Truth Is Like the Sun

Chapter 10

Carol Ann found herself awake before everyone else. She didn't know when Elvis had gone to bed, but she assumed that it wasn't until the early morning hours. Lisa Marie came out of her room several times, not falling asleep until close to midnight. AJ undoubtedly stayed up about that long with a book and his flashlight.

She had managed to evade Elvis' question yesterday, but it was still rolling around her head. Did she want to date him again? There was no doubt in her mind that she still cared for him. One might even go as far as saying that she loved him. But that didn't mean that it was going to work. How where they going to be seeing each other anyway? He was so busy and she had AJ to take care of while he had Lisa.

Colonel Parker had already despised her back in 61. But Colonel Parker was now long gone. Carol Ann wasn't sure if the knot in her stomach was emotion, hunger or a blend of both but she decided to remedy one possible cause by making herself some breakfast. She would have to make something else for Elvis, AJ and Lisa later. She didn't know what they wanted, nor what foods Lisa liked or disliked apart from 'wieners'.

She just finished eating when AJ came stumbling in, dressed for the day but his hair sticking up in all directions.

"Hey darlin'." She held out an arm, wrapping it around him in a side hug when he made his way over.

"Did you eat without me?"

"Why yes, I did. You'll get somethin' so don't worry about that."

"I'll make myself a sandwich," AJ said. "Can I?"

"Maybe you should go brush your hair first, hm?"

AJ's face twisted into a frown. "But I can't. They're in there," he offered as a way of explanation, as if it was impossible to brush his hair anywhere but in the bathroom.

"Elvis and Lisa?"

"Uh-huh. He's tryin' to help her."

"Tryin' to help her with what?"

AJ shrugged, turning back to the fridge to pull out what he needed to make himself a sandwich. "I'll brush it when they're outta there, alright?"

"Alright." Carol Ann planted a kiss on AJ's head on the way out of the room. She made her way up the stairs and toward the bedroom. "Elvis?" she called, gently rapping against the door.

"Yes?" His deep voice rang from inside. "You need the bath?"

Carol Ann opened the door and stuck her head inside. "I just wanna know what you're..." she trailed off as she found herself chuckling at the sight in front of her. Lisa was sitting on one of the counters. A frown marred her delicate features as she tugged on one of her uneven pigtails before moving on to a bobby pin haphazardly stuck to her head to hold back her bangs.

Elvis' expression mixed into something between a smile and a grimace. "I'm helpin' her with her hair."

"Is your daddy doin' well here, Lisa?" Carol Ann asked, keen to appease both of their discomfort.

Lisa shook her head from side to side, her frown deepening. "Uh-uh."

"Do you need a little bit of help?"

"Yes," Lisa whimpered, finally managing to free the hair tie from her blond locks. She was about to toss in onto the floor, but before she could Elvis held out his hand and she deposited it in his palm instead.

"You go on downstairs," Carol Ann said to Elvis. "Maybe AJ's gonna make you a sandwich." She turned back to Lisa, wincing at the way the little girl tore at her hair. "Ow, don't you do that. Don't that hurt?"