Page 92 of From Notting Hill with Love…Actually
But this afternoon I had no choice about whether I left the house or not. I was forced into going out for longer today, because I had an appointment I had to keep—for a fitting for my wedding dress.
I was just about to input Buster’s code into his box on the wall when the doorbell rang.
I looked though the peephole and saw Oscar and Ursula standing on my doorstep, chatting and laughing together.
“Scarlett!” Oscar said, hugging me as I opened the door to them. “Where have you been hiding yourself? We haven’t seen you for days.” He popped Delilah down on the floor. “Away you go and be a good girl for Daddy.”
Delilah, wearing a pale lilac knitted dog coat, trotted off into the lounge.
“Sean said you got back on Monday,” Ursula said, appearing next to Oscar. “What have you been up to since then?”
“You’ve spoken to Sean?” I asked.
“Yes, he phoned from New York the other day—he’s buying some business or other over there at the moment. I think from the sounds of it, it’s turned out more complicated than he first thought it would be. Anyway, he asked how you were and if we’d seen you at all. When I said no, he asked if we’d come and check on you.”
“I feel awful now for not doing so before, darling,” Oscar said. “But we thought you must have been out and aboutfinding your movies and hadn’t had time to call in on us for a bit of gossip.”
“I’ve just been under the weather since Paris,” I said. It was partly true—I had been feeling pretty rough.
“But you look lovely today, darling. Are you off out somewhere? You’re all dressed up.”
“Er, yes I am, actually.”
“Ooh, somewhere nice?”
“I’m going for a fitting for my wedding dress.”
“Oh, how lovely,” Ursula said. “Somewhere local?”
“Not too far away from here. It’s at a shop that my friend Maddie’s sister owns.”
“Is Maddie meeting you there?” Oscar asked, looking around him.
“Er, no. She’s still on her own honeymoon unfortunately.”
“Oh, that’s a shame,” Ursula said. “She’s going to be your bridesmaid like you were for her, isn’t she?”
“Yes, that’s right.” I could see where this was heading. I looked at my watch. “I’m sorry, but I’m really going to have to go in a minute.”
“So who’s going with you?” Oscar blurted out. “To give an opinion on your dress, I mean?”
I looked between the two of them. How sad was I going to sound now? I had thought originally I might ask Sean along to this. It would have been a good excuse to re-create another movie moment—there were so many films where the bride went for a fitting for her wedding dress, but I was specifically thinking ofFourWeddingsandaFuneral. All I had to do was to get Sean to say something about a meringue and I was homeand dry. But after everything that had happened between us, it wouldn’t have seemed appropriate, even if I had seen him to ask.
“It’s just going to be me and my wedding planner at the fitting,” I said, trying to sound positive at the thought of an afternoon spent with Cruella.
Oscar and Ursula looked at each other. Then they turned and looked at me.
“Mind if we tag along, darling?” Oscar asked. “I’m a sucker for a shop full of bridal gowns.”
I smiled gratefully at them. “Are you sure you want to come?”
They stood either side of me and slipped their arms through mine.
“It would be our pleasure, Scarlett,” Ursula said. “There’s nothing like a bit of romance and some pretty dresses to brighten up a Thursday afternoon.”
***
I stood in front of the three of them now.
