Elvis Lives

Chapter 23 - The Shocking Truth Is Out

Hannah and Mr. Vontain went down to the dining hall as Drake and I headed up to his suite. We told them that we would meet up with them after our conversation, a conversation that should have been had the first day I met the guy. Why didn't I just tell him then? Why didn't I just tell him and not let our relationship deepen as the days went on? I didn't know him for that long, but he was like a brother to me, the brother who looked like me that I never had. Or didn't have the opportunity to have since my twin passed on before birth. I had friends, and one best friend since junior high who I was still friends with, but I just felt more connected to Drake since he had emulated me for nearly twenty years.

Drake and I stood in the elevator as it went up, and my suit jacket hung over my shoulder, the same with his. The atmosphere in the little compartment felt uncomfortable, at least for me. I was really kicking myself for not telling him the truth sooner.

My hands were deep in my slacks pockets as the elevator door opened and we walked out into the hallway. Drake eyed me as we walked on to his room. "You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, yeah... let's just get into your suite. I have a feelin' if anyone happens to hear what I tell ya, they're gonna think I'm crazy."

"I'm pretty excited to find out what's going through your head. Can I guess?"

We came to his room. "Of course you can. Just..." I took a breath through my nose, hoping to calm my racing heart, beating in anticipation. "Have an open mind, okay?"

He nodded, and I could see the slight confusion in his eyes. "Okay."

We went on into his suite, a nice, clean room with a bed on the right when you walk in, a kitchen nook to the exact left of the door, and a bathroom was right across from the bed. There was a dresser with a big TV on it, along with a desk and desk chair next to it, and a brown sofa against the wall across from the desk. Only a small portion of the hotel rooms I had stayed in were this nice, with a pleasant mixture of whites, browns and green tones in the room.

After he threw his suit jacket on the bed, Drake went into the kitchen nook as I walked into the sitting area with the TV, sofa and desk. As I did, I glanced in a mirror on the wall and stared at my reflection for a moment. Of all people, Drake should have accused me of being the real Elvis. He was the one who should have confronted me about it, not the other way around. Nonetheless, here we were.

I eyed the sofa. No, this conversation needed to be had standing up. I noticed Drake come up to me, a red can in his hand. He extended it to me. "You wanna a Coke?"

That was a coke? I was used to them being in glass bottles. "Nah, that's okay. But thanks."

He drank down a whole can and threw said can away in a wastebasket next to the dresser. "I always get parched after a show. How 'bout some water?"

He went to the kitchenette area and got a plastic bottle of water out of the little icebox in it. I had to start this. "Drake, 'bout what I have to tell ya..."

He came over and extended the water to me. I took it but didn't open it. My nervousness was taking over my thirst. "Yeah, what's up? You seem very serious about it. You leaving?"

He thought that was the news. "No, no, I'm not leaving. At least, I don't think I am. I actually have no idea when I'm leaving. I may be here for a while."

"What do you mean? You just passing through?"

I placed the water bottle on the dresser, near the base to the TV. "In a way. Listen, Drake, I have to tell ya somethin' that's hard to believe. That's why I asked you to have an open mind." He only nodded. "Well... I'll ask ya somethin' first. Do you believe that the impossible can happen? I mean, do you believe that somethin' that people have always believed not possible, can happen?"