model call || h.s

60.

Wednesday, January 23rd 2019

From: gnh42395@icloud.com

To: lara.dodson@vogue.com, ondinev@gmail.com, emmamariej@icloud.com, sydbaby93@ucm.com

Subject: Bridesmaids assemble!

Hi ladies!

So...there may not be a wedding date set, but we've got some work to do! Harry has done the unthinkable...he's forgotten his and Nora's two year anniversary *GASP*! She's freaking out, so if you girls are available around seven tonight, bring a bottle (or two) of wine and head over to the Styles-Dodson residence!

María is handling the kids, so I plan on getting our girl efficiently drunk! Did I mention the need for wine? Bring it!

xoxo Gigi

===

New York, NY — Nora.

"María?" I call, before sniffling. "María?"

"Yes, Ms. Nora?" She walks in with a hamper of clean laundry, laundry that I didn't ask her to do, she's just that good.

"Are you sure you're okay with the kids tonight? I really don't need to be alone, I think that's the last thing that I need, actually." She smiles and puts her hand on my shoulder.

"Take some time, I promise, you'll feel better."

"You'll come and get me though? If you need me?" She's already begun to walk away.

"I will not need you!" I start to pace and I feel my anxiety begin to rise. He's going to walk through that door at some point tonight and he'll have a bouquet of flowers, or better yet, chocolate, and he'll tell me that he could never forget. He knows. He wouldn't forget. He's the most romantic boy I've ever known, he will not forget.

"It's a fucking day, Nora, Jesus calm down, you psychotic woman." I say out loud to no one but myself. "Seriously, it's not his fault. He's busy and you get to see him in a few days. You are obviously a hormonal fucking mess—" The front door opens and I can't help but feel nothing but happiness and relief and total, utter joy. I practically run up the stairs but my smile falls when I see my best friend and sister, each standing with two bottles of wine in their hands. I start to cry.

"Oh, honey, honey, honey..." They both hug me. "I'm sure he got the dates mixed up or something, there's no way he wouldn't remember, there's no way. It's Harry we're talking about."

"I shouldn't even care, right? It's so stupid! It's, like, a stupid fucking day that I shouldn't be freaking out over and—and..." And more tears. "All he said today was, very busy day, love you. That's fucking all he said!" I looked up from my wet palms to see each of them trying not to smile. "I knew it, I knew I was fucking crazy! I'm an idiot and a bitch for being mad at him, I shouldn't be mad at him." Lara stops me.

"Nora, sweetie, do you know what I did to Eric on our three year anniversary? The bastard forgot and I didn't talk to him for a fucking week, okay? This reaction of yours, it's justified." She nudges Gigi. "Gig, a little help."

"Zayn, well...he's never forgotten our anniversary, but if he did, I'd probably do what Lara did. He'd have to suffer through not talking to me for at least a week."

"Hey, we brought wine and one more surprise, okay? We're having a girl's night." I nod and wipe my snotty nose.

"I need that, yeah. I need to drink." We begin to walk back downstairs, when the door bell rings. Once again, I'm filled with hope, but when Lara opens it, I'm greeted by three of my closest and oldest friends. Ondine, Emma, Sydney and I went all through school together, and when we all moved back to the city from Upstate, we got our first apartment together. They were three expressive, uncontrollable, feminist women whom I loved to bits, but it still didn't change the fact that I wished it was Harry on the other side of the door. Then again, he wouldn't have rung the doorbell. Fuck. Okay, Nora, time to get it to-fucking-gether. They smothered me in a group hug and fortunately, each of them, like Gigi and Lara, had two bottles of wine with them. We were stocked, that was for sure.