The moment I was wheeled in by one of the medics, people stared. Yes, I was the woman who was associated with Elvis Presley himself. People even went wild at seeing people or things that were associated with him. That was another mental note.
I was brought to a room that had that same poster about the 1965 flu shot was there on the door. How far I had come since I realized where and when I was.
I lay there on the bed as a nurse came in, a nurse that reminded me of the last time I was in the hospital. She gave me a large smile, showing some wrinkles near her eyes.
"Well, well, well, it's good to see you, Miss Hasam. My friend at the hospital in Memphis told me about you. It seems like only yesterday that you were brought there by Elvis Presley. I've read in the paper that you've been quite busy."
She came over and started looking at my injured foot that was wrapped up, and she moved it a little. I winced at the pain it caused. "Yeah, there have been a lot of stories written about me. Funny, since I'm the one that supposed to write the stories."
She only giggled at that, and then her brows pushed together when she removed a bit of the wrapping on my foot. "My... you did quite the number to your foot here. It is definitely broken. Let me go fetch the doctor."
Her voice showed urgency, and she left the room. I waited there only a minute before the nurse and that same older doctor came in. He gave me a friendly smile. He reminded me of Dr. Bent. They looked similar. "Hello, Miss Hasam. I heard you've been through the ringer."
"You can say that again," I said, and my foot started throbbing. "Ow... Gosh, this hurts..."
He came over and completely unwrapped my cast and saw the damage. "I apologize, but this will hurt a little more," he said, then to the nurse, "Nurse Karen..." She took my hand as he moved my foot slightly, and I yelped at the splitting pain. "It's as you suspected, Nurse. Miss Hasam, you will need to have surgery to right your foot."
"Surgery?" I asked. "But... that's way too expensive."
He and Nurse Karen exchanged glances, then he looked at me with a smirk. "As before, Mr. Presley offered to pay for whatever needs to be done."
I blew air out of my mouth. "Of course he wants to pay for everything. That's just like him."
Really, I wanted to see him desperately. I needed to see those eyes, that smile, hear that lovely southern voice of his...
"Prep her for surgery, Nurse Karen," the doctor instructed, then to me, "I will perform the surgery. It shouldn't take long at all. About two hours at most."
I nodded, then whined, "Okay, okay, but please... just make the hurting stop..."
"You poor thing..." cooed Nurse Karen. "You'll be as good as new in a couple of hours."
They both left, but then other people in dated hospital attire came in and wheeled me out on a gurney after I was changed into a hospital gown. Before I knew it, I was staring up at a bright light and the doctor. He put something over my face, and then... black.
~ ~ ~
It seemed like only seconds passed before my eye fluttered open. When they did, my vision focused, and I saw a white ceiling and light fixture, one of those industrial ones in office buildings. I looked over and saw Mary Ann sitting there, and she was leaned over on my bed with her head resting on one hand, and the other was holding mine. Her eyes were closed, and little snores escaped her. I smirked, happy to see her. I squeezed her hand, and she woke up and blinked her eyes. She saw me looking at her and gasped.
"Oh my goodness, Rebecca! You're awake!"
"Uh-huh," I said a bit groggily. "Wow, what an experience..."
"You're telling me. The second they took you out of the set, I went and changed and came right over. You were in surgery, so I waited, and then they brought you out an hour ago, and I've been here since. Golly, I'm glad you're okay."
A tear leaked from her eye, and I had to chuckle. "Of course I'm okay. It was just a foot break."
"A foot break that required surgery," she retorted, then pointed to my foot. I looked at it. It was in a thick cast as it was sitting on a couple of cushions to elevate it. "You're not going to be doing anything on your feet for the next few months."
"I guess that means I'm back to being in wheelchair," I grumbled. "Oh well. Hey." She looked at me, her brown eyes big and beautiful. "Um... is Elvis still on the set?"
She nodded. "Yes. He wanted to come as soon as you left, too, but they had to finish that tambourine number, as well as other scenes. They just put in another woman in place of you. Really, you shouldn't have done that dance."
"I know, I know. What's done is done." Elvis's image came to mind again. "I really want to see him..."
Mary Ann held my hand in both of hers. "I know, honey. I bet he'll be here as soon as he can." She giggled. "You've taken all of your blocks down regarding him, huh?"
"There's really no use in fighting it anymore. I already told him I love him, and he's told me the same thing."
She gasped. "You told him you love him?" She squealed with glee. "Oh my goodness, that's wonderful! It's about time! I bet he was over the moon."
"He was. Now, I just want to see him." Hot, stinging tears leaked from my eyes as my chest pinched. "I feel like a horrible human being for what I did to him. I'm just so headstrong and stubborn."
Mary Ann's features turned gentle, and she moved some hair out of my face. "Hey, you're not a horrible human being, okay? You were just playing hard-to-get, and I think that just made the both of you want each other more. Plus, he's serious about you. He severed ties with the other women in his life just to show how serious he is. With Elvis, that's huge."
