The weeks swept by and turned into months. It was hard to imagine that more than a year had already passed since he had been filming with Loretta. It felt so much more recent in his mind. Elvis sat back and watched the Mafia play pool, his hands propped up behind his head.
"He's losin'," Charlie informed him, pointing his pool stick toward Red.
"I don't care who is winnin' if it's not me," Elvis said.
Elvis' cousin Billy came bursting in, but hardly anyone in the room so much as turned toward him. "Hey E?"
Elvis' head twisted around. "Huh?"
"Phone call for you. It's Loretta Lynn."
Elvis expelled a sound of disbelief. "Loretta? She goes to bed early."
"What time is it?" Lamar asked.
"2 A.M, you sorry bastard," Elvis said. "Didn't I buy you a brand new watch?"
"It broke."
"How the hell did it break?" Elvis demanded. When Lamar didn't respond he waved a hand in his direction and followed Billy upstairs. He picked up the phone and asked, "This Loretta Lynn?"
"It sure is."
Elvis did recognize her voice right away but decided to have a little fun. "How can I be sure? Could be anyone. Cause the Loretta Lynn I know would be asleep right now."
"Well, you tell me how anyone is supposed to sleep when there's people screamin' in front of your hotel and you didn't get any rest on the bus."
"I'm still not sure if you're really Loretta Lynn. Think you can tell me somethin' that only Loretta would know?"
"When we filmed the last scene of the picture, we bumped our heads together."
"You bumped into me."
"That's your side of the story, honey."
Elvis laughed. "Okay, you're the real Loretta Lynn."
"We're nominated for a few awards cause of the picture."
It had been announced days if not weeks ago. The movie was nominated for a Golden Globe Award in four categories- Best Motion Picture, actor and actress in the drama category and best screenplay. They weren't going to win.
"That doesn't explain why you're calling me at 2 A.M," Elvis said.
"Cause you told me that you stay up late anyhow."
Another laugh escaped him. "Oh Loretta, you know what people think when a woman calls a man at that time of day?"
"Is that what your cousin is thinking?"
More laughter came in response to her shocked words. "My cousin don't think at all. How you been?"
"Tired."
"That comes with the territory," Elvis said. In a more gentle tone he added, "I'm tired all the time too."
"How is little Lisa Marie?"
"Doin' good. Gettin' big."
"That's what they do." The sadness in her voice was palpable.
"Cilla's gone." The words flew out of his mouth before he could stop himself.
Loretta's breathing filtered through the phone for moments on end. It seemed as if she was trying to figure out whether he was serious. "I don't know what to say other than that I'll be there for you if you need a friend."
"It's been...I just don't know. She took Lisa with her."
"I'm so sorry, honey. I'm so sorry."
"You didn't do anything to be sorry for. It wasn't workin' with Cilla. It wasn't when she came out there to terrorize everyone." His voice grew louder with every word. Elvis forced deep breaths through his nose, trying in vain to calm himself. "And whatever she said to you that day Clayton called her a bitch-"
"Oh that wasn't...I don't think about that anymore and I'm sure that little boy don't either. You shouldn't have to worry about any of that."
"I was just...I'm embarrassed, Loretta. For what she treated you and now I'm talkin' to you about her."
"Do you remember the time Doo came runnin' into my trailer and how he acted that day? You saw that and I was embarrassed too. You said that it made us even cause I saw your wife at her worst too."
"Just feels worse when it's your wife. And you didn't talk to me about your husband."
"I might someday. I know I'm not real close right now but if there is something you need."
"I need my little girl back here in Memphis," Elvis burst out. He expelled a sigh. "Sorry. It's been hard."
"Maybe you'll work it out."'
Elvis let out a snort. "No, we won't. It wouldn't work no more than it did before. That's over and done."
"There was times when I thought that about Doo and myself but then we always kinda worked it out."
They didn't work out a thing. Not from what Elvis had seen. He wouldn't be surprised if Doolittle resorted to physical violence and even if he didn't, there were enough spiteful things he had done for no reason but to upset his wife.
Elvis didn't know how to respond. "That's cause you love him."
The words came without him properly considering them.
"I do," Loretta said. There was no hesitant, not even a hint of it. Elvis didn't understand how she could but what he did understand was that the love this woman had for her husband was deeper than whatever he felt for Priscilla.
As young as she had been, Loretta was the one who had made the choice to marry Doolittle Lynn. Elvis never married Priscilla for love, but to protect his career and good name and make sure his child carried his name.
Loretta didn't try to fill the silence but instead waited for Elvis to once again gain the power of speech.
"I don't," Elvis finally said. "I don't love her and clearly she doesn't love me cause she's goin' with the karate instructor I paid for...oh, don't even let me get started on all that. Like I said, it's over and done."
"I won't love you no less cause of it. If you wanna talk about it-"
"No," Elvis cut in. "I don't."
"Do you wanna talk about somethin' else?"
"What are your kids doin'?"
"Oh boy. Well, I talked to my Betty earlier and she's got the flu which is awful when you got two little kids runnin' around. And you...did I tell you Jack Benny's here again?"
Elvis paused, trying to think of all the things she had told him in the last few months. "Yeah, you did."
"Ernest broke himself another car and then got himself another one from Nashville. Off of my money."
Elvis managed a small laugh. "Cissie and the twins?"
"Cissie's doin' good. The twins decided that it was fun to trade places at school."
"Might be time for them not to be in the same class at school anymore."
"They're not in the same class, honey. They're in two different ones but they'll switch their bags and go straight to the wrong class. It gets Doo so mad. I hate havin' to yell at them when I'm home."
