Teacher's Pet [Elvis]

Chapter 8 - Is He Going Steady with Her or Not?

As I told Elvis, I called up Gladys, but no one picked up the phone. Nobody was home. Well, maybe I wouldn't call her now. I waited until the evening to call, and thankfully, she answered the phone and not Elvis. I heard guitar playing in the background, though, so he was home. His father didn't play as far as I knew.

"Oh, Abigail, how nice to hear from you, dear," said the kind woman on the other end, and since the guitar music still played, Elvis probably didn't know that I was calling.

"Yes, you, too, Gladys. Things just have been a little crazy, that's all."

"Elvis told me some things. And rest a assured, he can't hear a thing since he has music playing from the record player in his room, and he's playing his guitar. No one can hear this conversation. Vernon is gone at work."

Thank the Lord that Elvis wouldn't hear this. "I see. Well, how have you been?"

"Busy, as usual, at the hospital. And keeping my family fed, as well as making sure that Elvis keeps his head on straight. Listen, he's told me everything. We don't keep secrets from each other. I just feel so horrible and embarrassed on your behalf because of what happened. That boy of mine can be so passionate sometimes. Or all the time."

She laughed into the phone, and my heart dropped. "Oh, golly..."

"Don't worry about it, Abigail. I bet you've had boys confessin' to you all the time."

Just that one instance with Jimmy. All the others were silly and innocent flirts. "I guess it comes with working around teenaged boys. It's okay. I was honestly pretty flattered when Elvis told me what he did since I think a lot of him." My heart jumped in alarm. "He's a good kid and one after my own heart as far as music is concerned."

She laughed again. "Oh my, I wouldn't blame you if you said you had some little feelings for 'im. Women my age have flirted with 'im, and not in an innocent way. He's flattered, of course, and he's a good boy and only says 'thank you kindly' and things like that."

"You've raised him well. Both you and your husband."

"You're so sweet, Abigail. We do our best. The Good Lord has a hand in our boy's character, too."

He also had a hand in what happened at the theater.

"Elvis told me that he really missed bein' a friend to you, not just your student," said Gladys as the music went on in the background. "After he confessed to you, he feared that he ruined that since you two never talked for a week. Thank the Lord that you two made up. He's a good boy. He'll stay to his word."

Meaning that he "wouldn't do nothin'" as he said. "I know."

There was silence for a moment, then Gladys said, "Alright, how 'bout we move on from that. Do you have any plans for Thanksgiving?"

Now, why was she asking me this? "Um... no, not as of yet. I plan to go home for Christmas, but I plan to stay here for Thanksgiving."

"Oh, then come here and have Thanksgiving dinner with us! Actually, it will be at Elvis's cousin's house since it's big enough to hold all our family that's in the area. There are aunts and uncles and cousins and grandparents. It will be a party. You're welcome to come. I can just tell you the address. Or we can come and get you at your place. Elvis knows where it is."

Thanks to me allowing him to help me bring in my new furniture that time. "That's so kind of you, but..."

"Don't let what happened keep you from spendin' Thanksgiving with new friends since you won't be able to with your own family. I think they would want you to take this offer so you're not alone on the holiday."