Playing House Away From Home

Chapter 15

This house didn't feel like a home. Of course it never really did to begin with. Doolittle was the one who chose it. Loretta knew of the women who came over when she wasn't there. The twins thankfully seemed oblivious but the older kids knew. No one spoke of it though, it was generally accepted that this was what things were like, this was what their father was like.

Somehow it was easier to ignore when she was elsewhere and Doolittle was at home.

She'd pretend that he was waiting for her at home, that his time was devoted to his children rather than another failed business or another woman closer in age to Betty than to Loretta herself.

"Moommmyyy," a little southern accented voice shouted. "There's some man on the phone."

Loretta couldn't tell whether it was Peggy or Patsy. "What man, honey?" she asked, feet carrying her toward the only phone in the home.

"A man." The little girl placed the receiver against her ear. "Who are you?" A few seconds later she said, "Elvis."

Loretta hadn't spoken to Elvis in some time. The last they had heard from each other was through Christmas cards that had been exchanged in mid December. It wasn't as though they had forgotten the promises made; they had simply gotten swept up into their former lives and problems as the weeks wore on.

"You go find your sister," Loretta told her daughter, outstretched hand reaching for the phone.

"Who am I?" The little girl demanded.

"You're Peggy Jean. Now go and find your sister."

Peggy groaned as she handed over the phone. Loretta waited for her to skip out of the room before saying, "Elvis?"

A deep chuckle floated through the line. "Yeah, it's me. I just got to talk to little Patsy."

"Peggy," Loretta corrected.

"She said her name was Patsy."

"They'll do that." Loretta took a seat, eyes darting back and forth to make certain that she was alone. "How have you been, honey?"

"Same old. Shows and family and more shows."

"You tell me about it."

"You know what our management's arguing about right now?"

"Do you?"

"Kinda. They came to me and said that you should come out at one of my shows to promote the movie. Now your people said I should come and be a special guest at your concert instead. Colonel's not gonna have that though."

"My people don't want me in Vegas," Loretta said.

"Vegas ain't the only place I perform at."

"I don't care if...I'll come out at one of your concerts if you want me to. I don't mind."

"I don't care either way myself but they're gonna  tear each other apart over it."

"Would be easier if there wasn't none of that stuff, wouldn't it? I ain't never thought that the management side of it was gonna be such a big deal."

"You know what I was thinking?" Elvis paused, waiting for her to ask 'What?'

"What I was thinkin' is that we could just go and do a couple of shows together in a few months, around the time this thing  comes out."

"This thing?" Loretta laughed.

"This movie, picture, whatever."

"I see that you're over it still."