The Housekeeper's Daughter [Elvis]

Chapter 12 - An Unexpected Call

I made a horrible mistake. I shouldn't have kissed Megan. But what could a man do when a pretty girl, a girl he was nuts about, was that close to his face? She was so doggone adorable, looking like a wet kitten, I just couldn't help myself.

Seemed like she couldn't either.

But it didn't matter anymore. She made herself clear when she said she was only the hired help.

"It's gonna be nothin' but torture from here on out," I muttered as I slipped on my black loafers the morning after that numbing kiss. I left my room and walked down the hallway. I heard piano music. The closer I came to the stairs, the louder the music became. I stepped down the stairs and stopped to see Megan at the piano, playing away as she wore her lavender maid's outfit. Honestly, I didn't care if they wore their normal clothes, but Mrs. Brighten insisted on the outfits - more professional.

That sweet, unfamiliar tune filled my ears as Megan played, and I stayed standing at the foot of the stairs, leaning against the railing. There was a hint of melancholy in the tune as well. Megan was playing this for a reason.

I should talk to her. I was too afraid to even come across her the day before after the pool. I could ask if we were even friends now.

I started walking to her, but the phone rang on the little table that was sitting against the wall just before the entrance to the living room. Megan stopped playing and started into the living room. She halted in the center of it when she saw me. Her face immediately turned a cute deep pink, and her eyes widened.

The phone continued ringing. She hurried to it as I stood at the foot of the stairs. I had been advised by the Colonel not to answer the phone. Only the housekeeper could. It seemed like Mrs. Brighten allowed Megan to take her place when she wasn't around.

"Hello, Graceland Mansion, how can I help you?" Megan answered. She stood there listening, and then her blue eyes went wide again. She looked at me, her mouth opened in surprise. "Um, yes," she said. "Yes, of course. One moment please." She took the phone off her ear and held a hand over the end you speak into. "This young woman says she's Priscilla. She's calling from Germany."

My heart pulsed. Priscilla? I hadn't talked to her since before I left Germany for the filming. We agreed to stay in contact by phone, but it hadn't happened until now. We talked and met when I was filming G.I. Blues.

"Thank you, Megan," I said and came up to her. Not leaving her gaze, and knowing what she was silently telling me about what happened between us, she extended the phone to me. She promptly left into the dining room and then the kitchen. My heart sinking in guilt, I put the phone up to my ear. "Priscilla."

"Oh, Elvis, it's so wonderful to hear your voice again!"

"It's great to hear yours again, too. How have you been?"

"Busy. Well, at least I have been busy because of Daddy. He's been jumping all over Germany, and taking me, my siblings and Mom with him. I'm so sorry I haven't been able to call until now."

"It's alright. I've been pretty busy, too."

"I've missed you, Elvis."

Something squeezed my heart, and that guilty feeling came back. "I missed ya, too, Priscilla. It's really great that you called."

"I couldn't wait another day without calling you. I just wanted to hear your voice and see if you're okay."

She most likely read the news articles about what happened with the Colonel. "Yeah, I'm okay." I paused. "You read the news."

"I read it and heard it on the radio. The Colonel had no right to yell at that poor girl."

She had a similar opinion about the Colonel as Megan, only Megan did something about it. "Yeah, that was pretty horrible for sure. I wasn't happy about it at all."