His Hand in Mine

Chapter 18

Elvis and I would date our whole senior year at Humes High. Our love was sweet and one of the most beautiful things I had ever possessed.

The Christmas of 1952 Aunt Brenda and me would spend with the Presley's as well as New Year's. Elvis pulled me aside that New Years Eve kissing me intimately and telling me he wanted to marry me, we would playfully plan our wedding together that entire winter, from my dress to what kind of cake we wanted.

That spring Aunt Brenda and Gladys were sitting at the table in the kitchen whispering. I overheard part of their conversation that Elvis was looking at engagement rings. I hoped he would pop the question soon, so we would be able to start our life together after graduation.

I still possess two wrinkled and withered photos of Elvis and I in our cap and gowns on the day of graduation outside his home in the courts. One of us side by side holding our diplomas proudly and smiling widely, he was grinning that little goofy grin he would get when he was really happy.

The next was of him turning me around and kissing me, I was holding my cap to my head his had almost knocked mine off. You could tell we were both laughing our lips slightly parted with smiles as the picture was snapped.

That day Elvis would give me a small silver locket containing a heart made from red paper. He told me he really wanted to propose but didn't feel the time was right so he gave me his heart instead to carry around with my always.

Aunt Brenda that summer would come home breathless and crying. I would run to her wondering what was wrong scared for the worst of news. But her tears weren't of sadness but of happiness she had won a large amount of money playing the lottery.

We then moved from the courts into a small suburb just outside of Memphis. I was far from Elvis and my heart ached for him. I often took my new white Pontiac Catalina that Aunt Brenda had bought for me to see Elvis.

I let Elvis drive it around and we had fun the first couple months after I moved away buying things, going out all the time and necking in my new car.

But time and the distance began to wane on our relationship. Elvis was used to me being there in his every beck and call, now that Aunt Brenda and I lived about an hour away from the courts it was hard.

He began to argue with me on the phone regularly about how he needed me and I wasn't there for him. This hurt me deeply, but... what was I to do? I knew some of his anger just steamed from the fact he missed me so badly.

It was just about the ending of the summer of 1953, Elvis and I hadn't seen one another in almost a month our arguments grew more heated and our tears more bitter. He was driving my Catalina around in circles we were both silent, trying to avoid the inevitable.

I began to cry when he parked in our favorite river spot. He held me close hiding his own tears. The sun was setting when I took off the locket and ring placing it in the pocket of his jacket. I have him his heart back... he kissed me tenderly for a long time in the car until we decided it was getting late.

I drove him back to the courts, distance had killed our love as well as Elvis' strong need of me. I needed him too, but... what was I to do?

He gave me one last kiss before we parted whispering his love, our sweet and tender romance broken. I remember almost getting into an accident watching him walk away in the rear view mirror he may have gotten his heart back, but he still had mine I still loved him unconditionally.

A few years would pass and I still lived with Aunt Brenda working as an office assistant for a doctors pediatric practice. I heard Elvis on the radio constantly it brought back old feelings a lot it was sometimes strange hearing his voice over the airwaves, but Doctor Arthur Albright had given me a ring an loved me dearly suppressing those old love worn memories.