I smirked. "Yeah... I guess it is, considering how much of a womanizer he is."
"He's not anymore."
Someone knocked on the hospital room door, and in came Dr. Sampson, as I learned his name to be. He saw me awake. "Oh, Miss Hasam, wonderful! You're awake."
"That I am," I said as he came over. He saw Mary Ann.
"Miss Mary Ann Mobley, it's a pleasure. My wife and daughter are big fans."
She gave him a gracious smile. "Thank you so much. Tell them I say hello. I'll write them a note, actually."
"That would be great." He looked at me as Mary Ann got out a pen and paper from her purse and started writing. "Well, Miss Hasam, your surgery went smoothly. You'll be in a cast for four months, and during those four months, I don't want you to be on that foot at all. Understood?"
He reminded me of my father with that look he was giving me. "Understood. I learned my lesson."
"Good. Now, you are free to go whenever you want. Just have you and your party sign release forms, okay?"
"Okay. Thanks, Dr. Sampson."
"Not a problem. I enjoyed meeting you, but don't make a habit of it."
His blue eyes twinkled, and I chuckled. "I'll try not to." He about left, but I stopped him. "I'm sorry... I was just wondering if Elvis showed up."
"Well, there hasn't been any screaming nurses, so I guess not at the moment. I'm sure you'll know if he shows up."
If? No, I wanted a certainty. I was desperate to see him. "Okay. Thank you."
"Not a problem. Take care, Miss Hasam."
He left the room, and I stared at the ceiling again and sighed. Mary Ann said, "Oh, honey, he'll show up. You and I know that he's done with his day by around nine."
I glanced at the clock on the wall. It was only two in the afternoon. I groaned. "I don't want to wait seven hours."
"I'll be here with you the whole time, okay? My manager was fine with it."
I was thankful that she was willing to stay with me and keep me company, and I liked her being around, but I wanted to see the man I was in love with. My heart ached because I wanted to see him so badly. That never happened with the other guys I dated. Elvis was special. I would wait right where I was until he showed up.
~ ~ ~
The clock read a quarter to eight. I couldn't take this anymore. I looked over at Mary Ann as she was reading from her copy of the Haram Scarum script. Her practicing her lines was a good way to keep my mind occupied, but it didn't help that half of her scenes had Elvis in them, and she would read over his as well.
"Hey," I said to her, and she looked over at me.
"What is it? Are you hungry? I could go grab you a snack."
I smiled at her willingness to do whatever I needed, like bring me food. She went and got me dinner around six, and from that, she gave out several autographs to various people around the hospital. She wasn't as famous as Elvis, but she was still famous and a Hollywood actress.
"No, no," I said. "I just wanted to say that you don't have to stay here all day with me."
She creased her delicate, thin brows. "And why wouldn't I? We're roommates and friends. I'll be here until Elvis shows up, then I'll leave and give you two some privacy."
"I doubt he's going to show up."
"Hey, don't say that. He's probably just held back at the set, okay? Knowing how Gene and the Colonel can be, Elvis was probably held back by shackles, metaphorically."
I sighed impatiently. "You would think that his impulsiveness would've freed him from the grasp of his director and manager."
"That's what I thought, but... it is how it is. I think..."
She was interrupted by women screaming outside, and I immediately sat up, knowing exactly what that meant. I looked at Mary Ann with wide eyes. "Oh my gosh, he's here!"
"It seems like it. See? I told you he'd be here. Now..." She put her script in her brown purse and stood up. "I think I'll take my leave now. If you need a ride home, just give me a call. But I think Elvis would be happy to give you a ride like the last time."
I fixed my hair how I could, even though Mary Ann already helped me get ready. I was still in a hospital gown, but my long wavy hair was brushed, and my makeup was done.
Knocking sounded on the door, and... in he came. My eyes burned, but I held back the tears of happiness that were forming. He looked so good in those black slacks and powder-blue dress shirt, as usual. Colonel Parker came in after him.
"Well, it's about time, Elvis," Mary Ann chided him, and he smirked in his way, and my heart wanted to melt.
"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry about that. I would've been here sooner, but I was held back on the set."
Mary Ann gave me another "I told you so" look, but I wasn't paying attention to her. My gaze was on that gorgeous man with shiny black hair.
"I'm going to keep people out," the Colonel said, and he left the room without greeting me.
"And I think I'll head out, too," said Mary Ann, and she turned to face me, leaned down and kissed my forehead. "I'll see you later, okay?"
"Okay..." I mumbled as my gaze met Elvis's, and he started over to me as my heart went crazy inside of me. Mary Ann left the room with a cute little giggle.
"Hey," Elvis greeted me as he sat on the edge of my bed. I didn't say anything... I just flung my arms around him and held him like it was the last time I would ever do it. His arms wrapped around me, and he held me just as tight, and I took in his incredible cologne and warmth.
