| THE ROCK AND ROLL LIFESTYLE | E.PRESLEY | COMPLETED

12 | IF I CAN DREAM

     THE NEXT COUPLE of days consisted of more filming, and dealing with the Colonel asking them constantly to sing a Christmas song. The two got experimental with this special, doing a whorehouse and a Kung Fu part. The pair were just enjoying themselves, returning to how they were before the turn of the decade.

But as they were filming one part a stage hand ran onto set. "Bobby Kennedy's been shot! Bobby Kennedy's been shot!"

Jamie looked at Elvis as the back uo dancers ran to the nearest TV. The pair grabbed each others hands and followed, they watched the graphic display of the man on the floor, blood surrounding him.

"We're ready on set." Someone said, but no one really paid attention. "Steve, we gotta get back to work."

"Work?" Binder said softly, turning off the TV. "Listen, I, uh...I just wanna say that...that this nation is hurting. Its lost, you know? It...it needs a voice right now to help it heal. We have to say something. You...have to make a statement."

Jamie and Elvis looked at each other as Binder stared at them.

"The Presley's don't make statements." Colonel suddenly spoke. "They sing, Here Comes Santa Clause and wishes everyone, Merry Christmas and goodnight."

Jamie sat in Elvis' dressing room with the Colonel while Elvis got changed from his suit.

"Poor, Miss Kennedy." Colonel sighed. "This tragedy...a tragedy. But it has nothing to do with us."

Elvis opened his curtain, walking into the room. "It has everything to do with us."

Colonel shook his head. "No, I just do not think we should be making speeches about politics and religion."

"Dr King was shot eight miles from Graceland." Jamie spoke.

"While I was out here, singing to turtles." Elvis added. "And now this, and all you can think about is how many goddamn sweaters I can sell?"

"I am a promoter. That's what I do." Colonel shrugged.

Elvis slammed down his Pepsi. "And I'm Elvis Presley. That's what I do."

The Colonel glanced between the two Presleys. "Mr Bindle has really gotten inside your head with all of his hippie friends. You actually think that singing your old songs dressed in black leather, sweating, mumbling  incoherently to the audience was a good show?"

"Colonel, we know when we've excited an audience." Jamie said.

"That was not a real audience. There was a sign, flashing applaud telling them when to clap for you. This entire jamboree is an embarrassment. You have embarrassed the sponsors, you have embarrassed yourself, your wife and you have embarrassed me. Now, you can sing whatever songs you and Mr Bindle choose for 55 minutes, but at the end of the show, there will be a Christmas song. Or else we will be sued. No, you will be sued for breach of contract, because I will no longer be the promoter of your career. I will have to leave you, Mr Presley."

Elvis hummed, looking defeated.

As the Colonel left, he made a comment about Rock and Roll and it left the Presleys in silence. Jamie watched her husband exit the room and head towards the stage room. She followed but said nothing.

The man took a seat at the piano and looked at Jamie, waiting for her to sit beside him. She did and he gently pressed the notes.

"You remember that reverend." He asked, not knowing that Binder and Howe were watching the pair. "When things are too dangerous to say..."

"Sing." She finished, putting her hand ontop of his. "I've been working on a song, E. I think it might work."

"Better get us that song, Mrs Presley." Binder said into the mic, making their presence known.

"There must be lights burning brighter somewhere
Got to be birds flying higher in a sky more blue."

Jamie sang softly in front of the group of men, Elvis watched her intently as she leaned on the piano. She didn't play, she never learnt how, but she watched the composer as his fingers danced across the keys.

This was the song they had to use.

Jamie and Elvis walked onto set. Behind them a huge red neon sign that spelt out their last name. Elvis wore an all white suit with a red tie. Jamie wore a white dress, with red heels. The pair held their microphones but Elvis was the one singing this part.

"We're lost in a cloud
With too much rain
We're trapped in a world
That's troubled with pain
But as long as a man
Has the strength to dream
He can redeem his soul and fly."

Elvis turned his attention to Jamie as she started the next verse.

"Deep in my heart there's a trembling question
Still I am sure that the answer, answer's gonna come somehow
Out there in the dark, there's a beckoning candle, yeah."

The two had almost identical movements as they sang together.

"And while I can think, while I can talk
While I can stand, while I can walk
While I can dream
Oh, please let my dream
Come true
Right now
Let it come true right now
Oh yeah."

"Thank you." Elvis smiled at the camera.

"Goodnight." Jamie also smiled.

Elvis kissed his wife's cheek before the two left the stage.

This special turned out to be what was needed for the Presley's as the whole world knew that they were back. Back to singing and preforming and back to their old selves.

Life seemed to be exciting again as the pair went back to Graceland. Jamie was happy to be home and looking after her children, she never wanted to go back to Hollywood.

Money also seemed to come rolling back in. Elvis began to buy some pretty special things, the most special being a private plane that they called the Lisa-Marie, after their oldest daughter.

Lisa was now six years old, Jesse now three. And Jamie was once again pregnant.