Page 12 of From Notting Hill with Love…Actually
The painting was of a young woman floating against a dark blue sky. She wore a red dress and a long white veil which a man was adjusting on her head to make sure she was perfectly presented for her wedding. In the background was a church, and all around her animals, some playing musical instruments—a violin-playing goat was especially prominent.
I glanced at the card next to the painting:
LaMariée (The Bride) ~ Marc Chagall 1950
Young women or couples can often be seen in Chagall’s work. But few of his paintings are as striking as La Mariée, depicting a yearning for something that’s lost.
In the 1999 filmNotting Hill, Julia Roberts’ character, Anna Scott, sees a print ofLa Mariéein the home of Hugh Grant’s character, William Thacker. Anna later gives William a gift of what is supposed to be the original painting.
Ayearningforsomethingthat’s lost…
The words circled around in my brain for a while before they descended to my heart, where they tried to poke and prod at a part of it where I never allowed anything to go.
I’d always loved the painting that now hung in front of me. I thought it was because ofNottingHill; it wouldn’t be the first time I’d taken to something because I’d seen it in a movie.
Like when I’d first seenSleeplessinSeattleI’d taken to listening to late-night radio call-in shows…just in case. But the callers in this country were rarely in the mold of the gentle Sam character portrayed by Tom Hanks. They were normally far scarier, and much more your usual daytime talk show–style troll.
WithBridgetJonesI’d kept a daily diary. Internet chat rooms withYou’ve Got Mail. I’d even taken dance lessons at our local community center when I’d first seenDirtyDancing. But our dance instructor didn’t bear much resemblance to Patrick Swayze or even Patrick Dempsey. No, imagine if you will an effeminate Patrick Stewart of the StarshipEnterprise, crossed with Patrick Star of SpongeBob SquarePants fame, and you will have the perfect image of my salsa instructor. And when I’d seenPrettyWomanfor the first time, I’d firmly decided never to try outanypart of that movie.
“Found something you like at last?” Maddie asked, sitting down next to me. “You’ve whizzed through the rest of the exhibition pretty quick.”
She looked up at the painting with me for a moment then inspected the white information card. “Oh, Scarlett,” she sighed, sitting back. “Howdoyou do it? I should have known you’d find something film-related—even here.”
“It’s not my fault. Anyway that’s not the only reason I’m looking at this painting.”
“It’s not?” Maddie looked at me in disbelief. “What other reason is there, then?”
“Because…it’s a bride, isn’t it…and we’re both going to be brides soon. And to tell you the truth, Maddie, it’s what it said on the card that’s really made me think about this painting.”
“Yeah, I know, aboutNottingHill.”
“No, not just that. I mean obviously I recognized the painting from the film, but the part about ‘a yearning for something that’s lost.’”
Maddie wrinkled her nose. “Whatareyou talking about, Scarlett?”
“I don’t know.” I was beginning to wish I hadn’t said anything now. Maddie may well have been my oldest friend, but even she couldn’t understand how I felt. I barely understood this feeling I constantly carried inside me myself. “I’ve just always felt like there was something missing in my life, Maddie. Some tiny piece of something that’s not quite there, like the last piece of a jigsaw puzzle.”
Maddie stared at me. I wished I’d just hidden behind the movie excuse now—it would have been a lot easier.
“Are you having pre-wedding jitters?” she asked. “Is that what you’re trying to tell me?”
I closed my eyes for a moment. That wasn’t what I meantat all, but if I didn’t know what I meant, how could I expect anyone else to?
“Yes, maybe that’s it,” I said, opening my eyes again and looking at her. “I have been wondering lately if marrying David is the right thing to do. I keep having these niggling little doubts.”
“What sort of doubts?” Maddie asked with a look that already answered my next question, which was going to be if she ever had the same doubts about marrying Felix.
“Er…” I thought quickly. I couldn’t tell Maddie the real reason for my uncertainty. “That I’m everything he wants me to be?”
Maddie shook her head and smiled.
“Oh, Scarlett, don’t be daft—of course you are; otherwise, he wouldn’t have asked you in the first place, would he?”
When Maddie saw I wasn’t smiling too, she became serious again.
“What’s made you suddenly start thinking like this? You love David and he loves you. You get married, and live happily ever after; it’s as simple as that.”
It’s as simple as that for you and Felix. There’s a bit more involved with David and me…
