eye. ‘Big shoes!’.

They both laughed, comfortably.

A little later, they discussed Anna’s film work.

‘When I make films’, she told him, ‘I don’t take my clothes off – well, not all of

them. That’s the agreement. And they have to discuss it with me if they want to use another person’s body in my place’.

‘Another person’s body? What do you mean?’.

‘Well, if they want me to show my bottom, I refuse. Another actor has to do it’.

‘And do you choose a better bottom than yours?’.

‘Of course. That’s really important’. She laughed.

‘What a job!’, said William. ‘What do those people put on their passports? Profession – Mel Gibson’s bottom!’.

‘Mel uses his own bottom’, Anna said, taking another mouthful of ice-cream. ‘It’s great’.

‘The ice-cream of Mel Gibson’s bottom?’.

‘Both’.

They had a wonderful evening but, of course, it had to end. William walked with Anna up to the bedroom.

‘Today has been a good day. Thank you’, said Anna gratefully.

They stopped outside the bedroom door.

‘Well… thank you. Time for bed… and the sofa-bed for me’.

‘Right’. She kissed him sweetly. Then she went into the bedroom and closed the door. William walked slowly downstairs for a lonely nigh on the sofa-bed.

He couldn’t sleep. He lay there with his eyes wide open. ‘Will she come?’. He waited and hoped. But nothing happened. Then, suddenly, he heard a sound on the stairs. William waited nervously.

‘Hello?’, he said into the darkness.

A bearded face looked into the room. ‘Hello. Have you got a minute?’.

‘Spike!’.

‘Listen. Anna’s not with her boyfriend now, is she?’, Spike asked.

‘No, I don’t think so’.

‘And she’s in your house?’.

‘Yes’.

‘And you like her?’.

‘Yes’.

‘And she likes you?’.

‘Yes’.

‘Well, isn’t this your big chance? You should be up there, with her’. Spike pointed upstairs.

‘No, Spike. She’s in trouble. This is not the time’, William said angrily.

‘All right… all right. I understand that’. Spike turned to go. Then he spoke again. ‘Do you mind if I try?’.

‘Spike!’.

‘No, you’re right’.

‘I’ll talk to you in the morning’. William lay down again.

‘OK… OK. But maybe it’ll be too late then’. Spike went back to bed.

William lay in bed, thinking. A few minutes later, he heard footsteps on the stairs again.

‘Oh, go away, will you?’, he said angrily.

‘OK’, replied Anna quietly.

William jumped up. ‘No… no. wait. I thought you were Spike. I’m so happy you’re not’.

They stood face to face in the half-light. He kissed her neck softly, then her shoulder. Then he looked at her face. That face. He couldn’t believe he was touching Anna Scott.

‘Wow!’.

‘What?’, Anna asked.

‘Oh, nothing’. And he kissed her deeply.

* * *

The next morning, they lay in bed together.

‘It’s wonderful… and strange… that I, William Thacker, can look at your naked body’.

‘You and every other person in this country’, she replied.

‘Oh, yes… sorry’.

‘Rita Hayworth always said: They go to bed with Gilda and they wake up with me. Do you feel that?’, she asked.

‘Who was Gilda?’.

‘Her most famous part. Men went to bed with the dream and woke up with the reality. Do you feel that way with me?’.

‘You’re lovelier this morning than you have ever been’, he replied.

Anna smiled. ‘Oh!’. Then she jumped out of bed. ‘I’ll be back. Don’t go away’.

Ten minutes later, Anna returned with breakfast.

‘Breakfast in bed’. She smiled warmly. She sat on the bed and asked hesitantly: ‘Can I stay a bit longer?’.

William looked at her. ‘Stay forever’, he said softly.

‘Oh, I forgot the sugar’. Just then, the doorbell rang. ‘You get the door, I’ll get the sugar’, she said, leaving the room.

William sighed. He pulled on his underpants and went downstairs.

‘OK, I’m coming’, he shouted. He opened the door and was suddenly caught in the light of lots of cameras. The street was full of reporters, shouting. He quickly shut the door again. ‘Jesus Christ!’.

‘What is it?’, Anna called.

‘Don’t ask’, replied William, his voice shaking.

‘William, what is it?’, Anna thought he was joking. She went to the door, opened it and looked outside.