"I've waited for you all day," I said into his shoulder. "I know you were busy, but... gosh, I just wanted you to be here."
His fingers tangled in my hair, and I felt him kiss my neck. "I wanted to come after ya more than anythin', but I had to get some scenes done since we're on a schedule. I'm sorry." I felt him smile against my neck. "I like that you wanted to see me so badly."
There he goes again. "You're an idiot if you didn't know that by now."
He chuckled. "I know you wanted to. I play it over and over in my head, what you told me. Could you say it to me again?"
I knew exactly what he was referring to. I gulped hard. "It's insane that I can say it, considering how much you irritated me before. To think, we're back where we started, in a hospital."
"You're right. Now, the only thing I'm accused of stealin' from you is your heart."
How cheesy, but he was right. I ran my hands over his back. Time stilled, it seemed, as I said into his shoulder, "I love you, Elvis Presley, as impulsive and irritating as you are."
He kissed my neck again, just below my left ear. "I love you, too, Rebecca Hasam, as impulsive and irritating as you are."
I laughed, but it came out emotional. Elvis held me tighter and started singing.
His soft, crooning voice seeped into my soul. I had no idea where this song came from or if it was even his, but I didn't care about that. I listened to the words, and my heart took them, feeling them, and I knew that every single one of them was true.
His voice faded as he ended the song, and I whimpered. "That was beautiful..."
He leaned out of our embrace, but we still had a hold on each other, and I had a hold of his shirt material at his waist. Our gazes met, and he put a hot hand to my face, so hot it felt like an iron, but how I loved it. He cooed as I stared at his blue eyes, "You're beautiful, Rebecca. I love you."
Suddenly, I felt his lips kiss my forehead, and I took in the feeling of them contentedly. Those lips moved down my cheek and to my own lips. My mind glazed over, and I melted into this kiss as our arms wound around each other. The feeling of his lips moving with mine, his hands getting tangled in my hair, his heated front pressed against me as I took in his scent...
I wanted it to last forever. Never had I wanted something so badly before.
Some screaming from outside interrupted this moment, and we broke away. Right near his lips, I said, a bit dazed, "Your fans are waiting."
"I'd rather stay right here, all night if you want me to."
He kissed me again, just as deeply as the last one. I never thought of myself as I sappy romantic, but I loved him and wanted to kiss him until I fainted. And... I could admit that it had something to do with how wonderful his luscious lips felt.
The screaming commenced outside again, and we broke apart as we both chuckled. "Go and say hi," I ordered softly. "I won't go anywhere."
"Okay. I won't take long."
"Okay." He leaned away from me, and then he stood up. We stared at each other for a moment. "I don't wanna look away from ya."
"Well, you should if you want to make your fans happy. I'll just work on my article a little more while you're gone."
He laughed. "Even after our tender moment, you're back into your work."
"What? I have to get this done. Now, shoo."
He went for the door, but he turned around. As I was getting my notebook out, I noticed him stopped at the door and staring at me. His lips broke a smile again, and he came back to me, took my face in his hot hands and kissed me. Our lips moved together for a few seconds, then he drew away.
"I couldn't help myself," he said, then kissed me again for a second. Right near my lips, he said, "I love you."
His thumbs caressed my cheekbones, and this time, a little tear of pure elation escaped my left eye. "I love you, too."
He kissed me again, then leaned back up and started for the door. At it, he looked back at me, smiled that signature Elvis grin, then left, and the screaming fans out there went nuts. I chuckled at that as I put a finger to my eye and caught extra tears.
"Gosh..." I exasperated, then sniffed. "That guy really did something to me."
As the chaos ensued outside, I got to work on adding some more notes to my article. Or more, a biography piece. I had a ton of information now from experiencing what I did, I just needed to put it all together and research more of his life after 1965. I wouldn't be able to do that until I returned home.
When would that be?
I didn't want to think about it. But it was close—I could feel it.
I got back to my notes, and while Elvis was still out there, I started to feel dizzy. My heart started racing in alarm. "No," I assured myself. "No. Time changed around me. I didn't feel dizzy or anything. This is just a result from my surgery. It's probably my body reacting to the anesthesia."
Attempting to disregard my dizziness, I wrote on, but I had to put my notebook down as lights appeared in my vision. I was going to pass out. I lay down and stared at the ceiling that was starting to become fuzzy.
I couldn't avoid it. I had fainted in the past, so this wasn't new to me. I just had to get through it and wake up a few seconds or a minute later. I took deep breaths as my head spun.
It was coming. I gripped the blankets on the bed. "Elvis..." I mumbled, pleading for him to come back in and be at my side, but my voice was hardly audible. "Elvis..."
I turned my head and looked over at the door. It changed from blue to white after I blinked. The same with the walls—they changed from tan to light-green. I blinked again...
Consciousness left me.
~ ~ ~
Here's a song that I thought applied to the situation since Rebecca would leave any day now. The song came out in 1969. Also, one more part to go for the story!