A Thing Called Love

Chapter 5

Rosemarie was falling in love. Falling in love with a soldier. Falling in love with a man who would be gone in less than two years. Falling in love with a man who had millions to his name and a big mansion back in the states. It seemed hard to believe sometimes, but every day at noon she was greeted by his smiling face and his sweet kisses.

She heard that there was a girl waiting from him back at home. That he had more than one here, too. She didn't confront him though. Monday to Friday, from twelve to one, he was all hers. Rosemarie never thought that one day she would settle for anything like that.

She lived in the present when it came to Elvis because the few times she allowed herself to think of the future she found it too scary to contemplate. The future was a broken hearted girl forever pining for her lost love. Or maybe a simple country girl unable to cope with the life of her superstar husband. Or a lonely girl far from home trapped in a marriage that wasn't what she thought it would be.

There was no happy ending for Elvis and Rosemarie. They were from two different worlds. They would have never crossed paths if it hadn't been for an unlikely string of coincidences. Sometimes Rosemarie wondered if they did meet for a reason and just what that reason was. Maybe they were meant to teach each other something she did not yet know.

She would be a changed person no matter what once March 1960 came around. March 1960. Fourteen months. So much could happen in fourteen months yet it was so very little time.

"Hey, darlin'."

There he stood in the doorway, bundled up in his army coat, hands buried deep in his pockets .His cheeks were red from the cold, giving him a childlike look of innocence.

It was getting colder outside with every passing day. Snow was in the near future without a doubt.

"I need to show you something," Rosemarie declared, getting to her feet. She got her coat and pulled it on while the confused Elvis watched. "Did you come with the car?"

"Yes, I sure did."

"I might have found you a house. Four bedrooms and two baths. If we hurry we can go over there for you to look at it."

"Sure." Elvis' face broke into a smile. He grabbed her hand with his ice cold one; it was a reflex at this point, just like the way Rosemarie often found herself stroking the short hair at the back of his head without even meaning to.

The house was on top of the hill, only a short walk from Hardt Kaserne. It was an old farm house, located a few steps from Herr Maier's farm. He and his wife owned both of the houses and had been trying to rent the second one out a few times. It was a quaint little house, a true home away from home.

Elvis' eyes were already sparkling when he saw the exterior through the window of his car. It surely wasn't much compared to his beloved Graceland, but after so many weeks in a hotel most any home might look appealing. A rooster crowed in the distance as they exited the car, making Elvis turn to Rosemarie with a look of confusion on his face.

"Sorry," Rosemarie sighed, "it is right next to a farm. If you don't-"

"I had a rooster when I was little," Elvis said cheerfully, "I love animals."

Rosemarie led him over to the Maier farm. Elvis stayed back while Rosemarie went to speak to Herr Maier, who spoke only a few words of broken English. Herr Maier didn't know that Elvis was...well, Elvis. All Rosemarie told him was that she knew a young soldier with a family who might be interested in renting his house.

Herr Maier looked Elvis up and down with a frown on his face before shaking his hand. Rosemarie's stomach sank as she considered the possibility of this not working out.