Where Dreams Have No End

Change of plans

"Tell him I'm still on my honeymoon trip and will not be able to take any calls, which I definitely still am...

"Edward, dear, we both know how things will work if I agree to design their wedding gown. You know exactly the scenario I had in mind." Lizzie is talking to her assistant and friend at the studio when suddenly Nick goes out of the closet room clean-shaven and wearing fresh clothes.

"Okay, hold on a moment," she said, holding her phone. "Going somewhere, darling?" she says, now talking to Nick.

"Yup," curios about his plain answer, Elizabeth continues. "Listen, Edward, let me give you a call later, alright?... Okay, bye."

Lizzie walks toward Nick and casually fixes his collar and his disheveled hair. The same old Nick she married 11 years ago, who's like a kid and can't look after himself, starts to smell his neck, liking the smell of the body wash she bought for him while on their honeymoon cruise for their second wedding. "Would you like me to go with you?"

Instantly declining her offer, Nick replied with a quick, "Oh, no, honey. I promised the girls—the three of us, you know—we'd have some time together, just us around Kensington Gardens and buy something at Harrods."

"Okay, it seems like a very busy day for the three of you. Well, then, make sure you'll be here by dinner time, alright?" she says with a very soft voice.

At the main door, Nick gives his wife a kiss, and the girls run through the door, who seem very excited, unintentionally ignoring their mother. Liz calls for the girls to comeback as she was about to tell them something, making sure Nick hears it: "Girls, no asking random things from your father and no too many sweets. (Looking at Nick.) You'll spoil your appetite for dinner if you ignore me."

The girls nodded, Annie gave his mother a kiss on the cheek, and Hal simply responded, "Sure, Mom!" and tried to free herself from Lizzie's grip. She stopped and took a second look at Lizzie while Nick and Annie started hopping inside the car. "Mom, we're going," says the confused Hallie.

"Oh, lovely! Look at that; I think they're leaving without you if you won't give me a kiss goodbye." Hallie rushed to reach for her mother's cheek and gave her a warm but quick embrace. "Bye, Mom!"

"See you for dinner, darling." Liz lovingly lets go of Hallie.

Now, inside the car that Nick is driving, Nick has started to share a big secret with the twins. "Girls, I want you to promise me not to mention this to Mummy, whatever happens. Okay? Or else this plan will be over. We'll share this with her when everything's final."

"Okay, dad, so what's this about?" a curious Hallie answered. "Dad, are we going to be able to make it in time for dinner with mom if we travel all the way to Suxxes?" Annie followed another question.

"Hey! You said it was just a more than an hour drive?" Hallie asked in shock. "It's just a quick drive for dad, of course, but Hallie, we can't just go home without bringing something. Mom knows we'll be coming from Harrods. She won't believe us if we get home plain-handed." Annie assures her sister what their mother will expect.

"It'll be quick, honey. We will just check it. I also need to check the place thoroughly and figure out where things should be, especially the bottling machinery for our wine production. If you two like it, after that, we'll leave. There's enough time to drive back to London. I promise, and I'm sure you'll love the place." confirming the girls that everything's under control.

Nick had planned this all along for his family: buying a property they can call their second home and expanding his business in England whenever they want to take some time off from the California sun and if Elizabeth needs to do something at her London studio. He still wants his wife to continue operating her wedding gown boutique in the center of London while he tries to penetrate the British winery.

***

4PM.

Back at home at James's residence, Elizabeth is inside her room. Sammy, the family dog, is inside with her too, lying next to her while she is sitting in her cozy nook by the window. She is talking to Edward again.

"Eddie, darling, I would make any wedding gown for any royals all over Europe, but not anymore for the British monarchy. We've been there before. I don't want to associate myself with them. Come to think of it, the experience was unbearable for me! I was so young! Especially now that I want to focus more on my family, I won't be able to take the heat. The last person I'm going to make a wedding gown for that family will only be Diana. That's it."

"Please make a believable excuse for me, sweety. Just for this one, you'll do me a big favor."

As she ends the phone call, Liz turns her attention to Sammy. "Yes! That's THE Prince William wanting to get married at an early age and wants me to make a wedding gown for his future wife! Oh, darling! Just imagine all the media ambushing our home, my studio. I can't! can't do this!" As she breathes deeply. Sammy is looking at her as if the family dog can understand each word coming out of her mouth.

"Anyway, I'm all better now. I'm sorry, darling, for putting pressure on your innocent face. Let's head down stairs and prepare something for dinner. shall we?"

***

5:00 PM.

Chessy and Elizabeth are in the living room, just about to end their afternoon tea, when the twins arrive with their dad right on time for dinner, while Martin is in the dining room preparing for it. Before Hallie could even run to her room, her mother noticed the Leica shopping bag she was holding.

"Hold it! What's that you're holding?"

Chessy knew what was gonna happen next and excused herself from the living room. Hal gave her mother a childish smile, then turned to Chessy. Chessy whispers, "Blink if you need help," softly laughing and teasing the girl. Annie went with Chessy.

Nick interrupts, "It was my idea, honey. I noticed Hal's camera bag was ruined, so I bought one. It wasn't that expensive, I promise." Then he lands his lips on Lizzie's.

"Darling, a Leica bag?" Liz stands from the couch and looks straight at her daughter, who is behind Nicholas. "Does it have to be the Leica brand, dear?" Her eyes were squinting, and her lips were pursing. The famous Elizabeth James look when she's mad. "Go upstairs and prepare yourself for dinner. Ask Annie to go with you." Hallie, still unfazed, hugs her mother before walking away. "Okay, Mom," she said, smirking.

Before Liz could walk with Nick towards the dining room, she received a notification from her phone.

"You have to come to the studio now. There is an emergency.""—Eddie

Elizabeth is now looking anxious.

***

At the studio...

Elizabeth arrives at a large fitting room converted into a receiving area filled with people. As she stepped into THE ROOM,  "Okay, I'm here. I can't stay for long kids. I have scheduled dinner with my family"  her assistant designers, staff, and MORE staff stayed silent.

"What is going on?"

"Lizzie?" Eddie called her from another room. As Elizabeth turns, someone from behind Eddie emerges. A tall, young man is standing next to him.

Before Elizabeth could say anything, she stepped forward towards the prince and made a deep curtsy. It was his royal highness, the Prince of Wales.