The Housekeeper's Daughter [Elvis]

Chapter 3 - The Colonel

"For a little while earlier. I was bushed from all that travelin'."

"I bet you were. How about next time you do a little less sleeping and more practicing that voice of yours? You're going to be using it tonight."

Elvis nodded. "Yes, sir."

Elvis caught sight of me, and my heart jumped. I scurried out of the room passed them, through the entryway, through the dining room and into the kitchen. I stopped when I came to the entrance of it. I heard the two men sit down in the sofa.

"So, Elvis... I met that new maid of yours. Mrs. Brighten's daughter, huh?"

"Yes, she's here to save up money for music school."

"So I was told. I don't like it."

My chest pinched. He didn't like what?

"What don't ya like?" Elvis asked.

"You let a fan into your home, a fan that happens to be a pretty young lady who is interested in music so much, she's saving up for music school. She's another one of them, just like that Priscilla. All these girls are throwing themselves at you, and so far, Anita and Priscilla succeeded in gaining your affections."

Priscilla? Was he referring to the girl who was younger than me who stole Elvis's heart when he was still in service in Germany? It had to be. I couldn't help but let that, and the fact that Colonel Parker accused me of something, bother me. I frowned.

"Anita and Priscilla weren't like those other girls, Colonel," Elvis argued. "They were different, as is Megan."

"Megan, huh? That's her name? And you know her well enough now that you can defend her?"

"I think so. She's not one of those girls, I can tell."

My frown lifted slightly in a smile as I leaned against the wall just outside of the kitchen's entryway. Thanks, Elvis.

"Well, regardless, I don't like a young pretty thing like that in this house, here to distract you. She has trouble written all over that young face of hers."

That frown came back. I walked over to the entryway to the dining room and peeked my head out a little. I saw the two men on the sofa, with Elvis sitting there rubbing his forehead. My heart dropped. After all those smiles, he didn't look happy.

"Alright," he said and dropped his hand. "You have your opinions and I have mine. I get what you're sayin' but... I'm not gonna kick 'er out when I just let 'er in."

Colonel Parker let out a long sigh. "Okay, suit yourself, but don't say I didn't warn you. Now, onto the show tonight. You have to be in the studio at eight sharp. They requested that you wear your army suit and hat for that."

Elvis nodded. "Alright."

"It's going to be a simple thing, with you singing a few of your songs for the movie, just like what you've done for the Ed Sullivan Show back then. They requested 'G.I. Blues', 'Frankfurt Special', and 'What's She Really Like'."

Again, Elvis nodded, like a robot. "Alright."

"Now, tomorrow, I scheduled you for a record signing at seven, two hours before your press conference regarding your experiences in Germany these passed two months."

"Do I have anythin' goin' on after the press conference?"

"Not for two hours, but you will be using that time to prepare for your meeting with the Mayor of Memphis at noon. It's lunch after that, then at two, you be on the airfield, talking to the men there, motivating them to get their asses into the army. Then..."