It's Up To You

Chapter 21

Sitting on the couch, I watched Elvis on tv as he told reporters his plan for the future. He sat there in a conceded position, in his eyes you could see he was ready to go back to his old ways.

"What's that guy babbling about?" Ricky stood behind the couch as he looked at the screen.

"He's talking about the troubles he had by being stubborn in service." I rose a brow at him. "He tried to be too different."

"His face sure does look different." Ricky muttered as he leaned forward on the couch with his two hands on the back of it. I looked up and saw Ricky looking down.

"May I have some space?" I asked with crossed arms. Ricky rose his eyebrows and shook his head no. I looked forward at the television and gave my attention where it was needed.

"Did he talk about the girl yet?" Ricky broke the silence.

"What girl?" I played dumb, I couldn't believe he was bringing it up again.

"You know the girl, don't be coy, Lauren." Ricky lowered his face next to my ear. I looked to him, a few inches from mine beside me. "Looks like you put all your eggs in one broke down basket."

"Ricky, for your information, he did mention it. And he made it clear it wasn't special." I furrowed my eyebrows. Ricky walked around the couch and plopped down next to me.

"That's what he's supposed to say." Ricky filled my ear and attempted to fill my mind. "Just like how my relationship with Lorrie isn't anything."

"Lorrie?" I looked to him. "Lorrie Collins? That country girl?"

"That country girl and I were going steady heavy for a long time. We all have someone to keep us warm on the road." Ricky's blue eyes looked to me in the dimly lit room.

"Didn't she get married?" I crossed my arms. "I read it in the paper."

"Yeah— because mom and dad wouldn't let it fly that their Rock & Roll branded son wanted to be with a country singer!" Ricky shouted out, but we all got silent once we looked to the doorway.

"Lauren, may I speak to you for a moment?" Ozzie asked of me. I stood up and walked over to Ozzie.

"Let's go into my study." He suggested then began walking over to it. I looked back at Ricky who now sat on the couch with his arms extended on the back of it. He scowled at Elvis on the television.

Once I went into Ozzie's study, he was behind his desk.

"Shut the door if you please." Ozzie suggested. I slowly shut the door, my heart began pounding. Was he asking me to move out?

"Lauren, how old are you now?" Ozzie asked me after I took a seat in front of his desk.

"Twenty-one." I answered him quietly.

"Exactly. Usually girls much younger than you go out to mingle and meet new people." Ozzie clasped his hand in the desk. "Most girls your age are married."

I swallowed.

"Well." Ozzie sat back into his seat. "I think his is partially my fault because I have you cooped up in this house and this neighborhood. There's not a colored boy in sight for you to marry." Ozzie looked from side to side as he explained this. 

I stayed silent, obviously nervous.

"Don't worry, Lauren, we will always be here for you and protect you. You're family." He shrugged. Then, he began reaching out in his pocket and pulled out keys. "That's why I got you a car of your own. So you can drive around and go places and meet people."