My Little Friend

Chapter 9

September 26, 1958

Vernon hadn't been all too into the idea of taking her in, but he now had to admit that Lynn Rose was a rather nice little girl. During the day, followed Gladys around the house most of the time, not that Gladys or anyone else minded this. Vernon had been worried that caring for someone so young and traumatized would take too much of a toll on Gladys, who already had her hands full worrying about Elvis. Somehow it seemed to have the opposite effect on her. Lynn Rose distracted her from her worrying.

Gladys delighted in doting on the little girl and Lynn Rose clearly enjoyed being doted on. Every morning, she'd wash Lynn Rose and fix her hair in braids. Once, Vernon dared suggesting that they might cut it. After all, little girls didn't wear their hair this long anymore. He hadn't seen one a child this young with such long hair since they were children themselves. Gladys had looked at him with narrowed eyes and snapped, "No. Her mother wanted it long and it stays long. She ain't just ours, she was hers first."

Then, she'd make breakfast from scratch while Lynn Rose listened to Elvis records. All morning, Gladys tried to keep Lynn Rose, who followed her from room to room with her toys, occupied. Gladys insisted upon a nap after lunch.

At first, they played in the garden after lunch and then moved back inside for more of the same. Then, Vernon mentioned that it might not be a good idea for a child to be completely deprived of other children.

"I won't put her in a nursery school," Gladys had snapped. "She can go to Sunday School."

And go to Sunday School she did and within a few weeks, she went from clinging to Gladys and refusing to let go to skipping into the Sunday School room to play with her friends. Now, Gladys took to inviting her little friends over to play in the afternoons. On the days on which they did not come, Gladys took her to the park unless the weather was too bad.

Vernon hoped that Lynn Rose would go to Kindergarten next year, but he wasn't counting on it. Elvis hadn't gone to Kindergarten and Gladys constantly talked about how little Lynn Rose was and how much she still needed her.

Lynn Rose was happy during the day, but when night time came around and it was time for her to go to bed, the homesickness and longing to be with her own mother hit her and she cried. Gladys sat with her every night as she cried herself to sleep. Lynn Rose woke up screaming at least once most days and sometimes it would take close to an hour to get her back to sleep. The nights weren't easy and now their forties, Vernon and Gladys were no longer made for this.

Last night there had been very little sleep, but for once it had nothing to do with Lynn Rose's mother and everything to do with the fact that Elvis would be coming to spend the weekend. They would have long gone back to stay with him in Texas but the rules dictated that they were not permitted to take Lynn Rose out of Memphis for the time being.

And now she was standing there in a little sailor dress, matching blue ribbons holding her braids in place. One of the hundreds of teddy bears that had been sent for Elvis was tucked under her arm. She looked like a flawless little doll at first glance, deceptively innocent and perfectly adorable. Someone unaware of the current situation would never have thought that she was displaying defiance in her refusal to get ready for bed before she had seen her beloved Elvis. It was a roughly two hour flight from Texas and Elvis would have just barely gotten on that plane and they were already hopelessly behind in the bedtime routine that they had settled into in the last few weeks.

"Let's at least take your bath," Gladys said, but Lynn Rose once again refused.

"No. I don't wanna put on jammies." She planted herself on the floor with a thud. "I want Elvis to see my dress. It's pretty."