Born Too Late [Elvis Presley]

Chapter 5: The Reunion

Penny and Elvis's looks for the party:

Memphis,
1st June, 1966

Penny Jones

"Happy birthday, dear Penny. Happy birthday to you!"

I blow out the candles on my pink birthday cake, smiling as all of the party guests clap and cheer. After spending the day with my father, watching movies in the living room and eating pancakes - and later on, pizza - my social battery was very much re-charged. Key word - was.

The question that's been swirling around in my head since the party started has completely drained my social battery. Why isn't Elvis here?

I fiddle with the cross pendant around my neck as I try to figure it out, but I can't understand why he wouldn't attend. Unless he's sick or something, but I assume my father would've told me if that was the case. Elvis has attended all of my birthday parties for the past three years, since we moved to Memphis when I was fifteen.

Suddenly, I feel a set of hands on my shoulders, pulling me out of my thoughts. I didn't even realise all of the party guests had spread out across the house again, all getting back into conversations with one another. My father presses a kiss to my cheek, "let's cut the cake."

I nod, putting on a fake smile, "yeah. I'm just gonna go outside for some fresh air. I won't be long." My father nods.

"Okay, Pen," he says, giving me a small smile. I turn around and begin making my way out of the kitchen and upstairs into my bedroom. I rake through my suitcase, which I haven't yet unpacked, and pull out a pack of cigarettes. I pull one out of the pack and place it between my lips as I search for my lighter, pulling the cigarette out of my mouth once I find it. I make my way back downstairs, weaving my way through the hundreds of party guests as I make my way towards the back yard. I let out a breath in relief when I pull the door leading to the back yard open. The summer evening breeze hits me, providing me with a slight sense of coolness against my warm skin. The sound of the music playing and the guests talking becomes muffled when I pull the door closed behind me.

I walk across the grass of the empty back yard, making my way over to the fire pit, which I don't bother to light as I won't be outside for long. I sit down at one of the chairs surrounding the fire pit, lighting my cigarette. The moonlight and the warm light from the fairy lights weaved through the branches of the trees surrounding the fire pit cast a soft light across the back yard, giving it a warm atmosphere. I set my lighter down on the arm of my chair, kicking my heels off before crossing my legs and leaning back in my chair, getting comfortable.

I lean my head back on the back of the chair and stare up at the night sky and the thousands of bright stars peppered across it as I take a drag from my cigarette. I feel every muscle in my body relax as I begin to inhale the smoke deep into my lungs, my eyes falling closed in relaxation.