Pieces of My Life

Chapter 7

Every day, Loretta dragged herself out of her hotel bed, soaked in sweat from another fitful night of sleep, and took a long shower before fixing her hair and applying makeup.

She forced herself to eat something so she'd be alert enough to drive to the hospital. After fighting her way through the masses of reporters and fans she'd get herself settled there. Though she never did do much of anything, the hours just slipped away. Sometimes she went to the chapel to pray for him but most of the time she lingered near the ICU.

Seeing young Lisa Marie every day helped because Loretta never could allow her negative feelings to take over. At only seventeen, Lisa needed someone to lean on and her own mother wasn't going to be that person. For a few hours every day, they brought each other comfort. The guys, Lamar in particular, did not approve but still let them spend time together for a little while. Sometimes it was just an hour, sometimes two or three or most of the afternoon.

Today Loretta sat at her usual spot sipping on horrendous coffee and eating an equally disgusting sandwich because the taste was still better than the hunger burning in her stomach like a ball of acid. She wasn't sure she'd let out a full breath since Elvis had his heart attack.

She looked at her watch and realized that Lisa Marie was late. Had she gone back to school? They never did talk about her schooling, but Loretta knew that Lisa was in her last year of school. Loretta couldn't fathom not being here though her presence wasn't of any help to him and imagined that Lisa felt the same way. It was nice to see a girl of her age love her father so fiercely- the way she, Loretta, had loved her father.

In the short time they got to spend together, Elvis threw her world upside down and inside out, and she would be blatantly lying if she said that she did not love every moment of it. He was one of those people who bowled his way into people's lives with a thundering strike. Lisa Marie was the same in a sense. And through their time spend together, however brief it had been, Loretta came to love the young girl. Bonding was accelerated due to the tragedy, and she had the tendency to mother whoever she thought was in need of mothering.

"Loretta?" Her heart soared with hope when she registered the tenor of that voice.

"Hi, Lisa." Loretta managed a small smile.

"They moved Daddy to a new room. He's not in the ICU anymore. And he complained too. The nurse said that once they complain they're better." Lisa laughed, though tears gathered in her eyes at the same time. "He kept asking about you until I told him that you're here and I'd get you."

Loretta jumped to her feet faster than anyone could blink. "Then let's go."

On their journey to his new room, Lisa turned somber. "I think he didn't really understand what happened to him right away. He's gonna be here for a long time now. Maybe even for my birthday and I'm... I shouldn't be selfish but-"

"You ain't selfish. I bet he wants to be there for your birthday too. Your daughter don't turn eighteen every day. If he can't be home, you could always have it here."

"But he won't be able to eat any of the food. He has to be on a diet for the rest of his life now. He loves food." Lisa sniffled. "Do you have the necklace you got him for his birthday?"

"I sure do. Did he ask for it?"

Lisa nodded. Loretta wished that she would have gotten the chain repaired, but she couldn't make herself give it up. If she never saw Elvis again, it would have been the only thing she had left to remember him by. But now she'd get to give it back to him. By the grace of God, he wouldn't die now.

"I'll have to get it repaired for him," Loretta said. She wrapped an arm around Lisa's shoulder.

"Are you still gonna be here for my birthday anyway? Or come back?"