Blue Moon of Kentucky

Chapter 27

4th of July came just as they were getting somewhere in their search for a musical break through. But it couldn't be helped, their parents wanted them home for Independence Day. Gladys told Elvis on the phone that it would be a very special day since a few of his aunts, uncles and cousins would come to spend a few days with them.

None of them had ever met Loretta, though they had seen the wedding picture Gladys sent to everyone.

Loretta wasn't quite sure if she'd meet his family members' expectations. She knew very well that she looked nothing like that picture- Vernon took a few and they chose the one they liked the most.

She tried not to grimace at the pain bouncing around her skull. To make matters worse, lightning stormed the earth and dark, low hanging clouds enclosed the sky. It was raining the day they left and it was raining again the day they were coming home.

"You alright Loretty?" Elvis asked in a voice tinged with worry.

"Fine. It's just... my head. It always passes."

Elvis didn't look too convinced. "We need to get you to a doctor."

"But I been to Doc Turner and I asked Dr. Goodwin once."

"And what did they say?"

"Like I told you then. It's migraine headaches and it runs in families. My daddy's got it-"

"He's a miner," Elvis said.

"He's got migraine headaches just the same."

"From the coal mines."

"You don't know that. Maybe he'd have them anyhow. They both said the same thing. There ain't much I can do about it and I ain't get 'em that much or too bad."

The last part wasn't exactly honest. Loretta did have a high pain tolerance compared to some.She'd go to work and about her business at home with a headache or stomach cramps and no one would be any wiser.

"Don't try to kid me or yourself, Loretta," Elvis grumbled. "If you're a doctor you don't tell a young woman that she just gotta deal with having headaches like that."

"Alright, you know more than the doctors do."

"What I'm sayin' is, if you were their wife they would spend a little more time tryin' to figure things out."

"Oh, you're just a..." Loretta trailed off, not in the mood for a fight. Elvis, however, didn't catch the hint.

"I'm a what?"

"Let's just not fight, how about that? My head hurts already, I don't wanna raise my voice."

Silence engulfed them until Elvis broke it. "I'm just worried about you, is all. What husband worth his salt wants his wife in pain?"

"I'm worried too."

Elvis frowned. "But you said you weren't."

"Not about that I ain't. I'm nervous about meeting that family of yours. What if they don't like me?"

'Then that's too bad for them 'cause we're married already."

"But I don't want them to not like me," Loretta argued.

"Why would they not like you though? You're a real doll and you take good care of me. That's good enough for me and it better well be good enough for my family. My parents like you, and my grandma Dodger likes you."

"Minnie Mae likes me?"

"Not everyone shows it the way my mama does."

"I know she likes me," Loretta said, smiling as she thought of her mother-in-law. Some girls didn't get on well with their husband's mother and her friends warned Loretta that it should be even worse for her since Elvis was the only child Gladys had. Gladys did perhaps 'interfere' too much by other people's standards but Loretta was glad for her help, especially with the prospect of her own parents possibly moving away hanging over her head. Loretta dreamed of a miracle that would make them stay. If Elvis ended up making enough money they'd get them a home down in Painstville.