‘Oh, no…’, she cried, throwing the door shut. She turned to William. ‘And they got a photo of you dressed like that?’.

‘Undressed like this. Yes’.

Spike walked into the kitchen, naked except for a pair of dirty grey underpants.

‘Good morning, my lovely ones’, he greeted them, giving William a big smile.

Anna was on the phone. ‘They’re outside – hundreds of them. Yes, I know – just get me out of here’.

She put the phone down and walked angrily upstairs.

‘Don’t go outside, Spike’, said William. ‘Really… it’s not a good idea’.

‘Why not?’.

‘Just don’t’. William followed Anna upstairs.

Spike thought for a minute, then he opened the front door.

The air was filled with people shouting, cameras and lights.

‘Wow!’, thought Spike, standing there in his grey underpants. He liked this! He turned to offer the photographers the best view of his naked body.

When he closed the door, he looked at himself in the mirror. ‘Not bad. Not at all bad. Well chosen underpants. Girls love grey’.

William was upstairs, standing in the bedroom doorway.

‘How are you doing?’, he asked.

‘How do you think I’m doing?’, Anna shouted.

‘I don’t know what happened’.

‘Well, I do!’, she said, throwing her things into a bag. ‘Your stupid friend decided to make some money. So he talked to some reporters!’.

‘Spike? No, that’s not true’, William answered.

‘Really? Reporters from every British newspaper are outside your house. They all woke up this morning and thought: I know where that Anna Scott is. She’s in the house with the blue front door, in Notting Hill. And then you go out half naked. Unbelievable!’.

Spike put his head around the door. ‘And I went out in my underpants, too!’.

‘Get out, Spike’, William said. ‘Listen, Anna, I’m so sorry’.

‘I came here to you for protection from these people. And now things are even worse than before! What will everyone think? I mean, I’ve got a boyfriend…’, she shouted.

‘Have you?’, asked William quietly.

‘Well, everyone thinks I have. And now there’ll be pictures of you in every paper from here to Timbuktu!’.

‘I know, I know. But… just… let’s stay calm’.

‘You can stay calm. Everything’s fine for you. Everyone will say: Well done, you. You slept with a film star – we’ve seen the pictures’.

William looked hurt. ‘That is so unfair’, he said seriously.

‘You can use it for your business. Buy a boring book from the man who slept with Anna Scott’.

She pushed past him and out of the room.

‘Stop. Please… calm down. Have a cup of tea’.

But she refused to listen. ‘I don’t want a stupid cup of tea! I want to go home’, she shouted, running downstairs.

William followed her.

The doorbell rang.

‘It’s a big car’, Spike called down from the upstairs window. ‘It looks like your driver, Anna’.

Anna was a little calmer now, but as cold as ice. ‘Tell Spike to buy you an expensive meal – or a holiday’, she said to William. ‘I’m sure he has the money now’.

‘That’s not true. Spike’s not like that. And wait a minute… this is all crazy. Can’t we laugh about it? Terrible things happen in the world… Compared to them, this is nothing’.

Spike came downstairs. ‘He’s going to tell you about people without food in Africa’, he said to Anna.

‘Well, it’s true’, said William. ‘And we don’t have to go as far as that. My best friend had an accident and is in a wheelchair for the rest of her life’.

Anna’s face softened. ‘OK. You’re right, of course. But I’ve had this problem for ten years and you’ve only had it for ten minutes. You can’t imagine what it’s like’.

‘I mean, tomorrow all this will be yesterday’s news’.

‘You don’t understand, do you?’. She looked at him. ‘They keep these photos. Every time someone writes about me, these photos will be in the papers. Newspapers last forever. I’ll be sorry about this forever’.

The colour left William’s face. He realized now that this was the end.

‘Right. Fine. I won’t be sorry, if it’s all right with you. I’ll always be glad you came. But you’re right. You should go’.

She looked at him sadly, and then the doorbell rang again. Keeping her head down, Anna ran outside. There were shouts from the crowd of reporters and photographers. And then she was gone.

William turned to Spike. ‘Was it you?’, he asked.

‘Well’, Spike said slowly, ‘it’s possible that I told one or two people in the pub’.

William sighed. ‘Right’.