Remembrance

Chapter 9: My Way

August 16, 1977

 

Elvis had called me everyday over the course of a year. I never picked up. I knew that if I did he would convince me to come back to him. It wasn't going to take much for me to run back to him. I hadn't seen how he had gotten because I never looked at the newspaper, I didn't watch television. I didn't want to see anything about him. The day Elvis and Priscilla's divorce was finished he called me. I had heard from where I had moved to, a small town out in the country, I had quit my job as acting and modeling. People recognized me when I first moved there and were crazy, but after the first year they treated me like normal. I decided I would answer. I had been cooking when the phone rang. I slowly walked over to it and hesitantly picked it up. I didn't say anything at first. I could hear his breathing.

"Anna Kay? Is that you? Did you pick up? Please, talk to me" I could hear his voice wavering. He was hurting. "Y-y-yes uhm, this Anna Kay" I stuttered. "Oh Kay, goddamn, it is so good to hear your voice" he said in relief. "Please Kay, come back I am begging you. I need you, Priscilla left me and took Lisa with her. I haven't felt this lonely and broken since my mama passed, I need you." This is exactly why I didn't want to pick up the phone. I put my hand on my face and leaned against the wall. "Kay you there?" he asked in concern. "Elvis I need to go, my cooking is gonna get burned. I am sorry about Priscilla and you, I am sure you will find someone good" I whispered. "Kay, please don't-" I hung up on him again. I walked back to my small country kitchen and took out my food from the oven. After another year and his continuous calling I decided to answer. For the last years of his life we talked practically everyday on the phone. Reminiscing in the good times and the sad. He still asked me every time to come back to him, but I knew I couldn't. Besides I had found a man I liked in this small town. I always got around answering him directly.

I had healed enough by 1977 that I watched the television, and I received the newspaper. I saw Elvis and out of shape he was. The first time I saw him I started bawling. He looked exhausted, and worn out. He needed a break but he was never one to tell people. I heard about his new live in Ginger Alden, she seemed nice. Elvis and I continued to talk on the phone.

The last time I heard Elvis's sweet southern voice was August 16, 1977.

It was four in the morning and the phone rang. I rushed over and picked it up. We talked for two hours about life and love and reality. Finally he said the last words I heard from him. "Well honey, I didn't mean to keep you up this long, you were the only person I could talk to though. I love you always baby" "I love you always and more sweetie" and I put up the phone.

His death was announced on everything that you could imagine. I broke my television I was so upset. As soon as the reporter said those words I ran up and kicked it over. I stomped it and threw my lamp at it. He couldn't be gone. He couldn't. Why did I have to go through this twice? I fell onto the floor and bawled for hours.

"And that was it dears, then I met your grandpa and we got married" I breathed. "Mam-ma, why did he die?" they asked there eyes filled with up with tears. "Well dears, death is an unstoppable cycle, and God, he, sometimes he has to bring people up to him earlier than others for people to understand that they lost someone valuable. Because you see if he had passed on of old age, no one would have realized how wonderful and truly magical he was. Unfortunately the people who were already aware of that also hurt from tragedies such as that" I tried to explain. "Do you miss him Mam-ma?" little Susie asked. "Well, do I ever." I laughed in pain. "I miss him so very much, his thick southern voice, his shock, his warmth. I miss his laugh and the love he gave to everyone he ever met. Most of all I miss what he taught me everyday, and that was that no matter what distance, love couldn't be broken between two people who shared so much that he and I did. That no matter what pain and sadness you had shared, Love, it was love that was still undeniable." My eyes filled with tears and I sniffled. I was eighty years old now. My husband was going to live longer than me, he was younger. I closed my eyes and inhaled.

I will be with you soon baby, I love you always and more.

 

                                                                        

 

 

 

                                                                        THE END