"I hate yellin' at Lisa 'specially since it'd makes her cry."
"Peggy and Patsy don't cry. I really think that they don't care."
"Don't say that."
"You wait until Lisa is their age." A long pause followed. Upon realizing that her words might have triggered something unintentionally, she added, "You're still her daddy, you know? Even if you and Priscilla are gonna be apart. She still needs you."
"I know," he said softly. "I know, honey. Life's just...shit. You know that I love you, girl, don't you?"
"Yeah." Elvis could almost hear her gentle smile. "I love you too."
~*~
The day of the award ceremony came and both Elvis and Loretta showed themselves just in case. Elvis wore a new suit and Loretta one of her gowns. The clothing she wore wasn't quite his style at all (he preferred slightly more revealing dresses) but he had to admit that it suited her. They looked good together, at least on screen and he couldn't help but wonder if maybe in another life it could have been the the two of them.
It was a silly thing to even consider, for she was already a mother when he was still in high school.
"You know we're not gonna win," Elvis said.
"I think the picture might."
"Have you seen any of the others that are nominated?"
"No," Loretta admitted. "But I thought it was real good. You did so well and the kids did too. I reckon that even I was decent."
"You were no worse than me, honey. And you haven't seen that thing in so long, your memory of it is probably makin' it seem better than it was."
"So you didn't like it?"
"I never said that. It's not the type of thing I'd usually watch but outta everything I've been in it makes the top three. That isn't sayin' much though. If you knew some of those pictures..."
"I think I told you before that I saw some of em. And this picture was...we worked so hard on it, not getting enough sleep and the kids being away from their parents..."
A small laugh tumbled from his mouth. "Oh, Loretta, they don't care about that. Sometimes I go wonderin' if you're really that naive."
Loretta pursed her lips. "Is that 'posed to be an insult? Cause if it is I ain't sure why it sounded like a compliment."
"Insult? You know I'd never insult you." His eyes trailed down the length of her gown. "You're not barefoot under that, are you?"
"No." Loretta huffed, lifting the skirt to proof her point. "Folks from Kentucky wear shoes too...sometimes."
"Now I'm disappointed. I was expectin' some cowboy boots."
"I thought you was expectin' bare feet. You better make up your mind."
"My mind is always made up," Elvis said. "Your kids gonna watch it?"
"I know Cissie will but I can't tell you about anyone else. I reckon Clayton won't neither though he wrote me he would."
"He wrote that to me too. I think him and Maybelle think that we can win in every category."
"I'd say that technically we could." Elvis sniggered at her words. "Bein' naive again, ain't I? I didn't say it would happen. I don't believe it will but it could."
"It's not gonna."
" But technically-"
"Technically you make no sense," Elvis cut her off.
"If that's the way you wanna put it." Loretta turned serious. "How are you holdin' up now?"
Elvis shrugged, a smile escaping him. "I'm doin' fine. Though I gotta sit through that entire thing just in case one of those categories wins and Hillbrook wants to show us off. Then another after party where everybody's gotta drink."
"We'll be sober. You know that I can't hold liquor. It's the Indian in me."
"I'm kinda thinkin' that it's got more to do with you not havin' enough body weight to hold any."
"Now I don't know about that..."
"All I know is that you don't need to be drinkin'. And neither do I. I threw up all over Joe the last time I tried."
Loretta eyed him skeptically. "Really?"
"You can ask the guys. But you won't want to."
"And why is that?"
"Do you really think a man would tell you somethin' like that happened when it didn't?"
"I told you about how I fell flat on my face when I tried to wear high heels."
"I've seen you stumble over your dress after the Texas show."
Loretta crossed her arms. "And you laughed."
"Because it was funny. And it was only funny cause you didn't get hurt. It looked funny how you-" Elvis trailed off to laugh.
"I'm sure it looked funny when your suit ripped too."
"Hey!" Red's voice cut into their conversation. "Are you guys comin'?"
Elvis turned toward Loretta. "Are we?"
"I think we should before Red gets himself all worked up over it."
"Oh Loretta, you're always so nice to my mafia and they sure don't deserve it."
A small smile flitted over her face at his words before they went separate ways to face what was to come. It wasn't that Elvis was not thankful to be there when so many people watching from their homes wished they could be, but award ceremonies tended to drag. Some tearful acceptance speeches lasted close to ten minutes. He pictured Hillbrook's screenplay winning, and the man's speech which would probably break a record. He could only hope that fantasy wouldn't become reality.
Elvis didn't watch the award ceremonies attentively enough to know in which order everything was presented, but he did perk up when he heard his name being read off the list of nominees for the 'Best Actor- Drama' category.
When his name was actually called, when he was chosen out of anyone who was nominated, he nearly jumped out of his seat. For a long time this was exactly what he wanted, to be recognized as a serious actor rather than just a singer who starred in a few pictures that were gimmicks rather than movies. Elvis rose as carefully as possible. The journey to the front of the stage seemed to take so long. He took the stage, accepted his award and almost laughed when he realized that now he was the one to give a tearful acceptance speech.
"Well," Elvis began. "I don't know where to start. I want to thank everyone who made this possible for me. My family, my friends and all my fans-" He drew the line at thanking anyone who made his life a living hell during filming, and that included Hillbrook. "And my co-star Miss Loretta Lynn who became a very dear friend to me. Loretta, you were right."
His gaze moved to where Loretta was seated in the crowd. He could see her smile from afar.
Elvis went on. "I also wanna thank our little co stars who are watching from Kentucky. We all worked hard on this picture and it really was worth it."
And it really, truly was. In more ways than one.
The End