The Housekeeper's Daughter [Elvis]

Chapter 17 - Consequences

Three days passed, and Sunday came, the day where the big headlines came out in the paper. I sat at breakfast, eyeing the head of the table. All of us had been so busy, we all never had the time to sit down for a morning meal for a few weeks. Elvis hadn't left yet, so he should be down any time. My right leg bounced up and down rapidly with anxiousness. I had been living in fear these past few days, and this might finally be the day.

Hugh came into the room, a newspaper in hand. My heart pulsed and started beating rapidly. He met my gaze, his look telling me that indeed, that time came.

"Anything interestin' in the paper this mornin'?" asked Bernice as Momma placed a bowl of berries on the table, next to the sausage and pancakes.

"Well..." Hugh started, "there certainly is somethin' interestin'." He eyed me and I shook my head slightly so no one could notice. "Take a look for yourself."

He handed Bernice the paper and her eyes widened the moment she saw the front page. "Oh my heavens!"

"What?" Momma asked and looked over her shoulder. I was sitting next to Bernice, so I just leaned over and saw what the headline said. I let out a groan. Well, what was I expecting, them to not run a story about it?

"Well, it's 'bout time someone said somethin'," Bernice said, and Neil came over and took a look as well.

"I agree," said Momma. "We all have seen how horrid that man is, now Elvis got the worst of it."

"Yes, and it's so unfortunate," Bernice said. "I'm just glad that Elvis went and fetched Megan after she was kicked out. He showed that manager of his." She gazed at the paper a bit longer. "Oh my, it says here that the Colonel slapped Elvis after the concert in DC!"

"Wait, what?" Momma asked and read as well. "Oh my Lord, that evil man!"

"Why hasn't he gotten a new manager?" demanded Neil. 

"He really should," Bernice concurred. "Do you think it was Elvis who said somethin'? Things like these aren't usually spoken."

"I doubt it was him," I put in and they all looked at me, and Momma gave me that look, the look that she would give me when she figured out that I had done something horribly wrong.

"Good mornin'!" we all heard and in came Elvis, a smile on his face. Why did he have to look so gosh-darn handsome with his blue collar shirt making his eyes pop? That gleam in them would vanish pretty soon.

"Good mornin'!" Neil greeted him back and Elvis sat down at the head of the table. Neil pointed to the paper. "Have you seen the paper today, sir?"

"No, not yet."

"Well, take a gander," said Bernice.

I wanted to pull the paper away as the paper was extended, but I would have to reach over Bernice. I lowered in my chair, biting my bottom lip. Elvis took the paper, and the moment he laid eyes on the front page, that smile he had disappeared, as I thought it would. My heart sank down to my white maid's shoes.

"Is that all true or is that all just talk like the kidnappin' story?" asked Neil. "'Cuz we all know the truth behind that one."

Elvis's eyes flicked to me. Anger nor annoyance filled them, but disappointment. I couldn't say anything or do anything. I stood up and left the table, running until I came out into the large lawn in the back of the house. I saw Vernon walking through it on his way to the main house, most likely for breakfast. He smiled as he came up to me.

"Good mornin', Megan."

"Oh, I wish it was, Vernon! I made a huge mistake."

His eyes filled with concern as tears filled my eyes. "Oh, my dear... we all make mistakes."